Category Archives: Parenting/Education

June 2017 Roundup: Parenting and Education

Posted on June 16, 2017 by

While I am away from my blog this week, I have selected and scheduled articles from several categories. A different theme will post each day. Today’s roundup theme is parenting/education. Parenting/Education The Awesomeness of Teens: 10 Tips for Parents Can … Continue reading →

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Teachers Use Theatre and Dance to Teach Math to Young Students

Posted on February 23, 2017 by

This popped up today in my Facebook memories from 2016: Teachers use theatre and dance to teach math to young students. It only makes sense, since so much of what we try to teach young kids is abstract, and they … Continue reading →

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Pt. 4B: Teaching Science — for Educators

Posted on February 22, 2017 by

In Pt. 3 of this miniseries, I ended with the concepts of relevance, brain development, and understanding how the world looks through the students’ eyes. In Pt. 4A, I discussed how parents can help with science readiness at school, and … Continue reading →

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Pt. 4A: Science Readiness — for Parents

Posted on February 21, 2017 by

I am astounded by the number of upper elementary and even junior high kids who are taught scientific concepts and reactions without seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and generally observing the physical materials or doing the experiments. This can happen in … Continue reading →

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Playing Music: A Full Workout for the Brain

Posted on February 19, 2017 by

Below is a video by Anita Collins that explains how playing music lights up the entire brain, affecting the visual, auditory, and motor cortices. The video discusses the benefits of music learning, playing music, and the advantages musicians have, the … Continue reading →

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“When will I ever need this in real life?”

Posted on February 18, 2017 by

Students (and their parents who might be wondering the same thing): Why the heck are you learning all that nonsense in school (particularly higher math) that you’ll never use in the real world later in life? Because it’s not about … Continue reading →

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Pt. 3: Reading, Curriculum, and Relevance

Posted on February 2, 2017 by

As young adults pursue their careers, they often don’t have time to read for pleasure. But more importantly, they believe reading fiction is frivolous, whereas reading non-fiction has value. Non-fiction and textbooks obviously have value, but listen to this video: … Continue reading →

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Pt. 2: Reading Comp Approaches for Teachers — How to Bring Back the Enjoyment of Reading

Posted on January 28, 2017 by

When students say they didn’t like the book, it is often because they didn’t understand it. Obviously, everyone has personal tastes, but more often than not, lack of understanding is a common underlying reason with children, who do not have … Continue reading →

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Pt. 1: Writing for Meaning, Reading for Comprehension

Posted on January 25, 2017 by

Over the next several posts, I’ll be doing a 5-part miniseries that threads together writing, reading, and education/curriculum. Today’s initial post is on writing, reading, and comprehension. Writing Three questions an author or writing student should ask when deciding what … Continue reading →

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Mark My Words

Posted on January 4, 2017 by

This is Mark. He likes to do his hair like Uncle Michael. This is Uncle Michael. Through no fault of his own, he is a role model. Michael is the youngest of four siblings. At the tender age of 13, … Continue reading →

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