The word mantra has several definitions, but my favorite is “An often repeated word or phrase that is closely associated with something; a slogan, byword, or a watchword.” Do you have a mantra? Is there something you say to your kids that they will take with them and even repeat when they are grown? As the bible says, “train a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it”. My dad had several mantras. He often said, “The early bird catches the worm”, and “beans, beans, good for your heart….”, but … Continue reading →

Scrupulous means acting with extreme care. When dealing with the education of children, one has to be scrupulous. If children do not sense a modicum of care and concern, chances are, they will not be open to learn. Even when done unintentionally, one misplaced word can do a lifetime of damage. News report after news report tells of teachers that are truly unscrupulous (devoid of scruples; oblivious to or contemptuous of what is right or honorable)~dictionary.com. A quick Google search shows numerous teachers jailed on sex charges ranging from child porn to rape. Last year a local teacher made a … Continue reading →

Rapport, according to dictionary.com is “a relation, especially one characterized by sympathetic understanding, emotional affinity, or mutual trust. “ Good teachers usually have rapport with their students. When my daughter was in Kindergarten, she started having problems in school. (Even though she had attended two and a half years of preschool) I began to dread Fridays, when she would bring home her weekly report. Her problems were always behavioral. She spoke too much, or out of turn. She fidgeted and did not pay attention. She distracted other children. The subject of ADHD came up. Then something happened in February of … Continue reading →