| By: Committee for Children New York Times “Motherlode” Blog: The Vagina (and Penis) Dialogues There are excellent reasons for using the correct anatomical terms for our reproductive systems with our children, but for many, there remains a linguistic taboo. Published November 6, 2012 by The New York Times on www.nytimes.com [Read the rest of this…Read More
| By: Committee for Children The Word Around the Water Cooler: SEL and Bullying Prevention The Program Development and Research Department here at Committee for Children is (as always) hard at work, and their current focus is the relationship between social-emotional learning (SEL) and bullying. It’s a concept that fascinates us, so we asked some of our colleagues and friends about the relationship from their unique perspectives. Here’s what they had to say. The Research Scientist “We know that bullying and…Read More
| By: Committee for Children The Sandusky Sentencing: Lest We Forget As the trial and sentencing of Jerry Sandusky come to an end, I can honestly say that I am relieved. I feel ready to move on. But in good conscience, I can’t do that.Read More
| By: Committee for Children Book Review: Deliver Us from Evie by M. E. KerrReading Level: Middle school and older Eighteen-year-old Evie Burrman is an excellent farmhand. Skilled at mechanics and farming, strong, smart, and comfortable with farm talk, she is the apple of her father’s eye. She is also a lesbian. In her family’s rural Missouri community, that is the salient fact about Evie, regardless of how good she is at repairing combines. Her quietly observant…Read More
| By: Allison Schumacher The Accidental Advocate Allison Schumacher, Committee for Children's PR and Communications Manager, wakes up one morning to realize she has somehow become a bullying prevention advocate. How did this happen, and will she use her power for good? Read on.Read More
| By: Rachel Kamb Key Factors in Creating a Positive Classroom Climate I’ve been hearing a lot about “positive classroom climate.” What does this mean? Classroom climate refers to the prevailing mood, attitudes, standards, and tone that you and your students feel when they are in your classroom. A negative classroom climate can feel hostile, chaotic, and out of control. A positive classroom climate feels safe, respectful,…Read More
| By: Committee for Children Book Review: Meet the Barkers: Morgan and Moffat Go to School by Tomie dePaola Reading Level: Preschool–Grade 2 The first week of school for the Barker twins is very exciting. Moffie earns a lot of gold stars for knowing all the right answers. And Morgie makes two new friends with a common interest in dinosaurs. By the end of the week, though, their teacher has a little talk with Moffie about giving other people a chance to speak in class. When…Read More
| By: Committee for Children Helping Early Learners Transition to Kindergarten The beginning of a new school year creates much anticipation for children. This exciting time of year is especially tumultuous for early learners transitioning to kindergarten. Some brand-new kindergartners will experience their first longer school day, and all will enter a new classroom environment with new rules and expectations. Committee for Children’s Second…Read More
| By: Emilie Coulter Book Review: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt Reading level: Grades 6–9 Turner Buckminster is not having a good time in his new home. In 1912 Phippsburg, Maine, starched collars and a reserved demeanor is de rigueur for the minister's son, even one who is 13 and eager to explore the wonders of the coastline. Turner gets into one scrape after another, earning the disapproval of just about everyone in town…until he meets a soul mate,…Read More
| By: Committee for Children Book Review: My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis Illustrated by Suzanne DeSimone Reading Level: Preschool–Grade 2 Read More