The Added Advantage In African American Children's Education - Computer Homeschooling (Part 4)

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how 'bout you!

Parents and friends in our third article we championed using computers to homeschool African American children and prepare them for a future where computers will have an impact on every part of our society. In the final part 4 article we will complete the series by stressing the importance of making sure your computers and broadband Internet connection is secure from the daily attack of hackers, viruses and thieves.. oh my!

Lions, tigers and bears in digital form are being unleashed on the Internet daily, if not almost hourly. Now most parents would get the idea that if it's that bad then why use the Internet at all. If you take a closer look at the educational environment today, there are lions, tigers and bears already out there in public and private schools waiting to take advantage of our African American children each and everyday. It's almost become a challenge to just stay alive, let alone avoid drugs, teen pregnancy and other ills.

The difference between the two learning arenas is that while they are at home learning you have more control protecting them and more tools to defend against whatever comes their way. It's far better to have a daily defense for your African American children's learning, then to wonder what's going on at their school.

Now, let's get to looking at viruses (lions), hackers (tigers) and thieves (bears) to keep out of your computer and your home. Virus software is as important to your computer and the network it's connected to as proper nutrition is to your children. Both help to defend against having a healthy computer/child becoming sick or worse.

Make sure your virus software is up-to-date and that your computer's operating system is updated constantly. Run your virus software daily, yes daily and check for updates daily to make sure the software has the latest tools to protect your computer. Viruses, worms and other bad software code is being released near hourly at times, so running your virus software everyday and keeping it updated is a must. Teach your children about viruses and what to do to keep your computers safe and virus free.

Remember this subject is worthy of more than just one article and therefore is covered in a 4 part series.

Parents take advantage of our 5-day email course on wireless technology - email us for more info...

Daviyd Peterson: 10-year consultant, instructor, trainer of digital divide solutions for home and business. He helps African American and minority homeschools bridge the digital divide by becoming computer homeschools. Supporting homeschool moms and dads with resources to provide income for their homeschool...

A Parents Guide - How To Improve Your Children's Education And Grades

A primary responsibility for all parents and guardians is to ensure their children get the best education possible, thereby increasing their children's chances of leading successful, independent, adult lives. Regardless of what grade level your children are in now, Elementary through High School Graduation, there are important steps all parents must take in order to help their children do well in school. Unfortunately, many parents expect school teachers and school systems to carry the entire responsibility of educating their children, allowing other activities and family matters to supersede this vital area of children's lives. So, what steps can you take, as the parent or guardian, to better improve your children's education?

Priorities And Setting Goals-

Communicate to your children the value and importance of working hard each and every day, setting achievable and attainable goals, being sure to lovingly encourage and praise your children for each goal achieved. Some parents have a tendency to criticize and berate their children for grades received, labeling their children as "Stupid", "Lazy", and other demeaning names which only create poor self-esteem. Having high expectations for your children to "do their best in school" can only be accomplished by taking steps to build up your children's self-confidence. While your son or daughter may be very good in math or spelling, but struggle with reading or biology, be consistent in your praise for their good education skills. Remind yourself of the old adage, "If you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all".

Identify Problem Areas-

If your children exhibit poor performance in studies, observe your children closely and ask them questions to identify problem areas and offer helpful solutions. A few examples of common problems some children have are:

• Spending too much time on extra-curricular activities
• Waiting until the last minute to work on homework assignments
• Difficulty in understanding study material and teacher objectives
• Slow reading skills or undiagnosed health issues
• Poor diet and sleep patterns - tired and irritable
• Difficulty interacting with other children - being bullied at school

Family Routines-

Studies show that parents who create and maintain family routines raise successful students, versus parents that don't. The study environment is an extremely important aspect of providing your children optimal opportunities for success in school. Where do your children study and complete homework assignments? Consider having your children study and do their homework at a table or desk, rather than curled up on the couch where they are likely to fall asleep. Provide a calm and quiet atmosphere to read or study, without the distractions of a radio or television playing in the background. Make it your family routine that homework assignments must be completed before play time with friends, chores, or other activities.

Provide A Tutor-

There are many benefits to providing your children a Tutor. Providing your child/children a Tutor is an excellent way of showing your children that their education is of vital importance to you, especially if you did not receive optimal education yourself, or you have forgotten portions of subjects your children are currently studying. Opportunities for your children to receive direct, 1-on-1 tutoring, helps alleviates stress and worry for many children, and has been proven to greatly increase grade scores.

Maintain Parent/Teacher Relationship-

When was the last time you attended your children's P.T.A meeting, or the Parent/Teacher Conference held at your children's school? Waiting for your children's school to inform you of how your children are performing or behaving in school, rather than your actively seeking consistent involvement, quickly teaches your children the wrong message. Spend ample time with your child's teacher, through face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations and email exchanges, keeping yourself informed of your children's progress at school. Set the right example, get involved.

What Else Does Family Involvement Include?-

Family involvement takes into account many things. Read to your child. Have your child read to you. Have your child see you reading. Limit time spent viewing television or playing video games. Take time to do activities together, such as playing cards or board games, gardening, going to the park or zoo. Find opportunities to use fun times as an educational tool for your children's benefit, as well as your own. It's never too late to improve your grades.

How the Right To an Education Destroys Our Children's Education

One of the most common arguments that school authorities use to justify public schools is that all children have a "right" to an education. Public-school apologists claim that all children have a right to an education, and that only the existence of a massive, compulsory, government-controlled public-school system can "guarantee" that right.

As I will explain below, the claim that all children have a right to an education ends up hurting the very children it was intended to help. I will therefore ask a seemingly shocking question -- do all children have a right to an education? If they do, public-school apologists are correct in assuming that we need government to guarantee that right so no child gets left behind.

What is an economic "right" such as the alleged right to an education? A "right" means that a person has a claim on the rest of society (other Americans) to give him some product or service he wants, regardless of whether he can pay for it or not. For example, if we claimed that everyone has a right to a car, that would mean if someone couldn't afford a car, government would give that person the money to buy it (the payment might be called a car voucher).

Similarly, if we say that all children have a right to an education, regardless of their parent's ability to pay tuition, then only government can guarantee this alleged right. Government has to guarantee this right because no private, for-profit school will admit a student if the parents don't pay tuition (unless the student gets a scholarship). If a private school doesn't get paid for its services, it soon goes out of business.

