Students can be surprised to see teachers out in the community doing everyday, ordinary tasks–grocery shopping, flying on airplanes, having coffee at the local Peet’s. I know I felt like this as a kid, even when I became a teacher working on staff with former teachers, I had a hard time using their first names…
Guest Post: Being Organized (Consider It The Basics)
Michelle, a trusted friend of the Creative Marbles team and successful business woman, who is always seeking to improve, discusses what it means to be organized and the benefits of searching for order within the chaos of one’s life. ____________ How do you stay organized now? Or, a similar question, would your parents or teachers…
The Soul Connection
Too often its easy to think, “I can’t…I’m not an expert.” Collaboration, however, relies on all-comers. The energy created when everyone is sharing their talents, exposing their weaknesses and openly working together is ripe with potential, of which the consequences are unknown and possibly lasting beyond the group’s time together. “One short week, we put…
Just Because You Can, Does That Mean You Should?
Are we “solving” issues too quickly with medication, or just “kicking the can down the road” only now with more complications for a generation of today’s youth? According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reports 14% of Americans 12 years and older have been on medications…
“Hidden in Plain Sight” Costs of College
Healthcare is one of those “in plain sight, but not at the top of the list of expenses, yet can be significant in the college budget.” Many colleges require students to be covered by health insurance–either their parents’ policy or an individual policy bought through the university. The recent confirmation of the Healthcare Law by…
Imagination is Not Just for Kids
“If your boy is a poet, horse manure can only mean flowers to him; which is, of course, what horse manure has always been about.” –Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine Children see the world through their own eyes. What are we adults doing to nurture their view? And, where, if anywhere, are we not nurturing? What can…
“No Student Loans”: Is that possible?
Don’t want to borrow for college expenses? Some universities across the U.S. are implementing financial aid policies, where no (or limited amounts) of loans will be offered in the financial aid award letter. Knowing the financial aid policy of colleges–before applying–can help a family have dollar amounts to determine the value of a college, given…
Study Abroad: Necessity or Privilege?
Study abroad isn’t simply an opportunity to travel and live in another country. The immersion in a second (or third) culture and/or language can change a person’s views, values, and confidence–as the individual is literally transplanting themselves in a foreign location and learning to thrive. Is study abroad or some international experience becoming necessary to…
SAT & ACT Preparation: A Lesson With “Should” and “Don’t Want to…”
The existence of SAT & ACT prep courses, books, tutors, online questions, etc. shows that with practice a student has the possibility of increasing her/his scores. Yet, when it comes to practicing, who wants to sit down with a 600+ pages thick, 8.5″ x 11″, doorstop looking, test prep book by oneself or in a…
New College Freshman Blues?
Ok. Let’s look at the facts: You’ve moved away from home. (Possibly the first move in a primary residence–ever. And, possibly in a brand new city, maybe even state.) You’re living with a stranger in your immediate space (where you may have been used to your own room); not to mention the hundreds of other…
When Life Hands You Lemons…
A lemonade stand can become a math, economics, marketing, English/Language Arts, financial literacy, health & nutrition, community building and team work lesson–all while enjoying a delicious treat in the heated shade of summer. Any aged kids can be involved, as the tasks to set up the stand vary. A patient parent or patient team…
To Transfer or Not to Transfer: The Community College Dilemma
Parents (and increasingly students) are asking us about transferring from a community college to a 4 year university from early in their high school careers and making transfer a primary option, rather than a Plan B. Community college transfer became a more serious option when families were uncertain about admissions chances. Now, younger students and…
You Can’t Divorce Your College Degree
The reputation of a college and its alumni is no small consideration in choosing schools for application. Networks of professionals and access to opportunities all can be gained with an institution’s name attached to your resume. (Of course, you still have to earn a position and perform consistently to stay in that position.) Yet, the…
Evolution of Learning
We expect teachers and schools to be objective. Yet, we demand subjectivity when a kid struggles to understand concepts. We assume knowledge is knowledge–some static, unchanging entity. So, if a kid doesn’t understand or even simply takes longer than the class is allotted to learn the concept, there’s something inherently wrong with the kid or…
Thomas Jefferson for the Twenty-First Century American
Many years ago, in my role as a high school teacher of U.S. Government, I had the unique opportunity that allowed me to experiment–teach one and only one concept, one document to one group of kids for the entire school year. We studied the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson–attempting to understand and apply…