Can you tell me how to help my son stay motivated through a mid-fall slump? He starts out the school year so excited and ready to work but by mid-October, he has lost his drive.

The excitement of a new school year, a new teacher and new classmates brings a special kind of enthusiasm that is hard to maintain. Once students are comfortable in their situation and the work-load shifts from review to new material, it is tough to keep from feeling a little tired and even a bit overwhelmed.

Make sure that you are maintaining interest and enthusiasm in his studies! Take a deeper look at what your son is learning and let him see that your interest is piqued. Ask questions about what he is studying. Help him see how what he is focusing on now will help him later, making specific connections. For example, you could say that you didn’t really understand how important the three branches of government were until you started voting and could see how necessary a balance of power in government is. You might also talk about how learning to write well is important across all types of communication – even when using email.

Do not be tempted to “bond” with him over a shared hatred of a subject. It is perfectly reasonable to tell him that algebra was tough for you, but follow up with a comment saying you were glad you had mastered it by the time college entrance tests came around. If you focus on how much you dislike a subject or how worthless you thought something was, he will see that as your endorsement for little effort on his part.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four who holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Deb has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

The post Ask the Teacher: Maintaining Academic Motivation appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

Being able to visit Math Alive! was the highly anticipated event of our week last Friday. My little boy (8) was SO excited to be able to be one of the first kids to check out this talked about new exhibit at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Let me tell you how AWESOME this Math Alive! exhibit was!

When children think about math, they don’t realize that almost everything in our world involves math, such as building skyscrapers, making music or even designing snowboards. That’s what this new Math Alive! exhibit was brought to Dayton to do: make kids excited about math. Math Alive! is a STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), featuring about 20 interactive exhibits that get kids thinking and learning through the things they love most: selfies, robots, video games, music, and more.

Some of our favorite exhibits included:

• 1. Game Developer: A 3D mapping game navigating an object in space; after creating their object, kids can test it out in a real computer program
• 2. Style Revolution: Kids are invited to take a 360 degree selfie with 20 cameras snapping their picture at once
• 3. Mix It Up: Using fractions to make beats of music
• 4. Building a Skyscraper: Choose your location, height of building, anchor supports, and bracing and then test your building against wind, weather, and earthquakes.
• 5. Boardercross: Snowboarding using velocity and balance
• 6. Ramp It Up: Design your own skateboard by choosing the shape, length, wheel size, tail, and length. But can it make the jump? Try it!

We had a blast experimenting and trying out all of the exhibits. Many of them required you to think and really find out how math plays a role in the task or game. In this exhibit, you will have the opportunity to ride a snowboard, design a skateboard, plan an eco-friendly city, operate a robotic arm, take a 360-degree selfie, create a binary silhouette, and even test contaminated waters to make sure they are safe for swimming.

Math Alive! gives kids the opportunity to get excited about math, and helps them realize that they will always use the math they are learning at school.

The Math Alive! exhibit is free and open to the public during regular Air Force Museum hours. But, you better hurry! The exhibit is only up through Oct 2, 2016. For more information, you can visit www.museumofaviation.org or call 478-926-6870.

Are you heading to Math Alive!? We want to hear what you think and see your pictures! Tag us on Instagram @daytonparentmagazine and use hashtag #MathAlive!

About Erica:

Erica is the blogger and writer behind the popular preschool blog, eLeMeNO-P Kids. She’s a wife, mom, and preschool teacher at the Countryside YMCA | Landen location right here in Cincinnati. Follow Erica’s preschool adventures on Facebook and Instagram!

The post Check It Out: Math Alive Exhibit – Dayton Parent Magazine appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

Our school has removed physical education teachers and has replaced them with more STEM teachers. Why isn’t the health and physical well-being of our kids considered important? 

Each state has its own standards for physical education and its own requirements for how those standards must be met. If there is an allowance for a licensed teacher to teach physical education, even without a physical education background, regular classroom teachers may be given that responsibility. They can meet the standards requirements by providing basic activities, although a great deal is lacking when experts in the field of physical education are not involved.

School corporations are being pushed to create learning environments heavily weighted by STEM experiences (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). As they look to divvy up their limited financial resources, administrators are required to make difficult decisions about what should be prioritized. In spite of research showing the need to develop positive habits for children in regards to their physical health, physical education often falls to the bottom of the priority list.

