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Jokes: Fun and Learrning in One Package
2008-01-26 20:31:00
It's great to see kids' faces light up when they hear or tell a Joke. And because of the word play that jokes offer, at the same time, their language skills are enhanced. When you have a chance, you might try these out. Q: What do you call a sleeping bull? A: A bull-dozer. Q: What did the farmer call the cow that had no milk? A: An udder failure. Q: What do you get from a pampered cow? A: Spoiled milk. Q: Why are teddy bears never hungry? A: They are always stuffed!
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In Praise of Immaturity
2008-01-19 18:26:00
For lots of good reasons, we all take children's development very seriously and do everything we can to help them mature in the best way possible. But with our eyes always geared to the future, we sometimes overlook the fun and value in being immature. Fortunately, the editors of Klutz are around to get us see things a bit differently. Their efforts which are aimed at "never growing up" started in 1977. It was then that they published their first book--Juggling for the Complete Klutz®. It showed that anyone and everyone can learn the totally non-essential, but fun-filled, activity of juggling. Now they've written what they describe as the ultimate how-not-to guide for ages 8 and up. It is The Encyclopedia of Immaturity and it contains more than 300 entries such as How to Skip a Stone, How to Do a Wheelie, How to Hang a Spoon from Your Nose, How to Really Annoy Your Older Sibling. They are presented with lots of full-color photographs, illustrations and diagrams that can ena...
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Word Families: Is It Time to Disown Them?
2008-01-17 15:48:00
If youve had contact with a child in the early primary grades doing "reading homework," you're bound to have seen what are typically referred to as "word families." Those are the words that end with the same sets of letters--such as fat, cat, sat, mat or sand, hand, land or fall, tall, call. In many reading programs, these word families occupy a central place --since the groupings are thought to help children learn to identify (i.e., read or decode) words more easily. But is that really what happens?
More About: Reading , Time , Word , Families

Toys: The Right Choice
2008-01-05 17:29:00
Parents and other family members often wonder about the best toys to give. Now there is a website that offers some valuable advice. It was set up by teachers and is called TRUCE--an acronym for Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Environment. The goal is to help adults make informed choices about toys--both inclusion (that is, by highlighting the ones that are most productive to play and thinking) and exclusion (that is, by eliminating those that encourage violence and overstimulation). For more information, you can go to http://www.truceteachers.org/toyguides/T_ Guide_web_07.pdf
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Resource Guide for Children with Disabilities
2008-01-03 03:30:00
For the vast majority of children with reading difficulties, the problems are confined to reading. Their struggles are a tragic result of the limited and inadequate systems used for teaching reading. But for some children, the problems go well beyond reading. Typically the youngsters are termed "children with special needs." As those familiar with the children know well, the families face many challenges. They benefit greatly from knowing the resources that are available and how to access those resources. One site that provides invaluable information is www.eparent.com. Among their offerings is a yearly resource guide. The 2008 is on its way. It offers comprehensive national directory of service organizations, associations, federally funded programs, parent and training information groups, and many other resources for the special needs community. Those who want that material now can turn to the 2007 edition http://www.eplibrary.com/reference1resour ce1anddirectories/
More About: Children , Tips , Guide , Resource , Disabilities

Outsourcing Mary's Little Lamb with Dogs
2007-12-27 19:54:00
If you recall some of your nursery rhymes, you'll remember how Mary brought her lamb to school one day--or at least, the lamb followed her there. Now, in Ohio, a school is using this idea in a new way. It has introduced a dog, a chocolate-colored Labrador, into the classroom to help children with reading problems. The dog, oddly named Bear, sits next to the children as they face the rigors of reading that prove to be so difficult for them.
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Playing Around with Christmas
2007-12-17 17:57:00
The range of topics one can jest about is vast and Christmas offers no exception. So here are some question-answer jokes about the holiday that you can enjoy with your children--while offering them the chance for some interesting word play Q: What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby? A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer! Q: What do elves learn in school? A: The Elf-abet! Q: If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called? A: A subordinate claus.

Some Amazing Images of Families Fare Around the World
2007-12-13 23:50:00
We've been told a lot about the problems stemming from the American diet. But, as always, a picture is worth a thousand words. Through these beautiful images, we can see in brilliant color, how far we've come in relying on processed foods and how spectacularly attractive natural fresh food is. Of course, none of this should affect the feasts you are going to have during the holiday season. But perhaps these images will lead you to actions that will expand food supplies to those in need--in our nation and abroad. And once the holidays are past, perhaps you'll turn back to these photos and let them lead you to some New Year's resolutions about revamping the family fare. (The photos you will be seeing are the work of Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. I encourage you to visit their site to check out their other great photography and photo projects - http://www.menzelphoto.com/
More About: News , World , Images , Around the world , Amazing

