Listening to John Steinbeck

I must admit that John Steinbeck is one of my favorite writers. I never thought I would hear a recording of his voice, however. Well, BBC News has a short audio clip from the British Library. Steinbeck talks about writing The Grapes of Wrath in the audio clip.

Teaching Children Disability Awareness

Last year I wrote a children's story with a young disabled child as the central character. I was excited about the prospect of it being published, but as the tradition goes, it was rejected by a children book publisher. In any case I'll continue to work on this story.

More interesting, perhaps, is a disability awareness project highlighted by The Christian Science Monitor in the article Helping Kids Break Stereotypes. The project gives young children the opportunity to learn about the lives of disabled children and adults.

Do You Have Brilliant Ideas at 10:04 PM?

Information in this link might solve the mystery.

Social Skills...That's the Ticket!

Many years ago in a counseling degree program, I learned that people are fired from jobs more for poor social skills and not fitting in than for lack of job skills for the job. In any case, today I came across an article that provided the results of following high schools students for then years after graduation and discovered that "high-school students who had been rated as conscientious and cooperative by their teachers were earning more than classmates who had similar test scores but fewer social skills..."

Well, what if we stressed social skills in addition to reading, writing, and math from the pre-k level upward?

Bullying Reporting Web Site

Huffington Post is reporting on an AP story titled, "School Tip Line Web Site Lets Kids Report Bullies Incognito." The story highlights the work of a Brigham Young University student, who developed School Tip Line, a Web site for students (and parents) to report incidents by children of harassment, theft, and drugs.

According to the article, the Web site works as follows: "School administrators are made aware of any tips either by e-mail or text message, Bergener said. For some schools, students have to create a logon and password to send a tip, but they still remain anonymous, though. But in most cases, schools allow anyone to send a tip with no need to give personal information."

Nearly 50 schools in states other than Utah are using the Web site. I hope this trend grows. I have a problem with people, organizations, cities, states, and countries bullying others. In my mind I think a bully is are really saying: "I'm going to make problems I'm running from yours."

Learning in Depth

Interesting idea, perhaps...

Tuna Kindergarten

Indeed, fish go to school. Here is a video from New Scientist that shows tuna going to "kindergarten."

A Powwow Story

National Public Radio (NPR) has a story, told partly through the eyes of a 9 year old, about the current slowing economy and its effect on the Native Americans. The NPR story includes an audio file that captures the voice of Tyler Richardson, the 9 year old, as well as his father at a powwow. Great stuff!

Years ago I spent a weekend camping out at a powwow in Alabama. It was an eye-opening experience. I learned a bit about the Cherokees and greatly enjoyed the music and dancing.

Another Bailout

An Associated Press story on Sept 27, 2008 titled, "Father Who Left Nine Kids at Nebraska hospital Says He Was Overwhelmed." The article indicates that the wife of the man died, and the father quit his job to care for the children. One bright note reported was that the older child, a daughter, graduated high school early. I find that impressive and think tracking the future of this young woman would be interesting.

The father, on the other hand, makes me wonder: (1) about the practical decision to have nine children, (2) quiting his job, (3) leaving his children at the costly expense of the public, and (4) the efficacy of the safe harbor law in relation to its initial intent. I guess I need to do some research since I would like to know whether the father and others in this situation have to pay child support for total cost of care by the state. These days every penny counts in budgets at all levels.

8-Year Olds Don't Learn From Mistakes

Science Daily News is reporting on a study that found that 8-year olds don't learn from mistakes and negative feedback. Instead, that age group (and younger I suspect) learn from positive feedback. Apparently, learning from mistakes starts at the age of 12. Read more here.

Cell Phone Danger for Children

The Independent, a British newspaper, is reporting that a Swedish study reveals that children may face danger of brain cancer from using cell phone. The study indicates that kids are five times more likely to get brain cancer if they use cell phone. Read more here.

Yo Ho a Pirates Life for Me in Japanese by Snuff

Kids as Weather Forecasters

The is great! The Weather Channel conducted a contest for kids to give weather forecasts. Here is a link to see the results. Who said kids aren't into science?

Do You Believe in Magic?

I've working on a project for preschoolers that's tangential to magic, so it was interesting to read an article today in Science News Digest about how magic can be used to help children increase their confidence and social skills. Older folks may remember that Johnny Carson on occasions spoke about learning magic when young and how it helped him.

Web Site For Kids

Check out Club Penguin, a Disney Web site for kids. (The photo isn't from Disney...I'm well aware of how ferocious Disney is about its brand. Note that there is a membership fee.

When Kids' Friends Move Away

Here is a nice article from Slate that deals with a child coping with having a best friend move away.

My Space

I was shopping in a craft store recently and attempted to squeeze through the narrow space of an aisle, which was partially blocked by a father who had his son (3-4 yrs) in a shopping cart. Before squeezing by, I waited for the parent to make more room for me to pass. He didn't, however, so I made my way through. As I did, the young child remarked loudly, " I don't like people coming close to me." The parent quickly said, "Don't say that!" I added, "It's OK. He is who he is."

Later I thought about the child's remark. Initially, I believed the remark was racially motivated--them being black and me being while--and the child was simply repeating what he had learned. Thereafter, I thought the remark may have been a reaction to the child's parents telling him to not let anyone in public get close to him--out of fear of abduction, etc. In any case, the whole incident highlights how children interpret what parents tell them. Young children don't analyze situations and see shades of gray. The fact that the child felt threatened even when his father was within three feet of the shopping cart was clearly an overreaction.

I sure hope the child isn't taken to East Africa anytime soon since personal space is viewed much differently there. While in Nairobi, Kenya and other East Africa locations years ago, I was unnerved each time I stood in line and the person behind me literally touched me with their body as if the threat of someone jumping line was always a danger. Overtime I developed a habit of making more space by extending my elbow behind me. I never got use to how personal space was translated over there.

Are We There Yet?

Here's an odd story about a bus driver transporting kindergarten and first grade students. One part of me understand the fears of the children and parents concerning the incident. Another part of me think about how the students probably consider the the trip an adventure, but later realized it wasn't fun anymore. Two questions I have are: (1) Was the driver tested for drug use; (2) What about the training record of the driver?

The Up Side of Video Games

Video games have received much press as a negative activity toward children's health. Science Daily Digest, however, is reporting that children playing video games can expend more calories and have a higher heart rate. Playing sports video games was found to be secondary to participation in active sports activities in providing exercises. Moreover, new video games are requiring children to be more active by having children to walk and perform other movements.

Whose Children Are They?

I was working around the house while listening to the Today Show this morning. A musical group had performed, and I caught the part where Matt Lauer asked the lead singer what message was she sending to children. I heard the tone as being negative and wasn't clear whether Matt Lauer was referencing the song's lyrics or the performers' dance moves, which I didn't see. Immediately, I wondered whether parents have ceded lessons about morals and values to performers.

I mention this because I still remember my mother telling her children that we shouldn't follow other people, particularly when they were doing something negative. Of course, there was that standard questions: If all the other kids are jumping off a cliff, would you jump? My thought is that I don't go to a furniture store expecting to purchase ice cream, so I question why we're expecting entertainers, sports people, etc. to be a moral compass for our children?