Mothers are Still the Best Educators of Preschool Children
Starting in the late 1940s, most public school systems in the U.S. included the kindergarten program as a part of their regular 12-year sequence. Kindergarten (translation: a child's garden) was intended to build certain skills that would better prepare children to function as group members. In the early 1960s, the Ford Foundation developed programs to serve pre-kindergarten children who resided in low-income urban areas. They were designed to enhance nurturing activities that would put them on even footing with their pre-kindergarten peers. Initially, this effort only included the summer session that preceded the kindergarten year. One of the programs became know as Head Start.
Grumpy Observations While Walking the Dog
Every day for the two-plus months that he's been a member of our family, rain or shine, fair weather or (more likely lately) frost, I'm up at six in the morning to take Sparky on a 20-minute walk.
Stress Reduction: Good for What Ails You
Recently we enjoyed some gloriously balmy days in our corner of the world, which means it must be January. Well, no – all that glory and balm had nothing to do with the fact that it is January. Soon enough we got back to freezing off major body parts while begging our significant others to hoist the thermostat upward just one minuscule degree because doing so couldn't possibly cost more than, say, the federal budget deficit.
Democracy Requires Speaking Out Against Self Righteous
As fellow members of the Morgan Hill Times Editorial Board, Lisa Pampuch and I are often at odds with one another. It was with great pleasure that I read her recent column on separation of church and state and found myself in complete agreement with her.
Hold Our Congressional Leaders Accountable
The 110th Congress has been sworn in and begins its work with
A Family Remembers Brutal Slaying Victim
Our family recently got together for a nice lunch. The first time since Christmas. We, our children and grandchildren, gathered at our twin son's home in San Jose. The only one missing was the other twin in Michigan, who happened to call and we all talked to him. He had been home for Christmas. It was a fun time. Get-togethers are really so nice.
