education – A Southern Mother

What is a Boo-Hoo Breakfast? How do you host one?

asouthernmother

July 29, 2016

Up until a few days ago, I had never heard of a Boo-Hoo Breakfast. I was elected PTA President for the upcoming school year, and one of the teachers from my son’s school sent me a video about a Boo-Hoo Breakfast. Did you cry on your child’s first day of school? I might have gotten a little emotional, but I didn’t cry. My son never had separation anxiety, and I think that contributed to my composure. Many children and parents cry on the first day of school, especially kindergarten parents. Starting kindergarten is a big step in a child’s educational path, and it can be an emotional day for everyone involved. The idea behind a Boo-Hoo Breakfast is that it gives parents and caregivers of kindergarten students a place to meet and mingle on the first day of school. Breakfast can be very simple or elaborate, and they’re generally hosted by the PTA. Most importantly, it gets them out of the classroom so that teachers can begin socializing students in their new environment.

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Boys & Girls Clubs of America My.Future

asouthernmother

June 30, 2016

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“This post was sponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America My.Future platform as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.”

My son is 6 years old and he loves science and math; and I love that he loves science and math. We routinely try to encourage him to learn new concepts in those fields. It’s important that he embraces them now, instead of waiting until he’s older.

Children can become discouraged when they’re older, and they struggle with concepts. Day-to-day, it’s easier to teach small things that become the foundation for larger concepts that he’ll be taught later. This has been shown to be very effective when learning other languages, and even learning programming languages. Some schools start with simple things like programming a little lego car to move and that apparently can work wonders later on when they progress to making websites. Just looking at these Core Java Interview Questions feels a little daunting to me, there’s so many terms to understand! Though if my son pursued a career in coding, these questions would be easier thanks to the efforts we started at this stage in his life.

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We often have discussions in the car, during time that would have otherwise been wasted driving. The point of my ramble is that it’s never too early to start imprinting a love of learning, but also basic principles from science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). I was excited to read about one of the newest programs at the Boy & Girls Clubs of America called My.Future.

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Monogram Apple Canvas for Teacher Appreciation Week

asouthernmother

May 6, 2015

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It’s Teacher Appreciation Week if you didn’t realize. And I think this is the perfect time to truly show your teacher how much they mean to you. You can easily check out something like these gift ideas for college professors if you are planning on getting them something, or you could create something for them (obviously depending on what they would prefer).

I posted a photo to Instagram of a monogram apple canvas that Gabe and I made for Teacher Appreciation Week, and I received some messages and emails asking how I created it. I decided to make a quick tutorial for those of you that are interested in making one for a teacher, or maybe for your own classroom. I was very pleased with how it turned out, and Gabe’s teacher now has it hanging in her classroom. It was an inexpensive way to show our appreciation for her hard work wrangling preschoolers this year.
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A Lesson About Chinese New Year

asouthernmother

February 5, 2015

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

#NewYearFortune #CollectiveBias

I think a great way to raise tolerant, compassionate, and educated children is to expose them to as many different cultures and customs as possible. Personally, I want my son to understand that other children look, speak, eat, and talk differently from him, and that is okay. Travel is a great way to do that, but not everyone has the financial means to do so. Thankfully, with the internet and a few good maps, we can bring another country and culture to our home. In a week or so China will celebrate the Chinese New Year. Gabe and I have been talking about China and the celebration with the help of authentic restaurant inspired Tai Pei® frozen foods. I have a few suggestions about how you can celebrate the Chinese New Year in your home and teach your children about the festive holiday.

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Teaching Children About the Amazon Rainforest

asouthernmother

December 15, 2014

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I would like to thank Pure Energies for sponsoring today’s post, and allowing me to discuss why it is important to talk to your children about the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon Rainforest Ecosystem is one of the most studied and monitored ecosystems in the world. This remote region is home to over 10 million species of plants, animals, and insects. It is also just a small fraction of the Earth’s surface area, but it produces nearly 20% of the oxygen on earth. The Amazon is also home to 400-500 indigenous tribes of Amerindians. Recently, the CEO of Pure Energies, an energy advising company in the US and Canada specializing in solar energy, visited the Kayapo tribe in the Amazon rainforest. They lived alongside the tribe for 10 days, and explored their independence from modern society. The Kayapo work to actively protect their territory in the Amazon. There is so much that can be learned from the Kayapo tribe—lessons we need to teach our children about the importance of our rainforests.

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Remembering Mrs. Cole: American Education Week

asouthernmother

December 4, 2014

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American Education Week inspired me to reflect upon my experiences with educators, and share a story about the lasting impact of an educator on a community and myself. Last year, while working as a news reporter, I covered a fundraiser for an elementary school in my hometown; it was just before the May primary election. A gentleman who was running for County Judge Executive was given a brief moment to speak. He talked about growing up in the area, attending the school many years ago, and he specifically named the teachers that had a profound influence on his life. One of the teachers the gentleman named was Rose Garland Cole. She had taught for over 40 years in the county, and had been retired from teaching for 20 years when she died in 2011.
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Thirteen years after her death, and decades after he had been in her classroom, this man still recalled the impact she had on him. American Education Week was established to honor educators including teachers and support staff, and celebrate public education. Today, I’m honoring the staff at Shwab Elementary, the amazing educators involved in my life, and a teacher named Mrs. Cole.

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This is #OurLand: The Trust for Public Land

asouthernmother

November 20, 2014

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When MomDot Media asked for applications on the Trust for Public Land #OurLand campaign, I jumped at the chance. I spent most of my childhood exploring the mountains and playing in the fields of southeastern Kentucky. When we traveled to a park it was to see a landmark or while we were on vacation; I loved seeing the majestic Smoky Mountains or imagining the trails my ancestors followed getting through what is now the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. I often wonder how good it would be to look for different places to stay at the Smoky Mountains as all of the cabins they have there are simply beautiful and really make the vacation more exciting. Trips like this really made my childhood one to remember. It wasn’t until I moved into the city as an adult that I realized the true value of public parks. Where do children run and play when they live with little to no available outdoor space? Who advocates to ensure individuals have access to public land? The Trust for Public Land is a nonprofit organization that works to protect public land including parks, gardens, and natural areas. They created the #OurLand campaign to showcase parks and outdoors spaces, and to find out why nature matters to you.

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