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.
An All New Exciting Season of ARMY WIVES Starts April 11th!
Army Wives follows the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women – and one man – living with their spouses and families on an active army post. The series films in Charleston, South Carolina and stars Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Brigid Brannagh, Brian McNamara, Sterling K. Brown, Wendy Davis, Drew Fuller, Terry Serpico, Katelyn Pippy and Catherine Bell.
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 »
We are definitely in an era of change! An organization once known as the Congress of Mothers will now be lead by two men! For the first time in its 113-year history, the National PTA will install a father as its National President. That’s why PTA is offering an exclusive LIVE webcast to the readers of Super Parents Talk, so you can be the first to meet the new National PTA President, Chuck Saylors, who will be installed at the PTA national convention on June 28th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
The webcast will also feature Byron V. Garrett, the organizations first-ever male CEO, and offer the opportunity for parents who can’t attend the convention to reap the benefits of asking each expert questions via email and have them answered during the live webcast!
As new online strategies take the world by storm, Saylors and Garrett will focus many of their upcoming efforts on getting parents and teachers involved with new tools by offering conversation and updates on Facebook and Twitter, engaging National PTA members with these new Social Media platforms. The webcast will also offer information on important topics such as:
1. Strategic planning and priorities for the National PTA for the next two years
2. How National PTA is working with the Obama Administration and reauthorization of NCLB
3. Positive impact of male involvement and ways in which men can get involved
4. Summer tips to stay ready for back to school season
Stay-at-home moms often complain that since having children, their minds have turned to mush and they often forget things. One of our moms, Krissy, told us, “I was appointed PTA vice president once. I set up an orientation meeting for the previous year’s board and the incoming board. Everybody showed up for it — except me!”
Yes, moms do forget things. We’ll admit, there is truth to this, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Your mind is agile and efficient, and if you want to be more alert and have more intellectual stimulation, the only thing standing in your way is your own perceived limitations. Last year, Heather and her husband actually forgot their anniversary! It shocked both of them. Between work, the kids’ school commitments, friends, and family, it was lost in the shuffle. Often forgetting a big event like that is a wake-up call that you need to give your schedule and organizational methods (and possibly your relationship with your husband) more attention. It is also important not to be too hard on yourself when you inevitably forget. Read the rest of this entry »