If parents around you share your concern, you can work together to gather information and approach your local school board about a change. It will be important for you to understand what your state requires, exactly how the schools are meeting those requirements now, how schools in neighboring communities and states prioritize physical education, and how the field of pediatrics views the need for physical education.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four who holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Deb has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]indyschild.com

The post Ask the Teacher: Phasing Out Physical Education appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

I have a great deal of concern about the increased use of technology in classrooms at our son’s elementary school. It seems that more and more time is spent using electronic devices and less and less time is devoted to traditional paper/pencil activities. How can kids possibly be learning when they are playing games so much of the time?

There are sound arguments on both sides of the technology-use question, but the fact remains that all of our lives are infused with technologically. A balance of traditional and technological activities is likely the answer to developing skills and nurturing brain development in today’s kids.

The advancements in technology over the last several years are remarkable in terms of its ability to support academic growth and practice. The graphics and design of educational websites and software excite students. Games are a fun way to practice basic skills in all subject areas in a variety of formats. Top-quality content, photographs, charts, maps and clips enhance introduction and exploration of topics in a timely way that textbooks and films simply cannot. Interaction with others is now possible as options for cooperation and collaboration are added. Content from a variety of resources can be manipulated in an advanced way, supporting out-of-the-box thinking.

Consider meeting with your child’s teacher so that he or she can show you what is being used in the classroom. You will likely be reassured that there is a great deal of learning happening in what has been disguised as fun!

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four who holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Deb has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

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I am very surprised that my fifth grade daughter is allowed to re-do assignments, including re-taking tests. I am concerned that she is not seeing the repercussions of failing to prepare in the way she should. Why aren’t teachers letting poor grades stand to allow students to suffer the consequences?

A philosophical shift has occurred in many teachers’ thinking about grades. By allowing or requiring students to re-do assignments, they are insisting that students take responsibility to learn the material completely. This method actually does not let kids off easy. Students whose work does not reflect understanding are expected to revisit the content, meet with teachers and complete more work if needed. Teachers are also acknowledging that their chosen method of instruction may not have been effective for everyone and that re-teaching may be necessary.

The penalty for those children who have thrown an assignment together or who have not studied well is in the loss of their time rather than a lower grade. The outcome of this approach can be a stronger mastery of curriculum content and likely, the subsequent desire by students to do what is necessary the first time around.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four who holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Deb has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

The post Ask the Teacher: Do-over assignments appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

My son’s teacher requires him to read for twenty minutes five nights a week. We spend twice that amount of time trying to get him to complete the reading. I am sure these battles will result in him hating to read. How can I make required reading a positive experience?

Significant factors in creating a good reading experience are the level of the material and the subject matter. Help your son select a book about something he enjoys with a reading level that is easy for him. This should help pique his interest and keep him from feeling frustrated. Types and levels of books can be adjusted later.

Create a positive environment for reading that is relatively free from distractions. Engage your son by reading alongside him. If that does not work, read together. Read a paragraph or a page and have him read the next one. Periodically stop to talk about what you have read. Involve other readers in the house if they are available to help keep the atmosphere light. Another option is to check out audio books from your local library along with their hard copies. Have your son listen to the book for a few minutes and then read some of it on his own. Consider reading the first 25-30 pages aloud so that your son becomes hooked on the particular story.

If focusing is a challenge, set a timer for ten minutes and encourage him to do something physical like jumping jacks for just a minute or two, then return to ten minutes of reading. Gradually increase the amount of time spent reading by small increments. Decrease the duration of the breaks. In no time, your son will be reading for the full allotment required.

You can also try turning the assignment into a challenge. Make a chart and graph how long your son is reading without becoming distracted or without complaining. When he meets the 20 minute challenge, offer a small reward like doing his chores the next day. Perhaps seeing his own progress will be the encouragement he needs to persevere.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four who holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Deb has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

The post Making Required Reading a Positive Experience appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

I have a hard time imagining that bullying is any worse than it ever was. Some kids are just mean. Why is so much school time being devoted to this topic?

Bullying has been on the landscape of every childhood; you are right that there have always been mean kids who make life difficult for others. However, technology and social media have brought about an increase in the number of incidents of bullying and have added another mechanism by which bullying occurs. The speed with which vicious posts spread far surpasses anything we have ever known. In no time, a student can become a victim of a large number of taunts and jabs.

