Fighting bullying requires a collective, collaborative effort among teachers, parents and school administrators. This segment explores the barriers to effective school/home collaboration against bullying, along with strategies to overcome them. Walter B. Roberts, Jr., Ed.D. is a professor of counselor education at Minnesota State University, Mankato, whose research and advocacy are in the areas of bullying prevention, school safety, and mental health. Author, Working with Parents of Bullies...
Parent-teacher conferences are notorious for being dreaded, poorly attended and adversarial when they do occur. Our guests unpack the dynamics behind parent-teacher conferences and share tips on how to make them positive, effective, collaborative opportunities that help students. Betsy Landers is the National PTA® President. Heidi Rosenberg is a senior research analyst at Harvard Family Research Project, where she focuses on promoting family engagement in education. Susan M. Heim is an author,...
Our guests disagree on whether teacher collaboration is new, but they all agree that teacher collaboration is becoming more important, is being done in new ways and is more important now than ever. Learn more... Ellen Meyers is author of "The Power of Teacher Networks". Carrie Leana is the George H. Love Professor of Organizations and Management at the University of Pittsburgh, where she holds appointments in the Graduate School of Business, the School of Medicine and the Graduate...
According to our guests, immersing your students in nature offers many benefits to both students and teachers. Find out why you should take your students outside as often as possible. This segment also offers specific outdoor lessons you can use with your class today. Laura Champe Mitchell is the Administrative and Enrollment Coordinator Discovery Woods Learning Community. Sharon Danks is an environmental planner and principal of Bay Tree Design, inc. in Berkeley, California. A frontrunner in...
Many argue that teaching penmanship is a thing of the past, but at what age should children be taught to use a computer keyboard? Some are starting as early as kindergarten, but is it developmentally appropriate? We turn to a panel of experts for guidance on when to start teaching children to hunt and peck and use proper finger placement. Cris Rowan is a pediatric occupational therapist and author of "Virtual Child - The terrifying truth about what technology is doing to children."...
Learning from mistakes is one of those notions that is easier said than done. In fact, the way teachers and parents react when children make mistakes says volumes to young children and can impact them for the rest of their lives. Our guests share insights on encouraging a willingness to make mistakes and to learn from them. Hint: It starts with you. Dr. Fernette Eide, Neurologist, and co-author of The Dyslexic Advantage and Mislabeled Child. Alina Tugend has been a journalist for more than 25...
These days many parents want their children to have "advanced" academic skills. Too often these expectations are developmentally inappropriate. In this segment our guests provide guidance to teachers on how to manage inappropriate expectations from parents. Jody Martin has 25 years experience in the early childhood and is Vice President of Education and Training Creme de la Creme. Emma S. McDonald, a veteran teacher, is the author of several books on education including Survival Kit...
Experts and advocates recommend at least 1 to 2 hours a day of physical activity for children. But how do you fit it into your daily program, when there�s so much else for you to do? And what kind of physical activity should it be? Tune in; our experts have the answers.as well as several activities you can use right away. Frank Keil is Charles C. & Dorathea S. Dilley Professor of Psychology at Yale University. Dr. Linda Elder is an educational psychologist and a prominent authority on...
Experts and advocates recommend at least 1 to 2 hours a day of physical activity for children. But how do you fit it into your daily program, when there�s so much else for you to do? And what kind of physical activity should it be? Tune in; our experts have the answers.as well as several activities you can use right away. Nikki Steven, fitness expert, speaker, model and founder of Method Motivation Wellness and Personal Training Studio is Las Vegas. She is also the Founder of the Children’s...
Many people wonder why teachers - especially early childhood teachers - would be stressed. But, often, even the teachers wonder why they are feeling stressed, when education is a field they entered out of love. There are good reasons for those feelings and solutions to getting past them. Tune in to learn more. Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner is an assistant professor in the Division of Family, Child and Consumer Sciences at Louisiana State University and Co-author of Dimensions article, "Finding...
Not all stress is to be avoided. According to our guests there are three different types of stress. Positive stress, tolerable stress, and toxic stress. Teachers need to be able to distinguish the different types and the symptoms of stress in children to help them manage stress effectively. Learn more... Dr. Megan R. Gunnar is a Regents Professor and Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Child Development at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota. She received her...
