Category: Advice For Parents

  • The Philanthropic Experience: A Student’s Perspective

    One of my current college composition student wrote a personal narrative essay that beautifully illustrates one of my ideas to reform education ( ). This is what I proposed in that post: The Philanthropic Experience For those students who don’t want to continue their formal education but aren’t ready to go out into the world…

  • Friday Writing Challenge: A Favorite Movie

    Inside Out I know. This is a Wednesday, but when I started writing about Inside Out last Friday, I realized this movie was a post I needed to write about, not for writing practice, but to explore why it impacted me so profoundly. When I taught American Literature, I told my students that we study…

  • Kaplan’s “Path to Recess”

    Excellent post about what is truly important for success. The “soft skills” Kaplan refers to are the 25 things I wrote about in my book, Uncommon Core. “Reflecting on my experiences teaching both at this school and at more traditional public schools, I find myself wondering if the methodology that enables young children to achieve…

  • Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: October

    Can social media have a role to play in managing a successful classroom? Social media can be used in certain classrooms successfully. If teachers need to send out announcements, Facebook and Twitter meet students where they spend much of their time. There is no better application available to send out last-minute reminders or changes of…

  • Uncommon Core Book Reading: Chapter 14

    On September 10, 2015, I read Chapter 14: Teach Them to Be Problem Solvers from Uncommon Core: 25 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in a Cookie Cutter Educational System at The RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, NH. To purchase Uncommon Core, go to WordCrafts Press or Amazon. To schedule a book reading, speaking engagement, or interview contact me at pdhawk1010@msn.com…

  • Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: August

    What are the best ways parents can help teachers and that teachers can help parents? Communication and honesty are keys to building a positive, healthy relationship between parents and teachers. This relationship is the main reason I wrote Uncommon Core: 25 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in a Cookie Cutter Educational System. I wanted…

  • Top 12 Global Teacher Blogger Discussion: July

    What are several real ways you have seen bullying reduced? The only way to reduce bullying is for parents and teachers to take an active role in teaching and role modeling respect for other people to the children in their lives. Most “bullying” is due to a lack of respect for another person, plain and…

  • Uncommon Core Book Trailer

  • Opt-out Letter 2015

    March 23, 2015 Dear New Hampshire School District, I am refusing to allow my child, Ian Hawkins, to take Smarter Balanced assessment, the Science NECAP, or any other state standardized tests. I believe that my child’s educational progress can best be measured using his daily school work and regular classroom testing. According to the U.S…

  • Opting Out: Why Ian Will Never Take State Tests

    I’m taking a stand this year: My son is not taking the standardized state tests that are being mandated by the government. His school will receive a zero for my opting him out, which will lower his school’s proficiency standings. On one hand, I feel bad that his school is being punished for my decision;…