June 2008 - Posts
With kids needing something to do during a tough economy, a lot of parents are having to be creative. For some great ideas, check out the top 10 suggestions made by Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction in California. Just to
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I love spending the day in my favorite book store sipping on a cup of coffee while perusing the book shelves for a great read. I guess I could be called a book store snob by some people. I just love going to a Starbucks attached to a Barnes
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It's pretty obvious that teenagers love technology. They are constantly hooked up and sometimes oblivious to their surroundings. Engaging in normal conversation for a lot of teens takes the form of text messaging. Keyboarding skills
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Children and adults are fascinated by animals. Most elementary students will take at least one field trip to the zoo, and the zoo is also a wonderful place for a family outing. Learning about animals is a way for children to learn compassion and
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To summarize the first episode, ouch! The babies were crying, the teenagers were whining, and the real parents were in stress mode. It was a little hard to watch. I could feel the tension and developed a headache before it was over.
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It seems that the mayor of Gloucester is not sure that some girls in her town made a pact to get pregnant. Mayor Carolyn Kirk plans to meet Monday with school, health and other local officials after Gloucester High School Principal Joseph Sullivan was
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My four year old grandson is fascinated by brains. He draws them with legs and says brains are red, pink, and gray. Sometimes his pictures have several brains that seem to be walking together. His drawings remind me of just how important
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Before having kids, it's normal to think that bringing a cute little baby home is all fun and games. Dressing them up, taking them shopping, and taking pictures all come to mind. The experience of having a baby is awesome in the right circumstances. However,
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Instead of passing notes in class , some teens are opting to send inappropriate pictures of themselves on their cell phones. The instant text, picture and video messages have become part of some teens' courtship behavior, police and school officials said.
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I don't know about you, but when I am stressed out, I tend to make some pretty bad food choices. Also, if I get really busy, fast food is just there calling my name. I must admit that I have had a Big Mac craving for about two months now but
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When I was a kid, we held onto our money and spent it sparingly. This seems funny to me now when I look back on some of the things I bought. A little metal statue from a vacation, little rocks glued to cardboard, and dolls with pecans for heads come to
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If you would like to listen to Oprah's speech to 4,000 graduates of Stanford University, grab some popcorn and check out the video .
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Presidential campaign promises always sound good. It's going to be an interesting election, and I'm sure that education will play a big part. Today , Barack Obama spoke about the pain of paying back student loans. TAYLOR, Mich. - Democratic
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It's no surprise that my first grade grandson looks at me funny when he learns how some words are spelled. One of those school moments that I will never forget happened because of the word "Wednesday". I must not have studied my
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Children are naturally drawn to technology. My students couldn't get enough of computers. They constantly asked if they could go to the computer lab or spend time on the computers in the classroom. It's all about having the right software.
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Some people are just naturally good at spelling and seem to enjoy tackling new words. Spelling bees have always seemed so stiff and formal to me, so I just love this video from the 2008 National Spelling Bee. If you haven't seen Sameer Mishra
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I was sad when scientists demoted Pluto to dwarf status. It was one of my favorite planets because it was easy to remember. Now, I just want to pinch its cheeks since it is becoming the standard for similar dwarf planets . From
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The Carnival of Education is just awesome this week. Mister Teacher has an amazing carnival. Talk about a trip down Memory Lane! Remembering some of those game shows made me smile as they were a big part of my family's entertainment
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I recently posted about my frustration in tech computer inservices because the instructors lost patience with those of us who struggled to keep up with some of our tech savvy peers. Today I read where training in technology still seems to be an
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Most of us are so busy that we think going back to school will require too much time away from home. It's just amazing how many courses are now offered online. Learning to speak English is so important when dealing with an English speaking society. I
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If I had to eat insects as part of my job, I'd just have to pack it in and look elsewhere for work. I do understand that we all unknowingly eat insect parts, but the key word for me here is "unknowingly." In an effort to bring more fun
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As I watch my grandsons play baseball, I hear parents and coaches yell, "Baseball ready!" to the players. This might be an old expression, but I don't remember hearing it before. Some of the boys really respond and jump into their
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I recently laughed when the father of a first grader remarked that it would be wonderful to be a kid today. We were at his son's bouncy house birthday party. The kids were running from room to room and had all of the energy in the world.
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It doesn't take a study for teachers to know that parental involvement plays a big part in student achievement. However, I'm not sure anyone has ever put a dollar amount to its value before. A study suggests that parental involvement in children’s
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Now that summer is here, take a minute to check your car's inspection sticker. I wish I had . . . about seven months ago. Oh, my. What an expensive mistake to make. The old saying "people learn from their mistakes" is
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I have recently heard parents openly talking about teachers and why or why not they don't want their children in a particular teacher's room next year. They freely discuss teachers while going about their own daily lives like it's the same
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There's a lot to think about over at Dennis Fermoyle's From the Trenches of Public Ed. He actually has a total of 14 well thought out beliefs about public schools. Take some time and read all of them. I am sharing my three favorites
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Where were the animal rights activists when I was in school? I remember all too well dissecting frogs, worms, and grasshoppers. Back then, there were no excuses for not participating in class assignments. Hey, maybe that's why childhood
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