Growing Your Vocabulary While Feeding Those in Need
2007-12-13 18:40:00
If you would like to help your child achieve masterful scores on the SAT vocabulary, you can now do so via an interesting setup. You can go to the website www.freerice.com. There, your youngster will learn some interesting, esoteric words. But in addition, right answers lead to grains of rice being sent to the hungry of the world. So along with the fun of the word-game, players get an extra jolt of "feel good" joy:
More About: Tips , Vocabulary , Growing , Feeding

Is There a Ray of Light in Rethinking about Early Schooling?
2007-12-13 15:17:00
A recent headline in the British press read, "Primary schools have lost their sense of fun and play." What is being referred to is the emphasis in classrooms, not confined to the U.K. but present in our country as well, to teach traditional academic subjects as early as possible. The inevitable result has been an elimination of the relaxed, play-like exploratory activities associated with early schooling. In their place have come the drills and tests associated with new academic standards. For example, in many classrooms today, recess has all but been dropped from the school day. This is a disastrous development--particularly in an age where so many children show attentional problems and opportunities for physical activity are of enormous benefit. Now, at least in England, there is a move to return to a more balanced approach. There, a national inquiry, recommends scrapping end-of-term national curriculum tests.
More About: Achievement , Light , Early

Seeing Christmas in a New Light
2007-12-09 04:16:00
Christmas is a beloved holiday--one associated with a solid set of traditions from the brightly lit trees to the well-known carols to the stockings on the mantelpiece. So we almost never think of it as including a treasure trove of ideas that most of us have never heard about. Now Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of President John Kennedy, has shown us a lot of what we have been missing. Her new anthology, A Family Christmas, is a collection of poetry, prose, lyrics and scripture about the season that lets us see the many aspects of Christmas that are rarely discussed. For example, among the tidbits she offers are the following:: In 1659, the Puritans of Massachusetts banned the celebration of Christmas, "which had become known for public drunkenness, licentious sex, and gambling." The American vision of Santa Claus was created by Clement Clarke Moore in his 1822 poem that starts "'Twas the night before Christmas" and was later exported to the world largely via Coca-Cola ads.
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Einstein Was Right Again
2007-12-07 16:14:00
When Albert Einstein was asked to account for his incredible insights, he was reputed to have said, "It's because I never stopped asking the questions that children ask." So people in England should have been prepared for the recent developments that have the country all abuzz. As the Guardian newspaper put it, "Everywhere you look, people are talking about teaching philosophy to children."
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U.S. 4th-graders losing ground on literacy
2007-12-03 20:54:00
Those of us who are concerned about literacy standards in our nation received little in the way of comfort this week when the results came out on the Progress in International Reading Literacy test. It showed that our fourth-graders have lost ground in reading ability compared with children around the world.
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Music Education Linked to Academic and Income Success
2007-11-17 18:55:00
Parents who consult with me are generally focused on helping their children with language and reading skills. Often though, in the course of conversation, they say something like, "By the way, my son, or daughter, is quite good at music but wants to stop the lessons. What should I do?" As with all questions of teaching and learning, the answers are not simple. Still, all other things being equal, my advice is generally to have the lessons continue. One of my deeply held beliefs is that the development of skills--in all areas--has enormous payoff for a person over the course of his or her life. Many times, students have come back to me to tell me how pleased they are that they did continue--because as adults, they find great pleasure in music and in the competence they have in this realm. Now, via a recent Harris Poll of 2,565 adults, there is evidence to support what I have been encouraging. The study showed that whether it's chorus, band or violin lessons, music impacts Ameri...
More About: Education , Music , Academic , Tips , Success

"It's Time to Go to School"
2007-11-16 18:35:00
School is a powerful force that can overwhelm both children and parents. Like everything else, it becomes a bit more manageable when you can laugh about it. Here are some jokes to help you achieve that goal: One morning a mother was trying to wake up her son. "Wake up now! It's time to go to school." "I don't want to go to school," the son replied. His mother said, "Give me two reasons why you don't want to go to school." "Okay. One, all the children hate me. Two, all the teachers hate me." "Not good enough," the mother replied. "Fine," the son said. "Then you give me two good reasons why I SHOULD go to school." "One, you're 50 years old. Two, you're the principal of the school." Little Johnny's teacher asks, "What is the chemical formula for water?" Little Johnny replies, "HIJKLMNO"!! The teacher, puzzled, asks, "What on Earth are you talking about?" Little Johnny replies, "Yesterday you said it was H to O!"
More About: Time , School

