Five Reasons You Should Trust Your Childs Teacher

Many parents only talk to their children’s teacher if there is a problem or on open school night.  We love seeing you then but it may be better if we talked to parents on a more regular basis.  One day I was talking to a group of teachers and a thought occurred to me.  We were talking about our past “lives.” I found out that quite a few were not career teachers.  They came from other industries. They still had contact in their previous industries and relevant information.  Information their students could use.  I have often told my students to talk to their teachers for career advice.  They will be surprised at what they will find.  As the years went on I realized that students and parents can learn many things from teachers.  Think about the ideas below.

 

Free or inexpensive activities for children. Museum free nights – yep, some museums have an evening where admission is free. Shows, fairs, art classes, exhibits, movie screenings that are free or inexpensive.

 

Extra academic tips for your kids.  As we have been watching your child academically all year.  We should have our finger on the pulse of how they are doing.  We can recommend learning games, tutoring opportunities, or activities that parents can use to help their child gain an academic edge.

 

How to navigate through the school system if you have an issue.

We can let you know of any trouble on the horizon that your child may soon encounter. It could be the negative influence of another student or where a child can get any kind of help physically, emotionally or socially through the school system.

 

Gives your child the impression that education is important and so is he/she.

Parents should always stress the importance of a good education and how important a child is in general.  When the teacher reinforces these ideals, the child realizes he/she is investing in him/herself.  This encourages the educational experience to be a positive one.  The child will be motivated to excel and push to do their best.  They will see the value of the investment and feel like they can actually be “all that they can be.”  They can make choices about their futures and live passionately not just a day-to-day existence.

 

Unchain Your Brain

Katy Beers, The Cleveland, Ohio three, and Elizabeth Fritzl have one thing in common.  They were all locked away in basements or dungeons for a long period of time, physically, emotionally, and sexually abused.  They were held hostage by sick individuals with a twisted agenda.

It also makes me think about people around us who are not bound by physical ropes or chains in basements but who are bound by limiting beliefs.  Beliefs that keep them chained to untruths about their world or ideas they have about themselves.  Limiting ideas that can cripple or even destroy a person.  I know it sounds dramatic but the wrong thought definitely can imprison a person and doom them to a life of lack luster dissatisfaction.  Especially when we see how we are being hauled and pulled by society’s ills.

I had a particularly challenging day with my students last week.  I spent practically the whole weekend trying to figure out what went wrong.  While I was doing that I missed an invitation to a museum outing, dinner with some friends, a playful tumble with my cat, or inviting some friends over for movie night.  If I had found a nourishing distraction, my weekend would have been more relaxing and I would have felt more energized by Monday.

 My mind really was not ready for that kind of “self-reflection.”  Sometimes you have to let go of that process and put boundaries around your psyche.  Self-reflection is ok when you are in an open frame of mind.  When you can see the whole picture as it really is and not when your inner vision is poor.  

So next time I/you have a challenging day, don’t give in to it.  Get a nourishing distraction and live in the moment.  When you are in a more relaxed frame of mind you can tackle the problem….objectively.  Protect your psyche at all costs.  Many people depend on you.  Love yourself unconditionally.  See it for what it is, learn from it and move on.  Life is too short.  You have people to see and love to give and fun to have.  Many times you will find that the problem was not with you but some other extenuating circumstance that you could not control.  Or everybody knew there was a problem from the beginning, everybody but you.

 

So unchain your brain from the negative voices that tell you woulda, shoulda, coulda.  You are a competent and strong child of God.  Always surround yourself with people who support who you are and remember that you are the creator of your universe.  You control who is in your world, what behaviors you will deal with, and how far and fast you want to move.  Move around with love, faith, and confidence.                                                                

sigrid

What We Can Learn From The NFL Bullying Case

 

Watching the NFL bullying case is quiet puzzling.  This issue has been in the public eye for over a week and we still do not know exactly what happened.  Everybody knows what bulling is.    Even if you make a mean face at a toddler they will feel…..bullied.