Local or state governments can guarantee this alleged right in two basic ways. They can own and operate all the public schools and force all children to attend these schools, or they can give subsidies (vouchers) to parents to pay for tuition in the private school of their choice. Since most school authorities strongly oppose vouchers, that means they support only a government-controlled system of compulsory public schools and school taxes to guarantee children this alleged right to an education.

But government produces nothing by itself. Government gets its money by taxing us. To guarantee this alleged right to a product or service, government tax collectors must therefore take money from one person to give it to another. They must take from Peter to pay Paul, as the saying goes. So, in effect, a person who demands food, housing, or medical care as an alleged right, is really demanding that government tax agents steal money from his neighbor to give him an unearned benefit he didn't work for.

Education, like housing or medical care, does not grow free in nature. Just as someone must pay doctors, nurses, and hospitals for all the services they provide, someone must also pay for teachers' salaries, textbooks, janitorial services, and school upkeep. Other than air, nothing that we need is free.

The average public school now gets over $7,500 a year per student, paid from compulsory taxes. To guarantee education as a "right," local, state, and federal governments must tax all Americans to pay for public schools. All of us are taxed, whether or not we have school-age children or think these schools are worth paying for. So when some parents claim that their children have a right to an education, they are really demanding that their local or state government steal money from their neighbors to pay for their children's education.

Here's an analogy that might help clarify this issue. Imagine that your unemployed neighbor comes to you and asks you to lend him money to pay for his children's education. You reply that, though you sympathize with his problem, your answer is no. He responds by saying that he is poor, points out that you have a big house and a job, and insists that his children have a "right" to an education. You say, "Sorry, my answer is still no because I need my money for my own children's education." Suppose that your neighbor then gets real mad, pulls out a gun, puts it to your head, and says, "I asked you nicely. I told you my children need an education. You have a job, and I'm unemployed, so you have a moral duty to give me your money." Then he clicks back the hammer on the gun.

Does your neighbor have the right to put a gun to your head and steal your money because his children "need" an education? He has no such right. Nor does he, or any number of your neighbors, have the right to rob you by getting government to be their enforcer -- by pressuring local governments to take your money through school taxes. Any school system that uses compulsory taxes is a system based on the notion that theft is moral if it's for a good cause. No goal, not even educating children, justifies legalized theft.

It is only natural that all parents want the best education for their children, but do good intentions justify stealing from your neighbor? A mugger on the street who puts a knife to your throat and demands your money also has good intentions -- he wants to make his life better with your money. One of the Ten Commandments says, "Thou shalt not steal." It does not say, "Thou shalt not steal, except if you need tuition money to educate your child." Since no one has a right to steal from his neighbor, no one, including children, has a "right" to an education.

Some might argue that I may be correct on this issue when it comes to adults, but surely we can't punish innocent children for their parent's failures? Just because parents are poor or unemployed, why should innocent children suffer and be denied an education? The answer to that question is one that many people find hard to accept, yet it is true -- there are no guarantees in life, not for adults or for children. Good intentions to alleviate a problem do not justify hurting other people by stealing from them. Two wrongs do not make a right.

Moreover, if we agree that children have a right to an education because their parents are poor, then shouldn't they also have a right to food, a bicycle, a nice house in the suburbs, and designer clothes? If poor kids (and all children) have an alleged right to an education, don't they also have an alleged right to everything else that other kids have whose parents are well-off? Why not then say that anyone, poor, middle-class, or rich who has less money than his neighbor, has the "right" to steal from his neighbor? Where do we stop if some people can legally steal from others because they claim their kids need this or that?

The answer is, we don't stop, and we haven't stopped. That is why our country has turned into a devouring welfare state that is drowning in debt. When I use the word "welfare," I don't mean only for the poor. Rich, poor, and middle-class alike in America now claim the right to everything from corporate tax breaks and subsidies, to price supports for farmers, to Medicare, to rent subsidies for unwed mothers. When we let government steal money from taxpayers to give unearned benefits or subsidies to special-interest groups, we open up a Pandora's box. We become a nation of thieves stealing from each other. Is this what we want America to become?

It is true that a free market does not and can not guarantee that all children have enough to eat or live in a comfortable house. Likewise, a free-market education system in which all parents have to pay for their children's education obviously can't guarantee a quality education for every child.

However, government-controlled public schools also can't guarantee that every child gets a quality education. These failed schools can barely teach our children to read. Also, neither system can make guarantees because there are no guarantees in life, and because each child's abilities, personality, and family background are so different that such guarantees are impossible. The real question, then, is not which system is perfect, but which system is more likely to give the vast majority of children a quality education that most parents could afford?

Public schools fail and betray millions of children, year after year. The only "right" the public-school system gives to school children is the right to suffer through a mind-numbing, third-rate education for twelve years.

In contrast, the free-market, while not perfect, gives us all the wondrous goods and services we buy every day, such as cars, fresh food, computers, refrigerators, and televisions. The superbly efficient and competitive free market gives us all these marvelous products at prices that most people can afford. Even the poorest American families today have a car, refrigerator, and sometimes two televisions in their homes. If we want to discover which system would give the vast majority of children a quality education at reasonable prices, I think we have the answer -- the free market, hands down.

We therefore don't need a failed public-school system to enforce an alleged right to an education, when there is no such right in the first place. Each parent should be responsible for paying for their own children's education, just as they pay for their children's food or clothing.

Finally, public-school apologists use this alleged right to an education to justify keeping the public-school dinosaur alive, in spite of these schools' never-ending failure. Many public-school apologists who claim that children have a right to an education do so out of good intentions. They want to give all children a chance to get a decent education. But good intentions mean worse than nothing if they lead to dismal consequences. This alleged right to an education lets government bureaucrats have tyrannical control over our children's minds and future.

The "right" to an education requires a massive government-controlled public-school system to enforce that right. But it is this same public-school system that cripples the education and lives of millions of children. So, ironically, the alleged right to an education is the worst thing we can offer our children.

Most low-income families don't need government education handouts anymore in the form of allegedly "free" public schools. Parents today can buy quality, low-cost food in a competitive, free-market food industry full of grocery stores and supermarkets. In the same way, parents today can give their kids a quality education using low-cost Internet private schools and homeschooling.

College Funds - Saving For Your Children's Education

We all want the very best for our kids. We all want them to achieve their full potential, to be happy and most of all have what we did not have. Preparing for the future is something that you need to start thinking about now and with the world changing radically we never know what's around the corner. One thing that is for sure is he importance of a tertiary education. In many ways its the ultimate "gift" you can give your kids because its the gift that keeps on giving. Not only will it enable them to get ahead in life, it will afford them opportunities that 70% of their peers won't have.