Being "Normal" : The Hidden Side
2007-11-13 15:44:00
A lot of my work is focused on helping children with learning problems. One of the things that continually impresses me is the energy, time and devotion the parents give to helping their youngsters. It is awe inspiring. At the same time, there is often another component in the situation that tends to receive far less attention. It concerns the other siblings in the family. As one child told me, "I lose because I am normal. My sister gets all the attention and I get almost none of it." Fortunately, the situation often leads to some wonderful things. For example, the sibs commonly become more mature and caring than other "normal" children. As you might imagine, those traits serve them, and others, well. The issues in this very understudied area are incredibly intricate. As with so much of life, there are no easy answers. But there is a lot to be gained by starting to think and talk about the complexities. So jf you, or someone you know, is in this situation, you might find it help...
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"I'm Listening, But I Don't Understand" (1)
2007-11-11 18:34:00
A dedicated teacher had set aside some invaluable, individual tutoring time with one of her junior high students who was struggling with social studies. She structured the session by presenting relatively short segments of information and then immediately checking by asking the student some questions aimed at seeing if he understood what she had said. The teenager always responded but his answers were variable. At times, they were correct; at other times, they were totally off the mark. Finally, the teacher said, "You have to listen!" At that point, the student looked up and plaintively said, "I'm listening but I don't understand." With those seven words, this youngster summed up the days and lives of so many, many students. They are not resisting the system; they are trying the best they know how --only to find their efforts resulting in total confusion. What can we do to help?
More About: Achievement , Understand , Listening

Developing the Vital, But Neglected Precursor Skills for Reading
2007-11-04 17:21:00
A parent recently wrote to me with the following query: I would like to use your Phonics Plus Five program for my daughter who is seven and has some serious developmental delays. She can recognize shapes but she has difficulty with sequencing and also with orientation when she "writes.". Can you advise me on what I can do to help her with these skills? Thanks, R L. The issues that the parent has raised are extremely important. Visual sequencing and letter orientation are vital skills that, whenever possible, should be developed before a child learns to read. Phonics Plus Five has been set up to develop them via the Sequences in Sight and Letters to Write components of the program. For some children, these components can seem to be beyond their capabilities. Fortunately, it is relatively simple to modify each so that it achieves the goals for which it was designed.. Let's start with Sequences in Sight.
More About: Reading , Questions , Parents , Vital , Skills

Making Bedtime Reading Even Better
2007-11-01 19:49:00
A favorite pastime for parents and children is bedtime reading. It's a true win-win situation. Not only is it enjoyable to sit back and experience a good tale, but it can be a major help in expanding a child's language and reading. In my experience, most children and parents select stories as the books of choice. By that I mean, fiction as opposed to fact. There are many benefits to this type of reading and it, in no way, should be discouraged. At the same time, there is no reason to restrict the choices to these types of books. There are tremendous benefits to be had by expanding the selection. There is, of course, the old adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Since bedtime reading seems so great, you might be wondering why the suggestion for any modifications at all? The answer rests with something parents and children are very concerned about--namely, school achievement.
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Comprehension Problems: A Neglected But Vital Issue
2007-10-26 00:27:00
A parent recently wrote to me with the following question: My 9 yr old son has been tested by a psychologist and I have been told he has some huge comprehension problems which are affecting him socially. I have your phonics kit. What do you suggest to help him ? In response, I said that the question was an excellent one since comprehension problems are widespread in children who have reading problems and it is very important that they be addressed. At the same time, they do not receive nearly the attention they deserve. The bulk of the teaching effort goes into decoding (that is, teaching children how to analyze letters and turn them into words) with the result that comprehension problems are shunted into the background. The issue of comprehension is, of course, vast and a range of diverse activities is required if children are to develop the skills they need. However, there are some techniques that are relatively easy to try and well-worth attempting when a child needs help in t...
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Knowledge Can Be Upsetting--But It Can Also Be Empowering
2007-10-22 20:12:00
A major issue in modern day life is the growing number of serious health problems besieging children and their families. Asthma, autism, attention deficit disorder are only a few of the worrisome syndromes that are on the rise. Health professionals and environmentalists are trying to determine the reasons for the increase. One area that is increasingly in the spotlight involves industrial chemicals. They include chemicals used in clothing, cleaning products, furniture--to name just a few. These substances are so inextricably woven into our lives that we are generally not aware of them. But, in line with a recent CNN headline, it is clear that we ought to be. The headline read Tests reveal high chemical levels in kids' bodies It showed not simply that the chemicals are accumulating in our bodies. It also showed that children often have chemical exposure levels that are massively higher than those of their parents. This news is particularly disturbing since children up to six ye...
More About: News , Knowledge , Upset , Erin

