Joni Samples

Welcome to the Parent Playbook series, where you will find recipies for learning. Similar to a cookbook, each activity begins with a list of needed materials, the time required to complete the acitivity, and a description of the activity. Instead of a "daily nutritional requirement," these recipes are related to State Learning Standards. The activities are easy and fun. Trinidad, the starfish, suggests that you try either the English Language Arts, Math, Science or Social Studies activities. Again, they are fun and easy to do.

The core goal of Creative and Connected is to address the brain development of all children, especially children at-risk and in emotional pain, by creating an atmosphere of safety that will support young children's positive development. This will be accomplished by providing activities that help the child explore self-identify through body movement with classical music, learn about feelings and how to deal with them, and how to positively interact with others.

Taking the Guesswork Out of School Success makes the whole school process simpler. For years, guessing what the teacher wanted on a test has been a key to good grades. If you guessed right, you got an A. If you guessed wrong enough times, you didn't pass. Most of us don't want our children going through the same process. From the first day of school, you want your child to succeed and bring home good grades as a measure of their success. What can a parent to do help? You need to know what is expected of a child at each grade level. What are the standards being taught for the year? What will be on the tests? What will be graded? Once the guesswork is eliminated, there are numerous ways to help. You'll want suggestions and guidance to assist in your child's learning. Basing your guidance on the standards being taught at school means there's a focus to learning not just a random possibility of hitting on something helpful. Direction from a parent may be the exact remedy a child needs to learn the last of the multiplication tables (third grade math standard) or understand orbiting of the planets (fifth grade science standard). A nightly review of multiplication or a weekend activity of stargazing may be what's needed to solidify newly learned material. A child who has material he's learned in school reinforced at home is both confident and competent. Now is the time to involve yourself with your child's learning. Taking the Guesswork Out of School Success will tell you how.