Posts Tagged ‘teacher’
Kids wear 20 pound ball and chain to encourage studying
Strict parents have the perfect way of making sure their kids do their homework – a ball and chain has been created that counts down a reasonable study time before unlocking.
Parents just put in a desired study time on the “Study Ball” and attach the more than 20 pound ball to their kids’ ankle.
A red digital display counts down the time and the chain unlocks and beeps when time is up.
The ball can’t be locked on for more than four hours and there is a safety key that lets parents open the chain at anytime.
The ball’s designer says he came up with the idea after a friend compared studying to jail.
The item is for sale online for about $90.
Girl’s dream to end childhood hunger gets national attention [Video]
Here’s one from one of my friends, Joey Sovine.
Ten-year-old Katie Stagliano dreams to end childhood hunger across the world.
The 4th grader from Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville was recently featured in NBC Nightly News “Making a difference” segment.
Her dream began in her backyard where a 3rd grade project turned into a 40 pound cabbage.
“We decided that my cabbage was too special to be eaten so I contacted the organization fields to family. They are an organization that brings extra crops from farmer’s fields and other places to people in need and they told us that Family Crisis Ministries’ soup kitchen would greatly appreciate it,” explained Katie.
The 40 pound cabbage went on to feed over 275 people and triggered a dream that is spreading throughout her school.
With help from environmental science teacher Michael Newman, a garden has been constructed on the school’s property where Katie’s classmates help to grow food for the homeless.
Katie has now helped to feed over 800 people and hopes to inspire more people to grow food for those less fortunate.
Watch this story: Summerville kid dreams to end childhood hunger
Dogs help children learn to read [Video]
Burgh, a Bernese Mountain dog, is assisting in the Tailwaggin’ Tutors program.
“When it’s time for the kids to read, they sit down, she sits down next to them and she listens,” said Carol Vernon, a library employee.
It doesn’t even matter that all the stories sound the same to Burgh.
“(The children are) breaking out of their shell,” said Chris Bohrer, the dog’s owner. “They’re not so afraid to be around either a dog or an adult and they generally start reading louder and louder.”
The program has made for positive results.
“I just think because you’re training and reading to at least somebody before you read to an actual real person,” said Tommy Fanning of the Reading To Dogs program. “Whether it’s getting over shyness or just getting confidence in their ability to read aloud, or whether it’s actually improving their reading, I hear about it from the parents.”
The children are going from beginning readers to chapter books in a matter of weeks.
“However you can get them to love reading or enjoy reading, I think it’s a wonderful thing,” said Janel Fanning, the mother of one of the students in the program.
Read more and watch this story: Dogs Helping Children Learn To Read
Girl makes special greeting cards for sick Dad
This is a remarkable young girl who is shining in the face of a major tragedy. This story is heart-wrenching, but there is something strangely inspirational about it.
If you can… please take the time to buy a stack of cards or donate to the family. I know that I will!
Watch this story with some tissue near by.
It would be hard to say no to Reese Schroeder, a beautiful 5-year-old girl with a big smile and her father’s green eyes. But it would be impossible to turn her away from your doorstep once you hear why she wants to sell her cards.
“Because I wanted to raise money for my dad because he’s in the hospital. But now, he’s not in the hospital anymore because he died,” she said.
Jon Schroeder died early Tuesday morning months after he’d been admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. He was 29 years old.
While at the hospital, he suffered a collapsed lung and was diagnosed with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a rare and almost fatal disease.
During her father’s long stay at the hospital, Reese’s kindergarten art teacher decided an art project might help. She kept Reese after kindergarten for two weeks and helped her draw pictures of animals that would be printed on cards.
Julie Bauman didn’t even know the Schroeders but knew she wanted to do something to help.
“Stacie (Reese’s mom) is now a single mom with little three kids and I just knew there would be a lot of possible expenses to keep the house going, I just figured anything we could do to help,” Bauman said.
Bauman got a local printer to donate the card printing and then recruited volunteers to put the packets of cards together. She also brought Reese to her Monticello neighborhood to sell the cards to her neighbors.
“I think it’s really sweet, really sweet of her teacher and it’s really sweet that she’s able to go out and do that for her dad,” said Stacie Schroeder. “He would have been so proud of her.”
Jon never saw all of the cards while he was in the hospital because he was too sick. But he’ll be buried with them with a special note from Reese.
“I feel kind of happy that he chose to go with Jesus, but I do feel kind of sad that he’s not with us,” she said.
You can make a donation to the Jon Schroeder Benefit Account at:
Wells Fargo Bank
12916 Main St
Rogers, MN 55374You can also buy Reese’s card from the Albertville Primary School, 763-497-2688. They are $10 for a pack of 6. The money will go to help Stacie Schroeder raise her three kids.
