Montessori mom: At-home preschool practical life learning center

I'm a certified special needs teacher and a former home school parent. I also taught in a Montessori school. Both Montessori and special education follow a learning center-based classroom model. Learning centers (also called areas or stations), engage children in hands-on, multi-sensory tasks. Each center focuses on different activities: reading, math, science, building, gross motor, art, dramatic play and practical life. When I taught our kids at home, I brought the learning center concept into our home. If you've got preschool kids or are a home school parent, why not try the learning center approach? Here's how this Montessori mom set up a practical life learning area. Montessori mom: At-home preschool practical life learning center

Helping middle school kids transition to high school

Transitioning from middle school to high school is a lot like starting kindergarten--there are similar woes and worries. Will I make friends? Will my old friends meet new people and ditch me? Do I look okay? Will I get lost? Where's my locker and how the heck do I get it open? Here are parenting tips to help middle school kids transition to high school. Helping high school kids with back-to-school jitters