Setting Goals for the Second Half of the School Year

By Alicia McQueen, School Counseling

Everyone loves a fresh start! As our students look to begin a new semester, that is exactly what they get, a fresh start. January is a great time to set goals for improving upon what you have learned about yourself as a student from the first semester. As you are planning ways to be your best and most successful during the second half of the school year, consider some of the following ideas that we have collected from students and teachers that have helped aid in student success.

Teachers and students report that checking their email and Google Classroom daily is an important part of keeping informed on assignments and expectations of different classes.

Utilizing a calendar or the Stickies on your device is great way to organize reminders for those assignments once you have checked your email and Google Classroom.

Students should learn to advocate for themselves! Students should talk to their teachers. Teachers welcome student questions and appreciate the opportunity to talk with their students one on one to help them.

Students who follow these few simple guidelines will find it easier to be successful in the new year. Parents and students should also feel free to reach out to guidance office, individual teachers or the administration at any time throughout the school to ask questions and gain a better understanding of what is needed in class.

Let’s make 2019 the best yet!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! 2019 is a time for renewal and recharging. We hope this new year finds you visiting our blog often. Did you know you can subscribe using the link on the main page? We have many wonderful articles and ideas planned for the new year and hope you will be a part of them all!

Staying Active in the Cold Months

By Jerri Bragg, Physical Education Teacher & Coach

How often do you hear your kids state that they are bored when the temperature outside gets cold? I’m sure you are not the only ones scratching your heads to come up with activities or ideas to keep the little ones occupied or give them an energy release during the winter months. Below are a few great ideas to keep them busy until the temperatures climb back up, and they can escape the indoors.

Utilize this idle time to enroll them in a class or an activity and/or sport they have been wanting to try.
Visit an indoor play space in our local community or check with our local Parks & Recreation Department for updated activities and classes.
Clarksville has an indoor pool, which is a great outside of the box activity.
Visit the local bowling alley. Clarksville is home to 3 different alleys, one located in city forum.
Roller Skating is another great indoor activity that will sharpen their coordination skills by taking them skating once a month or possibly make it a weekly outing. The ice skating rink is also now open downtown and provides another great winter outlet.
If we are so lucky to get snow this season, I recommend capitalizing on mother nature’s treat and bundle the little ones up and send them outside. A few hours of sledding and building snowmen usually makes for a great night’s sleep.
Staying active doesn’t always mean going to do something. Play games at home that require movement like Twister or Dance, Dance Revolution or simply turn the lights off and arm them with glow sticks and posture yourself for a wild dance party! Hide and seek, building forts, and so many other activities will not only entertain your child, but also serve as great family memories.

Another great resource in this modern era is the use of fitness apps. One great app is SKORKIT, provides a variety of workouts to keep you from getting bored. Also try gonoodle, which is a big hit with the kids during adverse weather and can keep them moving. YouTube activities like Debbie Doo, Dance Sweat Live, and Cosmic Kids Yoga—these are just a few to give that are sure to be a hit at your house!

Click this link for more ideas on ways to keep your kids active during the cold months: HealthyKidsHealthyFuture.org

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our Cougar family to yours. We hope today is spent honoring the reason for the season and is filled with laughter, love and memories.

A Long Break Away from School Part 2

By Gina Goostree, Head of Lower School

To continue our discussion from Tuesday, here are some more helpful ideas for a long break from school.

As today’s researchers are now discovering, all of that light-hearted play actually led to some serious child developmental benefits. I think it is high time to bring family game night out of the past and into your immediate future! Here are five big research-based reasons why:

1. Games are good for motor skills.

Every time your little ones roll the dice or shuffle the cards, they are developing their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills – which can lead to later success in sports, playing instruments, writing and more.

2. Games can lead to better grades.

Many games build specific skills that are useful in your child’s academic careers such as math, spelling, vocabulary, and general knowledge. Research from Carnegie Mellon shows that even a small amount of practice playing academic games can lead to big results in the classroom. One study found that pre-school aged children who played a simple dice-rolling and token-moving number game for just one hour over a two-week period had measurable gains in number skills. These results are important because children’s early number skills are highly related to later math achievement in school.

3. Games help your children solve problems.

Researchers from the University of Florida found that children who practice strategizing and solving problems with their parents end up having better memory techniques and more success at solving a variety of problems on their own. It also gives parents a chance to model effective problem-solving techniques for children to emulate.