A college education is not cheap and with governments all over the world struggling financially themselves, its conceivable that a tertiary education will become more and more expensive in the foreseeable future. A lot of the government funding is already being withdrawn as universities and colleges are left to fend for themselves.

Student loan can provide the financial aid needed to get an education, but its a huge problem that many graduates are faced with right now. Finished with their studies and set to hit the job market, there aren't any jobs. this leaves them with no income and a heavy loan to pay off. Student loans can put anyone on the back foot from day one. Fresh graduates can take years to start earning good money and with the burden of a loan it can really weight them down and set them up for a shaky start to life.

The secret to setting up a college fund for your kids is to start early. Even 1 extra year of savings can really add up over a 20 year period. You really don't have to save a fortune every month. All it takes is a small commitment monthly and the best time to start is the day your kids get born. Starting early and investing in a secure investment vehicle like government bonds or even a money market account can really help you achieve that goal of sending your kids to college - cost free. Its more than a gift. Its a head start in life that money cannot buy.

The Parents Should Take Some Control Over Their Children's Education

The education of children is so important nowadays that you shouldn't leave it up to the schools. Schools do their best but there is more to giving your children a head start in life than what is taught in schools. Schools can only do so much and if your child starts to get left behind in any subject it is time for you - the parents - to step up and do something about it. And that is not going to the school and throwing a tantrum.

It is time to start taking control of your child's future. In Asia the education of children is so important that most students do extra classes outside of school hours. And they nearly all try to learn English. Because they know if they can get ahead in English they will have a very good chance of getting a good job.

In the Western World there doesn't seem to be as much emphasis on education. Schools have gone from a place of learning to some place for kids to go during the day. Elementary children's education in the west is still very good but in high school it starts to fall down.

I think a lot has to do with attitude towards the future. Over the last 30 years we have had a good life and kids have never worried about the future. But that is about to change and I think that will affect the attitude of children towards to education. In China before the economic miracle children needed a good education to survive. But now over the last 10 to 15 years this generation has only seen magnificent cities grow out of the paddy fields. So the children's education standards are dropping dramatically. They are catching up to the west in more ways that one.

Parent's Participation in Children's Education

You cannot expect the school district to bear sole responsibility for the teaching of a child. Education is a process, so stick with your child each step along the way to ensure a smooth transition through the years.

Know your child
According to Betsy Combier, administrator for the parentadvocates.org website, knowing your child is the first step. Take an active role in recognizing what your child's strengths and weaknesses are and knowing how he learns best. If you know what excites and frustrates your child from a learning perspective, then that information can serve as a point of reference for his teacher. Combier recommends sharing these feelings along with him. "Get in there," she says. "Get excited right along with him."

Be active
To maximize your child's education, it is not enough just to have your voice heard during an annual parent-teacher conference. Teachers want your help in educating your child through his successes and failures. Reach out to your child's teacher with phone calls and e-mails. If you two maintain a cooperative relationship from the onset of the school year then if and when an issue arises you can face it together as a team. A joint understanding and clear communication are usually enough to help solve any problem.

Success benchmarks
No classroom environment is perfect. One teacher cannot address each student's needs. Furthermore, since education is not one-size-fits-all, a high grade does not necessarily mean that your child is being challenged. Parents should ask teachers about course benchmarks and their child 's achievements so they are updated.

Don't forget that other parents can provide a wealth of information as well. All of you have expertise in different areas so share what you know. Also, do your part to know what's expected of your child in each grade by researching educational resources online and reading the newspaper to stay current.

Curriculum check
If you are interested in checking out your child's curriculum, approach the situation from a curiosity perspective so you're not on the offensive when talking to your child's teacher. Do not be afraid to ask questions and know there is always more work that can be done at home. You can enhance your child's education by using library resources as well.

Communication tactics
Always act with integrity because your children are watching. Be respectful of the teacher's boundaries since it is his classroom. Set up appointments beforehand and keep careful notes of any communication you have. If any issues escalate that you and the teacher or the guidance counselor cannot resolve then consider reaching out to the principal or another administrator.

The Added Advantage in African American Children's Education - Computer Home Schooling Part 3

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how 'bout you!

In our last article our subject was finding resources to homeschool African American children using the Internet and other avenues. In part 3 of 4 we will champion the use of computers to teach our African American children and prepare them for the future where computers will be involved in almost every aspect of our society.

Recent news came out that John Singleton, director of Boyz N the Hood has joined the ranks of other high profile directors in game design development. Video games these days, like the ones your children are probably playing are not only big business, but they also have small movies in them. These directors are becoming involved in video game design because it's a natural extension of their talents.

I'm mentioning this because if your child is playing video games now, with the proper development in the coming years they could be prepared for video game development. The first step is getting them used to using a computer and then adding other skills in software programs that will help them in the future. An example is a powerful graphics program Adobe Photoshop, getting them to dabble now while they are young (and my 9 year-old nephew is better at Photoshop than I am) and exposing them to a formal class later (he had the class) will put them on the road to careers that are way above the pay at your local burger place.

That is just one career example with computers in the industry, it would take a book to show you the ones available today. In the not too distant future computers will be part of our society even more as the computers become smaller and smaller and faster and faster. Not exposing your children to computers now will only harm them and make sure they are left behind with the digital divide growing each day.

A computer homeschool will develop children who are not only computer literate, but able to install software, learn new software, know how to use the Internet for research and communication, know how to keep a computer network secure and other numerous benefits.

Members of our staff support African American computer homeschooling in their area and we have a slight favor to see computer homeschooling everywhere benefit from the advantages of a wireless network. We even have minority friends that work at major retailers in several states that are homeschooled and already have experienced having a wireless home.

Daviyd Peterson: 12-year consultant, instructor, trainer of digital divide solutions for home and business. Helps African American and minority homeschools bridge the digital divide by becoming computer homeschools. Supporting homeschool moms and dads with resources to provide income for their homeschool...

Special Needs Children's Education

It's almost as though homeschooling was invented for a special needs children's education.  Kids afflicted with ADHD, autism, dyslexia or Asperger's among other learning difficulties can all benefit from being taught at home by their parents.  Some public school systems can afford to hire trained therapists for these fields, but the extra attention and time afforded a student at home by a loved one can make a big difference in a child's ability to learn.  It's just natural for a parent to be able to teach their own child more effectively.  They've been doing it for the student's whole life and know how to best approach new things with them.  They will likely be more patient than a public school teacher and offer the extra time it might take to learn.  A classroom would likely not be as able to offer the one-on-one time it might take until a student "gets it".

