By now we imagine you are well aware that Black teenager Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by white Hispanic neighborhood crime watch volunteer George Zimmerman while Martin walked unarmed and alone in a residential neighborhood in Sanford, Florida, and that the Sanford police department has refused to arrest Zimmerman, accepting his claims that he was acting in self-defense [...]
Several New York City principals have suggested that the disproportionate number of Black and Hispanic students suspensions in NYC public schools can be traced to the failure of teachers and administrators to understand the street-wise origins of the students' aggressive behavior. In an article found here the principals suggest that these students are having trouble understanding that the combative [...]
Mission U.S., a free online history game created by producers at public television station WNET Thirteen, gives middle schoolers the chance to learn about American History while walking in the shoes of characters who are living it. In Mission 1: “For Crown or Colony?”, which was released in 2010, players take on the role of Nat Wheeler, a printer’s [...]
Today’s post comes from Anne Williams-Isom and Jennifer Jones Austin. Anne Williams-Isom, author of the GCP post “Words of Wisdom from a Montessori Mom” (October 4, 2011) is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Harlem Children's Zone. She and her husband are raising their three children in Harlem. Jennifer Jones Austin is the Senior Vice President of the [...]
Red Tails is an action film inspired by the heroic exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all African American World War II aerial combat unit. Directed by Anthony Hemingway ("The Wire"), from a screenplay by John Ridley ("Undercover Brother") and Aaron McGruder ("The Boondocks"), the film features a powerful ensemble cast led by Oscar winner Cuba Gooding and [...]
Time to tackle a tough subject: how to protect our sons from sexual predators. With this issue so much in the news, it seems our boys are more vulnerable than ever to deviant behavior by trusted adults. GCP recently attended a seminar on child sex offenders offered by child and adolescent psychotherapist Alicia Henderson, Ph.D. to find out more [...]
In an earlier post, GCP covered New Jersey Police Detective Sergeant Thomas Rich's presentation on sexting (Texting, Sexting: What You and Your Children Should Know, November 22, 2011). Today's focus is cyberbullying, featuring perspectives from Sgt. Rich and others*. Cyberbullying, says Sgt. Rich, is "the next generation of hate". He recommends that we teach our children that their words [...]
It's parent teacher conference season! What's the best way to ensure that you get the most out of your limited time with your son's teachers during the conference? Check out these links for some helpful tips and ideas: "Acing Parent Teacher Conferences", published last year in the Wall Street Journal; A To-Do List for Parent Teacher Conferences from Education.com; [...]
Thinking about what to get for your toddler, preschooler or kindergarten child for Christmas or an upcoming birthday? How about blocks? Yes, those solid, wooden, indestructible blocks that we all loved to stack up and noisily knock down when we were young. According to an article in today's New York Times, found here, blocks are having a resurgence in [...]
GCP recently attended a seminar on "Texting, Sexting, Facebook and Cyberbullying" conducted by New Jersey Police Detective Sergeant Thomas Rich. Sgt. Rich has worked on the issues of Internet safety for over ten years, and through his company, "Always Connected", advises law enforcement, educators, parents and children of all ages how to utilize technology in a positive way. Here [...]