Meltowne's comments

More Reasons Why a Teacher May Suggest that Twins be Separated - Blog Entry

19 Mar 2008 09:44 AM

While I don't think there should be a hard and fast rule that all twins be in idifferent classes, I also don't think the parents should have the final say. As a parent, I am allowed to express my concerns regarding the placement of my children, but the teachers have the last say regarding which children are in which classroom. Some best friends are the same way, yet those parents can't request special treatment.

The placement must be what is best for the family, the individual children, the teachers, and the who school community. If placing them in the same class will cause disruptions, don't do it. If one child rends to lead the other, don't do it... But if placing them in the same room will benefit them both, and maybe even benefit their classmates, put them together. The fact that they are twins should only be a part of the equation.

Calculators in the Classroom - Blog Entry

10 Oct 2007 11:17 AM

I agree that calculators should be available to kids with learning disabilities. I also think the use of a calculator should be taught to all children. But they should not be relied upon - the children need to know how to tell if the answer is at least in the ballpark. Not only do batteries wear out (and calculators then give WRONG answers), but the kids can mis-enter a number.

I am doing with my children what my parents did with me - they can use the calculator for those functions I know they understand. This applies to the more advanced calculations too - if they can read the sin and cosine from the graph or chart, only then can they use that function on their calculator, and only because it is faster.

I don't have a problem with calculators on the tests, if it is allowing the kids to work faster, and helping show what they really do know, but again, they need to understand the context of the answer. (and don't let me start on those cashiers!)

Should You Discipline Other People's Children? - Blog Entry

09 Jul 2007 10:26 AM

I agree with rule #1 - and it applies everywhere. When my kids are home, they live by my rules, and anyone else's rules are irrelevant. Any kids (and adults too) that are visiting must live by my house rules.

I do give time-outs to other kids at my house - but not the same kind I give to my kids. My kids spend time-out at the dinner table, or somewhere away from the fun. Other kids go home for their time outs, which usually last the rest of the day. They don't have to live by my rules, but they don't have to play in my yard either. Anyone who sasses me and makes a point of not following the house rules cannot be invited back until he or she appologizes and ensures they understand the house rules.

As for schools, don't get me started. The teachers are fine, as far as they are allowed to take things, but most discipline is done by administrators. Some are great, others... they only care if there's physical evidence. Zero tolerance when they want it.

Summer Learning Lost - Blog Entry

11 Jun 2007 07:56 AM

I've noticed that many schools ignore everything but summer reading - to their detriment. Even when they include non-fiction books in their summer reading list, they are still book about history or biographies. Maybe they will list a biography about a scientist, but very few books about science themselves.

When you're looking at books to consider for summer reading, look at the ones with small experiments that can be done in the kitchen. Then help the kids do some of those experiments. The reading is just as valuable as literature - and in some cases even more valuable.

When the kids want something this summer, have THEM calculate the cost - they want an ice cream from the ice cream truck running through the neighborhood (and are upset when their friends get one and they don't). Ask them to find out the cost of the single item, and then take them to the store (or even look online at peapod or another online grocer), and find out how much is costs for a whole box. How many nights can they have ice cream if you buy the whole box? If you go to an amusement park, ask them how much it will cost the family.

The schools don't push anything but reading over the summer, but we as parents should.

Science Gender Gap - Blog Entry

10 Apr 2007 06:24 PM

It may be a combination of both, but in my (anecdotal of course) experience, girls who have been encourage to explore math and science from the start have actually been better at it than the boys. Their thought process has been different, but in helpful ways. At younger ages, the girls pay more attention to the details, and are more focused - if you can just spark that initial interest!

Hurt Feelings and Rejection - Blog Entry

01 Mar 2007 09:50 AM

I think it really depends on the age, and the emphasis of the program. I was on the board of our local soccer program. For the 3 lowest age froups (4/5, 6/7, and 8/9YO) we awarded medals or trophies to all participants. We had awarded them to older groups as well, but the kids didn't really do much with them, so we stopped. As a recreational leage, we kept score of the games, but no standings. If the score got out of hand, we stopped keeping score. None of the older kids get awards - if they are good enough, they can try out for the competitive league, where they may or may not win awards.