Watch this story: Girl Makes Special Greeting Cards For Sick Dad
Heroic PE teacher pushes mother and children from path of car
A physical-education teacher at A.K. Suter Elementary School in Pensacola is being called a hero after he was struck by a car this morning near the school while he protected children.
Patrick Judd was transported to Baptist Hospital. Colleen Kirsch, spokeswoman for the hospital, said Judd was in good condition this morning.
Deputy Superintendent Norm Ross said witnesses saw Judd push a mother and her two children out of the path of an oncoming car.
By doing so, Judd took the brunt of the hit and suffered a leg injury.
District officials applauded Judd’s selfless actions Friday.
Laura Richards, 37, dropped off 6-year-old Abigail for school this morning and was crossing the street while talking with Judd.
She had 2-year old Laura Sophia sitting on her hip and 4-year-old Isabella holding her hand as she walked.
“He jumped back to take the full impact,” Richards said of Judd. “I don’t really know what happened. It happened so quickly but when it was all said and done we were safe on the side of the road and my daughters’ flip flops were still on the pavement.”
Richards said she know Judd because she sees him every morning and afternoon doing crossing guard duty. The last day of school before Christmas break, Richards said, Judd wears a Santa Claus costume while guiding traffic.
“We’re so grateful,” she said. “We pray for him and that he’ll be alright. If if he hadn’t been there it would have been us. My two little girls are so tiny.”
“The incident this morning was certainly an act of heroism,” Ross said. “It doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s been a longtime employee and has demonstrated throughout his career his dedication to students and the school.”
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said he was proud of Judd’s service to the schools.
“This is just another example of the dedication of our employees in this district,” Thomas said.
In 1999 Judd won the Elementary School Physical Education Teacher of the Year Award from the county.
Read more and see the family he saved: ‘An act of heroism’
Mystery person gives $4,000 to students… for them to give away [Video]
Here’s a great story from a friend of mine, Holly Bounds. Great story and a great idea!
It’s not all doom and gloom out there these days. But if you’ve gotta see it to believe it, we’ve got a great example.
While it’s hard to believe when you see the faces in the 4th grade class at Cross Schools, the angel of this story is no where in the picture. And that’s by choice.
“I usually get a lot of ideas that come across my desk and this person just followed through with it and said, “We really want to do this,” Headmistress Shawn Young said.
Angel Anonymous delivered $4,000 worth of 20’s to the students of Cross Schools and set some guidelines. Each student was to get a bill and donate it to a person or charity in need, with no name attached, just as they had received it.
“There’s a lot of people in need, and we’re in a recession right now and they’re really not doing too well- and it would make them feel happy,” nine-year-old Jackson Moore said.
The whole idea: teaching kids invaluable lessons about the gift of giving.
“Well, it felt good because I’ve always wanted to do something for other people,” Savannah Young said.
“I was thinking, I’m about to make a difference in someone’s life and I’m about to make someone happy and I’m also going to make me happy by having this warm feeling inside when I give it,” Rebecca Donaldson said.
“You know that someone will receive your gift and either find shelter and food and know that God is helping them,” Stephanie Royer said.
Angel Anonymous, we think it’s safe to say, “Mission Accomplished!”
But deep down, some of these kids are itching to talk to you.
“I would thank them so much and try to think of some way to repay them and think of something to give them,” nine-year-old Derrick Dees said.
But we know, this is the only reward you wanted.
“Money is not everything. But what comes from your heart is best,” Dees added.
And by the way, Angel Anonymous, thanks for reminding the rest of us, too.
The school stamped each dollar bill with a website address that will lead anyone who gets the bill to the story of Angel Anonymous. The hope is that the message about the gift of giving will continue to spread.
Read more and watch this great story: Anonymous Angel Teaches Cross Schools Gift of Giving
Town pulls together to prepare for flooding [Video]
Having grown up in an area, in Louisiana, that is at the mercy of Mother Nature, this story reminds me of how good it feels when a community comes together.
As the swelling Red River lapped within 30 feet of his back door, Carlis Kramer’s property resembled nothing so much as a bustling construction site.In a well-ordered ballet, four people loaded sandbags, four others hauled them to the house and another person stacked them into a dike.
This is how Fargo responds to the threat of record flooding: Hundreds of people from all walks of life have joined forces to shield the community from the rising river, racing to fill 2 million sandbags.
The effort has drawn football players, soldiers, high school students, even a Microsoft engineer — all fearful of enduring another disaster like the devastating floods of 1997.
“A friend of mine brought his neighbor’s kids, and friends of family bring boyfriends and girlfriends,” Kramer said.
The 1997 floods forced tens of thousands of people to flee homes in North Dakota, Minnesota and southern Canada in one of the costliest and largest flood evacuations in U.S. history before Hurricane Katrina. The disaster killed 11 people in the Dakotas and Minnesota and caused an estimated $4.1 billion in damage.
