Encouraging Young Writers

Long before they go to school, before they even know the alphabet, children begin to write. In fact, for most children, literacy begins at home . . . with a crayon.The scribbles of very young children have meaning to them, and scribbling actually helps them to develop the language skills that lead to reading.

Phonics and Whole Language Learning

A Balanced Approach to Beginning Reading.

Children cannot learn to read without an understanding of phonics. All children must know their ABCs and the sounds that letters make in order to communicate verbally. The question in early childhood programs is not whether to teach “phonics” or “whole language learning,” but how to teach phonics in context–rather than in isolation–so that children make connections between letters, sounds, and meaning.

Getting Your Child to Love Reading

Helping your children to enjoy reading is one of the most important things you can do as a parent and well worth the investment of your time and energy. Kids will learn reading skills in school, but often they come to associate reading with work, not pleasure. As a result, they lose their desire to read. And it is that desire-the curiosity and interest-that is the cornerstone to using reading and related skills successfully.

Are Kids Getting Too Much Math and Reading?

When President Bush first took office, he vowed that every student would be reading by third grade. Now, eight years later, kids spend more time on reading than any other topic as they start school. We can’t fault schools. After all, they’re held responsible for their students’ reading skills through federal testing programs. But have we gone too far with reading and math at the expense of science, social studies, art, and music?

What is education??

Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills, and also something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge, positive judgment and well-developed wisdom. Education has as one of its fundamental aspects the imparting of culture from generation to generation (see socialization).