Presented by the Natick SEPAC & Spark Kindness
Monday, 10/17/16
6:30-8:30pm
Wilson Middle School
Natick, MA
Learn strategies from Sarah Ward on developing your child’s executive function skills at home including cultivating effective study skills, organizing materials, managing time, completing tasks, and creating a productive homework space. Register here.
North Carolina PTA
Decoding Dyslexia North Carolina is happy to announce that Governor McCrory has proclaimed October as Dyslexia Awareness Month in North Carolina. We would like you to join us in helping spread awareness about the learning disability, dyslexia in your schools and community. “15-20% of the population, or about 1 in every 5 students, struggles to acquire basic reading skills. Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing, and spelling difficulties,” according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Read more.
By Alison Gopnik
This article is excerpted from Alison Gopnik’s book, The Gardener and the Carpenter
Why play? Childhood and play go together, and most parents and teachers have a vague intuition that play is a Good Thing. But if play really makes you smarter, or more focused, or more empathic, why not just aim to be smarter or more focused or more empathic directly? Why go through the elaborate detour of play? Read more in The Atlantic.
By Jackie Stachel
Beyond Booksmart
You feel like a broken record. How many times have you mentioned/suggested/demanded that your child stop texting, checking the Twitter feed, or watching the latest viral sensation on YouTube while doing homework? Well, knowing that most teens are wired to dismiss and even actively oppose a parent’s advice, maybe another tactic is called for if you are trying to convince your child to stop multitasking when doing homework. Read more.
By Meg Anderson
nprED
About one in five children in the United States shows signs of a mental health disorder — anything from ADHD to eating disorders to suicide. And yet, as we’ve been reporting this month, many schools aren’t prepared to work with these students. Often, there’s been too little training in recognizing the problems, the staff who are trained are overworked, and there just isn’t enough money. Read more.
Sponsored by SPARK Kindness
SPARK Kindness is very pleased to present the 4th annual Resilient Parent, Resilient Child speaker series. These programs are free of charge thanks to sponsor and community support. Visit SPARKKindness.org to learn more, register, and for schedule updates and changes. All are welcome.
Sponsored by SPARK Kindness and the Natick Public Schools
Wednesday, 9/14/16
7:00pm
Natick High School Auditorium
15 West Street
Natick, MA
Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation
Come see the movie that everyone is talking about. Are you interested in collaborating as a community to end the “academic arms race?” This movie highlights public schools that promote greater creativity, exploration, and innovation while addressing issues such as standardized testing, homework and academic stress.
Beyond Measure is for parents and caregivers (of children of all ages), educators, and community members who care about maximizing the potential in young people. There will be a panel discussion following the film.
Register to attend here.
Hosted by The Institute for Learning and Development
Friday, 10/21/16
8:30am-3:30pm
Hilton Garden Inn
5 Wheeler Road
Burlington, MA
“Executive Function, Metacognition and Emotion: Fostering Resilient Learners”
This conference will include presentations, case discussions, and small group activities focused on cutting-edge teaching techniques for classroom and clinical settings. The conference fee includes binder, lunch, and free parking. Register and learn more here.
By Phyllis L. Fagell
Licensed Clinical Counselor
To teach kids to be kind, it’s critical to start young, when they can most easily absorb fundamental lessons. The stakes get higher as kids age. There is no easy program to follow, but parents and educators can take these steps to stack the deck in favor of raising a child who shows decorum and kindness. Read the rest of Phyllis Fadell’s article from The Washington Post.
Michael Delman
Beyond BookSmart
Getting back into the rhythm of the school year is tough. When advancing to the next grade level or making the big jump to a new school, students have to adjust to new teachers, new curriculum demands, new classmates, perhaps even new and bigger buildings, not to mention changing bodies and emotions. Even the most confident young person will experience some degree of stress or anxiety. Find out how parents can help.