DIY Parental Connections

The ability to make and fix things with your hands is becoming a lost art. Often in our modern, consumer culture people are more likely to shop for a bookshelf or call a handyman before even considering fulfilling their needs on their own.

Reversing this trend, the Do-It-Yourself movement (thanks in no small part to a rise in crafty media havens like Etsy, Pinterest, and HGTV) is empowering people to tackle home needs on their own. Not only can you save money by embracing a DIY mentality, there are numerous other tangible benefits as well, like the potential to learn new skills, and setting a positive example for your kids.

Next time you are looking to freshen up a room or need to fix a broken cabinet, why not turn the experience into an opportunity to bond with a young person in your life over a little DIY?

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The Positive Impacts of Journaling for Both Parents and Their Kids

In today’s world, writing plays a central role in our personal and professional lives. Just think about the number of written interactions you have had throughout your week so far.

Now consider: how effective are you as a writer? How well prepared are your own kids to handle those types of written interactions in their own lives?

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The Implications of Grading Without Zeros

From the Teach.com blog –January 16, 2018 by Sheldon Soper For most of us, grades were always a part of school. Work was assigned, it was completed, and we were given a score reflective of our efforts and understandings. At regular intervals, these scores were compiled and sent home on report cards to inform our parents or … Read more

The Constantly Evolving Role of the School Librarian

From: The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Blog – Guest Post on behalf of Teach.com – July 5, 2017 – by Sheldon Soper The educational landscape is awash with initiatives to make learning more authentic and problem-based. For these differentiated approaches to work, students and teachers need networks of support to ensure that students can … Read more

How to Increase Classroom Transparency

From: Teach.com – October 18, 2017 – by Sheldon Soper More than ever, teachers are called to justify their practice and their decision-making inside the classroom. Whether it is from administrators, parents, or the public, today’s teachers feel the pressure that comes from an increased professional scrutiny. It doesn’t help that the public perception of the teaching … Read more