Working Class Parenting: Motivation, Education and Inspiration For Parents

Written by Jomary Schulz, 3rd grade public school teacher So having 4 students out today because of the flu, has inspired me to write this post. Your child may be home battling a fever and lots of other symptoms but at school the lessons continue. As a working mom I realize how hard it is to focus on work and do the normal household duties, but throw a sick kid into the mix and the last thing you are thinking about is "schoolwork". As I stood in front of my class this morning teaching a brand new lesson in Fractions to a very small class, I realized that the students that were out missed some very important learning experiences. I understand that doing work at home may be a bit difficult if the child is unable to focus because of their illness, but when a child has enough energy to play or is getting bored and the only thing keeping them from school is the fever, please be aware that they are missing valuable lessons at school that homework later will not suffice. This

Albert Einstein once said, "I get most joy in life out of music." I am always a bit hesitant to discuss this matter. Typically upon bringing it up I'm stereotyped as a closed minded Christian extremist. The topic is music. Hold on, hear me out. Let's remove the holiness factor out of the equation for a moment and focus solely on common sense. When you workout at the gym, you like fast up beat music, when your wanting time to relax you may play instrumental and when wining and dining your spouse, you play romantic tunes. Get any of these genres in with the wrong activity and your experience might me a bit different. Now that is said, we can agree that music can and has a profound effect on us as individuals and society as a whole. Bands have set fashion trends, patented slogans and influenced the sales of countless products, Why? The answer is twofold; the celebrity status of the artist and the influence of their music. If music can persuade an adult to action or

Post written by Jomary Schulz, 3rd grade Public school teacher. Should my child do their homework first when they get home or should they be allowed to go out and play before sitting down for their nightly studying? This is an ongoing question I get year after year at Parent-Teacher conferences. And my response is always the same, what is best for your child? If you are not sure what would be best for your child and your family consider the following questions?       outside first * Does your child have a hard time sitting down for a long period of time? (If yes, then coming home directly from a 6 hour school day may be too much, and they may need to burn off some steam.) * Does your child love playing outside with his/her friends? (If yes, then going outside right after school may be a good idea so that they may enjoy an hour of sunshine before it gets dark.) * Do you need some down time when you first get home to get dinner ready and/or some housework done? (If yes, then this

You cannot share what you do not own.  Sounds pretty simple, right?  I have had the privilege to share my passions and faith with young people for quite a few years. Recently, I was sharing and I asked the group of teens to remember when they had decided to follow Christ.  My husband and I have asked this question many times in the past to different groups of youth.   It causes us who grew up in church to examine ourselves for that point when it was no longer our parents or grandparents faith but our own.  It was the time when we were not riding on the coat tails of someone else’s belief, but with unwavering resolve said, “This is mine!”  That point came in my life when I was about twelve.  I remember being in middle school and trying to fit in.  Everyday at lunch I would sit with different groups that segregated themselves.  At that time you had the jocks and cheerleaders, the head-bangers, the preps, etc.  I would spend time at each table trying to see where I fit.  I grew very

Posted by Jomary Schulz - 3rd grade public school teacher. Have you ever wanted to question your child's teacher about something? Have you ever kept the question to yourself thinking that it wouldn't be valued or it would be taken the wrong way?  Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions you are not alone! I often have conversations with people that are amazed to find out that they do not have to wait for the teacher to request a conference in order to have a meeting with them. I encourage my friends and family to always be forthcoming with questions they may have concerning their child's education. A teacher may have between 18-24 students in any given classroom at any given time, so their ability to always have the accurate strategy or approach for each child is challenged daily. Your child's education is important because every parent has their own set of educational standards. Feel confident when your expectations are not being met. Here are some e

Guest Post by: Jomary Schulz - 3rd grade Public School Teacher As a child, one of my favorite reasons to attend a doctor's appointment with my mom was for the one very special magazine that was always there, Highlights . It was entertaining and a lot of fun, so when our daughter Selena started to read a couple of years ago, I decided it was time to order her a subscription. The magazine comes to our home every month and the excitement is evident in Selena's face when she sees that it has been placed at the dining room table for her. She immediately grabs a pencil and is then completely immersed for a long while after that. As a teacher, I am always looking for quality reading material that is also fun and interesting.  Highlights is always packed with great puzzles, riddles, poems, craft ideas, fictional stories and nonfiction articles. As a firm believer in giving children the opportunity to read a variety of texts, this month I was once again impressed with Highlights bec

This year one of my favorite shows, "The Biggest Loser", is targeting a serious problem in this country, childhood obesity.  The show has found 3 brave kids that will help bring this important issue to light. (click on the following link to watch the video clip) Meet the Kids of the Biggest Loser - video If you or your family struggle to try and keep a healthy lifestyle in this busy world, I encourage you to watch this show and the kids and be inspired to make a difference for not only you, but your children. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

So your 13 year old son has been begging for an IPhone. You have contemplated the pros and cons and still are unsure. Do I really want to release my son out into the cyber world so early? Can I trust him? Well one mother relented and purchased an IPhone for her 13 year old son, but it didn't come with out the best proactive parenting I've seen yet. Check out Janell Hoffmans 18-Point IPhone rules. One commenter stated, "Its a sad day when a parent is doing their job and it is a news item". Dear Gregory Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone. You are a good & responsible 13 year old boy and you deserve this gift. But with the acceptance of this present comes rules and regulations. Please read through the following contract. I hope that you understand it is my job to raise you into a well rounded, healthy young man that can function in the world and coexist with technology, not be ruled by it. Failure to comply with the following li