Our softball league had a similar policy - younger children get awards because the point of those divisions is to learn the game. The older kids compete for awards - because they are at a level where competition has meaning, and where they can all contribute in a meaningful way.

At the younger ages, luck plays as much a role in the score as skill, and I don't believe in rewarding luck. For then, we're starting organized sports way younger than when we were kids, and they don't need the distration of "competition," and the coaches need to know their teem will be rewarded, no matter how they do - or they will be tempted to only play the better players, and widen the skill gap even more at such an early age.

School Closing- Be Prepared! - Blog Entry

23 Feb 2007 06:01 PM

In the three school systems we have dealt with, this has always been addressed. One of the forms that goes home at the beginning of the year is a "school closing" form. On it we give instructions for when the school closes early. If you child is a bus rider, they are either to ride the bus home or to another destination on the same bus route, or have instructions to remain at school for someone to pick them up. If they walk to school, instructions are given to either follow their normal routine or do something else specific. It is made very clear that the school cannot be responsible for calling parents, nor should students be expected to have access to a phone.

Because of the way our schedule works, school would never be closed after the busses started their runs to pick up children. At that point, the children are probably safer at school than at home - the decision to close must be made by around 5am, and experience says to err on the side of caution. But of course, this is New England, where we have a pretty good sense of when closings are needed. Our emergency forms are more for early closings (2 hours for weather), or other emergency closings requiring an evacuation - in those cases, they have an evacuation point, and then deal with transportation.

Sending Gifts to School - Blog Entry

23 Feb 2007 05:48 PM

Of course, the LATEX ballons! Please resist. Latex is becoming a big allergen, not to mention the other problems with balloons and young children.

What happened to the days of cards to each classmate? In high school, we had carnations for valentine's day, and not everybody got them. Some of the more popular kids got many, but it was a fundraiser for the senior class, and by that age everybody understood. Individual gifts sent to school should be prohibited. While it's OK to have the class sing Happy Birthday, and maybe send a birthday cake it, that is shared with the whole class. You wouldn't have your child opening presents at school, so why should they get an individual gift now?

Thankfully, I haven't seen this at any of our schools, but I have seen the knee-jerk reaction. At DD's old school, if you handed out invitations to a birthday party at school, you had to invite the whole class. If you wanted to invite only a handful of friends, you had to get the invitations to them some other way - and of course the school couldn't give out addresses, so it became very difficult if you wanted in inexpensive small party.

Have Schools Gone Too Far With Their No Tolerance Policy? - Blog Entry

23 Feb 2007 05:29 PM

The administrators who come up with these policies are cowards!

One punishment does not fit all situations, and the zero-tolerance policies are terrible. The administrators probably love these policies because it means nobody can complain about their discretion - I suspended him because that's the rule. What's the point of even having assistant pricipals or others incharge of discipline if there is no discretion? Might as well just have a computer dole out the punishments, and save the salary.

I would advise this student to take some classes at a community college, and include a letter of explanation to any colleges where he is applying. Be proactive. Any acceptance may be contingent upon not just graduation, but any disciplinary actions - but an explanation could go a long way to reversing such a decision.

Bill To Make Spanking A Crime Dropped - Blog Entry

23 Feb 2007 05:12 PM

I can't say that I'm familiar with California law, but I would think all of the above-mentioned "unreasonable parental punishments" would fall under statues for assault. I don't see how any new bill will accomplish anything, unless they plan on increasing the punishment for inflicting them on a child - but then how is it worse if its done by a parent than any other adult? I think this lawmaker just doesn't get it. Parents who are headed down the path of abuse should be given help, not automatically punished and given a record.

Before I became a mother, I wondered how someone could shake a baby. Then I had my first child, who wouldn't get on a reasonable schedule, and kept me up night after night, wanting to "play" at 3am. I found myself so frustrated I almost shook her, but called woke DH to take her so I could setlle myself. I can only imagine what would have happened if I didn't have someone else around to do that. Yes, people who habitually harm their children should be punished, but more importantly, the children should be removed to a safe environment.