GenParenting

Parenting resources for all who love and care for children

Blog

Let’s Talk Book Shopping for Children!

Let’s Talk Book Shopping for Children!

Whether you are at your local bookshop or your bookshelves at home, the question remains the same; how do I know if my child has chosen a book appropriate for their reading level? My approach to helping children make their own book choices is anchored in the philosophy held by two educators, Gail Bushey and Joan Moser, who co-authored The Daily CAFÉ.

The main goal for allowing children to make their own book choice is to put their interests at the forefront of their reading. This actually allows a flow of intrinsic motivation to help push readers through their natural/developmental reading struggles. For example, train your children to seamlessly learn content-specific vocabulary such as caboose, coal, and locomotive, while reading about their favorite form of transportation. [Read more…]

image_pdfmake a pdfimage_printPrint

Khám Phá Nghề Nghiệp cho Trẻ Em Chúng Ta

Khám Phá Nghề Nghiệp cho Trẻ Em Chúng Ta 

Trong suốt cuộc đời, trẻ em khao khát trở thành nhiều thứ khác nhau khi chúng lớn lên. Một đứa trẻ có thể muốn trở thành nhân viên vệ sinh và tài xế xe tải chở rác tái chế. Những trẻ khác lại ước mơ trở thành lính cứu hỏa, nữ cảnh sát hoặc giáo viên. Ngay từ khi còn nhỏ, chúng ta có thể khuyến khích con em mình tìm hiểu thêm về các loại nghề nghiệp và công việc khác nhau bằng cách:

  • Đưa con em đến nơi làm việc của chúng ta sau giờ học, vào buổi tối hoặc dịp cuối tuần
  • Khuyến khích trẻ em giúp đỡ về nhiều mặt khác nhau trong công việc của chúng ta (ví dụ như phân loại các bài tập khác nhau cho giáo viên, dọn dẹp thùng rác và rác tái chế cho các trung tâm thu gom rác và tái chế, và thực hiện các kiểm tra an toàn phòng cháy ở gia đình)
  • Giúp trẻ em học cách theo đuổi những khám phá về nghề nghiệp cụ thể thông qua nghiên cứu, tham gia vào các khóa học cao đẳng sớm cũng như tham gia vào các trải nghiệm công việc liên quan

[Read more…]

image_pdfmake a pdfimage_printPrint

Exploración de carreras para nuestros niños

Exploración de carreras para nuestros niños 

Durante la vida, los niños aspiran a ser muchas cosas diferentes cuando crezcan. Un niño puede querer ser trabajador sanitario y conductor del camión de reciclaje. Otros sueñan con ser bomberos, policías o maestros. Desde una edad temprana, podemos animar a nuestros niños a aprender más sobre distintos tipos de carreras y trabajos haciendo lo siguiente:

  • Llevando a nuestros niños a nuestros trabajos después de la escuela, en la tarde o los fines de semana.
  • Animando a nuestros niños a ayudarnos con varios aspectos de nuestros trabajos (por ejemplo: diferentes tareas para los maestros, organizar la basura y el reciclaje para la recolección de basura y centros de reciclaje, y realizar revisiones de seguridad contra incendios en el hogar).
  • Ayudando a nuestros niños a aprender a explorar carreras específicas a través de investigaciones, participando en cursos tempranos de colegios universitarios y participando en experiencias laborales relevantes.

[Read more…]

image_pdfmake a pdfimage_printPrint

How to Make College Learning More Relevant

How to Make College Learning More Relevant

As I help more students prepare for college, I am learning that my students need more opportunities for project-based learning experiences that help a child better understand the relevance of academic subjects to real life problem-solving. I am also learning that most students in other countries take a break from school to participate in a summer abroad program or even an internship during high school summers or before starting college to increase the background knowledge required for academic success.

[Read more…]

image_pdfmake a pdfimage_printPrint

How You Can Support Your Children’s Project Homework

How You Can Support Your Children’s Project Homework

Teachers must evaluate what types of homework assignments will best support students’ learning outside of the classroom. Typically, many teachers assign homework that includes the following reading comprehension and reflection activities:

  • Math review worksheets and flash cards
  • Social studies, history, and civics research topics
  • Science experiments that can be performed at home
  • Field trips to local sites of historical and/or current significance with comprehension questions

Types of Projects

Although the homework plan may assume scheduled activity throughout the week, most children cram homework activity into an already hectic weekly school schedule. A new approach to homework is engaging students and their families in longer term project-based learning activities. The purpose of these homework projects is to help families integrate educational family activities into their daily lives. Activities can encompass Common Core State Standards and STEAM concepts in a relaxed and flexible home environment. When play becomes learning, your children can complete homework assignments with more enthusiasm. They will learn critical thinking skills while integrating grade-level Common Core State Standards and STEAM activities into their daily lives. A sample reflective homework worksheet is included below. [Read more…]

image_pdfmake a pdfimage_printPrint