In an era of high-stakes accountability and standardized testing, is there room for teaching beyond the test? You bet, say our guests, and here's how to do it without losing your job. Kate Beaudet is Co-founder and organizer of Coalition for Educational Justice (CEJ), a community organization comprising parents, teachers, and students fighting for equity in public schools. Elena Silva, PhD., is a senior policy analyst at Education Sector, where she oversees the organization's teacher quality...
Many teachers returning to school this year report a growing sense of powerlessness to effect change and do their jobs. An increasing number of teachers are expressing their disagreement with education policy in a climate that often ignores them. In this segment we talk about how you can find your voice, and impact the system without losing your job.
Despite all of the attention to the problem of bullying, much of it continues under the radar of many teachers and parents. In this segment we shine a light on the hidden side of bullying, explain why it often goes undetected and discuss strategies to deal with it.
Some educators have reported an increase in the number of twins in their classrooms. According to our guests, there are a few myths and some misguided ideas about teaching twins that need to be corrected. In this segment we discuss what every educator and parent needs to know about teaching twins.
Some of us are victims; others of us are unwitting conspirators in a process that teaches girls that how they look is who they are. The impact is far-reaching. Our guests today discuss the impact of the early practices that lead to this belief and point the way to giving girls a healthy self-identity.
There's a lot of attention on evaluating teachers these days. The relentless pursuit to improve student achievement has put teacher performance under the microscope. But are we clear about what really makes a good teacher, how to measure good teaching and how to replicate it?
In many ways "time out" has become the new spanking. First, it has become the default approach for dealing with child misbehavior. But, like spanking, conventional application of time out is now being challenged as harmful and inappropriate. Our guests say it's time to rethink how and when time out is used.
Some say the concerns about Pre-K testing in the new Race to Top - Early Learning Challenge program are a premature tempest in a teapot. Others see it as a new road to education hell, being paved with good intentions. We invited a diverse group of educators and advocates to come and help us make sense of it all.
We could call this segment, "how to pick your battles." What is clear is that all undesirable behavior should not be addressed, every time, on the spot. Our guests offer insights and guidelines for determining when to intervene and when to ignore the behavior and allow it to take its course.
According to our guest, homeschooling is not what it used to be nor what many people think it is. If you haven't looked at homeschooling in a while this may be a good time to update your understanding -- before the next school terms starts.
All of our guests in this segment seem to agree that today's parents are very different from generations past. They cite diverse examples and offer a variety of reasons, but all prescribe useful tips to help today's teachers survive today's parents.
In America, early childhood professionals often look at parents as pests rather than partners in the education process. Some teachers dread the prospect of meeting with parents, and parents often are less than thrilled with their interactions with teachers. This segment looks at barriers to teacher-parent collaboration and offers bridge-building strategies.
Every teacher knows that when the children go outside to play, that's the time for teachers to have a break and for children to do their own thing. Well, today’s guests say that play time is not break time and savvy teachers put as much thought into planning play time as they put into planning the rest of the school day.
According to a recent study, 98 percent of teachers are using punishments and rewards for classroom management, but are they really effective? Are there better ways to motivate young students? If so, why are sticks and carrots so popular? In this segment we explore the difference between classroom management and discipline and look at creative strategies aimed at promoting internal motivation in students.
There has been some buzz around the topic of creating a national common core curriculum. The notion has engendered quite a bit of push back, raising fears of loss of local control. We invited two education advocates and a practicing teacher join us to explore the implications.
Are boys’ brains and girls’ brains fundamentally different? If there are differences, are they significant – and do they really matter in the context of teaching? In this segment our guests identify and attempt to debunk the big myths about teaching boys versus teaching girls.
"Great job!" "That was very good!" Teachers and parents use phrases like these everyday to give positive reinforcement to children. But are we creating praise-addicted children by giving them too much unwarranted, rote and excessive praise? Turns out that positive reinforcement can be negative. In this segment our guests give us the basics on how to get it right
Despite a plethora of research in the area of early childhood education, much of it is not being transferred into practice. In this segment we explore why this disconnect exists and what needs to happen to build a bridge between, research, policy and practice.
Many believe that there is a correlation between the quality of a child's handwriting and their literacy and intelligence. Others assert that there is no relevant connection and, more importantly, that the advent of computers makes practicing handwriting less important.
