Behind every successful person is a fabulous teacher!

Yes, you read this correctly. Being a veteran educator, I am always pleasantly surprised when I run into my former students.  I feel both honored and excited to see my students and equally excited when they willingly want to share their good news with me.  Recently, this is exactly what happened.

I met a former student whom I had taught in my 6th grade science class. Now, nearly an adult, she was proud to share with me her recent acceptance as an intern with a nearby hospital.  She went on to say, it was because of my science class that she went into this field!  It is with this statement that I write about the impact of good teachers on the success of their students.

Fabulous teachers are the ones that provide continual leadership, coaching, and encouragement to their students far beyond what the curriculum dictates.  They approach their job by giving individual attention to identifying student’s talents and treasures, and encourage their students to find direction and purpose for their life.

These are some of the lessons I had learned from my very own fabulous kindergarten teacher.  She had such an impact on my life, that I knew at the young age of 5, that I wanted to become a teacher.

There has been countless times when students have approached me throughout my career, relaying this same message.  Each time however, I am left feeling equally proud, appreciated, and encouraged that my teaching career has had a profound effect on so many of my students.  After all, this is the real evaluation of my efforts!

Teachers are what make a difference in the lives of students.  And that is why it is crucial that we support and encourage their efforts.  For, the fruit of our labor becomes real each time  we are stopped by former students who are excited to share their successes and quick to acknowledge our role in their life today.

 

A Time for Renewal

Yes, it is officially spring! It is a season that runs from March to May in the northern hemisphere and from September to November in the southern hemisphere.

It is indeed a beautiful time of renewal, a time of new growth and regeneration. The word alone means to move or take action. My question is, what actions are you taking to enjoy what this new season has to offer?

Here are some suggested family fun activities that can spring you into experiencing this wonderful season!

S- Start a flower garden, herb garden, or even a rock garden.

P- Plant using seeds. Sunflower seeds & Marigold seeds work well. Use an avocado seed or sweet potato to create new growth by using toothpicks to hold and suspend them in water.

R- Recycle old clothing, household items, toys, hold a garage sale, or donate items  to a cause.

I- Identify this season’s night time stars & planets, using apps that are available.

N- Nature walks, natural seashores, and national parks are great places to walk, bike, hike, roller blade and explore.

G- Get outdoors and don’t miss God’s miracles every day!

 

Enough about March Madness!

What about Women’s History?  After all, between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed a resolution proclaiming March (Yes, the entire month) of each year as Women’s History Month. How many of you know about this year’s theme?  Women’s Education-Women’s Empowerment

Thanks to many tenacious women who paved the way and fought for the right for women to learn in our country, women now outnumber men in American colleges nationwide. Let us continue this work of  empowering, encouraging, and inspiring young women everywhere to strive to make a difference and to accept nothing but the best!

Here are some great words of wisdom, which hold true to this day.

“In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do.”- -Dorothea Dix (social reformer)

“Men their rights and nothing more; women their rights and nothing less.”                          - -Susan B. Anthony (suffragist)

“Energy rightly applied can accomplish anything.” – -Nellie Bly (investigative journalist)

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.”- -Ella Fitzgerald (Jazz singer)

“I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried.” - -Amelia Earhart (Aviator)

“How wonderful it is, that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”- -Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”– Eleanor Roosevelt, This is My Story

“Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” - -Cherie Carter-Scott, If Love Is a Game, These Are the Rules

“A word is dead when it is said, some say.  I say it just begins to live.”- -Emily Dickinson

Strong women help build a strong nation!  –Champion Parenting, Inc.

Together is Better!

Champion Parenting has been providing expert advice on challenging parenting issues and topics.  Many of you have responded to my blogs, as I hope they have helped you. To better serve a community of parents, I would like to hear from you.  Please take a few minutes to respond to any or all of these questions? (Responses can be made directly or e-mailed to ali@championparenting.com.)

What about your child (children) made you smile in the last few days?

What has been your happiest moment as a parent in the last year?

What issue(s) regarding your children keeps you up at night?

What is the best kind of support that others can offer a parent
like you?

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
—John Maxwell

Many thanks,                                                                                                                                   Champion Parenting, Inc.

Where is your focus?

With our faced paced and demanding schedules, have you prepared your day to include actual face time with your children?  Yes, actual face time!  The reason is, many children are facing a variety of challenges today.  By taking the time to communicate with your child every day and by observing  his daily body language, parents can ultimately help their child to navigate through life’s challenges in a positive manner.

When children are very young, we were quick to help them with their basic needs. Communicating with children on a daily basis does not need to change as they grow older. The approach is different, but their basic needs remain the same.

Investing in meaningful face time allows parents to maintain a healthy communication with their child. This gives parents a road map to questionable behaviors, allowing them to intervene when necessary, and providing children with continual guidance, support and encouragement as needed.

Does your child look you in the eye when you are talking to him? Does your child avoid certain conversations?  Parents who maintain a daily dialogue with their child will find it easier to monitor behaviors, identify conflicts early, and provide the support the child needs if and when changes occur.  Changes that involve isolation, eating habits, failing to socialize, sleeping patterns can be red flags.  Parents need to identify and address these concerns immediately.  By ignoring, avoiding, or denying that there is a problem, will only make matters worse for the child.

Parents along with children need to also work together as a team providing continued support to each other until a workable solution is found.  When children can feel and understand that they are part of a team effort, that includes being loved unconditionally, encouraged and supported continually, they will be able to handle life’s challenges with confidence and a deeper sense of security.