In Fargo, Noah Addy was among dozens of volunteers who gathered around huge sand piles at the Fargodome indoor football stadium to shovel sand into bags.
While most workers needed two hands to drag the bags onto piles, the muscular Addy tossed them like they were pillows.
A native of Ghana, he moved to Fargo about eight years ago for college. Now an engineer for Microsoft, he did not hesitate when the company offered its Fargo employees time off to help.
“I didn’t experience the 1997 flood, but everybody told me how bad it was, so I feel that helping is the right thing to do,” Addy said.
Not far away, near a home in south Fargo, Phil Hansen handled sandbags as easily as Addy.
Hansen grew up in North Dakota, then went on to play pro football for the Buffalo Bills. In his playing days, Hansen teamed with Bruce Smith to form one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing duos.
On Tuesday, Hansen’s mouth was bloody from the work.
“I bit my tongue, and I haven’t stopped bleeding for two hours,” said Hansen, who now lives in nearby Detroit Lakes, Minn. “It feels good to help, though.”
Read more and watch this story: In Race Against River, Fargo Pulls Together
More than child’s play: Scrabble scores add up to learning [Video]
A chattering classroom full of Lakeville Elementary students is hunched over Scrabble boards. It may seem like just a game. But fun is not the only reason their teacher Charlotte Bremond has been holding after-school Scrabble classes for eighteen years.
“It increases their vocabulary, makes their math skills sharper,” Charlotte explains. “It also gives them good strategies for creating words.”
In her twenty-two years as an elementary school teacher with the Oakland School District, Charlotte estimates she’s introduced over three thousand students to Scrabble. Eight years ago, she organized the first regional tournament for students, and for the last five years, she’s been raising money so she can take the very best players to compete nationally.
”It’s a beautiful sight, it’s fabulous.”
And it’s a site she’s worked hard to diversify.
“I think a lot of African American children believe that their skills or talents lie in playing ball, so I go out of my way to recruit children of color who can come and play the game and do a good job,” Charlotte says.
Mother Tamika Landry says Scrabble has helped her daughter with schoolwork.
“Since Cinaka joined the program, I’ve seen her test scores improve, I’ve seen her self-confidence improve, and her ability to learn different things has really shot through the ceiling,” Tamika says proudly.
Fourth-grader Cinaka adds, “I think it’s fun and cool, and I hope I go to the nationals!”
Read more and watch that story: Scrabble Scores Add Up to Real Learning
Cops and cards: Program changes how youth view police [Video]
This is a good idea that more police departments should look into.
Some Baltimore City Police officers hung up their handcuffs Thursday and honed their game-playing skills.
A city police officer could be seen teaching card shuffling skills to a student at Guilford Elementary Thursday, while others helped with homework.
For the last three weeks on Thursdays, the officers have taken their lunch at the school. It’s part of the Big Brother, Big Sister program.
Students who seem to have formed a perception of officers from television find they are really not much different than other adults.
“It was fun for her to know I go home and cook dinner, go over homework with the kids, and she was like, ‘Really? I never knew a police officer did that,’” said Detective Sharon Talley.
But the stories about special assignments when big stars come to town are interesting.
“I think it’s kind of cool ’cause she’s been with superstars like people in Hollywood,” said Skyligah Hite.
Of course this helps the kids, but the police officers say it also helps the department by breaking down stereotypes and letting children know police officers are ordinary people.
“And some of them open up and talk, so you get a chance to interact with them. It’s just a great opportunity, person-to-person versus cop-to-kid,” said Deputy Commissioner Debbie Owens.
Read more and watch that story: Program Changes Perception Of Police Among Youths
Teachers ditching class chairs for stability balls [Video]
This is a very interesting story that makes a lot of sense really. One of our reporters and a guy in sales use the balls at their desks as well.
Talk about a teacher’s dream: No more slouching, no more wiggly little boys and no more snoozing at desks.
All teachers have to do is ditch the classroom chair. A growing number are replacing them with exercise stability balls more associated with pilates classes than schoolroom lectures as an innovative way to improve student posture and attention.
The kids in Tiffany Miller’s class sound like little pilates teachers when they talk about their new chairs, dropping phrases like “strengthen your core” and “engage your center.”
“They’re awesome,” gushed 10-year-old James Howell, a fourth grader at Bauder Elementary School whose class switched to purple stability balls in January. “They help you focus, they help you keep your structure. And sometimes you get to bounce on them, get the wiggles out.”
“The whole theory with the brain is that when your body’s engaged, your brain’s engaged,” Miller said. “I call it actively sitting. They’re maybe moving their legs a little, wiggling some. But their upper body, they’re focused on writing, on the teacher. It really works.”
Read more and watch this story: Teachers Ditching Class Chairs For Stability Balls
