School and Learning for Elementary Kids - Free Parenting Resources

"When looking at what students are required to read in school in 2010, it might as well be 1960. We need visionary educators who see bold purposes for school and who understand that what students read in school has profound, lifelong effects, both good and bad."

Videos for kids to learn from.

An explanation of the whole-language classroom.

Students are missing key concepts in history.

Tips to help your child develop important critical thinking skills.

How beauty influences attention and expectations in the classroom.

Information about the character education movement.

Ways your school can get kids hooked on books.

Why student council should be part of your child's education.

Help your child cope with stress.

Understand why some students are silent in class and how to encourage them to speak up.

Tips to make sure science education gets the attention it deserves.

Find out the pluses and minuses of School Based Management.

Ways to help your school decrease student violence.

The benefits of implementing a school uniform policy.

Understand the ways school safety starts at home.

A look into the difference between traditional and newer report card styles, and which is better.

Why holding children back from kindergarten actually hinders learning.

Why waiting until high school to plan for college is a mistake.

Understand the value of multicultural education.

Parents are the primary influence in their child's motivation to learn.

Tips to increase your child's learning in a large class.

Encourage your child's unique learning style.

Why environmental education should be taught in the classroom.

How invented spelling allows children to experience writing on their own earlier.

How an integrated curriculum increases student success.

The link between less school and lower academic performance.

Tips to help your child develop writing skills.

Why grades aren't always a sign of achievement.

Is your child a global or analytic learner?  Why it's important to know.

Why children learn geometry most effectively when it is part of their daily lives.

Research shows that flunking can actually do more harm than good.

Help ease your child's apprehension about starting school.

Invented spelling is one of the stages of learning to write.

Discover why mixed-age grouping in classrooms can help children learn.

Find out how to use your home and yard as a science laboratory.

Ways to encourage your school to reduce class size.

What to look for when choosing a new school.

The importance of picture books in a child's education.

Tips to motivate kids to earn good grades.

Tips for incorporating art into your child's education.

Why algebra should be introduced much earlier.

Veggie U provides fourth grade curriculum that meets national science standards.  "The lessons are rooted in a simple premise: Children who experience hands-on learning in how to grow and harvest their own vegetables will want to eat them, now and later in life."

Links to Supplemental Education resources from the US Department of Education.  Includes programs and frequently asked questions.

Chartering allows schools to run independently of the traditional public school system and to tailor their programs to community needs. While not every new school is extraordinarily innovative and some school operations may mirror that of traditional public schools, policymakers, parents, and educators are looking at chartering as a way to increase educational choice and innovation within the public school system.

Resources to help students succeed in school.  "This tool kit was developed with guidance from over 1,800 Hispanic parents at Parent Information and Resource Centers across the country."  Also available in Spanish.

The information campaign site for Title IX, which protects against sexual discrimination in any federally funded program.  Includes “10 Key Areas of Title IX” such as athletics, career education, math and science, and standardized testing.  Also features legal cases, how to take action, and a press room.

Learn about whole language and how it helps kids learn.

Why art is a necessity in education.

For decades we’ve been hearing about the “Gender Gap” in our schools.  This gap referred to research done in the 1970s, 1980s and particularly the early 1990s that indicated that girls were performing significantly lower than boys in math and science, received less attention from teachers, and that more men than women were going to college.  Today, a growing tide of researchers and educators are loudly claiming that not only was this research flawed, but the exact opposite is true.  Boys are the ones falling behind.

Discover how the beauty bias can hinder a child's academic achievement.

Understand why it's important to keep perspective when it comes to test scores.

In Tips for Parents: Summer Reading Programs, learn why reading during the summer is important, what summer reading programs offer, and how to find a summer reading program near you.

Learn why even elementary schools need a student council.

Tips for making the first day of school a positive experience.

Discover why science is so important and ways to encourage your kids to study it.

Learn the importance of science in your child's education and get tips to make sure your school's science department makes the grade.

Identify the stressors your child faces and learn healthy ways to deal with stress.