It's likely a parent would also know better than a public school instructor what manner of teaching would best suit their child.  Some learn better with visual aids, some by repetition and some by seeing it done for them and copying what they're taught.  It's very likely a parent would already know this from their own experience.  They'll also know what to look for when a special needs child is getting frustrated and ready to act up or quit, thereby avoiding a bad learning experience for the child.

If you're wondering what sort of curriculum would best suit your special needs children's education, there are several avenues to get started.

We would first look on the Internet.  Non-profit groups who support your child's disorder will likely have a presence there and should have good information about learning difficulties and how to overcome them.  They will likely make suggestions or direct you to other good sources.  They may even list case studies of various methods of learning and their success rates.

We would also try to find support groups on the Internet for your particular disease.  There will likely be several forums on the Web where you can read others' posts and ask questions directly.  Parents on these websites are often very willing to share their experiences and will offer help when they can.  Although your child is an individual, often there can be common practices that will help almost all children suffering from a common ailment.

There are also many books available about homeschooling your special needs children.  Some are written specifically for particular disorders and offer teaching suggestions as well as curriculum selection guides.  Most are written by people who have been homeschooling their own special needs children, so they speak with experience and write in every day language, rather than from theory with medical-babble-speak.

If you start with these suggestions, you should quickly be on the road to solving how to best get your special needs children educated.  It can be as rewarding for you as it will be for your child since you will have contributed directly to his education and well-being.

A J Adams has had a keen interest in home schooling for a number of years. With several public school teachers in his family, he has had many discussions regarding current school problems. He's heard many suggestions, one of which was the growing number of children being home schooled. After a thorough period of research, he decided to write an article about special needs children education [http://www.elementary-home-schools.com/special-needs-homeschooling.html]. He will be submitting more in future articles. Mr. Adams also owns and maintains a website with his wife at [http://www.elementary-home-schools.com] where you can get a free 10-part mini-course on homeschooling and watch a touching video made by a young man to thank his mother for her many years of homeschooling him.

Children's Education - Whose Job is It?

For the past three decades a battle has been growing in the USA that is taking its toll on children of all ages. Interestingly enough this battle is not against an incurable disease or sickness. It can not be stopped by governmental bureaucrats, nor can it be fought with conventional military weaponry. Even though the USA is the most powerful country in the world, has some of the greatest minds on earth and most of the world wealthiest people, this battle grows more intense and continues to disable many children. The battle that I am talking about is called illiteracy.

Today parents have been given various options when it comes to the education of their children. The four major choices are Public School, Private School, Cyber School and Home School. However, Private Schools and Home School require "out-of-pocket" funding from parents and Home School and Cyber School require a parent to stay-at-home. For most American families these three sources of education are not an option, their only option is Public School. Unfortunately it is the public school system where illiteracy runs rampant.

On February 25, 2008, ABC World News story entitled, Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America, reported that "7 million Americans are illiterate, 27 million are unable to read well enough to complete a job application and 30 million can't read a simple sentence." These are adult American's who at one time were children in the Public School system. So, what can be done to stop the avalanche of illiteracy in the USA?

The first thing we must do as a nation is stop putting hundreds of millions of dollars in to a public school system that is broken. Somehow we have adopted the mindset that throwing money at it will solve the problem. Who in their right mind would continue to put more money into an automobile that never seems to work right or run properly, no one would because we call them "Lemons?" Well, it's time to stop throwing money at the Public School "Lemon" and fix it!

Next parents must get involved with their local school districts. The lack of involvement by parents allows a small minority of so called educators to set the standard of what they think is best for our children. Hey, it's not working! Parents, please help your children by getting involved in your local school district!

The most important and most effective way to turn illiteracy around is parents must take the responsibility for training their children, especially from infancy to 6 years of age. Research reveals that a child's brain development is most affected from infancy - 6 years of age. There is nothing more powerful than the relationship between a parent and child and parenting is the most natural way to develop your child.

Children learn naturally through play and parents do not need to be educators to have a positive impact on their child's developmental skills, just a loving desire to interact with them is all that it takes. So who are the one's to take the lead in the education of America's children? You guessed it, parents!

APlusEducationalToys is committed to helping children have fun while they learn and grow. With over 30 years of experience in child development, early childhood education and over 25 years in children, youth, family and adult ministry, we offer you expert advice and guidance choosing age appropriate, creative educational toys for your child. For more information and to view our products, come visit us at...

Childrens's Education - Parents Have Homework Too!

Children's education is of a high priority in today's 21st century education. So much more is demanded of our students to complete a demanding curriculum on the way to college or university. When students are under the gun for higher marks, better attendance and other markers for success, then parents are also expected to be actively involved in the system.

Children's education is beginning at an earlier age when most youngsters are in school by the age of 3 and 1/2 or 4 years. It is not glorified daycare as some would deem it; education is easier when children are between the ages of 2-5 years. This is when they accomplish most of their learning and it sets the groundwork for their future in education. Parents must make sure that their children attend an accredited nursery or daycare centre, early kindergarten or other program which will ensure that their child attains the best beginning.

Once your child is older and gets involved in the higher grades, please ensure that your child attends school regularly. Other than a viral or other illness, all children should be at school every day. So many lessons are taught and programs are conducted that it is easy for children to fall behind if kept at home. Secondly, make sure that you are an active player in your children's education. Attend any Open House or Meet the Teacher events and interviews regarding your child's success in school. Both parents should attend, whether the family is intact or not, in order to stay on top of your children's education.

At home, a parent's job is to provide a quiet, well-lit area for their child to complete his or her homework and projects. It does not always work to send them to their room where they can go unnoticed for up to an hour. All of the children in the family should have a quiet homework period, without the distractions of television or video games, preferably in a room on the main floor. Parents should be in attendance to assist with reading out the assignment, clarifying any questions or problems, showing an example if necessary and then leave the child to do his own work.

Parents should never do the homework with the child in its entirety. Homework or projects need to showcase what the child knows, can perform or does not understand. Homework is only one component of a child's education and it should not be the final estimation of a final mark for the child's report card. If it becomes a problem, your child cannot complete the assignment or cannot understand a lesson, then write a short note saying that you spent considerable time and effort on this assignment but your child was unable to complete it. That does not mean that he wins the argument or problem but you have assured the teacher that you have tried.

