School House

Children need social connections in order to be successful in school and in life. Amid the shifts from building to at-home learning, the opportunity to build social skills and make new friends have taken a hit. It’s important for parents to remember that, like everything else, children LEARN how to be social. They learn by watching the example adults set for them in their own friendships. In this episode, we share specific actions parents can take to teach friendship and how they can coach children to be a good friend.

Most parents want to coach independent learners and children who will grow up to be self-sufficient, self-aware, and able to accomplish their goals and dreams. Student-led conversations are a first step in helping our children learn how to know where they are and decide what they need to be successful in reaching their goals. In this episode, Sumeera Mansukhani, an elementary teacher in the School District of Menomonee Falls, joins us to share how you can help your child initiate student-led conversations.

 When it comes to schoolwork, meltdowns happen sometimes! In this episode we share four tips to help make meltdowns less frequent and also discuss how you can help your child move through them faster. 

STEAM-based learning is an integrated approach to learning that prepares students for success beyond the classroom and stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Integrating STEAM-based learning activities into children's day to day can be easy-- and a lot of fun to do! Listen as our Studer Education colleague, Basil Kuloba, who is also the Executive Director of Inertia, joins us and shares tips for creating STEAM-powered learning moments. 

With learning at home being something so many students and parents are doing, there are now more opportunities than ever to turn regular experiences into learning experiences. In this episode, we’re hoping to help you know when you might be in the middle of a teachable moment and what to do in that moment. Our guest and colleague, Dr. Holly Ellis, joins us to break down teachable moments and how to seize those opportunities.

It's natural for kids to experience different emotions as they learn. When they have the ability to identify and process emotions, it enables them to move through those experiences so that they don't get stuck in a negative or unhealthy space. This is a skill that sets up kids for success in the classroom and later in life. In this episode, our Studer Education colleague and Leader Coach, Dr. Gayle Juneau-Butler, joins us to share tips for parents who want to coach their children to identify emotions. Gayle works with leaders in school systems and other organizations all over the country. She has a background in higher education and she also has two children, who light up her life. 

Movement is fuel for the brain. Is your child getting enough of it? In this episode, we give you ways to get your child moving through play and coordinated activity.

Most children can relate to feeling stressed or overwhelmed at some point in school, and amid a pandemic, parents are experiencing these exact feelings. In the previous episode, our social worker friend who works with students joined us to share tips for parents looking to coach their kids through tough moments. In this episode, Robin Matarazzo returns to share tips for parents who are feeling overwhelmed as they try to support their child's learning. Listen as Robin discusses ways parents can overcome overwhelm.

School can be overwhelming for children at times. Amid a pandemic, feelings of stress and anxiety are understandably heightened. In this episode, a social worker who works with elementary, middle and high school students joins us to share insights for parents looking to coach their children through these tough moments. Listen as our guest, Robin Matarazzo, offers valuable tips that can help you help your child overcome overwhelm.

Communicating concerns to the teacher can be nerve-racking. Parents sometimes avoid bringing things up because it’s uncomfortable. Every teacher wants every parent to feel good about their child’s learning experience. In this episode, we give parents a framework for communicating concerns. This solution-seeking conversation leaves both parent and teacher feeling clear and confident about next steps to support the learning.

Taking ownership and initiative can be taught. It might take time, but it is possible. In this episode, we talk about reflection, self-assessment, and small wins as keys for parents who want to build ownership of learning. Mentioned in this episode:Use 3-2-1 to Help Your Child ReflectTake 1 Minute to Find Out What Your Child LearnedHow Confident Does My Child Feel About Schoolwork?Sort Cards to Help Your Child Self-assess

Working from home while your child is learning from home has its ups and downs. We invited our virtual colleague and parent-friend, Dee Dee Thompkins to give us her best tips for minimizing interruptions during work calls and meetings. Her ideas are mind-blowingly good.

Does your child need help keeping up with schoolwork? Coach your child to keep track of the work and to figure out when to do it. In this episode, we break down two ways to get your child organized and set up for schoolwork success.

"I'm just not good at it." If you've ever heard this statement, your child might need a confidence boost. In this episode, we offer parents 5 tips for boosting learner confidence, especially when they are working on new skills. Mentioned in this episode: How Does My Child Actually Learn?

Does homework feel like a struggle for you and your child? In this episode, we discuss 3 common reasons for homework reluctance. We also give tips to help you overcome this challenge with your child. Mentioned in this episode:The Emotional Side of LearningWhen Your Child StrugglesHow Does My Child Actually Learn?Related resources:Build a Positive Connection with the TeacherTalking to Your Child about School

Humans are curious beings. Coach your child’s curiosity and open their minds to new learning. In this episode, we talk about 3 ways to help your child tap into their natural curiosity. As a bonus, these tips relieve adult stress, too!Resources mentioned in this episode:Coach the Learning by Playing Read, Read, and Read Some More

It’s your child’s project. Every parent wants their child to be successful, especially when it comes to big school projects. In this episode, Annie, Kate, and Reggie are back to weigh in on why and how parents can slowly back away from the project table.

It’s hard to watch your child struggle. It’s also an important part of the learning and growing process. In this episode, we talk about why and when to let struggle happen. We also provide you with 4 tips on how to coach your child as they face a new challenge.

“Gratitude helps us create and spread meaning out of the goodness and kindness we experience.” In this episode, Dr. Giacomo Bono describes how gratitude is “growable.” He explains the relationship between gratitude and learning, and provides practical tips for parents who want to coach their kids to be grateful.

“Parents are brain changers.” In this episode, Dr. Anne Gutshall joins us to break down the learning process. She describes how connections form in the brain when we learn something new. She also gives us simple steps parents can take to support this important brain work. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Most of us are non-stop throughout the week and none of us want to be blindsided at report card time. This episode is all about helping you get a better grasp on how your child is doing with schoolwork. We offer busy parents three tips for keeping track and a bonus tip about celebrating progress.

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” – Albert EinsteinReading is a critical activity when it comes to learning. Reading on a regular basis sets your child up for success in school and life. In this episode we’ll offer some ways for parents to encourage a love of reading. We’ll also give you a few ideas for making reading fun!

“Teachers are busy. I don’t want to add to the load.” Our parent-friend, Kate Hendrickson, tells us she has these thoughts every time she reaches out to the teacher. Rest assured, “You are not bugging the teacher,” says educator, Dr. Reggie Todd. In this episode, Kate and Reggie, offer reassurance and tips for reaching out. They also share some key words you can use in your next message to the teacher.

Are you concerned about your child’s social connections? You’re not alone. With a new school year underway and a persistent pandemic, parents want to make sure their children aren’t missing out on the social aspect of learning. In this episode, we talk to two parent friends, Tera Ali and Annie Nihls, about their concerns and how they’re creating opportunities for their children to socialize.

Learning is an emotional experience. It’s hard to not know something, and especially hard when you know you don’t know. In this episode, hear what you can do to support your child’s emotions when they are learning. Find out how to help your child confidently move from the emotional place of not knowing to knowing.

Did you know your child actually wants rules, routines, and procedures? That’s right. Your child’s brain thrives on structure. In this episode, hear how creating routines and procedures allows your child to focus on learning new things. You’ll hear a few ways you can immediately add structure to support your child’s learning.

The events of last spring and the pandemic exposed a role in the parenting gig most of us rarely considered – the parent as learning coach. Many parents have now been up close and personal with what goes into making sure their children are successful in school and they want to know if they are “doing it right.” In this episode, we introduce School House as the space where school and house meet. You’ll also hear why consistency is foundational to the learning process. Children thrive when they know what to expect and what’s expected of them.