August 31st, 2009 by admin
By Kirsten Olson,
Author of Wounded by School: Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up to Old School Culture
Schools can be frustrating and difficult places to learn, as many parents of children and young adults know. From a kid’s point of view, feedback on schoolwork is often negative, red-pencilly and snarly. Learning tasks are flattening, and opportunities to choose what will be learned are few and far between. “I’m one taco short of a combination plate,” a middle schooler recently told his mom. Fostering a kid’s potential, especially if that kid is unusual or offbeat, can be daunting. Read the rest of this entry »
August 10th, 2009 by admin
By Caroline Taggart,
Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School
Back to school can be stressful for kids and parents alike, so here are Ten Helpful Hints for busy moms (and dads). The aim is to make the whole thing a bit more fun and perhaps teach the kids something at the same time. Some of this program needs to run through the vacation, so set a good example — don’t leave everything till the night before school starts! Read the rest of this entry »
June 22nd, 2009 by admin
The importance of family internet safety education and etiquette is often overlooked by both kids and teenagers today. While most teens are more ahead of the curve than most parents when it comes to the internet, they may not have the knowledge to help keep them safe from online dangers and its potentially negative effects.
On behalf of Girl Scouts of the USA and Microsoft Windows, let me introduce you to a new initiative called “LMK (text-speak for “Let Me Know,”) which provides parents and girls with resources catering to both generations, and whose goal is to bridge the digital gap between parents and teenagers.
On lmk.girlscouts.org, the girl-targeted website, teens can find interactive quizzes, videos, and expert articles to be informed about online safety in a fun way! Girls can comment on the site content, sharing their thoughts, experiences and perspectives on topics many teens face everyday, like cyberbullying and social networking. New content is posted periodically and will cover twelve different areas related to being a teen online today. Teens can even download an interactive patch they can share on social networking sites like Facebook, just by registering for the site at no cost. Best of all, it’s for all teenagers, not just Girl Scouts!
When parents visit letmeknow.girlscouts.org, they can sign up for the e-newsletter written and developed by a team of “LMK Teen Editors” who are sharing their knowledge about the ways teens use technology and help parents understand it all. Parents will have the chance to learn need-to-know skills to keep them up to speed with what their kids are doing online too. Expert advice is also offered to give guidance on tougher issues.
September 17th, 2008 by admin
By Bruce J. Gevirtzman,
Author of An Intimate Understanding of America’s Teenagers: Shaking Hands With Aliens
As September approaches, almost every schoolteacher in America fills with excitement and trepidation. It is, after all, a new year. Like baseball in spring, anything seems possible for a teacher in the fall when it comes to a renewal of spirit: new students, new gimmicks, new courses–and hope does spring eternal. Most good teachers take a mental inventory of what needs to be done to become more successful in their classrooms; unfortunately, however, that usually means having to dwell temporarily on the downside of education. Read the rest of this entry »
August 26th, 2008 by admin
By Kymythy R. Schultze, C.N.
http://www.kymythy.com/
When your child’s verbal loop switches from “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do” to “I don’t wanna go to school!” you know the time has come to do your parental duty and properly prepare them for another academic year. You’ll buy them notebooks, backpacks, pencils and books. But, are you also putting every effort into insuring that their brain is fully charged? A child with good brain health has the opportunity to be more successful in their schoolwork, and that translates to a better school year for both of you. There are many factors that affect brain health, and in this article we’ll focus on a few things you can do to make a positive difference in your child’s learning and memory function. Read the rest of this entry »
