The core values of the The San Francisco School are Community, Diversity and Culture. Promoting these values extends beyond students to our broader parent community through the Parent Education program. This year, the school has partnered with two organizations SPEAK and Common Sense Media to bring enrichment opportunities to our families. SPEAK is a coalition of Bay Area K-8 independent schools whose mission is to enhance parent education through speaker series. SFS is also partnering with Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization that provides education and advocacy to families to promote safe technology and media for children. SFS Parent Education topics this year will cover social media & technology, math education & growth mindset, social-emotional learning and relationships, and brain science.
Last year’s parent ed series, featured Miguel Lopez, Professor of Multicultural Literature and Teacher Education at California State University. He presented a four-part series entitled “Literary World Cafe”. Miguel is a powerful advocate for inspiring passion for learning through literature. He spoke to parents and teachers on diversity, social justice, and democracy, and demonstrated how they can be cultivated through reading. Miguel developed a summer reading list with diversity at its center, and brought parents ideas into the mix through facilitated workshopping in small groups.
Rate. Educate. Advocate. Many people know CSM for their movie and game ratings. Supporting missions are to educate on digital literacy, and to advocate for children through legislation. Early this October, Eisha Buch from Common Sense Media led an engaging conversation around the question, “How can we build awareness of what we need to know for our children?” with the goal being to keep our kids safe and supported in their media choices. The SFS/CSM partnership gives parents access to a bounty of resources, among them an entire K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum. CSM reports that adolescents are looking for connectivity, identity, and peer validation. One teen said, “I’m not addicted to tech, I’m addicted to my friends.” Eisha offered ways to approach the topic w/ kids, “Don’t be judgmental, focus on reflection, ask them what’s their favorite app.” She stressed the need to be transparent, model trust, and avoid a power play and recommends working together on creating “no device” challenges at home. “Device free dinner” is a great place to start.
Future parent education nights will feature Jo Boaler who’ll be speaking on her book “Mathematical Mindsets.” Jo is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University and internationally recognized expert on teaching mathematics. This event will take place Tuesday, October 25, from 7:00-9:00 PM at Chinese American International School. Admission for SFS families is free. Winter and Spring parent education opportunities will include a talk with Rosalind Wiseman, expert on bullying, ethical leadership, the use of social media, and media literacy, and a presentation by Dr. Melina Uncapher co-director of the UCSF Educational Neuroscience Lab, and one of the leading voices on the science of learning, talking about what neuroscience tells us about raising and educating children.
Last year’s parent ed series, featured Miguel Lopez, Professor of Multicultural Literature and Teacher Education at California State University. He presented a four-part series entitled “Literary World Cafe”. Miguel is a powerful advocate for inspiring passion for learning through literature. He spoke to parents and teachers on diversity, social justice, and democracy, and demonstrated how they can be cultivated through reading. Miguel developed a summer reading list with diversity at its center, and brought parents ideas into the mix through facilitated workshopping in small groups.
Rate. Educate. Advocate. Many people know CSM for their movie and game ratings. Supporting missions are to educate on digital literacy, and to advocate for children through legislation. Early this October, Eisha Buch from Common Sense Media led an engaging conversation around the question, “How can we build awareness of what we need to know for our children?” with the goal being to keep our kids safe and supported in their media choices. The SFS/CSM partnership gives parents access to a bounty of resources, among them an entire K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum. CSM reports that adolescents are looking for connectivity, identity, and peer validation. One teen said, “I’m not addicted to tech, I’m addicted to my friends.” Eisha offered ways to approach the topic w/ kids, “Don’t be judgmental, focus on reflection, ask them what’s their favorite app.” She stressed the need to be transparent, model trust, and avoid a power play and recommends working together on creating “no device” challenges at home. “Device free dinner” is a great place to start.
Future parent education nights will feature Jo Boaler who’ll be speaking on her book “Mathematical Mindsets.” Jo is a Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University and internationally recognized expert on teaching mathematics. This event will take place Tuesday, October 25, from 7:00-9:00 PM at Chinese American International School. Admission for SFS families is free. Winter and Spring parent education opportunities will include a talk with Rosalind Wiseman, expert on bullying, ethical leadership, the use of social media, and media literacy, and a presentation by Dr. Melina Uncapher co-director of the UCSF Educational Neuroscience Lab, and one of the leading voices on the science of learning, talking about what neuroscience tells us about raising and educating children.