4. Game night is family bonding night.

No matter what games you play, family game night provides the opportunity for you to interact with your children. This will lead to many positive outcomes for them, such as, a larger vocabulary, higher reading scores, more motivation in school, better

relationships with peers, a more positive perception of the parent-child relationship, better emotional well-being and life satisfaction.

5. Games are just plain fun!

Granted this is a different breed of fun from what you were used to during your carefree college days, and it is surely different than what your children will be calling fun in just a few short years. But for now, while everybody’s still hanging out in the house all together, make the most of it!

Make some amazing memories from these suggestions! Ask your child what they enjoy doing with you. You may be surprised it does not cost any money. Just your time because the quality time you spend with them is worth a lot more than quantities…..It is all about the MEMORIES!!!

A Long Break Away from School…Part 1

By Gina Goostree, Head of Lower SchoolB

With our anxiety rising, we wonder, can life get anymore hectic or stressful? As important as time management is, there is a rather simple strategy with powerful results: take a break! Take a long, long break!

Working hard and balancing assignments, projects, quizzes, tests, social obligations, are all part of a successful student life, but breaks are important, too. Families are busy these days. After work, school, extra- curricular activities, meetings, housework, preparing dinner, and the other inevitable realities of life, there is not a lot of time leftover. So, what should parents do when their children have Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring Breaks from school? Spend some quality time with your children. Turn off all electronic devices and your children will receive many benefits.

When speaking with school children, one common theme they mentioned was experiential learning with parents. Some children enjoyed hunting, fishing, drying apples, baking with their mother, working on projects with their dad, goofing around, watching movies, painting, crafts, and game nights just to name a few of the activities they love to do with their parents. Your child does not necessarily know they are learning while having fun with you. More importantly, parents and children are making lasting memories.

If you feel the need to travel during these breaks, I suggest purchasing the book, “V is for Volunteer”, a Tennessee alphabet, by Mike Shoulders. Your child will discover Tennessee’s natural wonders and fascinating history while traveling through the book from A to Z. This is a great book to read with your child, then, take a few field trips to travel throughout Tennessee to learn about our home state.

Speaking of reading….go to the public library with your child. Reading is developmentally important for children as they expand their vocabulary, learn empathy, and develop their imaginations. Libraries are an exercise in the joy of possibility. Children can read anything, be anything, and imagine anything.

Go outdoors with your children. This creates healthy life styles while actively moving with your child. Taking children in the environment where learning takes place is a great way to spend quality time with your child. Go outside during cold weather as well as warm. Children are so busy playing and having fun that they often forget the cooler or colder temperatures. Here are some suggestions for getting your child into the great outdoors:

Inspire curiosity by being curious yourself.The most important part of prioritizing the natural world is to give your child the gift of enthusiasm. A parent’s excitement is contagious to their children, and when we show awe in nature, our children follow suit.
Simply be in nature with no other distractions.Just show up and observe. Find a spot near a pond or creek and encourage your child to wait and observe. If they are still and quiet, they may observe nature uninterrupted.
Limit electronic devices while commuting.While carpooling in the mornings, turn off the devices and instead encourage your children to look out the window. Early morning skies are beautiful with arrays of different colors and birds. Talk to your children about the different patterns clouds make while commuting.
Seek out natural, untouched spaces and return often to them.A suburban field, edge of a forest, or even a small ravine at the end of the street can be teeming with wildlife and spaces to observe and explore. Returning to the same spot throughout the seasons will allow for observations of change and cycles of life.
Stop thinking about nature time as leisure time.Time in nature is an essential investment in our children’s health

and well-being. Changing our mindset will change our priorities. If we view nature time as essential to good health, we will be more likely to engage in it. Nurturing creativity and wonder is part of the responsibility as parents if we want to raise healthy, well- balanced children.

6. Read about nature with your child.

Want to encourage and inspire? Check out books from the local library that are colorful with nature language and adventure.

7. Plant a small garden.

If you have the space, help your child plant a few vegetables. Bean and pea plants grow quickly and can be eaten when mature, teaching your child about food and the wonder of growth.

