Elementary School

You Can Homeschool!

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:58:35 +0100

Want to give your child a personalized education? Read on! The decision to homeschool is a personal one unique to each family embarking down the path, and it can lead to questions like: How do I get started? What does a typical day look like? What about socialization? After researching Tennessee’s homeschool laws (see sidebar), the first thing you need to know is there is no “perfect” or “right” way to homeschool. Teaching supplies and methods are as different as th...

How Three of Tennessee’s Top Teachers Reach Kids in the Classroom

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:40:40 +0100

Great teachers know how to inspire kids to learn, but how do they do it? Here, the three Middle Tennessee finalists for 2011 - 2012 Teacher of the Year (Grand Division winners from East, West and Middle Tennessee will be selected this fall and finally, Teacher of the Year), share time-tested knowledge about what works for kids in school. Teacher of the Year recognizes outstanding teachers who exemplify excellence, dedication and a talent for working with students, and according to former Tennesse...

The Building Blocks of Learning

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:26:04 +0100

The preschool years provide a remarkable opportunity for early learning. Like absorbent sponges, this age group is motivated by fun activities that are simple to provide.

Fast Track to Memorization

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 22:22:39 +0100

When your child struggles to learn concepts, find surprising success by turning those concepts into playful ditties!

Help Needed for Reluctant Writer

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:05:46 +0100

Parents should be concerned if their kids are reading less, but what about writing? There's a huge
emphasis on writing ability when it comes time for college ... What you can do at home matters!

Identifying Giftedness

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:40:48 +0100

Most parents want to deem their child as gifted, but thereâ€™s a big difference between a high-achieving student and one who is intellectually gifted. Hereâ€™s how state of Tennessee public schools identify gifted children, and are the programs really enough to serve them?

Sports Should Be Fun

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:11:36 +0100

Too many kids stop playing sports because they are over-scheduled, burned out or possibly ... playing to make someone else happy (hint, hint).

Homeschool: Reflections from the Finish Line

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:59:51 +0100

"So, what's it going to be," I asked my 4-year-old daughter. "Me or a normal education?"

The Ups and Downs of Childhood Friendships

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:56:50 +0100

"I hate Maddie!" little Jenny roared on the way home from school one day. "She thinks my hair is ugly, and now Sarah won't let me sit with them at lunch. So they're not my friends anymore. I hate them both!" she exclaimed while her mom checked her face from the rearview mirror. Jenny's flushed face was on the verge of crumbling. And when her mom gave her a sympathetic look, out sprang the tears.

10 Ways to Help your Child Succeed in School

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:54:50 +0100

Thirteen-year-old Jared Cobb describes himself as an "intuitive" student. He receives straight A's in eighth grade and next year, as a freshman in high school, he'll enter five honors classes. What's the secret of his success?

Handle With Care: School Safety at School and On The Bus

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:48:53 +0100

Once the kids gets off the bus and into the school, we easily assume they will be safe and protected from harm. Yet the Columbine High School tragedy nine years ago continues to resonate when the subject of school danger comes up.

Are YOU Ready for School?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:47:00 +0100

"My son Jonathan had gone to two full and three half-days of preschool the year before he went to kindergarten," says Andrea, a local mom. "I knew he was ready and eager to start 'big kid's school.' It never occurred to me to ask myself if I was ready for Jonathan to start school.

Attitude: The Real Key to School Success

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:44:17 +0100

Andrew is intelligent, capable and creative. He loves science, comic books and computer games. He also loves to give his teacher a headache. Because Andrew is intelligent, capable and creative his teacher expects him to do well in school.

¿Usted habla español?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:41:12 +0100

Last February, local grandmother, Janet Davies, took her 9-year-old granddaughter, Lillie, to Honduras to meet Cindy Carolina Maria José Murta, a little girl Davies sponsors at the Our Little Roses children's home. Lillie, who'd had several years of weekly Spanish classes in school, ironically had a difficult time conversing with little Cindy. "Being in Honduras visiting her 'little sister' was a great incentive to learn more Spanish," says Davies.

Braving the Books: When a Parent Goes Back to School

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:38:50 +0100

Three days after being accepted into a Ph.D. program, Cari Weber got some more exciting news: she was pregnant with her first child. Terrified by the thought of balancing parenting responsibilities with her academic ones, she wrestled with the idea of quitting school. But, two weeks after giving birth, she found herself back in the classroom full-time.

Building Confidence and Success in Your Child

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:36:38 +0100

You're sitting in a parent/teacher meeting and the teacher is telling you how much the other children enjoy your son, Josh.

