While research shows that children's love of learning declines steadily from grades 3-9, this article explains how to motivate students by meaningfully connecting school to the real world, focusing on connecting science to the natural word, social studies to current events, literature to real-life experiences, and math applications to daily life.…

Presents four tips to help parents monitor whether website operators are complying with the 1988 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act: look for privacy policies on children's websites; determine if they ask for parental consent to collect personal information; regularly monitor information being sent to children; and determine if web operators…

Presents tips to help PTA leaders manage the paperwork that comes across their desks, explaining the importance of making a firm commitment to two rules of paper management: (1) deal with each item as soon as it lands on one's desk, and (2) make a decision to do one of four things with the paper (act on it, pass it on, file it, or toss it). (SM)

Strategies for encouraging good homework habits include: plan daily quiet time for the family; schedule homework at times that work for the child and family; and help the child create a study area. Parents should resist doing the child's homework, discuss homework problems with teachers, limit homework to appropriate amounts of time, and be…

Explains that financially strapped and resource-poor schools often accept corporate-sponsored educational materials and ads, especially when they come with free computers or other resources, discussing how corporations use schools to boost brand loyalty; how commercialism undermines the health of students (e.g., soda machines in schools, which…

Explains that incorporation is one of the best ways for PTAs to protect their officers, volunteers, and staff from being personally responsible or liable for PTA debts and legal obligations while performing PTA business, describing what a corporation is, how a corporation is created, disadvantages to forming a corporation, and legal requirements.…

Presents four steps that PTAs can use in developing a budget: determine the programs and projects to be carried out for the coming year; make realistic estimates of how much each will cost and how they will be funded; seek approval from the board and membership; and establish a system for keeping track of how well the projected budget is matching…

Suggests that in order to succeed, new PTA presidents should enlist the help of others early, establish cooperative relationships with the outgoing administration, and gather all the necessary information, looking at: ways to ease the transition by sharing information and resources, the role of the outgoing president, and on-the-job training for…

Presents information from a forum designed to: create awareness of unique challenges facing military or mobile families in obtaining appropriate public education and educate families and others in Alaska on state education mandates and procedures. Forum recommendations include: align the high school curriculum with the high school exit exam,…

Examines research-based reasons for children to eat breakfast, explaining that breakfast provides an opportunity to boost nutrient intake, enhances learning and school performance,and teaches childen healthy lifetime habits. The article notes that what children eat for breakfast may have an impact on learning. Research has shown that while cereal…

Presents tips to help parents prepare for effective parent- teacher conferences, including: starting off on the right foot by establishing rapport with the teacher, including the student in the meeting, addressing problems, and following up. A sidebar discusses questions parents should ask in the meeting to determine how their students are doing…

Lists activities parents can build into their schedules to strengthen their families and help their students succeed, noting the three keys to scheduling during the school year (clarity, discipline, and flexibility). Activities involve: getting ready time, teaching time, friend time, playtime, reading time, down time, adventure time, practice…

Describes bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, examining how it is treated; what parents can do (e.g., have the child evaluated, network with other parents, and request a meeting with school staff to determine necessary accommodations); and what teachers can do (e.g., be patient, learn about the disorder, educate fellow staff members,…

Discusses the danger of unhealthy air in the school environment, describing common problems and how parents and schools can respond. The article focuses on the dangers of mold, pesticides, diesel exhaust, and radon. The three sidebars describe how to promote indoor air quality at school, note how to determine whether the school's air is making…

Suggests that as technology becomes more pervasive, it is important to ask why it can be important for children, discussing: how today's technologies offer new ways for children to socialize, how technology can empower children, and how new technologies create learning opportunities that support the "messiness" of being a child, the interactive…