Happy Holidays to All !

We’ve always done a blog in rhyme as our last post of the year

To thank everyone who's helped us and to wish all much good cheer

This year has been a busy one; we’ve served students of all kinds 

We’ve done trainings, talks, and  webinars to help explain kids’ minds

Dr. Yellin has done traveling to schools both far and near
Where our approach to learning is used throughout the year
Helping students see their strengths to build their self esteem
And offering up strategies to help them reach their dreams

For parents who have questions and are not sure what to do
We've had a free phone hour that might be help to you
Just call our office number, Thursday mornings 8-9
And if Dr. Yellin isn't busy, he'll get right on the line

But more than our activities, we want to share our gratitude
To our amazing Yellin Center staff and their caring attitude
To attorneys, tutors,  therapists who ask us to assist
And the schools who send us scholars when things have gone amiss

But most of all we thank the parents who trust us with their kids
Who've turned to us when children struggle, no matter what they did
You and your dear children are the core of what we do
Why we get up every morning and work the long day through

So as one year is about to end and another set to start
We wish you happy holidays from the bottom of our heart
We wish you health and happiness and that learning is a joy
And that all good things should come to you and to every girl and boy

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year

                            From The Yellin Center

  

We will be closed from December 25th, reopening on Thursday, January 2nd

Thanksgiving Books -- New and Old

This seems to be a year when seasons and holidays sneak up on us. Just yesterday, we were hit with the first blast of snow here in New York, snarling roads and surprising even the weather forecasters with its intensity. Next week is Thanksgiving, occurring on the earliest possible date, given the federal law that requires it to be on the fourth Thursday of November.

Among the many special things about Thanksgiving are that it has always been notable for its message of  friendship and inclusion and that it is celebrated by all of the cultures that make up the American melting pot. If your family tradition includes sharing books with the children at your Thanksgiving dinner (and if it doesn't, it might be a good year to start), there are a few books you might want to consider.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga is a new picture book that was written by a member of the Cherokee Nation. It looks at how the Cherokee people express gratitude -  otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) - throughout the year in their celebrations and ceremonies.

If your family likes the Macy's parade, they might especially enjoy reading about how it got started, in  Melissa Sweet's , Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade, which tells the story of the parade and the man who began the tradition in the 1920s (ages 4 and up).

Other good choices for the children at your celebration include:

The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern
(ages 4 and up)
This classic chronicles the struggles of the pilgrims during their first year at Plymouth Colony, their friendship with Native Americans like Squanto, and the first, three-day long Thanksgiving celebration.

Fancy Nancy: Our Thanksgiving Banquet by Jane O’Connor

(ages 4 and up, and older kids can read this on their own)
Fancy Nancy helps her family prepare for a fantastic Thanksgiving meal, with all her usual flair. Comes with stickers!

Turkey Trouble  by Wendi Silvano
(preschool - 3rd grade)
A terrified turkey attempts to disguise himself to avoid becoming Thanksgiving dinner in this silly story, complete with a happy ending.

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey
(ages 4 and up)
 In this zany rewritten version of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, children on a school field trip to a farm are troubled to learn about the impending fate of the turkeys they meet there. This funny story, full of Pilkey’s trademark humor, is sure to please both kids and parents. 

Thanksgiving on Thursday (Magic Tree House #27) by Mary Pope Osborne
(ages 6 and up to read on their own)
Jack and Annie travel back to the first Thanskgiving Day in 1621, where they learn about life in Plymouth. 

Little Critter: Just So Thankful by Mercer Mayer
(ages 3 and up)
Although Little Critter is initially jealous of the kid down the street who seems to have everything, he learns that there is much to be thankful for in this charming book 

Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl, Samuel Eaton’s Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy, and Tapenum's Day: A Wampanoag Indian Boy In Pilgrim Times, by Kate Waters
(ages 4 and up; students in grades 4 and up can read it on their own)  
Through a series of photographs taken in a recreated colony, Waters teaches about the lives of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans.