Discipline: The Foundations

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:33:39 +0100

OK, so you've established discipline with your toddler. Now see how it is important to carry on in order to build a strong foundation for the school years.

Educational Activities for Young Explorers

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:31:30 +0100

Keep your summer filled with fun ways to stimulate young minds.

Ending Homework Hassles

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:28:10 +0100

Ten minutes before 11 p.m. on a school night, Bradley Wallace is still doing his homework. His parents aren't sure what to do. Every one is tired, Bradley's begging for help and it has become a real struggle.

Fun Ways to Improve Your Child's Vocabuary

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:26:48 +0100

Learning new words can be a good time for the whole family.

Game Boys & Gadgets (And Whatever Happened to Reading?)

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:23:46 +0100

David Grimac has every video game console a 9-year-old could ever want: Xbox 360, Nintendo GameCube, Atari 2600 and Sony PlayStations 1 and 2. At his ripe old age, he's a self-professed "gamer," and although it's still months away, he already has something on his Christmas wish list.

Great Teacher Gift Ideas

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:21:10 +0100

Fun for Everyone Classic games make a great addition to a teacher's collection for down-time options in the classroom. They're easy to store, lightweight and most important, affordable! Suggested for children ages 8 and older, chess and checkers are games of concentration in a compact and convenient size. The games typically cost between $7 - $10 and can be found at major retailers. Gift Basket When it comes to teacher gift giving, mom of three Anne Cohen uses creative options to keep her cost...

Homework is Kids' Work

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:14:47 +0100

When it comes to helping with homework, parents have to be careful not to help too much.

How Smart is My Child?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:08:00 +0100

Many parents wonder how their children compare to other children.

It's Greek to Me

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:00:58 +0100

"Parlez vous Francais?" "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" "Habla Español?" If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, you probably have a few opinions about the value of learning a second language. If you can't, you may be like me, wondering what went wrong in those accumulated five years of Spanish classes, or like many others who wish they'd had or taken the opportunity to learn.

Kumon Math and Reading: Teaching Kids How to Learn

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:45:41 +0100

Once upon a time there was a Japanese teacher named Toru Kumon who taught high school math. He became very concerned when his own son had difficulty doing his second grade arithmetic homework.

Learning Early: A Preschool Primer

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:42:18 +0100

When picking up my 2-year-old daughter from Parent's Day Out last spring, I was shocked when her caregiver asked if she would be entering their preschool program in the fall, just after her third birthday.

Making Sense Out of Educational Choices

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:36:49 +0100

Today's educational choices go way beyond the little red schoolhouse. Parents need to know the differences in order to choose what's best for their kids.

PROJECT PROTECT: It's a Bummer Being Bullied

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:33:24 +0100

When I was 11, kids in my class steered clear of Quentin Tacker, the sixth-grade bully. Quentin was notorious for being the meanest kid at school. His targets often had their lunch money stolen, got stuffed in lockers, beaten up, threatened, intimidated, you name it. In retrospect, it was really quite amazing how one kid could instill fear and terror in so many.

Public Schools

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:31:57 +0100

Davidson County Metro Nashville Public Schools 259-8400 | www.mnps.org 2601 Bransford Ave., Nashville New this year? The Nashville Big Picture High School, located on the Wharton Building campus on D.B. Todd Boulevard, opened for it's inaugural freshman class this year. It's the first school of its kind in the southeast allowing students to combine three days of classroom learning with two days of field work and internships focused on each student's particular area of interest. New schools open...

Q & A With Pedro Garcia

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:29:32 +0100

Change is never easy, as Pedro Garcia has discovered. Amid rumors that he wants to do away with recess and kindergarten naps, the new Metro Nashville Public Schools superintendent has steadily and systematically begun to change the way Nashville educates its children.

Raise a Reader

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:28:31 +0100

Educational initiatives to assure children that learn to read by the third grade abound at the national, state and local levels. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that reading is the most important educational skill a child can possess. Here are some tips to help raise a reader.

Raising Happy Readers

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:25:33 +0100

If you think the nation's education system is responsible for developing your child's brain, think again.

Raising Little Scholars

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:21:40 +0100

When most of us were babies, scientists knew relatively little about how our brains worked. Since then there have been major discoveries in the field of early childhood development.

School Accreditation

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:18:48 +0100

It's a typical school day morning. We send our children out the door to pre-, public, private or charter school, secure in the feeling that our school is as good, or better, than any other. But not all schools are created equal. Even though all public and private elementary schools must comply with the state education requirements, they are not required to be accredited.

School Success!

