The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, is sponsoring Screen Free Week for April 29-May 5. Young children now spend 32 hours a week in front of screens – TVs, computers, iPads, and cell phones. Recent research on the effect of the overuse of computers and hours spent indoors on the vision of children strongly suggests that screen exposure […]
3 Poetry Books for April
April is National Poetry Month. What books are you reading to your children? Are they full of hippity hoppity bunnies and spring flowers? Nothing wrong with that. But how about trying one or more of these. Here are three poetic books to share with your children. Each one is completely different from the other, but […]
Albany says, “Cut Back.” We say, “Fight Back!”
By Tim Wolcott Weather was on our side as blue skies and mild temperatures bathed the crowd of stomping, chanting Elmira Heights School District families, staff and friends on March 9, 2013. The stadium P.A. system beat out familiar rhythms between questions from an announcer that asked why some school districts must be forced to […]
Let’s teach empathy
Last weeks’ post was a harsh one. It is so hard to believe that any American would condone torture of any kind. Tom Engelhardt in his post “What if Iranians Waterboarded an American” turns the issue on its head. What if it were an American being tortured he asks. What if it were someone we knew? Would […]
Do you love torture?
Do you love torture? Do you watch TV shows and movies where characters are subjected to intense physical pain? Do you play video games where you stomp on characters and mutilate them? Do you read books where evil minds and law enforcement design new ways to extract that important bit of information from the hero or the criminal? Seems […]
Which do we love more our children or our guns?
Wake up America! Which do you love more your guns or your children? Yesterday I received an e-mail from Teaching Tolerance an organization that provides wonderful materials for teachers to use in helping to create positive peaceful learning experiences for children. Here is the beginning of the letter: December 16, 2012 Dear Friend of Teaching Tolerance, When […]
Are You Stressed?
Activities for a Time of Stress This is the time of year when we often think about peace and yet many times find ourselves stressed from holiday preparations and rounds of visitors. Below are some activities that teachers can do with their students, and parents can do with their children, or that you can do on your own, in order […]
What’s wrong with this picture?
By Tim Wolcott “Help us stomp out domestic violence – join Waverly Cares.” The President of STANYS (Science Teachers Association of New York State), my professional association, rallies us to implement Common Cores (national teaching standards) and SLO’s (Student Learning Objectives), address STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math teaching objectives), adhere to RTTT (Race To […]
I want to be a good person
There was once a boy named Nikolai who sometimes felt uncertain about the right way to act. “I want to be a good person…but I don’t always know the best way to do that.” So writes Jon J. Muth in a retelling of a story by Leo Tolstoy: The Three Questions. When is the best time to do […]
Bully by Patricia Polacco
Patricia Polacco has a new picturebook out. If you are expecting a sweet-hearted book like Thunder Cake or Renchko’s Eggs or Bun Bun Button, be forewarned, Polacco has again gone to the nub of an issue and faced it square on. This is a picturebook for middle schoolers not elementary school children. The characters are […]
Be Strong, Be Mean, or Give In?
In the corner of the preschool, Tio is building a block tower. “I’ll put this block on.” Andy says picking up a big blue block. “No way,” Tio says. “This is my tower.” “Then you can’t use this block, ” Andy says clutching it to his chest. Tio stands up. “Give it back.” […]
Be an “Upstander”
October is Anti-Bullying Month The Dignity for All Students Act has sent school districts scurrying to buy the latest and greatest anti-bullying programs. At the Lehman Alternative Community School in Ithaca New York they are using a homegrown program initiated by the school’s social worker Celia Clement two years ago. Clement’s program called WAM “Welcoming […]
