­­­

departments

hOME-SChOOL RELATIONS12 G uidelines to a Successful

Family-School Relationship

PREGNANCY9 Nutrition During Pregnancy

INfANT/TOddLER8 Reading Milestones

PRESChOOL22 A Book A Day

ELEMENTARY SChOOL11 Fun Ways to Encourage

Your Child to Read

MIddLE SChOOL15 Guide to Student Success

hIGh SChOOL17 Preparing Your Child for

College

COLLEGE24 Offset Education Costs

ChILdREN WITh SPECIALNEEdS10 How Does ADHD Affect

Student Performance?

MOdERN PARENT27 Ms. Nancy Parker

MOdERN EdUCATOR14 Dr. Donaldo Baptiste

KATRINA fILES25 BARACK OBAMA on

New Orleans

PARENT TOOLKIT7 Conference Request

EN ESPANOL28 No Dejar Nino Sin Educacion

EdUCATORS21 Do I Utilize Best Practices

in My Classroom?

features

1818 BARACK BARACK

OBAMAOBAMA on Education and Parenting

20 LEARNING STYLES: The Kinesthetic Learner

6 NO ChILd LEfT BEhINd: facts and Terms Every Parent Should Know

16 discipline: One Size does Not fit All

5 Book Review: Sara and the Upside down heart

30 five Easy Steps toStudent Success

15

23

22

24

17

3

MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine is published quarterly by Katrina Publishing, LLC 2536 Delta Pointe’ Drive, Marrero, LA 70072. MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine copyright 2007. Due to audit regulations, ANY ReQUeSTS FoR A CHANGe oF ADDReSSMUST Be SUBMITTeD IN WRITING. other subscription-related inquiries may use the same address, or telephone 504.339.5310/ 1.866.994.4242. Subscription rates: $29.95 for one year; single copies $8.95. Pre-payment required for singlecopy orders. Address all single-copy requests and sample inquiries to the above address. Manuscripts must be accompanied by a self addressed envelope and return postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manu-scripts of art. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

he decision to leave the worldof K-12 educational administra-tion to become a full-time pub-

lisher was a scary one. However, cer-tain days make this life-altering deci-sion not only worthwhile, but blissful.As you can imagine, I refer to the daydepicted in this photo. The opportunityto meet United States presidential can-didate Sen. Barack obama actually solidi-fied my decision to effect change in thelives of children through publishing.obama, a candidate for the highestoffice in the nation, and father of two,expressed an unequivocal passion forthe importance and impact of parent-ing. It was delightfully refreshing todiscover that he considers education atop priority for our nation. In addition todiscussing his thoughts on parentingand education, obama shared hisviews on the recovery efforts in theGulf South. We are grateful for thethoughts he so graciously and elo-quently shared with us.

Conducting interviews and research foryou has taken me on fascinating andenlightening treks. The opportunity isone I treasure. I pray you enjoy the tips,strategies and information we excavatein the diamond mine of parenting.

Bountiful Blessings and

Happy Parenting!

Carol Alexander-Lewis,editor-in-Chiefclewis@modernparentsmagazine.com

dear­readerdear­reader

MissionMission

The mission of MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine is to providea fresh, relevant connection between the academic world and

the parenting world by providing innovative, research-based par-enting strategies and techniques. In addition, we serve as a valuable

resource for educators by showcasing Best Practices and the most effec-tive instructional strategies and techniques. exposing parents to effective

instructional strategies not only broadens parenting strategies, but also pro-vides the tools needed to ensure their children are receiving quality educational

experiences.

MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine is dedicated to increasing global literacy and enhancingthe quality of life for families in our society. Readers gain access to information fromexpert practitioners and associations. From school to home and all that liesbetween, MoDeRN PAReNTS is your source for the most innovative parenting andinstructional strategies and techniques.

MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine voices the most pertinent issues and concernsof today’s parents. By providing trusted information to our audience, and

featuring content that is driven by our readers, MoDeRN PAReNTS is thepremier resource and choice for today’s parent.

We help parents make better decisions about theirmost valuable investment...their children.

PUBLISHER/EdITOR-IN-CHIEfcarol alexander-lewis

AdvISORy­BOARdflorence townsend, Ph.Dbelinda alexander, MD

julian stafford, Ph.Dmyrna nickens, MD

tammie causey-konate, Ph.D

CONTRIBUTING­EdITORSshanice bickhamrhodesia douglas

CONTRIBUTING­WRITERSmelanie johnson, Ph.D

kathy fradytalisa beasley

CONTRIBUTING­PHOTO­EdITORSgus bennett, jr.eric paul julian

jim belfon

TRAdUCTORA­dE ESPANOLvictoria bastani

NEW­ORLEANS­office

2536 Delta Pointe’ DriveMarrero, LA 70072504.339.5310

HOUSTON­office

10710 Desert Springs Houston, TX 770951.866.994.4242

CHICAGO­office

8515 Constance AvenueChicago, IL 60617pps@modernparentsmagazine.com

TT

SPECIAL­THANKS­to:Loyola University-

Shawn M. DonnelleyCenter,

Dr. Leslie ParrKatie Sporer

Good Work Network-Adele London

Dillard University-Upward Bound,

Dr. Camacia Smith-Ross

4www.modernparentsmagazine.com

Book R e v i e wby

Dr. Melanie Johnson

E

RachelRacheland theand the

Upside DownUpside DownHeart,Heart,

by Eileen Douglasby Eileen Douglas

Eileen Douglas’ tender and true chil-dren’s story reveals the natural processof grief through the lens of a little girlnamed Rachel. The story explains waysin which the child’s life is turned upsidedown after the death of her father. Theillustrator, Katherine Potter, remarkablycaptures the sorrows and joys in Rachel’seyes.

The story engages the reader in reflec-tion of the security provided by simplethings in a child’s life – a home, greengrass and a family. Yet, the sudden deathof a parent coupled with having to relo-cate to a new living environment over-shadows all other life events.

Rachel’s relocation from a southern

home to a big-city apartment yieldsmany new and exciting opportunities.She is able to visit the set of Sesame Street

and take ballet lessons at Carnegie Hall.However, these opportunities do notcompare to what had previously ren-dered life complete.

The story, Rachel and the Upside Down

Heart, depicts the various stages that oneencounters when dealing with the loss ofa loved one. The agony endures from thestages of unwillingness to relinquish thephysical person to the peace of a spiritu-al acceptance.

The author, Rachel’s real life mother,gently unfolds Rachel’s saddened responsesto her father’s death that evolves into an

acceptance during adolescence. Theacceptance of the loss is exchanged foran embrace of the delicate privilege oflife. Rachel’s therapeutic drawings ofupside down hearts during early child-hood give way to an adolescent whodevelops strength through her experi-ence. In return, Rachel grows up andbegins to provide support for a friendwho is challenged by the death of aloved one. Hence, a story that appearsto examine stages of sorrow ultimatelyassesses the rebirth of the joy in living,sharing and giving.

Publisher: Dancing Magic Heart Books

Distr ibutor : New Leaf Resources

(1-800-346-3087) www.newleaf-resources.com.

5www.modernparentsmagazine.com Source: U. S. Department of education

There­are­several­facts­and­terms­every­parent­should­knowabout­No­Child­Left­Behind.

No Child No Child Left Left

BehindBehind

IIn order to effectively advocate for yourchild, exercise your rights and responsibili-ties, and ensure a quality education for yourchild, parents should familiarize themselveswith basic facts and terms related to the No

Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal mandate.The following are terms, facts and sugges-tions you may find useful in exercising yourparental rights.

State Assessments — This refers to thetests developed by your state that your childwill take every year in grades 3-8 and at leastonce in high school. Using these tests, thestate will be able to compare schools to eachother and know which ones need extra helpto improve. Contact your child's school orschool district to find out more details aboutyour state's tests.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) — Thisis the term No Child Left Behind uses toexplain that your child's school has met statereading and math goals. Your school dis-trict's report card will let you know whetheryour child's school has made AYP.

School in Need of Improvement — Thisis the term No Child Left Behind uses to referto schools receiving Title I funds that havenot met state reading and math goals (AYP)for at least two years. If your child's school

is labeled a "school in need of improve-ment," it receives extra help to improve andyour child has the option to transfer toanother public school, including a publiccharter school. Also, your child may be eligi-ble to receive free tutoring and extra helpwith schoolwork. Contact your child'sschool district to find out whether your childqualifies.

Supplemental Educational Services (SES) —This is the term No Child Left Behind uses torefer to the tutoring and extra help withschoolwork in subjects such as reading andmath, that children from low-income fami-lies may be eligible to receive. This help isprovided free of charge and generally takesplace outside the regular school day, such asafter school or during the summer.

Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) — Thisis the term No Child Left Behind uses forteachers who prove that they know the sub-jects they are teaching, have a college degree,and are state-certified. No Child Left Behind

requires that your child be taught by a Highly

Qualified Teacher in core academic subjects.

Take advantage of the Take advantage of the

new opportunities NCLB new opportunities NCLB

may provide for your child.may provide for your child.

No Child Left Behind requires states andschool districts to give parents easy-to-read,detailed report cards on schools and dis-tricts, telling them which ones are succeed-ing and why.

No Child Left Behind gives students in schools"in need of improvement" the opportunityto transfer to another public school or publiccharter school in the district. If a school is inneed of improvement for at least two years,low-income students then become eligible toreceive Supplemental Educational Services(SES), such as free tutoring.

TAkE ACTIoN:

Make sure you receive a report card onyour child's school and that it is easy tounderstand. If you don't receive a schoolreport card or if it is hard to decipher, con-tact your child's school district.

Do you know whether your child is eligibleto transfer to another public school orreceive free tutoring? If you are not sure,contact your school district.

Take advantage of these opportunities foryour child to ensure he or she is not leftbehind.

6

Weekly­Progress­ReportDear ____(Insert teacher’s name)_____,Please rate __________(Insert your child’s name)_____________ in the following areas:Date_________________________________________________

Teacher Comments:

Thank You,

___(Insert parent’s name)_______ ___(Insert contact number)______

5-excellent 4-Good 3-Fair 2-NeedsImprovement

1-Unacceptable

CompletingAssignments

Ability to followinstructions

Talking without permission

Paying attention

Homework

Behavior

The weekly progress report featured in our previous issuereceived such an overwhelming response, we felt inclinedto include a representation in our current issue. Manyreaders expressed great appreciation not only for this tool,but also for confirmation of their parental right to submitthis form to teachers.

For your convenience, we have also added the progressreport toour website: www.modernparentsmagazine.com.