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:16:44 +0100

For many families, after-school time has become a battlefield, filled with tension and tears as children struggle to complete assignments, and parents struggle to maintain a peaceful family life. One family's cure: family study time. Could it work for you?

Sister Sandra Smithson

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:55:38 +0100

A Profile of Middle Tennessee's Newest Education Leader.

Stop Teasing Me!

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:51:30 +0100

Clear as day, I remember a girl in my elementary school named Alice. Alice came from a poor family and her clothes were often worn and tattered. Kids would groan and roll their eyes if the teacher asked them to sit next to her. To catch "Alice's kooties" was the worst thing that could happen to us boys.

Strategies for Successful Test-Taking

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:50:10 +0100

Does your child need to improve his skills? Put these tips to the test!

Teaching YOUNG MINDS to SOAR!

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:47:50 +0100

Local enrichment program Be Smart Kids educates youngsters as early as 18 months old.

Ten Ways to Keep Kids Reading

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:46:11 +0100

It's the start of summer vacation. Parents are scrambling to fill the void left by closed classroom doors. Of course, closed doors don't necessarily have to mean closed books.

Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:43:50 +0100

Everything you've ever wanted to know about standardized tests.

The Other Kind of "Smart": Fostering Your Child's Emotional Intelligence

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:40:53 +0100

As a teenager, I received lots of phone calls from guys. It bugged me when my mom would say, "I can't understand why all these boys keep calling you. I guess it's because you're a good listener."

Tutoring Kids

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:36:47 +0100

One former teacher, current tutor at a Huntington Learning Center, and mother of two recently told me that the most important factor in a child's education is self-esteem. "Make kids feel like a success, feel good about themselves and their efforts and they'll be able to learn." She continues, "Without support and self-esteem, eventually the kid expects to fail, and then often he does."

Understanding Standardized Testing

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:34:58 +0100

Standardized testing is here to stay. Like it or not, from about age 5 onward, most children will be evaluated by at least one standardized test every school year.

Volunteering in Your Child's Classroom

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:32:49 +0100

Has your child's teacher asked for volunteers this year?

What It Is Like To Be A Home Schooler

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:27:23 +0100

A parent is almost automatically a good teacher because there is no one else who has a greater desire for a child to succeed than his or her own parent.

What's the Best Age for Kindergarten?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:22:23 +0100

Deciding whether your child is ready for school can be a difficult decision. Discover the pros and cons to starting or waiting.

When Kindergarten Calls

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:17:51 +0100

Kindergarten. I can picture it like it was yesterday. Tears flowing. Hugs aplenty. Sobs interrupted only by the desperate pleas of, "Please, don't leave me!" And that was just my mom.

When Learning Lags

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:15:00 +0100

When Kathy O'Sullivan's son, Davis, came home from fourth grade day-after-day discouraged and dreading the next day of school, she knew it was more than just a light opposition to education.

When Reading Is Work: Identifying Difficulties

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:12:36 +0100

Your child is struggling to read. Could she have ADD or ADHD? The solution could be as close as an eye exam or a change in diet. Or, it could portend a lifelong struggle for both of you.

When Teaching Your Tot...How Much is Too Much?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:09:38 +0100

I have to admit that I was one of those mothers comparing the intellectual prowess of my preschooler to other kids his age, and the competition was often fierce.

When Your Child is "The New Kid"

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:07:12 +0100

Leaving friends and familiar places behind can be hard for kids - and especially difficult for teens. Here's what parents can do to help.

You CAN send your child to College

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:03:25 +0100

Make college achieveable for your kids. Plan ahead so it doesn't sneak up on you!

Back to School Bits

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:00:49 +0100

10 Ways to Support Your Child's Teacher To help kids get the most out of school, parents should partner with teachers and share responsibility for their child's learning. Here's how to do it. Set up success: You're the expert on your child. Fill the teacher in on your child's strengths and interests, personality patterns and specific learning challenges. Expect great things: Set high but realistic expectations for your child that he can rise to. Confront problems early: Contact your c...

Raising Savvy Readers

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:58:48 +0100

Instill a love of reading in your children from the start and watch them flourish!

Smart Stuff: Discovering Your Child's Innate Intelligence

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:54:30 +0100

Some kids love words and English and writing in journals. Others love doing math problems but detest English. Some kids are athletic beyond the rest. Our kids' brains are all different, so we need to take the educational lead from them.

Beyond the ABC's

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:36:34 +0100

All kids learn the cute little song, but that doesn't mean they know the alphabet! There are at least six other things your preschooler needs to know about those 26 letters before thinking about reading.