There has recently been some controversy about a question appearing on the Scholastic Aptitude Test this year. It’s an essay question that asks the test taker this question about reality shows, “Do people benefit from forms of entertainment that show so-called reality, or are such forms of entertainment harmful?” Of course, the question goes into…. read more

March 31, 2011 by Paul Goebel in Education

Yes, yes… I now they are a corporation and a ficticious person, but none the less, I have been stewing for a while now over what I feel was a bad message sent to young Hannah Montana fans in the show’s final scenes. You can watch the final 6 minutes of the series finale here….. read more

March 25, 2011 by Scott Copperman in Parenting

It is well into the 2nd semester of my son’s 4th grade year, but I was not surprised when he came home with paperwork for yet another fundraiser. “Be sure to sponsor your son/daughter [insert name of child here] in the annual Jog-A-Thon. Top prizes include a free year book and lunch with the principal!” This…. read more

March 15, 2011 by Susan Lane in Education, Parenting

Parent /Teacher conferences are always tough for me.  I don’t particularly care for them, and generally feel that a note to and from the teacher would suffice in most cases. However, I was concerned over a steady decline in grades and general interest in school since switching my 9 year old from private to public…. read more

March 11, 2011 by Susan Lane in Education, Parenting

Many people are surprised to discover what happens in today’s kindergarten classrooms. With today’s higher standards, the expectations for student learning in kindergarten have greatly increased. In California, the Education Code states that “Districts must admit children at the beginning of the school year … if they will be five years of age on or…. read more

March 8, 2011 by Cindy Sobania in Education