• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Family MattersPractical Parenting Blog

  • Home
  • Series
  • About Ronit Baras
  • Books by Ronit Baras
    • Motivating Kids
    • Be Special, Be Yourself for Teenagers
    • Reflections
    • In the Outback with Jasmine Banks
    • The Will
    • * Your Cart
    • * Secure Checkout
  • Contact
    • Join Us

Home » education / learning

education / learning Tag

Posts tagged 'education / learning'

Formal vs. Informal Learning: Which is The Best During COVID-19?

Girl with mask saying 'Welcome back to school'

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents ask themselves if formal education is enough to give their kids what they need. What was normal before COVID-19 is not the same now. I suggest informal learning instead.

I believe many good things came out of COVID-19. For example, some of my nephews blossomed with remote learning. Unfortunately, some of them, who had been brilliant students before, just collapsed.

Lately, the parents of many of the children I coach told me of real challenges at home. I believe this difficult period highlights challenges each family already had before. The uncertainty, the restrictions, the financial burden, and the isolation just added more pressure into the system and the system no longer copes.

Read Formal vs. Informal Learning: Which is The Best During COVID-19? »

Published: December 2, 2020 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 2, 2020In: Parenting, Education / Learning Tags: social skills, k-12 education, health / wellbeing, education / learning, emotional development, practical parenting / parents, school, emotional intelligence

The Truth about Why We Send Our Kids to School

Girl looking up from school work

There is a point in every parent’s journey where you ask yourself, “Why do I send my kids to school?” Over the last 33 years, I’ve worked with many parents. And I can tell you that most of them didn’t have a good answer to this question.

Have you ever reached this point in your parenting?

What was your answer?

Read The Truth about Why We Send Our Kids to School »

Published: September 30, 2020 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: September 30, 2020In: Parenting, Education / Learning Tags: choice, motivation, society, k-12 education, education / learning, practical parenting / parents, school, success

The Power of Bilingualism

The word Hello in multiple languages

My introduction to learning languages and bilingualism happened 24 years ago, when we moved to Texas, USA, and our daughter started to learn English. As a Special Education teacher, I knew she would be fine, but as a mother, I was scared, because at the age of 4, with the language of a 10 year old, I was afraid she would be left behind.

She wasn’t!

Since then, I have been working with inspiring people who specialize in language acquisition and with many children of migrants around the world. I have learned that parents and teachers play an important role in supporting language development. If they understand the challenges and consider the myths around language, they can help kids with healthy language acquisition.

Read The Power of Bilingualism »

Published: March 8, 2017 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: February 27, 2020In: Education / Learning, Parenting Tags: family matters, k-12 education, cultural, kids / children, education / learning, practical parenting / parents, teaching / teachers, communication, early childhood, language, generation gap

How to Turn off Children’s Creativity

Girl with disheveled hair looking worried

As an educator and a mother, I believe in the importance of developing children’s creativity. My first real job as an educator was in a very special project, called “Creative Thinking”. It was a very important part in my career and in forming my philosophy.

I think this is the reason creativity is such a high value for me. I have written a lot about creativity and how to “turn it on”. But today, I would like to give some negative examples of ways you can turn it off, just as easily as you can turn it on.

Please check if your relationships with your children or students include any of these things. If so, this may be limiting their creativity and future success.

Read How to Turn off Children’s Creativity »

Published: February 15, 2017 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 26, 2019In: Parenting, Kids / Children, Education / Learning Tags: creative / creativity, focus, education / learning, success, expectation, emotional intelligence, practical parenting / parents, teaching / teachers, control, change, k-12 education, attitude, kids / children, acceptance / judgment / tolerance

Education System on Trial and Found Guilty

Court gavel

Until I studied Education, I had not questioned the education system. I do not think I’d had the tools to question it. But by the time I graduated (in Special Education), I had realized something was wrong. It was easy to see this while working with kids who were different (both gifted and those with learning difficulties).

Why?

