Ten Terrific Award Winning Books Raschka, Chris.  A Ball for Daisy.  In this wordless book, Daisy’s beloved ball is destroyed.  2012 Caldecott Medal.  (PreK – 1st) McDonnell, Patrick.  Me…Jane.  Young Jane Goodall and her toy chimpanzee explore their world.  2012 Caldecott Honor Book  (PreK – 2nd) Smith, Lane.  Grandpa Green.  A boy tells about his [...]

The 1.5 million-person mystery: How to recognize and treat autism in children By Peggy Wilkins, PhD Once thought to be relatively rare autism affects as many as 1.5 million Americans. Although we know it is a developmental disability based in abnormal brain development, the exact cause remains a mystery. Up to 5 percent of cases [...]

The Adolescent Demystified By Thornton Parsons Dealing with the issues of adolescence can be trying for all concerned, but educating teenagers doesn’t have to be as frustrating as trying to nail Jello to a tree. Educators help teenagers accomplish developmental goals, such as increasing responsibility and independence while navigating the tumultuous adolescent years. Zimmerman and [...]

Normal Park Makes Straight-A’s! by CP “Straight A’s are definitely worth celebrating.”  Jill Levine, principal The Normal Park Museum Magnet School received a rare double honor on the Tennessee State Report Card.  Students, teachers, dignitaries and families celebrated with student-made signs, a marching band pep rally and a message to students that hard work does [...]

Battle the bulge Parents often don’t realize their kids are overweight, studies show By Nita Shumaker, MD Is your child overweight—or even obese? Childhood weight problems are reaching crisis proportions, yet studies show that parents frequently don’t realize their children are overweight. Tennessee ranks in the top five states in the nation for childhood obesity, [...]

Why Eating a Rainbow is so Important Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables diverse in color is a tremendous health benefit for children’s developing bodies.  Creative Discovery Museum supports this ideology through educational programs focused on healthy meal choices and physical activity. Eating the recommended full rainbow servings gives the body the vitamins, fiber [...]

What is a PTA Teacher Supply Depot? The goal of the Teacher Supply Depot is to provide teachers with free usable materials to enhance their classrooms and to promote student achievement. Four times a year, teachers can come into the depot and collect items for use in their classrooms. The Depot accepts basic educational tools [...]

Fueling passion in life is a father’s job by Chuck Tuttle I’ve been working with children in theatre for thirty years and I thought that I understood kids until I had my own.  I don’t know if I understand kids any better now, but I understand parents better.  Sometimes I get calls from parents of [...]

Childwise: Smart advice for Chattanooga parents by Mohsin Ali, M.D. Sister squabbles frustrate Mom Dear Childwise: I have two daughters, five years apart, who fight single day. They talk horribly to each other, and each one has announced that she hates the other one, although I have told them that I will not tolerate that [...]

Now Playing:  Chattanooga versus Disney The Zeller family had prepared their children for a Chattanooga vacation for the Fall break.  They might have talked about visiting Rock City, Ruby Falls, the Incline or the famous Tennessee Aquarium.  They might have talked about eating ice cream after taking a walk on the Walnut Street Bridge or [...]