PAReNT TooLKIT:

CoNfErENCE rEQuESTS

One sure fire way to get an inside peek at your child’s life outside of home is to request a conference with your child’s teacher. Taking theinitiative and exercising your parental right to view your child’s records and schoolwork can be an enlightening experience. Not only willvisiting your child’s classes give you a glimpse of your child’s school personality, but the visit will also allow ample time for teachers to addressyour individual concerns. As opposed to the abbreviated visits during school-wide conference days or nights, individual conferences canarm you with invaluable ammunition for helping your child at home with specific needs. These conferences grant the opportunity to rewardstrengths and address weaknesses before final grades are issued. While preparing for the conference, make sure to list points you would liketo discuss. It is also important to take notes during the conference. Please make sure to contact your child’s school for the teacher’s non-teaching or planning time. You may use or customize this form to request a conference with your child's teacher(s).

www.modernparentsmagazine.com

CoNfErENCE rEQuEST

Teacher:________________________________

Student's Name ________________________________________________ Date ___________________

I would like to request a conference with you on the following day and time (circle):

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Date _________ Time_________If unavailable, please indicate a preferred date and time. _____________________________________

Parent Signature ________________________ Phone _______________ Email__________________________

Comments or Concerns ______________________________________________________________________

*********************************************************************************************************Conference Confirmation -- Teacher

I have scheduled a conference for you on (date)_____________________________ at (time) _______________.Teacher's Signature __________________________________________________________________________

7

PReSCHooL

dISCOvERy­TOySAd

READING MILESTONES

6­months:­

exci ted by picturebooks; tries to touch,grab and put them inmouth.

9­months:­

enjoys finding-gamessuch as, “Where is ..?”You point to a pictureand say, “There it is!”This is a reading ver-sionof hide-and-seek.

12­months:

Holds book with help,turns several pages ata time.

15­months:

Moves around andmay not sit long fora story.

18­months:

Points to pictures and

enjoys interactions during book time.

24­months:

Carries book aroundhouse and “reads”to dolls and others.

30­months:

Parent relates theactions in the book to achild’s life; child wantssame story repeatedly.

3­years:

Holds book withouthelp, sits for a 5-minute story or longer,likes rhymes and non-sense words.

4­years:

Turns pages one ata time, retells famil-iar stories, pretendsto read and write,and makes up “talltales.”

7www.modernparentsmagazine.com

8www.modernparentsmagazine.com

The Health Nutrient Bible

WWhile the term "eating for two" is a bit of an exagger-ation, nutrient and calorie needs do increase consider-ably during pregnancy and while a new mother is breast-feeding. Particularly important are nutrients such as pro-tein, calcium, iron and B vitamins, which growingbabies need in plentiful supply. If you are pregnant,rather than focus on a few particular nutrients, you'llwant to follow the general guidelines for good eating bythe Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid.The Pyramid supports a diet based on fruits, vegetables,whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy foods.

While there are not many new studies looking at dietduring pregnancy, a recent government report has cre-ated new guidelines about appropriate weight gain andnutrient supplementation that spell a major shift in thethinking about these two subjects. Perhaps the real cut-ting-edge scientific news for women who are pregnantis the impact of diet during the preconception phase.Numerous studies suggest that the amount of folic-acidrich foods you eat before you even become pregnantcan have a huge impact on the health of your baby.Speculation is that the overall quality of the diet prior topregnancy may be just as important, if not more so,than what you eat during pregnancy.

PrECoNCEPTIoN DIET PLANNINg

It's well known that a poor diet during pregnancy canhinder a child's capacity to learn and have a negativeimpact on a newborn's behavior. Yet little research hasbeen done to learn about how diet influences healthprior to pregnancy and in the first few weeks of a preg-nancy, when many women aren't even aware of theircondition. There are a few preliminary findings.

For instance, one recent study finds that a heavy alcoholintake prior to conception can result in a lower-birth-weight baby. (Lowest-birth-weight babies can beplagued with teaming and growth problems.) Numerousreports link a diet low in folic acid to increased risk forneural tube birth defects such as spina bifida.

Foods high in Folic Acid: spinach, asparagus, limabeans, broccoli, wheat germ, beets, cauliflower, orange,cantaloupe.

ALL THE rIgHT fooDS

While pregnant women need to eat the same kind offoods that the rest of us do, they do need a little bitmore of certain nutrients.

Protein-Although protein needs jump from 46 to 50grams prior to pregnancy to 60 grams (during pregnan-cy) and 65 grams (while breastfeeding), most women

already eat these higher levels of protein. (Americanstend to eat double the RDA for protein.) However, thedifference, which amounts to about 10 to 15 grams formost women is easily met by adding an extra one and ahalf ounces of lean meat or 12 ounces of milk each day.

Calcium-Calcium needs jump an extra 400 milligramsduring pregnancy and lactation. An extra glass of low-fat milk (which provides about 300 milligrams of calci-um) almost meets this extra demand.

Vitamin A-Vitamin A is required for growth and nor-mal development of the fetus. Studies suggest that thenutrient is also critical to the healthy immune system.However, your requirements for this fat-soluble vitamindo not change during pregnancy. They do increase from800 micrograms (retinol equivalents) to 1,300 while youare breastfeeding. Fortified milk and eggs are goodsources of Vitamin A. In addition, the beta-carotenefound in plants (bright orange fruits and vegetablessuch as carrots and cantaloupe; dark leafy greens suchas broccoli and spinach) can be converted by the bodyto Vitamin A.

Vitamin C-Important to wound healing and healthyimmune function, Vitamin C requirements increaseslightly during pregnancy; needs are even higher duringlactation. These increases are easily met with Vitamin-C-rich foods such as citrus fruit, strawberries, broccoli,

and potatoes.

B Vitamins-Your need for these B vitamins-thiamin,riboflavin, niacin, and vitamins B and B12-is slightlyhigher during pregnancy and lactation. Rather thanfocus on each of these vitamins, which are widely avail-able in foods, you can meet the increased demands byboosting your intake of fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains. Fortified breads and cereals often contain sever-al of these B vitamins.

Vitamin E-Important for normal neurological develop-ment, Vitamin E requirements increase only slightlyduring pregnancy. A fat-soluble vitamin found in veg-etable oils, whole grains, nuts, and dark, leafy green veg-etables, Vitamin E appears important to the healthyimmune system.

Vitamin D-Since Vitamin D is needed for skeletalgrowth (strong bones), it's no surprise that require-ments for this nutrient are higher during pregnancy andlactation. If your skin is regularly exposed to smallamounts of sunlight, the body can manufacture enoughVitamin D to meet these needs. Vitamin D can also beobtained from fortified milk and dairy products; makesure to choose the low or reduced fat variety.

Zinc-Critical for immune function, zinc is importantduring pregnancy and lactation. Your requirements willincrease from 12 milligrams per day to 15 milligramsper day during pregnancy. Requirements increase to 19milligrams during lactation. If you are eating lean meatsand poultry, seafood, eggs, milk, and whole grains, itshould be easy to meet these increased needs.

Iron-Your need for iron doubles during pregnancy(from 15 milligrams per day to 30 milligrams). Somedoctors prescribe iron supplements to help meet theserequirements, but you can boost your intake with iron-rich foods. Iron from meat is more readily absorbedthan iron from vegetables.

Phosphorous-The mineral phosphorous is anothernutrient critical for normal skeletal formation. It worksin tandem with calcium and other nutrients such asmagnesium to create strong bones, which is why needsincrease during pregnancy and lactation. Good sourcesof phosphorous include dairy products, lean meats andpoultry, fish, and whole grains.

Magnesium-Critical to strong bones, magnesium is alsoneeded for normal muscle function and nerve transmis-sion. Your needs will increase only slightly during preg-nancy and lactation. The extra requirements are easilymet through low-fat milk, meat, legumes, green vegeta-bles, and whole grains.

NutritionNutrition

DuringDuring

PregnancyPregnancy

9www.modernparentsmagazine.com

How DoesHow Does

ADHD ADHD

Affect SchoolAffect School

Performance?Performance?

TThe school experience can be challenging for stu-dents with Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD). Students usually are identi-fied only after consistently demonstrating a fail-ure to understand or follow rules or to completerequired tasks. Other common reasons for refer-ral include frequent classroom disruptions andpoor academic performance.

Studies found that students with ADHD, com-pared to students without ADHD, had persistentacademic difficulties that resulted in the follow-ing: lower average marks, more failed grades,more expulsions, increased dropout rates, and alower rate of college undergraduate completion(Weiss & Hechtman as cited in Johnston, 2002;Ingersoll, 1988). The disruptive behavior some-times associated with the disorder may make stu-dents with ADHD more susceptible to suspen-sions and expulsions. A study by Barkley and col-leagues (1990) found that 46 percent of their stu-dent study group with ADHD had been suspend-ed and 11 percent had been expelled.

ADHD's core symptoms—inattention, hyperac-tivity, and impulsivity—make meeting the dailyrigors of school challenging (Zentall, 1993).Difficulty sustaining attention to a task may con-tribute to missing important details in assign-ments, daydreaming during lectures and otheractivities, and difficulty organizing assignments.Hyperactivity may be expressed in either verbal orphysical disruptions in class. Impulsivity may leadto careless errors, responding to questions with-out fully formulating the best answers, and onlyattending to activities that are entertaining ornovel. Overall, students with ADHD may experi-ence more problems with school performancethan their peers who do not have ADHD.

HELPfuL HINTS

Numerous studies have found that positiveresults occur when the major stakeholders in astudent's education collaborate to address achild's ADHD (Blazer, 1999; Bos, 1999; Bos,Nahmias & Urban, 1999; Nahmias, 1995; Williams& Carteledge, 1997). Effective collaboration and

communication between home and school pro-vide structure across the two major settings in thechild's life. Common rewards, reinforcementstrategies, and language help to promote consis-tency across settings.

Bos et al. (1999) reported that collaborative part-nerships between home and school were especial-ly important during the initial assessment of thechild's disability and educational needs, the devel-opment of behavior modification plans, the eval-uations of medication, and the coordination ofassignments. Parents and teachers can shareinformation with one another if they worktogether to plan behavioral and academic strate-gies for the student. Parents can offer informa-tion about the child-including the child's medicalhistory, hobbies and interests, effective rein-forcers, and behavior in other settings-that mayinform the decisions made by the teacher andother members of the IEP team. The teachershould keep parents informed about their child'sprogress, performance, and behavior in school. Ifthe child is taking medication, the teacher canoffer feedback to parents regarding how the med-ication effects the student's performance and theduration of the medicine's effectiveness. Thisinformation also can be used to help medical pro-fessionals make more informed decisions aboutthe child with ADHD.

If a child exhibits patterns of disruptive oraggressive behavior, best practice research indi-cates that the child may benefit from a positivebehavioral intervention plan that clearly delin-eates expectations and includes positive supports.The process to develop an effective plan shouldbe collaborative and involve the parents and thoseother individuals who are most familiar with thechild.

Students also can take some of the responsibilityfor their educational and behavioral adaptations.Blazer (1999) reported that students as young as5 years old can communicate ways to make theirschool experience more pleasurable and learningeasier. Student input also helps to promote asense of ownership and responsibility for the new

strategies and adaptations.

The following are some suggestions for practicesthat may be helpful for parents and teachersworking with a child with ADHD.

TIPS for HOME

Caring for children with ADHD may be challeng-ing, but it is important to remember that thesechildren can learn successfully. It is critical thatparents remember that some of their child's dis-ruptive behavior is a manifestation of the disabil-ity and that the challenge is finding ways to helptheir child change the inappropriate behavior.Key to this is remembering to focus on the needfor structure and routine for your child's dailyschedule and thereby reinforcing the importanceof learning self-control and self-regulation.

