Ever since I read Your Child’s Strengths: Discover Them, Develop Them, Use Them, I’ve been thinking about my own strengths, and encouraging my kids to discover their own interests and passions. (Review and giveaway post here — you still have until March 7 to enter.)

I’ve practiced “focusing questions” to help Darla consider what it is about activities that she enjoys. Here was a conversation last weekend, when Darla started talking about how she volunteers in her brother’s classroom: Continue Reading »

My November Positively Speaking article has been published at 5 Minutes for Mom. I write about family boundaries, but also the masterful teachers I’ve witnessed in my work as a school counselor.

You know who I’m talking about. Teachers who adopt their students for a year, as if they’re their own kids; who find ways to help even the neediest child to learn; who network with other master teachers to discover best practices to use in their classrooms; who share their expertise with parents to help them become more effective; who know their “kids”, love their “kids” and hurt if one moves away.

Today, I’d like to celebrate teachers that pass the torch. I’m honored to work with many - and I’m grateful my kids have benefited from them too. Do you know a pass-the-torch teacher?

You can join me each week, and pass the torch. Just share a simple or stupendous time kids make you proud, or a way you see adults passing the torch. Blog your story or share it in comments. My comment plugin will leave your link automatically. Former PTT posts. Complete Guidelines.

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Last weekend, our family attended a community carnival, and we ran into a Kindergartener who lives in our neighborhood, and is a regular Bookworm Wednesday participant. His mom told me he’d been getting picked on by a first grader on the bus, and when she asked him what he was going to do about it, he said this:

“I’ll sit with C. That kid won’t pick on me then.”

C. The protector. The third-grade bully-buster.

That’s my boy.

You can pass the torch every week, by sharing simple and stupendous times kids make us proud, as well as the ways we see adults passing the torch. Just blog a story or share it in comments. My comment plugin will leave your link automatically. Former PTT posts. Complete Guidelines.

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My October Positively Speaking column has been published at 5 Minutes for Mom - this month I write about reading with your kids. So when I read Lisa’s (My Thoughts, Ideas and Ramblings) post about the nine-year-old that hosted a charity book drive at his birthday party, I thought I’d make him the focus of this week’s Pass-the-Torch Tuesday.

Ryan Skarnulis — a nine-year-old from Illinois — has inspired the donation of over 6,000 books.

Here’s an excerpt from Chicago’s Daily Southtown newspaper:

A few months ago, Ryan decided that instead of the over-the-top themed birthday parties he had grown accustomed to, he wanted a charity party.

He set out to raise 3,285 books to donate to Reach Out and Read, a literacy program that gives away books in pediatric exam rooms to children between 6 months and 5 years old.

“When I turn 9, that’s how many days I’ve been living, so that’s what I wanted to do,” he said at the time. “One book per every day of my life.”

Since then, he’s inspired the donation of more than 6,000 books.

“I’m so happy I got double my score,” Ryan said. “I never thought I would get that many. That’s 6,000 books. It’s unbelievable.”

This is the kind of news that gives me hope about our world.

You can pass the torch every week, by sharing simple and stupendous times kids make us proud, as well as the ways we see adults passing the torch. Just blog a story or share it in comments. My comment plugin will leave your link automatically. Former PTT posts. Complete Guidelines.

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There are times in a parent’s life, when all she can do is sit back and watch her kids become who they’re destined to be.This has happened to me since moving to our new neighborhood. D’s truly found her stride. During the month before we moved (the painteverywallinthehouse phase) and while I was still coming to the realization of all the important stuff we didn’t have yet (internet, mailbox, bed), D consistently focused on the preparation for her neighborhood project — “Bookworm Wednesday.”

She sounds like the child of a blogger, doesn’t she?

Her vision was to make use of her shelves-full of books, to check out to neighborhood children weekly, and then read a book aloud while they were here. This would encourage kids to read and discover great stories, while participating in a weekly “club” of sorts.

While I loved the idea and was Popeye-heart-pumping proud of her for coming up with it, I’ve had a very hard time being of any assistance, since we’ve barely moved, began attending a new school, and started a new job.

One foot in front of the other. That’s about the extent of my focus these days.

But my lack of involvement didn’t deter her. She asked for startup money to purchase incentive items for the kids who were reading books, and I told her to write a grant proposal and that Empowering Youth would consider sponsoring her project. Here was her proposal:

August 6, 2007

Dear Kelly Curtis,
I would like to request a grant in the amount of $23.00 from Empowering Youth for “Book Worm Wednesday.” This will be used to purchase rewards such as (whatever Kara and I get). Check out and return will be weekly for ages 7-12, and monthly for ages 4-6. We have books in stock ready for use. We now need something for youth as a reward after reading a book to encourage young people to read more. I appreciate your consideration of this grant proposal.

Sincerely,

D

Well, she got the grant, and has now completed three Bookworm Wednesdays, with approximately ten children in attendance each week. She’s recruited two assistants, and they all work together to manage the program, recruit attendees, check out books, and walk younger children home.

I can’t describe my satisfaction as I sit at my computer, with the activities of Bookworm Wednesday buzzing behind me in the “library”. Nor can I possibly explain the rush I feel as I witness the small mob of children running down our street as I pull into the drive.

Must be Bookworm Wednesday.

BookWorm Wednesday Series:

A Teacher in the Making
A BookWorm Wednesday Halloween
BookWorm Wednesday Potion Recipe
Buy with Amazon and Donate to BookWorm Wednesday
BookWorm Wednesday Gets Some Press
My Daughter Won the Kohl’s Scholarship

You can pass the torch every week, by sharing simple and stupendous times kids make us proud, as well as the ways we see adults passing the torch. Just blog a story or share it in comments. My comment plugin will leave your link automatically. Former PTT posts. Complete Guidelines.

Like this post? Subscribe for free to Pass The Torch