Do you love reading? Writing? Nature? Beauty? Philosophy? Social justice? Learning about yourself? 2017 marks the 200th birthday of American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau. Henry David Thoreau was a transcendentalist writer who lived in Concord, Massachusetts. Much of his writing focuses on nature and how understanding nature can help us to understand and empower ourselves. His most famous book, Walden, is a testament to his ideas about philosophy, nature, and individualism. His long…
In my previous post, I stressed the importance of teaching empathy to children in school and at home in an effort to prevent bullying. Empathy, as opposed to sympathy or compassion, is a starting point for understanding both ourselves and other people from the inside out. In that vein, here are some wonderful books that can help teach your child about empathy. Wonder by R.J. Palacio. August Pullman was born with a facial difference that,…
Bullying is such a prevalent part of life that almost everyone can say that at some point in their lives, they have either been bullied, bullied someone else, or witnessed bullying. According to our government, bullying is defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.” One out of every five children report being…
One of my favorite memories from elementary school was the week long trip I took to Nature’s Classroom in Ocean Park, Maine. For those who have not heard of it, Nature’s Classroom is an outdoor learning facility that offers residential programs for schools and large groups in the New England area. During the time spent here, student get to learn about a variety of topics through hands on experience in nature. I fondly remember dissecting…
Do you have a child who is a junior in high school? If so, they may be planning their schedule for the fall and deciding whether to take Advanced Placement class, how many to take, etc. They may also be starting to think about whether or not they should take the SAT II Subject Tests. While there are some similarities between the two, deciding which to take is something that will vary from child to…
It’s hard enough to be a kid these days, but English language learning students get an extra level of challenge. Research shows that reading comprehension in English Language Learners gets a boost when students have access to culturally relevant books, however. Candis Grover, director of literacy and Spanish development at educational website ReadyRosie, says, “Story is both individual and collective. Students need more than just a few scattered stories; we need to give them a large…
In school, students learn about many complex subjects that will help them, whether they decide to pursue a career or a college degree. But oftentimes, the day-to-day life skills that kids need to become independent young adults are completely overlooked. Teachers will try to incorporate life skills into their classes, but with today’s more test-heavy curriculum, these skills end up falling by the wayside. Parents, your children will learn a lot in school, but there…
College touring season is approaching and high school juniors (and even sophomores!) are starting to narrow down the colleges and universities they will be applying to. With almost 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States, it can be difficult to know how to pick the right one. We have compiled 10 factors to consider when drafting your list, read below to find out more! Majors This is a very important one! If you know…
April vacation is almost there and we know how challenging it can be to find fun events and activities to fill up the week. In our monthly newsletter which can be found here, we highlighted a few of the many events going on in and around Boston. However, since there are so many, we decided to feature other events that will be happening on the week of April 17th. Read below to find out more!…
Since books are such a great way to help those affected with mental illness to feel like they are not alone, here are some more examples of young adult novels that deal with issues of mental health especially well. To view our previous post on this topic, click here. Wintergirls Author: Laurie Halse Anderson Reading level: ages 14 and up Issues discussed: depression, eating disorders, self-harm Laurie Halse Anderson is known for writing powerfully moving books…
