Educating children Archives - Page 30 of 35

Apr 17 2018

Culturally Diverse Parenting

Amy and Joe are madly in love with their baby daughter. They are full of dreams and aspirations for their daughter who they plan to raise in a traditional, two parent household. Joe is a 5^th generation Californian with ancestors from Ireland and Germany. Amy is a third generation Japanese-American. Amy and Joe want their little girl to appreciate both of their cultures. Raising their daughter to enjoy a rich cross-cultural heritage can be enhanced when considering the following: [Read more…]

Joyce Iwasaki, Early Parenting

Joyce Iwasaki has over thirty years of educational experience working with diverse students in grades from preschool through high school. Joyce’s extensive background includes teaching elementary school, serving on early childhood advisory boards, and advocating for educational initiatives as a legislative aide. During her tenure as a legislative aide, she helped create legislation that allowed incarcerated mothers to keep their newborn babies with them while in prison. Additional legislation was enacted to allow incarcerated pregnant mothers to remain unshackled during labor and delivery. Ms. Iwasaki established and served as the president of an educational scholarship foundation for fifteen years. Her foundation awarded college scholarships to emerging student leaders who provided service to their schools and communities. Joyce is active in performing arts and cultural organizations. She also provides ongoing support to her daughter and family by raising her grandson in her home.

Mar 06 2018

The Value of Community Service

Over the years, my kids and I have participated in a number of community service opportunities as a family. Whether it be collecting canned goods for the local food pantry, cleaning up a local school, or raising money for animal conservation, there are a number of excellent activities suited for children. The experience of serving others and the world at large have given my children a perspective about their place in the world, namely that even though they are young, children can still make a difference.

How to Serve Others

Serving others gives children a sense of connectedness to people. It’s very easy for children to get caught up in the routines of the everyday – the same class, the same grocery store, the same friends, the same teachers. For many reasons, structure is needed to help create a sense of safety for children. However, when we provide opportunities for children to see the needs of others, it shows them we all live and interact with one another in community. Being a good neighbor has to start with us teaching our children how to cultivate healthy connections with others. Community service appropriate for cultivating connectedness include singing songs at a convalescent hospital, making get-well-soon cards for sick children in a local hospital, or even cleaning up a local school or park for the enjoyment of neighbors.
Community service projects help develop empathy. When you’re collecting canned goods for the local food pantry or bringing jackets and socks to be distributed at a local homeless shelter, children will ask the inevitable question of why people will need such basic necessities. This gives us parents the perfect opportunity to teach our children to be thankful for their possessions, but more importantly, to see others’ struggles. When children are able to see the needs of others, it will inspire them to respond in care and address others’ needs with compassion.
Preparing for community service gives a broader perspective of the world. If children are passionate about recycling, have them read information that will inform them about the impact of plastic dumped in landfills. If children are passionate about endangered animals, have them research information about the animals’ country of origin and how their habitat have been affected. Whatever it is that drives children to care, use that opportunity to enable them to respond responsibly and make things right in the world.

[Read more…]

Jaime Koo, Encouraging Literacy

Discovering the joy of teaching while in high school, Jaime pursued her B.A. in English at Santa Clara University. She also received a teaching credential and a M.A. in Education Administration from Santa Clara University. Jaime taught English Language Arts at Rancho Middle School, motivating and inspiring young people to become effective communicators and contributors in their community. From being a Middle School English Language Arts/English Language Development teacher to becoming a stay-at home mom, Jaime is an education consultant who presents literacy workshops. Her workshops focus on a combination of her ten years of teaching expertise with tried-and-true experiences that she uses with her own children. Jaime is also a Teacher Consultant with the San Jose Area Writing Project. Jaime’s mission is to share effective reading and writing strategies with families to encourage literacy.

Feb 27 2018

The Three-Hour Grandma Play Dates!

During the past decade, I have cared for grandkids multiple times per week; twelve months every year. As my grandkids become older, their daily schedules become busier with afterschool activities and sports programs. I have adjusted my weekly schedule to adapt to these changes.

Listed below are 10 suggestions that support your children’s social, emotional, and academic play when face time with them is limited: [Read more…]

Mary Ann Burke, Digital Education Expert

Mary Ann Burke, Ed.D., Digital Education Expert, is a substitute distance learning teacher for Oak Grove School District in San Jose, California and the author of STUDENT-ENGAGED ASSESSMENT: Strategies to Empower All Learners (Rowman & Littlefield: 2020). Dr. Burke creates digital language arts and substitute teaching K – 12 activities for teachers and parents. She is the Cofounder of the Genparenting.com blog. Burke is the former Director II of Categorical & Special Projects for the Santa Clara County Office of Education that supports 31 school districts serving 272,321 students in Santa Clara County. She is also a previous Director – State & Federal Compliance for Oakland Unified School District, the former Director – Grantwriter for the Compton Unified School District, and was the initial VISTA Director for the Community Partnership Coalition in southern California. Much of her work focuses on creating innovative digital trainings and partnership programs for teachers and families to support students’ learning. These programs were featured as a best practice at a National Title I Conference, California’s Title I Conferences, AERA Conferences, an ASCD Conference, the NASSP Conference, and statewide educator conferences.

Feb 20 2018

How to Plan for Kids’ Summer Schedules!

The school year is already halfway over. Parents are meeting with teachers to discuss their children’s academic needs and summer tutoring programs. Camps and academic-based programs are already registering kids for summer programs. It can become overwhelming when trying to decide what is best for your child’s personal growth and recreational fulfillment. Listed below are guidelines to consider when selecting summer activities: [Read more…]

Mary Ann Burke, Digital Education Expert

Feb 06 2018

Helping Your Child Relax for Test Taking

Test taking is a stressful and unpleasant activity for most anyone. For a child who may not have experienced test taking before, what are some practical ways to help them relax?

Tips for Preparation

Practice a growth mindset with your children. Help them realize that test taking is a measurement of growth from one academic year to the next. For more details about growth mindset, check out the work by Carol Dweck.
Get a good night’s rest. There’s lots of brain research which shows that the mind gets rejuvenated with rest. Make sure your kids get plenty of REM sleep leading up to the test. They’ll wake up well rested and in a good mood. Starting with a positive attitude is half the battle!
Eat a healthy breakfast. The brain is a well-oiled thinking machine and needs nutrients to help it run efficiently. Have your kids eat a hearty breakfast that will help sustain energy and brain power throughout the morning.

[Read more…]

Jaime Koo, Encouraging Literacy