We hope you enjoy sharing these books -- and being together with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Keeping Open the Possibility of Change

Back in 2010, we wrote about an article written by Robert Dobrusin, a rabbi in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that touched on a topic we think about a great deal here at The Yellin Center - how labels (rather than a description of strengths and challenges) can be unfair to children and how they are insufficiently descriptive of what is really going on with any individual.

Rabbi Dobrusin's article (unfortunately no longer available online) explained how labels have unfairly limited the characters encountered in the traditional telling of the Passover story, a timely topic since this weekend marks both the start of the Passover holiday and Good Friday and Easter. The story of the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt, a familiar part of the Old Testament, is told in a ritualized form as part of the Passover celebration. One key part of this ritual telling is the story of four sons: one wise, one wicked, one simple, and one who cannot even ask a question. Every year, at the Passover meal, families read about these same sons and tell the story of the Exodus to answer these children's questions.

Rabbi Dobrusin noted, "I am troubled by the fact that we don't let them change. Throughout history they will always be wise or rebellious or simple or unquestioning... How can we set them in stone the way we do? There is one simple reason. They don't change because they each have been given a name: wise, rebellious, simple, unquestioning...How much wiser it would have been [if these children had been described] as the one who asked a wise question, the one who asked a rebellious question, the one who asked a simple question, the one who did not ask at all?"

He went on to explain that when we label individuals we can be too quick to jump to conclusions about their actions. Only when we eschew labels and keep open the possibility of change can we then open the door for individuals to move beyond the roles their labels describe to growth and change. Whatever our beliefs, and whatever holidays and traditions we celebrate, it is excellent advice. Indeed, there is strong evidence that labeling or defining children by their limitations can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, because they tend not to see past their label to the possibility of their own change and growth. 

A strikingly similar view of how people can be limited by thinking that their nature is fixed and unchangeable comes from Stanford University psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck. Dr. Dweck has distilled years of research on the topics of achievement and success into her book Mindset, which we often recommend to the families we see here at The Yellin Center.  As described on the Mindset website:

"In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong.

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities." 

Whatever you may celebrate over the next few days - Easter, Passover, or just a lovely spring weekend - we hope you have the opportunity to gather with family and friends, to practice your traditions, to eat good food, to appreciate the chance to celebrate together , and to keep an open mind about the people in your life, giving them the room to change and grow.

Illustration of the seder meal from a 1929 Passover Haggadah,
 a legacy from Mrs. Yellin's grandparents
 

Sugar Cravings in Kids

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and, like Halloween, that may mean a tidal wave of heart-shaped candies is about to take over your child’s diet. In preparation for this celebration of sweets and sweethearts, we have some tips for helping your children (and yourself!) learn to curb those sugar cravings. These recommendations come from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Intuitive Eating program, set out in a book by two forward-thinking nutritionists.

Even though we’re all born with a love of sweet foods, a full-fledged sweet tooth and the cravings that come with it are more a product of our environment. Eating a diet high in sugar leads us to crave more foods with even more sugar. The first step to reducing our “need” for sugar, therefore, is figuring out all the places that extra sugar is getting into our and our children’s food. There are the obvious culprits, of course – candy, baked goods, sugary cereals – but it can be quite surprising, and unsettling, to realize just how prevalent sugar is when it comes to foods we may think of as healthy. Much of the packaged and processed food sold at grocery stores is loaded with sugar. Some particularly naughty culprits are granola, yogurt, beverages, jams or jellies, canned fruit, and tomato sauce. Foods marketed as “low fat” also often have extra sugar to replace the taste you lose when you remove the fat. Figuring out the biggest contributors can help you and your family develop a battle plan to start cutting back.

