Raising Decent, Secure, and Happy Kids

Francesca Rheannon — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:39:08 +0000

Kim John Payne

Rafe Esquith

Celebrated elementary school teacher Rafe Esquith talks about his book, Lighting Their Fires: Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up World. And we talk with educator and therapist Kim John Payne about Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier and More Secure Kids.

Raising Extraordinary Children in a Mixed-up World

At a time when charter schools are taking over public schools, and public schools in poor communities sink ever deeper into crisis, there’s at least one classroom in one school in central Los Angeles that’s bucking the tide.

The school is Hobart Elementary and the classroom belongs to teacher Rafe Esquith. His kids come from homes where English is not the native language; where parents struggle to put food on the table and pay the rent. But his students excel against the odds, not only on standardized tests, but also in their dedication to hard work and learning. And some great literature. Some of you may have seen the PBS documentary about Esquith and his school project, The Hobart Shakespeareans. But his work with kids goes far beyond putting on great plays. He uses music, literature, and sports to teach his kids the basics: not just reading and math, but character and decency.

Rafe Esquith is the author of several books, including the best sellers written for teachers, and . His new book for parents is LIGHTING THEIR FIRES. Rafe Esquith is the only teacher ever awarded the National Medal of the Arts.

The Hobart Shakespeareans in Shakespeare’s A Merchant of Venice.

Simplicity Parenting

Kim John Payne says kids are being traumatized by what he calls the four pillars of too much: too much stuff, information, too many choices, and lives that are moving too fast. He says every kid has their quirks, but if you add constant and cumulative stress to a child’s life, their quirks become disorders. Disorders like ADHD or obsessive compulsive disorder. His book, , shows how parents can bring their kids back to a more balanced, less disordered way of being that honors their individual personalities.

Kim John Payne has been counseling teachers, parents and children for 24 years about behavior at home and school. He’s the Director of the Waldorf Collaborative Counseling program at Antioch University New England. www.antiochne.edu He’s also a founding member of the Alliance for Childhood.

Web-only extra: Listen to the full interview with Kim John Payne.

Kim John Payne on information overload:

It’s Getting Spooky Out! The Halloween Show

Francesca Rheannon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:25:54 +0000

Allan Kronzek

John Connolly

Irish mystery writer John Connolly tells us about his new spine-tingling and funny bone-tickling thriller for smart teens, THE GATES. And we air an archived interview with magician Alan Kronzek about THE SORCERER’S COMPANION, A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter.

The Gates of Hell Are About To Open, Want To Peek?

It’s that time of year again to turn away from the really scary things, like war, climate change and economic meltdowns to the lighter side of horror. Our first guest today is John Connolly. Best known for his Charlie Parker series, Connolly has also written a number of books that dip into the spookier side of fantasy fiction. One is , about a young boy who finds the characters in his books have come to life.

Connolly’s newest addition to that genre is . He jokingly calls it “a book about satanism for kids” — older kids, ages 12 and up. Grownups can enjoy it too, as I did. It reminded me of my own childhood fantasy favorites, like Edward Eager’s Half Magic, Edward Ormondroyd’s David and the Phoenix, and the Chronicles of Narnia of CS Lewis.

[sniplet amazon search]

Although THE GATES is in that vein of magical adventure, it’s more of a tongue-in-cheek romp through horror. It also has a smattering of fascinating facts about science and religion throughout.

An intrepid young boy, his spunky dachshund, and a soft-hearted demon named Nurd save the world from an invasion from Hell. It all happens when young Samuel Johnson notices some strange goings-on at a house in the neighborhood, 666 Crowley Road. It’s all the fault of the *Large Hadron Collider in Cern, Switzerland, which has opened a crack in space-time to let through a very nasty advance party sent by the Great Malevolence himself.

A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter

Performance magician Alan Kronzek really likes the Harry Potter series. He also knows a lot of magic lore, including the Philosophers Stone, shamanism, wizards, alchemists, basilisks and manticores. He talks with us about these and the connection between magic and religion and magic and science. He’s the author of the bestselling book, .

And check out our Halloween Book Picks For Kids (and Grownups!).

Writers Voice » kids