The following are suggestions for parents:vFocus on discrete rewards and consequencesfor appropriate and inappropriate behavior;vTangible rewards and treats;vMovie night for a good week at school;vRemoval of privileges; vTime-out from reinforcing activities: the childis essentially removed from situations that fosterinappropriate behavior;vSet a daily routine and stick to it. Bedtime andpreparation for school are much easier if there isa structure already in place.

Have tangible reminders:vA big clock in the bedroom;vCharts for chores;vAssignment pad to record homework and aspecific folder to put work in upon completion; vGain the child's attention before speaking tohim or her. Have the child repeat back directionsfor things that are really important.

Avoid the following:vAdministering consequences without priorwarning or without the child understanding whyhe or she is receiving them; andvResponding inconsistently to inappropriatebehaviors. (Continued on page 15)

10www.modernparentsmagazine.com

ReadingReading can unlock the keys to a world of information. Parents areteachers, both by example and by conversation. Give children opportunities toplay, to talk and to hear you talk to them. Listen to what they have to say andanswer their questions. Read aloud to your child every day. These are funactivities that you can do with your child to encourage him or her to read andto reinforce the importance of school.

ABC Book. Compile plain white or colorful paper. Write one upper and lowercase letter (A,a) onto each page. Have your child go through old newspapersor magazines and match each letter to a picture in the magazine. Cut out andglue each object onto a page. Compile and transform these pages into a mem-orable book.

Alphabet Hunt. Make a list of all the letters in the alphabet. Have your childidentify household items that start with as many of the letters as possible.

Cartoons. Cut cartoon strips apart frame by frame. Have your child put themback in order and read the completed cartoon.

Concentration games. Create a game using coupons. Children would needto match two similar products. The brand names of these products may differ,if you wish.

Create Stories. Make up stories with your child. Alternate between parentand child in adding lines to the story.

Predict the Story outcome. Flip through a picture story book with yourchild and have him or her predict the story outcome from the pictures. Thengo back and read the story to your child.

Newspaper Scavenger Hunt. Go through a newspaper and make a list of10-15 items to find in the paper (i.e.-cartoons, sports statistics, a story aboutyour city, weather data, picture of a government official, car ad, etc.)

recipes. Pick out simple recipes and help your child make the recipes. Childrenshould read the directions. This reinforces the need for math and readingskills.

repetition. Have your child tell the story to you after you have read it to himor her.

Safety Walk. Take your child on a walk around the neighborhood or to a park.Point out signs and read what is on the signs (i.e.- house numbers, stop signs,street names, business names.) Have your child name pieces of safety equip-ment used in sports or play. Explain the safety need of each object.

These are just a few ways to reinforce the concept that reading is tied to allaspects of daily life. This sends the message that reading is important, impactsall areas of life and is not merely a school-based activity.

FUN FUN

WAYS WAYS

TOTO

ENCOURAGEENCOURAGE

YOUR YOUR

CHILD CHILD

TO TO

READREAD

11www.modernparentsmagazine.com

Guideline­ 1: Identify the pur-

pose for the conference. Is it to become acquainted? Is it to alle-viate your concerns about your child'sattitude towards reading and school? Is itto receive a report card or test scores?Each of these situations is vastly differ-ent and requires different preparation.

Guideline­ 2: Communicate the

purpose for the conference. If you are requesting the conference,immediately tell the teacher the purpose.This helps to alleviate any preconceivedideas the teacher may have about yourrequest to hold a conference.

Guideline­3: Arrange the confer-

ence at the teacher's convenience.The teacher now has sufficient time toplan and to have the necessary informa-tion at the conference. An unplanned con-ference can turn out to be a waste oftime for both teacher and parent and

cause feelings of frustration.

Guideline­4: Plan for the confer-

ence.Write out the areas and questions youwant the conference to cover. Combine,delete, and clarify these questions; and,finally, prioritize them. By using thisprocess, your most important questions

will be answered in a clear, succinct man-ner. Moreover, the teacher's responses willlikely be clearer and more to the point.

Guideline­5: Restate the purpose

of the conference at the onset.Try to stay on the predetermined topic(s)since your time together is limited.

Guideline­ 6: Display a positive

attitude during the conference.Be aware that not only what you sayreflects your attitude, but also your toneof voice, facial expression, and body lan-guage. A loud voice may imply domi-nance. Rigid posture may suggest anger

GUIDELINES GUIDELINES to a Successful to a Successful

Family-SchoolFamily-School

RelationshipRelationship

Let's­ consider­ specific­ guidelines­ tohelp­you­communicate­effectively­withyour­child's­teacher.­

Practice these­guidelines,­and­your childwill­reap­the­benefits.

12www.modernparentsmagazine.com

or disapproval. Always listen attentivelyand show your enthusiasm.

Guideline­ 7: Remain open and

supportive throughout the confer-

ence.Try not to become defensive or antago-nistic; otherwise the outcome of theconference may be unfruitful. Strive forcooperation with your child's teacher.Even if the teacher presents a negativeside of your child's behavior or informsyou of other problems, try to remainobjective. This can be difficult when it isyour child, but he may experience asmany or more difficulties if you and theteacher do not try to find a way to worktogether to solve these problems.

Guideline­ 8: Make sure sugges-

tions are provided to increase your

child's growth. If your child is doing well, find out whatyou can do to ensure continued successand progress. If he/she has difficulties,make sure the teacher goes beyondmerely pointing out a problem. Theteacher needs to provide ideas for elimi-nating or reducing the difficulty. Manyparents become discouraged or aggra-vated if a teacher points out problems,but does not provide solutions. Do notallow this situation to occur. If immedi-ate suggestions can not be provided,then a follow-up conference is needed.

Guideline­9: Ask for examples of

daily work to better understand

your child's strengths and weak-

nesses.By reviewing your child's work, you willlearn if progress has been made sincethe last conference. Have any weak-nesses become more severe? If improve-ment has not been made, are othermethods or materials an option? Inquirewhat you can do at home with yourchild.

Guideline­ 10: Clarify and sum-

marize each important point as it

is discussed.Thus, both teacher and parent are betterable to develop a mutual understanding

and agreement. Let's look at a confer-ence in which a parent does a good jobof clarifying and summarizing a majorpoint.

Teacher: Kimberly has difficulties withoral reading. She is not reading smooth-ly and tends to read in a word-by-wordfashion. If Kimberly reads along with ataped version of a book, her oral readingwould improve. Can you provideKimberly with taped versions of books?

Parent: Kimberly is a poor reader. Doyou want me to make tapes of books soKimberly can read along with the tapes?

Teacher: Yes, you can make tapes, but

the public and school libraries can alsoprovide you with tapes, cd’s and books.Also, I would like to clarify one pointabout Kimberly's reading ability. She hassome difficulty with oral reading, but Iwould not classify her as a poor reader.

Parent: Thank you for the clarification.Kimberly and I will work together onimproving oral reading. We will checkthe school and public libraries for somebooks and recordings.

If the parent had not summarized andclarified what was heard in this confer-ence, a misconception may have devel-oped. By suggesting that she wouldrecord books for Kimberly, the parentwas able to find out whether the sugges-tion was appropriate, as well as learning

about alternatives. Notice that this par-ent summarized the conference at theend. As a result, both parties receivedthe same message.

Guideline­11:­Once agreement is

reached, discuss the next topic. During the conference, you may wantthe teacher to understand certain thingsabout your child, or you may have a spe-cial request. Once your point is under-stood and the teacher has agreed, it iswise not to continue the same discus-sion. It may present new questionswhich may reverse your previous agree-ment. Once a decision is made, it is bestto start discussing the next point. Youwill find the conference to be muchmore productive.

Guideline­ 12:­ Make sure you

understand the information the

teacher is supplying.Often teachers use educational jargon,not realizing parents may not under-stand. Don't be afraid to ask for anexplanation or definition. Make surewhen the conference ends you haveunderstood all the information reported.If you are unclear or uncertain aboutany aspect of the conference, your childmay not benefit and learning may behindered. After all, don’t you encourageyour child(ren) to ask questions whenthey do not understand? Simply followyour own advice here.

Guideline­13: Keep conferences

short.Conferences that run more than 40 min-utes can be tiresome for both parent andteacher. If you can not accomplish allthat has been planned, ask for anotherconference. By scheduling a future con-ference, you will have an opportunity tofollow up on previous agreements andrevise them, if necessary.

Remember, your child will benefit froman amicable, enthusiastic relationshipbetween parent and teacher. One shouldfunction as the support system for theother. Afterall, this is one of the mostimportant relationships you have as itrelates to your child.

MMoments before his mad dash to an all too

familiar school board meeting, Dr. Donaldo

Batiste took a few moments from his busy

schedule to speak to us on the importance of

education and parenting.

MODERN PARENTS Magazine: What was your

favorite educational experience, or experiences, as

a child?

SUPERINTENDENT BATISTE: As a child, I

vividly remember from pre-school age to high

school, always wanting to be a teacher. Our fam-

ily was reared in the rural south (Gray, LA), and

as such, we did not have television until I was 7

years old (second grade). Being the seventh of

eight children in my family, our greatest pastime

was being read to by our parents and by our older

brothers and sisters. Needless to say, each of

them espoused being the teacher when they read

to us. I always was impatient until the time would

come and I could be the teacher and read to my

siblings. I will never forget…it was the day before

Thanksgiving in 1958 (before I entered formal

schooling in August, 1959) when I was granted

the opportunity to read to my parents because I

insisted that I could. I can still see the incredu-

lous looks on both their faces. I don’t know who

was more excited that I could read, I or them?! It

was from that humble beginning that my insa-

tiable appetite for reading and teaching were

given wings. To this date, I still recognize this

beginning as my favorite educational experience

as a child.

MPM: How did your parents send the message

that education was a priority in your home?

BATISTE: My parents, who never completed

high school, but did complete the highest

grades required of them at those times (third

grade for father and fifth grade for mother),

always placed priority on their children being

educated and allowed to enjoy the finer things

in life. This they did by ensuring that each

child attended school daily. Of the eight of us,

seven of us graduated from high school with

perfect attendance. My sister, who did not

have perfect attendance, suffered from a con-

genital birth disorder and was not expected to

live beyond the age of seven. Consequently,

she spent two years confined to a hospital dur-

ing her high school experience. Nonetheless,

she was the first of my siblings to attend col-

lege; although, she passed away while in her

second semester of her college experience. My

parents provided an opportunity for each of

their eight children to attend college and/or

business/trade schools. Today, besides my sis-

ter who passed away while in college, three of

us have matriculated and worked as teachers or

business leaders. One of us is a senior level

administrator in corporate America, another is

a “self-made” entrepreneur. Additionally, one

is a school secretary, and yet another is a busi-

ness manager. From this description, it is plain

to see that education was and is a priority in

our home.

MPM: What do you think is the single most

important indicator of overall student suc-

cess?

