Working Class Parenting: Motivation, Education and Inspiration For Parents

Powerful Anti-Bullying poem. This epidemic of bullying needs a lesson on, " stick and stones may break bones, but "words hurt more deeply". Shane Koyczan's 'To This Day,' Anti-Bullying Poem

Homework is a debatable issue in all aspects!  As a teacher the issue arises at the beginning of every year among the teachers, administrators, and parents The most common questions and topics for discussion are always: What should it look like? How much is good? How often? How long do we give for completion? Is it truly necessary? Whether you are a proponent of it or not, reality is that it still exists. Children all over come home every evening with assignments that need to be completed at home.  It is our job as parents to provide our children with the environment that is conducive for the best results. There are some basic guidelines to remember when setting up this "Homework spot" for your child. If possible: * A quiet spot is ideal. * Make sure the area is well lit. * Have all materials handy * Have your child involved in creating the space. Be creative when setting up this area for your child. The writing surface does not have to be the typical "desk...

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 ...

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 from Amanda , former teacher and homeschool mom of two. There are approximately 2 millions students in the U.S. that are home schooled according to an article in A to Z Homes Cool .  In 2007, the number of homeschooled students was about 1.5 million, and from 850,000 in 1999 according to the U.S. Department of Education. This presents a continual rise in parents who are choosing the avenue of home schooling. Homeschooling was not even an option for me.  I even stated, “I will never home school!”  I am now in my fourth year and can’t imagine going back.  I remember spending whole summer beforehand looking for materials and curriculum.  Even as a private school teacher, I was a nervous wreck, thinking I couldn’t home school my two children (14 and 10 year old).  I will admit, home schooling is not for every family, but if you are thinking about taking the plunge, here are a few tips to help you in your first year.

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd  grade public school teacher As your child's Christmas Break slowly approaches it may be a good idea to begin thinking about how you will keep their minds engaged while out of school. Any length of time a child spends away from their normal, consistent, school schedule could be a "holiday recipe" for a learning gap to begin. Now granted, all kids will not suffer from a week to two weeks away from school, but their tendency to become lazy about problem solving or keeping their brains active is pretty normal for any child. Even before they fall into their habit of t.v. watching or video game playing vacation routine, get your children involved with the everyday family tasks that may involve a little problem solving. Here are some excellent way to get this kind of thinking going:

A recent post by Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews brings up an interesting thought on “ Do Rich and Poor Parenting Styles Matter " and frankly asks the question WorkingClassParenting.com is trying to answer. Please read this thought provoking column and ensuing Working Class Parenting's thoughts.

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd  grade public school teacher Fostering the Love of Reading is a 5 part series posted on Mondays, it began on November 5, 2012. Part 3 - Preschool  Whether or not a child has been read to during infancy and/or their toddler years, preschool aged children are always ready to learn. Their keen sense of wonder is amazing. At this age children are now ready to begin making the connection that letters make sounds, and words on a page are read.  They will mimic what is read to them, begin making up the story to pictures on a page, and eventually memorize books in their entirety. You can find just the right book for your preschooler at the local library or at any large book store. There are books out there for every interest a child can dream up. There are books of every cartoon character or princess you can imagine.  From board books to, picture-less books, to pop-up books. They have books with wheels, buttons, ...