Akeelah and the Bee is a gem of a movie for middle-school and late-elementary school children. Eleven-year-old Akeelah lives with her overworked mother in South Central LA and mourns the death of her father. Her two older brothers have their own paths, one in the Air Force and the other hanging with gangbangers. Akeelah struggles
Tomorrow, September 30, is Museum Day, and that means museums across the U. S. will be offering free admission. Simply print a pass from the Smithsonian Web site and you and a guest can get in free to participating museums. (Special exhibits may not qualify.) The Smithsonian organizes the yearly event, but this is the
The Seattle Times published an article this week on Finding Schools that Strive to be Inclusive. It’s a positive article, with examples of two moms, two dads, and interracial families. There are also some useful hints for educators, such as: A phrase such as “don’t forget to tell your parents about the field trip” rather
Having a pre-schooler, I don’t write about teens as often as perhaps I should. Here’s one item, however, that caught my eye: A long-term study of high school seniors’ educational and occupational plans found a widening gap between goals and actual achievements. Ambition can be good for some, the researchers say, but can also lead
Well, not exactly. But the man behind Elmo, Kevin Clash, has an upcoming book, My Life as a Furry Red Monster, in which he describes his life as the animating spirit behind one of Sesame Street’s most beloved characters. Clash, who is six feet tall and African American, is physically a far cry from his
Many of us are busy this week buying new lunchboxes, pencils, sneakers, and knapsacks for our school-bound broods. Equally helpful may be some of these school-related resources for LGBT parents. (You can also find most of these links, along with other good stuff, in my resource directory): [Update: Please see the 2016 list for the
I was going to write a short post about the definition of “planet” recently proposed by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). I thought some moms would find it useful when helping their children with science homework. Geoffrey Pullam’s post at Language Log on “Gay Marriage and Counting the Planets” made me realize I was thinking
A new college reference book, The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, is the first to rate schools based solely on the opinions of LGBT students and faculty. The Guide looks at “schools’ policies, social organizations, support and healthcare resources, LGBT studies curricula, housing options, campus safety and general atmosphere for ‘out’ students and faculty.”
Should parents be able to prevent their children from buying certain items in the school cafeteria? Newsweek reports on a new cafeteria checkout system that monitors what each child eats so that parents can view the information online. This could provide the opportunity for discussion about healthy eating choices, although it does seem a bit
In the U. K., the National Union of Teachers (NUT) says teachers should challenge gender stereotyping and intolerant language as early as preschool. Pinknews.co.uk quotes the NUT’s report: Research shows that children as young as five begin to display disapproval of peers’ role-inconsistent behaviours and are self-critical when judging how they would feel if they
