Setting a child loose with presentation software and expecting high-quality content is not a plan for success. It is akin to asking a young

Using audio books may feel like cheating for school children who have been assigned reading. Listening to a book seems like it is more passive than reading independently, and we reason that an easier, more passive activity can’t be quite as educative as the alternative. You may be surprised to find out that audio books are actually beneficial for readers of all levels. Audio books are a particularly useful tool when used as companions to traditional books; children listen to

“You’re really fat!” the six-year-old boy said to a friend of mine during a recent play group gathering. My friend calmly responded “well, I’ve been working on it for a long time.” She saw the boy’s father, embarrassed, swoop in to remove his child from the situation and – presumably – explain why such statements are not acceptable. My friend knew, however, that this child was still learning a lot about appropriate social behavior. She also knew that neither of his parents pr

Perhaps more of us are visual learners than we thought. Verbal note taking, long the standard taught by teachers and accepted by students, c

Last week President Obama designated today as National Teacher Appreciation Day, part of Teacher Appreciation Week. You may be thinking about how you can express your gratitude to a teacher this week, or you may even be thinking ahead to the end of the year. Below are some ideas for thoughtful teacher appreciation gifts. A note of thanks Personal notes have always been my favorite gifts from students. I particularly like that they are easy to keep and look back on. Cards and

Increasingly, teachers are putting homework assignments online. At schools where teachers do not use websites or email to communicate about homework, parents and students often ask that they do. Even as our lives move more into the digital world, the humble plan book matters a great deal for student organization. Here are several reasons to encourage your child to continue to write his assignments down. Materials organization Many students try to minimize the weight of their