In a time when school budgets often cover only the basics, many parent groups recognize school fundraisers as a way to pay for sports, computer, music and arts programs and equipment.  And while these campaigns can be helpful, the right planning is necessary to be really successful.  Before you choose a school fundraising campaign, be sure to review these school fundraising tips.

What school-based management is, and the reasons for and against it.

Why waiting for high school to prepare for college is a mistake.

Why No Child Left Behind means you may be able to choose a different school.

The importance of multicultural education and what you can to do make sure your child receives it.

Parents are the primary influence in their child's motivation to learn.

A testing expert, James Popham, makes recommendations about the quantity and quality of standardized testing in America's schools.

Why it's important to show enthusiasm for math and tips for helping your child succeed.

Discover why it's important to encourage a child's first writing attempts.

Discover your child's learning style and why it's important.

Learn how children first begin to write and why early spelling mistakes actually help your child read and write better.

Methods and tricks for improving memory.

Learn why "flunking" a student is never the right solution.

Useful ideas to ease your child into school.

Tips for increasing learning and reducing class size.

Understand the importance of character education in schools.

The word “censor” instantly starts a debate in nearly every group it is uttered.  We’re not advocating burning books, but we’ve heard from a number of parents that are concerned about the quality of the literature their kids are reading.  How do you know what is good and bad for your child and does encouraging a love reading mean letting your kids read anything they want?

In Tips for Parents: Back to School, get 6 tips for a smooth back to school transition and setting a foundation for school success all year long.

Understand why authentic assessment is a better tool for measuring students' achievement.

Discover why introducing algebra in earlier grades makes good sense.

ERIC provides free access to more than 1.2 million bibliographic records of journal articles and other education-related materials and, if available, includes links to full text.

"The National Association for the Education of Young Children can help you feel good about the child care, preschool, and kindergarten programs you choose for your child.  NAEYC-Accredited programs provide a safe and healthy learning environment with well-trained teachers who work with curricula that are appropriately challenging and developmentally sound.  Look for the NAEYC-Accredited program torch when choosing a program for your child."  Find the NAEYC program near you by following this link.

The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) including resources on Research-based Resources, On-line Resources, Resource Links and much more.

With publications, a position statement on NCLB, fact sheets on such topics as multiple choice tests, retention and testing, authentic accountability, and “The Dangerous Consequences of High Stakes Standardized Testing.”

Weekly newsletters, discussion groups, a math library, and useful links to other math resources on the web. 

The Harmony Project is a non-profit organization established in April of 2001 with a vision of serving the cultural and artistic needs of underprivileged children in the Los Angeles area.

The Educare Institute works, "To inspire children to achieve their very best; to educate children in character and leadership by drawing out their hidden character traits and leadership qualities; to help them realize that their character is their real strength and that all other acquisitions like wealth and education is of no real value without character;  to develop good leadership qualities among youth and make them understand that the labor of leadership is a character issue; and to encourage everyone to think about the well-being of our planet."

The only science contest of its kind for students in grade 5 through 8 fostering the exploration, understanding and communication of science among America's youth.

The project “works with preschoolers through early adolescents to understand what motivates students to learn and how motivation can be sustained and promoted.”  Divided into four main areas:  The Development of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation, Praise and Motivation, Motivational Strategies, and Peers and Motivation.

After more than two years of research and input from Oregonians, Chalkboard identified priority areas for our Legislative session that will help make our schools among the nation's best. With Priority Package, Take Action, Parent’s Center, and Employer’s Center sections, a site for Spanish speakers, news, and quizzes.

What causes it, who is likely to have it, and learning ways to deal with it.  Includes Test Taking Tips.  Also available in Spanish.

Teaching Literacy in English to K-5 English Learners from the Department of Education provides videos, slideshows, and tools for teaching reading to K-5 English learners.

If you are a teacher or parent  that uses YouTube to get educational videos,  then this is the perfect site for you. Teacher Tube is an education version of YouTube that provides educational videos and resources.

