Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Motivating Teachers, a Key Point in Transforming the Education System
Even though we are an unschooling family, and I truly believe in what unschooling stands for, I know and accept that unschooling isn't the right fit for all families and that's a good thing. As families are all unique and diverse, so are the learning styles of our children. I think that having a collective schooling system can certainly be a good thing and is a great fit for a lot of kids and also a lot of families.
However, the way the system works is something that can really be shaken up, as we're still dealing with something that was created at the start of the industrial era and still very much functions in the way that it did then.
From where I stand a quick and easy way to turn the schooling system around would be to motivate teachers. No matter how you turn it, even with an exceptional curriculum and innovative school policy, a teacher who's just clocking his or her hours won't make that spark that children so need.
If we want our children to be in school for 5 or 8 hours a day, then they should at least be guided by passionate individuals, not just people doing a job because the vacation days are sweet.
When I was in school, I would excel at courses where I liked the teacher. A good teacher can make a dull subject matter sparkl
But how do we create that spark in teachers that lights the candle in students, in our kids?
One way is to give the teachers the tools to achieve their goals and transform their teaching. Programs like Tap System work with teachers and administrators to help them reach the student.
Innovative teaching solutions do not only entertain the student, they also keep the teacher awake. Having to teach the same dull curriculum over and over again does not.
We live in a era where change is the only constant, yet our schooling system refuses to move ahead. Only small changes are made, like the integration of tablets or introduction of the internet in the classroom... These are just drops. Real change is needed, a real transformation to spark the interest in the students, cater to the modern society and prepare kids for the real world IN the real world.
Maybe one day we can get a school system that recognises the perversive effect of tests, scores and grades and just focusses on learning and growth instead.
What would you change about today's school system?
Monday, December 9, 2013
Throwing the Perfect Zero-Stress Holiday Get-Together
Content provided by Alex
It'll take some extra time and effort to plan your party, but the result will be a get-together that you'll actually be able to enjoy instead of stress out over.
Start with Lighting
The holiday lights always add warmth and coziness to the season, and there's no better way to create a relaxing ambiance for your get-together than to make sure you've got your interior lighting right. Holiday lights come in all different shapes, colors and sizes, and there are a variety of routes you can take when decorating the inside of your home. You could go with a colored string light set to add mood to your living room, or a clean strand of white lights to highlight your mantel. The goal here is to create a sense of comfort, so just be sure you don't overdo it!Plan Out Your Activities
There's a difference between simply inviting friends and family over and actually holding a true holiday event. It usually comes down to planning out the night's activities ahead of time, which is something you can get a lot of mileage out of. Try to come up with ideas that will be fun for both the kids and the adults. Simple games like Charades might be all it takes, but you can also take things to another level and maybe even choose a theme to follow for the night.The better you plan out your activities, the more smoothly the party will go.
Send Out Invites Early
If there's one thing that's universal about the holidays, it's that it tends to be the busiest time of the year for many people. It's not always easy to get people to attend holiday parties, as the chances that they might have other plans on a weekend around the holidays could be quite high. If you want to improve your chances of getting a great attendance, you should be sure to send out your invites as early as possible so that those who receive them most likely don't already have something to do the night of your party. Early December is typically the most acceptable time to send out invitations - just don't wait until a few days before Christmas!So don't waste any time in planning your party, as you've got to save time to deal with any potential last-minute preparations that might come up. Get things in gear now, and you'll be rewarded with a great get-together!
Image source: Parker Knight on Flickr
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Sunday Surf: Health, Learning & Holidays
Labels:
christmas,
Christmas Presents,
holidays,
Learning,
natural healing,
Sunday Surf
If you have a great post that would look good in Sunday Surf, feel free to email a link to mamapoekie at yahoo dot com.
Natural health
- Bamboo for PPD
- 22 Drug Free Remedies to Kick the Cold and Flu on Rooted Blessings
- Women's Health: From Family Planning to Menopause on ApotheKayla
- Easy Nourishing Meals for New Moms by Real Food Outlaws
Learning
- Fostering Kindergarten Math Skills through Play
- Really cool activity from Living Montessori Now: Excavation tubs
- What is your child's leaning style? An important question answered
Holidays
- 20 simple homemade gift ideas on Nourishing Minimalism
- 10 Easy Ways to Turn a Canning Jar into a Christmas Present on Learning and Yearning
If you're surfing, add your post to the linky at the bottom of this Sunday Surf. You can do that here or at Hobo Mama, your link will show up on both sites. Make sure to grab the new button either from the left sidebar or the Sunday Surf page, where you'll also find a little blurb about Sunday Surf you can copy for your post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
