"Brooklyn Castle", a documentary opening in NYC on Friday October 19, chronicles a year in the life of the chess team at Intermediate School (I.S.) 318, a middle school in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The I.S. 318 chess teams have won more chess championships over the past decade than any other school in the country. This statistic is even more impressive [...]
Back for Day 2 of NBC News' Education Nation Summit 2012, the final day of this gathering of thought leaders seeking ways to solve the complex and varied issues of American education. More highlights from today's speakers and panelists: Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis talked about the importance of making sure students are coming out of school well prepared [...]
I spent most of today at NBC News' Education Nation 2012 Summit, which brought together educators, students, parents, elected officials, and industry and thought leaders for a solutions-focused conversation about the state of American education. Heard lots of thought-provoking and inspirational conversation about what is being done and what can be done to help our nation's children. Here are [...]
As you have probably heard, as many as 125 Harvard University students, including several varsity athletes, are alleged to have cheated on a take-home final exam in a Government course last semester. While the investigation is still underway, and no students have been sanctioned, some athletes who might be involved in the scandal are taking a leave of absence [...]
As your sons (and daughters) head back to school, take a few minutes to look at these sites which are filled with interesting and useful information especially designed for parents. Bookmark the ones you like, and go back to them when you are looking for ways to inspire and help your student. Happy Browsing! FunBrain for Parents Educational games [...]
Sorry that the posts have been a bit few and far between these days, but I have been unusually busy with the actual business of parenting. My children are settling into their summer routine, which seems thus far to involve a lot of road trips with me behind the wheel. Here is a hodgepodge of items I've been meaning [...]
Today's Wall Street Journal includes a story of how one family has started their son on the road to financial literacy using his allowance. The article, found here, features adorable Ryan Emah, a 7 year old second grader, who gets $3.00 a week from his parents for fufilling "basic expectations " like emptying the dishwasher and folding clothes. He [...]
Last week GCP attended a Common Sense Media lunch where a panel of experts discussed the impact of media on the self-esteem and body image of boys and girls. Expertly moderated by Nightline co-anchor Cynthia McFadden, the panel featured Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Marie Claire magazine, Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair, a clinical psychologist and school consultant specializing in children's social [...]
A few days ago, GCP attended the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) 2012 Annual Awards Dinner in New York City. Founded in 1963, SEO began as a privately funded mentoring program designed to help underserved high school students get accepted to college. In 2005, SEO determined that more than mentoring was needed to ensure that students would not only [...]
Here are more words of wisdom from Anne Williams-Isom and Jennifer Jones Austin, authors of “How To Choose the Best School for Your Son” (GCP, February 21, 2012). In this post, Anne and Jennifer tackle the sensitive and important subject of what to do when your son’s school alerts you that he is having difficulty with some aspect of [...]