By Howard Zehr and Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz,
Author of “What Will Happen To Me?”
Children need time to adjust to the separation caused by having a parent in prison. But it takes more than time. As we have heard in their voices, children also need to make sense of what has happened to them and to their parent or parents. Because of this, they have many questions.
Some of the questions they ask are straightforward. But sometimes their questions come out indirectly or in their challenging behavior. Incarcerated parents, as well as caregivers of children or other adults in their lives, often have to answer their uncomfortable questions. Read the rest of this entry »
Did you know 160,000 kids miss school every day out of fear of being bullied? The recent cases of young people who have tragically ended their lives because they were so badly bullied are a painful example that there is a serious problem in America today. There is no better time than the present to start changing these statistics…and we can do so through education!
Are you aware that forty years ago this month, the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers (NCCPT) and the National Congress of Mothers united to form the National PTA, adapting the same mission they had operated under separately: to improve the education and well being of every child? Today, while many great accomplishments have been made there are still obstacles that we must conquer, both inside and outside of the classroom and across ethnic backgrounds. So at this year’s national convention there will be much to tackle:
The nation’s K-12 public education system is in crisis.
Our students lag behind compared to children in other countries in math and science – which is not a plus for their futures in a global economy and job market.
And our schools also face widespread funding shortages, a childhood obesity epidemic and unbalanced academic standards all across the country.
In this LIVE webcast event from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, National PTA President Chuck Saylors will be joined by actress, mother and National PTA Advisory Board member Tichina Arnold, National PTA representatives and Ambassadors; Tomeka Hart, Executive director of Memphis Urban League, University of Memphis student representative; as well asBarbara Andrews, director of Education and Interpretation for National Civil Rights Museum. They will be discussing the challenges of educating the 21st century child in today’s classroom, and what needs to be done to close the achievement gap in education.
Want to learn ways in which you can take a more hands on approach in your child’s education? You’re in luck, as during this webcast event you’ll have the opportunity to email your questions and have them potentially answered live during the event.
This is a great article that was mentioned to me. If you are looking for resources to help your child improve their math and science skills, you find an extensive list of websites within the article that can help.
Excerpt:
Math and science skills don’t always come easily to some children. If your child is behind in math or science it can take years for them to catch up and be able to earn the grades you know they are capable of making. Some children may never catch up leaving them stranded when they enter high school mathematics like trigonometry and calculus. Read the rest of the article at http://forensicscienceschools.org/100-tools-to-make-your-kids-math-and-science-stars/ .
The Creative Park Web site offers ideas and templates for any lesson plan with projects ranging from 3D Paper Crafts, to scrapbooks and calendars and even tips on digital photography! It is a simple and interactive way to help teach your children about geography, history, social studies, sciences and more. These smart ideas are both an easy and affordable way to turn your home into a creative, educational environment. Canon also offers a range of solutions to take these projects to the next level. To learn more, please visit http://www.learningtocreate.com.
