Get Schooled
By: Dom Giordano
askdomg@aol.com |
Get Schooled
By: Dom Giordano
askdomg@aol.com |
Get Schooled
By: Dom Giordano
askdomg@aol.com |
Get Schooled
By: Dom Giordano
askdomg@aol.com |
Get Schooled
By: Dom Giordano
askdomg@aol.com |
Get Schooled
By: Dom Giordano |
When a child does not understand a particular homework assignment, frustration can quickly set in and things can get very emotional. |
Monday marked the 220th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. I talked to Mrs. Cheney about the importance of the Constitution. |
Kids have unique personalities and dispositions, you cannot "make them" get along. |
How does a school year that starts with great promise "get off track" for students? |
Without appropriate challenges, he may become quickly disinterested, and it actually may affect his academic performance. I have seen and taught bright, gifted students who clearly belonged in more advanced classes. They became bored and did not put the energy and effort into their work, and it was reflected in their grades. Smart kids need to be challenged and motivated.
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I received a surprisingly strong reaction to my column in which I questioned whether a child should fly without |
I am concerned about the idea of a 9-year-old flying unsupervised on a plane. Do you think this is a good idea? |
The conclusions were stunning and sobering. The report showed that 85 percent of those convicted for downloading, viewing and sharing child pornography had admitted to molesting children. This report was alarming because previous studies had found the figure to be lower: Somewhere in the 30-40 percent range. This report shows that the problem is bigger than imagined.
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Question: My husband and I are longtime animal lovers. We both had cherished childhood memories of pets when we grew up. We have two boys, ages 7 and 9, and we think getting a pet (a dog) would be a great way to teach them about responsibility. Do you have any ideas? |
Given the danger these animals pose to our children, you would think any law enforcement official would do everything within their power to put them in the cages of our prison system. |
Patti told me that several causes have been close to her heart.I know it might be hard to think of someone like Patti LaBelle - who, in my mind, epitomizes style and glamour - being associated with football. But, as Patti explained the program and her reason for launching it nationwide, it made perfect, complete sense. |
Our second-grader was diagnosed this year with a mild learning disability. My husband refuses to acknowledge the problem, and I believe it is out of shame and embarrassment. It is clear our son needs more help, and my husband's attitude is that this is "something he'll grow out of." What should I do? |
Our second-grader was diagnosed this year with a mild learning disability. My husband refuses to acknowledge the problem, and I believe it is out of shame and embarrassment. It is clear our son needs more help, and my husband's attitude is that this is "something he'll grow out of." What should I do? |
When I look at the cost of college tuition, room, board, and living expenses, cash trumps sentimental keepsakes every time. While the thought behind an engraved pen is nice, your grandson and his parents will be facing some serious financial challenges for the next four years. |
I saw first-hand the effects in my students of a complete academic layoff. It reminded me of spring training in baseball where the ballplayers go down to Florida for six weeks to get in shape and prepare for the season.
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What to do when a loved one dies, or a child becoms a valedictorian, and how to handle the delicate spectrum of emotions within a maturing cherub. |
Apparently not according to the authors of this study. I agree with many of my callers who felt that the perception is that New Jersey has a Department of Corrections that seems to side more with pedophiles than parents. How else can you explain or rationalize their so-called research? One researcher tried to cite the alleged drop in attacks on children not because of Megan's Law, but due to the increased economic prosperity of the 1990s.
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| | | | | | | Former Gov. James McGreevey, left, and his wife, Dina Matos McGreevey, second from right, stand with their attorneys in Superior Court in Elizabeth, N.J., on April 27. The McGreeveys were in court for motions in their divorce case. Matthew Piermatti, second from left, is McGreevey’s attorney and John Post, third from right, and Loretta Critchley, right, are attorney’s for Dina Matos McGreevey. McGreevey resigned as governor saying he was gay more than two years ago. Photo by Mike Derer/Associated Press. | |
--It is just a sad commentary that Philadelphia could lose an educator of his caliber to New Orleans. And I thought the Saints knocking the Eagles out of the playoffs this past season was tough enough to swallow
--The War Of The McGreeveys
--Virginia Tech Fallout: Good and Bad |
| | | | | | | Photo by Jennifer Graylock / Associated Press | |
No child, even one that lives in a life of affluence like Ireland Baldwin, should be forced to wear a flak jacket to escape the verbal bullets flying back and forth between two angry, irrational, irresponsible parents. |
Reading writing and enrichment: Father knows best. Research indicates the importance of the father's role in reading. If the father reads, the child most likely will. This and other valuable tips to jump-start the reading engine in your child. |
Education's top executive: What impressed me most about Paul Vallas was that he looked at the Philadelphia School System as a business and thought like a CEO. The condition of this "business" was poor and he took action. |
What's the occasion? This strategy of pushing for a new trial ties into their strategy of relenlessly chipping away at the conviction and I have seen the damage it does to Maureen Faulkner, the Faulkner family, and the Philadelphia Police. |
Sink or swim: Immersion, which is the approach used by Berlitz, offers a more effective solution because students receive more teaching focused on learning the language quickly. It is a concentrated approach and gets students out of the "language kiddie pool" and into the deeper sections faster. |
What I see are two children who seem to be fine when they "win," but have a very difficult time emotionally when dealing with a loss or a setback. Am I just being overly sensitive? |
Remote control: If you are worried that the electronic babysitter is just raiding for junk food and phoning out gossip, you might just need to flip the view to a more educational television program. |
You still have a number of options. Also, splurging on a ride to the prom in a limo can actually be worth much more than the massive expense if you are in the market for peace of mind. |
Most important, a cell phone teaches and encourages kids to stay in touch with their parents. As they mature socially, this is one trait you will want ingrained in them as they go out with their friends at night.
