Tag: Yahoo

“Mommy, please read me a story”

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” – Philip Pullman

The author of The Golden Compass has a good point.

Parents know to provide the basics for their children: keep them fed, keep them protected, keep them company and all should be well. Kids beg for one more thing: our attention. One of the most gratifying ways I met that need with my children was through sharing a story.

Storytellers can take many forms. In many cultures, children learned life lessons and the natural world was uncovered through the oral folktale tradition. Families share boasts about ‘back in the day’ to instill values.

When my kids were very young I read to them constantly. Hours of repetition began with Goodnight Moon, then Richard Scarry, and Curious George. I remember reading a children’s version of The Nutcracker Ballet for twelve months straight because my daughter insisted and I gave in.  


Please click over to Yahoo! Voices to read more about storytelling…
primark

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusYelp

Homework Help for Teens

Posted on April 12, 2012 by

We’ve all been there. The progress report cards arrive and grades are not what we expected. Or, we check online and cannot figure out why there are so many zeroes where there should be numbers!

Are you tired of feeling the weight of your child’s homework? Are you done arguing and ready to start making a change in the way your teen does school?

If this is happening to your family right now, relax and try these five tips to get your teen back on track. I’ve tested them on my own students and children, and know they work!

1. Take a deep breath and let your teen talk. Kids want their parents to hear their side of the story. Listen as they tell you what they think is going on. Try to stay quiet and not interrupt – just nod your head until they’re done. They know you’re disappointed.

If you’re ready for more homework help tips, click here to read more on Yahoo!Shine.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusYelp

Swing the Bat, Not Your Fist

Posted on April 10, 2012 by

“Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.”    Yogi Berra

Two JV high school baseball teams meet up in Yuba City, California for a tournament. It’s the sixth inning, the game is tied 3-all and suddenly the dugouts empty and players, coaches and umpires tumble on the infield in a fist flinging brawl that lasts several minutes.

KCRA’s headline, “Was JV Baseball Brawl preventable” made my jaw drop. Tsunamis, tornadoes, and earthquakes aren’t preventable. All human behavior, at some level, is. The problem is, it takes effort to teach kids to swing the bat, not their fists.

From the moment a child is born, they are looking to the adults around them to teach them how to navigate the world. When a baby cries, they look to an adult to feed them, change them, or pick them up. When a toddler throws a temper tantrum, they look to for their parent’s reaction. When a six -year-old pulls another child’s hair, they watch to see what will happen next. When a 12-year-old doesn’t do their homework, they expect a reaction from their teacher and parent. When a teenager lies about where they went, they hope they get away with it.

To read more about Basebrawl and poor parenting, head over to Yahoo! US Shine.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusYelp

Education Issues Vol. 2

Posted on February 26, 2012 by

Are you a parent? A teacher?  
A concerned American?
Are you interested in what’s going on with our education system?  

Super power!
via Pinterest
Please read my articles on Yahoo!News and let me know what your thoughts are about:


California’s education budget crisis


Community Service in the Classroom


Global Education and my teaching grant


School Shooting in Washington state and protecting our children

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusYelp

Education Issues Vol. 1

Posted on February 14, 2012 by

Are you a parent? A teacher?  
A concerned American?
Are you interested in what’s going on with our country’s schools?  
Please visit my articles on Yahoo!News and let me know what your thoughts are about selling junk food in schools and large class sizes in middle school!
“Junk Food Sales on Campus Are a Fat Idea”
Watching what we eat means more than just at the dinner table – today’s school kids are being tempted by junk food on campus in an effort to increase revenues.

“Large Class Sizes in Middle Schools Aren’t Worth the Gamble”
With astronomical budget cuts looming, districts are ballooning middle school class sizes and laying off teachers.  Is this what we want to gamble on?

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusYelp