Okay, so we find ourselves at home with one or more squirming, tussling, arguing, irritated kid who wants to go and do anything but stay at home, but can’t. To provide more educational structure to each day, should you put on a homeschool hat and give it a try? Nah. I suggest that you keep your […]
Are your kids home for spring break or an extended break due to COVID-19? Are you working from home or perhaps not working, but quarantining at home? If you’re finding yourself with a lot of time in close quarters with your kids, you’re not alone. Experts recommend that to keep everybody from getting antsy and feeling […]
March is National Reading Awareness Month designed to showcase the value of reading. That’s a good thing, but the focus is always about better children’s reading, which belies the vast powers of sharing reading with the whole family. Sharing reading of anything by anybody within a family can be a HUGE asset for creating a culture […]
I’ve been reviewing various authoritative sources about “ages and stages” for children. Most parents at some point encounter such guidelines and then consider what they’re doing wrong or right for their young children. Every area of language development from Asking questions to delivering Zingers are at some point a concern for parents, especially new parents. […]
Once again, we are past the big commercial holidays in the U.S. and heading toward more relaxed ones that offer us less glaring contrasts between the lives of children from homes with comfortable incomes and those who are living closer to or below the edge of poverty level. Yet all year long, it’s critical to remember that […]
Every so often news headlines alert us that the U.S. ranks “below average” in reading test scores, lagging behind other countries, like China, which consistently rank at or near the top. It’s probable that we’ll receive the same news again this spring after many schools dutifully administer standardized tests. Why? Because, as a whole, our education system continues […]
If children are interested in some activity, they will be curious about it, reach out for it, explore it, and if the available support is there, will make progress as they are trying it out. If they maintain their motivation, they will eventually master it to a level of their satisfaction. They will then move on to […]
In many countries around the globe, it’s the gift giving time of year when our attentions drift toward how we can delight our loved ones with a thoughtful gift. I know this will come as a surprise, but my favorite gifts are books because they are a gift you can open again and again. Books also make […]
This last week I attended the Literacy Research Association conference, the largest literacy research-focused conference held each year in the U.S. The program was packed with hundreds of presentations, poster sessions, round table discussions, and special interest groups directed by the luminaries and newcomers in the varied fields associated with reading and writing. I share […]
Some children don’t learn to love books and reading in school. Estimates are as high as 25 percent of children grow up as non-readers. It’s not that they can’t read’ they just don’t. Superintendents might swear their youngsters have gone through “good” schools. However, if the kids from good schools don’t love books and reading, how can […]