Because special education kids did not fit into the “education box” and the school system did not cater for them. It got worse when I realized, thanks to my amazingly wonderful teachers, that the system just did not care for any of the kids, because every child is special and different in some way. The system cared for itself.

It was devastating!

Read Education System on Trial and Found Guilty »

Published: February 9, 2017 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: November 9, 2021In: Education / Learning, Parenting Tags: learning disabilities, society, k-12 education, video, academic performance, acceptance / judgment / tolerance, behavior / discipline, education / learning, special education, practical parenting / parents, school, change

How to Stop Bullying with Empathy: The Story of Two Apples

2 apples

Bullying is an epidemic. It touches every part of our life and children are very vulnerable to bullying, because they do not have the tools to prevent it.

From the bully’s point of view, bullying is an act of fear. When the bullies feels inferior for some reason, they search for someone weak to pick on, in an attempt to feel better about themselves. Therefore, the best way to prevent bullying is to develop confidence and for children, this is still work in progress (it is work in progress for grownups too, but children are just at the beginning of this process).

What we need to change the world from bullying to respect and collaboration is empathy. As parents and educators, we can develop empathy in easy and effective ways.

This post is part 35 of 35 in the series Bullying

Read How to Stop Bullying with Empathy: The Story of Two Apples »

Published: February 2, 2017 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: March 18, 2021In: Education / Learning Tags: acceptance / judgment / tolerance, self confidence / self esteem / self worth, empathy, education / learning, practical parenting / parents, school, how to, change, perception, bullying

How to Develop Kids’ Thinking: Ask the Right Questions

Little girl meditating

Parents often ask me how to develop kids’ thinking, so that they grow up to be successful and happy. My answer is: ask the right questions.

Beliefs form the boundaries around our thinking. They separate between what we think we can and cannot do. What we believe we can do is within the boundaries of our thinking. We call these “empowering beliefs”. What we think we cannot do is outside the boundaries of our thinking. We call these “limiting beliefs”.

We are all limited in the way we think. Why? Because we do not know what we do not know. Think of the brain as a map we design from the moment we are born. We are exposed to many things and form beliefs that we use to navigate life.

Read How to Develop Kids’ Thinking: Ask the Right Questions »

Published: February 1, 2017 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 22, 2022In: Parenting, Education / Learning Tags: kids / children, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, education / learning, focus, practical parenting / parents, how to, beliefs, empowerment, change, perception, k-12 education, questions

Disrespectful Behavior is a Mirror: Talk With Kids, Not At Them

A handshake surrounded by the word respect

“Kids today are very disrespectful” is a common phrase I have heard a lot lately. Parents and teachers are very frustrated about this issue of respect. When children exhibit disrespectful behavior, they get into lots of conflicts and trouble and their ability to learn and absorb information is limited.

Respect is a very popular topic at home and at school. Most parents and teachers demand respect and by that, they do not understand that respect is earned and works like a mirror. When your behavior is disrespectful towards children, they will have no respect for you either.

Read Disrespectful Behavior is a Mirror: Talk With Kids, Not At Them »

Published: November 10, 2016 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: November 9, 2021In: Parenting, Education / Learning Tags: conflict, teaching / teachers, k-12 education, compassion, video, kids / children, teens / teenagers, acceptance / judgment / tolerance, behavior / discipline, school, personal development / personal growth / personality development / self improvement, role model, education / learning, relationships / marriage, practical parenting / parents

Experiences, not Possessions: How to Best Spend Money on Your Kids

Baras family in Thailand

If you wonder how to give your kids the best life possible, do not buy them things. Instead, give them great, exciting experiences. Research shows they will remember special events and adventures longer and relive the joy and excitement again and again.

We live in a world of abundance. If you want to understand how much you have today, all you need to do is think of how your life would have been 50 years ago. I like asking myself, “What did my parents not have 50 years ago that I (or my kids) have today?” It is a good lesson in perspective.

Unfortunately, not every person who asks this question reaches the same conclusion. Some people feel grateful and other feel fear. Grateful people, who feel that they are fortunate, tend to appreciate what they have and care for it. Fearful people panic and start to accumulate things. No matter how much they accumulate, they are never happy. Fear takes away the joy of what they already have.