 It does not matter if the bully is bigger than the victim, smaller than the victim, another race, religion, culture or of another socioeconomic class.  It is still bad in the eyes of the public.   What I find most interesting is that now the NFL is trying to distance itself from the situation.  They have turned to blame the victim.  They are saying if the victim felt threatened he should have stopped the unwanted behaviors.  I guess we can say the same thing to our children.  If you are being bullied, you can do something to stop it.  Remember, the children are watching how we handle situations.  Some people forget that bullying is wrong and society should not tolerate it at any level.  I see some people think that locker room behavior is there to toughen up the athlete.  The toughen-up advice is a cop out for an organization or a parent who does not want to take responsibility for the bully’s behavior.  That is the wrong message to send to  children who are watching the adults behaving badly.   

We also know that someone who exposes bullying can experience backlash from their coming forward.  On the playground the child can become a target for sneak attacks or isolation.  In the workplace it is no different.  A police officer who reports unprofessional behavior can be given the worst or most dangerous beat with no backup.  A teacher can be given a class with severe problems and receive no support from administration.  A nurse can be given a multitude of gravely ill patients, compromising patient care.  The list can go on.  From children to adults can be bullied in many ways.  So far we really don’t know exactly what happened with these two football players.  The details are still foggy.  The ways they, the NFL, are acting, it seems like they have something to hide.  Everybody against the victim makes people suspicious.  Any kind of hazing should not be condoned. Sport’s is a business. It should be look upon and treated as such.  The NFL or any organization should always seek to be professional.  Treat everybody with respect and dignity. Do not tolerate bad behavior and people will not be as willing to behave disrespectfully.  All we can do is watch the situation and hope they work it out quickly.  They have to remember that the children are watching, observing, and learning how the adult world works. 

 

Let’s Hear it for Building Traditions

 

When I was a child we would bake cookies with my mom.  Sometimes we would bake for the holidays, or sometimes just to give us something to do.  We would be so excited as my mom pulled out the baking utensils and ingredients. My sibling and I would start talking about our specific creations.  What would make our cookies different from any other cookie.  Mom was always so organized.   We loved helping out.  She baked from scratch.  I did not know what a treat that was.  She would call us together and each sibling would be assigned a task.  No task was too big or small.  Mom would have a multitude of “baking extras” around so we could be creative.   Sprinkles of different colors and textures, butterscotch or chocolate ships, vanilla, oatmeal, different color raisins, different kinds of nuts, marsh mellows, chopped up fruit, candies you can put in the cookies – all kinds of things.  In the end we could decorate the cookies according to our tastes.  We talked about our creations and if there was anything on our minds, we talked about it then.  Sometimes, the cookies came out funny looking but they always tasted good.  In the end I did not know what was really happening.  We were building traditions.  My brothers and sisters remember these times fondly.  It had a profound effect on us.  It still gives all of us joy to think of those times.  So, next time you have a few minutes do something and start a tradition.  It will keep you together and last forever.

The Future, what Future?

1940’s futuristic picture

2000’s futuristic picture

I was always fascinated by the advertising ads from the 1940’s through the 1960’s. They would show what the future would look like.  Technology was being pushed as one manifestation of mankind’s greatness.  We would have it working for us throughout our lives.  The family unit would be strong and we would be happy.  Now fast forward to the 2000’s.  Look at the news and advertising today.  I see fear being pushed.  I was talking to a group of kindergarten students a few years ago.  We were talking about the planetary bodies.  It was a great conversation at first.  Then one student brought up that she heard the sun will explode and we will all die.  I notice a morbidity creeping into the conversations with kids.  I see on television, radio, magazines, books, and of course the Internet talk about a doomed financial future.   Pollution, GMO’s, ramdom acts of violence, the proclamation that an extensive security systems will keep you safe, getting inoculated against the latest diseases or else.  The vanishing middle class is being pushed in our faces at every turn.   People seem to be getting sicker.  We see geopolitical changes in the world that are a threat to mankind’s future.  Killer weather destroying lives and property.  A government for the people by the people being replaced with government for Wall Street by Wall Street.  The list can go on.  I notice everybody is on edge – even the kids.  Where is all of this coming from?  I really don’t know but I will say someone is benefiting from this fright fest.

