‘Where You Live’ – January 23, 2010
This weekend we’re showing you ways to make planning a little easier. From mealtime to your energy bill, find out how you can save time and money with a great plan!
National Heritage Academies
Education Options For Your Child
There are some many choices out there when it comes to your child’s education. The charter school system is one of them.
If you’re planning to enroll in a charter school for the 2010-2011 school year, the deadline is quickly approaching. Open enrollment closes on February 26, 2010. For an application link and more details visit www.heritageacademies.com.
Winter Educational Activities
Winters in West Michigan can be a little harsh. While it’s certainly fun to get outside with the kids and go sledding or skiing, sometimes it’s just too cold. National Heritage Academies recommends involving your children in a number of indoor educational activities that will keep them entertained and are a great alternative to television.
• Jigsaw Puzzles – Sure jigsaw puzzles can be frustrating with all those pieces that look exactly the same, but they can be a lot of fun, they provide relationship building time with your child and just think of the pride your child will have in completing a jigsaw puzzle.
• Winter Crafts – What better way to fight off boredom than by making a foam mitten wreath, handprint snowflake photo frame or popsicle snowman? Break out the glue and popsicle sticks and have a blast making a bunch of winter-themed crafts.
• Dr. Seuss Book Marathon - From here to there, funny things are everywhere. Take turns reading some of Dr. Seuss’ amazingly entertaining books.
• Butterfly Garden – Your child can create their very own butterfly hanging garden. Visit http://fun.familyeducation.com/childrens-art-activities/outdoor-games/30104.html?detoured=1, print out the monarch butterfly pictures and follow the directions for creating your own butterfly garden.
Raising a Responsible Child
While students attend school to work on strengthening their reading, writing and arithmetic, educators at National Heritage Academies strongly believe that the school experience is critical to developing students into responsible citizens. From this belief comes NHA’s commitment to implementing a moral focus curriculum that reinforces the strong character messages parents often stress at home.
Without an understanding of proper values and behavior, children will have trouble throughout school and into their adult lives. By developing a strong character, a respect for others, as well as respect for themselves, and by setting a good example and setting high standards, students will be well prepared for success inside and outside the classroom.
Making the Most of the Holidays!
Students at Ridge Park Charter Academy
I love this time of year-the decorations, the Christmas music and the excitement kids have waiting for the big day! I also love doing special holiday events and shows. This weekend on “Where You Live” we’ll look at how families around West Michigan celebrate. The show is taped at Ridge Park Charter Academy in Grand Rapids where they have students from 20 different countries. This school celebrates with a special “World Party Week” where each classroom studies a country-learning about the dress, customs and cultures of each place. The best part is that there are students in the building from each of the countries the kids are learning about so it really brings things to life! The show will also feature great ideas on ways to save on holiday gift giving at Goodwill, healthy snacks your kids will love, tips from a Priority Health expert on ways to workout while finishing your shopping and highlights from a special event at Meijer that truly captures the spirit of the season! This season take time to celebrate the things that matter most-Where You Live!
‘Where You Live’ – November 21, 2009
Ever wonder what the tricks are to getting your kids to like veggies or what about math class? This weekend’s show is all about getting your kids to try new things…..and like them!
Getting Your Child to Like Math
Math. It’s a simple and harmless word. Why then does it cause such dread for so many students? More importantly, since it’s such a critical tool in school and business, how can you as a parent get your child to embrace the subject?
The ideal solution is to help children build an interest for numbers before they enter school. Here are some suggestions:
- Whether its reading books that include numbers or simply exploring numbers throughout their environment – at home, on traffic signs and billboards, or at gas stations and grocery stores – introducing young children to numbers will build a familiarity that will be helpful when it comes time to go to school.
- If you’re a parent of a school-age child who doesn’t like math, take a look at engaging your child in different forms of math. For instance, if your child is a sports fan, use the score of a ballgame to work on addition and subtraction, or a player’s stats to work on statistics, multiplication and division. If your child likes to help you cook, use measuring out the ingredients as an avenue for building enjoyment in utilizing math skills.
- Be positive. For many parents, the thought of math may lead to horrible memories from when they were in school. Remember that math is our friend. If you want your children to enjoy math, the last thing you should do is tell them that you hate math or exhibit negative feelings toward math. Take your child’s learning math as an opportunity to learn math all over again. You may find that you enjoy it as well.
For more information or for other helpful tips on making math more enjoyable for your child, do not hesitate to speak to your child’s teacher or visit www.familyeducation.com.
Helping Your Kids with Homework
Research shows that parent involvement is important to a child’s success at school. The more engaged a parent is in their child’s education, the more likely the child will show greater interest in their school work.
“Homework is an effective tool to reinforce classroom instruction and improve student learning,” says Joe Nieuwkoop, principal at Cross Creek Charter Academy (http://crosscreek.heritageacademies.com). “It’s also an opportunity for parents to become more involved in the school process and to gain a greater appreciation for the work their child is doing.”
GENERAL HOMEWORK TIPS FOR PARENTS
• Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework. Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.
• Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available. Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance.
• Help your child with time management. Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don’t let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.
‘Where You Live’ – October 24, 2009
Be the change and make a difference! It’s as simple as volunteering.
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