Homework should not be a long, drawn-out crying session, with gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair. It is meant to be a review of the lesson taught at school or a book to read for a novel study. Parents cannot be expected to teach what is on the curriculum today, after work and after supper. Children's education should be a positive, happy experience with parental involvement.

Riko Kawasaki is a diet fanatic who also works in the professional fitness industry. She believes that health and fitness starts with what we put in our bodies.

5 Tips To Successful Children's Education

Being a modern day parent is so much different and more difficult than the past. Don't you agree? While working hard in the day and spending whatever time left with your kid, parents go through so much hardship for one of the most important reasons: to give their children a proper education which would open up avenues of success for them in the future. In a fast paced society where time is of the essence, we tend to assume that children will absorb and understand whatever we throw at them and make sure they learn as much as possible because we believe that it will be beneficial.

It is said that the brain of a child is like a sponge and it'll absorb anything, everything and this is why they tend to ask endless amount of questions and if we want our children to be well mannered and learn the right stuff, must we cater something different just for their curious minds? I believe we do.

I'm not a parent nor a child educator myself but I've been a kid once, well, in fact everyone was a kid once but as we age and mature, we lost touch with our kiddy behavior and mentality because it is not acceptable in the society and when we communicate or teach our young, we often lose our patience resulting in undesirable outcomes. Now, the below 5 tips are what I've observed, read, studied and gathered from child educators and I personally believe that if you teach yourself to have these qualities while educating your young, it will definitely lessen your burden and at the same time bring a whole lot of fun and joy to you and your kids! I understand that you're all grown up and mature now but let's all hear what the younger generation has to say, shall we?

Tip 1 - Always assess the ability of the child before proceeding to teach something new. It is important to understand the learning capabilities of the child (i.e. strengths, needs) before you begin to educate them. As every child is different and possesses different IQ levels, it is essential to find out what their pace of learning is especially for children with intellectual disabilities. Children with such disabilities will take a longer time to learn or pick up new skills as compared to a normal child. Therefore, it is very important to teach the child things that suit their cognitive level.

Tip 2 - Conducive learning areas. To enable a child to learn effectively, a child is best placed in an environment that allows them to fully concentrate on whatever they are supposed to learn. Set up areas for play and learning separately, this is also useful in letting them know that there is a different time for studying and playing.

Tip 3 - Create a safe environment for progressive learning. For instance, you can encourage inquisitiveness and allow them to make mistakes in order to learn. Allowing your children to learn from their mistakes is more effective than spoon-feeding them. Progressive learning also helps in building a solid foundation for the child and not giving too much information at one time which can result in them losing interest.

Tip 4 - Be consistent in setting your expectations. You have to expect that the child is able to learn and each time, set an expectation slightly above the child's ability so as to push them to achieve greater heights. However, this will only be effective by doing it consistently.

Tip 5 - Have care and patience towards the child. You have to be genuine in wanting the child to learn. Teach the child for the sake of his/her learning and not for the sake of teaching. One way will be to care for the child constantly, and this will gradually help you in building a bond with them, thus enable the child to respond effectively and readily to you.

Armed with the knowledge on how to deal with your child's education, you are now ready to provide them with the right amount of materials, in the right environment to achieve the results you desire! Remember that the child's learning must be consistent and always allow them to explore new stuffs through their five senses, of course with an adult's supervision. With that, I wish you all the best in educating the young.

Jerry Yang is the co-owner and managing director at Quickienomics.com where supplementary education for Introduction to Economics under the University of London programme is provided.

Saving For Children's Education

One of the most common financial goals that couples have is to save money for their children's education, whether that be at a private school or a tertiary institution. Saving for this purpose is no different than saving for any other goal in life, yet there is a common misperception that funds need to be set aside separately or even in the child's name for this purpose. That can lead to a lower rate of investment return in some cases.

If you are going to save for your children's education, then you're probably looking at saving tens of thousands of dollars and it will take a number of years to get to that target.

That means starting when the child is young - in fact, probably at the preschool age. Anybody with preschoolers most probably has a mortgage. With mortgage interest rates being so high, the best place to put your money is into your mortgage to keep the interest payments down. If, for example, you are paying say 7.0% interest on your mortgage you would need to earn at least 7.0% after tax on an investment to make it worthwhile investing and not paying your mortgage. So pay off your debt as fast as you can, and then remortgage later if your still really want to help your kids. If you have grandchildren that you wish to provide for, the situation may be a little different. You probably won't have a mortgage and you may wish to make funds available that are clearly earmarked for your grandchildren and clearly specified to be used only for education costs. A good way of achieving these objectives is to set up an education trust. This can be done through a solicitor or trustee company. There will be a fee involved to establish and maintain the trust, but there will be safeguards in place to ensure that the funds are used for the purpose you intend. An education trust can be particularly useful in certain situations, for example, where there is a relationship breakdown between parents and a parent or grandparent wishes to make funds available without the risk of the money being used for a different purpose. An education trust can also be used where funds might be at risk of a possible future claim by business creditors.

There are specialist funds available that offer educational scholarships. The idea is that you contribute a regular amount into the fund and, if your child attends a tertiary institution there is a scholarship payable. Such funds need to be looked at carefully in terms of the likelihood of your child attending a tertiary institution and, in the event they do, the value of the scholarship in relation to the funds invested.

Children's Education: On the Benefits of Games and Educational Toys

More than 93 per cent of parents want their children to have a post-secondary education. With the cost of tuition, books and living expenses rising by the month, planning years in advance for these inevitable years of school can alleviate the financial stress of leaving it to the last minute. There are many factors to consider as well when it comes to planning on these expenses, such as if your child will attend out of state, will live at home while in school or will be able to handle a part-time job while attending school. A four-year University program will certainly cost a pretty penny when factoring in the cost of books and supplies.

This cost can take many years to pay off if the fees are funded through student loans, leaving many young students in massive debt, and without a job, on graduation day. It is best to begin saving for your child's education as soon as you can.

According to Acumen Research, 60 per cent of potential University students do not discuss educational finances with their peers or parents until they are around the tenth grade. This is obviously too late to begin saving. Parents should begin by putting whatever they can away when they children are at a young age. Sean Junor, manager for the Educational Policy Institute suggests finding out what your child's interests are as they grow up. Keeping tabs on their interests can provide a bit of a guide when it comes to later schooling. If your child is interested in food, then a culinary school could be what you should be saving for.