Barring a child from enjoying a treat every now and then, especially on a holiday that more or less is focused on sharing sweet treats with friends, is an unrealistic endeavor. However, there is plenty of room for cutting back. Two of the most common “uses” of candy are rewards and bribes. It’s tempting to use some chocolate to get your child to finish her homework, or take them out for a sundae after earning a high mark. However, associating sugar with the feeling of relief (finishing homework) and pride (getting good grades) has the potential to devalue both the sugary treat and the activity or endeavor. Instead of turning to sweets, consider some potential alternatives. For example, lots of children crave nothing more than honest, effort-focused praise after they’ve done something really noteworthy, just so they know you are really proud. The American Academy of Pediatrics also warns against the growing “tolerance” to candy as bribes and rewards; eventually, children are going to expect bigger and bigger incentives, potentially negating their natural motivation to succeed and feel good about their work.

Another area to reconsider is the use of sweets as a marker of celebrations. Birthdays, sports games, holidays, and family milestones are often defined by a cake or other sugary sweet. Some schools have begun trading in the birthday cupcakes for healthier options, or celebrating in a different way altogether. When your blogger was in elementary school, a school birthday was focused exclusively on the treat, even though there are plenty of other ways to spend those twenty minutes. Maybe the class can snack on some strawberries while the birthday child leads a game of freeze dance. Birthday parties and sports games also seem to be dominated by brightly frosted cupcakes and candy bars, but it’s likely that fruit and popcorn will go over just as well if the kids are really engaged in having a good time with the activities.

Finally, consider changing the culture around “junk food” in your house. Rather than making chocolate and cookies the forbidden food under tight lock and key, make them available just like all the healthy food you’re already offering around the clock. This may seem counter-intuitive at first, but we all know that we crave what we can’t have. Helping kids learn how to balance their nutritional needs and make choices that will make them feel good on the inside is a surefire way to set them up for good eating habits. That doesn’t mean your nine-year-old isn’t going to eat one too many cookies every now and again, but habits are developed throughout our childhoods, and kids will naturally choose foods that their bodies need if all the options are on the table.

If you are considering recalibrating the way your household consumes sweets and treats, don’t forget to be open and honest with every member of the family about it. Even young children can understand the value of nutrition, and we know that they’re much more likely to be on board if they have a voice in the matter.

For more information about some healthier snack options for growing bodies, the American Academy of Pediatrics has published a short guide that may be helpful.

Mindful New Year's Resolutions

In just a few short days, we’ll be celebrating the beginning of a new year and, with that celebration, many of us will be making New Year’s Resolutions.  There are always the old fallback resolutions for adults – the ones that are typically forgotten by the first week of February.  But for kids, the options are endless; they can use the resolution framework to reflect on 2016 and mindfully prepare for 2017.  New Year’s resolutions are an opportunity to practice those meta-cognitive and self-regulatory skills, which we know are important for both academic and personal achievement.

 As you gear up for your family’s celebrations, it may be a good time to guide your children or students in personal reflection.  This is a conversation that could happen around the dinner table, while wrapping presents, as your youngster is gearing up for bedtime, or whenever you all can find a quiet moment together.  It may be helpful to start by helping children and teens recall all that went right in their lives this year, how they’ve grown, and how they have contributed to their own successes.  What went really well for them in 2016?  How did I achieve that success?  What did I improve upon in 2016?  How can I keep up the good work next year?

Once you’ve worked together to find all the successes of the past year, it’s time to brainstorm what might be different in 2017, and how you and your child can prepare for what’s coming next in their personal lives.  Think about what worked, and what didn’t, in 2016 to make a plan for continued success.  What do I want to achieve in 2017?  What tools do I already have to achieve those goals?  What might I need help with to reach those goals?  What’s my contingency plan if I feel like I’m struggling – who are my support system?  

Whatever your goals are for 2017, we hope you have a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year. Our resolution for 2017 is to continue to bring you information that can improve your lives and those of your children, students, and colleagues. We’ve got one more blog for 2016 (our 955th, not that we’re counting) and thank you, our readers, for giving us a reason to read, research, and write for you.

Fun for the Fourth!

