Tag Archives: Children

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Current Affairs, Libraries, Politics, Science & Health

Did New York City Forget How to Teach Children to Read? This fall, Eric Adams is pivoting to phonics.

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By Caitlin Moscatello, Sept. 13, 2023

Illustration: Erin Jang

The debate about the best way to help children learn to read goes back more than 100 years, but an overwhelming body of data has shown the benefit of having kids sound out letters and words.

One of the largest analyses of such studies is a 2000 report by the National Reading Panel, which found that phonemic-awareness instruction helps kids learn to read and boosts comprehension, while teaching systematic phonics “makes a bigger contribution to children’s growth in reading than alternative programs providing unsystematic or no phonics instruction.”

President George W. Bush used the report as the foundation for his own reading initiative, which stressed phonics for early readers.

Even that report left the door open for proponents of balanced literacy, noting that phonics “should be integrated with other reading instruction to create a balanced reading program.”

Plenty of educators listened to this part loudly — despite the fact that those advocating for more phonics were never saying phonics only. “When I started on this journey, I was like, Phonics? That’s what George Bush wanted. Phonics? That’s what happens in red states,” says Danielle, a teacher in New York who, like many of the two dozen people interviewed for this article, requested we use her first name out of concern for professional consequences.

Source: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/09/new-york-city-schools-how-to-teach-children-to-read.html

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Current Affairs, Libraries, Memories & History, Pleasures

(49) The best sci-fi novel I read as a kid [ Bill Gates ] – YouTube

By Bill Gates 2.92M subscribers

(49) The best sci-fi novel I read as a kid – YouTube

265,798 views

Posted Nov 21, 2022 — Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land is a fantastic story—and it was also a turning point for me as a young reader. Learn more at https://gatesnot.es/3GsUiCF

Source: (49) The best sci-fi novel I read as a kid – YouTube

Current Affairs, Love & Relationships, Memories & History, Science & Health

Want to Raise Successful Kids? Science Says These 5 Habits Matter, Bigtime | Inc.com

The science suggests that if you want to do right by your kids, you should probably do these things.

By Bill Murphy Jr., http://www.billmurphyjr.com @BillMurphyJr, July 4, 2022

Photo: Getty Images

There comes a time in some people’s lives when their aspirations for their children begin to rival or even exceed their aspirations for themselves.

It’s happened to me since I’ve become a parent myself. As a result, I’ve been on a years-long mission to collect as much science-based advice as possible regarding how to raise successful kids.

Here are five of the most interesting and useful strategies I’ve found and highlighted recently. The science suggests that if you want to do right by your kids, you should probably do these things.

1. Make them do chores.
Researchers at La Trobe University in Australia recently set out to determine whether children who do chores at home would develop better working memory, inhibition, and other success-predicting behaviors.

Editor’s Note: Read more, see link below for original item…

Source: Want to Raise Successful Kids? Science Says These 5 Habits Matter, Bigtime | Inc.com

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Current Affairs, Libraries, Web & Technology

Idina Menzel, John Lithgow Talk Kids Books for National Library Week – The Hollywood Reporter

Idina Menzel, John Lithgow, R.L. Stine, Becky Albertalli and more celebrity authors and writers spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the role libraries have played in their lives and why children should always have access to the books that line their shelves.

By Lexy Perez, Abbey White, April 8, 2022 9:30am

Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; HarperCollins Publishers; Scholastic; Alison Klapthor

Libraries and the connection they offer through their vast print and multimedia collections, technological services, and programming and classes exist far outside the bounds of National Library Week.

But the American Library Association’s 2022 event, taking place April 3-9, is a particularly timely celebration of these spaces as centers of culture, community, information and imagination — especially for children.

For actor John Lithgow, who has written numerous children’s titles, libraries have remained important places to him as a person and an author. “I really love old libraries,” he told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the 2022 weeklong event.

“They just draw you in and you go into another era, another space.”

All the Bright Places author Jennifer Niven also told THR that for her, libraries were a gateway to the world — and beyond. “In libraries, I discovered that the world was possible,” she told THR. “Books were doors to magic worlds.”

Source: Idina Menzel, John Lithgow Talk Kids Books for National Library Week – The Hollywood Reporter

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Libraries, Politics

How removing books from schools affects kids | National Geographic

Challenges to books like ‘Maus’ and ‘New Kid’ have more than doubled. Here’s what parents, teachers, and librarians have to say about the issue.

By Cassandra Spratling, Published February 28, 2022

A bookstore in Alameda, California, displays books that have been banned or censored.
Photograph by Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images

When award-winning author and illustrator Jerry Craft learned last October that his virtual visit to a school in Katy, Texas, was canceled and his popular book New Kid had been removed from the library’s shelves, he was shocked.

A mom had complained that his humorous graphic novel—about his childhood experience as a Black student attending a mostly white school—gives students a distorted view of race.

“I couldn’t imagine what someone would find in it that was offensive,” says Craft, whose book won the Newbery Medal and a Coretta Scott King Book Award.

But some 400 people had signed a petition supporting the actions. After a 10-day review from the school district, his visit was rescheduled and the book put back on the shelves.

Source: How removing books from schools affects kids

Current Affairs, Food & Drink, Games, Love & Relationships

Simple and Effective Ways to Set a Great Example for Your Kids | Guest Post

Photo via Pexels

Simple and Effective Ways to Set a Great Example for Your Kid

By Cheryl Conklin, Guest Blogger

Biography: Cheryl Conklin created Wellness Central from her desire to share various resources and her thoughts on wellness. Apart from blogging, she enjoys traveling and going on endless adventures, and writing about her experiences at the end of the day.

As a parent, your actions can leave a lasting mark on your children. Setting a good example for your kids is essential for encouraging the development of good habits that will stick with them for years to come! Whether you’re dealing with toddlers and teens, raising great kids starts with your own behaviors. Here are some easy ways to mold your kids into incredible little people by adjusting your own habits, presented below by DrWeb’s Domain.

Take Steps Towards Self-Improvement

Show your kids how to become the best versions of themselves by identifying your own strengths and chasing your goals

  • Consider going back to school to pursue a career path that you’re passionate about.
  • Spend your spare time learning a new skill or hobby.

Model Healthy Behaviors

Children love to mirror the behaviors of their parents. If you want your kids to exercise, eat healthy foods, read and avoid bad habits, try to model these behaviors yourself.

  • Demonstrate responsible decisions around substance use to help your kids develop a healthy relationship with alcohol.
  • Make physical activity a priority in your life, and your kids will be more inclined to exercise too!
  • Show your kids that you enjoy healthy foods and all the feel-good benefits that come with healthy eating.
  • To encourage a love of reading, let your children see you reading, and make a point to visit the library together often.
  • Bring your kids grocery shopping and show them how you make healthy food choices.

Be Kind to Yourself and Others

Treat other people—and yourself—with kindness and respect to raise polite kids with great self-esteem

  • Practicing positive self-talk can help your children develop their self-esteem.
  • Try not to take yourself too seriously. Don’t be afraid to laugh at your mistakes!
  • Be mindful of the way you interact with others to show your kids that everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
  • Do something for the common good, like volunteering your time at a local charity.

Being a great parent is not just about the lessons you teach your kids, but about the habits and behaviors that you display every day. Your kids will mirror your actions, for better or for worse. Encourage your little ones to grow into well-adjusted adults by adopting the habits you want them to pick up!