Education

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by IDEA Public Schools. When we published our first post on IDEA Public Schools we received LOTS of additional questions. We hope this post answers some of those questions!  IDEA Public Schools, Coming Soon to Southern Louisiana, is a Public Charter School Network—What Does That Mean?  You may have heard, that in 2018, IDEA Public Schools will open two charter schools in Baton Rouge.  Like many parents, you may be wondering what exactly is a charter school?  And more importantly, is it a good educational option for my child?  What is a Charter School? Charter schools are independently operated public schools, funded partially by the state and local school district.  They’re granted greater freedom in operations, in return...

Have you ever received the dreaded phone call or note home from your child's school? You have that gut wrenching feeling in the pit of your stomach because you know it's rarely a heart warming message about how awesome your kid is. You suddenly have major parental anxiety. When we receive this type of behavioral information from our children's school, how do we decipher what is true and what could be a teacher's personal issue or misunderstanding? Two Sides of a Coin My oldest often claims foul play and insists his teacher has it in for him. As a teacher and a mom, I know what it is like to hold both sides of the coin. I have been known to lean on...

Disclosure :: This post is sponsored by IDEA Public Schools.  IDEA Public Schools Will Provide a Rigorous Curriculum to Louisiana Students IDEA Public Schools, the fastest-growing network of tuition-free, Pre-K-12 public charter schools in the United States, is coming to Baton Rouge in 2018.   We spent the last two weeks meeting with moms and dads in Baton Rouge, and they are passionate about their child’s education. Here are some questions they had and the answers to them—we figured you might have some of the same questions. Frequently Asked Questions About IDEA Public Schools  What is A Charter School?  Charter schools are public schools that are allowed the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Because they are public schools,...

I encourage my children to talk to strangers. I realize that statement might sound a little strange, so let me explain. Stranger Danger For generations the standard parenting safety advice has been “Don’t talk to strangers.” In my own childhood I remember hearing the story of Adam Walsh and his abduction. And for many years stories like his fueled the fear in parents that stranger abduction was a real and looming risk for their children. “Don’t talk to strangers” became a response to the fear that unknown predators were lurking on the fringes of every park and playground, waiting to snatch up our children. Scenarios were reviewed with school children where strangers are able to lure children with the ruse of a...

In my adult years, I have found it difficult to understand how people handle differing opinions. Maybe it is because I took a debate class in college. Maybe it is because I am a minority, and I have had to live in a world where most people are different from me. It could honestly just be a matter of upbringing. I'm really not sure what it is that makes me long for people to learn how to communicate about their differences. What I do know is seeking to understand and educating people with different views seems to be a much more effective way to have unity, far more so than the highly opinionated tongue-lashings we see on social media...