Knowing this type of information early on allows you, as a parent, to realize if they will be more likely to attend a local college for two years or an international university studying specialized sciences for eight years, for instance. The cost from one option to the other is a staggering difference. Getting an idea of your child's academic goal will be a great start to knowing the amount of money that will be required.

If putting several hundred dollars a month into an educational account is not feasible, then put away what you can afford, when you can afford it. Junor says, "You've got to start somewhere. The key is to sit down and determine how much you have at your disposal to start saving right now."

Taking advantage of programs such as the Registered Education Savings Plan (RESPs) and the Canada Education Savings Grant early on can also have a significant impact in your end result. RESPs allow for (eventual) tax-free withdrawal. The money put into a Canada Educations Savings account by modest-income families is matched by the government and allows them to begin saving for a Canada Learning Bond. If you live in Alberta, additional programs such as the Alberta Centennial Educations Savings Plan is worth looking into.

Are We Involved in Our Children's Education?

Recent studies have shown that parents that are more involved in their child's education as well as activities make a positive impact in their lives. This is reflected in the kids' grades, school attendance, attitude and behavior. Of course 'there is always an exception to every rule' but overall parents' involvement result in a happier, healthier and well-adjusted child.

How can we be more involved? With today's busy schedule between home, work and school, this seems like a no-answer question. However, with careful planning and dedication, we can make a positive experience for ourselves and our kids. We can take time to volunteer at school, my kids love to see me at their school helping out. Or be a great supporter of the sports they play. A lot of my friends who hold jobs don't miss a game their kids go to, bringing snacks and their happy faces to cheer them up! Or maybe you want to help in the community or run a marathon, no matter what it is, kids will always be proud of their parents involvement.

But what about at home? We should show our kids that our homes are an involved and active supporter of their learning. I created a private study area where they can concentrate and not been interrupted. Do they need help with homework? I'm there, even though I may not know everything they may be learning at school at any given time; but hey I just browse the web really quick, get updated and pretend I know it all... I even sometimes check the homework once is posted in the school website before given it to them so I'm ready. Any other day while I'm cooking or washing the dishes I will invite my kids to watch me or better yet help me and take that time to ask them about school, their friends and what they learned that day. When they have school projects I'm always available to help and we do it together. Also building a communication bridge with the teachers is very important. I want to know how they are doing and open for suggestions on how I can be of help. It is nice to always be there to encourage and support your child.

I personally try to balance my life every single day, it is funny how sometimes they ask me "Mom, how can you do everything, don't you get tired?" And yes, some days (actually most days) I go to bed late and wake up early, but it's worthy because at the end of the day I feel I am part of my kids' life and I know I'm making a difference!

The Parents Should Take Some Control Over Their Children's Education

The education of children is so important nowadays that you shouldn't leave it up to the schools. Schools do their best but there is more to giving your children a head start in life than what is taught in schools. Schools can only do so much and if your child starts to get left behind in any subject it is time for you - the parents - to step up and do something about it. And that is not going to the school and throwing a tantrum.

It is time to start taking control of your child's future. In Asia the education of children is so important that most students do extra classes outside of school hours. And they nearly all try to learn English. Because they know if they can get ahead in English they will have a very good chance of getting a good job.

In the Western World there doesn't seem to be as much emphasis on education. Schools have gone from a place of learning to some place for kids to go during the day. Elementary children's education in the west is still very good but in high school it starts to fall down.

I think a lot has to do with attitude towards the future. Over the last 30 years we have had a good life and kids have never worried about the future. But that is about to change and I think that will affect the attitude of children towards to education. In China before the economic miracle children needed a good education to survive. But now over the last 10 to 15 years this generation has only seen magnificent cities grow out of the paddy fields. So the children's education standards are dropping dramatically. They are catching up to the west in more ways that one.

Parent's Involvement in Children's Education

ABSTRACT

The importance of parental involvement as an accelerating and motivating factor in their children’s education is a worldwide-accepted fact. This research project provides an in depth explanation along with specific reasons, the importance of parents’ involvement in their children’s education. It also discusses the parenting techniques, their types and their consequences if neglected. It also describes the ways to measure the outcome of the positive parental involvement. Furthermore, it mentions the teachers involvement and the difficulties faced by the teachers in getting parents involved in their children’s (this is further supported by the examples of two teachers who with their deliberate efforts won the parents over to devote their maximum attention towards their children), single-parent involvement, children’s own efforts to improve their academic levels and joint home-school based interventions. A detailed analysis of the different main ideas is given, based on the findings from other research surveys and projects.

INTRODUCTION:

Parental involvement can be seen to fall into three types: 1) Behavioral, 2) Intellectual and 3) Personal. The research explores the effect of multi-dimensional participation of parents and the resulting progress of children in their studies when different parental resources were dedicated to them. Actively participating parents help their children in their academic development by going to schools and participating in open houses. By keenly observing the behavior of their children they can rightly judge the kind of behavior or the allocation of resources required by their children. Such caring parents can also motivate teachers to become more attentive towards a particular student, thus maintaining the cycle of parent-teacher involvement. Encourage Building up cognitive and perception abilities in a child is a major concern in the upbringing of the child. The way the parents involve their children in cognitive learning is by exposing them to different cognitively stimulating activities and materials such as books, electronic media and current events at home. This helps the child to practice all sorts of language comprehending skills at the school. The results show a remarkably positive behavior at the school and with peers.

Two parenting processes namely the Supportive Parenting (SP) and Harsh Parenting (HP) helped a lot in the research of parental involvement in their children’s education. By adjusting the levels of supportive parenting, different levels of successful outcomes were observed. Supportive parenting in even kindergarten students yielded positive results. Four measures of supportive parenting were used in the study, they were:

1. Proactive teaching.

2. Calm discussion in disciplinary encounters.

3. Warmth.

4. Interest and involvement in peer activities.

The assessments were conducted when children entered kindergarten and when they reached grade 6. There was a factor noted to hinder children’s development: family adversity. It was the result of a multipurpose negative process that included the risk of low socio-economic status, single-parenting and family stress. Child maladjustments were found to be more common in families with such adversities. No matter how much negative impacts were cast, SP was found to overcome the risks associated with family adversity. SP was strongly related to adjustment procedures in grade 6 children who had single parent family or experienced low socio-economic status (SES) in their early childhood.