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If more parents take a common sense approach to kids' birthday parties, we can take vital steps toward eliminating a culture of "me-first materialism." Reasonable parents do not not want kid birthday parties to continue to resemble Hollywood productions. |
For every Tiger Woods, who was a prodigy, there are thousands of kids whose outcomes were far from glorious. Even if you don't have a prodigy in your home, the lesson for all parents is just to let their kids be kids. There is no reason to rush them out of their childhood. It happens fast enough under ordinary circumstances. |
The New Jersey state legislature has voted to release New Jersey schools from a state law that mandated that they teach about Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
New Jersey schools had been obligated to observe these holidays due to a 1967 New Jersey law passed to help kids develop a higher spirit of patriotism. |
For decades, our education system has stumbled. In many cities and towns, particularly in urban areas, the quality of education is an utter disgrace. Children leave their schools under-educated and ill-equipped for the real world. The response by many so-called education "leaders," is to sweep these children - and their flawed own systems, curriculum, and policies - under the rug.
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There has been a growing phenomenon called "Mean Girls Syndrome" that education experts and social psychologists have studied. The formal term for this type of behavior is "relational aggression," which is manipulation that is designed to hurt or control another child's ability to maintain rapport with their peers |
Over the holiday week, I subbed for Bill O'Reilly and Phil Valentine on their nationally syndicated talk radio shows. Some listeners and I got into a debate over the direction of the country headed into 2007 and we hatched a listener contest to provide the 10th resolution in a list of 10 I was developing for our government, media, and culture as we head into 2007. The list has provoked a lot on heat.
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The holidays don't have to be perfect to be enjoyable. Keep realistic expectations and try to find enjoyment in the simple things. |
The people at the center of the Mumia mania are essentially those who hate our system and hate America. It's sad that numbers of people who oppose the death penalty have been duped and see Mumia as the glamorous vehicle to express their beliefs. |
Many families go overboard on Christmas gifts. It's bad enough within the four walls of their own family, but it often seeps into the practice of exchanging gifts with friends and extended family. It is a particularly sticky situation when young friends get into the habit of exchanging gifts. It's easy for it to get out of control, and sometimes one child may not feel as strongly about another as a "friend." Eventually, children grow out of the gift exchange phase, and bruised feelings are the by-product. |
Parents need to become media-savvy and entertainment-literate. There is no excuse for you not to know what type of pop cultural influences your child is exposed to. If you don't know what shows they're watching, what music they're listening to and what they're doing on the Internet, you're doing a poor job as a parent.
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When you look at this generation of kids, you're seeing a higher degree of materialism and self-centered behavior, combined with a growing indifference to those less fortunate. These behaviors concern me, and it seems to become more pronounced with each passing year.
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My advice is to keep your reactions muted. Many things teenagers do at this age (early teens) is for shock value and to demonstrate their independence. An equally strong response from you and your husband will not solve the problem. In many instances, it only makes it worse. |
I am very pleased to report that Education Secretary Margaret Spellings is no "edu-crat." As a former teacher, I used that career experience to ask her some pretty sharp questions on a variety of issues. She responded with answers that tell me she has an education strategy that is focused on a practical, nuts-and-bolts "basics" approach to fixing the country's education problems. Here are some of the key points she made in our discussion. |
To affect change, you've got to roll up your sleeves and be prepared for a long battle. It means galvanizing your neighbors to create a "strength in numbers" presence. It means demanding that school officials explain their safety strategy in detail, and that includes criminal background checks on school staff and teaching personnel. It means holding their feet to the fire and holding them accountable.
