resources for 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.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers October 7, 2019

Parenting In Practice: How to Advocate for the Whole Child

As summer turns to fall, families with school-age children engage in a familiar ritual – gathering pencils, folders, and notebooks, meeting new teachers, figuring out new schedules and settling into another school-year routine. For families of school-age students with learning or behavioral concerns that affect them at school, this ritual has an added component. These families are also looking at the curriculum expectations of the new grade, wondering how well they align with their student’s strengths and challenges, reflecting on how the last school year went and anticipating how the student might adjust to the new teacher and class structure. Many parents find themselves questioning their roles as advocates for their students –how much is too much, how much is too little, when is the right time to step in, and when is the time to support independence – as well as struggling to balance other competing demands – work, the needs of other family members, and the ever-elusive self-care. While there is no easy path to becoming and remaining an effective parent advocate, keeping a few points in mind may help parents and students clarify their goals, make meaningful progress, and start the year off strong.

Parents September 23, 2019

The Motivation Paradox: How to encourage passion and joy in your children

Challenge and mastery are motivators. As adults, we become engaged in a topic or activity of interest and are motivated by our inherent pleasure. When we enjoy something, external reinforcements to learn more or work harder are unnecessary.

Unfortunately, many children are not afforded opportunities to make choices in their own lives. Highly scripted days within structured school environments and adult-led extracurricular activities leave little room for autonomy.

Kids are left feeling like out-of-control automatons progressing through the motions of life.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers August 26, 2019

36 of Our Best Back To School Psychology Resources

Psychology’s insights can help teachers manage behavior problems, motivate students, assist struggling learners handle stress and much more. It can also help parents tackle issues like back to school stress, motivation issues, and resilience. With a fresh new school year ahead, we thought this would be an excellent opportunity to present some of our best resources for teachers and parents.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers July 16, 2018

Motivating the Unmotivated Student

Kevin sits at his desk doodling while the other students are eagerly writing their biographical essays.  Time has almost run out and it is clear he will have nothing to hand in.  You want to light a fire under him and get him motivated, but how?

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.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers April 16, 2018

The importance of parental sensitivity and responsiveness

If you watch young children playing you’ll notice how they “check in” with their parents every so often, as if to make sure that Mom or Dad is still there, and that the world is still safe. A child who has been brought to an unfamiliar room with toys may begin by holding onto his mother’s leg and looking out at the possibilities. In order to encourage her son to leave the safety of her presence, Mom may engage in conversation: “Do you see that boat over there?” Or, “Hey, Jack, look! That’s the same Lightning McQueen car that you have at home!” Eventually, with the implicit blessing that these prompts provide, Jack is likely to walk over to the toys and begin exploring. 

Pre K - 12 Teachers November 27, 2017

5 Must Ask Questions For Parents in Search of the Best Early Childhood Program

You’ve read the brochures, checked out the shiny pictures, and narrowed down your choices to the programs that work in terms of location and schedule. You’ve visited the building and checked for clean toys and rooms, qualified teachers, and center accreditation. You have the center policies in brightly colored folders, and know the math – teacher/student ratios, and square footage. Somehow, though, there’s still something missing. What is the next step in figuring out where your child should spend their early childhood years? Surely the decision is more than just ratios, square footage, and accreditation.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers November 13, 2017

School Psychologists: Powering Growth in Student’s Academic and Mental Health

Updated November 11, 2019

Children and adolescents in the United States face significant challenges related to academic achievement and mental health. For example, only 36% (reading) and 40% (mathematics) of 4th grade students scored at or above proficiency on standardized tests in 2015 (McFarland et al., 2017). Approximately 1 out of every 17 students will not complete high school and about 13% of the school population, representing 6.6 million youth, require special education services for one or more disabilities that invariably affect their learning and mental health (McFarland et al., 2017). Roughly 1 out of every 5 students will experience a clinically significant mental disorder chiefly including anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and mood disturbances such as depression (Kessler et al., 2012). Thus, it is clear that our student population needs ongoing, effective support to meet and overcome these challenges successfully. Who will answer the call to address these needs? Fortunately, school psychologists are ideally suited to enhance student academic and mental health given their extensive training and experience in educational and mental health support strategies.

Parents, Pre K - 12 Teachers October 16, 2017

Does your child seem stressed to be back at school? Fear not

It is normal for some students to experience back-to-school stress. Many challenges come with the start of a new school year. This article is geared toward the typical stressors of starting or returning to school, and is not intended to focus on students showing severe cases of anxiety or depression. Many of the school-related challenges described below can cause students distress, irritability, reduced focus or academic performance. Though many of these changes simply take time to adapt to, others are readily addressable.