Our Kids Blog

School Expo 2009 – What Questions Do You Have?

The Our Kids Private School Expos are one day events designed to help families better understand their child’s education options.  This year, there are four one-day events held in Montreal, Oakville, Toronto and Vancouver (September 2009 to November 2009). If you haven’t already done so, pre-register online for free admission for your family.

One of the things we really focus on at our annual private school expos is getting plenty of input from those who are attending — you — the families. We do that through personal chats with attending families throughout the events, but we’re always looking for ways to do more.

This community is a forum for you to quickly ask questions you want answers to. Many questions can be answered right here, and others will be forwarded to our keynote speakers.  You can also comment on other questions and chat with parents who have done similar research to you.

Post a question or comment below. Talk to you soon!

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What’s On: Week of March 30, 2009

Welcome to What’s On, The Chalkboard’s weekly roundup of interesting and exciting events on tap for the week. To help make sure we know about all the best events be sure to leave a comment below or send an email to agnes[at]ourkids[dot]net. Now on with the week ahead!

Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Application Deadline | LAST DAY FOR (VERY) EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS
Great Big Theatre Company | Profile
Lily Small | 866.864.4282 | email

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Just Be Yourself – Easier Said Than Done!

A couple of weeks ago, while driving home and caught in gridlock, I was watching the woman in the car behind me in my rearview mirror.  She was full out singing along with full enthusiasm to whatever song she was listening to, or so I assumed.  I also assumed it was for the benefit of backseat passengers, as I saw the rims of car seats and by the way she kept looking in her rearview.  “I remember those days”, I sighed to myself.

But, being stuck in traffic and left with time to think, I thought to myself, what if no one is in the car with her?  Suppose her performance is only for herself? “Good for her,” I thought. Then I further pondered how certain things are ok if you are NOT alone.

This winter I had two experiences of falling.  One was on my own, out in front my house.  After getting over the shock, I ran with my proverbial tail between my legs back inside.  The other time, I was with my two boys and their friend.  I immediately started laughing, while they looked at me in horror, “Mum, WHY are you laughing?  It’s NOT funny!”  (They also quickly demanded if I was going to clean up the mess I made as I spilled my hot chocolate on the way down).  I reflected on this during my drive, and as my older son is now getting to the stage of embarrassment, how do we temper that?  I would prefer my kids to sing their hearts out all alone, or laugh if they fall, even if by themselves.

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The Family Dinner Table

What if there was a method to set your children up for academic success that was free, and as a side benefit, reduced the risks of substance abuse and grounded your kids in the ethical framework they need to navigate the world wide web? Impossible you say? Not really – the answer is in all of your homes.

It’s the family dinner table.

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Using a Radio Station for a Classroom

Every Thursday night students from St. John’s-Kilmarnock go live on the airwaves reading poetry, story excerpts and event listings. The Poem Repair Shop is a radio show that promotes original literary works written and read by burgeoning young students. Created five years ago by English teacher Adrian Hoad-Reddick as a part of the Writer’s Craft course he teaches, The Poem Repair Shop has had over 250 students pass through the studio of the University of Guelph to promote local literature on the radio.

During the summer months or during March break Hoad-Reddick is in the studio every Thursday at 9 p.m. ensuring the show broadcasts, even when students are not in school. Three times every month, when school is active, a different student co-producer takes over the reins and prepares all the pieces, conducts interviews, researches young writer events, and selects music for the hour long show. Other students arrive to help in the studio, often as a bystander until their confidence and interest grow. Students “learn by osmosis,” says Hoad-Reddick.

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PETA Applauds Vegetarian School Lunches

A vegetarian school lunch is probably a pretty hard thing for most of us to imagine, if we’re thinking back to our days in school, but these days nutrition is thought of much differently and satisfying meatless meals are on the menu. That is why peta2, the youth animal rights organization and “child” of the infamous PETA, named the top 5 vegetarian-friendly schools in Canada and also rated the top 5 public and 5 private schools in the USA.

According to PETA, “Going vegan is the single best thing that you can do to protect your health, animals, and the environment.” I can’t say I agree (I’m a firm believer in nutrition through a properly-balanced diet), but I do appreciate the need to have vegetarian items on the menu, and to be not just conscious of but proactive about our children’s health and nutrition.

And seeing as I remember my cafeteria offering food so good it inspired me to pack my own lunch every day, I must admit that my first thought of vegetarian offerings at school cafeterias was a pretty bleak image. But then I read the list of winners and what peta2 had to say about their menus, and I kind of wished I could go back to school.

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What’s On: Week of March 23, 2009

Welcome to What’s On, The Chalkboard’s weekly roundup of interesting and exciting events on tap for the week. To help make sure we know about all the best events be sure to leave a comment below or send an email to agnes[at]ourkids[dot]net. Now on with the week ahead!

Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Information Session | SLIDE SHOW
An opportunity for you and your daughter to meet the camp director, see the camp slideshow and ask your questions.
Somerset Academy | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Victoria Ballet Academy – Private School for Creative Children | Profile

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Humour in Education

I think we would all say we love humour and have fond memories of fun and hilarious moments in our lives, but when it comes to our children’s education, we probably don’t think that the classroom is supposed to be humorous. Cheryl Jackson at TVO Parents writes about how her daughter is about to enter high school and is worried she won’t meet funny friends, but then also begins to discuss new research suggesting humour has an important place in the classroom.

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