BATISTE: The single most important indicator

of overall student success as I see it, is a student

having a positive self-image of him or herself

that communicates that he or she is happy with

self and that other people believe in them and

what they can do. I know that this was the case

for me.

MPM: What message would you like to leave with

parents?

BATISTE: The message I would like to leave with

parents is that it is their duty and responsibility to

foster positive, self-esteem building experiences

with and for their children. Although they may

not always think that their young children are

watching them, they are, and their memories of

vivid experiences are incredible!

13www.modernparentsmagazine.com

DR. DONALDO BATISTESUPERINTENDENT- Waukegan Public Schools

MODERN EDUCATOR

Today’s middle school students are receiving more homework, which means they need more than ever to develop and hone their organiza-tion and time management skills. The best way to support homework efforts is to help children design a framework within which they cando their best work with an increasing degree of independence:

• Be prepared. Assume your children will have studying to do every night and work with them to create a comfortable, distraction-free homework zone.

• Understand teachers’ policies and expectations.Encourage your children to ask their teachers questions, reminding them that an in-person visit before or after school is often most effec-tive.

• Be available and teach by example. Check in with your children while they work, offering to be a sounding board or source of advice. Help them cope with feelings of failureor frustration.

• Identify other resources. Encourage your children to find homework buddies, and do not hesitate to line up extra support if needed. Get to know the guidance coun-selors and other school employees. Education support professionals generally know all of the students in the school, and their relationshipwith your children will continue as they move from one grade to the next. Consider taking advantage of the many technology-based toolsand educational software titles now available.

• Stay in touch with your children’s teachers. If teachers have access to e-mail, it can be an effective way to maintain regular contact in addition to telephone calls and in-person visits.Let teachers know of any home issues that may affect academic performance or needs.

• Inspire learning outside school. Nurture your children’s personal interests, perhaps finding activities that parallel what they’re studying in school, thus fostering their enthu-siasm for learning as a life-long endeavor. National Education Association and LeapFrog

14www.modernparentsmagazine.com

(Continued from page 10 )

Tips for School

A student with ADHD can presentunique challenges in the classroom.Inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivitycan be the source of frustration, butthere are ways teachers can help studentswith ADHD to improve the educationalexperience and control the symptoms ofthe disorder. It is important for teachers

to be aware of coexisting conditionssuch as learning disabilities, as well asreinforcing the importance of classroomand instructional structure.

The following are tips for teachers:

Work on the most difficult conceptsearly in the day;

Give directions to one assignment at atime instead of directions to multiple

tasks all at once;

Vary the pace and type of activity tomaximize the student's attention; and

Structure the student's environment toaccommodate his or her special needs.For example, the student can be seatedaway from potentially distracting areas(such as doors, windows, and comput-ers) or seated near another student whois working on a shared assignment.

How Does ADHD Affect School Performance?How Does ADHD Affect School Performance?

Source: U.S.Department of education

Guide toGuide toStudentStudentSuccessSuccess

II overheard my 12-year old son exclaim to afriend that he “just wished everyone inschool would disappear!” My initial response asthe parent of a mild-tempered pre-teen boywas a chuckle of general understanding.However, my post analysis was that of aresearcher of youth and discipline. My mindraced through the piles of claims made bymany parents of mild-tempered youth andchildren who, they too, could never haveimagined being disconnected from a schoolor familial institution, or worse, homicidal.

The wave of school violence in the U.S. hasdevastated the nation, causing extensive dia-logue between parents, schools and youth inthe 20th and 21st centuries. All parties havesought to define discipline collectively andestablish effective disciplinary methods.

A challenge in the quest to establish effectivedisciplinary methods is due to the wide-spread misconception of discipline for chil-dren and youth. Too much punitive disci-pline yields harsh responses to unpleasantbehavior. Discipline is most accuratelydefined as training expected to produce aspecific moral or mental character or patternof behavior. But, are schools and parents

progressing in discovering disciplinary meth-ods that will coincide with this definition ofdiscipline? As a result of years of dialogue,numerous policies (such as the Safe andDrug Free Schools Act and Zero Tolerance),along with the historically overused conse-quences of suspensions and expulsions,have remained preferred disciplinary meth-ods. Some parents have chosen to mimicthese methods of discipline in the home,presuming that schools have an authoritativecommand of effective discipline. Parentsmust become informed of the weaknessesand problems associated with “push away”forms of discipline.

The Problem Lies The Problem Lies

at the Endat the End

The principle problem with the concepts ofsuspension and expulsion (or “sent away”from a home environment) is that these aremeans of further disconnecting youth whohave already accepted a marginal status insociety. These specific children and youthhave become committed to rebelling againstand ridding themselves of the institutionsthat they feel have failed them. While striv-

ing to rid themselves of familial and schoolorganizations, they are not affected by being“pushed away” at this point. Rejection inter-ventions are employed reactively to poortraining as opposed to proactively trainingfor a specific undesirable behavior.

Hence, aligned with the definition of disci-pline, the preferred disciplinary methodsshould be those that ensure productivemoral and psychological training before thedisconnection between youth and family andschool institutions emerges. The concept oftraining before disconnection implies thatdisciplinary problems evolve in an escalatingprocess. Children do not abruptly choose tohate those who care for them. If disciplineenlists training throughout the process, con-structive discipline will occur.

In our next issue, Dr. Johnson will discussthe solution process.

15

Author: Dr. Melanie JohnsonDr. Melanie Johnson has been researching disciplinein schools for a decade. She is an administrator atGalveston College (Galveston, TX) where her primaryfocus is student connectedness and engagement.Another important research topic to Dr. Johnson isexperience-driven pedagogy. Dr. Johnson is a wife offifteen years, and the mother of two sons.

Discipl ine:Discipl ine:One Size Does One Size Does

Not F i t Al lNot Fi t Al l

www.modernparentsmagazine.com

16www.modernparentsmagazine.com

TThe United States Department ofEducation offers the following advice tohigh school parents.

Make sure your child understands the impor-tance of math in elementary school, andencourage your child to take more math, sci-ence and critical language courses in highschool.

In the increasingly competitive global econ-omy, it is crucial for American students to bewell-trained in math, science and critical for-eign languages.

U.S. students are currently performing belowtheir international peers in math and science.

The landmark education report, A Nation at

Risk, recommended that high school stu-dents take a minimum of three years ofmath and three years of science. Yet today,only 22 States and the District of Columbiarequire at least this amount.

Currently, only 44 percent of American highschool students are enrolled in a foreign lan-guage class. And less than 50 percent ofAmerican high school students study criticalforeign languages (such as Arabic, Chinese,Korean, and Russian).

Take Action:Take Action:

Encourage your elementary school child inhis or her math homework.

Remind him or her of the importance oflearning math for success in high school,college, and beyond.

Learn your state's math and science require-ments for high school graduation.

Encourage your child to take four years ofmath and four years of science in high

school, even if it is not required.

Find out what kind of critical languagecourses your child's school offers.

Encourage your child's school to offer themand encourage your child to take them.

Encourage your child to take moreAdvanced Placement (AP) courses in highschool. Advanced Placement courses areclasses that high school students take to pre-pare them for college, or post-secondaryeducation. Students receive actual collegecredit while still in high school. This oppor-

tunity can also help parents financially. TheAP courses that students take in high schoolreduces the number of credit hours they arerequired to take during the freshman year.As a result, students can likely take classesahead of schedule. This could result in anearlier graduation date, thus saving parentscollege costs.

How does the curriculum of an AP coursediffer from the "normal" high schoolcourse? AP courses provide the equivalentof first-year college introductory courses.Students are given the responsibility to rea-son, analyze, and understand for themselves.

AP courses include content as described inThe College Board overview and course syllabi.

The U.S. Department of Education hasfound that completing a solid academic corein high school, including the opportunityfor AP coursework, was more strongly cor-related with a student's attainment of abachelor's degree than high school testscores, grade point average, or class rank.Current research also indicates a direct posi-tive correlation between AP classes taken inhigh school and the likelihood of earning acollege degree.

Nearly 75 percent of high school graduatesenter college, but only 12 percent of thesestudents have completed a significant col-lege-prep curriculum. Research shows thatstudents who take rigorous courses in highschool stand a far greater chance of succeed-ing in college.

AP students are much more likely than theirpeers to graduate from college in four yearsor less. The four-year college graduation ratefor students who take two or more APcourses is 32 percentage points higher thanfor those who do not take any AP courses.And the rate for students who take just oneAP course is 16 percentage points higherthan for those who don't take any.

Take Action: Take Action:

Find out what Advanced Placement coursesyour child's high school offers. Make surethey meet the true definition of AdvancedPlacement and are not simply "honors"courses. Encourage your child to takeAdvanced Placement courses. If your child’sschool does not offer any, encourage it to doso.

If you need assistance with encouraging your child’s schoolto implement Advanced Placement courses, you may con-tact us at pps@modernparentsmagazine.com.

PREPARINGPREPARINGYOUR CHILD YOUR CHILD

FOR FOR COLLEGECOLLEGE

“We live in a world where technological innovation and

global competition are increasing at a pace never before seen.

Now is the time to vest in our children to make sure

they are prepared to succeed in the 21st century.”

—U.S. Secretary of education, Margaret Spellings

SENATORSENATOR BARACK BARACK OBAMAOBAMA

IS THIS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?IS THIS THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?

Ohortly before the two-year anniver-sary of the nation’s greatest nat-ural disaster, a few residents of a

recovering section of New Orleansthought they were viewing an appari-tion. As they looked through the win-dows of their FEMA trailers, the visionthey witnessed was far from a mirage.It was, in fact, presidential candidate,Sen. Barack Obama. After an earlymorning visit to a historic church, Sen.Obama began a trek through one of thehardest hit areas of the Gulf South. Hewalked through several blocks viewingand making mental notes of the ever-present devastation. The Senatorended his trek by actually visiting thehome of a resident.

MODERN PARENTS Magazine wasgranted the distinct honor of speakingwith the presidential candidate duringthis pilgrimage. When asked to sharehis views on education and parentingwith our readers, Sen. Obama respond-ed graciously.

MOdERN PARENTS Magazine:Sen. Obama, please share your K-12education platform and views on theimportance of parenting with our read-ers.

SEN. OBAMA: I propose that westart off with early childhood educa-tion. And that has to start beforeKindergarten. Actually, what we should bedoing is reaching out to at-risk parents,teen parents and poor parents, by work-ing with them the day that child isborn. Before they leave the hospital,someone should be there trackingthem and working with them to

make sure they’re being read to, mak-ing sure that they will understand theirnumbers, their letters. We must alsomake sure that well-trained daycareworkers are available. There’s a hugeshortage that I know is a problem forparents all throughout New Orleans.That’s something that we have to donationally. If children are prepared theday they start school--they are thenlikely to succeed. If they’re not, thenthey’re swimming upstream and by thethird grade, they start realizing, youknow what, school is not for me, andthen they reject it and they drop out.They just shut out.

