February 2020 - Ninja Dads

Date:February 28, 2020Posted By:Ethereal PandaCategory:Just Dad ThingsTag:Projects for kids to do at home

Home Projects and Long-Term Homework Assignments Suck

I’m going to talk a little about home projects. Not remodeling your kitchen. I’m talking about the homework assignments your charming children bring home from school. The ones that you have to complete in a couple weeks. Basically, any project for your kids to do at home.

It could be a state project (as it was when I was a kid), or a “passion” project (which it is for my son). Or it could be a science fair thingy or any other project that is meant to spark their interest in learning.

The point is, it’s a big, involved homework project of some sort.

Please remember that I am a teacher. This is what I do for a living. So, this isn’t just some random parent rant wherein they fail to see the educational side of things. I’m well-versed in the scholastic goals that home projects for kids seek to accomplish.

So, let’s get to it, then.

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Date:February 21, 2020Posted By:Ethereal PandaCategory:Just Dad ThingsTag:Classroom fight

Classroom Fight Solution: Let Them

When I was teaching overseas, I realized quite quickly that I had a problem. It felt like every time I turned around, a fight was breaking out among my students. Every 15 minutes or so, there would be a couple kids scuffling in the corner of my classroom.

At the beginning, I would stop teaching, break up the fight, get everyone seated again, and continue teaching. This, however, did not solve the problem. These kids did not speak English. I had no idea why they were fighting, so it was very difficult for me to help them solve the problem.

After a couple of months, I finally decided to minimize the disruption. Instead of stopping the fight, and letting the animosity build back up again, I decided to install some rules.

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