In a way to socialize their children, parents adopted the techniques of calm discussion and proactive teaching. They helped lessen the behavioral problems by carrying long discussions with their children, cultivating in them a sense of respect, calmness and peace of mind. Mothers also participated actively in reducing the peer stress among their children. It is also a widely accepted fact that supportive parenting plays an important role in the children’s development of empathy, prosocial behavior and emotional competence. On the negative side, the absence of supportive parenting may be related to the development of internal problems such as anxiety and depression.

Lack of the necessary parental care and attention is the main factor for the subsequent rise in the percentage of juvenile delinquency (crime among children). The absence of parental instructions causes children to develop irreversible behavioral and emotional problems. They in order to seek attention, resort to crimes thinking that in this way they could fulfill their wishes. They may revert to uncontrolled violence if not kept an eye upon. Such criminal activities cannot be brought to a halt until their distressing symptoms of low self-esteem, depression, dysphonic mood, tension and worries, and other disturbances are relieved. And the importance of parents’ role in this regard cannot be over-emphasized.

In an effort to describe parental involvement, many researchers use a term “Transition”(Lombardi, Joan). “Transition” is used to describe the time period in which children move from home to school, from school to after school activities, from one activity to another within a pre-school, or from pre-school to kindergarten. The untiring endeavors of teachers in the phenomenon of transition cannot be ignored. They prepared the children and their parents to face the problems of adjusting to elementary school programs that had different psychology, teaching styles and structure than the programs offered at the kindergarten

level. In the elementary level schools the teachers had to face serious challenges in motivating the parents to take interest in their children’s activities. The teachers adopted different methods to involve the parents in day-to-day classroom and home activities. They used to send notes, invitation of parent-teacher meetings, invitation of parental guidance sessions and training sessions, continuously directing the parent’s attention towards their children. Patricia Brown Clark suggests that it is very important to keep the line of communication between teachers and parents open, so that the parents can interact with the teachers and get up to date information of their children’s school activities. One way to involve parents is to schedule school events and arranging classroom activities such as volunteering for libraries, acting as classroom aides or efficiently organizing lunch breaks. The teachers also opt for making phone calls at the children’s houses to keep in touch with the parents and getting to know the extent to which they are contributing towards the welfare of their children. Apart from the above activities, the teachers also assign home activities for both the parents and their children so that the parents remain indulged in their children and the children get to study at home. However, it was a bad and disappointing experience for the teachers when many of the parents failed to respond as expected. Many of the parents were so overwhelmed with their official work that they could hardly take out some time for their beloved children.

Moreover, for some parents their schoolings were not positive and character-boosting experiences, therefore they preferred to keep a distance from their children’s school as well. This made it really difficult and at times impossible for teachers to bring the parental involvement to the desired level. Nevertheless, the activities of two teachers proved greatly fruitful in making parents involved in their children. They were Carlos Valdez, an art teacher and 8th grade class sponsor, and Mike Hogan, the school’s band director. They did it by involving parents in music festivals and other school ceremonies. They proved to be great examples for the future teachers to come.

If the children’s academic development programs are to prove successful they must share two characteristics:

1) Developmentally appropriate practice:

A child’s academic progress is clearly reflected by the appropriate practice he/she administers while in school life. During transitions from pre-school to kindergarten, a child if given the exact developmentally appropriate practice tends to learn a great deal of language and playing skills. He develops a keen interest in exploring his environments and interacting (without hesitation) with his adults.

2) Supportive services:

These include the assistance that the school provides to low-income family students. The services include health care, childcare and community care. This strengthens the relation between school and children and creates a sense of security and confidence among the children. They get to learn that their communities are a part of their school since the school’s supportive services strive to help community development.

It is commonly believed that children are good self-teachers. Their self-initiated strategies help improve their expression, creativity, intellectual capabilities and extra-curricular skills. This idea is proved by the documentation of young children’s work provided by Reggio Emilia :

“The Reggio Emilia educators highlight young children’s amazing capabilities and indicate that it is through the unity of thinking and feeling that young children can explore their world, represent their ideas, and communicate with others at their highest level.”(Edwards, Pope. C, Springate, Wright.K)

The climax rests in the fact that how the parents would know that their sincere involvements are really proving worthwhile for their children. The answer lies in the attitude of the children. The degree of parental involvement can be judged by a child’s attitude towards his school subjects, his academic desires and achievements. There is a direct relationship between academic achievements and the attitude towards school. Schunk in 1981 had the following idea of aspiration or academic desires:

“Level of aspiration is defined as one’s subjective probability that he or she will reach a certain level of education.”(Abu, H. & Maher, M)

As a result children who received adequate parental concern were found to be much more confident in their academic desires and achievements than those who could not get the right amount of parental concern.
The individual involvement of mothers and fathers also plays a vital role in the behavioral development of a child. Students from one-parent household were observed to show less positive attitude towards schools and studies as compared to students from two-parent households. One study aimed at investigating parental concern showed that despite mothers’ sincere endeavors, the role of fathers could not be ignored and both served as an important foundation for the future progress of the child. This can be proved from the following fact:

According to a recent report from the National Center for Educational Statistics (1997), compared to their counterparts, children with involved fathers are more likely to have participated in educational activities with their parents (e.g., to have visited a museum or a historical site with their parents in the past month), and are more likely to have access to multiple types of resources at home as well (as measured by the proportion of parents who belong to community or professional organizations, or regularly volunteer in the community). (Flouri, E. And Buchanan, A, Pg.142)

Also, the parental involvement has been discussed and implemented in terms of interventions or prevention programs, which are nothing but safety measures taken to assure healthy and perfect upbringing of the child. The study uses school-based and home-only intervention programs to find out the extent of intellectual capabilities found in children from different family backgrounds. The success of one school-based interventions can be proved from the following fact, which was a part of “Education Service Improvement Plan 2001-2005” of Edinburgh:

----The Scottish Executive Discipline Task Force, which studied the causes of poor behavior among pupils in schools produced a report of 'Better Behavior - Better Learning' in June 2001. The report included 36 recommendations for action, which were then turned into an Action Plan in 2002. Many of these have implications for the Education Authority. (Craig Millar Instep Project)

Art Should Be Included in Children's Education

Scientific experimental skills, arithmetic and mathematical skills are commonly accepted to be the most important skills in building a child towards a bright and successful future whereas artistic studies are frequently classified as a mere interest or non main stream children education everywhere. However, it is a terrible mistake to judge the significance of art studies as above because art studies are actually very important in the growth and development of a child towards a better life and future.