Is early reading very important or highly overrated and generally misunderstood? Dr. Carla Hannaford points out that in our culture we believe that reading equals intelligence. This is false, she asserts, as our guests discuss the literature that supports and refutes the notion that the earlier children read the better.
Most teachers and parents have no idea how big of a problem absenteeism is in the early grades, nor the impact it has on classrooms and children for years to come. Moreover, a recent study found that most schools have no early warning system to detect chronic absenteeism before it becomes a significant problem. Find out what you need to know and what you can do.
Today there are many reasons why children are spending more time indoors than out. In this segment our guests explore the reasons, the results and make some recommendations for correcting the imbalance.
Some children's games are competitive while others are collaborative. There are some educators who believe young children should not be exposed to win/lose games. Others say competitive games prepare young children for the realities of life. Tune in to listen to the rationale for both views.
The ubiquity, application and use of technology in early childhood continue to expand. How is technology impacting child development? How much is too much? Who is best suited to define the proper balance for children? Our guests offer research, expert assessment and advice.
Most would agree that educating young children requires some specialized knowledge. Today we ask, is a child development credential enough or should a bachelors degree be required for all those who work with educating young children?
There is quite a bit of confusion about homework in preschool. Many believe in the value of homework at the preschool level, others are sure homework in preschool is a misguided idea. Today we try to shed some light and get some clarity on whether homework in preschool is developmentally appropriate or beneficial. .
There is a drive underway to rate child care centers and family care providers. The aim is to provide parents with objective tools to identify the best providers and avoid substandard providers. But some argue that a ratings programs will increase costs on lower-end providers and eventually drive them out of business. Shouldn't that be the point? Well, apparently the issue is not quite that simple. .
Traditionally, the preparation of teachers who want to work with children birth to age 5 has focused on the development of young children. But elementary teacher prep has focused on teaching methods and content areas instead. But this maybe changing soon. .
In this segment we talk with a cognitive psychologist and memory researcher who challenges the wholesale notion that rote memorization is not authentic learning or quality teaching. He argues that, contrary to conventional wisdom, there is indeed a place for rote memorization in the teaching/learning process. Did we throw out the baby with the bath water? .
Do common core standards for kindergarten mean standardized testing for very young children? If not, how will the standards be measured? There are many questions around how this program will ultimately be implemented. In this segment our guests zoom in on the challenges, potential pitfalls and possible ways to employ kindergarten standards in a developmentally appropriate way. .
Are proposed national, common core standards developmentally appropriate at the kindergarten level? Class, wealth, social status, and implementation may all be factors. In this two-part series Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, defends the program to critics who argue that national standards are neither needed nor helpful. .
There's a general sense among parents and educators that today's children are smarter, developing sooner and are learning more, faster. Is this actually true and if so what does this mean for the notion of what is developmentally appropriate practice? .
Research has found that students who eat school lunches and school breakfast are more likely to be obese than those who brown bag it. The data suggests that schools are often a major part of the problem. This segment explains why and what needs to be done in schools to address the child obesity epidemic.
RFID is the acronym for radio frequency identification, a system that allows schools to track students' whereabouts with an electronic device. The system is a creative application of an existing technology that promises to make teachers ' jobs easier But some say the technology has safety issues. Listen to learn more.
Playground safety is a concern for schools, day care centers, educators and parents. The trend has been toward removing dangerous equipment and taking all reasonable steps to remove risk from playgrounds. But have we gone too far? Are we depriving children of the valuable physical challenges they need to develop well?
Some students are visual learners, some students are auditory learners, and others are kinesthetic learners. Right? Well, maybe not; at least the answer is not quite that simple. Our guests discuss recent research showing that commonly accepted notions about learning styles are wrong. Looks like it may be time to update your understanding of learning modalities.
For many teachers and educators making the case for integrating movement into the learning and developmental process is tough sell. This segment offers both relevant research and tips for educating administrators, parents and others who must be persuaded that movement is key to learning.
It is generally accepted wisdom that small classes produce better student outcomes than larger classes and there is data that supports this. There is also data that contradicts this notion, asserts that other factors have more impact on student outcomes and that the significance of class size is largely over rated. Tune in and join this discussion.
There is a growing sense that as we've placed increasing attention on improving academic achievement, schools may be falling behind in fostering the basic skills required in a collaborative 21st-century environment. This segment explores how well schools are socializing students and meeting the challenge of preparing young people to function well in society.