“This site offers effective tips for taking action and the latest evidence of music's importance.” With a giant list of supporting organizations and artists, a tool for grading your school’s music program, and tips for taking action.

Supplemental educational services from the Department of Education including a description of the services available, legislation, regulations, guidance and much more.

Information about auditory skills, teaching how to rhyme, phonics vs. whole language, literacy websites for parents and teachers, alphabet lists, and reading 1-2-3.

This 43 page booklet, published by the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, includes sections titled:  What is Student-Led Crime Prevention, The Six Rs of Effective Youth Crime Prevention Programming, Challenges to Implementing Student-led Crime Prevention, Model Approaches to Student-led Crime Prevention, and more.

Special Practices and Programs from the Department of Education including links to Parent Resource Centers, Parent Workshops, Secondary School Strategies and much more.

SoundPrints.com offers a wide variety of books and audio books for kids 12 months and up.  The company partners with organizations such as The American Veterinary Medical Association, the Smithsonian Institution, and the World Wildlife Federation to create accurate educational books, audiobooks, and accessories.

Case study findings from the Economic Policy Institute regarding the public vs. private school debate.

Seeing Math ™ from the Department of Education features a math curriculum, professional development for teachers, and software "interactives." The interactives, available on the web, clarify key algebra concepts. They help students see connections between symbolic and graphic representations of quadratic functions, linear functions, piecewise linear functions, and more.

“A place for parents, educators and leaders to research information about public schools.”

How a little patience can save you hundreds of dollars on clothing and school supplies.

Ready to Learn Television from the Department of Education including links to Program Description, Types of Projects,and Additional Information.

This booklet from the US Department of Education answers important questions parents have about helping their child learn to read, choosing an early reading program, strategies for creating strong readers, the five essential components of reading, and information about the No Child Left Behind act.

"Read about it, talk about it, and think about it! Find ways for your child to build understanding, the ultimate goal of learning how to read. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Find ways to read, write, and tell stories together with your child. Always applaud your young reader and beginning story writer! The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

"Give your child lots of opportunities to read aloud. Inspire your young reader to practice every day! The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child."

This multimedia site “offers hundreds of articles that provide research-based and best-practice information for educators, parents, and others concerned about reading achievement.”  Also checkout their shows on PBS, podcasts and videos, free guides, Spanish site, and tons of other information.

Includes comprehensive reading resources for educators and parents including motivating kids to read, literacy rich homes, school connections, lesson plans, activities, Gateways to Early Literacy videos, and tons more.  Also features a Spanish bilingual version of the site.

This article discusses the benefits and advantages of both private and public schools.

A discussion of the main differences between public and private schools.

"Engaging in playful learning experiences with your children requires planning, preparation, flexibility, spontaneity and free, unstructured periods of time in your schedule.  This website has been designed to help families with the first two requirements: planning and preparation.  Incorporating the last three items: flexibility, spontaneity and free, unstructured periods of time into our lives is a process that is worthy of sharing with each other."

This site from PBS Kids Go includes a game called “To Cheat or Not to Cheat,” and kid-targeted advice on time management, test stress, and dealing with teachers.

“Improves learning by building capacity in schools, families, and communities through applied research and development. The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) provides research and development assistance to education, government, community agencies, business, and labor.”  With publications and resources for educators, parents, policy makers, and the public.

National Institute for Literacy from the Department of Education has resources that provides information about research, practices, and policies aimed to improve reading instruction for children, youth, and adults.

Members and educators page with activities, booklists, and professional development resources; a parents’ page with information on parental involvement, parent-teacher conference pointers, and homework help.  Also discusses issues in education and has multiple other resources.

“More and Better Mathematics for All Students.”  The site offers curriculum focus points, resources and tips for parents to help their children with math, answers to questions, advocacy resources and more.

Parents page from the National Character Education Center with articles, tips, programs, and seminars.

Sponsored by the US Dept. of Education.  Huge resource for programs and publications, annual reports, various data tools, and a useful “Fast Facts” feature.