First of all, artistic studies promote the attitude of expressing ideas and emotion effectively. Through art lessons, children learn to use a mystical combination of colours, shapes and geometries to illustrate and express certain emotions and ideas through painting or art works rather than resolving to violence and gore in expressing themselves. In other context, art education is also able to educate the children to express in a proper and responsible manner and also contributes to the betterment and peace of the society.

Besides that, art education also helps children to learn to be creative. During the art lessons, children will be given various subjects of art and illustration ranging from social issues, technology to the rich Mother Nature and biodiversity of the world. Instead of following a certain examples or samples and art works, children are strongly encouraged to explore the subjects creatively, conceiving unique and extraordinary ideas of art works. As a result, this art learning process will gradually develop and unleash the creative potential of the children and in fact, learning of mathematics and scientific subjects are more efficient if a child is able to think out of the box during the learning of facts and formulae.

Moreover, art education is able to address children towards the various social issues and happenings around them. For example, through art practice and experiments, children will be exposed to various issues such as environmental protection, wildlife conservation, family violence and many more issues. Consequently, children will have a higher social responsibility and will be more willing to contribute to the communal welfare of the society. In fact, this might be just the right solution towards the problems whereby teenagers are getting more withdrawn from the society and the public.

Last but not least, art education is able to strengthen the cultural understanding of the young generation. Through the learning of art, children are exposed to the vibrant culture of the world rather than only understanding the culture of own race or nation. As a result, this will cause the children to appreciate and respect the foreign culture which pave the foundation for a better cross-border communication and consolidate the human relationship around the

In conclusion, the role of art education in children's life is undeniable anymore by any means. Therefore, it is vital for all the educational boards or directors to incorporate art lessons in children's daily education to ensure to future generation will be more versatile and competitive.

Helping our Children's Education

Listen to them and pay attention to their problems.Children need to know that you, as a parent are concerned about their problems and are always ready to listen to them. If kids don’t know their concerns and feelings have value, they will be less likely to share them with their parents.

Read with them.If children see their parents taking an active interest in reading with them, they are much more likely to continue reading on their own. It is one of the best things a parent can do to help younger children build a solid base for the rest of their school years.

Tell family stories.Not only are family stories a great way to expose your child to public speaking, but they create a sense of connection and family that ads stability to a young persons view of life. Your children are much more likely to retain a story that involves a family member and then be able to re-tell the tale to others.

Limit their television watching.Television is considered by some to be a major obstacle to education for children today. As elaborated on at www.tvkids.us [http://www.tvkids.us] , Kids spend more time watching television than any other single activity other than sleeping and school. Limiting the time spent watching television important, but controlling the content is equally important. It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure their children’s brains are not fed with junk. There are some quality children’s television shows that are educational and fun for the kids too.

Have books and other reading materials in the house.This is a no brainer. There is really no reason not to have books around the house for children. Children’s books are readily available and are not expensive. You can pick up second hand books at garage sales and flea markets and popular online auction sites for very little money.

Look up words in the dictionary with them.Challenge your kids to listen for words they are not familiar with and look it up. Try a new word every day. This is a good exercise for adults too!

Encourage them to use an encyclopedia.If you don’t have access to an encyclopedia, use the internet. There is vast wealth of knowledge on the internet, just waiting to be explored. www.encyclopedia.com is a great free resource to start with.

Share favorite poems and songs with them.After you have shared your songs, ask them to share theirs. There are a ton of song lyrics available online. Look some of you kids favorites up, print them off and get them to practice reading them back to before singing them.

Take them to the library--get them their own library cards.The first time my kids went to a library, the absolutely loved it. With all the information available at home these days I tend to forget how cool libraries were when I was a kid. Kids still love to see all the books, and when they get their own library cards and understand how the library works, it teaches them responsibility.

Take them to museums and historical sites, when possible.Take the time to do this one, especially the museums. It is an experience they won’t forget. It opens up children’s minds and really gets them excited about learning. It’s really fun for parents too!

Discuss the daily news with them.The news is not always good, so focus your conversations towards interesting topics and skip over the stuff that they are to young to concern themselves with. Local newspapers are usually a good source for community events and milder topics.

Go exploring with them and learn about plants, animals, andlocal geography.Take along a plant guidebook and search for the different species of flowers or have the children write down the names of the animals they see. The key is to keep them involved and interested. Bring along a camera and when you get back, print off the pictures and have the kids make a scrapbook of the things they saw that day.

Find a quiet place for them to study.Its very important to establish a place where you child can study without being distracted by the television or younger siblings.

Review their homework.Always have your children show you what they did at school and check their homework with them. It shows them that you think it is important and then they will think is important. It will also keep you up to date with the progress they are making.

Meet with their teachers.Remember, your children are probably spending more time with their teacher than anyone else, aside from yourself. Teachers can give invaluable insight into the kind of person your child is becoming. Parents have a hard time being objective about their own kids, it is only natural. That’s why it is so important that you know the person that is guiding your children’s education.

The Role That Teachers Play in Your Children's Education

Most parents know the role that teachers play in their children's education is of much importance and cannot just be ignored. Teachers are the people responsible for shaping of the children education wise, socialize and in terms of behavior. With the meager resources available at their disposal teachers always struggle to ensure the child becomes the adult the society expects them to be.
With the hard work that teachers put in their work so that they can be able to shape the future of most children, I have been able to find ways in which if can be able to assist the teachers even as they go on with their daily work.

You first need to ensure that the teachers know you are in support of everything that they are doing. Try and ensure that they know that you are ready to offer them full support in everything that they are doing to better the lives of the children, do this even if the teachers are reluctant to tell you what they have told the children.
You can also assist the school by stocking them with anti-bacterial wipes anytime you are able, it will go in a great way ensuring that the children's hygiene is monitored and they are able to learn in school with no hitches.
When your children have moved from one stage to another and do not require some specific books, don't throw them out instead pile those books together and donate them to the local school so that they can be able to use them during the learning process.
Clear plastic containers or storage bins can come in handy when you donate them to your local school, they will help the children when it comes to storage of some of the things in the school.
If they are available in your place, don't hesitate to give out the storage bins to be used for storage of the flash cards if not teaching counting.
Am sure in your home you have old cardboards and catalogs that you do not use, try and donate them to the school to be used for various projects. Things like the paper cylinders from tissue papers can come in handy especially when teaching mathematics.
So whatever the case, even if you are able to get storage bins for disposal and donate them to the school, the teacher will appreciate them a great deal.