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Capital Region BOCES
Archive for 2014
You look at the district calendar and see a staff development day on the schedule – again. Why is there another day off? you wonder. Before you get frustrated about how it will wreak havoc on your own schedule, it helps to understand why these days are part of every district’s yearly calendar. School districts […]
New York state’s standardized English Language Arts (ELA) tests begin April 1, and I am grateful that my fourth grader is not anxious about the three days of test-taking. He is inclined to be anxious about many things, like thunder, high winds, and my absence at 8:45 p.m. when I had told him I expected […]
“Dis is cumbersome,” our son said to no one in particular as he sauntered through the living room carrying a toy. My husband stopped in his tracks, surprised by what had come from the boy’s mouth. It was a fairly sophisticated word for a – barely – 3-year-old. “It’s cumbersome? What does cumbersome mean?” my […]
Parent Today shared the following information in advance of 2013 state standardized test for students in grades 3-8. We republish it here so you can help prepare your child for another test season. Some students thrive on test stress; others experience intense anxiety that leaves them feeling physically ill – stomachaches, headaches, etc. – and […]
There’s a part of me that wants to opt my kids out of standardized testing. But I’m not going to. I hear about the controversy over testing (see sidebar), and I side with parents who believe they are ultimately responsible and accountable for their child’s education. We – as parents – do have primary responsibility […]
Some parents don’t want their children to take annual standardized tests, and they cite a number of reasons why. Although there is no statutory provision in New York state for “opting out” of the tests, many parents are still choosing that route. Is opting out the right thing for your child? As parents, you should […]
A new study suggests talking to babies and toddlers in full sentences is the best way to boost language development. The study, conducted by Stanford University Associate Professor Anne Fernald, showed that children whose parents talked to them, rather than at them, developed better language skills at a younger age. Children who were exposed to […]