Posted by: Sara Carbone on: April 10, 2012
Ever wish your kid actually cared about what she was studying? Not the grade, but the actual topic? In the book Unconditional Parenting – Moving From Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason education expert Alfie Kohn writes: In place of excessive focus on school achievement, we should take a lively interest in what the child is learning. [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: March 23, 2012
The following is a list of 5 top rated books about parenting and education on Amazon.com. I chose books that had consistently positive ratings from readers (many of them parents) for practicality, strong research and readability. Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child – The Heart of Parenting by John Gottman This book is all about helping your [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: March 19, 2012
“A little less conversation, a little more action” sang The King. Very true when it comes to helping the kid who avoids and procrastinates. A kid avoids homework for many reasons – it’s hard, boring, overwhelming or just plain inconvenient. Lecturing and nagging doesn’t tend to work. So try some action instead. Sit down and [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: March 10, 2012
With arms crossed, Rebecca stares stonily at the bedroom wall. Anna peers down anxiously at her. “Your work habits are going to keep you from ever being able to hold down a job. If -” says Anna. “Stop talking.” Rebecca’s hand coming up could halt an oncoming train. “Just leave.” “Look, we know you can [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: March 6, 2012
There are certain words and phrases that come with baggage. Our culture uses them over and over again in ways that mean they’re loaded with negative connotations. I tend to avoid them when working with children. This may seem like silly semantics, but I like using language that aims to keep academic work clear of [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: February 7, 2012
Erica is an experienced educator currently teaching 7th grade science at a Westchester, NY public school. Sara Carbone: When are parents too involved? Erica: Some parents are overly involved, requesting homework directly from the teacher. At the middle school level, this does not prepare your child to take responsibility for her schoolwork. She becomes dependent [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: January 31, 2012
Perhaps when you and your daughter discuss why she cut three math classes the conversation flows like water, buoyed along by mutual respect and understanding. If so, then you’re blessed and congrats on a job well done. But for many parents, giving advice gets stopped by a wall of misunderstanding, resentment or just plain goofy [...]
Posted by: Sara Carbone on: January 23, 2012
Below is an interview with Sarah Schrag, a former student of mine when she was in high school. She currently attends Boston University. Sara Carbone: What do parents do that doesn’t work? Sarah Schrag: Parents generally act in ways that the think helps their child, but their kid may never tell them how damaging it is. [...]