Many of us have fond memories of visiting our own school library as youngsters. Unfortunately, most of us are guilty of taking the libraries in our schools for granted. Have you ever considered what your local school system would be like without its library? In honor of School Library Month, Red Apple Reading would like to remind our readers why school libraries are such precious gems!
Do you feel as if you don’t have a clue what your kid does all day at school? Sometimes it can seem like pulling teeth to get your child to open up and tell you about her day. Or perhaps you know what they are learning but would like to feel more involved in the process. Mothers and fathers can and should take part in their children’s education. Red Apple Reading has 6 simple suggestions that will help parents become more involved in the education of their kids.
The issuing of the first report card of the school year is a time of celebrating children’s achievements in many households. However, the first report card of the year may also produce anxiety in some parents. Perhaps your child is not progressing academically like you had hoped; or maybe your child’s teacher has expressed a concern about your little one. What can parents do to help a child who has received a troubling report card? Red Apple reading has 10 suggestions for concerned parents.
Some schools are already back in session for a new year, and the rest of us will be there soon! With the reality of a new school year inching closer each day, our kiddos are probably already contemplating the transition. For some of our children, the thought of entering a new grade is exciting. Other kids might be (how should we put this?) less than thrilled. Maybe your little one falls into a third category: scared. While a little anxiety over a new school year is normal, some kids have an inordinate amount of fear. How can parents help their anxious child cope with this inevitable transition? Red Apple Reading has a few suggestions for parents of anxious students.
Summer vacation is a magical time in the life of a child. No school schedule or homework, long hours spent playing in the sun, and family vacations, are just a few things that make summer such a fun experience. Hopefully your kiddos have had an enjoyable vacation from school. However, summer is quickly drawing to a close and with the end in sight, we start looking ahead to the coming school year. As parents, we know it can be difficult for our children to switch back into the structured schedule of school. Fortunately, there are some simple things we can do to ease the transition back into academic life.
As the majority of us are in the midst of our children’s summer vacation, there are a small but growing number of students attending school. Most of us have heard of the term Year-Round Education or YRE. YRE is when school systems adopt an academic calendar that has children attend school the usual number of days but with more frequent and shorter breaks. Thus, eliminating the traditional two to three month summer vacation. Whether or not you are a fan of the year-round model, it is helpful to be familiar with this system since it is gradually gaining momentum in our country.
If you have school-age children, there is a good chance that you have had or heard discussions about the BYOD initiative for schools. This concept encourages the student to bring his or her own technological gadget to school in order to aid in the educational process. The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiative is gaining momentum and is already being instituted in many schools across the country. Consequently, a debate has been sparked over the positive and negative aspects such a program brings to the table.
Red Apple Reading know the difference a good teacher can make in the life of a child. Hopefully, as parents we all show appreciation for our kids’ teachers throughout the school year, but this week gives us the opportunity to thank them in an extra special way. Teaching is one of the hardest and most important jobs in our society. Since they work so hard for our little ones, let’s think about how we can show teachers some much deserved gratitude!
It is the rare child that wakes up every morning excited to attend school. Most of us have heard our kids say at one time or another, “I don’t want to go to school today!” Some infrequent, short-lived dislike of the school experience is normal, but what do you do when your child is suddenly and consistently upset about going to school? A few simple interventions could help you send your kid off with a smile on his face.
Like most moms and dads, I happen to think my children are awesome. They’re cute, funny, and smart. I can’t imagine why anyone of any age wouldn’t want to hang out with them. I certainly can’t fathom why another kid would tease them at school, but bullying exists, and like other evils, it defies logic. Understanding why it happens may be helpful for the long-term, but in the short-term, we parents need to empower our children by preparing them for the worst.