KidsLearn with Prof. Suki

I bet you think you know what success is. We all do, right? It’s not like every little kid doesn’t learn the meaning of that word. But in every culture, words have both their the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word,phrase, idiom, etc., as found in dictionaries" href="https://sukiwessling.com/kidblog/glossary/definition/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">definition and their connotation. The the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word,phrase, idiom, etc., as found in dictionaries" href="https://sukiwessling.com/kidblog/glossary/definition/" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">definition of “success” is “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” Easy, right? The connotation is much harder to explain, though. What’s a connotation? Google tells me that a connotation is “an idea or feeling that a word invokes … Read the rest! The post What is success? first appeared on KidsLearn.

When you were a baby, you knew how to learn. Think of everything you learned in the first few years of your life! Wikipedia But then you got older and suddenly it seemed like learning was different. You were supposed to study. What’s that about? It … Read the rest! The post Learn like a baby first appeared on KidsLearn.

I had a realization at some point which was really helpful: I don’t really know what I think about something until I write about it. I wondered why that is, and I came up with four reasons! Writing puts thoughts into a concrete form Thoughts—what are they made of? That depends on whether you want … Read the rest! The post Learning to write = learning to think first appeared on KidsLearn.

You probably know each of these words separately: Media refers to all the forms of information that we access, from TV shows to newspapers to books and what we call “social” media—interactive online media. Hygiene is keeping yourself clean. These two words together sum up an approach that I think will help all of us be happier, better-informed, more productive human beings. Media includes entertainment and information The two major reasons for accessing media are entertainment and information. You can … Read the rest! The post What is “media hygiene”? first appeared on KidsLearn.

One of the things that my book club students often notice in children’s books is the Dead or Missing Parent Syndrome. In one class, we read: Danny, Champion of the WorldDragon RiderSecret GardenCharmed LifeAirbornKing and the Dragonfly … Read the rest! The post Why are authors so MEAN to their characters? first appeared on KidsLearn.

It’s been all over the news, and maybe you’ve even tried it out: You can now ask AI bots to do your homework, write an essay, compose a note to Grandma, explain the history of skateboarding… pretty much anything! Sounds nifty, doesn’t it? So why not use it to do all your work for you? I can give you three reasons to do your own work! Reason #1: Doing the work yourself is how you learn Have you watched a … Read the rest! The post Should you use AI to do your homework? first appeared on KidsLearn.

Bad things happen. Life can be hard. Sometimes it seems as if all the news is bad, and everyone you know has a complaint. First, let’s get this straight: Acknowledging challenges is not a problem. In the past, kids were encouraged to pretend that everything was just fine. We had phrases like “suck it up” and “be a man” and “don’t rock the boat.” But our culture has changed. We now know that it’s good to express emotions. It’s good … Read the rest! The post The hazards of focusing on the negative first appeared on KidsLearn.

One thing that all people—not just kids!—have trouble with is habits. We all have trouble forming good habits We all have trouble getting rid of bad habits Why? Habits are all in your brain First of all, let’s understand what a habit is. A habit is a pathway in your brain that’s nice and comfy and slick like a Slip-n-Slide on a hot summer day. Your brain jumps on that habit pathway without any conscious thought. If we didn’t have … Read the rest! The post A note about habits first appeared on KidsLearn.

I can hear what you’re thinking already: Prof. Suki’s a writing teacher and she made a typo? Nope, freewriting is a single word, even if spell checker doesn’t like it! Freewriting is a writing technique that writers use the way athletes use stretching. A runner doesn’t stretch to win a race—they stretch to get their muscles ready to win the race. Writers use freewriting to stretch out their brains, to free up their thoughts. In freewriting, you don’t worry about … Read the rest! The post What is freewriting? first appeared on KidsLearn.

I assigned the book King and the Dragonflies to my students, but in some places they might not be able to get this book from their school library, or maybe even their public library. Why? This is a complicated question! The people who want books banned (such as parents and politicians) might have a different opinion from the people who are told to ban them (such as librarians, school administrators, and teachers). People who want to ban books certainly have … Read the rest! The post Why do adults ban books from school libraries? first appeared on KidsLearn.