Teacher’s Corner

The following are writing prompts and discussion topics based on the blog, “Being the Center of the Universe.”

1. Use your imagination. Write 2-3 paragraphs about what it looks and feels like to be the center of the universe when you are four-years-old.
2. Use the paragraph you wrote above and make a list of the pros and cons of being the center of the universe. A pro must be some aspect of being the center of the universe that will help a child grow up to be a healthy, happy person. A con must be some aspect of being the center of the universe that will make it harder for a child to grow up to be a healthy, happy person. Include three (3) quotes from your paragraphs to support some of your choices of pros or cons.
3. What advice would you give to parents about how to maximize your center-of-the-universe pros and minimize the cons in their kids’ lives? Give them specific, practical advice – things they can do.

Teachers, you can use this blog in classrooms. Here are two ideas about how.

1. For middle or high school parenting or child development courses:

• Use the blog for discussion topics
• Require students to research the topics and agree or disagree with what the blog is suggesting.

2.  For all courses, especially English Language Arts:

• Use the blog for writing prompts for paragraphs, theme papers, journal entries, class starters, etc. Have students read the blog and respond to:
  • Do you agree with what is being said about kids? Do kids really act, think or feel that way?
  • Do you agree with what is being said about parents, grandparents, teachers and child caregivers? Do or should they act, think or feel that way?
  • What would be your advice on this topic?
  • What was left out of this article?
  • If you were a parent, would you use any of this information? How?

Why can this blog be a useful teaching tool?

• Students that see connections between their coursework and their lives do better in school.
• Most students will either be parents one day or have children in their lives that they care about, so the topical information can help them build their knowledge about children and parenting and develop a positive image of the type of parenting they want to do.
• The new core literacy standards adopted by most states call for frequent writing in all courses.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can think critically. These prompts help students practice critical thinking.
• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can analyze what they read. These prompts help students practice analysis.