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I lead the charge against the American Psychological Association in 1999 when I was tipped off that they were going to publish a piece that said that pedophilia does not cause significant damage in children. I know that is a breathtaking statement, but that is what they published.
What is even more breathtaking is that Temple University professor Bruce Rind was the author of the study. |
My advice to parents when dealing with heavy emotional news like this is to take into account the age of the child and communicate the appropriate amount of information that they can safely handle and process. Considering that one child is 8, I would restrict the amount of news the child is exposed to, if any at all. Your older child will know doubt hear other classmates talking about this, so you have to take a different approach to discussing it.
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I think Hastert should also resign because the Republican Party identifies itself as the family values party, and voters respect this difference with the Democrats. What values does Hastert's conduct represent? They certainly don't reflect intensity and urgency when it comes to the protection of kids. Would he like Republicans to run on these values?
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For years, I have seen both research and real-world instances of the creeping trend of "hyper-parenting." You have parents seeking "perfection" in their kids and, as a result, are turning their parenting energies into overdrive. Parents compare themselves and their kids to other parents and kids, and develop an unhealthy mindset in which they feel pressured to "keep up."
The result is not pretty. |
Today, the sports world is dominated by surly, "me-first" ego-athletes like T.O., Barry Bonds, and others whose behavior and allegations send a troubling message to kids. That is why Ryan Howard's amazing and inspiring performance this year gives me reason to believe again. |
Last week's column about the death of Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter," generated an unprecedented amount of feedback from readers - primarily negative. Most wanted to challenge my opinion that Irwin's hands-on approach was unnecessary and sent the wrong message to young, impressionable children.
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When it came to Steve Irwin, the "Crocodile Hunter," I had very mixed emotions. While he had a charismatic personality and a clear love for nature and animals, I thought his "hands-on" approach to getting up close and personal with highly dangerous animals sent a wrong message to kids.
While his shows contained disclaimers and a "don't try this at home" message, I felt he created a danger, not just for himself, but for the millions of young children who watched him every week wrestling alligators, interacting with lions and tigers and swimming with sharks.
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At this time of year, many education experts talk about the things children need to do to have a successful and productive school year. From my experience as a former teacher, I find that type of advice somewhat incomplete. What's missing in the equation is the important role and responsibility of parents.
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Making a request to take a child out of a class should only be done if it is a serious situation and then as a last resort. Judging by the situation you described, I do not think that the situation between your daughter and the other girl comes anywhere close to the criteria a school administrator would use to even consider such a request.
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When I made the leap from teacher to radio talk show host, one of the features I did that listeners truly enjoyed was my "Six Degrees to A Job" segment. Callers would call in, tell me about their experience and career goals, and my listeners and I would do some networking on the air to see who we knew that could help that person with their job search.
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Worry is a natural instinct for a parent, and I would rather see more parents err on the side of caution. Many parents run away from their urge to worry and often overcompensate by being too lenient, and their kids suffer in a variety of ways. So I give you high marks for being an aware and concerned parent.
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There is no such thing as an easy answer when it comes to raising a child, particularly when you deal with a child and their ability to socially interact with others.
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ANSWER: When I counsel parents, I always tell them to trust your gut instinct. Based on what you describe, I agree with you - it does sound as if your son has an unhealthy addiction to playing video games. But in order to correct this problem, it takes more than taking the video games away and declaring them off-limits. While that may sound like a simple solution on paper, these types of problems usually run deeper, and I will explain.
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Summer school assignments are a tool that many school districts are embracing as a way to help students stay sharp academically over the summer break. Overall, I support this concept, and I believe parents should embrace it as well. These programs are designed to foster the concept of "year-round learning," and I believe they can contribute greatly to a child's academic performance.
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When you look at the facts behind his case, it becomes truly outrageous. The Camden test scores in question didn't just go up- one of the schools had one of the highest test scores in the state. This year's test scores plummeted. What would a reasonable person conclude? Most people who followed this case, like me, came to the same conclusion - Carruth's claims seem to have very strong merit.
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"How can anyone accuse you of racial injustice? You, who would do anything for anyone who has a legitimate need. You never ask what race, creed, color, or nationality a person is."
- Sister Ida Marie
"All the guys at Dallas agree with me about the sign being put in your window. We support your decision about no English, no service."
- Rocco, prisoner at Dallas Penitentiary
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Has Bristol Township, Pa. become our Bucks County Baghdad? |
Quotas are part of a consent degree that the City of Philadelphia signed with a federal court in the 1970s to end a discrimination suit. CAFFA (Concerned American Firefighters of America) feels, as do I, that the days of needing quotas to relieve past discrimination are well past.
