Teachers Taking Off from work

In my county, teachers receive two personal days a year. These days may be taken for any reason that the teacher desires. Teachers also receive one sick day each month. Those days would give the teacher ten sick days each school year. If the days are not used within the school year, they roll over to the next year. If the personal days are not used, they turn into sick days and roll over to the next year. Teachers in my county also receive breaks throughout the school year. We have a break in the fall and a break in … Continue reading

Where to Spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Other Vacation Options

In three days the United States will honor Martin Luther King Jr. on what would have been the civil rights leader’s 79th birthday. Festivities marking the occasion are planned throughout the country with larger celebrations taking place at major civil rights landmarks. Organizers of this weekend’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations expect an attendance boost because of the presidential primaries and the way his legacy has played a role in the campaign. In addition, this year marks the 40th anniversary of King’s death. “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off,” is this year’s theme for various … Continue reading

Upcoming Genealogy Events – February 5-11, 2012

Perhaps you didn’t make it to RootsTech 2012. You could still attend a genealogy class, workshop, or event that is taking place closer to where you live! Doing so is a great way to learn more about genealogy, and to meet people who love genealogy as much as you do. Here are some upcoming genealogy events that will be happening this week. On February 6, 2012, the Jefferson County Genealogical Society, which is located in Port Townsend, Washington, will present the second part of a five-week genealogy course. The course is called “Introduction to Family Research History”. The class provides … Continue reading

For Families Adopting from Haiti, Quake Brings Devastating Uncertainty

Only now is information about the 254 Haitian children who are being adopted by U.S. citizens beginning to trickle out of Haiti. Some of these children have already been legally adopted by U.S. citizens and are just waiting for their passports and travel visas. Some of them have been known by their adoptive families for months or years. Almost all have been visited by their adoptive parents at least once. A Washington State couple appeared on Thursday morning’s Today Show and spoke with Meredith Viera about the eight-year-old girl and six-year-old boy they are adopting. The adoption has been completed … Continue reading

Students Lack History Knowledge

People have various strengths and weaknesses. This variety falls into almost every life category. People have different abilities when it comes to sports, arts, academics, and more. Some people are good at mathematical computing and others are better at remembering history facts. I am a mathematical person. I enjoy logic and reasoning activities. However, my strengths do not carry over into historical facts and dates. It seems that many teenagers into today’s classrooms must also share my weakness in history. A recent survey found some very disturbing results when it comes to how much students actually know about their past … Continue reading

Even More Kid-Friendly Vacation Destinations with Meaning

All this week I have been focusing on the upcoming spring break vacation season (after all, Easter is just two months away). Typically, it’s a time when parents take advantage of their children’s break from classes and head off on a family adventure. But instead of making a beeline to mingle with oversized mice in California or Florida, perhaps this year you could consider taking a trip that offers more educational value. As I mentioned in my previous blogs, vacations are great opportunities to learn about new cultures and take part in hands-on history lessons, especially if you choose the … Continue reading

An Avalanche of Ski Deals

There’s no question ski bunnies will be taking to the slopes this weekend, especially in California where last week’s massive storm dumped a few feet of fresh snow on the mountain ranges. There’s about three feet of snow sitting on my aunt and uncle’s lawn in Lake Tahoe. They report that there is no shortage of the white stuff and certainly no shortage of skiers who are looking to tear down the snow covered hills. Ski resorts are having a field day and not just in California. Mother Nature has been generous to resort owners around the world and in … Continue reading

Would They Have Done That To Me?

A recent comment on Ed’s blog Black Males Are Lagging Academically refers to “the heartbreaking moment when a child discovers he is Black”. I think my Asian daughter had a similar experience this past month. At a recent meeting of adoptive parents, we heard the speaker say, again, that parents of color prepare their children for racism before it happens and we should do the same. We were all resistant, saying we didn’t want to put it into our children’s heads that bad things would happen, maybe it would be a while yet, we live in a largely Asian city, … Continue reading