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Tag: featured

When learning is better than winning

When learning is better than winning

June 12, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary

“No Jane….don’t do cartwheels on the field during the game!” “Timmy…don’t climb the soccer goal, it’s not a cargo net!” “Great pass Charlie!” “We are going the other direction Sam!” This was pretty much what my first experience coaching a youth soccer game was like. My children have been playing soccer as long as they […]

Summer slide is not as fun as it sounds

Summer slide is not as fun as it sounds

June 8, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Have you heard about “summer slide”? Psst, it’s not nearly as fun as it sounds because it has nothing to do with water parks or playgrounds. And it’s not something any parent wants their children to ride. The first time I heard the term “summer slide” was in an end-of-year conference with my son’s second-grade […]

Getting nutritious meals a concern for some kids over summer

Getting nutritious meals a concern for some kids over summer

June 5, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

For some of the nation’s students, when school is in session, it not only means getting an education, but a nutritious meal. In 1946, President Truman signed the National School Lunch Act, which funded states to provide school lunches to children in need, and today, over 30 million children still benefit, as a part of the […]

Take a hike, kid

Take a hike, kid

May 31, 2018 | Posted in: High School, Middle Years

As a teenager, one of the best pieces of advice I ever got from my dad was when he told me to take a hike. Although I probably deserved to “get lost,” my dad was really telling me to go for a walk in the woods to calm down.  I can’t remember what the crisis […]

Flipped learning can have several benefits for students

Flipped learning can have several benefits for students

May 3, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Homework is almost always a struggle at my house, especially when it’s math. I try to help my fifth-grade son but am thrown back into a time warp to my own elementary and middle school mathematics challenges. With both of us floundering, homework time is less than pleasant. I recently learned that some sixth-grade teachers […]

How teachers use alternative seating to engage students

How teachers use alternative seating to engage students

April 16, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary

At the beginning of the school year, my fifth-grade son’s teacher asked parents to donate spare stools or chairs to her classroom so she could offer some nontraditional seating options for her students. This was something my son, and I, were very excited about. My son has ADHD, so spending the bulk of his day […]

Why personalized learning is here to stay

Why personalized learning is here to stay

April 3, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Mastery-based education. Competency-based learning. Personalized learning. Project-based learning. Differentiated instruction. These are some of the terms used to describe different education practices. Maybe you’ve read about them. Maybe you’ve heard them used in reference to your child’s school. The commonality amongst them is a shift away from the traditional classroom model of students seated at […]

Kindergarten preparedness: What to expect and how to get ready

Kindergarten preparedness: What to expect and how to get ready

March 14, 2018 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

Will your little one be five years old on or before Dec. 5, 2018? If you answered yes, then chances are pretty good that you have already begun the process with your school district to get him or her signed up for kindergarten next year. Congratulations! That’s exciting for both of you…and, yes, it can […]

Vapin’ in the Boys’ Room

Vapin’ in the Boys’ Room

February 12, 2018 | Posted in: High School, Middle Years

Whether it’s kids twirling fidget spinners or eating Tide pods, there is never a dull moment in the world of parenting. Trends seem to spring from nowhere. Of course some of these trends, like popping a Tide pod in your mouth, aren’t as innocent as others. We’ve come a long way from when Motley Crue […]

Hands-on doesn’t mean minds-off: CTE and the future of jobs

Hands-on doesn’t mean minds-off: CTE and the future of jobs

February 1, 2018 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Sometimes, for fun, I ask my kids what they want to be when they grow up. Kids, as we know, say the darndest things. Some of their answers include: Power Ranger, fast food worker, motorcycle mechanic, famous soccer player, singer, lawyer (okay, I made them say that last one.) Although my children are 7 and […]