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In a child's early years, these celebrations and events are for the child and not the adults |
Every child is different and it is unfair to expect them to follow an exact education and career path. Many of the students I taught in high school were mature and prepared to take the next step to college; others were not. What was reassuring to me was that the majority of students who were not completely ready after high school graduation found their path in life, and it usually involved college.
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Philadelphia is number one per capita in murders among America's big cities. Regarding this fact, Mayor Street chose to blurt out his one hit wonder "Too many guns, guns, guns." The second chorus of this song should be, "Straw buyers, Straw buyers."
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As much as children can be advanced and precocious, you can not rely on them to provide a clear and accurate accounting of their school day. Children of kindergarten age cannot paint a complete picture of the events in their classroom, so it is imperative that you have first-hand experience.
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The most important thing is to talk to your children openly and honestly. You do not have to pour on the cold hard facts about the situation, but you don't have to sugarcoat it either. |
People who represent the edu-crat point of view call me and tell me they are being forced to teach to the test and are being blamed for all the ills of society. I don't see it that way. I taught in public schools for 15 years and I witnessed the ridiculous group-think that squashed merit pay, protected incompetent teachers, and in general fostered a "good old boys" mentality. |
Being a "coach" to your child is not limited to sports-related activities. A coach plays a pivotal role in the success of any team. Your child, like an athlete, can possess enormous talents, but if they are not coached effectively, they will fall far short of their potential. Whether your child is young or old, an athlete or a "brainiac," you can take a few pages out of Earl Woods' parenting playbook to help your child develop winning life skills.
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Dom Answers Questins About A Nine Year Old Boys Constant Visits And Whether Parents Should Buy A New Car For Their Children. |
Lynn Doyle, host of CN8"s "It's Your Call" reflected a portion of my listeners when she told me, "I think it will always be 'too soon' to handle it in any way other than as a documentary or from a news perspective. Making a film on this subject for 'entertainment purposes' is not appropriate, in my personal opinion."
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My in-laws are in their early eighties and their driving is very poor due to their age. I recently told my father-in-law that I would prefer that our children not be driven in their car due to our concerns. He and my mother-in-law got very insulted and took it badly, to say the least. My wife is torn over this. Did we over-react?
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When I confronted any uninformed Penn student about the cost of his dream of anyone in the world being able to come to America whenever they wanted, he told me we'd just have to raise taxes on the wealthy to support this American Utopia.
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In the immigration/school incidents I have seen, it appears that many school leaders are throwing common sense and a sense of order right out the window. The schools should have disciplined those who were disruptive and cutting school, but they have taken the easy, PC way out. In other words, the edu-crats know what to do, but are afraid and spineless to confront the real problem. |
I told myself I see why McCain can captivate people. I looked past his jousting with me over the current debate over illegal immigration and his leadership of those who I believe are on the wrong side of this big issue. |
This is another case of how the steroid problem in professional sports is now infecting the sports programs of our kids. Pro athletes are natural role models for kids, but in today's world, things like ESPN and the outrageous salaries pro athletes earn have fueled the ambition for kids to emulate their pro sports heroes. |
The American Medical Association did a big survey of college-age women who have gone to spring break in the places you mentioned and the results should be seared in the minds of any parent. The numbers of young women who participated in unprotected sex, public sex or had more than one partner are staggering. |
I want to praise the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for "drawing a line in the stands" against players and student fans who are taunting opponents, chanting obscenities, throwing objects, not representing what a Catholic education is supposed to be about.
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| | | | | | | Photo by Jeff Christiansen / Associated Press
Hip Hop Artist Snoop Dog. | |
While there are portions of rap music that do not promote violence, drugs, and sex, parents cannot stick their head in the sand and think their kids will magically listen to only the positive music. |
Forcing your son to work at your business will create unnecessary friction and hinder him from learning how to make his own decisions. As long as he doesn't plan to sleep until noon every day with no "Plan B" for a summer job, you should accept his choice. |
The ingredients for academic excellence are like a family recipe that has been passed down for generations: quality teachers, engaged parents who make sure their kids come ready and wanting to learn, and a safe, positive school environment. |
In 2003-04, the latest year for which data are available, Pennsylvania schools excluded the scores of 3.4% of their students. That is well below the national average of 6.5%. However, the scores of the state's Asian and Hispanic students were excluded at much higher rates: 52% and 18%, respectively.
What's more, 27 states have a subgroup size lower than Pennsylvania's, meaning in those states, schools with fewer minorities have their scores broken out by race.
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When it comes to child predators, "going soft" on them in hopes of reducing the risks of them committing a more violent act does not work. |
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