Posts by:
One of the most trying times for students and parents can arise around the dissemination of report cards. Students receive report cards multiple times a year and the experience can be very stressful. Here are some tips to take the stress out of possibly receiving the dreaded “bad report card”.
Our children sometimes face experiences where they are not able to able to make choices. School systems for example, make decisions on what literature our children will be exposed to with sometimes mixed reviews. Growing a love for reading starts with showing your children how reading is part of your everyday life. Modeling the behaviour you want your children to display goes a long way in influencing their actions. Also, thinking of new and creative ways to add reading into your family’s life encourages connections that will continue to affect your child’s academic ability.
Winter is finally here! Though some of the days might seem cold and dreary, it’s also a great time to spend reading your favourite books! One way to work on reading at home and to build comprehension is to do a book comparison activity. The wonderful thing about winter themed books is that they often include magical descriptions, which play to the five senses. We’ve selected three of our favourite winter themed books and included a downloadable worksheet. The worksheet allows readers to connect the story in the book with the five senses- sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Feel free to get creative! The final product can be communicated using art as a medium- cookies, poster, pictures, words, a song – whatever makes it fun for each person.
Ways and Ideas to Lead by Example to Develop a Love of Reading in Your Household
All parents can relate to hearing the collective groans of their children as mom or...
At this point, the lazy, hot days of summer are a distant memory and the chilly winds of winter have blown right on in. School routines have taken the place of beach vacations and trips to the pool. Change is never easy, but there are some preparations and routines that can help your child experience as much success as possible this school year.
When we approach the subject of motivating our children to embrace educational habits that will last for a lifetime, one can sometimes hear the collective groans arising from frustrated moms. Maybe using the term “motivation” is too cliché and we need to open the discussion by looking deeper into why humans make certain actions a habit.
Heroes come in all sizes, shapes, colours, genders and ages! Many popular stories develop their themes around the hero! In our culture, we celebrate the heroes in our everyday lives. We hear about the incredible acts of heroes everyday on the news, TV, and social media. Introducing A Heroes’ Journey, as the theme and focus of your child’s next book selection will provide motivation for the young reader. Heroes exist in non-fiction and fiction literature through fairy tales, fables, historical fiction, biographies and autobiographies. These very different genres provide a rich pathway into the development of a character in terms of their growth as a hero, through identifying their qualities, level of sacrifice, show of bravery, choices made, and connection to human relationships. The finale of reading and analyzing the hero book or hero comic book of your child’s choice is to allow your child to identify the hero within and the people in their own nuclear family. Have them choose a product to exhibit their understanding of the archetypal study of a hero by drawing a poster, painting a picture, or writing a letter to their hero, or lyrics to a song about heroes.
Everybody has heard of the frightening research that supports how students are at risk of losing anywhere from 20%-50% of their skills learned during a school year while on summer break. “It is widely understood that on average students lose academic ground during the summer, a phenomenon frequently referred to as “summer learning loss” or “summer slide” (Kuhfeld 2018). While the need to maintain academic skills is paramount, it is just as important that kids be free to explore the fresh air of the outdoors, so why not combine both!
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world- Love of books is the best of all.”