National Association for Gifted Children has information and resources for Gifted At A Glance, Supporting Parents and Families, Tools for Educators and much more.

"My Wonderful World is a national campaign to give kids the power of global knowledge."  This campaign seeks to increase global awareness through geography.  With a parent action kit, links to other great resources, and "games and cool stuff" for kids. 

My Child's Special Needs
English Language Acquisition from the Department of Education including links to, English Language Acquisition National Clearinghouse, Bilingual Education Publications,and Resources in Spanish.

Featuring “interviews with young artists, music mentors to answer questions, contests and all kinds of resources to help students enjoy and maybe even consider a career in music.”  Also includes advocacy and research, and a special section for educators. 

 Forget flashcards!  Multiplicaton.com gives kids numerous games to practice their multiplication facts.  Great for at school practice or homework time.  Free online.

Free memory-improving games for kids. 

From Houghton Mifflin, featuring articles in .pdf format such as “How Much Homework is too Much?” and “MegaSkills for Hispanic Parents and Children.”  Check out the minibooks and videos, and kids can enjoy the early childhood activities.

Statistics and imperatives for advancing math education; from the US Department of Education.

The LiteracyCenter.net serves as many as 1.7 million free literacy lessons a day to children in more than a 160 countries with safe learning activities for parents and teachers to share with young children. All online lessons are free of advertising and free of charge.  Also available in Spanish, German, and French. 

Links for Parent Involvement from the Department of Education, I Am Your Child, Parents As Teachers, Kidsource and much more.

An article for kids including the who, what, and why of cheating and its consequences.

A “School Violence Prevention, Safety and Security Resource.” The Parents’ page “covers how to improve the general safety of schools, dealing with natural disasters, and gang violence.” Also includes useful information for schools and students and features a Safety and Security Directory with “hundreds of links to sites dealing with school violence and safety, plus a buyers’ guide for security products.” 

Details programs that are working to keep the arts in schools, presents research, lists resources, and has a great “Get Involved” page.  Sponsored by the Ford Foundation.

IRA resources are available to help parents as they take on their critical role as their children’s first and most important teachers. Resources include Getting Your Child To Read, Supporting Your Beginning Reader, What Kids Really Want To Read, and Storytelling: When? Why? How!

Strategies for improving your child’s memory.  Includes a 10 question quiz to help you learn what type of learning style works best for your child. 

Helping Your Child Learn History from the Department of Education includes links to offers activities parents can use to help young children (preschool through Grade 5) learn about history. It includes suggestions about how parents can work with teachers and schools to help children succeed in school.

“Empowering girls in math, science, and technology.” Features include news and events, programs, volunteer opportunities, and an activities section just for girls.

The site offers “exciting and friendly ways to make helping children develop vital early literacy skills easier than ever,” with separate pages for parents, educators, and health care professionals.  The parent page offers screening tools, literacy checklists, activities and much more. Also available in Spanish.

School Help: How to save on school supplies and what’s a good idea to splurge on.

A description of the three main types of financial aid available for private school students.  From the National Association of Independent Schools.

This article from FinAid.com, features information on scholarship programs, tuition payment plans, education loans, and alternatives to education loans and payment plans for private elementary and secondary schools.

Math challenges for families, in both English and Spanish.

Teaching and Learning resources from federal agencies.  With science experiments, activities, and visualizations, simulations of key math concepts, online challenges for students, activities for families, language arts resources, and themed history activities.

Funded by the US General Services Administration, this site offers free publications on everything from “How to Maintain Your Tires” to “Caring for a Loved One.”. A huge, comprehensive resource for free publications.  Try searching for “school,”  “math,”  “homework,”  “pediatrician” or any other applicable topic.

"Farm to School programs are popping up all over the U.S. These programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers."

"When the school functions as a community rather than in a community, its constituents associate with one another and share common values about the education of children. Those children become our children, and parents are full partners in the education of their children and each other's children. Teachers are professionals integrated into the web of community and buoyed by common purpose."

