Caring Kids: For more than 15 years, the Millburn Township (N.J.) PTO Conference has sponsored Caring Kids of Millburn, a program to encourage empathy among students. Fourth-graders at South Mountain Elementary recently tried hands-on activities that allowed them to experience learning challenges. For example, students tried to trace a design onto paper by looking into a mirror. The session emphasized the importance of being respectful to people with different learning styles.
Another program centers on physi-cal disabilities and gives students the chance to use walkers and wheelchairs, as well as special gloves that limit the use of their hands.For younger students, Caring Kids presents a puppet show that promotes understanding of people with ADHD, hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, and other conditions.
Raising Resilient Students: Middle school is a challenging time for students and parents. For its first meeting of the school year, the Scarsdale (N.Y.) Middle School PTA brought in a local child psychologist to speak about ways parents can help their adolescent children build the resilience they need to handle tough situations.
The one-hour presentation by Paul Donahue, a psychologist and author of Parenting Without Fear, covered recent research into resilience that shows why some teens overcome challenges while others struggle and engage in risky behaviors. Donahue informed parents about school programs that encourage resilience. The talk was later broadcast by the district’s educational television channel.
