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Thank you for your thoughtful comments on the State of Education stats graphic.   You brought up great points, questioned conclusions, and looked at the issue from many different perspectives.  It’s clear that  education has many areas that could use some rethinking and some reworking.  It’s a complicated topic and it’s easy to feel like the problem is bigger… continue reading

Two great questions this month: How to use positive guidance without being permissive, and how to talk with administrators about standardized testing in KINDERGARTEN.  (You can also view this video here.)  Positive Guidance: Punishment or Consequences? Roots and Wings: Giving Choices and Setting Boundaries Time as a Natural and Logical Consequence Panel Discussion: Rewards, Positive… continue reading

The following is a guest post from Rachel Speal.  Rachel is an educational therapist who has over 20 years experience working with kids and adults of all ages. Her specialty is disabilities on the autistic spectrum, and language delays. You can find more hands on learning games at her site Teaching the Future.  It’s not always… continue reading

My friend, Mandi Ehman, is running a great Back to School series over at Life…Your Way, and I’m flattered to have been invited to contribute.  Check out my post as well as all the other great resources she’s sharing.  You can get a taste of it here: Change can be hard.  And yet as the… continue reading

As I work on some projects for the future, here’s a post from the past, originally posted in March of 2009. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “Music is the universal language of mankind.”  It is a transcendent medium, one that takes on a variety of forms to meet the intrinsic needs of each person.  It is… continue reading

There are a lot of people reading this blog these days, and I thank every one of you.  But there is one reader who took me a bit by surprise. Apparently my older brother, Bryan is an avid reader.  He likes to pull out comments about my blog now and then at family gatherings, leaving… continue reading

I read once that you have to be willing to write something now and then that makes you nervous, otherwise you aren’t writing anything really interesting. Well, I think I can check that off my list today because I’m addressing something that makes me nervous to write about.  Religion. I am a religious person, and… continue reading

My boys love slime!  (And really, so do I!)  Whether it’s playing the part of radioactive sludge engulfing their action figures, an alien blob, or just an enjoyable home gym for their fingers, one batch can keep them engaged for hours.  Making slime couldn’t get any easier than this quick individual batch method.  It’s so… continue reading

I’m over at my amazing friend, Angelica’s place today, New Latina, sharing a post about back-to-school separation anxiety.  (Coincidentally, this is also my son’s first day of first grade.  I could probably use some of my own advice right now!)  Get a taste of the post below, and then head on over to New Latina… continue reading

The dog days of summer may be behind us, but there’s no better time for a good book!  Dog stories are frequently requested at our house, so I thought I’d share some of our favorites with you!   The Great Gracie Chase: Stop That Dog! by Cynthia Rylant and Mark Teague is a fun story about a… continue reading