You’ve probably noticed recent news headlines about a trend toward parents demanding that schools provide an education which parents think is appropriate for their children. The problem, of course, is that parents don’t agree what that “appropriate” definition is. Some parents want their children exposed to a wide variety of ideas and values, making sure … Read more
“But I want to protect my child!” One of the core facets of my work is that contrary to popular opinion, in early teen years, the brains of adolescents are constantly changing. This explains why the young teen boy regularly changes what he wants to be when he grows up, who he thinks is important, … Read more
You may have noticed that, over time, educational fads and standards change. Every five years or so, someone will publish a research paper which purports to prove that a new approach to teaching, or a new curriculum, will totally transform education. As a result, you’ll see your local school system sending all the teachers off … Read more
Some years ago, I was observing a third-grade class in a boys’ school. The teacher, who was new to the school, was doing an excellent job and the students were all engaged in the project. The class was broken up into four groups and the boys had pulled their desks into circles to work together. … Read more
Even though we are just one month into 2021, it just now feels like we are starting a new year. With the new school term, schools either have gotten a handle on the online format, or schools are opening up, and it seems as if we can take a deeper breath. Fingers crossed that vaccine … Read more
When my son was little, he had a favorite toy which was a set of tubes and various other pieces which could be put together to make different forms of whistles or wind instruments. But he never used the toy that way. He would string the tubes together on a piece of cord or use PlayDoh© to … Read more
Everyone with any connection to students is trying to decide whether to go back to school, or not. There is no “one right answer,” but here are some of the factors to consider. Things you can’t control: What do we know about how the virus affects children? The latest research indicates that many children are … Read more
I was in the grocery store the other day, standing in line waiting to check out. This store has spaces carefully marked off, so that we all can stay six feet away from each other. Behind me in line was a mother, without a mask I may add, with two children in two who were … Read more
You and your children have now been stuck at home together for more than six weeks, so things are probably getting a bit sticky. Some of you are lucky, with safe outside places for your children to go so that you all can have a bit of separation, but everyone is – in a well-known … Read more
Last month, I promised you that the next post here would discuss gender, again. Why? An article that appeared in The Atlantic in December, titled The Miseducation of the American Boy, that discusses the problems boys are having with becoming men. Last month, we covered the issue of sex (the noun, not the verb), making … Read more