As the school year draws to a close, everyone is looking forward to the next school year being a lot more normal than the last year has been.
Tips for Improving Reading Skills
The development of good reading skills in early childhood is the best predictor of future academic and financial success. The earlier kids learn to read, the better. The challenge is, not to teach kids to read, but to create an environment where kids will learn to love reading.
Every Kid Can Be Courageous
A child’s life is filled with firsts. In no particular order, here are just a few things kids will, at some point in their first few years, do for the first time:
The Importance of Good Attendance
Someone once said that 80% of success in life is just showing up. Academically, however, showing up is even more important. One of the most effective ways to ensure the future success of your child is also one of the easiest: Be certain they show up. Even in these times of distance learning, it’s crucial that your child participates academically every day.
Help Your Child Develop Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence
Here’s a harsh fact: Not everyone is good at everything. Some people are terrible athletes, some are poor in art or music, and some have difficulty with math or science. Conversely, some people are superb athletes, unbelievably creative artists and musicians, or show brilliance in math and science. That’s just the way life is. Not everyone is good at everything.
What’s the Point of Standardized Tests?
Standardized tests have been around for a long time; they started before the Civil War and went mainstream around 1875. Of course they have evolved over time, but the purpose of the tests hasn’t changed much.
Contribute to the Community for the Holidays
It’s the nature of children to be self-involved. Their world is comparatively small, consisting of family, classmates, and teachers. It’s normal for children to see themselves as the most important person in that world, which may appear to be selfish, but it’s perfectly normal.
The Great American Smokeout and the Dangers of Smoking and Vaping
On the third Thursday of every November, smokers around the nation come together to take part in the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout. This event challenges smokers to quit using tobacco products and provides them with resources to stay away. Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the world, which is why the Great American Smokeout remains an important event.
Dealing With Screen-Obsessed Kids
When’s the last time you saw your kid’s face? Not a silhouette or a partial view—but a full-on, forehead-to-chin, look-‘em-in-the-eye view? If you’re trying to remember the last time, this is probably the answer: It was just before you let them use your phone or tablet for the first time.
Constitution Day: Teaching Kids About the Constitution
Everyone is probably weary of seeing ads for the presidential candidates and hearing the latest poll results. It seems like it’s been going on for years, and that’s because it has. One election is barely over when campaigning starts for the next election.
College and Career Readiness for Elementary Students
Parenting is a full-time job, which makes it difficult since most parents already have full-time jobs. Parents have a lot on their plate, so having to add one more thing is probably not welcome news, but did you know that every parent should be preparing their elementary school student for college and a career?
The Case for Cursive
This blog is old school—literally, old school. If you’re above a certain age, you’ll remember seeing this, usually stretched out above the blackboard, in grade school:
