For teens and preteens interested in theater, film, and screenwriting, I recommend three books: Break a Leg! The Kids’ Guide to Acting and Stagecraft, by Lisa Friedman (Workman, 2002); Screen Teen Writers: How Young Screenwriters Can Find Success, by Christina Hamlett (Meriwether, 2002); and Attack of the Killer Video Book: Tips and Tricks for Young Directors, by Mark Shulman and Hazlitt Krog (Annick, 2004). … [Read more...] about Lights! Camera! Action!
book review
The Advantage of Arts Education
Arts with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jensen (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001), details how schools can make arts education a core subject and how to integrate the arts into every subject. Jensen, who reviews what programs should be considered and how to implement and assess them, asserts that the positive effects of a fully implemented arts program include … [Read more...] about The Advantage of Arts Education
Genius Denied
A new Web site based on the book Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds, by Jan Davidson, Bob Davidson, and Laura Vanderkam (Simon and Schuster, 2004), pulls together an array of information often needed by parents, education professionals, policy makers, and others advocating for appropriate educational services for gifted and talented students. … [Read more...] about Genius Denied
Summer Reading for Parents
Have you ever been amazed by your child’s imagination and inventiveness? Understanding Creativity, by Jane Piirto (Great Potential Press, 2004), explores the creative process and gives biographical examples of artists, musicians, dancers, entrepreneurs, architects, and writers. Readers gain insight into recognizing creative talent in children, encouraging creativity in them, valuing their work without evaluating it, and incorporating creative values into everyday life. … [Read more...] about Summer Reading for Parents
Promoting Resilience
As parents, we naturally want to prevent our children from experiencing extreme adversity, but, try as we might, there is only so much we can do to keep them safe. The world sometimes is an unsafe place, and for many children it is increasingly dangerous. Yet many children beat the odds. At least one in four is resilient, or able to achieve social competence and emotional health in spite of a history of acute or chronic stress. … [Read more...] about Promoting Resilience
Middle School Uncensored
Want to step into the world of your middle schooler? Not Much, Just Chillin’: The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers, a new book by Linda Perlstein, will give you that opportunity. … [Read more...] about Middle School Uncensored
Gifted Readers and Young Adult Literature: A Perfect Match
Gifted learners who are avid readers tend to read not only for the simple joy of it but to cope in a world that does not understand giftedness and is sometimes openly hostile to the intellectually gifted. These students read to overcome the boredom of an unchallenging curriculum and to satisfy their curiosity. But however gifted they may be, they still need guidance in making suitable, interesting, challenging reading choices, just as other students do. So, where can we turn to provide … [Read more...] about Gifted Readers and Young Adult Literature: A Perfect Match
The Myth of Laziness
How many times have you heard a teacher say that your child has tremendous potential “if only he’d apply himself” or “if only she’d work a little harder”? How often have you said the same thing yourself to your child? Author Mel Levine says that almost no one is actually lazy; what looks like laziness is almost always caused by a genuine problem, a neurodevelopmental dysfunction. … [Read more...] about The Myth of Laziness
Dealing with Boredom
How do you react when your child laments, “I’m bored!” or “School was a drag today.” When do feelings of boredom go beyond normal, commonplace, and bearable? How do you handle the behavioral problems that stem from boredom? … [Read more...] about Dealing with Boredom
Living History
If you want history to come alive for your children, I recommend two excellent series of activity books. These series target elementary and middle schoolers; although some of the activities require adult supervision, the works themselves ingeniously address the child audience and provide a wide range of creative explorations. … [Read more...] about Living History