Oct 14 2025

Teaching our Kids Character Habits That Last a Lifetime

Teaching Our Kids Character Habits That Last a Lifetime (Part 1)

Academic success is important but so is raising children who are kind, courageous, and compassionate. That’s why many schools, including those inspired by EL Education, go beyond traditional academics to teach Habits of Character—the values and behaviors that help students become the best version of themselves.

While EL Education highlights four core character traits—Respect, Responsibility, Perseverance, and Compassion—many schools (like mine) build on this foundation to include other important habits such as Leadership, Empathy, Bravery, Ethical Behavior, Accountability, and Service. Together, these form a framework for developing responsible and resilient children.

The best part, you don’t need a classroom to teach these habits. Parents can nurture them at home, in the car, during family meals, and on the playground. Let’s take a closer look at each habit and how you can help your child grow in character every day. [Read more…]

Alison Whiteley

Alison Whiteley has been a special education teacher for over 15 years, spending most of her time working with elementary students and families. After graduating from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and Psychology, she continued her education with a Masters in Reading from Walden University. In addition, she has achieved endorsements supporting Early Childhood Special Education and Diverse Learners which she uses to help identify needs across all learners.

Ms. Whiteley is trained in Wilson Reading System and Yoshimoto Orton-Gillingham. She believes all students can learn to read and be successful. She has served as a Special Education Coach and Mentor to fellow specialists and teachers, facilitated the creation of her elementary school’s Response to Intervention/Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (RTI/MTSS) process and helped parents through the Special Education process as IEP Coach for parents. In 2013 she completed the National Boards of Professional Teaching in Exceptional Needs with recertification in 2022. Her areas of expertise involve working with students with learning disabilities, supporting stakeholders moving through the special education process, and helping parents and teachers understand what they can do to support struggling learners in the public school settings.

She is a founding member of the Colorado Reading League and a member of the International Dyslexia Association in Colorado. Alison has two greyhounds and two nephews who keep her busy outside of school. She is the CEO of Toad-ally Exceptional Learners at http://www.toad-allyexceptionallearners.com. Alison is a valuable source of information to support teachers and parents, although she is not a lawyer and does not give legal advice. Her services support families through the IEP process and how they can be an equal member of the team through positive interactions. She focuses on collaboration and using tools to take IEPs to the new level of helping students achieve.

www.GenParenting.com

Sep 30 2025

Teaching Our Children Executive Functioning Skills

As teachers prepare to support students this coming school year, they are consciously considering how to incorporate the 10 executive functioning skills in daily classroom activities. Summarized below are activities that I use daily in my classroom to shape executive functioning skills to ensue my students are successful with classroom routines and self-management: [Read more…]

Melissa Donahoe

Melissa has been an educator for over 20 years, and has spent the largest block of her teaching career in second grade, with additional experience in Grades 1 through 4.

After graduating from the University of Nevada with a Bachelor of Science Degree in education, with a dual degree in special education, Melissa traveled through Europe. Ms. Donahoe taught her first teaching assignment at a Department of Defense School in Germany. Following her husband’s military career, she also taught at a Title 1 school in Ft. Lewis, and finally landed in Silicon Valley, where she has taught for the past 16 years.

Melissa trained with the Noyce Foundation’s Writer’s Workshop. She has served as a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) coach at her school, where she facilitated curiosity and a love for learning among her students.

Melissa developed a passion for biodiversity after visiting Monterey Bay Aquarium with her nephew. She adopted a sea otter mascot named “Loutre” and discovered her fascination with ocean health, imparting to her students the relationship between sea otters and their critical role in maintaining healthy kelp forests. Along with ocean health, Melissa inspires awareness among her students about microplastics in the environment. She is a follower of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program and believes that small changes at home can foster activism that leads to healthy life habits.

Melissa has a daughter who is a junior in high school and a son who is attending his second year of college at the University of Nevada.

Sep 16 2025

How to Help Struggling Students Learn

It is a new school year with lots of exciting learning opportunities for my students. After completing several weeks of assessing and observing my students’ academic strengths and challenges, I have modified my teaching strategies based on best practices for children with English acquisition, behavior, and struggling reader needs. Listed below are successful strategies I am using to support some specific learning challenges. [Read more…]

Danielle Gentry

Danielle’s first step in education did not begin with education at all. It began with her first love for science. She received a B.S. in Biological Science, with a concentration in Molecular Biology. Her five years of experience as a chemist in the biotech industry at SYVA and Dade Behring Diagnostics include both areas of quality control and research and development. Her contributions were qualifying products for release to sell to the diagnostic market as well as developing new diagnostic technology for immunoassay detection. Danielle’s subtle transition to discovering her passion for education was through the birth of her daughter. She became a stay at home mom. Her uber volunteerism at her daughter’s elementary school gained her access to her path of education. She now holds a multiple subject teaching credential and M.A. in Education from National University. She has over ten years of experience at Sakamoto Elementary School as an educator in kindergarten, sixth grade, second grade, and a 2/3 combination class. Her teaching is rooted in a constructivist model while fostering independence and accountability in the classroom.

Jul 08 2025

Summer Learning for Kids!

The sun is shining, the days are longer, and summer adventures are calling! While this season brings plenty of excitement for families, it can also stir up a familiar concern for many parents: the “summer slide.” You’ve probably heard the term—it refers to the learning loss that can happen over the extended school break. But what if we looked at it from a different angle? Instead of viewing summer as a setback, we can embrace it as a valuable opportunity—a chance to spark curiosity, encourage growth, and nurture a love of learning, all while still soaking up the joy and freedom that summer brings.

The key is to shift our perspective from academic drills to engaging, experiential learning. Summer is a time for exploration, and learning can be seamlessly woven into almost any activity.

Embrace the Great Outdoors

Nature offers an incredible playground for learning. A trip to the local park isn’t just about swinging; it’s a chance to observe insects, identify trees, or even calculate the trajectory of a frisbee. A hike can become a lesson in local plants and animals, navigation, or simply the joy of discovery.

Become Backyard Biologists: Invest in a magnifying glass and a simple bug identification book. Encourage your child to observe the creatures in your garden or a nearby park.
Stargazing Scientists: On a clear night, spread a blanket and look up! Download a stargazing app to identify constellations and planets. Talk about the vastness of space and the wonders of the universe.
Nature Journaling: Encourage your child to draw or write about what they see and experience in nature. This fosters observation skills and creative expression.

[Read more…]

Alison Whiteley

www.GenParenting.com

Jun 10 2025

Celebrating Our Child’s Learning

It’s funny once you hit Spring Break blink and it is summer break. Where did the year go? How was the year? Before rushing into vacation mode, here are a couple of things you can do to make sure the year ends on a good note and set up our children for success next year.

Celebrate Growth—Big and Small

One of the best ways to wrap up the school year is by celebrating your child’s growth. This doesn’t mean just focusing on report cards—progress is about so much more than grades! Think about all the ways your child has grown, whether it’s mastering new sight words, improving their social skills, becoming more independent, or developing a better attitude toward learning. [Read more…]

Alison Whiteley