The last couple of weeks have been very interesting from a planning perspective. Here at Daily Life Consulting and Daily Life Coaching 4 Kids we're in the midst of creating some dynamic programming for parents, teachers and others involved in the educational, emotional and social growth and development of children.
We're developing a series of workshops and seminars which will begin within the next month or so on topics and issues such as
School Readiness
Learning Readiness
School Skills
Learning Skills
Behavior Management
Speaking and Reading Skills and Comprehension
and more
Stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Eli Manning Took Cues From Mother - NY Times
What a great, great article and story about a mother-son relationship as well as how family interactions created the person Eli Manning is today. The article Eli Manning Took Cues from Mother also mentions reading difficulties that Eli had.
Terrific and inspirational story!
RK
Terrific and inspirational story!
RK
Monday, January 21, 2008
For 'helicopter parents,' the urge to protect spins out of control - NY Daily News
Thanks M.P. for the article - I hadn't seen it. Glad you liked what I had to say.
The article is For 'helicopter parents,' the urge to protect spins out of control by Sheryl Berk and some thoughts I had on the topic.
Lots of clients deal with the issue. How much is too much?
Living in NYC post-9/11 there is heightened anxiety over safety issues. Many parents are concerned about their children getting the best education they can. Some worry that their children aren't socializing the way they should be. The pressure from other parents and their children's progress can feel overwhelming. There are lots of reasons that parents today are concerned. What is too much? When does concern turn to stifling? When does "being there" become hovering?
The article is For 'helicopter parents,' the urge to protect spins out of control by Sheryl Berk and some thoughts I had on the topic.
Lots of clients deal with the issue. How much is too much?
Living in NYC post-9/11 there is heightened anxiety over safety issues. Many parents are concerned about their children getting the best education they can. Some worry that their children aren't socializing the way they should be. The pressure from other parents and their children's progress can feel overwhelming. There are lots of reasons that parents today are concerned. What is too much? When does concern turn to stifling? When does "being there" become hovering?
New York Measuring Teachers by Test Scores - NY Times
Thanks D. for emailing me the article New York Measuring Teachers by Test Scores - NY Times by Jennifer Medina
As for what I think...ARGH is about all I'll say in writing...ok - make that ARGH ARGH ARGH
One question though - anyone making a connection between the article in the WSJ about behavior problems in pre-school and the unrelenting pressure and emphasis being put on testing and test scores? I am and have been for quite a while. I was also discussing the WSJ article (post below) with my 90 year old mentor/professor last week and the first thing she said was "maybe they're trying to teach them too much". There you go. Out of the mouth of experience....
I'll be happy to talk to you about the article and the implications for J. when we meet this week but as for a request for a blog reaction this is about all I'm comfortable with.
Argh.
Enjoy the day,
RK
As for what I think...ARGH is about all I'll say in writing...ok - make that ARGH ARGH ARGH
One question though - anyone making a connection between the article in the WSJ about behavior problems in pre-school and the unrelenting pressure and emphasis being put on testing and test scores? I am and have been for quite a while. I was also discussing the WSJ article (post below) with my 90 year old mentor/professor last week and the first thing she said was "maybe they're trying to teach them too much". There you go. Out of the mouth of experience....
I'll be happy to talk to you about the article and the implications for J. when we meet this week but as for a request for a blog reaction this is about all I'm comfortable with.
Argh.
Enjoy the day,
RK
Thursday, January 17, 2008
What's Gotten Into Kids These Days? Wall Street Journal
Terrific and important article What's Gotten Into Kids These Days? by Sue Shellenberger in today's Wall Street Journal. What's going on? Why is it happening? I do not agree with some of the information in the article but that's too long to go into here.
It is a major issue that we work on with clients here at Daily Life Coaching 4 Kids (http://www.dailylifeconsulting.com) in our Life Skills for Children and one which, if addressed early on doesn't have to escalate to the point where it interferes with children's learning and education.
