It’s no secret that Chicago’s inner-city public schools face an ever-increasing list of challenges. Chief among them are low test scores and widespread learning difficulties. In 2014, 43.6 percent of third through eighth graders did not meet the Illinois Standards Achievement Test benchmark for reading proficiency. Luckily, students in 16 different schools are getting help […]
May is fast approaching, and with it, high school graduation. There’s always a lot of pressure to find the perfect gift — after all, it’s a relatively momentous occasion and sometimes cold hard cash just feels too impersonal. But teenagers are notoriously difficult to please. Luckily, this handy gift guide offers something for everyone. Cue […]
Education is the civil rights issue of the 21st century. Pedro Noguera, author, distinguished professor of education at UCLA and the director of the Center for the Study of School Transformation, attributes this bold statement to multiple policy makers. But, says Noguera, politicians often don’t explain, or possibly even understand, exactly what is at stake […]
Elementary school begins with eagerness and nerves, jam-kissed sendoffs and maybe a couple of tears (likely yours) as your “big” girl or boy marches into the classroom for the first time. The six years from kindergarten through fifth grade are marked by rapid social, emotional and intellectual growth. Pants and coats are outgrown (or lost) […]
Elementary school begins with eagerness and nerves, jam-kissed sendoffs and maybe a couple of tears (likely yours) as your “big” girl or boy marches into the classroom for the first time. The six years from kindergarten through fifth grade are marked by rapid social, emotional and intellectual growth. Pants and coats are outgrown (or lost) […]
Scott Barry Kaufman believes having a dream you’re passionate about is fundamental to future success — and childhood daydreaming might just be the key. The scientific director of the Imagination Institute and researcher and lecturer in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania is working to expand our definitions and understanding of intelligence and creativity. […]
A panel of some of the most visionary educators and learning and design architects in the country recently assembled for a Family Action Network (FAN) event in Evanston. The discussion was facilitated by Trung Le, AIA architect, and Christian Long, educator and school planner — both founding partners at WONDER, By Design. The group gathered […]
If your teen has the qualities that you would want in a babysitter – someone who is dependable, organized and punctual – then they may be a good candidate. Start them off with some training with an American Red Cross babysitting class. They’ll learn valuable skills and it will help them determine if caregiving is […]
From overnight camps to tech- and art-focused camps for kids, these great camps will leave Chicago area kids never wanting summer to end. Overnight Camps Camp Miniwanca From cherished traditional camp activities for middle schoolers to exhilarating adventures for teens, Camp Miniwanca programs make it hard for campers to leave. Managed by the American Youth Foundation, a […]
If you want your children to do well in college, the answer may lie not in what you give them — but in what you withhold. A recent study found that as parental financial support increases, students’ GPAs often decrease. University of California, Merced sociology professor Laura Hamilton, who conducted the study, says that when parents […]