Here in New York City, when the public schools don't let out until June 30th, the Fourth of July can tend to sneak up on folks. If you haven't made plans yet for this long holiday weekend, it's not too late to find terrific ways for your family to commemorate our nation's 240th birthday and to celebrate summer. Here are some ideas:

Founding Fathers
The New York Historical Society will kick off its "Summer of Hamilton" celebration on Monday, July 4th, with activities for the entire family. Kids will get to meet "Alexander Hamilton" and ask him about his fascinating life. Admission is free on the 4th for those 17 and under.

Alexander Hamilton

If you are feeling lucky, you can always enter the lottery for $10 tickets (limit 2 per entry) to the Broadway blockbuster Hamilton. The odds of winning are absurdly low; the producers advise that there are more than 10,000 entries for each lottery, but someone has to win...

You can also visit the National Park Service museum at Federal Hall, which sits on the site where George Washington took the oath of office as our first President, and which served as home to the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices when New York was, briefly, the capitol of our country.

And, if you can't locate the terrific 1972 film 1776 in your local broadcast listings, you can stream it from Amazon. Singing founding fathers give real insight into some of the issues facing the Continental Congress on that steamy July in Philadelphia.

Music
If your idea of celebrating includes music, there are performances at South Street Seaport, including family entertainment on the Peck Slip Stage from 1-8 pm.

Brooklyn's newly opened Amphitheater at the Coney Island Boardwalk is featuring the Beach Boys. It's the perfect music to listen to at the beach on a summer evening.

Parades and More
During the American Revolution, 9000 English troops landed on Staten Island. Islanders, being content with their lives under British rule, supported the Loyalists’ cause. One contingent of Loyalist troops was camped in New Blazing Star. It was here on August 22, 1777, that a major skirmish on Staten Island between General George Washington’s Patriots and General William Howe’s Loyalists was fought. This part of the island is now known as Travis and has been holding a Fourth of July parade since 1911.

The Bronx Zoo's Independence Day weekend celebrates the bearded bison, the official American mammal.

And, of course, there will be a fireworks display over the East River, visible from many areas of the City, beginning just after dark.

However you decide to spend the holiday, we wish you a fun, safe, celebration!

Holiday Highlights

Each year before Christmas our blog’s done in rhyme

Some are just awful and others are fine

We like this tradition and hope you do too

As we share this year’s highlights – well, only a few

We’ve spoken to parents; we’ve helped to train teachers

No matter the group, there is one common feature

They all seek to know how each student’s mind

Can best be engaged to help them do fine

 How all students' challenges help shape what they need

And how strengths can be used to engage and succeed

We’ve traveled to schools in all parts of our nation

As part of a project on School Transformation

Along with our colleagues we saw changes in action

And are working to help these ideas to gain traction


We’ve met many students and helped to explain

The strengths and the challenges that make up their brains

Both students and parents were heartened to hear

The steps they could take to improve the school year


We’ve visited schools to observe kids we’ve assessed

Since sometimes the classroom gives the view that’s the best

To see them in class with their teacher and peers

Can give a perspective beyond what we get here


Our work with grad students continues to grow

Future doctors and others find even they need to know

How to use learning strategies to help them to succeed

And master the skills their profession will need

We’re grateful to teachers, to parents, and kids

Who’ve worked with and trusted us and liked what we did

The holidays loom and we’re off ‘til next year

And we wish to you the gifts of  Peace and Good Cheer!

photo credit: asenat29 via flickrcc

The Yellin Center will close between Christmas and New Year's and will re-open on January 4, 2016. We wish you all a happy holiday and look forward to blogging again next year!

Gratitude

It's the day before Thanksgiving, and our thoughts may turn not only to turkey preparation and family travel arrangements but to gratitude. The holiday reminds us to appreciate the harvests on our tables and in our lives. Of course, every day—not just the fourth Thursday of November—offers an opportunity to give thanks. Whether or not this opportunity will be seized, however, seems to be somewhat related to a person’s age.

