Families, have you heard of such a thing?

Groupon is the new savings craze.

All you do is 1) go to the Groupon website, 2) choose your city, 3) type in your email address, and 4) wait anxiously, staring at your email, for the deal of the day.

To learn more about Groupons click here.

guysread.com

Jon Scieszka....name sound familiar? Well, maybe his popular children's books, "Stinky Cheese Man" and "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" ring a bell. Boys flock to these books because of of their humor, crude sayings, and laughable illustrations.

In a abrupt way to say to boys, who are out playing ball or filling time with video games, Scieszka says READING IS COOL! His new website, guysread.com, has an arsenal of reading recommendations and interactive links to all things book.

As an educator and aunt to three young boys, my favorite part about this website is their goal to encourage all boys (guys), whom studies show are becoming less and less interested in reading over the years, to become life long readers.


*** This website is not only boy friendly, girls can also visit this site to find out about good books and other reading resources.

Teaching Music with Putumayo Kids

Every classroom needs music. I always had music playing when the students walk in every morning and while they did their morning warm ups. Even though my school had a music teacher once a week, my class learned about different types of music from different eras and cultures around the world through Putumayo Kids.  

I linked Putumaya Kids music to lessons we were learning in other curricular areas. For example, my 2nd graders were studying African myths in Language Arts and reading "How the Guinea Fowl got her Spots." For music time I used the Putumayo Kids "African Playground" CD and their online lesson plans for this particular CD. We discussed the instruments and how African music played a role in their culture. We learned African songs and made noise shakers for Music, made origami paper boats for Art, and studied the continent of Africa for History.

Parents and teachers need to go to Putumayokids.com, listen to the songs, read the lesson plans for each CD, and buy one of the many fabulous CDs they have to offer.

Why Not Sylvan?

Sylvan's easy. So are all those other tutoring places, such as, The Tutoring Club, Tutor Time, and Kumon.

They're easy because they tell you that they test your child and start their program where your child tests. They offer a preplanned educational schedule for your child, in order to go to the next level you need to complete the assignments in the current level. Some of these places employ credentialed teachers, reward good behavior with tokens, and have a comprehensive payment schedule. On paper these educational tutoring chains look like the perfect place for your child to get ahead in school.

What parents don't know is that however well your child does on their initiation test they are placed on the lowest level program. Hence, some children will spend 3 or 4 tutoring sessions completing basic level work that is too easy for them. The worst and most disturbing part of these tutoring facilities is that for the entire hour your child is completing worksheet after worksheet and booklet after booklet while being supervised by a paid adult. There is no specific instruction on what each child maybe struggling in. For example, a child who has a hard time with long vowel spellings will do the same exact worksheet as a child who is having a difficult time recognizing when to use the wh, sh, ch, th sounds in their spelling. Even though these are two completely different problems each child does the same work.

Specialized instruction is always better. Worksheets, computer clicking, and choosing abc doesn't teach a child. Always look into all the options for your child's tutoring needs and choose the best program, company, or facility to help and easy your child's educational experience. Just because you see that car driving around town or ads saying it is the leading tutoring company may not mean it is truly the best for your family.

Waiting for Superman

There is a national epidemic. An epidemic that affects our communities, our cities, our states, our nation. The public school systems are failing, leaving its students in the wake of that failure. Only 26% of California's 8th graders are proficient in grade level math. The statistics for many other states, such as, D.C, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida are not so lucky. The United States ranks 26th in education in a study that measured 31 of the worlds most successful countries.

You drop your child off at your local public school every morning with the hopes that the hands that guide their eduction is the best it could possibly be. In most cases around our nation parents feel that their local public school is not what you envisioned for your family. If you can afford it, you skip public and go straight to private schools. But that is not an option for 87% of Americans.

I ventured to a theater with a couple retired teachers to watch "Waiting for Superman." When we got to the theater at 11:00 in the morning the theater was sold out. As the question marks popped over our heads we walked over to talk to the manager who told us that two theaters had been rented out the night before and we could get free admittance but might have to stand to watch the film. When we entered we saw a theater full of uniformed preteens. My teacher friends and I found seats on the very top row of the theater. This documentary is moving, sad, scary, inspiring, eye opening, and proves that all my notions about the public school system are validated. Then, a roaring cheer swept across the theater when KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) LA schools was highlighted in the film. We were sitting among the students of one of the schools that proves that low income, inner city kids do have the ability to succeed and beat all the gab about minorities inability to learn. Inspiring... tear dropping.

Following the movie, Davis Guggenhein, the "Waiting for Superman" director, came out to do a private question and answer session for the kids of KIPP LA. I got to be the fly on the wall. These kids are the hope that our students can succeed. In order to begin to change the system we need: 1) a sound pubic school infrastructure, 2) talented and motivated teachers, 3) the knowledge that every child has the ability to succeed.

Make a pledge on the "Waiting for Superman" site that you will go see this movie. As parents, educators, community leaders, workers, future heroes, we can't just sit around waiting for someone else to rescue our damaged school system, we can't just look to the sky and wait for Superman to save us all.

PS- Here are some inspirational ground shakers who I believe can and will change the future of our nations schools.

Geoffrey Canada- Interview about his project, Harlem Children's Zone

Michelle Rhee- Hallelujah! A true hero who isn't afraid to tell it how it is and stand up for what needs to be done. One voice, think of what more would do.
Rhee at a D.C. Education and Labor Committee meeting-watch the whole clip.


Dave Levin and Mike Feinberg- KIPP Academy Charter School Founders
They are for great teachers. Read and watch

Every Little Bottom Covered

Ellen Pompeo, star of Grey's Anatomy, is the new spokes woman for Huggies Every Little Bottom campaign. The Huggies Every Little Bottom campaign has a goal to donate 22.5 million diapers to families needing to diaper their little ones bottom.