It’s important to keep focused on certain beliefs.   No matter what you think, God or the Universe is always in control.  We definitely have more power than we think.  Not just the power of voice but our own personal power.  Now a days, we are allowing the ideas of certain people to inhabit our consciousness.  We have to use our time wisely and prevent these illusions from poisoning our minds.  I know this sound simplistic but we all have to take time to go inside ourselves.  Meditation or prayer whatever you want to call it -try it.  I know for sure that the answers we seek are all inside of us.  The bible says we were wonderfully made.  That is very true.    Humanity is resilient, strong, and we all deserve good things.  Act like it and fight for your freedom to be more than just zombies or robots that just move through life expecting heartache, pain, and confusion.   During the Bus Boycott.  The people in those days believed in their destiny to be treated equally.  It took almost three years but they finally got the freedom they fought for.  They beat a system that was designed against them. Let’s teach out kids to fight for their futures.  Not turning it over to a couple of big mouths with a morbid agenda. Spend quality with your family and inculcate valuable life affirming values.  Don’t be fooled by the illusion of lack.  This earth was created to support life – all life. Pictures provided by Google. 

Sigrid

Feed The Children

As a teacher you observe many things.  I also tutor children and adults.  One issue I would like to address is making sure your child is totally ready for the educational experience.  I notice on many occasions my students come to class very hungry.  In fact, sometimes they are starving.  Some don’t have enough of a snack and others don’t have snacks at all.  First, children who come to class with a snack are ready to learn.  They can focus, participate, and think critically because they are not hungry.  When they are hungry, they can only concentrate on when they will eat their next meal.  Another words, their thinking ability is shot.  It may sound dramatic but I sometime see the hunger biting at them.  They cry a little or push their fists into their stomachs.  They start watching the clock becoming miserable and irritable.  Second, when a child is hungry I find that the lesson is a waste of time.  If your child cannot concentrate on the lesson how will they learn the skills being taught?  Thinking burns a lot of energy. Studies have shown that children with poor nutrition can experience cognitive problems.  Food is one of the factors that fuel the body and mind.

 I have literally heard parents say “wait until after tutoring session and I’ll get you something.”  That is a big mistake.  Usually that happens because the parent is running late and does not want to cheat the child out of tutoring time.     Last, a child who eats nutritious meals will make better food decisions in the future.  We learn our food habits when we are children.  Obesity and diabetes are on the rise with today’s youth.  Helping them learn from the beginning will help them make more informed nutritional choices for their future.  So next time your child is going to tutoring or school, make sure they have a nutritious snack.  It will make the educational experience for child, mom, and teacher a pleasant one.

Sigrid

Several studies have found effects of hunger and poor nutrition on cognitive ability. One such study found that among fourth grade students, those who had the least protein intake in their diets had the lowest achievement scores (ASFSA, 1989).

A laboratory study that involved healthy, well-nourished school-aged children found a negative effect of morning fasting on cognitive performance. A test of the speed and accuracy of response on problem-solving tasks given to children who did or did not eat breakfast found that skipping breakfast had an adverse influence on their performance on the tests (Pollitt et al., 1991).

Children who are hungry or undernourished also have more difficulty fighting infection. Therefore, they are more likely to become sick, miss school, and fall behind in class.

http://ericdigests.org/1994/nutrition.htm

 

 

                                                      Moms and Dads......Relax

This is the time of year when children are going back to school.  A great joy for some and agony for others.  Everybody is nervous about what the new school year will bring.  Teachers thinking about how they will meet the criteria and help the children succeed.  Parents wanting their children to have a successful year and the students hoping to pass all of their classes.  I want to wish everybody a happy and successful new school year and ask the parents to.........relax a little.

If you are stressed out, the kids will feel it and be stressed out.  When you are under duress you cannot perform at your ultimate best.  Try to give the kids balance.  Hard work and some play will help your child have a better attitude when they come back to school.  The education process will not be a boring chore if they have an outlet.  I say this because I cannot believe how many parents keep their kids in school, homework sessions, and then marathon tutoring sessions - back to back.  Their minds need rest and they need to associate with their peers.  This is also a part of the educational process.  Go to the bookstore and let your kids look at some of the books.  Occasionally, a nature drive will do everybody some good.  We want everybody to be able to help with the educational development of the children.  So moms and dads....relax.