Teacher’s Corner

Give your students two valentines:

1. One with a message that says they are able to do something very well (can also be a rule that they are good at following)
2. One that says how much you enjoy them – just the way they are.

Writing Prompts and Discussion Topics 

The following are based on the blog, “Decisions Babies Make”

Valentines Day is here.

1. Plan to give a child a valentine. Think of a child you care about. Write a special message that says this child is able to do something really well or knows how to follow a rule really well. Then, describe something you can do that will send to the child this same message without words.

2. Plan to give a child a valentine. Think of a child you care about. First, write a special message that tells this child how much you enjoy him or her. Then, describe something you can do that will send to the child this same message without words.

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.