Parents

Depressed african child abandoned in a corridor and leaning against brick wall.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers February 17, 2020

First do no harm: Practical ways schools can work against systemic inequities for all of their students

According to Erikson’s fourth stage of his famous lifespan theory of development, when kids reach schooling age, they face the crisis of industry versus inferiority. As we tell our graduate students, this is where teachers and schools have the most influence on students’ social and emotional development, and it’s where they can do the most harm. This harm is especially likely if a student is Black or Latino. We know that both groups are more likely to be verbally reprimanded, expelled, and suspended in comparison to White students.

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Two funny handsome kid boys and young father playing together checkers game. Sons, siblings children and dad spending leisure together. Family having fun in summer garden outside.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers July 9, 2018

How “unschooling” can help our children avoid summer learning loss

In the early 1900s, 85% of American families were involved in the agricultural industry. Consequently, as the summer months rolled around, children were needed to pitch in on the farm. Our current school calendars reflect this history. Children start school in late Summer, and finish in late Spring. This allowed our children to come home and work on the farm with us. Now, you may be thinking, “But I don’t work on a farm!” Yes, times have changed and most of us have very little to do with agriculture. Yet the school calendars persist.