Second thing, the highest priority:teachers. We’ve got to pay our teachersmore money. We’ve got to give themmore professional development train-ing and mentorship, particularly youngteachers. We’re going to have to attracta million new teachers in the nextdecade as the baby boom generationretires. The only way we’re going toattract them is if we make the workattractive. There are a lot of idealisticpeople that want to teach, but if youjust drop them in the middle of aninner city school, without any support,after about three years, they’re justworn out because they don’t feel likethey’re making any progress. They feellike they don’t have anyone to supportthem, so we’ve got to match them withmentor teachers. We’ve got to have acritical mass of teachers who are sup-porting new teachers inside the class-room.

In New Orleans, in particular, becauseof the fact that we’ve got one schoolright here that just closed down, as I

understand. Two of them are closed,one of them is going to re-open, but it’snot necessarily just going to have chil-dren from this community. They’regoing to be bused in from everywhere.New Orleans has a particular problemand that is, we’ve got to have some sortof construction program to make surethat schools are rebuilt. And we’ve gotto attract teachers to get back herewhich means we’ve got to give themextra bonuses, and that’s part of myplan to provide “Loan ForgivenessPrograms” for teachers to encouragethem to come back to New Orleans.And that’s going to be critically impor-tant.

But, the last point that you raised isparenting. You know, ultimately, par-ents have to parent. And I don’t carewhether they’re poor kids or middle -class kids or well-to-do kids, I think itis fair to say that our children are nothearing the need to buckle down andwork as much as they did in the past onaverage. Our respect for education inour communities does not seem ashigh as it once was. Now, part of it is,you know, that if you’ve got parentswho themselves dropped out of school,they may want to emphasize education,but may not be equipped to do so andthat’s why after-school programs areso important. I was with AlonzoMourning yesterday in Miami; he’s got aprogram in Overtown, a poor district inMiami Dade, that has after-school pro-grams and summer-school programs,all those things can be helpful, butwe’ve got to reach out to parents andmake sure that they are emphasizingthe importance of education becauseschools, by themselves, can’t do it.

18

SS

www.modernparentsmagazine.com

19www.modernparentsmagazine.com

How­Learning­Styles­Change­Over­Time

Overview­of­Learning­StylesMany­people­recognize­that­each­person­prefers­different­learning­styles­and­techniques.­Learning­styles­group­common­waysthat­people­learn.­Everyone­has­a­mix­of­learning­styles.­Some­people­may­find­that­they­have­a­dominant­style­of­learning­withfar­less­use­of­the­other­styles.­Others­may­find­that­they­use­different­styles­in­different­circumstances.­There­is­no­right­mix.Nor­are­your­styles­fixed.­you­can­develop­ability­in­less­dominant­styles­and­further­develop­styles­that­you­already­use­well.

Many­schools­still­rely­exclusively­on­classroom­and­text-based­teaching,­much­repetition,­and­pencil-paper­tests.­An­unfor-tunate­result­is­that­we­often­label­those­who­use­particular­learning­styles­and­techniques­as­“bright.”­Those­who­use­lessfavored­learning­styles­often­find­themselves­in­lower­classes­with­various­not-so-complimentary­labels­and­sometimes­lowerquality­teaching.­This­can­create­positive­and­negative­spirals­that­reinforce­the­belief­that­one­is­“smart”­or­“below­level.”

By­recognizing­and­understanding­our­learning­styles,­we­can­use­the­most­appropriate­and­effective­learning­strategies.­Thisimproves­the­speed­and­quality­of­our­learning.

LEARNINGSTYLES:

Do You Know HowYour Child Learns?

Is­your­Child­A­Wiggly­Worm?­­Would­He­or­She­Prefer­

Ring-Around-The-Rosie­to­Reading­a­Book?

you­May­Have­a­Kinesthetic­Learner.

WWe began our three-part series on learn-ing styles with the visual learner. In ourprevious issue, we discussed the charac-teristics of the visual learner. Werevealed the fact that the visual learner isgreatly dependent upon the sense ofsight. Our current installment in thisseries focuses on the kinesthetic learner.

The kinesthetic Learner

If your child learns best by doing, he mayseem to have some part of his body movingconstantly. He may be a wiggler, a toucher,and want to be close to another personwhether that person wants it or not. He maydrum his fingers, rock, switch positions in achair often, and have a high propensitytoward being inattentive. So, since you knowhe needs to touch, wiggle and be active, les-sons he receives should provide that. He getsweary of being told to sit or stand still.Allow him to take an active part in tasks andlessons. If the teacher is giving a lesson onpaper, she may want to give him a pencil orcrayon to use. If the teacher is using a les-son printed on a transparency, he or she may

fair better by giving this child a temporarymarker to use--that's usually a different toolfor him and makes him feel very special. Heshould be given specific directions, such asunderlining vowels as you say the words, orputting whiskers onto a cat. If he needs tolisten, give him something to hold and/orfeel while he listens. You may want to give agirl a bracelet to wear so she can touchand/or stroke it when she feels a little wig-gly. It's OK to tell the child how he bestlearns, so he can understand that his wiggli-ness may prevent him from paying goodattention to his lessons. Let him know you'lltry to teach him in the way he learns some-times, but that you'll also have him practicelistening without wiggling or touching,because it's a good social skill to learn. Thischild's learning style may actually be his dis-traction.

Research shows:

Most children are kinesthetic and becomemore tactual in or about the first grade.

Auditory skills develop near the secondgrade.

Visual skills develop near the third grade.

Thirty years ago, students were movedtoward being peer motivated by the seventhgrade. Studies show that students todaymove toward being peer motivated by thirdor fourth grade. By ninth or tenth grade, stu-dents move toward being self-motivated.

Seventy percent of children in grades five totwelve have trouble with conventional class-room design.

Younger children (K-6) need more structurethan older students.

Underachievers tend to remain peer motivat-ed even into their late teens.

Time of day preference changes over time:28 percent of K-2nd grade students aremorning learners in comparison to 30 per-cent of middle grade students, 40 percent ofhigh school students, and 55 percent ofadults.

As parents it is very important to identifyyour child’s learning style. Many students aremisdiagnosed with learning disabilities, suchas ADHD, when in fact the child’s learningstyle is not being addressed. Identifyingyour child’s learning style allows you toeffectively advocate for your child. Onceidentified, share this information with teach-ers. Better yet, ask your child’s teacher forhelp identifying your child’s learning style.

Look for signs of an Auditory (hearing/sound oriented)

learner in our next issue.

Best Practices in rEADINg call foran increase in the following:

Children’s choice of their own reading materials

Exposing children to a wide and rich range of literature

Teacher modeling and discussing his/her own readingprocesses

Social, collaborative activities with much discussion andinteraction

grouping by interests or book choices

Silent reading followed by discussion

Teaching skills in the context of whole and meaningful lit-erature

Writing before and after reading

Encouraging invented spelling in children’s early writings

use of reading in content fields (e.g., historical novels insocial studies)

Evaluation that focuses on holistic, higher-order thinkingprocesses

Measuring success of reading program by students’ read-ing habits, attitudes and comprehension

Best Practices in rEADINg call for adecrease in the following:Teacher selection of all reading materials for individualsand groups

Teacher keeping his/her own reading tastes and habitsprivate

Teaching reading as a single, one-step act

Solitary seatwork

grouping by reading level

Punishing preconventional spelling in student’s early writ-

ings

Segregation of reading to reading time

Evaluation focus on individual, low-level subskills

Measuring the success of the reading program only by testscores

Best Practices in MATH call for anincrease in the following:

use of manipulative materials

Cooperative group work

Discussion of mathematics

Questioning and making conjectures

Justification of thinking

Writing about mathematics

Problem-solving approach to instruction

Content integration

use of calculators and computers

Being a facilitator of learning

Assessing learning as an integral part of instruction

Word problems with a variety of structures and solutionpaths

Everyday problems and applications

Problem-solving strategies

open-ended problems and extended problem-solvingprojects

Investigating and formulating questions from problem sit-uations

Discussing mathematics

reading mathematics

Writing mathematics

Listening to mathematical ideas

Drawing logical conclusions

Justifying answers and solution processes

reasoning inductively and deductively

Best Practices in MATH call for adecrease in the following:

rote memorization of rules and formulas

Single answers and single methods to find answers

use of drill worksheets

repetitive written practice

Teaching by telling

Teaching computation out of context

Stressing memorization

Testing for grades only

Being the dispenser of knowledge

use of cue words to determine operation to be used

Practicing routine, one-step problems

Answering questions that need only yes or no responses

Answering questions that need only numerical responses

relying on authorities (teacher, answer key)

20www.modernparentsmagazine.com

The use of Best Practices is standard in most professions. BestPractices reflect the most current and effective strategies in a givenfield. As educators, we often receive district and/or state recom-mendations as it relates to curriculum. often educators have littlewiggle room as it relates to implementing district or school-widecurricula. However, we have provided a schmorgasboard of BestPractices for your review. Compare your present teaching practicesto those listed. Pick and choose those you like. This is the perfectopportunity to shop till you drop. Browse, browse, browse. Selectthose that are a perfect fit. Discard those that are out of fashion.Enjoy this opportunity for guilt-free shopping. Everyone wins!

Arthur Hyde, Harvey Daniels, and Steven Zemelman. Best Practice: NewStandards for Teaching and Learning in America’s Schools. Heinemann:Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Do I Utilize B E S TB E S T

P R A C T I C E SP R A C T I C E Sin My

Classroom?

21

A BookA Day

www.modernparentsmagazine.com

BHealthy routines for

Preschool Children (Part 1 of 4)

HHow are books like food?

Both books and food nourish development, andboth require active grown-up involvement to pro-mote healthy habits.

Initially, children enjoy both just for the sake ofusing their hands, putting things in their mouth,and the close attention they get from loved ones.Some may go through stretches of being picky orliking the same thing over and over. Increasinglywith age, they will want to do more of both ontheir own and proudly share with others just howmuch they can do. With reading or feeding, chil-dren associate the things caretakers do as part oftheir (healthy and not-so-healthy) routines. Yourchoices -- acting as a role model, turning on or offthe television, sharing a special time every daywhen everyone enjoys books or food together,providing variety and special treats, and creatingor keeping family traditions, all have an impact.

Research supports the fact that regularly readingaloud with children helps kids of all ages learn toread better. When does this start? It is never tooearly, but the basic skills that lead to successfulreaders in school certainly start well beforekindergarten.

“Reading” will change as your child grows– chew-ing books, turning pages, pointing out pictures,naming things they recognize, pretending to read,

mastering the complex process of learning toread words and sentences and eventually whole stories.

Interesting stories, more than mastering themechanics early on, will encourage children to belifelong readers. So do your part to make sure thebooks are enjoyable for your individual child.This can be finding a book with silly rhymes, fan-tastic illustrations, a special subject, pictures andpages made by your child, or a special trip to thelibrary or bookstore (or your pediatrician.) Try tocombine books your child selects with ones youthink your child may love.

Most importantly, remember that your dailyinvolvement will determine whether reading isfun – the snuggling next to you, the voices yougive to the characters, the little games you play bychanging words and stories, your undivided atten-tion, and your overall attitude toward reading.

