Notes from the Backpack: A PTA Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How to Handle Bullying Oct 28, 2020

Show notes

What can families do to address bullying and how can schools act proactively to prevent bullying altogether? We talked with Dr. Deborah Temkin, the vice president VP Youth Development & Education Research at Child Trends to get answers. She shares strategies for supporting children who are bullied and offers advice to parents who have learned that their child is doing the bullying.

Resources:

Visit StopBullying.gov for resources related to bullying, including cyberbullying and bullying prevention.
Read “Life Lessons: How to Stand up to Bullying with Books” and “Helping Your Child Understand Cyberbullying” in PTA’s Our Children online magazine.
Follow Deb Temkin on Twitter @DrDebTemkin

Get Inspired by Your Young Artist Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

You probably find yourself thinking a lot about your child’s academics, but what about their engagement in the arts? We interviewed Julian Bass, a two-time PTA Reflections winner, who has gone on to make a name for himself as a filmmaker and visual effects artist. He shares how his own parents supported his artistic journey and how families can encourage their children to follow their dreams.

Resources:

Get involved with Reflections today by coordinating with your State Reflections Chair, registering your PTA to join the program or starting with some at-home arts activities!
Celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month with National PTA and Americans for the Arts by sharing your artwork in the Show Your Art Challenge on social media using #ShowYourArt2020!
Read Jump-Start the Arts With the Whole Family in PTA’s Our Children online magazine
Follow Julian Bass on social media at @TheJulianBass

Exploring Learning Differences during COVID-19 Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

If you’ve noticed your child is struggling with academics more than usual, but you’re not sure if it’s due to the pandemic or signs of a learning difference, we’re here to help. We spoke with Amanda Morin, writer and senior expert at Understood.org to learn strategies for supporting students with learning differences during online and hybrid learning. She offers advice on helping your kids stay organized, read social cues, manage distractions and more.

Resources:

Practice taking N.O.T.E (Notice, Observe, Talk, and Engage) of your child’s learning patterns with Understood.org’s Take N.O.T.E resources.
Read through Amanda’s suggestions for making your child’s accommodations work in an online setting in her post “IEP Accommodations During Distance Learning”
Listen to Understood.org’s podcast, In It: A Podcast on Raising Kids Who Learn and Think Differently, hosted by Amanda
Follow Amanda on Twitter at @AmandaMorin and Understood.org at @UnderstoodOrg

Raising Lifelong Voters Oct 07, 2020

Show notes

With the presidential election less than a month away, how are you talking to your kids about civic engagement? We spoke to U.S. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, who offers wisdom from her experience in the classroom and on the Hill. She shares how families can help kids become active citizens and lifelong voters by encouraging them to contribute to their communities in meaningful ways.

For more resources to teach your kids about the election, check out these tools from iCivics
Read through the Congresswoman’s tips for families that she shared with National PTA as the 2016 National Teacher of the Year
Follow Congresswoman Hayes on Twitter and Instagram at @RepJahanaHayes

Prioritizing COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Sep 30, 2020

Show notes

Will school closures and distance learning be a temporary setback for kids’ learning or will it have a permanent effect on their education? We spoke with Ralph Smith, managing director of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading to get his perspective on the impact COVID-19 is having in the hardest hit communities. He offers suggestions for parent leaders looking to support the most vulnerable learners and their families during this challenging time.

Resources:

Learn more about COVID-19’s impact on families and children by exploring Learning Heroes’ report: “Parents 2020: COVID-19 Closures - A Redefining Moment for Students, Parents, and Schools”
Keep your child on track this year with the help from these literacy & math Family Guides, created by Seek Common Ground and Student Achievement Partners
Discover what COVID-19 recovery could look like in the Learning Policy Institute’s framework, “Restarting and Reinventing School: Learning in the Time of COVID and Beyond”
Follow the Campaign for Grade Level Reading on Twitter at @ReadingBy3rd

Navigating Online Resources During COVID-19 Sep 23, 2020

Show notes

Are you overwhelmed by all of the online resources available to your child but not sure where to start? During this unusual school year, we need to help our children find online resources that meet their needs. We turned to Merve Lapus of Common Sense Media who shared how families can set students up for success this school year. Listen to discover helpful learning resources and tips for establishing healthy online habits.

Resources:

Visit Wide Open School for a daily schedule of educational activities curated by Common Sense Media
Read Common Sense Media’s report, “Closing the K–12 Digital Divide in the Age of Distance Learning”
Listen to our interview with Dr. Natalie Milman from Season 2, Online Learning during COVID-19, for more ideas
Follow Merve Lapus on Twitter and Instagram at @MoLapus

Talking Race & KidLit Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

How many books on your children’s shelves feature Black and Brown characters? The stories we read to our children should be mirrors to see themselves and windows to see others who are different from them. We spoke with Newbery Medal award-winning author, Kwame Alexander about the importance of representation in kids’ literature. He shared about his own writing process, how to inspire your kids to write and some of his favorite books!

Resources:

Explore the books published by Kwame’s own imprint, Versify.
Pre-order Kwame’s next book, Becoming Muhammed Ali, via Barnes & Noble or Amazon
Watch Lee & Low’s webinar, “Representation Matters: Strategies for Building an Inclusive Bookshelf”
Check out National PTA’s Our Children article, “5 Great Kids’ Books that Highlight Diversity”
Follow Kwame Alexander on Twitter and Instagram at @KwameAlexander

Education Finance 201: COVID-19 Bonus Episode Jun 05, 2020

Show notes

As school districts plan for an unprecedented back-to-school season, money is particularly tight. We invited Dr. Marguerite Roza, our guest from Education Finance 101: Money Talks, back to the show to give us an update. She shares what's currently happening in the world of education finance and how families can advocate for their child's needs.

COVID-19 & Back to School? Jun 02, 2020

Show notes

As the school year wraps up virtually, families around the world are wondering, what comes next? We spoke with Amalia Chamorro, Associate Director of Education Policy at UNIDOS US to learn more about COVID-19’s impact on our children and its potential impact on the back-to-school season. She reflects on the drastic changes families have faced these last few months and how schools and families will continue to have to adapt moving forward.

Resources:

Discover more education resources from UNIDOS US at progressreport.co
Check out the results from the recent COVID-19-focused poll Amalia referred to
Follow UNIDOS US on Twitter at @WeAreUnidosUS

Like this episode? Share your thoughts with us via social media @NationalPTA and by using #BackpackNotes. Be sure to visit NotesFromTheBackpack.com for more resources from this episode.

Keep Your Cool: Tackling Behavioral Issues May 26, 2020

Show notes

Whether it’s brushing their teeth or turning off the TV, all of our kids have something that sets off an emotional outburst. So how can we work with our kids to create less stress and conflict around daily routines? We talked with Dr. Ross Greene, psychologist and founder of Lives in Balance, about how to address a child’s toughest behaviors. He shares how taking a collaborative and proactive approach can improve your relationships with your children and bring peace to your homes!

Resources:

Learn more about Dr. Greene’s work on the Lives in the Balance website
Lives in the Balance offers a variety of resources including podcasts, videos and more
Follow Lives on the Balance on Twitter at @LITB_
For more advice, check out PTA’s Our Children magazine article, “Ask an Expert: How to Handle Your Kid’s Bad Habits”

Like this episode? Share your thoughts with us via social media @NationalPTA and by using #BackpackNotes. Be sure to visit NotesFromTheBackpack.com for more resources from this episode.

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