I recently met with a fifth grader. HIs mother thought I would be the best person to catch her son up so he could be in the top math group. Her son was very disturbed because he was not placed in the highest math class. When asked why that was important to him, he replied, […]
Math Placement: Can You Really Get Them Ahead? Read More »
Kids say the darnedest things. My friend’s granddaughter was excited about her first day in first grade. We’ll call her Suzy for story telling purposes. The teacher was sweet and Suzy loved her immediately. That’s a good thing for a parent who is leaving her child in the care of someone for the first time.
Children’s Mistakes Bring Big Rewards: Engagement Read More »
Working with children who have been on-line for a year and watching them transition into the regular classroom, I have witnessed some new challenges for parents. During Covid on-line instruction, parents were pulled into the learning environment more than ever before. Children who were somewhat independent prior to on-line are now demonstrating increased dependence on
At the ripe age of one month or even before, children begin forming ideas about who they are and how they will survive in this world. By the time they enter school, they have already formed opinions about their strengths and weaknesses. They learn this from all their interactions with family, friends, strangers, and all
We all want our children to be successful. They may have the intelligence, mindset, and potential to be successful, but something seems to get in their way. Over the years, I have had children describe themselves in different ways. Some children use the following words to describe themselves: artistic, funny, fun, serious, smart, and capable.
Kill Failure With Word Choice Read More »
When we ask questions or have hard conversations with others, we are making ourselves vulnerable. Most people fear being vulnerable. It takes courage to open ourselves to shame or criticism. And learning how to allow oneself to recognize and address those who shame is a powerful life skill we can give our children. According to
Asking Questions Requires One to be Vulnerable Read More »
I have been asked many times what is my secret to helping children overcome learning obstacles and grow into thrivers. The success comes when the children understand they can’t blame anyone or anything for what they are dealing with. They learn how to look at a challenge and see how they can take responsibility for
Converting Blamers and Shamers to Thrivers Read More »
I wrote the following poem about 26 years ago with my mother, that expressed the challenges we were having with children being too dependent on their parents to help them with homework. I sit at this paper and I stare and I think. This homework and these projects have me right on the brink! The
A Poem for Our Time Read More »
Children are manifesting many puzzling behaviors today. Parents are reporting unexplained tantrums. When asked why they threw a fit, most children can’t explain it. Others are avoiding work that they once would tackle without trouble. I believe we are seeing the impact of a prolonged period of unnatural stress and fear. Many students are absorbing
My Children Are Acting Out Read More »