I very much agree that "teachers also benefit from access to mental-health or behavioral consultants" and we do work with schools and programs, and individual teachers who come on their own for educator coaching. I believe that teachers should have some background in psychology and have access to mental health and behavioral consultants.
Having been there myself, I will tell you that I truly believe that teaching young children is one of the toughest, toughest jobs in the world. It is also amazingly rewarding.
Coaching Tips on this topic will follow next week. If you'd like more information on our Life Skills for Children coaching, workshops, seminars (and online classes which are coming soon) please contact me rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com or jill at gtkgroup dot com.
Enjoy the day,
RK
It is a major issue that we work on with clients here at Daily Life Coaching 4 Kids (http://www.dailylifeconsulting.com) in our Life Skills for Children and one which, if addressed early on doesn't have to escalate to the point where it interferes with children's learning and education.
I very much agree that "teachers also benefit from access to mental-health or behavioral consultants" and we do work with schools and programs, and individual teachers who come on their own for educator coaching. I believe that teachers should have some background in psychology and have access to mental health and behavioral consultants.
Having been there myself, I will tell you that I truly believe that teaching young children is one of the toughest, toughest jobs in the world. It is also amazingly rewarding.
Coaching Tips on this topic will follow next week. If you'd like more information on our Life Skills for Children coaching, workshops, seminars (and online classes which are coming soon) please contact me rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com or jill at gtkgroup dot com.
Enjoy the day,
RK
Monday, January 14, 2008
Apartment Living Safety Tips for Children -
Thanks Tina R. for the email and link!
I recently spoke about apartment living safety tips for children which is an issue that comes up often for clients who live in NYC or other big cities. The article is How to Care for at Risk Residents By Lisa Iannucci .
I recently spoke about apartment living safety tips for children which is an issue that comes up often for clients who live in NYC or other big cities. The article is How to Care for at Risk Residents By Lisa Iannucci .
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Harry Potter' Star Donates Eyeglasses to Holocaust Exhibition
Terrific story'Harry Potter' Star Donates Eyeglasses to Holocaust Exhibition
I am personally touched by this news. What a beautiful idea for an exhibition and what a great way to get children, along with their parents, to see the exhibit.
As the daughter of Holocaust survivors who somehow survived as children, I'm always moved by stories like this one. Years ago as a teacher of immigrant children and working on a Borough wide Holocaust Memorial contest with them, I organized a class contest with my first graders to collect buttons. The goal was to collect as many as we could and make art trains out of them for an exhibition. (FYI this pre-dated the movie "Paper Clips" and yes, we won the contest!). I told the children a bit about the history, as much as a first grader could be expected to understand and the contest was on.
Could we collect 6 million buttons to commemorate all the people? After a week or two it was obvious to them we couldn't. Could we collect 1 million for the 1 million children who perished? By counting one at a time and collecting painstakingly it was obvious to the children that the number was too overwhelming.
Much too overwhelming.
I am personally touched by this news. What a beautiful idea for an exhibition and what a great way to get children, along with their parents, to see the exhibit.
As the daughter of Holocaust survivors who somehow survived as children, I'm always moved by stories like this one. Years ago as a teacher of immigrant children and working on a Borough wide Holocaust Memorial contest with them, I organized a class contest with my first graders to collect buttons. The goal was to collect as many as we could and make art trains out of them for an exhibition. (FYI this pre-dated the movie "Paper Clips" and yes, we won the contest!). I told the children a bit about the history, as much as a first grader could be expected to understand and the contest was on.
Could we collect 6 million buttons to commemorate all the people? After a week or two it was obvious to them we couldn't. Could we collect 1 million for the 1 million children who perished? By counting one at a time and collecting painstakingly it was obvious to the children that the number was too overwhelming.
Much too overwhelming.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success - NY Times
Happy 2008 All!
I got so many emails about the planning and organizing post below so if you haven't gotten a response it's on its way! (Not today though I was supposed to be on tech-break altogether...)
Meanwhile there's an interesting article in the New York Times
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success by Alan Finder.