Because of the pervasive and very public nature of bullying now possible through technology, public health agencies, school counselors and child psychologists have felt compelled to develop multi-faceted programs to address this issue. Students learn how to avoid becoming victims by building self-confidence and developing specific strategies to use in response to bullies. Classmates learn to recognize when behaviors escalate from teasing to bullying and are given ideas on how to stand up for others. Kids also come to understand their responsibility in reporting bullying to trusted adults for the protection of others. Would-be bullies learn that what they may consider harmless teasing can have immediate and long-term effects on their victims.

Social media emboldens kids who would likely never have surfaced as “bullies” a generation ago. Kids consider their negative posts as harmless because they are not physically hurting anyone. They simply do not understand that the pain inflicted on others in this way can result in much more damage than a playground fight. Parents should monitor their child’s email and social media accounts to make sure their child is not being bullied and also, to ensure that their child’s actions could not be perceived as inflicting harm on others.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four who holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Deb has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

The post Bullying programs appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

We have a long driving vacation planned, and it seems like a good opportunity for reinforcing some school skills. What can I do other than give my son workbooks and books to read?

Traveling certainly does present many opportunities for learning, and hours confined to a car turn riders into a captive audience. Plan to create a documentary of your trip. Your son can take pictures each day and then write interesting captions for them in the evening or during the next day’s driving. He could also choose a theme for his photos, like a letter of the alphabet, and snap pictures of places or things that begin with that letter.

Take along books about the states you will be traveling through to read as you go, which can make the journey more enjoyable. At each rest stop, pick up brochures about area attractions. Read through them together for reading practice. If your son reads well, he can create a trivia contest based on what he reads in the brochure to challenge the rest of the family.

To build some math practice into your travels, have your son make some basic calculations along the way. When a sign appears on the highway that gives the mileage to upcoming destinations, have him determine how many miles are between two of the places listed on the sign. Ask him to calculate meal costs by using the prices on restaurant menus. After a gas station stop, he can help determine the mileage you are getting on your trip.

Most importantly, stay in vacation mode and find ways to keep learning fun!

The post Ask the Teacher: trip tips appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

My second grade daughter is so introverted. She is just unable to make friends. What can I do to help her?

If a child’s introversion makes her uncomfortable or unhappy, it’s time to step in. Sometimes a quiet child can be overwhelmed by outgoing children or a large number of kids and may not be aware of someone else with a similar disposition or interests as her own. Begin by asking the teacher to recommend a few girls from the class who she thinks would be compatible with your daughter. Talk with your daughter about inviting someone over.

When the classmate comes, start the playdate with an activity in which you are involved – play a board game, do a craft or bake cookies for example. You will be able to help the girls start conversations and get to know one another. This will nudge them along to playing independently without you.

If your daughter is more content on her own than with others, consider reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain. This book will give you a new understanding and appreciation for this special personality.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four and current teacher. Deb holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

The post How to help your Introverted Child make Friends appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.

I see lots of references to teaching kids about internet safety, but I am reluctant to frighten my kids unnecessarily. How do I help them be safe without making them scared?

Teaching internet safety is just as important as teaching children to cross the street safely. Walking into traffic without looking will have horrible consequences; navigating the internet naively can as well.

For the games and activities that you have set up for your young children, an explanation of safety precautions isn’t necessary. However, once kids begin to search the internet independently, they must be aware of the potential danger they are exposed to.

Children must understand that they should never put personal information such as an address, phone number or email contact on a website. Explaining why this is dangerous is just as important as explaining why a child should not approach the car of a stranger offering candy.

Discuss the issue of cyberbullying at length. Talk about how typed words can be understood differently than what was intended, and explain the lasting nature of published thoughts. Even the quietest child can find power behind a keyboard and screen.

Exposure to inappropriate material is a very real danger. Risking your child’s innocence is serious. Accidental exposure can lead the most responsible 10 or 12 year old to pornographic material. The importance of this threat cannot be overemphasized. Use filters and blocks and keep all computers and phones in high traffic areas where you can monitor activity.

Ask the Teacher is written by Deb Krupowicz, a mother of four and current teacher. Deb holds a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and has over twenty years of experience teaching preschool, elementary and middle school students. Please send your questions to her at [email protected]

The post Internet Safety for Kids appeared first on Dayton Parent Magazine.