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Elementary

Is it the time spent with children, or what we do with the time that really counts?

April 1, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

A brand new study from the Journal of Marriage and Family seems to challenge some long-held views about the amount of time mothers spend with their children. The study says the number of hours a mother spends with her children is not as important as the mother-child engagement during that time. Research involving 1,600 children […]

Cybersecurity: An ounce of prevention…

April 1, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My son loves to play Minecraft. He occasionally Facetimes (video calls over Wi-Fi) or texts friends with his iPod. With two older sisters and parents who are active on social media, he’s seen Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Vine. He’s comfortable Googling information for school, and he discovered Weird Al Yankovic videos on YouTube. […]

There is value in standardized testing

There is value in standardized testing

March 13, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

A growing number of parents and caregivers – including some teachers, school administrators and state legislators – will instruct their children to refuse to participate in the battery of standardized tests administered in schools across the country this spring. Depending who you talk to, standardized testing is either a useful measure of student growth or […]

Five things to read about in March

March 13, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

It only happens once every 100 years, and it’s over in the briefest of seconds. On the morning of March 14 at 9:26 and 53 seconds, the first 10 digits of the mathematical constant pi will be in perfect alignment with a moment in time: 3.141592653. (Pi is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to […]

School budgets, politics and you

March 13, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

In January, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his executive budget proposal for 2015, including more than $1 billion in additional state aid for schools. A billion dollars could really help schools and students around the state. But wait. That promised pile of money comes with serious strings attached. The governor also requested more control over failing […]

Common sayings make learning easy as pie

March 13, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

“Let them eat cake!” my 10-year-old son proclaimed recently at dinner. “Marie Antoinette never said that,” his sister, 16, replied. The boy, who had heard the quote in the movie “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” asked her to explain. “It’s a myth,” she said. “Everyone attributes the quote to Marie Antoinette, but she never said it.” […]

I’m so mad I could just #$%@#%

I’m so mad I could just #$%@#%

February 23, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

My son was mad. Steaming mad. Screaming mad. “I hate everything,” he roared. “It’s not fair!” I could feel my own frustration rising. He had a point, but in my opinion he was overreacting. How could this child who was so capable of having rational conversation be suddenly so irrational? We may find it unsettling […]

The important stuff not found in books

February 23, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Some of the most important lessons students learn aren’t found in textbooks. They come from life experiences – in the classroom, with family and out in the real world. As parents, we want our children to succeed. Equipping them with life skills now will better prepare them to navigate their school years and beyond. Which […]

Vaccine is best way to protect against highly contagious measles

February 23, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

An increasing number of measles cases reported in the United States has health officials urging parents to vaccinate their children and be aware of the disease’s symptoms. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a public health alert in late January after a spike in U.S. cases. The CDC attributed the increase to […]

Making pretzels together a recipe for early learning

February 23, 2015 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

The recipe card is spotted with dried flour, its edges curled and some ink slightly blurred from water spilled or splashed. It has traveled, stuffed with others in a wooden box, through three moves over the last 20 years, and it carries with it a treasure-trove of memories. It’s a simple recipe: soft pretzels. The […]