To be grateful for someone or their actions, one must be able to take that person’s perspective and understand their kind intentionality. This perspective-taking ability, or theory of mind, begins to develop around the ages of three to five; so children younger than this are lacking key building blocks for gratitude. 

After this, however, gratitude may not only grow but become more readily expressed, as language skills develop. This tends to taper off, though, during the adolescent years. Gratitude involves acknowledging a sense of dependency, and this goes against the teenage inclination to assert independence. Adulthood then shifts the gratitude slope in a new direction. 

Research has suggested that as adults age, their brains become less reactive to negative information while equally or even more reactive to positive information. This translates to a generally more positive outlook, which facilitates more gratitude. Psychologists have also noted that accumulated life experience along with a shortened sense of time seem to factor into the increase in gratitude that tends to come with aging.

Photo credit: anjanettew vis flickr cc

Halloween BINGO

Halloween is just around the corner, so we want to share a fun, easy game to play with the kids. It can be played at home in a small group, or at school with the whole class. BINGO is a classic game, and the rules are pretty straightforward. We have, however, included step-by-step instructions to help you brush up on the game play basics. The complete set of game cards can be downloaded, for free, here. There are five different game boards available. We hope you enjoy your Halloween!

Materials Needed

• One bingo card per child
• Materials to mark the bingo cards (e.g. candy, tokens or crayons)
• One set of teacher/parent game pieces

Preparation

• Print out enough game cards so that each player has one
• Gather any markers, chips or candy needed to mark the squares
• Teacher/parent cuts out their game pieces along the dotted line

Directions

• Teacher/parent draws a card and calls it out to the students
• It is helpful to show younger children the picture, in case they aren’t familiar with the Halloween words. In a classroom setting, a projector or smart board works well for this
• Children look at their game card and locate the picture. They then cover the picture if they find it
• First person to complete a row of five (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) wins!
• Alternate way to win: Play blackout, where the entire board must be covered to win

Love Bug Math Game

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, today’s resource is a fun, simple math game I created for young learners. When I first started substitute teaching, I always tried to have my own creative lessons and activities that I could bring with me to classrooms in different grades. I found this left the kids excited to have me, and relieved some of the pressure the classroom teachers felt to ensure they left me full day's plans. However, as a substitute who is trouncing from classroom to classroom you can’t always be lugging around mass quantities of materials, so simple is the best approach. The same logic goes for busy parents with an endless to-do list or a classroom teacher with a variety of competing demands.

This game hits the mark in terms of simplicity. All you need is a set of dice for half the class and the handout, leaving both the prep and needed materials minimal. I used this as an early finisher activity all the way up to grade eight (even the older kids like a break to be a kid now and again) or paired it with a Valentine’s Day picture book to turn it into a math activity for the primary grades. It is a great lesson for number identification for early learners. I always kept the students switching partners, which made this is a great social and interactive activity that fills up the spare moments of time before transitioning to something else.

Materials Needed

• One game board handout per every two students
• Pencils, crayons or markers
• One die per every two students

Instructions

• Partner students or allow them to choose their own
• Hand out one game board and one die to each pair
• Highlight the rules at the top of the page and then explain the rules of the game 

Rules

• Each student will take turns rolling the die
• The student will then look at the number on the die and locate the body part that corresponds to that number
• The student then draws that body part on their side of the game sheet
• Keep taking turns until someone completes their love bug

Happy Holidays from The Yellin Center

Each year before our holiday break, we set aside our serious blogging about learning, education, and related topics and indulge in a bit of poetic fun. This year our holiday blog author is Learning Specialist Lindsay Levy, Ed.M.

It’s just before Christmas

So as per tradition

We offer a rhyme

For some holiday wishin’

As this year concludes

And a new one comes near

We think about time

And the things we hold dear

Every day that goes by

We can learn something new

We’re so glad to help students

To learn as they do

In their time at our Center

They teach us as well

With the thoughts that they share

And the tales that they tell

With the drawings they chalk

On our board in the hall

They share their creations

We value them all

“Oh the thinks they can think!”

