Spring is here, and with it comes assessments. For third through eighth graders, that means the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). For high school juniors, that means the SAT. Just like some schools may play up the assessments with pep rallies and such while others treat them as simply another … Continue reading Helping Your Child Prepare for Assessments
7 Keys to Creativity
When we think about creative people, we tend to think of artists, writers, painters, and the like, but creativity is an essential part of almost everything we do. Whether it is figuring out the best bridge design to span a river or cooking dinner for our family, the opportunity to be creative is always there. … Continue reading 7 Keys to Creativity
The Free-Range Kids Project
Chances are that when you were a kid, you did not have “helicopter parents.” You might have gotten yourself to and from school. On a Saturday, you might have headed out the door once the cartoons were over, only to return for lunch, dinner, and when the streetlights turn on. But as parents now, we … Continue reading The Free-Range Kids Project
How to Raise an Honest Kid
Kids lie. It’s a part of growing up, and if you’re thinking, “Not my kid!” research shows that parents do not really know when their child is lying. While we all want to have our children grow up to be honest, we also know that we can’t just say don’t lie because we all have … Continue reading How to Raise an Honest Kid
How Your PTA and Families Can Support National Reading Month
March is National Reading Month, and kicks off with Read Across America Day on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Your PTA and families can support reading both at school and in the home. Reading is a critically important skill for students to develop, and children who read 30 minutes each day progress faster and do … Continue reading How Your PTA and Families Can Support National Reading Month
New Illinois ABLE Program Helps Families with Special Needs
Raising a child with special needs can be expensive. Last week, Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs unveiled the Illinois ABLE plan to help families save for future expenses. The plan was developed by the National Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Alliance, a consortium of 13 states that worked with Congress and state legislatures … Continue reading New Illinois ABLE Program Helps Families with Special Needs
Parenting Your Teen in an Age of Social Media
Social media is one of the great parenting challenges since most of us grew up well before social media and always connected devices were common. Teaching your child how to be responsible online will continue to be a struggle as new social media platforms create new challenges. National PTA’s The Smart Talk, created in partnership … Continue reading Parenting Your Teen in an Age of Social Media
Cyberbullying is Not a Technology Issue
Cyberbullying—bullying behavior committed through social media, apps, and other online activities—is increasingly common. According to several research studies, over half of teens say they have been victims of cyberbullying. Illinois PTA has provided information for families on cyberbullying and how to identify the warning signs of cyberbullying. Because of its online nature, it’s easy to … Continue reading Cyberbullying is Not a Technology Issue
How to Help Your Child with Writing Assignments
Learning to write well can be difficult for children, but it is a critical skill that they will likely use every day as adults. From holding a pencil correctly and forming letters to spelling, punctuating, and using grammar correctly to conveying their ideas, there are many tasks when writing that a child can struggle with. … Continue reading How to Help Your Child with Writing Assignments
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week runs from January 23rd to 29th. It is a program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to connect students with scientists and other experts to counteract the myths and misinformation about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the … Continue reading National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week
Is Your Child Sleep Deprived?
Sleep is critical to healthy physical and psychological development for children. According to JAMA Pediatrics, the long-term effects of lack of sleep in children include poor diet, sedentary behavior, obesity, reduced immunity, stunted growth, mental health issues (including depression and suicidal tendencies), and substance abuse. Children ages 6 to 13 need 9 to 11 hours … Continue reading Is Your Child Sleep Deprived?
Snow Day Activities and Resources
Snow days are great when you’re a kid—a day off from school to play in the snow! But for a parent, it can be a challenge to keep the kids busy throughout the day. Edutopia has resources for teachers and families to turn snow days into learning opportunities. Here are some highlights. How Snowflakes are … Continue reading Snow Day Activities and Resources
Beyond Monopoly: Exploring Modern Board Games
Is this a common scene in your house? Dad is watching a football game on TV, Mom is on Facebook, the teenager is on her phone, and the younger kid is playing on the Xbox or Wii. Perhaps you’ve thought about finding something the family could do together rather than focusing on their own separate … Continue reading Beyond Monopoly: Exploring Modern Board Games
Open eBooks Provides Free Books to Children in Need
A critical part of a child’s academic success is learning to read and developing a love of reading. For many children, developing this love is hindered by a lack of access to books in their home. Now, Open eBooks is helping educators, librarians, and program leaders working with children from in-need families get free access … Continue reading Open eBooks Provides Free Books to Children in Need
Stranger in a Strange Land: A Parent’s Guide to Minecraft
If you have an elementary or middle school student, or perhaps even a high school student, you very likely have already heard of Minecraft. Since its original release in 2009, over 106 million copies have been sold, and that total grows by 53,000 every day. Minecraft has 40 million unique players every month. Chances are, … Continue reading Stranger in a Strange Land: A Parent’s Guide to Minecraft
Helping Your Child Deal with Anxiety
Every parent has dealt with a child who is anxious about something, be it the first day of school, a piano recital, or meeting the new kid next door. Anxiety is certainly a part of every person’s life from time to time, but anxiety that is too strong or that happens a lot can become … Continue reading Helping Your Child Deal with Anxiety
Know the Cyberbullying Warning Signs
Bullying on the playground or in the classroom can be seen. Cyberbullying—bullying online through social media, apps, and other online activities—is a lot harder for teachers or parents to spot. A 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report indicated that 15% of high school students had experienced cyberbullying in the past year. Most … Continue reading Know the Cyberbullying Warning Signs
Moving Beyond “How Was School Today?”
It’s a practically a ritual in most households, “How was school today?” While your kindergartner might share a lot in answering that question, as they get older, as teacher communication gets rarer, and as more things happen at school that we need to know about, the answer tends to get shorter—much shorter—“Fine.” Elena Aguilar, a … Continue reading Moving Beyond “How Was School Today?”
Printable List Provides Over 500 Accommodations for an IEP or 504 Plan
Navigating the process of getting your child an Individualized Education Program (IEP) can be a confusing process for families. Illinois does provide a guide for families, and Illinois PTA has covered the 10 common mistakes parents make during the IEP process. The special education parent blog, A Day in Our Shoes, has a wonderful resource … Continue reading Printable List Provides Over 500 Accommodations for an IEP or 504 Plan
Teach Your Child to Be a Problem Solver
Problem solving is one of the critical life skills for children to develop, and those skills aren’t developed only with homework problems. Learning to deal with problems and come up with solutions are essential for children to develop resiliency or, as it is sometimes called, grit. Your child probably already knows how to handle some … Continue reading Teach Your Child to Be a Problem Solver
One Voice Illinois 