The survey, part of this year’s BCAA Back to School Driving Safety campaign, showed that 74% of drivers surveyed don’t know how to tell when a school zone ends and 69% are confused about stopping in school zones. Further, more than half (60%) reported witnessing drivers acting hostile near schools and 80% reported witnessing speeding…
Back-to-school is around the corner and that means back to packing lunches (sigh). With many schools increasingly adopting “Litterless Lunch” policies, the pressure is on parents to pack more eco-friendly lunchboxes. However, while research* shows that 76% of Canadians would like tips for little changes they can make in everyday life that would benefit the…
It’s August and the Back-to- School commercials have begun! The discussion about September is underway and you start to wonder how to prepare your child for the new school year. As a teacher and founder of the tutoring company Teachers to Go, I know that the summer can be a hectic time for parents, regardless if you are…
Humans are born curious. Our curiosity helps us make sense of the world and encourages us to learn through observation, play, and exploration AKA STEM activities. As we continue to grow, our curiosity and thirst for knowledge contribute to our ability to learn, build foundational skills and cultivate a love of learning that translates into…
100% volunteer-run charity, Ripple Foundation, announced Cora Arvidson, a seventh-grade student from Vancouver’s Sir William Osler Elementary School, as one of two winners of its 10th annual Kids Write 4 Kids creative challenge, a one-of-a-kind nationwide competition for students in grades four to eight. Cora’s winning poetry collection, Threads, is available in paperback and ebook…
etting a great mark, and forgetting everything you learned after a few days. The status quo is only focusing on getting great marks, but not looking ahead at how to prepare for a changing world. Here are 8 common successful life mistakes.
When my wife and I first met a family who spoke more than one language to their toddler, we were intrigued. Was that possible? Would it be healthy for our children?
We've been asked to start homeschooling again. It is short-term and hopefully only until January 10th. Here are 5 ways to help get through this chaos.
We were running errands when one of my teenagers shouted and pointed, “Look! It’s our old preschool!” Soon my other two teens were chiming in, “I loved it there!” and “That was my favorite school. Do you remember when…” And just like that, we were walking down a memory lane of craft projects, field trips,…
10 Strategies to Success The following are strategies that have proven successful in helping students reach (and exceed) their goals, regardless of the child’s circumstances!
enhances critical thinking for kids. And why are critical thinking skills important? Critical thinking gives your child the confidence to power through academic and general life challenges smoothly.
The pandemic has disrupted our lives in many ways. As a result, many parents, teachers, and students can’t wait to get back to “normal” school. Many that fall into this camp discuss the lack of community along with the lack of face-to-face interactions with teachers and peer groups when not learning in person. However other…
Research by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) last year noted a significant impact on students from remote learning, including interrupted learning, increased child stress, decreased connection, increased loneliness, and mental and emotional health effects. Children need to be learning in person and participating in extracurricular activities is another important necessity.
September is known as a very stressful month for parents and kids, so let’s make a plan to reduce the stressors and lower the anxiety in your home. Here are 10 tips to help your children get over it.
The long summer days are coming to an end soon, with kids of all ages getting ready to go back to school for another year Here are 4 keys to a successful Back to School Sleep routine for all ages!
The International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, designed for students in grades 11 and 12, is growing in popularity in high schools around the world, but the IB also offers programmes for younger students, the Middle Years Programme. The International Baccalaureate first introduced the Middle Years Programme in 1994 and has since been adopted by more than…
Most people will agree that the summer slide is real, and something that all parents and caregivers should try to avoid. This year is no different; in fact, this summer it is even more important than ever to ensure children retain the skills they learned throughout the school year, as the worries associated with COVID-19…
This Earth Day, it will be easier than ever to arm the next generation of youth climate activists with facts and give them hope with the new and free online Climate Restoration Course. This course, created by the Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR), is specially designed by teachers for students in grades 3-5. Start the…
We just learned about an incredible extracurricular program for high school students and wanted to share it with parents in Vancouver. The Knowledge Society (TKS) is a 10-month innovation program for students ages 13-17 who want to solve the world’s biggest problems. The program is modeled after curriculums from Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, and designed…
In September 2021, Pear Tree Elementary will expand the school to include a Middle School Wing for students up to Grade 9, as part of their longer-term expansion to offer up to grade 12 in the coming years.
Anyone can become a resourceful teacher. Although we may not all be professional teachers, with a little creativity, we can make use of everyday opportunities and common materials to create fun and educational experiences for our children. By doing so consistently, we can create and sustain an enriching home learning environment for our children. Here…
Come September, families are expected to send their kids for in-person learning at school. It is an important and welcome step for all. My granddaughter moving to grade two cannot wait to get back to school, especially to play with her classmates! This article provides some tips on preparing your kids for back to school…
Technology use carries with it myriad potential consequences—among them cyberbullying, sleep deprivation, poor posture, back and neck pain, sedentary behaviours, obesity, loneliness, diminished eyesight, anxiety, depression, body image disturbance, and addiction. All of these are changing children in elemental ways, interrupting rudimental biological drives to connect, to become independent, even to procreate. Tech executives were…
With the recent announcement of return-to-school plans, although with a minor delay, many children and parents are feeling a heightened amount of stress during this uncertain time. A teacher, a parenting coach, and a doctor gave some helpful suggestions for you to help your child prepare for September. A kindergarten teacher’s advice (Amy Tekatch, a…