8. Look at the stars.

Drive out of the city some morning or evening for your own stargazing with a blanket and/or telescope or binoculars. Stargazing offers a deeper, more expansive understanding of the infinite. Allow time to think about it, and talk with your child about that wonder.

9. Get organized.

If your older child is interested, encourage him/her to get involved in the local community. Find an outdoor space, like a field or creek, to restore, and encourage your child to become an active participant in protecting it.

Have you ever thought of hosting a family game night? Nothing brings families together like some friendly competition. These days, there are more ways than ever for your entire family to stay entertained. Although your children may find it hard to believe, there was a time long, long ago when families used to gather around the table and play real-life, interactive games together, well into the night.

Charitable Giving

By: Sally Allen, Director of Marketing & Development

During this time of year, we all begin to think about charitable giving. There are so many fantastic opportunities available for giving. Here are a few simple guidelines for deciding where or how to give.

Choose the organization(s) that best fit with you or your family’s interests.
Research the charitable organization that you want to give to. Is it a credible 501c3 that spends its money wisely to achieve its mission? Will you receive a tax deduction?
Do they prefer a monetary donation, a donation of food, clothing, personal care items or the gift of your time serving with the organization?
What is their mission and does it relate to what you believe?
Will your employer match your gift?

These 5 simple guidelines will help you in deciding on where and what to give. Selecting an organization that not only supports the beliefs and mission that you and your family have, but is something you trust is the most important. Once you’ve narrowed your selections down, it’s important to research the charity and note how they spend their money (actual funding vs. administrative funding). Unfortunately, there are many charitable organization that spend more on publicity and administrative staff than on their stated goals or cause. Then dig a little further and see if they prefer something other than a monetary donation. Some organizations appreciate the gift of time as much, if not more, than your dollars. Finally, ask your employer if they will match your gift. Many companies will match gifts up to a certain amount. Contact your human resources office to see if you qualify.

The holiday season is all about giving. There are many opportunities to give and serve causes and organizations that are important to you. We hope you find the right place to donate your time and/or resources to.

Social Media and Your Child Part 2

By Cara Miller, CA Director of Technology

On Tuesday we discussed what social media is, today we will discuss the benefits and effects of social media.

How does Social Media make them feel?

For most users of social media, online social life and offline social life are one and the same and include similar highs and lows. The unique difference with social media is users have instant reach to a wide audience very quickly, giving kids an opportunity to magnify their lives in a way that’s different from the offline experience. Social media platforms are central to every aspect of teens’ lives, from how they stay in touch with friends, determine the popular trends and even engage with such topics as politics, music and fashion.

Are their benefits to Social Media?

Many children use social media as a means of personal creativity or expression. It allows for connections with those of similar interests.

It allows them the ability to stay in touch with friends and provides easy and instant communication. Social media allows for instant information on news, sports and other social events.

This influx of information could provide a great opportunity to have meaningful conversations with your kids about what they view and watch. Parents can make it an opportunity to discuss happenings and share how they feel about topics they have seen or read about on social media.

There are also teachable moments in how to deal with digital drama. Digital drama isn’t all that different than normal social drama, but the lessons can begin early on how to properly respond to comments or posts online. Teaching children that comments and posts created without proper evaluation of the widespread audience can be one that saves potential digital drama or harm somewhere down the road.

How much is too much?

There are no easy answers when trying to determine how much screen time or social media is enough. It really depends on the child. If your child will put the device down to pursue a more interesting hobby you are probably teaching a good balance. Less time on social media may be beneficial for some, especially becoming more intentional in how they use social media. Following people who enrich them, and adjusting notifications so that devices become less distracting, are all steps in the right direction.

Social networking provides a convenient and compelling supplement to personal relationships in life, but when we use social networks as a substitute for relationships we face the risk of voiding our lives of meaningful and valuable connections.

The answer is not a one-size-fits-all for all children when it comes to screen time and/or social media. And, the truth is, there is no exact science in raising aware, thoughtful, empathetic and self-confident children. Certainly, modeling these behaviors in our own lives is a wonderful start. There is no doubt that our children are exposed to social media, both good and bad, but the key seems to be in finding a way to ‘teach’ them how to handle the information and to process it in a healthy way.

As always, if you would like more information in how to deal with your child and social media as well as other technology issues do not hesitate to contact me at cmiller@clarksvilleacademy.com.