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Early Learners
“Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure Science.” ~Edwin Powell Hubble, The Nature of Science, 1954 Several weeks back, my high school junior and my third grader quizzed each other as they studied for tests. The elder was studying photosynthesis for an AP biology test; her younger […]
So you’ve been nurturing a daydream in which your middle-schooler marches past the XBox and cozies up instead to a 400-page Russian novel. And who could blame you for such visions? Reading is, after all, fundamental. But reality throws cold water in your face when, instead of a weighty, leather-bound book, your child reaches for […]
When our daughters were young, we had no questions about kindergarten readiness. Both girls were born in March, and my husband and I knew that by the September following their fifth birthdays they’d be more than ready for the half-day program offered in our district. The decision was not quite as simple with our son, […]
Each year, we commemorate our presidents on the third Monday in February – aptly known as Presidents’ Day. Presidents’ Day can sort of get lost in the midst of winter break. Kids tend to view it as just another day off, and they may be thinking more about late-night sleepovers, sleeping in and hanging out […]
A friend recently pointed out to me – a former smoker – one more reason for teenage girls not to smoke: It might weaken their bones. Scientists at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center found that teenage girls who smoke are more likely to develop osteoporosis later in life than their smoke-free counterparts, according to […]
“It’s mine!” shouts your preschooler, as he reaches to pull a truck from the hands of a friend, and you find yourself once again in negotiations with a pair of 4-year-olds. You love planning play dates for your child, but you’ve had just about enough of the refereeing that comes with the territory. There are […]
Are children learning all they need in order to succeed in life after high school? Whether their goal is more education in college, vocational training or finding a job, all young people need a solid foundation of achievement in grades K-12 to set the stage for their future. The Common Core Standards were designed to […]
Children spend a significant number of hours each day in school, but their most influential teachers are the adults in their homes. Much of what children learn – and mimic – is based on what they see parents, guardians, even older siblings, do. At a very young age, it’s a simple game of peek-a-boo or […]
By the time our children are in high school, opportunities for parent involvement in the classroom fade to a distant memory. That doesn’t mean we can’t still be involved in their education. With a little creativity, you can turn any experience into a learning event. Take the Super Bowl, for example. There is plenty of […]
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It’s as true for celebrity role models as for redwood trees. And when record-breaking cyclist Lance Armstrong recently confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he cheated to win seven Tour de France races, he landed with a thud heard ’round the world. As falls from grace go, it […]