All children need to be reassured by their parent’s actions, and daily communication.  If children do not receive or feel this support from their parents they will often look for solutions elsewhere.  This can be both dangerous and unfulfilling.

My heart breaks each time, I hear about children doing things that hurt themselves and others.  Life’s journey is tough enough, and we as adults must be there for our children supporting them with our words and encouraging them with our daily actions.

Parents, do you know the best way to help your child study for a big test?

We are currently in the second half of the school year.  It is very important that children complete this school year feeling confident and successful!-Champion Parenting, Inc.

In my last blog, I discussed what teachers wished parents knew regarding homework.  In this blog, I thought it was worthwhile to restate the best study tips WSJ compiled from a growing body of researchers.

• Review the toughest material right before going to bed. Researchers and educators as well, have noted that sleep plays an important role in test performance. By reviewing the toughest material right before going to sleep this consolidates the information in your memory.  This approach makes it easier to recall the material later.  A common study habit the all nighter- is a bad idea.  According to the latest research, 60% of college students stay up all night at some point in school.  With this type of practice studies have proven that it lowers grades, impairs reasoning and memory for as long as four days.
• Turn off the music, text messages, TV and email. Distractions make you less likely to remember material you are studying.  According to research conducted, many students feel that music or sounds make them feel more relaxed.  However, this is not the case.  It has been proven, information received amid distractions is less likely to be recalled later.
• Test yourself repeatedly.  Students remember more when they force themselves to retrieve concepts (not facts) repeatedly than when they simply re-read the textbook or their notes. By taking practice or pretests this helps students to not only learn to master the material, but helps with test-taking skills, pacing, staying focused and remaining confident.
• Eat oatmeal for breakfast. Everyone knows you should eat breakfast the day of a big test. However, a balanced, high-carb, high-fiber, slow-digesting diet provides a sustained flow of glucose to the brain. Oatmeal is a good example that is recommended to eat for breakfast. According to a clinical researcher at the University of Oxford, it has been proven that a well-balanced diet that included fruits and vegetables will sustain the student even as much as a week in advance. Reason is, the brain requires a constant supply of energy and has a limited backup battery. 

Now you have the latest research on how you can help your child study.  Just remember  like with all successful actions, they require preparation, practice, and perseverance!

What do parents need to know about homework?

Recently, I responded to an inquiry regarding homework. Here are my responses to the following questions:
What is the point of homework?  Homework should be used to review, reinforce, or expand on a skill or concept to be learned.  Learning occurs when it can be successfully transferred or applied to a real situation in the process.

What is the difference between a good assignment and a bad one?                      The difference is, if homework does not connect to a meaningful application, (Why do I need to learn this?)  it becomes useless.

How can parents tell if children have done all their homework?                        Parents need to establish a homework routine as early as possible.  A time and place is established whereby the child automatically assumes the responsibility for completing it. Prior to arriving home, every child needs to have recorded in his planner, both the daily & long-term assignments. Parents should know the expectations of the teacher in charge and check the child’s agenda each day for work being completed. When children notice that parents are involved in their learning, they will also want to be engaged in the process.

What is too much parental meddling?  When parents continually correct the child’s work for them.  Instead, allow the child to experience working independently first without any interruption.  Be there, if the child requests assistance, so that you are guiding them as opposed to supervising them.  Children need to learn to feel confident.  You can always offer suggestions and corrections as needed once the initial attempt has been made by the child.  Children need to develop an intrinsic responsibility and motivation towards all homework.  This will come, once the child experiences  success and growth will occur at all levels of his development.  The goal after all, is for the child to become an independent and life-long learner.

How closely does doing the assignment correspond to learning? If the homework is challenging for the child then learning is taking place.  If the child already has proven he understands and can successfully apply the concept to be learned, it is just repetition, and will be boring to the child. This is when parents must step in, and supplement the learning through additional resources, educational trips, and experiences.

Can a child do homework and still not be learning? Yes, if the child cannot see the practical application for doing it, or understand the process involved, learning will not take place. Parents need to look for evidence of this occurring.  Test the child by asking him to teach the skill or concept to you, or provide you with an example.

What can parents learn about their child by examining/observing
his homework process? Parents can learn if the child is confident and secure with his abilities.  Parents can also diagnose what type of learner the child might be.  This is equally important in understanding how the child best receives new information.  For ex. is the child a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner?  Parents can determine this with the free VAK tests available on the internet.  Parents should also keep in mind that the child learns what is expected of him, as a result of parenting. He will perform as he is taught.  So if the child is not attempting to handle his homework responsibilities, parenting skills are not being enforced correctly.

How much homework should children get? First of all, homework should not be busy work.  Homework should have a definite purpose. I believe it should be given as an opportunity to expand their knowledge and provide opportunities for creative application to real life situations.  When homework is meaningful, stimulating, and engaging, children will not have any problems completing it!

(Side note, I worked in Hawaii, at “Hanahauoli School”, which means happy working place. It was there, I learned as a teacher the benefits of engaging children in learning by doing. Children must be actively involved in the learning process for it to be both meaningful and beneficial.  By actively participating in the learning process, children can test their new-found knowledge and become fully engaged in learning through practical application and the transfer of knowledge.)

Why do some teachers never return homework?  All homework needs a response.  This can be done through sharing, discussions, or written comments to the student. The teacher who gives the homework must be ready to justify the assignment.

How do you deal with children who are reluctant to do homework?
Have the parent sign up for parenting classes, learn new parenting skills, or contact Champion Parenting, Inc. for additional resources and support.