As we watch the Kavanaugh hearings today, and we watch the incredible political developments these days in general, we must find ways to talk with our sons and daughters about the concept of truth. How to tell it, how to determine it, the importance of standing up for it. (We must also find ways to talk with our sons [...]
Want to know where to find great children's books featuring Black and Brown characters? Looking for new titles to add to your children's bookshelves? Want some help on how to raise an avid reader? Here Wee Read is here for you. Here Wee Read is a website (with a great Instagram account, @hereweeread) that finds and reviews children's books [...]
Today's Thoughtful Thursday pays tribute to Arthur Mitchell, the founding director of the wonderful Dance Theater of Harlem, who died yesterday at the age of 84. Mitchell, born and raised in Harlem, was the first black ballet dancer to achieve international stardom when he was a principal dancer with The New York City Ballet, where he danced from 1956 [...]
Now that your son has gotten his first few weeks of school under his belt, here are a few areas to check in and focus on: School Supplies, Backpack: Does your son have the proper supplies for all of his classes? Does he need extra folders for the handouts from class? Does the math teacher require graph paper notebooks? [...]
Today's Thoughtful Thursday features poems to share with middle school (or younger) children as they settle back into the school rhythm. We start with "Who Has Seen The Wind", a classic that introduces youngsters to the mysteries of science. We continue with the fun nonsense poem "Eletelephony", and end with "Sick", a Shel Silverstein classic which is sure to [...]
When you are talking with your sons and daughters about Colin Kaepernick and Nike, here’s one more thing to talk about: Kaepernick refused to vote in the 2016 Presidential elections, claiming that it would be “hypocritical”, as he is “against a system of oppression” and is “not going to show support for that system”. You can read more about [...]
Today's Thoughtful Thursday pays tribute to the renowned poet Sonia Sanchez, who recently was awarded the 2018 Wallace Stevens Award by the Academy of American Poets. The award is given annually to one poet to recognize his or her outstanding and proven mastery in the art of poetry, and carries a stipend of $100,000. Poet, playwright, and children’s book [...]
The new Nike ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick has everyone talking, and we should be talking to our children about it. As you probably know, Nike has made Kaepernick the face of its 30th anniversary campaign. Kaepernick announced this a few days ago by tweeting a close up of his face, with the message "Believe in something. Even if [...]
Today's Thoughtful Thursday honors the Queen of Soul as the world mourns her passing with a "Poem for Aretha" which Nikki Giovanni wrote in 1971. Here Giovanni celebrates Aretha Franklin's amazing talent and implores us all to remember that although she has the voice of an angel, she is actually a working mother with a brutal work schedule who [...]
GCP co-hosted the Back-to-School #ReadinessCheck Chat last Wednesday, along with @BeALearningHero, @GreatSchools, @NationalPTA and other education advocates. This lively session offered a lot of great suggestions as to how parents can best help their children to be ready for a strong start to the school year. Here are some of the highlights: How to Prep For the New School [...]