(In the fine words of Seuss)

We think of their thinks

And we find no excuse…

Not to give a big THANK-YOU

To all those who raise them

At home, school, and elsewhere

We must stop to praise them

Here’s wishing you all

A most wonderful season

Filled with good cheer

And for very good reason!

The Yellin Center will be closed from Wednesday, December 24th through Thursday, January 1st. We will reopen on Friday, January 2nd. We will, as always, monitor telephone calls to our general number (646-775-6646) and our general email box (info@yellincenter.com). See you in 2015!

Toys for Learning and Development

In our last post we offered gift suggestions for teachers. Today we look at two sources for gifts for children with special learning needs. We hope you find these helpful as you do your holiday shopping!

Learning should and can be fun. Even if learning vulnerabilities exists, it is entirely possible to help develop your child’s skills in an engaging, play-based manner. Toys are an interactive, screen free way to develop and hone critical areas of child development. As a teacher, some of my favorite play-based learning materials came from Melissa and Doug and Plan Toys. This article primarily focuses on toys for special education purposes. However, it is important to note that all children will benefit from play-based developmental learning. So, although these resources are deemed effective for students with diverse learning needs, they will also be beneficial for the overall development of all children.

If you are looking to acquire play based learning materials for your home or classroom, the first resource to explore is Melissa and Doug, an award-winning American toy company that offers an array of toys designed for special needs students as well as typically developing children. The toys detailed in their special education section were selected from Melissa and Doug’s traditional toy line by Dr. Melissa Liguori, for parents and special educators to use develop their students’ unique skills. Melissa and Doug offers toys across a number of developmental categories, including, social and emotional, oral, gross and fine motor skills, cognitive skills, speech and language, life skills and sensory awareness. Beyond detailing each toy, each developmental skill category is also explained by Dr. Liguori and tips are offered on how to implement and utilize the resources available. For an even deeper analysis and more robust skill building tips I found that as an educator the Melissa and Doug Special Needs Toy Guide was an invaluable resource.

Your next resource to explore is Plan Toys, another award winning toy company that prides itself on designing green, sustainable and safe wooden toys for young children. On the Plan Toys website you will find listings of toys that promote learning across different key areas of child development. Many of the categories are similar to Melissa and Doug, and unlike the former there isn’t any additional material on how to implement the resources. However, the materials that Plan toys offers that I have found to be valuable are a variety of their toys for concentration, their sign language alphabet tiles, their braille alphabet tiles and their mood memo toy for helping express emotions.

Learning is fun, and it doesn’t have to look like traditional pencil and paper work. There are a variety of resources and methods to promote skill development while playing. Enjoy exploring all the alternative learning materials available.

Gifts Teachers Really Appreciate

Giving holiday or end-of-year gifts to your child’s teacher is certainly not expected in most schools and may actually be prohibited in some public schools, but when you decide you want to show your gratitude to that extra-special teacher, finding the right gift can be tough. For those occasions when the “#1Teacher” mug or ubiquitous apple just won’t cut it, here are some fresh ideas:

Supplies: Too many teachers use their own paychecks to pay for classroom supplies. Put together a box of assorted classroom essentials like dry erase markers, pencils, sticky notes, staples, and packs of binder paper that are sure to go to good use. Or let the teacher choose his own supplies by presenting him with a gift card to an office supply store. Another idea is to set up a donation page and spread the word among other parents in the class. For example, www.adoptaclassroom.org provides a platform for raising tax-deductible donations that teachers can use for classroom supplies and equipment.

Books: If your child’s teacher maintains a classroom library, donate gently used books your child has outgrown. (If not, the school library may appreciate them; ask the librarian.)

Faculty Lounge Treats: If you’ve got several children at the same school, show your appreciation for all of their teachers, as well as for the administrative staff, by sending a supply of high-quality coffee and an assortment of good tea for the teachers’ lounge. Ask someone who works in the office what kind of coffee machine is available to the teachers to ensure you send something they can use. A fruit or vegetable tray or a fruit bouquet is also a generous gesture.

