Oprah's "Building a Dream" Special
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Did you happen to catch Oprah's Building a Dream special on Monday? Even though it came on at 10, my husband and I kept the girls up just to watch it and it was well worth it.Seeing those girls was so inspirational for all of us. As homeschoolers, we deliberately seek opportunities for our daughters to see children who are excited and serious about education. These South African girls were prime examples of children who love to learn.
If you missed the special, it's coming on again on Saturday at 8 on ABC. Don't miss it!
Labels: education, must-see shows
posted by Jennifer James @ Wednesday, February 28, 2007,
,
On Any Given Day
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
As a writer and reader of blogs of all stripes and the news, I have to say it can certainly be hard some days taking in so much negative information. When I am looking through news stories about black families, black parenting and black children invariably everything and I mean, EVERYTHING, is bad. There is absolutely nothing going well for black families and children these days and it's disheartening. If you take a look at every statistic out there that shines a spotlight on single motherhood, the achievement gap, black children who are growing up in poverty, black children who are growing up in dangerous neighborhoods, etc it's enough to seriously send you over the edge. In the span of about forty years, what happened? The black community is simply not the same anymore and the children are taking the brunt of all that ails black families and communities. The bad news is so disparaging that there simply doesn't seem to be a way out; that the trends going on now will persist until the next generations are just as bad as the one in which we're living.
In your opinion, what can be done to help the black community? What can be done to save black children. What went wrong? I have my own hunched, but I'd really like to hear your thoughts.
Labels: children, family, parenting
posted by Jennifer James @ Tuesday, February 27, 2007,
,
Start Your Family Tree
Monday, February 26, 2007
If you've heard the news this morning, surely you've heard the, I think hilarious, news that Al Sharpton is related to Strom Thurman. Researchers at ancestry.com discovered the familial link when creating the family tree for Sharpton. This story is fitting in my life because just last week, I logged onto ancestry.com in order to find some of my ancestors. What I found has been no less than aston
I believe giving your children a sense of where they come from, even if we can't pinpoint where exactly in Africa we originate, is powerful information. It gives them roots and helps them have a sense of belonging to great people.
Visit ancestry.com and start your family tree. In the month of February they are offering three free days of research.
Labels: education, geneaology
posted by Jennifer James @ Monday, February 26, 2007,
,
Interntional Children's Digital Library
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
One of the things you'll find me talking about a lot on this blog is reading and unique ways to provide access to great books for your children. I believe than when children can read well, they will in turn be able to succeed in most things they encounter. They'll be able to apply for summer jobs without incident, they'll be able to read out loud in class without feeling embarrassed, they'll be able to dig further into subjects that interest them, and the list goes on and on. Reading and reading well is undoubtedly the path to success.That said, take a visit to the International Children's Digital Library. It is an amazing, free online compilation of children's books that traverse the world. You can sit with your children and read quality books in English or even tackle reading books in a foreign language to broaden their horizons. You can also sign your children up with a free account that tracks the books they've read and you, as a parent, can volunteer as an ambassador to help test new software or provide reviews for some of the books.
This is a fabulous way to spend quality reading time with your children during the evenings or on the weekends and holidays. Or, if you are a homeschooler, this is a great way to incorporate new learning into your child's daily curriculum.
Going to one's local library is always best, but visiting a virtual library is a close second.
Labels: books, education, reading
posted by Jennifer James @ Tuesday, February 20, 2007,
,
Splendid Series for Beginning Readers: Shanna
Monday, February 19, 2007
Hyperion's children's imprint for black children, Jump at the Sun, has a spectacular series for beginning readers: the Shanna Series. I have a beginning reader who just so happens to love the Shanna books. Here are the two things I, as a mom, absolutely love about this series of books: 1) They are very well written and are perfect for building the confidence of children who are just starting to recognize words. The repetition is on-point and the stories are adorable. 2) Shanna is black and that makes all the difference in the world for black children who are reading about a character who looks just like them. I wish they had Shanna dolls or videos, too.Below is the entire series of Shanna Beginning Readers. I hope you take my advice and buy the set for your budding reader. At $3.99 each, they're hard to pass up.
posted by Jennifer James @ Monday, February 19, 2007,
,
Do Your Children Love Animals?
