Tag Archives: parenting

09 Mar

I read an interesting article the other day about parents threatening to leave their school when it stopped giving homework. Take a look at what happened. The school principal and teachers were concerned too many children were missing recess (which is scant to begin with) because homework wasn’t done, which initiated the chain of events. The decision was well considered. The Pre-K-5th School Council, including parents, thoroughly studied homework research. Their homework committee, after a year of research on homework…..

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15 Jan

We need to keep reading to our kids. We need to keep writing with our kids. Parents read to their toddlers, but how many of us continue reading to our elementary and middle school children?  Moms and dads probably read the most right before bedtime, the cherished ritual of the bedtime story. Perhaps schools should revamp homework policies that give little free time for individual or family reading and make it a school-wide priority. I always recommend each member of the…..

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01 Dec

Parents are the first and best teachers.  Sitting by the fire, in a post-Thanksgiving food coma, with three young children running around me,  I watch these darling girls in their tutus role playing, twirling, quarreling then hugging. In another year they will be in kindergarten. My kindergarten daughter is now a mother. And I can honestly tell you, she is a truly great teacher. It seems to come naturally. She says she learned it from me. Children learn language by being immersed…..

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21 Oct

You want your child to succeed. Since reading is a foundational tool for success in life, mastering the basic skills is really important. In our competitive world, only about a third of America’s children are reading at a proficient level. It’s more important than ever for you to know how to teach reading at home. If you are unsure how well your child reads, have your child select a few books he or she is interested in reading. Start with…..

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17 Oct

I raised four children (three of them stepchildren), and now I’m a grandma. I just moved from my mountain home to Eugene, Oregon, to be with my kids. In the midst of chaos, I started writing this blog, babysitting a toddler and teaching a third grader. I like to think I am like Cher on her Farewell Tour, and she was great. Many of you probably still remember me from a school visit, seminar, keynote or hanging out with you……

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10 Oct

Welcome. You have come to this blog for a reason, and there’s never been a better time than right now. Maybe you are looking for a way to help someone learn to read more effectively or perhaps the Common Core standards seem unreachable. Whatever the reason, you are in the right place. It’s true there are many how-to-teach-reading titles on the internet. Most of these are strong on theory, which is great if you are a professional teacher. Reading Champs…..

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