Category Archives: Elementary School News
Real Life “Glee” Gets A Big Surprise
I remember being in choir when I was in junior high. I couldn’t sing a note and neither could most of the other kids in it, but choir was a way out of a really boring study hall. So, basically our choir director got stuck with a bunch of no talent wanna be singers, who just didn’t want to get stuck in study hall…I almost feel sorry for her, now.
A New York Miracle
Want To Make A Good Impression As Governor-elect?
Try kicking a puppy, having some racy pictures of yourself posted on Facebook or if you’re really daring announce that you’re introducing education vouchers in your state. Florida Governor-elect Rick Scott has recently announced his proposal that all children should receive education vouchers that they can use to attend private, public or charter schools has done the trick for him…more publicity than he knows what to do with.
Education Dollars
Indoor Recess Rules Change
Brett Hansen is one to be reckoned with. He is definitely the new man on campus in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Why? Because Brett Hansen has brought indoor recess from the classroom to the school gym for all second and third graders at Aldo Leopold Elementary School.
What’s the Big Deal About Indoor Recess?
Previously only fourth through eighth graders could use the gym for indoor recess. I realize this may not sound like a big deal to a lot of people, but those who teach squirmy youngsters during the cold of winter know how getting a little time outside of the regular classroom to run, hop, skip, and jump is not just a deal it’s often a lifesaver.
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
Putting politics aside I find it hard to believe that there are people who don’t support the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that President Obama recently signed. How as Americans, parents and just human beings can we deny nutritious meals to children?
An Act of Justice
“At a very basic level, this act is about doing what’s right for our children,” President Obama said before signing the bill. “We need to make sure our kids have the energy and capacity to go toe-to-toe with their peers,” he added as he spoke at the Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Northwest Washington, the Associated Press reported.
Girls fare better than boys when it comes to reading
I just finished blogging that girls are performing better in math than what most people believe. That we should not believe the stereotypes that abound in education citing gender makes a difference in what subjects a child will excel. Now I read about a study that upholds the stereotype of girls being better readers – that girls are 1.5 years ahead of boys! Whoa!
What’s Behind the Gender Gap?
Students build a city
How long does it take to build a city? It takes eight weeks. How many people does it take to get this accomplished? It takes about 380. How big is this city you might ask? It is 99 blocks long.
Building Blocks
New Club Shows Boys That Writing Can Be Fun
I think every school would be lucky to have a principal like Ben Tilley. You see, Mr. Tilley saw a problem at the Ridgeway Elementary School, in Columbia, Missouri and he found a fun and exciting way to fix it. Tilley saw that many boys in the school found writing difficult, so he formed the Boys Writers Club.
Gender Differences
Tilley, who has researched gender differences in learning and strategies to address them, according to an Associated Press article, started the club last year as a way to help boys get interested in writing. Research and statistics from a variety of sources show boys are, for the most part, more hesitant writers than girls, the article said.
Class sizes are on the upswing due to budget cuts
We all know things are tough right now. And we know that eventually hits things like our school systems. We even know that budget cuts usually means letting teachers go sometimes. But did you stop to think that when teachers are let go, the number of students in a class goes up?
Class Size Trends
More Kids Are Enjoying A Healthy Breakfast In Illinois Schools
More local families are taking advantage of school breakfast programs to give their children a better start to the school day, according to an article in the Centralia Sentinel. This trend follows an upswing (in Illinois and the nation) in students eating a morning meal at school rather than at home.
Breakfast Booms
According to information released by the Illinois State Board of Education, the number of students eating breakfast at school has jumped more than 25 percent since 2006 and more than 15 percent just in the last year.
A Weight-y Issue for some Elementary Students
In Flagstaff, Arizona students are being monitored for vision concerns and spine concerns and even hearing concerns, just like many other students around the country. These “exams” serve to help parents know when to seek additional support or opinions about their child’s vision, hearing, or spine.
Crossing the Line?
Parents seem to be ok with these exams and as a parent myself; I appreciate the information garnered from such tests. But Flagstaff has added another assessment: the student’s BMI. And they are sending results home that state if the child is overweight or obese.