Three Simple Strategies to Start Raising a Reader

1. Make time everyday to read to your child;remove distractions and focus on your child.

2. Go beyond the words on the page; have fun,be creative, develop the art of storytelling.

3. Set an example; start with turning off the TVand picking up something enjoyable to read.

Preparing for the readingProcess in Preschool Children

(Part 2 of 4)

Want to Read More About Raising Readers?

The next section goes into further detail about recommended preschool activities in four “build-ing blocks” of reading: language and vocabulary,phonological awareness, book and print aware-ness, and letter knowledge.

Succeeding at reading – Early School-Age Children

(Part 3 of 4)

Reading is one of the most amazing skillsachieved by children in the first few years ofschool. While most children learn to read regard-less of the teaching method, one out of every fivechildren may need special help. Research sup-ports a variety of methods, especially if matchedto a child’s learning style, helps almost all childrenlearn to read. This also prevents problems in 90-95 percent of children who are at risk for readingdifficulties, if started before third grade. Completeprograms to teach reading combine methods infive key areas:

P h o n e m i c A w a r e n e s s is the ability

to hear, identify and manipulate the individual

sounds in spoken words. This is different from

phonics, but often taught in combination effec-

tively.

Fun ways to “tune” a child’s ear to the sounds in

words include:

Wordplay in songs and poems - pointing out howsome words sound similar at the beginning orend, to asking for words (including nonsenseones) that rhyme with a given word.

Activities that break up words into separate

22

sounds, for example, “How many sounds are inthe word ‘sun’? Let’s say each sound and clap….”Or blend sounds together to form words, forexample, “What word is /b/ /i/ /g/?” (saying

just the sound of each letter.)

P h o n i c s is the relationship between written

letters and the sound parts (or phonemes) of spo-ken language. Children who are reading-chal-lenged benefit when connections between lettercombinations and sounds are clearly taught, espe-cially along with phonemic awareness. Commerciallyavailable tools help with phonics instruction,however commonplace things also work withsome imagination – wooden blocks with letters,cutouts from magazines, paper or play-dough orother arts and crafts materials, or a good alpha-bet book with pictures triggering familiar wordsusing the letters.

f l u e n c y is the ability to read text accurate-

ly and quickly. Repeatedly reading out loud guid-ed by teachers, peers or parents is the most effec-tive way for children to master this area. The textshould be appropriate to the reading level of thechild, with one in 20 challenging words being a good level of difficulty.

Vo c a b u l a r y can be developed directly

and indirectly. Children learn indirectly fromconversing (and overhearing) daily, listening toadults read to them, and reading on their own.Children can also learn from direct teaching of

new words, especially when the word is usedrepeatedly in many different contexts.

C o m p r e h e n s i o n is the ultimate goal of

reading – gaining knowledge and understanding,discovering new ideas, enjoying stories, exploringnew worlds. There are many different ways toachieve this, which include asking and answeringquestions. Also, active reading with a purposehelps, so follow your child’s interests.

Additional Strategies for Raising Readers

1. Have fun with phonemic awareness and phon-ics – Learning early builds self-confidence.

2. Listen patiently, guide positively as your childreads – Practice counts more in your presence.

3. Engage in regular conversations – Build yourchild’s vocabulary, comprehension and self-esteem.

A Lifelong Love of reading Starts in Childhood

(Part 4 of 4)

How can I keep my child interested in reading?

The strategies that worked for your toddler willcontinue to be important as your child moves for-ward to reading independently. The increasing

challenge will be the many alternatives to readingthat will compete for your child’s attention andtime. However, by establishing caring and consis-tent routines that include books and a love forlearning, you can actively keep involved.

Encourage your child to learn more about thethings for which he/she seems interested or curi-ous. Remain flexible, because children do learn inmany ways beyond books and reading, and ulti-mately will absorb the most when they learn inmany different ways and experiences.

Points to Remember:

1. Establish a family reading time – Set simpleroutines and rules as during a family meal.

2. Promote variety – Let your child choose somereading material while suggesting others.

3. Lead by example – Make sure the grown-upsare doing what you are teaching.

4. Balance your child’s need to read independent-ly with your ongoing involvement.

Most importantly, you can lead by example, sinceyou are ultimately your child’s most influentialteacher, through the things you do regularly – tak-ing time yourself to read, discussing somethinginteresting you just read, sharing stories, going tothe library, picking up the newspaper, watchingless television. Please begin with the familyenjoying A Book A Day!

www.modernparentsmagazine.com

23www.modernparentsmagazine.comSource:IRS

OffsetEducation

Costs

EIrS Tax Tip 2007-48IrS Tax Tip 2007-48

Education tax credits can help offset thecosts of higher education for yourself or adependent. The Hope Credit and theLifetime Learning Credit are two educationcredits available which may benefit you.Because they are credits, rather than deduc-tions, you may be able to subtract them infull dollar for dollar from your federalincome tax.

The Hope CreditThe Hope Credit

Applies for the first two years of post-sec-ondary education, such as college or voca-tional school. It does not apply to the third,fourth, or higher years of undergraduateprograms, to graduate programs, or to pro-fessional-level programs.

It can be worth up to $1,650 per eligible stu-dent, per year.

You're allowed 100 percent of the first$1,100 of qualified tuition and related feespaid during the tax year, plus 50 percent ofthe next $1,100.

Each student must be enrolled at least half-time for at least one academic period whichbegan during the year.

The student must be free of any federal or

state felony conviction for possessing or dis-tributing a controlled substance as of theend of the tax year.

The Lifetime Learning CreditThe Lifetime Learning Credit

Applies to undergraduate, graduate and pro-fessional degree courses, including instruc-tion to acquire or improve job skills, regard-less of the number of years in the program.

If you qualify, your credit equals 20 percentof the first $10,000 of post-secondarytuition and fees you pay during the year, fora maximum credit of $2,000 per tax return.

You cannot claim both the Hope andLifetime Learning Credits for the same stu-dent in the same year. To qualify for eithercredit, you must pay post-secondary tuitionand fees for yourself, your spouse or yourdependent. The credit may be claimed by theparent or the student, but not by both.Students who are claimed as a dependentcannot claim the credit.

These credits are phased out for ModifiedAdjusted Gross Income over $45,000($90,000 for married filing jointly) and elim-inated completely for Modified AdjustedGross Income of $55,000 or more($110,000 for married filing jointly). If thetaxpayer is married, the credit may beclaimed only on a joint return.

For more information, see Publication 970, Tax Benefits forEducation, which can be obtained online at www.irs.gov or bycalling the IRS at 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Need Money for College?Need Money for College?

Doesn't everybody? Unfortunately, in theirefforts to pay the bills, many students andtheir families are falling prey to scholarshipscams.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cau-tions parents and students to look for tell-tale lines:

"The scholarship is guaranteed or yourmoney back." "You can't get this information anywhereelse." "I just need your credit card or bank accountnumber to hold this scholarship." "We'll do all the work." "The scholarship will cost some money." "You've been selected by a 'national founda-tion' to receive a scholarship" or "You're a finalist" in a contest you neverentered.

If you have any questions, or require addi-tional information on student financial assis-tance, you may contact your high schoolguidance counselor, the financial aid officerat the postsecondary institution you plan toattend, or the Federal Student Aid InformationCenter. 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

24www.modernparentsmagazine.com

“We will rebuild the Gulf Coast and make it better than ever.”

“Aside from rebuilding the public infrastructure of New Orleans, we must also ensure that

every displaced resident has a home to return to.”

“The words ‘never again’ cannot be another empty phrase. It cannot become another broken

promise. When I’m President, the United States government will help this city build a

system of levees that can withstand a hundred year storm.”

“If another disaster strikes here or anywhere in this country the American people can be

assured that their government will be ready, because under an Obama Administration, the

FEMA Director will report directly to me and have the highest qualifications in Emergency

Management, like the Director of the FBI. I will insulate the position from politics by

making it a fixed six-year term. This person will work with the emergency management

officials in all 50 states to create a national response plan as soon as possible after I take

office.

We will protect homeowners before a hurricane hits by creating a national catastrophic

insurance reserve that will save homeowners as much as $11.6 billion on annual insurance

premiums.

Just hearing from the homeowners here, what I’ve come to understand is that insurance is

just becoming prohibitive and some people are having to sell their home just because they

can’t afford the insurance and that doesn’t make sense. There is no reason why we can’t

fix that.”

“Homeowners insurance has skyrocketed, so there are just enormous pressures on families that want to do the right thing and are trying to come back.”

“I have not seen enough progress from FEMA.”

“We also need to rebuild the local economy here. In an Obama administration, if there is areconstruction or rebuilding job that can be done by residents of New Orleans, the govern-ment contract will go to a resident of New Orleans. No more cronyism, no more ‘no bid’

contracts. We will provide generous tax incentives to businesses that choose to set up shopin the hardest hit areas of the Gulf Coast.”

BARACK

OBAMAo no n

N E W N E W

O R L E AN SO R L E A N S

MMost parents are masters of multi-tasking.However, can you imagine g rocery shop-ping, visiting the library and going to sto-rytime, all before reporting to work? OurModern Parent can. Nancy Parker is notonly the mother of three (including a setof twins), but a news anchor. Before head-ing to work, this Emmy Award-winningnews anchor condenses the typical workload of a stay-at-home mom into a fewhours; and does so incredibly well.

During our visit to Nancy’s beautifulhome, she introduced her lovely children,Parker -7, Piper -2 and Pierce -2. By age 3,Parker knew and could recognize all of thenation’s presidents and their first ladies;

and rattled them off matter of factly dur-ing our visit. As a result of exposing himto Impressionist Art at an early age, he wasalso able to identify the art form as a tod-dler. Before age two, the twins displayedan unyielding love for reading and music.As the child of two educators, Nancyadmits that reading was not optional in herhousehold. While she does not imposemandatory reading, she admits that read-ing is a natural part of her repertoire.

A typical day for our Modern Parent maybegin as early as 5 a.m. At this time Nancyand her husband, Glenn Boyd, a newsanchor on a neighboring network, areoften awakened by the twins. The dynam-

ic duo often keeps Nancy occupied untilroughly 7 a.m., at which time she startsgetting her oldest child ready for school.Once the day begins, it is a non-stop ratrace. While she gets her oldest sondressed and prepared for school, her hus-band may make breakfast and preparelunch for school, or vice-versa. In that her12-hour work day ends after the kids arefast asleep, she must use the preciousmorning hours to review the homeworkthat daddy oversees the previous day.After big brother is off to school anddaddy is off to work, mom continues theday by arranging quality time with thetwins and taking care of householdchores. In addition to household chores,Nancy’s daily routine must include story-time; preferably at a bookstore, the publiclibrary, or at home. This routine is such astaple that the twins’ little bodies gaugethe 10 o’clock hour. If they are home andmom is engaged in household chores, thetwins start to sing their “storytime song”and bring books to mommy. The mostrecent addition to their schedule is musicclasses for the twin toddlers. In an effortto nurture their artistic interests and devel-op social skills, Nancy added music les-sons to their line up. Adding music class-es to an action-packed schedule just beforeembarking on a 12-hour work day mayseem daunting, but according to Nancy itcomes with the territory. She also speaksof what she calls “creative maneuvering.”Since many of her oldest son’s athleticgames and school functions fall during herwork hours, she makes arrangements toleave the news station for an hour or so inorder to attend.