Customized Stamp: Writing his name in every book that belongs in his classroom is a time-consuming chore for your child’s teacher. Save him precious minutes by giving him a self-inking stamp that will allow him to mark books and other classroom supplies with ease. Most office supply stores will allow you to choose from a variety of customize-able stamps.

Donation of Your Time: Tell your child’s teacher that you appreciate all the work she puts in so much that you’d like to put in a little of your own. Many teachers will leap at the chance to involve another pair of adult hands in a big project or experiment. (If you’re artistic, offer to collect the supplies for an art project and lead it yourself.) Another idea is to offer your help with time-consuming tasks like taking down a classroom display of student art and setting up a new one, designing a display bulletin board, or helping pack up the classroom at the end of the year. A very innovative idea is to ask if the school would allow you cover the teacher’s lunch or recess duty or study hall. The time off will give your child’s teacher the chance to squeeze in some grading or simply relax.

Pampering: Time to one’s self is rare for most busy teachers. A gift card to a local spa for a pedicure or a massage is almost always welcome.

A Night on the Town: If you find yourself with tickets to a concert or sporting event you can’t attend, ask the teacher if she’d like to use them before you try to sell them. Many teachers would also appreciate a gift card to a local restaurant.

A Handwritten Note: Most teachers go into teaching because they dream of making a difference in the lives of children. Let your child’s teacher know he succeeded with a letter that tells him just how much you appreciate him. Include a specific memory, like the way you felt when your child, formerly a reluctant reader, couldn’t stop talking about the book the class was reading. A note from your child (act as scribe if she’s too young to write it herself) would be the icing on the cake. For extra credit, send a copy of your letter, and your child’s note, to the principal. This free “gift” is likely to be the one the teacher will treasure most!

A Holiday Story

It has been our tradition for our last blog of the year to be in rhyme. Today we have updated a blog from 2010.

It was just before Christmas

And all through the town 

The lights were a-twinkle

Both uptown and down.

And here in the office                                                      

We were working away

When outside our windows

There flew an old sleigh.

We couldn't believe it

But then we all jumped.

From the roof right above us

There came a loud thump.

We heard heavy footsteps

And then he was there,      

Red suit and red hat 

And long flowing white hair.

"I'm Santa," he said

As he entered the clinic.

We all rolled our eyes

Like good New York cynics.

"I've got gifts for all students

(you don't need to believe)

But let me bestow them 

Before I must leave.

"For the youngest I've got books

To read with mom and pop,

Since once they become readers, 

The habit won't stop.

"For older kids, apps

That will help them learn math

And set them upon

A better school path.

"For high schoolers,  Smartpens

And a book filled with knowledge

About how kids who struggle

Can find the right college."

For teachers I've brought strategies

To use when they teach

To help every student

Their potential to reach

We said, "What about us?

We don't want to nag,

But don't you have something 

For us in your bag?"

Santa gave a big smile 

And packed up to go.

"You've all had the gift

Of the students you know.

"The great satisfaction

Of helping them grow

And making them realize 

Just how much they know

"You all need to realize

Your gift's what you do...."

And as he departed,

We knew that was true!

**********

The Yellin Center will close between Christmas and New Year's and will re-open on January 2, 2014. We wish you all a happy holiday and look forward to blogging again next year!

Celebrating Independence Day with Family in NYC

As the long holiday weekend begins, and travelers leave New York City for the beach and country, there are still plenty of meaningful ways for you and your children to celebrate the 237th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence right here in New York.

You probably won't make the last day of the New York Public Library's brief exhibition of a copy of the Declaration of Independence, written in Thomas Jefferson's own hand, and one of the remaining original copies of the Bill of Rights, which closes today at 4 pm., but you can visit The New York Historical Society to see their exhibit  "From Colony to Nation: 200 Years of American Painting", which is open (and free for those 18 and under) on Thursday, July 4th.