Saturday, February 17, 2007
If so, there's a wonderful opportunity for them to write about it for RIF's "I Love Animals" Writing Contest.
Kids ages 5-15 can write a short essay or poem describing what they do or have done for an animal they care about. They'll have a chance to win a great prize package!
Labels: contests
posted by Jennifer James @ Saturday, February 17, 2007,
,
Kids Bolstered By Ability to Learn New Things
Thursday, February 15, 2007
I heard a fascinating report today on NPR's Morning Edition about the way children learn. A psychologist figured out that if you tell children their brains grow each time they learn something new, they do significantly better in school. In other words, once children (especially those who may be doing poorly in school) find out that they can grow smarter with every new thing they learn, they then work harder in school in order to increase their intelligence.The research psychologist Carol Dweck from Stanford University has a book, MindSet (below), out about her findings and how you, as a parent, can use this new research to help your children become motivated learners.
Mindset: The Secret Psychology of Success
Labels: children, education, news, reading
posted by Jennifer James @ Thursday, February 15, 2007,
,
Spring Reading
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
There are a slew of great spring titles by Candlewick Press I'd like to share in the coming weeks and months. They're all exceptional, exuding beautiful lessons about being a good person, with funny stories about always having a wonderful character and disposition. All of these books are beautifully illustrated and extremely well-written.
Candlewick Press is one of the world's premier children's book publishers and nearly every single one of their titles is well-worth reading to your children at bedtime and gracing their bookshelves.
The Perfect Nest
Here's a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry
That's What Friends Are For
posted by Jennifer James @ Wednesday, February 14, 2007,
,
Black Fathers Stepping Up
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
We all know how important fathers are to the lives of children, and sadly there are millions of black children who are not having regular, constant contact with their dads. No matter what anyone says, this is debilitating to kids. That's why it is encouraging to see dads taking the initiative to show they understand the importance of fatherhood. The First Steps for Fathers Program in Aiken, SC is putting forth the effort to rally dads and mentors to save black children.
Fatherhood Coordinator Brendolyn Jenkins discussed upcoming seminars, including parenting classes, child development, health, spirituality, conflict resolution, money management and other related topics.The First Steps for Fathers Program was established through a $30,000 grant from the Children's Trust Fund of S.C. to prevent child abuse in Aiken County. This program is to assist dads with education, job-training and parenting skills.
"When a few good men step up to the plate ... things begin to happen," said Jenkins. "We want to match you with men that can guide you in your professional growth."
Good job, dads!
posted by Jennifer James @ Tuesday, February 13, 2007,
,
100 Kids Chew Same Piece of Gum for Sex Ed
Monday, February 12, 2007
Before I write this post, I must preface it by saying I am a homeschooler and am highly circumspect about public education. While all homeschoolers aren't saints, I can point to several examples daily that highlight why I believe public education fails our children in more ways than one. Though I won't make this a pull-your-kids-out-of-school blog, I can't help but mention this terrible incident that happened in Rockville, Maryland last week.
Some *genius* from a local pregnancy counseling center wanted to help students understand how sexually transmitted diseases are transferred from one person to the next, so they had 100 children pass around and chew on the same piece of gum to illustrate the point. As expected parents are livid, as well they should be. This was not only a terrible lapse in judgement, it is a public health issue. Someone should surely lose their job over this. How could other teachers stand around and watch that happen?
Tell me, who would even think of something like this in the first place?
