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Just Talking To Kids
President Obama is to give a speech to American schoolchildren on Tuesday. There has been a pretty strong reaction to his giving that speech, and I have to admit that I am a bit mystified by that...
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Walking To School
According to this story, a California school district currently bars students from walking or riding their bikes to elementary school or middle school. Although the news article is not entirely clear,...
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No Longer Flush
Here’s a sign of how far the once booming Irish economy has fallen: the principal of an Irish school has written to parents of students, asking that every student bring rolls of toilet paper for the...
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Extra Credit
The Goldsboro Middle School in Wayne County, North Carolina came up with a straightforward way to raise money — in exchange for a $20 donations, students would be given 20 “points” they could...
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The Zen Of Kid Art
In this era of hard budget choices, many cash-strapped schools have put arts programs on the chopping block. The stated rationale usually is that arts programs aren’t “essential.” Such statements,...
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The First Day Of School
Today is the first day of school at the Columbus Academy, where Kish works. This morning some kindergartners will go off to school for the first time ever, as their Moms and Dads watch with quivering...
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The Demotivational Impact Of Empty Platitudes
According to an article in the Washington Post, schools and teachers have finally begun to recognize that efforts to boost student “self-esteem” that aren’t tied to concrete accomplishment aren’t...
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Having Class Outside
Today was a beautiful day in Ohio. The sky was bright, the sun shone down with friendly rays, and it was unseasonably warm. Looking longingly out the window from the conference room of an office...
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Death To The Bake Sale!
When I was in school, the bake sale was a fundraising staple. Whether it was for band uniforms, field trips, or a new suit for the school mascot, kids and parents turned on their ovens, got out their...
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My Pathetic Penmanship
Mrs. Haddad would be disappointed in me. She was the teacher who introduced my third grade class at Rankin Elementary School in Akron, Ohio to the wonders of cursive writing. On the first day of...
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Death At The Schoolhouse Door
I loved elementary school when I was a kid. I loved my teachers, I loved the principal Mrs. Owens, and I loved the brick building, and the chalkboards, and the desks, and the old hallways that smelled...
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School Starts Too Early
Yesterday — August 19 — as I began my drive to work, I was surprised to see the neighborhood kids gathered at the school bus stop. Unbeknownst to me, it was the first day of school. It’s jarring to...
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And We Wonder Why We Have A Childhood Obesity Problem?
In case you wondered, paternalism and fears of liability for potential injury will trump generalized health concerns about obesity and lack of exercise every time. Want proof? Consider Weber Middle...
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The Thanksgiving Pageant
It was Thanksgiving week at Rankin Elementary School, and there was great excitement among the second-graders. Our teacher had been telling us for weeks that we would put on a Thanksgiving pageant,...
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Suddenly, September Traffic
If Gershwin were a Midwestern commuter, he might have written: “Summertime, when the traffic is easy.” That’s because, at any given point during June, July, and August, a good chunk of the population...
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The Joys Of Recess
On lunch break in Brooklyn, I walked past a park and saw a bunch of schoolkids playing during recess. They had no equipment other than a ball and no teacher or monitor telling them what to do, but...
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Kids On The School Stage
A few days ago a drama teacher at Richard and Russell’s school gave Kish some pictures of the kids when they were in various productions, years ago. There were some snapshots of Russell dressed up...
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Birds Of A Feather
Today two birds decided to roost for a bit on the ledge right outside the window in front of my desk. I’m not sure what kinds of birds they were — mourning doves? brown pigeons? — but I certainly...
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Selling Reading
Schools are always trying to come up with things to make kids want to read. I’m not sure any of it works — kids either pick up the love of reading or they don’t, and the summer reading clubs or...
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Two-Cent Milk
Yesterday I had oatmeal for breakfast, and the waitress at the hotel restaurant brought me a small carton of milk along with some raisins, brown sugar, and blueberries. Looking at the small milk carton...
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