Promoting (Positive) Self Esteem

An interesting article was published the other day about the newest generation's affinity for web-based socializing. The author questioned the ability of adolescents to create a realistic and authentic identity when so much emphasis is placed on inventing the perfect online personality for networking sites such as facebook and Myspace. In a world that is becoming increasingly based in cyberspace, how can we be sure to help K-12'ers develop positive self worth and self esteem in the "real world?"

Richard Lavoie, M.Ed. hopes to answer that question in an attempt to be sure that today's children and adolescents don't turn into adults who isolate themselves to socialize over the web. Mr. Lavoie has 20 tips for parents and teachers--here are just a few:

1. Communicate your confidence in the child and in her future
2. Encourage "collections". This allows him/her to be the resident expert on a topic
3. Divide large tasks into smaller, manageable ones. This will ensure success!
4. When discussing an issue or a problem, avoid bringing up past difficulties
5. Reject the child's behavior, but never reject the child

As children spend more and more time in virtual relationships, it is even more important to help them develop the confidence and self esteem that comes only from interpersonal communication and interaction.

Remember:
Your child's self-esteem will be determined by the conditional acceptance that he receives from others - and the unconditional acceptance that he receives from you. Your child's self-esteem will be determined by success and progress in four areas:
Social (acceptance, friendships)
Competence (in a skill area)
Physical (clothing, attractiveness)
Character (effort, generosity, etc.)

Be sure to support all four areas, or at least those that may not receive enough attention in online relationships!!

Anxiety and Students: A morning with Dan Campbell

Educational Connections is pleased to announce the first workshop in our new speaker series! Come join us and listen to Dan Campbell, LCSW discuss the manifestations, effects, and treatments for anxiety in children.

Anxiety in Children (Signs, Causes, and Solutions)

March 29, 2008

Saturday, 9:30AM – 11:00AM

Dan Campbell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Fairfax. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Social Work, Dan has worked with children and families for over 20 years. He specializes in helping children with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other neuropsychological disorders. He also works extensively with anxious children and their families. Dan is a well known public speaker in the Washington metro area.

Summary of presentation:
Anxiety is one of the most common reasons parents seek psychological help for their children. It can limit their ability to engage in age-appropriate activities and succeed up to their potential in and outside of school. Yet Anxiety Disorders are the least likely psychiatric disorders to continue into adulthood if they are treated. This presentation will cover the signs of anxiety (including some that might surprise you) and the causes. Most importantly, we will talk about what you can do to help a child overcome the pain of anxiety and succeed at the most important task of all - being a happy kid!

Silly Rabbit, Math and Science are for Girls!

Even in 2008, the fields of math and science are dominated by males. Regardless of the cause of this imbalance (gender roles, discrimination, or biological differences), there is a solution. To encourage girls in math and science, educators must strengthen girls’ beliefs about their own abilities, spark and maintain greater interest in these subjects, and build associated skills.

Parents, teachers, tutors, and even other students can build a student's self esteem and help her establish a strong foundation in pursuing math and science as careers. Specific evidence-based recommendations for teachers are suggested in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) report “Encouraging Girls in Math and Science,” produced by the National Center for Education Research (NCER) to combat a multifaceted problem.

This report outlines five recommendations for encouraging girls in these more technical courses. Our favorite is "teach students that academic abilities are expandable and improvable." This is, of course, relevant to any and all students across ages, grades, and areas of study. Check it out today and let us know what you think!

~From KDP Resource Round-up

March's Tutor of the Month!!!!

Choosing the tutor of the month is always such a difficult decision! We could not say more honestly that if we could honor all tutors every month, we would. Since we do have to narrow it down to one, we are pleased to announce that Angela Yee is this month's award recipient.

In addition to going above and beyond for her students, Angela also takes an active part in Educational Connections as an organization. This month, Angela will be the EC representative at George Mason's annual child development fair. Angela will be presenting our information to teachers and professionals, as well as trying to recruit a few good men and women as tutors.

When asked about her inspiration behind her sessions, this is what Angela said:

Tutoring students in one-on-one settings is something I look forward to every day! It is very different than working with students in a classroom setting (I'm also a first grade teacher). In the classroom, there is always too much material to cover, a set curriculum to follow, and very little time for individual attention. Tutoring, on the other hand, is focused on one student's needs. Although there are still academic goals, each session can be formatted based on what the student currently needs to work on. The students look forward to the individualized attention and are always eager to see me. I enjoy watching my students progress from week to week and build confidence and self-esteem. Tutoring sessions are a very rewarding time for both me and the students!

There you have it folks! Words of wisdom from the one, the only Angela Yee!

A Library for the World's Children

As the 2008 presidential election nears and the campaign trails are hotter than ever, we can see once again that education is taking a leading role in politics. While the reality of this subject in the White House is undecided, there are infinite ways to make education more accessible for all students in the classroom. Regardless of what happens in November, we can take control and ownership of our children's education by actively pursuing avenues to introduce students to the global community. Even parents can include diversity in the home by taking advantage of available resources.

The International Children’s Digital Library at www.childrenslibrary.org offers free downloadable books that model tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, language, and ideas. Search titles by students’ age, country of origin, native language, and type of book. Also browse the featured titles and find out which books are award-winners.

Truly a "Library for the World's Children", students can download books for free from any region, area, country, or culture they choose. Students can view "Cinderella stories" from across the globe, seeing the similarities and differences that reflect how cultural influences manifest themselves in various ways.

Introduce your students or children to Childrenslibrary.org today and discover the contemporary, historical, and cultural tales from around the globe!