Labels: news
posted by Jennifer James @ Monday, February 12, 2007,
,
Tech Toys and Education
Thursday, February 8, 2007
If you know your children learn best when having fun, look no further than the new V.Smile(TM) TV Learning System. VTech's new Whiz Kid Learning System(TM) lets kids ages 3 to 6 enjoy interactive reading and learning activities wherever they go through its portable "Whiz Pad" and touch-sensitive stylus. Kids choose from 40 activity pages, slide the page into the Whiz Pad and watch it come alive with more than 120 activities! Beginning readers will love its "Story Bytes" activity, which encourages them to read along with the story and sound out words. To extend the fun, kids can connect the Whiz Pad to their computer to play their activities, track their progress or replace lost or damaged activity pages by simply printing out new ones.
Whiz Kid will include the Wondertown Whizware(TM) (software) title, which features a focused reading program and additional core curricula, ranging from math and phonics to logic and creativity. Older kids can even transform the Whiz Pad into a piano keyboard or typing keyboard. Additional Whizware, featuring favorite characters such as Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer, Spider-Man and Friends, Scooby-Doo, and Thomas & Friends, will be available fall 2007 for approximately $19.99. Whiz Kid will be available for an estimated retail price of $49.99. On the Net: http://www.vtechgadget.com/
Source: VTech Electronics North America
posted by Jennifer James @ Thursday, February 08, 2007,
,
Innovative Toys for Kids
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Dream Builders(TM) features safe foam tubes and plastic connectors that simply click and connect to build objects and structures. Once pieces are connected, printed fabric panels easily slide on to complete the fantasy. Ready for retail in the second half of 2007, Dream Builders will be available in four themes that allow kids to create their own imaginative space. These include:- Dream Builders OriginalNo magnets, clips or small parts are needed. Each Dream Builders creative construction system includes foam tubes, plastic connectors, fabric panels and a large zippered storage bag, making it safe to play and easy to put away. Dream Builders suggested retail prices range from $49.99 to $99.99. On the web: http://www.nomaco.com/, http://www.planetfoam.com/
- Dream Builders Pirate Ship
- Dream Builders Princess Castle
- Dream Builders Clubhouse
Source: Nomaco, Inc.
posted by Jennifer James @ Tuesday, February 06, 2007,
,
Interactive Education for Parents and Educators:Thinkfinity.org
Friday, February 2, 2007
Thinkfinity is an amazing web site for parents who either homeschool or get deeply involved in their children's education. From the creation of peanut butter, to inventing a surgical instrument used to remove cataracts, to the creation of the Supersoaker toy water cannon, the handiwork of African-American inventors can be seen throughout the fabric of American life. February, Black History Month, provides another great opportunity for educators to highlight these achievements and inspire today's generation with the stories of some of the best-known and lesser-known African-American creators. African-American inventors is one theme found in the more than 49,000free, convenient resources for teachers available at the VerizonFoundation's online education platform, Thinkfinity, formerly known as MarcoPolo. To celebrate Black History Month, Verizon has added a convenient Black History Month resources and lesson plans section for teachers on theThinkfinity homepage at http://www.thinkfinity.org.
Source: Verizon
Source: Verizon
Labels: education
posted by Jennifer James @ Friday, February 02, 2007,
,
HIA Toys Makes Toys *Worth* Buying
Thursday, February 1, 2007
I've never been one for buying my children dolls and action figures, especially in this crazy world of Bratz dolls and Barbie. I'd much rather them learn to put together a puzzle or play around with an easel and paint. Better yet, how about get a book. I'm no fogey, though. Our girls have had their share of toys, but honestly, they were all...how shall I say this? Plastic junk! But thanks to a toy company called HIA Toys (History in Action) based out of Washington, DC, I can now see myself buying our girls these action figures.
Founded in 2004, HIA Toys primary mission is to encourage children to learn about the history of America and its lesser-known heroes and to inspire each child to imagine the endless possibilities for their own lives.
HIA Toys only has three action figures (Bessie Coleman, Benjamin Banneker and Matthew Henson) right now and they're a little pricey. However, for such great toys for black children, they're certainly worth it.
Next Christmas, these toys would be perfect gifts for children instead of Bratz dolls and Power Rangers.
posted by Jennifer James @ Thursday, February 01, 2007,
,
