Dads and moms, especially book lovers, want their children to go through the same reading experience they did as kids. Do you remember the fun of paging through your picture books and board books pretending that you can read? Can you remember the first chapter book you read alone? Now, with children’s book subscription boxes, mom and dad may discover what your child’s favorites picture book is. Book clubs with subscription services make it possible to have new children’s books […]
Category: Books
What the world needs now? See, I can’t even bring myself to finish the quote. With all the schmaltz and candy coating that comes with a Burt Bacharach refrain, it’s hard to get it out. Sort of sticks in the throat and causes my hands to pause over the keyboard. But, despite the preamble of pop and bubble gum, it’s true. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. And when children are not able to obtain the love […]
I think it is outstanding that children are getting interested in outer space again. For too long, the idea of exploring our universe seemed like it had stalled, and with it so did our interest in the stars. But now we are on the cusp of a new generation of astronauts heading off into the unknown. Not only are kids dreaming of the moon, but dreaming of Mars as well. The kicker is some of them will actually get to […]
A summer reading list containing exciting STEM books with great stories and authentic problems to solve may inspire kids to want to read more this summer. STEM principles incorporate four subjects: science, technology, engineering, and math. For some, these are fun subjects, but for other students, it may be difficult and daunting topics. Here is a list of 35 stellar STEM books that could have your child change their mind and inspire them to explore these topics more. Science Books […]
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” That one belongs to Gandhi. No doubt a tall order. So close to some spiritual truth, it’s hard for it to mean anything concrete to most of us. It makes a good inspirational quote to place on some distressed wood and hang in your home or classroom. A reminder to be your best. The closest I ever got to it went something like this — “Write the book you want […]
“I just can’t get her to read!” I often hear protests like this from parents when I suggest that their child read more for fun. Because it’s an important lifelong habit that I want my students to cultivate and because I know reading more will have a huge impact on their success in school, I encourage parents to become proactive whenever their children don’t read outside what’s required for class. Once a child hits the middle or upper elementary school […]
One of the best tools to raise your children’s emotional IQ and empathy are books. Reading a story with your children gives you ample opportunity to talk about the story, the cause of the emotions and what is the best way to act and react in a similar situation. Help your children improve their coping mechanisms by raising their emotional intelligence. Improve your child’s ability to interact with others by making him aware of his own emotions. Emotional intelligence helps […]
More and more educators are finding success using gaming for education. Minecraft, in particular, has shown its ability to be a game that’s both engaging and potentially educational. For starters, the game allows players to think for themselves in order to survive, and it gives them multiple ways to accomplish pretty much whatever they want to accomplish as they build and create their own world. It is also ideal for bringing math to life, as kids can build and see […]
“When the expertise and wisdom of the teacher is given equal weight in the blended learning equation, that is bold school” (Kieschnick, p.21). Recently, I had the honor of meeting and talking with Weston Kieschnick, senior fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education, at the 2017 Model Schools Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. To be honest, I was not familiar with Weston’s work, nor was I familiar with his book, Bold School. However, after listening to his passion about […]
What kind of power is in a title, and what if we redefined the role of the teacher? I’m currently reading the book Blended by Michael B. Horn and Heather Staker. Often when I read a book for professional learning, I skip around depending on the work in which I’m currently involved. Last week, I read a phrase that resonated with me about viewing teachers more as student mentors. I immediately knew I wanted to spend more time thinking and […]
![Appreciating What, Where and How Boys Read [Infographic]](http://fractus-855d.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Boys-Read-copy1-e1496237958433.jpeg)
Unfortunately for many boys, what gets in their way of reading for pleasure are very well-intentioned adults who try to steer them in the “right” direction. That’s why the greatest gift we can give boys this season is an appreciation of their reading preferences! Using and Viewing the Graphic The above infographic is published under Creative Commons. Click here to download a PDF or here to download the full-size image file. Feel free to share on your own blog, school site […]
Today after yoga class, Stephanie, the beautiful woman who once cherished my infant son while I used the gym told me she had six relatives die in the hurricane. I stare into her high-cheek boned face and try to recall if she had ever told me she was French Creole. One of them was bitten by a poisonous snake, two were washed from their house into Lake Ponchartrain, one had a heart condition and the last was so badly bitten […]
Summer is right around the corner here in the United States bringing with it both good feelings and worry. For boys, summer equals a long vacation to do what they love every day: nothing, play video games and sports, run around, hang with friends, swim, etc. And who can blame them? Unfortunately, reading doesn’t make the cut for most boys. It’s the thing they forget about the minute they step outside on the last day of school and don’t remember […]
I have been running a Coding and Robotics Club at my school, St Aidan’s AGS Junior School, Brisbane, for a couple of years now. One of the best ways to inspire children I have found is through ‘books’. I use both fiction and non-fiction to inspire our girls in library lessons. These ideas and skills can then be transferred into the Makerspace Zone and into Coding and Robotics Club. I have listed some that I like to share with my students and that I […]
The following is an exclusive interview with Teresa Anne Power, internationally acclaimed children’s yoga expert and bestselling author, yogi, and advocate for the health benefits of yoga for children. Her first book, international hit The ABCs of Yoga for Kids, launched an empire of resources including CDs, DVDs, flashcards, and an informational website for parents and educators. Teresa’s newest book, The ABCs of Yoga for Kids Around the World is a fantastic resource for introducing children to yoga and world […]
Don’t talk grades. You’re not supposed to talk about grades during Open House. Just keep pushing parents to the projects and work on the walls. But, that’s not why most parents show up. They don’t care much about work samples or the bells and whistles you have conjured to make your class seem so exciting and technologically advanced. Honestly, how useful is it for a parent to come and see you in Bitmoji form? How’s my son doing? Is my […]
“The more rich and multifaceted the learning experiences, the more neurons are fired. What fires together, wires together.” —Dr. Betty Rintoul (NC Infant Mental Health Association, Baby Steps, Fall Newsletter, 2013.) This is a great quote that I have used during presentations when talking about the number of benefits of reading to children. First, there is a strong correlation between reading and school success. Beyond that, loving books and reading are the attributes of life-long learning. Recently, I read the following […]
Advocating for 9–14-year-old boys and their reading lives is my passion and specialty, however, because I’m female, this hasn’t been an easy row to hoe. People often question me on why I’m not advocating for girls and empowering them instead. But I don’t see my advocacy as a zero-sum game. I see it as imperative for both genders to thrive, not just survive, in the global, knowledge-based, information/technology-driven world they’ll live and work in together as adults. So, What About […]
Let me begin by making three confessions: 1. I think this is a very clever title … read on to find out why. 2. I thought this review would never be written; indeed, I’ve taken nearly twelve months to do so… 3. I believe I might have a form of hypergraphia. This too is highly relevant… read on to find out why. (Or, just to find out what it is.) __________________________________ Canadian based and internationally known educator George Couros is […]
On a recent trip to Mexico I encountered one of my favorite souvenirs, the worry doll. Worry dolls, or trouble dolls, are tiny, only about one inch tall and an eighth of an inch wide. They are handmade in Mexico and Guatemala, with tiny clothes and painted on faces. The legend says to tell the dolls your worries before you go to bed and place them under your pillow. As you sleep, the dolls are supposed to “fly away” through […]