How to homeschool, subject toolkits, making the decision to homeschool, making homeschool connections, and books and materials from Pearson Learning Group.

Essential information about the No Child Left Behind act.

Designed for K–12 students of all interest, skill and ability levels, ExploraVision encourages kids to create and explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science. All inventions and innovations result from creative thinking and problem solving.

"EDC is a global nonprofit organization that designs, delivers and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the world’s most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic opportunity. Working with public-sector and private partners, we harness the power of people and systems to improve education, health promotion and care, workforce preparation, communications technologies, and civic engagement.

EDC conducts 350 projects in 35 countries around the world.

Our services include research, training, educational materials and strategy, with activities ranging from seed projects to large-scale national and international initiatives. EDC enjoys a worldwide reputation for its excellence in program and fiscal management and for the impact of its work."

Education.com has information and resources on Tips to Keep Learning Hot This Summer, Bullying at School and Online, Our Essential Gift Guide,and Recent Questions.

The Edible Schoolyard, in collaboration with Martin Luther King Junior Middle School, provides urban public school students with a one-acre organic garden and a kitchen classroom.

10 tips for an easy transition back to school.

From the University of Wisconsin Madison’s School of Education.  Features author and illustrator links, a comprehensive listing of books for children and young adults, and an Intellectual Freedom department.

Toll-Free Numbers and Hotlines from the Department of Education including recources for General Information, Financial Aid Information, Publications and much more.

Research has shown that kids that play chess have higher math scores and increased verbal intelligence/cognition. Learn how to start a chess club at your school and get kids and parents involved.

From How-to-Study.com, this resource includes a checklist for identifying test anxiety, and tips on what you can do to relax for that next test.

Features a “floor plan” with rooms representing links to information.  Go to the library for a comprehensive list of resources about the prevention of school violence, or try the auditorium where you can watch videos, view plays, or listen to speakers.  The Parenting Resources section is a great stop for parents.

"Rethinking School Lunch builds on the premise that hands-on experience growing and preparing food is a powerful way for children to discover that healthy food tastes good, and to learn about the cycles, seasons, other processes of nature, and the relationship between the health of natural and social systems."

Bullying is a common experience for many children and adolescents.  Surveys indicate that as many as half of all children are bullied at some time during their school years, and at least 10% are bullied on a regular basis.

“Born Learning is a public engagement campaign that help parents, grandparents, and caregivers explore ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities.”  Also available in Spanish.

Six tips for easing the transition to a new class or school. 

Questions and Tips for Parents, Schools and the Community. This guide is actually four checklists in one:  Academic Curriculum and Achievement, Helping Parents and Students, Teacher Training and Quality, and Measuring the Progress of Students with Disabilities.

Artsedge from the Department of Education helps artists, teachers, and students find and share information , resources, and ideas that support the arts as a core subject area in the K-12 curriculum.

"Inspiring tomorrow's audiences” with resources for schools, arts organizations, artists, and advisers and policymakers.

“Take advantage of the huge children’s arts resources pages of kids' coloring pages and coloring printouts, children’s free arts and crafts projects and ideas, paper folding projects and origami project ideas, kids' drawing lessons, articles for parents to involve their children in the arts, articles on how art heals and how to get children involved in community service, how to design and decorate your children's rooms, and much more.”

“The goal of this campaign is to make sure that you—parents and concerned citizens—know that you are potentially the best and most powerful supporters of arts education. We have supplied you with information and resources on this website that help establish the place of the arts as both a full academic subject area and as uniquely empowering activities that carry over into other areas of life and study.”

From the US Department of Education, No Child Left Behind--Also available in Spanish.

A Guide To Reading Tips for Parents from the Department of Education including links to Reading: Tips To Share with Parents, True or False: Part 1, What Parents Should Look for in a Good Early Reading Program,and much more.

This article, from Scholastic, discusses the ways kids cheat today and what parents can do to discourage their kids from cheating.