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Early Learners
The start of the presentation was less than an hour away, and my son was feeling stressed. He and his team had spent months preparing their STEM project, and competition day had finally arrived. He paced the hallway as he ran through his lines for what seemed like the 1,000th time, stopping every so often […]
When my brother and sister-in-law learned that their daughter, Amelia, could start pre-kindergarten in September, they were elated. She was only 3 at the time, but very bright. I have the personal bias of a loving aunt, but when I was 3, I couldn’t count to 100, write my name, or tell a hexagon from […]
Does the thought of sitting down with your child’s teacher make you squirm in your seat like a second grader? It shouldn’t, but it is surprising just how many adults find the face-to-face meeting with a teacher an uncomfortable experience. The purpose of parent-teacher conferences is to inform parents about their child’s progress and to […]
“This is … Ancient Greece Jeopardy!” my son announced from the back seat, kicking off an unexpected but entertaining 6th grade social studies lesson. We were returning home from a weekend visit with family in Connecticut, and the three-hour car ride provided ample time for him to complete the study packet for an upcoming test. […]
In a move some of the nation’s top colleges and universities say will help students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds apply for college, a new “Coalition Application” is set to launch in April. Similar to the Common Application, which allows students to apply to several colleges at once through a single portal, the Coalition Application would […]
For most of us, the holiday season represents fun celebrations and warm memories. From school vacation to family get-togethers, holiday traditions to special treats, the weeks from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day are usually an exciting, and happy, time. For some children and families, however, the holidays can be stressful and difficult. Complicated by divorce, […]
I’m late. As with most things in my parenting life, I am woefully behind schedule. On November 19, families throughout the country took part in the National Night of Conversation, an event designed to facilitate discussion about drug abuse and addiction. My family, however, was knee-deep in social-studies projects, multiplication tables, and various sports practices. […]
I don’t like surprises. Not for birthdays or anniversaries, and especially not when it comes to my children’s report cards. Luckily, parents no longer need to be taken by surprise by the grades and comments on the quarterly report from school. Today, there are many ways parents can keep track of their children’s performance on […]
For once, I’d like our tree-selection process to look like a scene from a Hallmark Christmas special. In my movie version, we all pile into the car for the short drive to a tree farm. A few light flurries swirl around us as we traipse through the snow, bundled in our colorful scarves and winter […]