A study conducted with 2,500 moms in the U.S. and Canada concluded that 1 in 3 mommies are struggling to diaper their little ones. Huggies has partnered with many charity organizations in all parts of our nation to raise awareness in our communities.

There are many ways that you can help. You can donate diapers online, donate your Huggies reward points, get involved locally, or just buy the specially marked Huggies diapers and wipes at your local store and proceeds will go to diapering a baby in need.

For inspiration to join the Every Little Bottom team and start a campaign in your community read a post on kimtracyprince.com to learn about her donation story.

No Bullying Zone

As adults we have a great power to instill equality, peace, love, and acceptance to future generations.


Pass it on.


Ellen did.

Inspiration On Surfari

With so much going on in my life it is difficult for me to think of others that are dealing with even busier lives, with greater struggles, and larger obstacles. I have made the decision to abandon the local news stations because of all the tragedies, negativity, and glamorized "stars." I find a peaceful mind in blogging and reading others blogs knowing that the greatest good is happening right in our own homes where we can empower, inspire, and educate our children, family, friends, and community. People who take their hobbies, knowledge, and positive strides for the greater good of our communities, cities, country, and the world inspire me in a way that is difficult to express in words.

Shayne and Shannon McIntyre are parents, surfers, artists, and world travelers whose mission is to find perfect surf and to teach others about the cultures, lifestyles, and people in the many places they visit. They have the ability to look through the tragidies, the poverty, the struggles and see the beauty and triumph around them.

On Fuel TV you can find their family friendly show called On Surfari. You can click here for Fuel TV show times and also click here to see and support the McIntyres on their website. Shayne and Shannon recently visited Haiti where there is still devastation and destruction in the cities. Watch this short clip and catch the whole episode on Fuel TV. Inspiration comes in all shapes, forms, and sizes just because we don't find it everyday, week, or month doesn't mean it's not there waiting.

Other On Surfari episodes can be see on Hulu.com.

All Things $1.00

This is old news. Most of you have been there. Done that. Seen it. Conquered it.

This is just a reminder that Target has an awesome $1.00 section at the entrance to their stores. Now that school has started there are several educational books and tools for your little schooler. Not to mention other fun crafts and knacks for you.

Teachers stock up. Educators stock up. Why shouldn't you?

Caring or Crime: LAUSD Goes Back to School

Robert F. Kennedy Education Complex

Los Angeles Unified School District opened its doors to over 700,000 students today. The local news stations portrayed this late school start as joyous and monumental. The late start was do to 14 mandatory furlough days implemented at the end of last school year while other furlough days will be taken throughout the year and for the last week of school. A new complex in downtown housing seven schools with a sticker price of $579 million also opened its glutinous gates with Mac equipped classrooms, state of the art educational supplies, and housing students with the lowest API scores in the nation including a 24% high school drop out rate.

In other times, I would praise new, safe schools. LAUSD's super intendent, Ramon Cortines, was interviewed yesterday morning saying how eager he was and how he made several advancements with a 60 million dollar budget this year, and "the layoffs of thousands of teachers," all said with a kindly smile across his face. I'm sorry but where am I wrong here? A $60 million budget? teacher layoffs? increased class sizes? What Mr. Cortines forgot to mention was: his personal scoffer (district paid), the $250,000 bonus he gave himself last year (after he laid off those thousands of teachers), that teachers at schools with an API scores of 800 or over receive no, I mean no, money for school supplies and spending freezes are placed on the offices of those schools so that no further supplies for the students could be purchased (thank heavens for the PTA), the district purchased a new completely ineffective math program (with many of the developers names being on LAUSD's board of directors), and to top the ice cream Mr. Cortines himself is rarely ever seen at an actual school site to see the real magic happening...learning (unless there is a camera crew or the UTLA is catching him at his latest "improvement").

I could be heavily opinionated on this subject because I was one of the thousands of new, fresh, talented teachers to be laid off. In the classroom, I see eager, sensitive, talented children whose image doesn't match the other side of the coin. Outside of that school safe zone hides villainous, money hungry bureaucrats reaping most, if not all, of the benefits that should be handed down into the classroom. LAUSD has just as much opportunity to excel as any other school district in our nation. Opportunity to excel is a long shot while the 2nd largest school district in the nation is in the hands of the wrong people whose minds are not on the best interest of the students, teachers, school staff, and schools.

Being Emergency Prepared

School Children being evacuated during WWII

September is National Preparedness Month. This is the one time of year that I even think of the what ifs.

What if there is an earthquake? What would I do? Where would I be when it happens? How would I handle myself? How would I get in touch with my husband, family, or friends?
What if our house sets on fire while we are sleeping?
What if a Tsunami threatens our neighborhood?
What if....
What if....
What if....

Now that I'm not a classroom teacher the stress I feel is alleviated. If there was to be a disaster while school was in session I'd be the sole comfort and control in those little kid's minds. I knew that practicing our emergency drills once a week would never pan out as planned in a real emergency.
It's also this time of year that your family should come up with a plan. Answer all those "what ifs" as a family. Draw out an escape route in case of a emergency in your home. Discuss with your child what you will do if something happens and you are away from her/him/them. A great way to give your child comfort if there is an emergency and they are in school is to have a letter and picture from you put into your child's school emergency kit.

Here are some fun links for kids to learn and play games about emergency preparedness:

preschoolers- Let's Get Ready! Sesame Street (find the videos on the right)
Kinders-6th graders- FEMA For Kids
Know what 2 do kids! (They have fun printable activities)
Discovery Education