A strong-willed temperament is a God-given strength. This temperament often presents itself in one's earliest years of development and can feel challenging to parents in such a way that it is a strength, not a hindrance. Renowned educator and author Cynthia Tobias offers deep insight and practical wisdom for parents raising strong-willed children. Drawing from her expertise presented in books like her best-selling "You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded)," Tobias explains the characteristics of a strong-willed child, the difference between defiance and strong will, and speaks hope for parents based on God's truths.

RESOURCES

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As parents, protecting our kids in the physical world is often intuitive, but protecting our kids in the cyberworld is not. As the famous words of John Wooden go, "The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching." With our young people often using personal devices, this is more true than ever. Teaching our kids how to navigate the cyberworld safely and with wisdom is a crucial part of modern parenting. On a broader scope, cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field with many opportunities for young people to explore and pursue. Dr. Seth Hamman, a leading expert in cybersecurity, discusses all of these topics and more.

RESOURCES

Cedarville University's Cyber Operations and Cybersecurity Programs

Connect with Dr. Seth Hamman--

Dr. Seth Hamman's TedX Talk

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Traditional education has largely relied on teachers relaying facts and information to students who passively receive the information, memorize it, then prove that they memorized it on a test. World-renowned author and educator Dr. Jay McTighe suggest that this way of education no longer meets the needs of the modern learner or modern workforce. Rather than rote learning, our modern world requires skills like effective communication, creative problem-solving, and self-directed learning. A modern education ought to reflect these needs. McTighe and his colleague Dr. Grant Wiggins developed a framework for learning that they believe equips the modern learner for the modern world.

RESOURCES

The World Economic Forum

Parents' Powerful Impact on Young Children’s Brains | Psychology Today

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Teacher-parent rapport is vital to a young student's success and overall well-being in a school year. Open communication is key to the parent-teacher relationship, but how much is too much? And how does this change as a student grows older and becomes more independent?  Middle school math teacher James Storey and elementary school principal Nanci Griffith tackle these questions and more. Drawing on 40 years of collective experience in education, they offer insight and wisdom to help parents establish open and maintain healthy communication with teachers. They also discuss ways to navigate difficult situations with teachers.

RESOURCES

Curbing Teacher-Student Clashes

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Veteran middle school teacher Michael Clutz speaks to the current culture of middle school and high school, offering parents and students alike a deeper look at what truly matters in these formative years. With humor and personal anecdotes, he draws on 15 years of classroom experience to give parents a window into the inner world of tweens and teens in Gen Z.

RESOURCES

Articles and videos by Michael Clutz

In this episode, we explore all things gap year-related with Ethan Knight, the Gap Year Association executive director, the only national non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the gap year movement. A gap year, dedicating some time for career exploration and work between high school and college, has grown in popularity in recent years. However, there are still many misconceptions about what a gap year is and who may benefit from taking one. Knight provides thorough, informative insights on who should take a gap year, what a successful gap year involves, common parent concerns, the importance of experiential learning, COVID's impact on gap years, and more.

The Navigating Your Child's Education podcast will take a break for the summer. Season two kicks off on August 4, 2021.

RESOURCES

Americorps

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

HelpX

Ethan Knight's TedXTalk**

The Growing Demand for Trade Workers

Considering a Gap Year -- from Harvard University

covidgapyears.com

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**Brief strong language

Neuropsychologist Dr. Andrew Colvin illuminates brain development in middle schoolers and what parents of young adolescents need to know as their tweens grow and mature. Dr. Andrew Colvin and his wife Dr. Cheryl Colvin lead their own private practice, Colvin Psychological Services, offering evaluations and therapy to children and adults in Columbus, Ohio. In this podcast episode, Dr. Colvin discusses the prevalence of drama in middle school, moving from concrete to abstract thinking, and why teen peer groups are critically important.

RESOURCES

The work and writings of Dr. Laurence Steinberg

The Teenage Brain by Dr. Frances Jensen

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On this episode of the Navigating Your Child's Education podcast, we discuss the Equality Act—a legislative bill with far-reaching implications for all Americans. In addition to discussing the bill itself, we zero in on the impact on schools and school-age children. 

Joining us to discuss the Equality Act are Aaron Baer, president of the Center for Christian Virtues, and Troy McIntosh, the incoming executive director for the Ohio Christian Education Network and education veteran.

RESOURCES

We had the privilege of sitting down with Coach Jeff Hartings to discuss the characteristics of an effective coach. Coach Hartings was an All-American at Penn State and a Pro-Bowler and Super Bowl Champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Throughout his career, Coach Hartings played for many coaches with varying styles and now coaches a high school football team. Coach Hartings is a student of the coaching profession and is intentional about adjusting his methods to better reach and connect with this generation of players. 

RESOURCES

Thoughts on Coaching—a blog post by Coach Jeff Hartings

Worthington Christian School Viewbook

In this episode, Dr. Parker Huston, clinical director of On Our Sleeves at Nationwide Children's Hospital, joins us to discuss building resiliency in our children. With practical suggestions, parents with children of all ages will be empowered to nurture their child's mental well-being in the same way they do their physical and spiritual health.

RESOURCES

First Book Marketplace

Behavioral Health Resources for Coronavirus

Conversation Starters

Parenting in the Pandemic

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