Crops are Raised, Children are Reared

Growing numbers of children are acting out both inside and outside of school environments. Based on over thirty years of experience across various educational settings, I, along with fellow educators, have observed considerable changes in students' conduct. One notable development is the rise in disrespectfulness among children of all ages toward teachers and other authority figures, including their parents. Classroom teachers regularly encounter children who lack adequate self-regulation and age-appropriate emotional maturity in such areas as logical thinking, social skills, self-awareness, sympathy, and empathy.

With so many students struggling with self-regulation and emotional maturity, it would be short-sighted to deny a connection between behavior and academic performance. Scores reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that reading and math scores have remained largely stagnant for decades. Given every two years to students in grades 4, 8, and 12, recent results confirmed that reading and math proficiency scores decreased for multiple groups. With some scores falling in the 30th percentile range, the results reveal wide disparities among test takers and highlight serious educational challenges.

This book is a collection of personal articles that reflect on child-rearing, childhood behaviors, education, and other topics of personal and professional interest. While the articles were not initially written with the purpose of creating a book, their continuing relevance inspired me to compile and share them in one volume.

Sharon Knapp Lamberth is a wife, mother, grandmother, and retired educator whose public school career spanned over three decades. Holding multiple degrees and certifications, she has worked as a home-hospital instructor, teacher assistant, elementary school teacher, curriculum facilitator, assistant principal and principal. Her writing is an outgrowth of her continuing passion for the plight of children and families in today's society.