Adding Some Spice to Bedtime Reading
2007-10-22 03:12:00
Among the many magical properties of The Wizard of Oz is its power to reach everyone--regardless of age. That sort of experience is rare and it is to treasured. Fortunately it can found in the work of a number of artists. One is Maira Kalman who has written many delightful books that appeal both through words and pictures. Penguin has just released her latest which is titled The Principles of Uncertainty. If you want to bring something new, appealing and quite special into your nightly reading time with your child, this is a great book to include.
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The Invulnerable Child and the Nobel Prize--Where's the Connection?
2007-10-17 00:40:00
Parents today are keenly aware of how important early environment is determining a child's future development. They rightly put in lots of time and effort into providing the caring environment that children need if they are to flourish. But, as always, there are exceptions to the rule. A few decades back, James Anthony, a child psychiatrist, focused on the exceptions when he proposed the idea of the "invulnerable child." Here he was referring to the small, but amazing group of children who are raised by mentally ill mothers. While most of their peers in comparable situations suffer greatly, these children end up as super-competent. Their resilience is remarkable and like the Cinderella story, it gives hope that we can overcome what appears to be an awful destiny. Last week, we saw a real life version of the story in one of the men who are awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. His name is Mario Capecchi.
More About: News , Connection , Child , Nobel Prize

Laptops Can Sometimes Be a Pain
2007-10-15 01:51:00
Laptops are a fabulous tool. But precisely because they are so useful, students rely on them more and more. A recent report from the Guardian newspaper in England shows that this is leading to some problems. Specifically, students who regularly use laptops are being found to have persistent neck, back, shoulder and wrist pain.
More About: News , Laptops , Pain , Some

How Do I Get My Child To Pay Attention?
2007-10-11 19:50:00
A parent recently wrote to me with a question that, in my experience, many others share. She said, My child is about to turn five and I am starting her on your program. We're working on the Sequences in Sight and Handwriting sections. I'm finding it hard to get my daughter to pay attention. When she pays attention she learns easily. However, after three or four steps in a lesson, her mind wanders and it is a struggle to get her to look at the page, even if she is doing the steps correctly. I don't want to reward her behavior by ending the lesson early, but I don't want to perpetuate a negative feedback loop that starts to happen when her attention lapses. What should I do?
More About: Questions , Parents , Child , Attention , Tent

A Chance for Self-Expression
2007-10-08 21:00:00
The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) announced an art contest that is open to students nationwide from preK to grade 12. The contest theme is ?Education and My Future? and the goal is to give children the opportunity to let us see education through their eyes. The deadline for entries is November 1, 2007. You can get additional information at http://www.sedl.org/artcontest/SEDL_ArtCo ntest.pdf. Questions about the contest may be emailed to contest@sedl.org.
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A Test Your Child Can Enjoy
2007-10-05 20:26:00
One of the unfortunate outcomes of all the testing that goes on in life is that we come to dread exams. But when used in a less than traditional manner, tests can be enjoyable--and even get you to think about words from a fresh (if, at times, silly) perspective. For example, what's the answer to "How many birthdays does the average person have?"
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The Answer Is "You Can?t." But What Is The Question?
2007-10-04 04:14:00
When Johnny Carson hosted the Tonight show, one of his routines involved playing Carnac, the Magnificent---a psychic who picked up a sealed envelope and divined the answer to the question inside. Then, when the envelope was opened and the question was revealed, the "answer" proved to be prescient --and funny. Here is a sample: (Carnac holds the sealed envelope up to his turban) Carnac: The American condor, the American eagle and the American car industry. (Carnac rips the envelope open and removes the card) CARNAC (reading): Name three things on the endangered species list. Now, when the answer is "You can't," what might the question be? Although not humorous, it is "How can I get my child to love reading?"
More About: Reading , Question , Answer

It's All About Love
2007-09-30 05:46:00
The love affair humans have with dogs is among the oldest of stories. It dates back some 15,000 years ago when our ancestral cavemen recognized the special relationship they had with gray wolves and chose to domesticate them. And now through genetics research, we know that the friendship is more than skin deep. Studies of the DNA sequence aimed at determining what makes a dog a dog have shown that it is amazingly close to what makes a person a person. So it?s not surprising that dogs share many of the same gene-related health conditions as humans, including cancer and obesity. But for dog owners, that is hardly the issue. For them, it's all about love. And like all lovers, they are keen to share their feelings. That's why dog-lovers have been writing about their relationships for years--and in the process, giving us some interesting insights into the human condition. Here are some you might enjoy:
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My Child Has Motor Difficulties and Cannot Handwrite...
2007-09-26 20:16:00
A parent recently wrote to me saying, "My 8 year old daughter has motor difficulties and cannot handwrite. She can use a specialized keyboard to write on a computer. I saw that Phonics Plus Five involves a lot of writing activities. Can I use the program with her?" Happily, the answer is "Yes." It will require that the parent modify some of the materials, but the changes are readily achievable. For example, one of the writing activities involves showing words with missing letters and the child has to enter the correct letters to complete the word. So a word such as some might appear as _o_e. In adapting this sort of activity, a parent might:
More About: Questions , Motor , Parents , Child , Anno