Read Experiences, not Possessions: How to Best Spend Money on Your Kids »

Published: November 3, 2016 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 26, 2019In: Parenting Tags: lifestyle, vacation, fun, education / learning, school, practical parenting / parents, money, how to, holidays, travel, happiness, memory

Reading Challenges: Children with Weak Visual Perception

Eye

There are many possible causes for kids’ reading challenges. Sometimes, the kids need to deal with such overwhelming emotions they cannot learn anything, including reading. Other time, the teacher is not teaching how to read properly (yes, you will be surprised how many kids cannot read because their teachers did not teach them how to read properly).

However, some children have reading challenges due to their weak visual ability. This means that their brain is wired so that they are not very good at absorbing and processing visual input. It is important to understand that this is a brain function and has nothing to do with eyesight.

Many parents think that when their kids cannot read, we just need to read with them more, but that is not the case. It is like giving someone who cannot hold a pen different kinds of pens to solve the problem. Yes, reading more brings some benefit, but a weak visual ability requires stimulating the visual perception at a more basic level. Once this is done, reading becomes easier and more natural and no longer frustrates the child.

Strong visual perception is essential for good decoding and memory of symbols. Reading requires mostly visual perception to analyze and memorize, and some auditory support for non-basic words.

Read Reading Challenges: Children with Weak Visual Perception »

Published: August 23, 2016 by Ronit Baras
Last modified: December 26, 2019In: Parenting, Education / Learning Tags: special education, tips, how to, education / learning, visual, practical parenting / parents, learning disabilities, perception, reading, activity, k-12 education, academic performance, literacy, vision, kids / children

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 22
  • Go to Next Page »

Get Happiness by Email

Sign up to receive posts by email and get my free mini-course Seven Emails with Seven Secrets for Seven Weeks to boost your personal development




    Join Us on Social Media

    Facebook logo Twitter logo Linkedin logo Pinterest logo RSS feed icon

    Books by Ronit Baras

    • What motivates your child? Read Motivating Kids by Ronit Baras Motivating Kids From: $9.95
    • Reflections by Ronit Baras Reflections From: $5.99
    • Be Special Be Yourself for Teenagers by Ronit Baras Be Special, Be Yourself for Teenagers From: $5.99
    • In the Outback with Jasmine Banks by Ronit Baras In the Outback with Jasmine Banks From: $5.99
    • The Will by Ronit Baras The Will From: $5.99

    Be Happy in LIFE logo
    Book your private life coaching with Ronit Baras and learn how to be happy in life

    Girl speaking at student leadership programLeaders are not born. They are made. Bring this Student Leadership Program to your primary school or high school and you will create a community of empowered, inspired student leaders, parents and teachers.

    Related Links

    • Be Happy in LIFE – Life Coaching
    • Noff Baras – Screen Actor & Model
    • Personal Growth Web
    • The Motivational Speaker
    • Tsoof Baras – percussionist, composer and producer

    Primary Sidebar

    Your Cart

    Speaker Bookings

    Ronit Baras - Practical Parenting Blogger
    Book Ronit as a Speaker for Your event »

    Ready to be happy?

    Happy woman holding a cup in the snow
    Be empowered and set your spirit free!

    Engage Ronit as Your Life Coach »

    Give to Receive

    Kiva - loans that change lives

    Contact Us · Subscribe · Terms of Use / Privacy Statement · Return & Refund Policy · Sitemap

    Copyright © 2025 Be Happy in LIFE · Built and powered by Get Business Online

    Secure HTTPS

    • Home
    • Series
    • About Ronit Baras
    • Books by Ronit Baras
      ▼
      • Motivating Kids
      • Be Special, Be Yourself for Teenagers
      • Reflections
      • In the Outback with Jasmine Banks
      • The Will
      • * Your Cart
      • * Secure Checkout
    • Contact
      ▼
      • Join Us