Change is complicated and it’s important to support students during these current turbulent times. Instilling courage, confidence, and comfort in children is so important, especially during this time of uncertainty and establishing a new normal.
Identifying untruthful information and avoiding sharing fake news is an essential 21-century skill. By tapping into students’ creativity and imagination, maker education can be a helpful tool in teaching how to recognize fake news.
Shared reading experiences create community and stories can provide a foundation of togetherness for students during this unique time. There are some excellent read-aloud books that can help kick-off the new school year with a positive start. Following are three new titles and the publishers’ summaries of stories with themes of kindness, courage, and honor.
Distance Learning has made everyone’s daily routines change in unexpected ways. Educators and students alike are feeling the anxiety brought on by COVID-19 and the uncertainty of what our future socializing habits will look like. As we are focusing on taking safety precautions, we need to be mindful of taking time to laugh.
As we are all finding a #newnormal, some are facing greater uncertainty as public officials call #COVIDー19 "the Chinese virus." Stories can help break stereotypes.
There are many benefits of intergenerational relationships. When older and younger people connect it improves both groups’ well-being. The most common activity these generations can do together is share stories. Books showing meaningful relationships between children and their elders are a valuable addition to any library. Following are some new books that promote positive bonds between youth and seniors.
Words are powerful, especially when words are shared from one person to another. Reading aloud to students is a unique opportunity to share words. Reading picture books out loud to secondary students is just as valuable as when they were read to in grade school. In addition to the illustrations adding to the magic of the spoken word, vocabulary skills and comprehension is strengthened. Here are five additional benefits of reading aloud with your secondary students.
No other forms of writing express emotions and create imagery like poetry. The words selected by poets are based on their meaning and arranged on the page to create a rhythm and tempo for readers. Following are my favorite new poetry books. I hope these titles will help encourage students to gain a greater appreciation of writing and reading poetry.
When faced with challenging situations, I always turn to books. And we are all facing uncertainty. Schools and organizations are taking safety precautions within their buildings and exploring different ways to teach and learn. Students, educators, and parents are all feeling the effects of the ever changing situation and how it may impact the school experience. Secondary students benefit just as much as elementary students when a picture book is read aloud. It strengthens your classroom community, creates a safe space to talk about emotions, and provides a nice enjoyable experience for all. Listed are some titles that are available in print and digital e-book. These books may be helpful when addressing the emotions that come with this global pandemic.
This April 22 will be the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, an annual event celebrated around the world that gives people an opportunity to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Not unlike the environmental scientists of 1970, the young self-starters of the Youth Climate Lawsuit are celebrating Earth Day every day. They are reminding the world that Government is required by our Constitution to protect the rights of young people and children, including their fundamental rights to life and liberty. There have been several new books published that ignite a call to action for change, encourage young people to be part of the change, and celebrate our Earth’s beauty. These three new books can help students celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and get inspired to be part of the fight for everyone’s future.
