Smart Parents
We spend a lot of our time creating and sharing resources for educators and parents (who are often one and the same audience). Time and time again, we observe that families are left out of the equation when it comes to determining the primary audience for education reports, papers and articles—even though they are among the hungriest for informed opinions that can help them. Smart Parents is a blog series for parents, by parents who are navigating educational opportunities + making powerful decisions for and with their students. Learn more in Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning.
Leadership
You Can Thank Mom for More than the Meal Itself: 15 Tips for Family Dinner
On Mother's Day, let's thank mom not only for the food she prepares with love, but the extra boost to educational success that sitting down to family meals provides to children.
Leadership
My Inspiration to Carry on a Legacy
Karla Phillips has spent many years encouraging high expectations for all children. However, as the mom of a special needs daughter, she also realizes the need to see all children with limitless potential as we continue the legacy of advocates helping students with special needs fulfill dreams.
Leadership
Who is THE Expert: Parents or Teachers? Both?
By: Arina Bokas. Many educators believe parents should trust them as trained experts who know what's best for their children. Many parents believe educators should trust them as the experts when it comes to their children. So who is the actual expert here?
Personalized Learning
4 Parent Engagement Strategies for English Language Learners
By: Meriwynn Mansori. It takes time and effort to nurture relationships with the families of English language learners. But as parents understand you as an advocate for their child’s success, your investment will pay off.
Leadership
Helpers or Co-Creators? Core Dispositions in Family-School Partnerships
What school and district leaders, and consequently, teachers, believe about parents, their aptitudes and roles in learning, will translate into their actions and reactions towards parents. New dispositions have to be nurtured to form a mindset of partnerships.
Leadership
5 Keys to Forging Strong Parent Engagement
When Maurice (“Mo”) Green became superintendent of NC’s Guilford County Schools, one of the first things he did was to embark on a listening tour. He heard the same message over and over again: Focus more on parent engagement.
Personalized Learning
5 Ways for Smart Parents to Plan and Implement Intentional Time & Margin
In Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning intentionality is listed as one of the key qualities of smart parents. Smart parents are “intentional about creating powerful learning experiences.” Here are five ways smart parents can plan and implement intentional time and margin.
Personalized Learning
Why Children Who Play Succeed
Health researchers have finally documented what veteran teachers have long understood: A young person’s social competence is a major driver of future success. In other words, children who play well with others do better in life.
Personalized Learning
Grade Level What?
By: Jim Goodell. It’s not new that high schools determine a student’s grade level based on credits earned rather than age or cohort. What is new is the growth in options that allow student to advance at their own pace and earn college credit while in high school.
Personalized Learning
Parents: Children’s First Math Teachers
By: Laura Overdeck. Schools need to educate parents on the math curriculum so that they can help bolster their children’s learning. Schools can introduce parents to fun and compelling informal content outside school, which can foster a love of math as an enjoyable pastime.