Parent Education & Speaker Series

 
Echo Horizon School Parent Education
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  • Echo Horizon School Speaker Series
  • FYI:  Speakers Around Town
  • Books, Websites & More
        

 
  
 
Welcome to our Parent Education web page.  Our goal is to keep our community informed of relevant parent education information.   We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities, and please don't hesitate to give us your opinions, recommendations and suggestions.
 
                                                          

Parent Association Speakers Committee
 
 
 
2012-2013 Echo Horizon School Speaker Series
 
Watch this space for updates!
 
 

 
Books, Websites & More:  What Parents Are Talking About Now
Listed below are books, blogs, articles and speakers that you may find of interest.   Don't forget to go through the Amazon portal when you order these books!
 
 
feiler "The Stories That Bind Us," by Bruce Feiler, New York Times, March 15, 2013.
What makes a family?  What binds it together, makes it effective, resilient, happy?  Click here to read this beautifully written piece about the power of giving our children a strong family narrative by popular writer, journalist and television host Brice Feiler.  Mr. Feiler is also the writer/presenter of the PBS miniseries Walking the Bible
 
 bazelon "Defining Bullying Down," by Emily Bazelon, Op-Ed, New York Times, March 11, 2013.  
Click here to read an insightful look at trying to define and determine what is bullying and what isn't.  Journalist and senior editor for online magazine Slate and a senior research fellow at Yale Law School Emily Bazelon is also the author of the newly released and acclaimed Sticks and Stones, an intelligent look at childhood relationships and bullying.
 
 
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"Why Can Some Kids Handle Pressure While Others Fall Apart?" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, New York Times Sunday Magazine, February 10.  A must read article by the authors of Nurture Shock and the much-anticipated Top Dog that will be released February 19, 2013.  Click here to preview the article and purchase Top Dog through our Amazon portal.
 
 
 The Family Savvy:  A Parent's Guide to What's Worth Seeing, Doing, Reading, and Thinking Right Now:  Los Angeles Edition.  Check out this invaluable activity guide for Los Angeles parents published by Los Angeles parents.  As stated on their website, "We unearth the many gems LA has to offer and provide carefully curated, up-to-the-moment information on 'where to go' and 'what to do' so parents can be savvy about connecting with their kids and their city."  http://www.thefamilysavvy.com/
 
 
Facing the Cell Phone Challenge:  This mom gave her son an 18-point contract for his iPhone.  Would you be tempted?  Click here to see the creative and proactive position writer Jane Burley Hofman took with her son!
 
 
paul tough "Opting Out of the Rug Rat Race," by Paul Tough, The Wall Street Journal, September 7, 2012.
Click here to read this insightful article by Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed:  Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, who states that "For success in the long run, brain power helps, but what our kids really need to learn is grit."
 
 
 
 
levine "Raising Successful Children," by Madeline Levine, Ph.D., The New York Times Sunday Review.Psychologist Madeline Levine brings 30 years' experience as a clinician, consultant and educator to her writing and this article.  Her latest book, Teaching Your Children Well, offers "practical, research-based solutions to help parents return their families to healthier and saner versions of themselves."
 
 
 
 kolbert "Spoiled Rotten:  Why do kids rule the roost?"  by Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, July 2, 2012.
Click here to read the article everyone is talking about!  Elizabeth Kolbert is an award-winning author and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1999.
 
 
How to Raise a Reader - from Common Sense Media. 
Well written and insightful article from book editor and author Regan McMahon who has been reviewing children's books for more than a decade.  The article includes tips for "nurturing a love of reading that can last a lifetime."
 
10 Simple Steps to Internet Safety - from Common Sense Media.  
A broad summary of internet safety for parents.  Find out how many of these you already have covered in your home! Click here to view.
 
Unplugged:  The Importance of Social Skills in a Digital Society by Ben Kemp - from the UCLA Family Commons Newsletter April 2012 
How connected are we as a society?  More than ever it seems.  With advancements in technology we have information, news, communication, and entertainment readily available at all times.  We live in a tech-driven world, where everything is high-definition, wireless, high-speed, handheld, and accessible to touch.  Read more and comment. 
 
  
 
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How To Get Your Kid To Be A Fanatic Reader   by James Patterson, Special to CNN
Read this special piece by one of our favorite writers on the all-important question, "How do I get my child to read?"  This prolific and popular author has some solid insights and recommendations made during a CNN interview.  A New York Times best seller, James Patterson's most recent is entitled Middle School:   The Worst Years of My Life.
 
 
 
 
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Parenting From the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel and Mary Hartzell 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
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"Quality Homework, A Good Idea" 
 
"Born to be Wired":  A "Special Report" in Sunday's Parade Magazine on being connected 24/7 and how this reality is changing our kids lives and possibly even altering their brains.  

"What if the Secret to Success if Failure?":  The NYTimes Sunday magazine cover story by Paul Tough on resilience, grit, and the lack thereof in our kids.  Interviews with head of KIPP charter schools and the head of Riverdale private school outside Manhattan. 

