Colors of the World
In 1992 Crayola introduced Multicultural Crayons. Last year it introduced Colors of the World its most inclusive product line so far.
multicultural
Alarm Over Black Home School Movement
According to an article in the New York’s Times “Remote school may be attend to dropping out… “ The article lists a lot of data to discourage Black and Latino parents from homeschooling without addressing obvious reasons besides Covid that these parents are opting to home school.
After years of being ignored by school systems, these parents are tired of discriminatory tactics by the educational system. It’s a system that often degrades students of color and ignores parental concerns about racial insensitivity of teachers. School books and curriculum reinforce this narrative by routinely overlooking the contributions of non-whites.
All the data in the world will not convince parents whose children have faced bias treatment. This article in the New York Times proves that the educational experts are “tone death.”
Black Home Schooling passes the test
I’m delighted to read about the recent trend in Black Home Schooling. I’m for anything that empowers parents to take charge of their children’s education.
As a certified Scholastic teacher, I was taught that parents are their children’s first teacher. I really didn’t need a certificate to tell me that. It’s common sense.
Children learn how to talk and other early skills from their parents. If the pandemic has taught us anything, most parents are up to the challenge of educating their children.
A Splash of Color
A Splash of color.
A dash of fun.
People and dogs on the run.
Bikes to ride
Scooters to thrill.
Pirates on land,
Pirates on wheels.
Skaters zooming by.
Parasails in the sky.
A beach to swim in
Or just to float
And those silly buildings
that look like boats.
Copyrighted by Elaine Marie Artist
Check out my website to purchase my limited edition Miami Beach Art Deco Coloring Book.
The Magic of Mangroves
“Mangroves are magical forests where we discover nature’s secrets. They straddle the connection between land and sea and nature and humans.”
Mangroves help protect Florida’s coastline by preventing erosion and absorbing storm surge during hurricanes.
They capture carbon monoxide and greenhouse gases. They serve as a habitat and refuge for Florida wildlife.
Mangroves provide a habitat for 80 percent of finfish and shellfish sought by commercial and sports fishermen.
They improve water quality by filtering out harmful pollutants.
Literacy is one of the pillars of democracy
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character- that is the goal of true education. Martin Luther King, Jr.
While schools traditionally played a key role in literacy, parents are a child’s first teacher and can inspire a love of reading.
Modern jobs demand a high level of literacy. I’m not talking about scanning or skimming an article on the internet.
According to the National Institute for Literacy, the ability to read, write and speak in English, compute and solve problems are the what literacy is about.
Literacy is the foundation of a democratic society and strong families are the foundation of any successful society. Without both we are in peril.
Time for success
One of the truest predictors of future success is the amount of reading that children do at a young age. The amount of time children read and are read to predicts whether they will be successful.
Surprisingly, parents and children do not have to read for hours each day; they only need to read for 20 minutes each day. With 20 simple minutes of reading, students are exposed to over 1,000,000 words in the course of a school year. In comparison, children who read for five minutes per day are exposed to a paltry 8,000 words each year.
Imagine what your child will know by sending 20 minutes each day with his or her face buried in a good book.
Engage Youth
I just discovered a great resource for youths. I was surprised that it also had information and a link that caters to military kids. As a former Navy spouse, I know that military kids face unique challenges.
This is a great site for the entire family. It has inspirational stories by youth, contests, and many worthwhile services. Be sure to check it out.
Fragile Keepsakes
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once one grows up.” I love this quote by Picasso. It brings to mind the precious first drawings my three children created during childhood. I was distraught the other day when one of these fragile keepsakes began to tear inside of a frame. It seems the backing of the frame had come apart along with the drawing.
Society is often good at destroying creativity as well. As children grow up, creativity is often discouraged. Creativity while fragile is the backbone of society. When archeologists study past cultures they often gauge their development by the complexity of the art produced.
There is hope. Many schools have Science, Technology, Art and Math (STEAM) curricula. Creativity is a great way to keep students engaged especially now that so many students are studying online.
Studies show that there is a correlation between art and other achievements. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts (three hours a day each week through one full year) are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.
Why Wait for Christmas
With so much bad news dominating the headlines, it’s good to read that Americans embraced the true spirit of Christmas this year.
According to Reuters, while Food Banks saw an increase in people seeking help, they also received unparalleled donations.
Other non profits saw giving increase 7.9% over 2019. Americans of all income brackets gave.
As Bob Hope once said, “My idea of Christmas whether old fashioned or modern is loving others. Come to think of it; why wait for Christmas to do that?”
May we continue to embrace the spirit of Christmas each day.
Multicultural Art 4 Kids 