It makes some great points about organizing and planning. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole boys/girls points that they raise. In my years of experience I've come across boys who were so organized they put everyone in the class/school/university to shame and girls who came in on a cloud of dust like Pigpen in the Snoopy comics. Although I'm the first one to talk about how boys and girls are different and that that's wonderful and as it should be I'm not sure about this area.
Having said that, there are some great ideas and thoughts for boys and girls in the article. Not the least of which is the idea of doing homework in a silent environment without tech or other distractions.
Another thought - the fact that the boys get the personalized attention with their work - well to me that might be a big part of it. Any child could benefit from that. And a teenage boy getting personal attention from an attractive 20-something year old? Damn straight they'll sit up and pay attention!
It actually brought to mind a story about a student of mine from my first year of teaching. He was 4 and it was kindergarten. He was, how shall we put it, quite active and it took months to get him into a routine and behaving appropriately for school. He was bright and sweet and everything else and I enjoyed him as a student to no end. I ran into his mother the following year and asked how he was doing "could I please give him back to you?" was her response. It seems Greg (not his real name) was having toughest time in his new class. His behavior was a problem as well as a host of other things we'd worked on the year before. They'd called in his mother for a meeting with the principal and his teacher and during the course of the conversation they'd asked him what was going on.
"But you were so wonderful last year Greg." His answer? "But that was for Rebecca".
A good connection with a child will encourage the most wonderful behaviors and enhance the ablility to learn new skills and subjects. It's not the only thing, but it does play a part. I think the concept described in the article is great and the attention they're getting, especially from someone they're connecting with. I think all children and young adults should have that kind of personal attention while finding their place in school and the world.
Good article. Good concept.
Tips you can take from it include personal attention to homework, silent and concentrated homework time, interest in what they're doing and they're deadlines, a soft touch and a caring and interested adult. Watch how they thrive.
Happy 2008!
RK
I got so many emails about the planning and organizing post below so if you haven't gotten a response it's on its way! (Not today though I was supposed to be on tech-break altogether...)
Meanwhile there's an interesting article in the New York Times
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success by Alan Finder.
It makes some great points about organizing and planning. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole boys/girls points that they raise. In my years of experience I've come across boys who were so organized they put everyone in the class/school/university to shame and girls who came in on a cloud of dust like Pigpen in the Snoopy comics. Although I'm the first one to talk about how boys and girls are different and that that's wonderful and as it should be I'm not sure about this area.
Having said that, there are some great ideas and thoughts for boys and girls in the article. Not the least of which is the idea of doing homework in a silent environment without tech or other distractions.
Another thought - the fact that the boys get the personalized attention with their work - well to me that might be a big part of it. Any child could benefit from that. And a teenage boy getting personal attention from an attractive 20-something year old? Damn straight they'll sit up and pay attention!
It actually brought to mind a story about a student of mine from my first year of teaching. He was 4 and it was kindergarten. He was, how shall we put it, quite active and it took months to get him into a routine and behaving appropriately for school. He was bright and sweet and everything else and I enjoyed him as a student to no end. I ran into his mother the following year and asked how he was doing "could I please give him back to you?" was her response. It seems Greg (not his real name) was having toughest time in his new class. His behavior was a problem as well as a host of other things we'd worked on the year before. They'd called in his mother for a meeting with the principal and his teacher and during the course of the conversation they'd asked him what was going on.
"But you were so wonderful last year Greg." His answer? "But that was for Rebecca".
A good connection with a child will encourage the most wonderful behaviors and enhance the ablility to learn new skills and subjects. It's not the only thing, but it does play a part. I think the concept described in the article is great and the attention they're getting, especially from someone they're connecting with. I think all children and young adults should have that kind of personal attention while finding their place in school and the world.
Good article. Good concept.
Tips you can take from it include personal attention to homework, silent and concentrated homework time, interest in what they're doing and they're deadlines, a soft touch and a caring and interested adult. Watch how they thrive.
Happy 2008!
RK
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