When asked how she manages to juggle itall and what advice she has for parents,Nancy replied, “I’m just doing the best Ican. Sometimes you get lost in all you haveto do. Sometimes I have to stop and sayno matter how much I do there’s alwaysgoing to be more to do. So instead of try-ing to do another little load of laundry,another little pick up or trying to do it all;sit with your kids, talk with them, play withthem. You only have one shot at it!”

25www.modernparentsmagazine.com

NANCY PARKERMODERN PARENT

26

NO DEJARNO DEJARNIÑO SINNIÑO SIN

EDUCACIÒNEDUCACIÒN

ELos padres deben de saber lavariedad de factores y tèrmi-nos acerca de "No dejar niñosin educaciòn", en Ingles"No Child Left Behind"(NCLB)

En orden de ayudar con eficacia a su niño,ejercer sus derechos, responsabilidades yasegurar una educaciòn de calidad para suniño, los padres deberian de familiarizarsecon los factores y tèrminos bàsicos rela-cionados al mandato federal (NCLB). Losiguiente, son tèrminos, factores y sugeren-cias que ustedes pueden encontrar de ayudaen sus derechos como padres.

1. Evaluaciones Estatales - Esto se refiere alas pruebas que su estado desarrolla anual-mente para darselas a su niño y èstas se dandesde el tercero grado hasta el octavo gradoy por lo menos una vez en la escuela secun-daria. Usando estas pruebas, el estado podràcomparar una escuela con otra y saber cuàles la que necesita ayuda extra para mejorar.Para averiguar màs detalles sobre las pruebasde su estado, pueden ponerse en contactocon la escuela o el distrito escolar de su niño.

2. Progreso Anual Adecuado (AYP) - Estees el termino que NCLB usa para explicarque la escuela de su niño ha alcanzado lasmetas en lectura y matemàticas. En elreporte de calificaciones del distrito escolar

les daràn a saber sì la escuela de su niño hatenido el progreso anual adecuado (AYP).

3. Escuela en Necesidad de mejoramiento -Este es tèrmino que NCLB usa para referirsea las escuelas que reciben fondos del "TitleI", que por lo menos en los ùltimos 2 años,todavia no han alcanzado las metas estatalesen lectura y metemàticas de AYP. Si laescuela de su niño es nombrada con el tèrmi-no de "una escuela en necesidad de mejora",èsta recibe ayuda extra para mejorar y suniño tiene la opciòn de transladarse omoverse a otra escuela pùblica incluyendouna escuela de organizacion pùblica (estatal).Ademàs su niño puede ser elegible pararecibir clases de tutoria gratis y ayuda extraen el trabajo escolar. Ponganse en contactocon el distrito escolar de su niño paraaveriguar si el o ella califica.

4. Servicios de Educaciòn Suplementales(SES) - Este es el tèrmino que usa NCLB,para referirse a la tutoria y ayuda extra con eltrabajo escolar en materias còmo la lectura ymatemàticas, los niños con familias de ingre-sos bajos, pueden ser elegibles para recibirestos servicios. Esta ayuda se da sin costoalguno y generalmente toma parte fuera deldia escolar regular, còmo despuès de laescuela o durante el verano.

5. Maestros altamente calificados (HQT) -Este tèrmino lo usa NCLB, para los maes-tros, quienes prueban que saben las materiasque estan enseñando, graduados del colegio

y con cerficado estatal. NCLB, requiere quemaestros altamente calificados les enseñenlas materias principales a su niño. NCLBrequiere a los estados y distritos escolaresque les den a los padres, reportes detalladosy facil de entender de las calificaciones de lasescuelas y los distritos, diciendo cuàles y porquè estan teniendo èxito.

Aproveche las nuevas oportunidades queNCLB le puede facilitar para su niño. NCLBles da a los estudiantes de las escuelas "ennecesidad de mejoramiento", la oportunidadde transferirse o moverse a otra escuelapùblica o escuela pùblica estatal en el distri-to. Sì por lo menos en 2 años, una escuelaestà en necesidad de mejoramiento, entonceslos estudiantes con ingresos bajos se vuelvenelegibles para recibir Servicios de EducacionSuplementales (SES), como serìa la tutoriagratuita.

TOMEN MEDIDAS:

Asegurense de recibir un reporte de las cali-ficaciones de la escuela de su niño y que èstase pueda entender facilmente. Si ustedes noreciben los reportes de calificaciones o si sondificiles de entender, contacten el distritoescolar de su niño. Aprovechen estas opor-tunidades para asegurarse de, no dejar a suniño sin educaciòn.

Traductora de Espanol - Victoria BastaniVictoria Bastani began her career with the Waukegan SchoolDistrict in 1977 where she has worked for 25 years. Bastani iscurrently a language liaison.

3

5

4

2

1

27

Author: Talisa BeasleyTalisa Beasley is a Speaker, Entrepreneur, and Family Empowerment Coach. She is atrailblazer in bringing innovative strategies to the forefront for today’s parents. Herpoignant message that “Nothing is out of reach” is shared in seminars and workshops tolight a spark of hope and inspiration in the hearts of the people with whom she meets.She works intimately with parents in the field of family management. Beasley empowersparents with information to prepare children to reach their highest aspirations. She is anadvocate for single parents and dual-parent families alike that yearn to know more abouthow to guide their children through the difficulties of today’s society. Beasley resides andpractices primarily in Atlanta, GA.

FIVE EASYFIVE EASYSTEPS STEPS

TO STUDENT TO STUDENT SUCCESSSUCCESS

The beginning of the school year is the best timeto determine how to get better grades. It is thebest time because every student begins the schoolyear with an “A”. Keep in mind, each gradeissued after that first day has a direct correlationto all final grades.

Here are five ways to help your children achievethe best grades throughout the school year:

Plan for Success

No real success happens without proper plan-ning. Proper planning helps to deposit a goal inyour mind and demands actions be put in place toachieve it. Help your children to develop a senseof success in their minds. With success in mind,your children will approach assignments in a dif-ferent light.

keep it organized

Organization is the mother of success. Help yourchildren save valuable time by helping them to getorganized. Many students waste valuable timesearching for homework, pencils, and calculatorswhen they could be completing assignments.Many moms spend countless time helping theirchildren locate an assignment that was lost some-where in their room. Being prepared allows moretime for extra-curricular activities, spending timewith family and friends, and other childhood pri-orities. Learning organizational skills as early aspossible will greatly assist your child academicallyand socially. If your child is organized, success isinevitable.

Evaluate, Evaluate, and re-evaluate

Every child is different. Generally, children donot handle situations in the same manner.Therefore, you must evaluate how your childrenare doing throughout the school year. Help yourchildren remain on task, but try to remain flexi-ble. A parent’s involvement is necessary andessential to noticing issues before they developinto larger problems. A main goal should be toidentify problems before the teacher does. Theearlier the detection, the easier it is to manage thesituation. By evaluating problems ahead of time,students will avoid continuing bad habits thatproduce negative results.

reward responsibility

Every student likes to be rewarded for a job welldone. Did you know that rewards are necessary tohelp you achieve greater goals? Children need tobe encouraged to not settle for average grades,but to go for the better grades. Rewards make a“good job” seem like “Great Work.” They evokea feeling of satisfaction and give a push toencourage kids to perform even better in futureendeavors. Rewards are not an extra activity, theyare a necessity.

Praise on Purpose

It is a known fact that children love to receivepraise. From birth, children love to hear praise.They love to hear their parents say, “Good Job.”Praise also helps children to develop the levels ofself-esteem necessary to help them through chal-lenging times.

HErE IS A guIDE for HELPINgHErE IS A guIDE for HELPINg

Your CHILD To HAVE SuCCESS Your CHILD To HAVE SuCCESS

AT EACH LEVELAT EACH LEVEL

Elementary School

Giving your child a great start in school is the keyto success. Here are some ideas that will give yourchild a good start:• D e v e l o p i n g a r o u t i n e : Every child will needto develop a set routine for school and home.He/she must learn to remember and implementthese routines. Help your child by developingroutines at home for both home and school. • Fo l l o w i n g R u l e s : One of the hardest thingsfor students to learn is that there are rules at everylevel. Some children struggle in this area, whileothers do well. Therefore, help your child under-stand the importance of rules and how they caneffect our lives. To avoid negative feelings, alwaysfollow up with a discussion of your child’s feel-ings. By doing this, you will help him/her toprocess new requirements and avoid negativereactions.

Middle School

Moving into middle school is a big deal for achild. They must adjust to a new system and olderstudents. Here are some tips for mastering suc-cess at this level:

• H e a v i e r w o r k l o a d : Middle school requiresstudents to handle larger workloads. Help yourstudent by working on remaining organized. Thiswill help them adjust easier and quicker to a newsystem and more work. Designate an area forthem to do homework and help them keep thearea free from clutter. Keep loose papers in fold-ers. At the end of each day, teach them to gothrough folders and put things away that are nolonger being used.• N e w t e a c h e r s : Elementary students movingto middle school have the toughest time adjustingto changing teachers. This change is difficult asevery teacher has a different way of doing things.Teach your child to talk to their teachers anddevelop what works best in each class.

High School

It does not matter if your child is a freshman or asenior; high school is all about using learned skillsto achieve good grades. Here are a few:• T i m e M a n a g e m e n t : Teenagers always feelthey have all the time in the world. Unfortunately,when out of time, they soon discover that there isoften not enough time in a day. Help your teenplan effectively by getting him or her a daily plan-ner. Teach your teen to keep the planner withbooks to avoid forgetting important deadlines.For high tech teenagers, encourage them to usecell phone features to maintain schedules andrequirements.• Good Study Habi t s : Good study habits canmake or break a student. Practicing strong studyhabits will yield success in high school, and evenin college. Help your teen to find quiet time everyday to study for classes. Teach teens to studymaterial even when a test is not scheduled. Thiswill teach them to be prepared for such things aspop quizzes or impromptu question-and-answerassignments.

The final skill to teach your child is developing a

commitment to achieving goals. Ultimately, the

child will decide what he or she will do. Teach

him/her to stay focused. Remind your child that

commitment leads to a big pay off in the end.

28

AMBER stick™ is a new concept in the fightagainst missing children, adults, and/or pets.With the AMBER stick™ in your possession,you can feel confident in knowing that if theunthinkable happens, you have the vital infor-mation you will need to provide law enforce-ment officers instantaneously. The data con-tained in the AMBER stick™ will equip theauthorities with the information necessary toissue a local and national AMBER ALERT!You can also use the stick for elderly parents,patients, or children under your care. Havepets? This system can hold information forapproximately 100 individuals, including pets.

The AMBER stick:Holds vital information and photos on lovedones (children, elderly parents, patients, pets). Fits on your key chain, wallet or purse. Has powerful built-in software that does notrequire installation and works on nearly anycomputer or police cruiser computer. Goes where you go and works where you are. Quickly prints out “Missing” posters.Electronically transmits information to theproper authorities.

