Parenting resources for all who love and care for children
10 Tips for Parenting Teens During Summer BreakTeens often greet the end of the school year with dreams of social outings, adventure trips, and lazy days lounging by the pool. However, parents often have a different set of priorities, ranging from academic advancement to household responsibilities. Many teens also need to enter the workforce to fund their social lives, phone bills, or car expenses. [Read more…]
Help for Struggling StudentsAs a K–3 special education teacher, I’ve learned that some of our students struggle loudly—and some struggle quietly. And sometimes, they struggle in that in-between space: big enough behaviors that everyone notices… but not yet formally supported by a Tier 2 or Tier 3 plan.
If you’re a parent or teacher seeing behaviors that clearly need more than just reminders and redirection—but there’s no formal intervention plan in place yet—this post is for you.
Some behaviors don’t quite fit into “typical classroom challenges,” but they also don’t yet have a formal Tier 2 or Tier 3 plan attached to them. As parents and teachers, that in-between space can feel frustrating and uncertain. We know a child needs more support—but we’re still waiting on meetings, data, or next steps. The good news? We don’t have to wait for paperwork to begin helping. There are practical, proactive strategies we can start right away to support students who need more structure, regulation, and skill-building. [Read more…]
Helping English Learners SucceedWhen a child walks into school brand new to English, they are doing something incredibly brave. They’re learning new routines, new friendships, new expectations and a whole new language at the same time. That’s a lot for anyone. The good news? With the right support at home and at school, multilingual kids can absolutely thrive.
First, let’s start here: being multilingual is a gift. Research shared by Colorín Colorado and the National Association for the Education of Young Children shows that speaking more than one language strengthens thinking skills, problem-solving, and flexibility. So instead of seeing English as something a child is “behind” in, it helps to see all the language they already have as a huge strength. [Read more…]
Kids Celebrate Legendary Heroes
It is the dead of winter and many students learn and celebrate legendary heroes in daily curriculum assignments. Key themes may focus on Black History Month, presidents’ birthdays, and women’s contributions to history. Three primary grade classes partnered together to learn more about a specific leader’s contributions during a Black History Month project.
Researching, Reading, Writing, and Discussing Legendary Leaders
Summarized below are the various activities students completed on this two-day project: [Read more…]
Kids Need Interpersonal Skills at SchoolIn my last post, I wrote about providing kids with opportunities to problem-solve and to engage in socializing without the use of technology. In this post, I want to continue to explore the idea of the differences between generations and what our children’s generation will need to develop the soft skills that are necessary for success in their futures.
One of my roles as a school principal is to oversee hiring for my school. Now job applications are collected online. Tools like Indeed and ZipRecruiter make it easy to apply to many jobs with just a few clicks of the mouse. One job posting typically brings in hundreds of applications. Earlier in my career, job postings would solicit only 15 to 20 applications. Most job applicants were qualified for the job. Today, many people look for jobs casually with a shotgun approach to submitting job applications. At times, when I reach out to applicants, there’s never a 100% guarantee they are even waiting for my call or my message. [Read more…]
