Monday, May 21, 2012

The Innovative Educator: It's wrong to group kids by date of manufacture

The Innovative Educator: It's wrong to group kids by date of manufacture:


It's wrong to group kids by date of manufacture

Guest post by Teresa McCloskey



While at the park today with the kids, I saw a classmate of Mason's, coincidentally also named Mason and also in as much trouble with authorities as my own Mason.

Mason & Mason F. started kindergarten at the same time.  Their date of manufacture is obviously comparable.  They are both currently in 7th grade.  But Mason F. now stands nearly 2 feet taller than my Mason.  He's filling out.  Mason F. has very obviously hit puberty in his 12th - 13th year of life.  Mason F. was stealing backpacks from two girls then later blew them off to hang with a young lady dressed scantily in short shorts and a spaghetti tank top.  He escorted her out of the park looking every inch of a 16 or 17 year old if I hadn't known his real age.  Meanwhile, my Mason was happily climbing a tree and riding his bike up & down a hill as fast as he could.

Bradley was also along with us today.  He's now a couple inches taller than Mason, and his voice has started 

The Key to Making Every Child’s Dreams Come True – Found at SAR Academy

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~Guest post by Sharon Marson
Schoolwide Enrichment Program Coordinator, SAR Academy, Riverdale, New York

A teary-eyed parent says, "Now my child feels really successful. Thank you for what you are doing.” Another shared that Tuesday (the day our new program is scheduled) is “a day my child refuses to be absent. I'm not allowed to pull him out of school for a doctor's appointment and he has even tried pretending he is well when clearly he has fever, in order to not miss an E-slot." The children themselves ask, "How many days until next Tuesday?" and stop me in school regularly to thank me for "making" the this program.  

What has brought such joy and excitement to parents and children? The Schoolwide Enrichment program. This