"The Trouble with Bright Kids":  A thought-provoking discussion of praise internal and external motivation for children based on the latest research.  From the Harvard Business Review,    http://http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/11/the_trouble_with_bright_kids
 
 
 
EHS Speaker Series:  Previous Speakers
 
 
The Mindful Child with Susan Kaiser Greenland
susan greenland Author of The Mindful Child, Susan Kaiser Greenland discussed the benefits of teaching the transformative techniques of mindful awareness to children and teens and shared simple activities for families that help children and parents become more mindful and develop confidence, concentration and an ability to regulate emotions.   You can purchase her book The Mindful Child:  How to Help Your Kid Manage Stress and Become Happier, Kinder and More Compassionate by clicking here.  A former corporate attorney, Susan turned to meditation to help her through a family crisis.  She went on to establish The Inner Kids Program in Los Angeles and in 2006 was named a "Champion of Children" by First 5 LA, the largest and most influential children's advocacy group in Los Angeles.  Her work has been covered by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, National Public Radio, The CBS Morning News and various yoga journals.  Friday, March 8th, 8:30 AM, Echo Horizon School.
 
 
Scroll to the end of this page for information on previous guest speakers.
 
 
kunin Essential Organization, Homework and Study Tips for a Successful School Year
with educator Nathalie Kunin of Team Tutors
Respected educator and speaker Nathalie Kunin, who has extensive experience helping children succeed academically, addressed Echo Horizon families on the big subject of homework and the importance of organization and routine.  She founded Team Tutors in 2000 to provide students with private tutoring and comprehensive test preparation in their own homes, and she works closely with students of all ages and school administrators throughout Los Angeles.  Nathalie previously taught at the Center for Early Education where she served as president of the Parent Association and sat on the Board of Trustees.  She is currently on the Board of the Beverly Hills Education Foundation.   
 
 
 
marco polo
In the Footsteps of Marco Polo, Denis BelliveauSome people dream big dreams.  Only a bold adventurers live them.  Author, explorer and filmmaker Denis Belliveau presented his Emmy nominated PBS documentary In the Footsteps of Marco Polo at an evening meeting for parents and also talked with 4th, 5th and 6th graders with a lively question and answer period that followed his presentation.   The author and fellow explorer Francis O'Donnell spent an amazing two years retracing Marco Polo's entire 25,000 mile, land-and-sea route from Venice to China and back.  
  
  
 
 
Joe Bruzzese - January 31, 2012    
 
joe b The January Parent Education featured Joe Bruzzese, author of A Parent's Guide to the Middle School Years.  Joe is a veteran school administrator and teacher who speaks nationally on such topics as organization and motivation for kids, bullying, cyberbullying and parenting in a wired and pressured world. At our evening event, Joe offered concrete strategies for helping children develop resilience and independence as they transition to adolescence.joe Click here for the event handout.  And, purchasing A Parent's Guide to the Middle School Years, through our Amazon portal will benefit your family and Echo Horizon School!  
  
Click here to read an addendum Joe provided on Internet Safety and Bullying Basics, two topics he was unable to cover at our meeting due to time constraints.
 
To view Joe Bruzzese's interview on the ABC Morning Show, click here. 
 
 
A NATUROPATHIC APPROACH TO COLD AND FLU SEASON WITH DR. EMILY DASHIELL
 
em cropped Many thanks to Dr. Emily Dashiell who presented us with advice on how to address our annual cold and flu challenges in a healthy, naturopathic way at the PA Coffee on November 10th.  If you were unable to attend, be sure to read her handouts -- Cold and Flu Prevention:  Quick Reference for the Whole Family and her Warm Sock Treatment.  Following her advice should keep our families -- and our whole school -- healthy through the holidays.
 
As a Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Dashiell blends conventional medical diagnosis and treatment with the use of natural therapeutics, including dietary and lifestyle counseling, Craniosacral therapy, nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and bio-identical hormones.  While the focus of her practice is in women's health and pediatrics, she regularly sees patients of all ages with a broad range of conditions.  As a former collegiate swimmer, she integrates her knowledge of the high demands of serious athletics and the importance of proper nutrition and healthy into her practice.
 
Dr. Dashiell received her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.  She then graduated from Bastyr University in Seattle with a doctorate in Naturopathic medicine.  (And, yes, Dr. Dashiell is the daughter of our Head of School!) 
    
 
Lisa Fontanesi - Friday, October 21, 8:30 AM      
lisa-1 If you missed the PA Coffee on October 21st with chef and food innovator Lisa Fontanesi you missed a wonderful speaker who shared her experiences as chef/founder of "Kidding Around the Kitchen" and working with Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution in the U.S.   Lisa shared ideas for healthful and fun food that families can create together and secrets for getting out of the doldrums in what you pack for lunch and snacks.   Be sure to visit her website for cooking ideas and helpful kitchen gadgets and click here for our handout that includes some of her great recipes!
 


kimel Sleep, Screentime and Academic Performance with Jayme Neiman-Kimel, Ph.D., ABPdN
The simple truth is that sleep affects learning. Lack of sleep affects a child's ability to pay attention, their working memory, and their ability to process information. Dr. Neiman-Kimel, a board certified pediatric neuropsychologist and a leading specialist in neuropsychological assessment of children and young adults, addressed this important subject of how sleep deprivation affects our children's ability to learn and thrive. What you can do as a parent to ensure that your child is getting the regenerative rest he or she needs?  Click here to read Dr. Neiman-Kimel's advice on evaluating your sleepless child and principles of good sleep hygiene. Click here to watch a video of Dr. Neiman-Kimel's talk at Echo Horizon School.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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