Feb 23, 2015
Rethinking the School Calendar
Published in ChicagoNow, February 23, 2015 A recent posting on the Evanston, Illinois Parent Facebook page exclaimed, “According to...
Feb 19, 2015
Kindergarten Homework is Absurd
The Valentine train he drew instead of the homework Published in ChicagoNow, February 19, 2015 My grandson has kindergarten homework. ...
Feb 5, 2015
Looking at Diversity Through a Different Lens
Published in ChicagoNow, February 5, 2015 My youngest daughter was part of the last cohort of half-day kindergarteners in my community of...
Feb 2, 2015
How School Closings and Snow Days Hurt our Kids
Looking out my back door this morning Published in ChicagoNow, February 2, 2015 Today it makes sense to close school. Roads are unsafe...
Jan 8, 2015
Come on Schools — More Polar Vortex School Closings?
She’s back! Published in ChicagoNow, January 8, 2015 Evanston elementary schools are closed again today. Like lemmings, suburban...
Dec 4, 2014
The Pledge of Allegiance as a Civics Lesson
Published in ChicagoNow, December 4, 2014 At Thanksgiving, for unknown reasons, some of my grandkids started reciting the Pledge of...
Dec 1, 2014
A Third Grader’s 10 Ideas for School Improvement
Guest blogger Published in ChicagoNow, December 1, 2014 Remember the old Dr. Seuss book If I Ran the Zoo? In it, young Gerald McGrew...
Nov 19, 2014
Fun and Play are Good for Kindergarten – What a Surprise
Literally constructing knowledge Published in ChicagoNow, November 19, 2014 The headline in today’s Chicago Tribune reads “Fun plays a...
Nov 3, 2014
Another Frozen Winter on the Way — Let’s Make Sure the Kids get to Move
Cartoon by Marcia Liss Published in ChicagoNow, November 3, 2014 If you think 2014 was the “winter of our discontent,” just wait to see...
Oct 21, 2014
To the Parent of the Shy Kindergartener
Cartoon by Marcia Liss Published in ChicagoNow, October 21, 2014 Since when did shyness in a 5-year-old become something requiring...