We've all had good teachers in our journeys, sometimes an exceptionally good or unfortunately mediocre teacher; we all want quality teaching for our children.  We put a lot of energy into finding a school with a reputation for selecting good teachers.  We know it's important for our child's well being.  Here's an article that offers "why" and generates strong reactions from readers.  Be sure to read both the article and the comments.

"New Study Gauges Teachers Impact on Students' Lifetime Earnings  Replacing a bad teacher with an average or a good one has measurable economic benefits such as boosting a student's lifetime earnings by hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a new study done in part by Harvard University economist Raj Chetty. Ray Suarez and Chetty discuss the study's findings."

We parents have the the most teaching time with our children.  Do we give ourselves an A, B, C, D? Probably a range.  Fortunately there's lots of help available to us.

"I'll do it myself!"  From baby stage and all through our lives we strive to do it ourselves.  As adults, some of us read books, go online or call on friends for help with a new skill.  We go to schools, colleges and business seminars and now, "Ta Dah!" we have the semi-annual Reskilling Expo, to be held at MAH this year.   "Reskilling imbues the community with the wealth of shared local knowledge of how to do, make and tend things oneself. It is a regenerative, restorative and ecologically-based methodology. Reskilling suggests relocalization; it brings the production of food, water, energy and essential goods closer to home." 

Take a class; let your children see your enthusiasm for learning; bring home a new skill; demonstrate it for the children; inspire them to love learning!

Have a great weekend with some quality teaching moments with your children!   Parmalee                              

My older child has been working on his science fair project. He's highly motivated this year, having noticed last year how the stakes were raised: they expect more, but they give more. And he's a computer-obsessed kid who is saving for a new computer. So he's got this idea that his science fair entry could win him some money to put toward this purpose, and he's been working on it as much as we have let him.

Since my husband and I both work with computers, we know a thing or two about it. And one thing we know, that we've been trying to impart to our kids, is that sometimes the best way to solve a problem you're having at the computer is... NOT at the computer.

This may be true in general: When you stand at a locked door literally banging your head against the wall to get in, it's very easy to ignore the open door around the corner.

The thing is, computers have this way of sucking us in.... continued>>>

Free eBook on Saving Money at Disney World
Disney World Cash Hacks: 49 Hidden Tricks for Saving Tons of Cash at Disney World is free on Amazon today. It's a short read, so it's perfect for downloading to your cell phone and reading when you have time here and there (waiting at the doctor's office, waiting at school pick-up, etc).... continued>>>

Free Valentine's Card from Tiny Prints!
I'm so excited to post that Tiny Prints is offering a free Valentine's Day card- use promo code.....continued>>>

You drag yourself out of bed at 7 o'clock Saturday morning to send your pig off to the breeder. Yup, that's right...Olivia, it's time to play Mystery Date! Will you get the Stud or the Dud???

The couple that sold Olivia to us, in June, offered to pick her up and take her back to breed with their purebred Old Spot pig. She is 7/8 Old Spot, so her piglets will be as close to 100% as possible. John and I were nervous, maybe even scared, about how this would work. Olivia weighs about 300 pounds and is super strong. The stock trailer/truck combo was too big to fit through our access gate, so we needed to convince her to walk across the yard, into the driveway, and step up a foot into the trailer, about 25 feet away. Um, yeah....continued>>>

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Absorb history by going back in time!  Live like a Pioneer

Pioneers had to work together to survive in a new land. Join Lee Summers, Park Interpreter, for an afternoon of dressing up in historic attire and becoming pioneers as children set up a homestead and learn how to survive through bartering.

Ages 5 and up are welcome.

Quail Hollow Ranch County Park, 800 Quail Hollow Rd, Felton 

January 29, 2-4pm

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