The Blog
As a newspaper columnist, Nancy Devlin, Ph.D. has written over 700 articles on subjects related to education and parenting. Welcome to her Classroom!
From a reader: 10 Common Reasons Kids Should Say Thank You
Saying thank you is second nature to most people and we tend to take this simple expression of gratitude for granted. However, because it’s so common, a thank you left unsaid becomes a glaring omission. Parents who don’t teach their … Continue reading
The Tyranny of the SAT
The Scholastic Appitude Test (SAT) produced by the Educational Testing Service measures verbal and mathematical abilities by means of multiple choice questions. Since most college admission offices use these scores to determine eligibility for admission, it is very important that … Continue reading
Teacher Tenure
Teacher tenure laws are coming under close scrutiny, usually not in a pleasant way. One headline read: “When teachers should be expelled from class.” “New hope for getting ride of bad apples.” The assumption seems to be that tenure permits … Continue reading
Seasonal Affective Disorder
We are in the SAD months of winter. This is the time when the days are too short and there is not enough sun. People are tired and moody. Even though there is a name for this feeling, Seasonal Affective … Continue reading
Does Your Child Really Have ADHD?
I just returned from John’s graduation from high school. Not only did he graduate in 4 years, he received two blue ribbons for his sculptures, first honors as a senior and acceptance in to college to study graphic design. Pretty … Continue reading
Parents Develop Your Child’s Self Esteem
There is a great deal written about self esteem and what teachers and parents can to do to help develop this attribute in children. Dr. Julius Segal in the Brown University Child Behavior and Development Letter writes that teachers have … Continue reading
Discipline – What Does It Mean?
Renee Polreis of Colorado was convicted of beating her adopted two-year old son to death with a wooden spoon. Like their parents before them, many adults feel it is necessary to use force to punish children “for their own good”. … Continue reading
Preparing For The Holiday Break
I wish you a joyous, peaceful and tranquil holiday season. With all the children out of school and underfoot this is not easy to achieve. Start planning now. Provide activities for the children. For the younger ones, save all of … Continue reading
Making Family Traditions… Be Careful
Each family is unique in its holiday traditions. Some traditions are handed down from generation to generation, and many family members become very upset if they are not strictly followed. It behooves families, therefore, to be very careful when establishing … Continue reading
Cooperative Learning Is the Cure For Bullying
Adults who model violent punitive behavior produce children who become bullies and who lack other techniques for solving problems. Don Olweus, a psychologist from Norway, studied 150,000 Norwegian and Swedish students and found that 8% of the children were bullies … Continue reading
