Intention and Reflection for the Classroom

boy winning award

Intention and Reflection for the Classroom What was the most memorable and significant year of school for you? The first year you attended school? The year you starred in the class play? The year you won an award? The year you graduated? Research has shown that an important part of learning in any environment is reflecting on our…

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Kids and Rewards

Girl & boy looking at sweet jar

Kids and Rewards What motivates children to want to learn? Is it possible to motivate children without using rewards and treats? Could it be that using rewards is actually causing students to be unmotivated? Where does motivation come from anyway? Some Surprising Research In his book, Drive, The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, author…

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Ten Engaging Questions to Ask Your Child

mother with daughter hugging and talking

Asking Questions that Make Kids Think As a school counselor, I often talked with parents who were concerned about their inability to engage their children in meaningful conversations. They’d ask, “What did you do at school today?” and get the standard response:  “Nothing.”  They’d learn from other parents or the teacher about significant events or…

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Stress Free Morning Routines for Kids

girl in bed

Stress Free Morning Routines Mom, where’s my lunch money? I can’t find my backpack! What happened to my homework?  If the dog didn’t eat it who did? Get in the car… Get.  in.  the.  CAR! Did the school bus just go by? It’s back to school here in Georgia. Have you established a morning routine…

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Discipline… What works?

three generations

Teaching Rules or Values? Do you feel like you are constantly correcting children? Does it seem that you are redirecting and repeating behavior rules all the time? Guess what? You probably are.  In fact, research shows that from ages two to ten, children are urged by their parents to change their behavior once every six…

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Self discipline and the marshmallow test…

A cute kid eating marshmallow

How to help kids develop self discipline It’s a classic test of self-control and discipline;  The Marshmallow Test was designed by Walter Mischel in the late 1960’s, children were given a marshmallow and told they could either eat it now or wait for a period of time and get two marshmallows to eat.  The antics…

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