How does the AMBER stick™ work? The AMBER stick™ is very simple to use: TheAMBER stick™ is a self-contained device thatworks independently without the need to installany software onto your computer. This innova-tive software design allows the AMBER stick™to be the ONLY product of its kind that is100% portable.

Will the AMBER stick™ work on my comput-er?The AMBER stick™ is the ONLY fullyportable Child Identification product. AMBERstick™ is compatible with Windows 98se andhigher.

AMBER stick™ System Requirements: A computer with Windows 98se or higher(Windows 2000/XP recommended); 64MB ofram (128MB recommended); an available USBport (USB 1.1 is ok, USB 2.0 recommended forspeed); a printer (needed to print "MISSING"flyer); Photos of your loved ones in a digitalform (.jpg image format).

Does the AMBER stick™ require installationonto my computer?AMBER stick™ proprietary software is com-

pletely different. Most software must beinstalled on a host computer in order to workproperly, AMBER stick™ works differently. Allfiles related to the AMBER stick™ software arelocated on the AMBER stick™ itself and theimages/photos you select for each one of yourloved ones are copied onto the AMBER stick™when you are adding the information to thesoftware.

How do I operate the AMBER stick™? The AMBER stick™ is very simple to use: Plug into any available USB port on a comput-er.Start the program and enter your password tounlock.Add your loved one's information and photos. Done, close the program and un-plug fromcomputer. Attach to your key chain or place in your wallet.In case of emergency, plug into police cruiser'scomputer USB port or any computer. Give officer the password to unlock theAMBER stick.Law enforcement officer gets all the informa-tion required.Print out “Missing” posters immediately.

What information does the AMBER stick™hold? THE AMBER stick™ HOLDS ALL VITAL

INFORMATION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT:

PICTURES/MEDICAL INFORMATION/EMERGENCY CONTACTS/ DESCRIPTIVEINFORMATION... all necessary and vitalinformation required by law enforcement agen-cies to act immediately.

The AMBER stick™ is the ONLY fullyportable child identification product.

How much data can the AMBER stick™ hold? The AMBER stick™ holds personal informa-tion about your entire family and/or pets. Let'ssay you have 15 members of your family thatyou want to have on the AMBER stick™... NOPROBLEM!!! Each family member's file canhold up to 3 pictures plus all of their vital infor-mation. If you size your images correctly(smaller), you can hold information for literallyhundreds of individuals!

Is my information safe on the AMBER stick™? Yes. AMBER stick™ software is both password

protected and fully data encrypted. In theunlikely event that you lose your AMBERstick™ and someone else tries to read the infor-mation, without your password, the data isviewed as un-readable due to its sophisticateddata encryption technology.

Why do I need the AMBER stick™? In today's day and age, the U.S. Department ofJustice places a child's chances of being abduct-ed at 1 out of every 42 (children 19 and under).Every year 359,000 children are kidnapped. Ofthat 359,000 total, 4,600 children are kidnappedby people who are not relatives. Unfortunately,many result in rape and assaults. With roughly3000 children reported missing daily, this trans-lates to 125 children per hour, roughly 2 chil-dren per minute. These numbers do not includethe rising rate of adults and the elderly report-ed missing.

Therefore, parents/guardians must stay on thecutting edge of technology in case the unthink-able happens. Every piece of data concerningmissing children states that the first 3 hours ofan abduction are the most crucial. This dataalso states that it takes about 2 hours for a par-ent/ guardian to give vital information to inves-tigators. As recommended by the NationalCenter for Missing & Exploited Children, everychild should have a readily available resourcewith a current color photo, along with person-alized information that can be immediately usedin the event that it is needed.

AMBER stick™ makes this possible with infor-mation and photos available to authoritiesinstantaneously. It is the first product of its kindthat allows loved ones to act quickly...reducingthe amount of time needed to give the properauthorities information from hours to minutes.

In addition, if your loved one is a pet and he orshe goes missing, a missing poster can quicklyinform neighbors and your community. Sheltersgenerally hold pets for approximately 3 days, sotime is of the essence. You can electronicallysend your pet’s information to local shelters andrescue organizations to get your pet home safe-ly and quickly.

Amber stick™ is portable, custom designed asa key chain, easy to use, password and dataencrypted. AMBER stick™ makes every sec-ond count to get those you love home safelyand quickly.

MOdERN­PARENTS­­is­­the­­only­­parenting­­magazine­­to­­offer­­the­­Amber­Stick.­To­order­visit­our­website:­www.modernparentsmagazine.com­­­­ONLy­$35.00­each­­­­­fREE­SHIPPING­­

Amber­Stick™"World's First Portable ID Device"

Amber­Stick­is­the­only­Child­Id­System­endorsed­by­Code­Amber.

www.modernparentsmagazine.com

MOdERN­PARENTS­Consulting­ServicesMOdERN­PARENTS­Consulting­ServicesPARENTING­WORKSHOPS/IN-SERvICES

MOdERN­PARENTS­Magazine­offers­Parenting­Workshops­and­In-Services­on­a­limited­basis.­­

Customized­Workshops/In-Services

Interested institutions/organizations must submit a proposal detailing the nature of the desired workshop or in-service. Pending

approval of submitted proposal(s), MoDeRN PAReNTS will create and develop programs to address requested topic(s).

Current Offerings

for­additional­information,­contact­us­at­­504.339.5310/­1.866.994.4242­or­email­clewis@modernparentsmagazine.com.­­

Customized­IN-SERvICES duration:­2-3­HoursRequirements: Advanced notice of 21 business days.Audience registration is required.

Customized­WORKSHOPS duration:­1­HourRequirements: Advanced notice of 14 businessdays. Audience registration is required.

MOdERN PARENTS MagazineConnecting Home and School

NEW­ORLEANS office

2536 Delta Pointe’ DriveMarrero, LA 70072504.339.5310

HOUSTON office

10710 Desert Springs CircleHouston, TX 770941.866.994.4242

CHICAGO office

8515 South Constance Ave. Chicago, IL 60617-2220pps@modernparentsmagazine.com

29

LEARNING­STyLES:­do­you­Know­How­your­Child­Learns?

our learning styles have more influence than we may realize. our preferredlearning styles greatly influence the way we learn. They affect the way weprocess information, even many of our lifestyle choices. Join us and learnmore about learning styles. Help your child by discovering his or her learn-ing style.

INNOvATIvE­PARENTING­STRATEGIES

Have you ever wondered how to reach the planet your child inhabits? Wereveal some innovative ways to break the force field between parent andchild. Learn how to get some of your ideas through effectively.

The­ACT:­How­Soon­Is­Too­Soon?

Is your child ready for college entrance exams? When should they begin test-ing? What can you do to help prepare your child? What courses are appro-priate prerequisites? Join us and learn more about college entrance exams.

NO­CHILd­LEfT­BEHINd:­What­Every­Parent­ShouldKnow

No Child Left Behind is a federal mandate introduced by PresidentGeorge W. Bush in 2002. There are several facts and terms every par-ent should know about No Child Left Behind. Join us and learn moreabout your parental rights.

HOME-SCHOOL­RELATIONS

The relationship between parent and teacher is one of the most impor-tant relationships affecting the life of your child. Develop a positive part-nership with your child’s teacher. Join us and learn innovative guide-lines for developing a successful home-school relationship.

PARENT­TOOL­KIT

We have developed various tools that parents can use to keep abreast oftheir child’s performance in school, help in developing responsible kids, etc.Join us and develop an arsenal of tools to help with parenting strategies andtechniques.

IN-SERvICES duration:­2-3­HoursRequirements: Advanced notice of 10 business days.Audience registration is required.

WORKSHOPS duration:­1­HourRequirements: Advanced notice of 7-10 businessdays. Audience registration is required.

BILLING­INfORMATIONBILLING­INfORMATION

Last­Name___________________________­first­Name_____________________

Street­Address______________________________________________________­

__________________________________________­Phone___________________­­

Email______________________________________________________________­

INSTITUTIONS­and­CORPORATIONSINSTITUTIONS­and­CORPORATIONS

INSTITUTION/CORPORATION_________________________________________­

CONTACT­PERSON/TITLE____________________________________________­

AddRESS__________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Email______________________________________________________________­­

PHONE___________________________________________­­QUANTITy_______­

Single­Subscription _____­1­year­$29.95­ _____­2­years­$39.95­­­

Semi-Bulk­(2-99­subscriptions)­­_____­1­year­$27.95­ _____­2­years­$37.95­

Bulk­(100+­subscriptions)­­­­­­­­­­_____­1­year­$25.95­­_____­2­years­$35.95Would You Like to Appear in MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine?

Parents, students or educators may submit photos, prefer-ably involving reading, for possible inclusion in MoDeRNPAReNTS Magazine. Minimum photo resolution: 300dpior 6 megapixels.

Submit your photos to clewis@modernparentsmagazine.com

or mail photos to MoDeRN PAReNTS Magazine

2536 Delta Pointe’ Drive, Marrero, LA 70072

SUBSCRIBE TOdAYSUBSCRIBE TOdAY

PRINT­SUBSCRIPTION­______­­­­­­dIGITAL­SUBSCRIPTION_______

for­quick­processing­visit­www.modernparentsmagazine.comfor­quick­processing­visit­www.modernparentsmagazine.com

DIGITAL DIGITAL

SUBSCRIPTIONSSUBSCRIPTIONS

5­REASONS­TO­GO­dIGITAL

1.­­Immediate­delivery­Across­the­Globe.­2.­ Easy­ Storage:­ Paper-free file, no clutter. Save

issues for an unlimited time. 3.­ Portable:­ Download to your computer. Click

directly to articles and photos of interest.4.­­Email­Capabilities:­email articles to friends.

5. LARGER­ISSUES:­Receive­more­content­at­thesame­price.­­25%­larger­than­print­issues.

Would­you­Like­a­free­Subscription?­­Refer­two­friends­and­receive­a­free­subscription.­­visit­our­website­or­give­us­a­call­for­details.Would­you­Like­a­free­Subscription?­­Refer­two­friends­and­receive­a­free­subscription.­­visit­our­website­or­give­us­a­call­for­details.

Please make checks payable to: MODERN PARENTS Magazine. Credit Cards processed at

www.modernparentsmagazine.com.

__Yes, please enter my subscription to this quarterlypublication for $29.95 for one year.

__Yes, please enter my subscription to this quarterlypublication for $39.95 for two years.

SSubscribeubscribe OOnlinenline@@

www.modernparentsmagazine.comwww.modernparentsmagazine.com

Mail­Subscriptions­to:­Mail­Subscriptions­to:­

MOdERN­PARENTS­Magazine­­MOdERN­PARENTS­Magazine­­

2536­delta­Pointe’­drive,­2536­delta­Pointe’­drive,­

Marrero,­LA­70072­Marrero,­LA­70072­

or

Contact­us:Contact­us:

clewis@modernparentsmagazine.com­

504.339.5310­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­1.866.994.4242