Photo: Tom Check

The Statue of Liberty re-opens to the public on July 4th after post-Hurricane Sandy repairs (Ellis Island suffered more serious damage and remains closed) but tickets to Liberty Island from Manhattan are sold out until later in the month. As an alternative, consider a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry, which offers views of the statue and lower Manhattan and is always a treat for kids of all ages. The Ferry operates on a holiday schedule on July 4th. While you are on Staten Island -- and since you have to get off of the ferry for the return ride -- you might want to hop a bus to join the celebration in Historic Richmond Town. 

The Children's Museum of Manhattan is open on the 4th and is celebrating by encouraging kids of all ages to construct a Lady Liberty sculpture. 

For those who like to spend the holiday at home, you can always set your DVR for the annual showing of the musical film 1776, which is being broadcast on Turner Classic Movies at 1:30 am on July 4th, as well as being available through other movie services. There is plenty of interesting history set out between the entertaining musical numbers and something
the entire family will enjoy.

Happy Holidays from The Yellin Center

It’s the day before Christmas

And each year at this time
We have a tradition
Of blogging in rhyme

It’s also the last blog
We’re writing this year
As we take some time off
For holiday cheer

But before we adjourn
Until January 2
We want to say “thank you”
To each one of you

To our loyal blog audience
That seeks news and ideas
We’re grateful you followed us
All through the year

A thank you to teachers
Who have worked with our team
Supporting their students
Helping them reach their dream

We also appreciate
The dozens of schools
Who sought out The Yellin Center
For training and tools

To the families who see us
For evaluation and support
We’re thankful you let us
Assess and report

We promise to continue
To be there for you
With strategies, guidance, and
Advocacy too

So thanks to you all
For a wonderful year
And we wish you a holiday
Full of good cheer!

Photo: CC by Bob Jagendorf

A Meaningful Thanksgiving

Whether your ideal Thanksgiving is a hearty home-cooked meal around a table filled with family and friends, or a dinner out at a favorite restaurant, or serving food to others at a shelter, Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, transcending culture, region, and religion.

It has also become a day to shop, with many stores open on Thanksgiving itself, and others open in the very early morning hours of the following day.

Whatever your plan for this year, we hope you will take some time to remember what this holiday is all about. Parents and teachers can use video links from publisher Scholastic's website to access stories about the trip on the Mayflower, the life of the Pilgrims, and the first Thanksgiving feast. Last year at this time, our blog featured a number of Thanksgiving book recommendations, and you might want to take another look at the list. If you want to help others this Thanksgiving and beyond, you can check out the websites of New York Cares or look through the list of organizations involved in Hurricane Sandy relief.

The Yellin Center will be closed on Thursday and Friday of this week, as our team celebrates the holiday with their families.

We wish all of our patients and readers a Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo CC by Lizard10970

Holiday Gifts

It’s become a tradition

Our annual poem

Before we adjourn 

To spend holidays at home 

We’ve gifts to distribute 

To students and schools 

Who we know can be helped 

By these wonderful tools

For youngsters who stumble 

With numbers and math 

The “FunWay” book series 

Can help ease their path 

When attention’s the problem 

And kids struggle to cope 

The book Hunter’s Remote

Can help give them hope

For memory issues 

The smartpen is grand 

It records when you write 

To keep lectures at hand

And kids of all ages 

Can find Inspiration

To help them to organize 

Any creation 

What about teachers 

Who need stuff for their class? 

The site Donors Choose

Can help bring that to pass

For City school parents 

In bureaucracy’s maze 

The site InsideSchools 

Can help brighten your days

At the risk of a claim of self-aggrandizement 

We also must note (in a small advertisement) 

That for struggling students 

The best gift of all 

Might just be to click or to give us a call. 

The Yellin Center will be closed for our holiday break from December 26, 2011, re-opening on Tuesday, January 3, 2012. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year!

Photo used under Creative Commons by asenat29