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	<title>Root Parenting - Early child development research and insights</title>
	<link>http://rootparenting.org</link>
	<description>Early childhood development thoughts and research.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:01:41 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Education System Pushes Kids to Read Too Early</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Many countries including Canada and the US put an overly  high priority on teaching kids to read by age 6 or even earlier.   However, in many European countries including Scandanavia, kids are not rushed into ready until 8 or even 9 years old.  US programs such as &#8220;No Child Left Behind&#8221; force-feeds young children books and then tests them on their abilities, both of which can have very negative affects.  Children who are told to read more books, and recall them in detail are less likely to develop a passion for reading, and enjoy reading as an activity later in life.  Some young readers will even quickly see themselves as bad at reading when they fail to measure up during testing.  Brain research clearly ...]]></description>
		<link>http://rootparenting.org/public-education-system-pushes-kids-to-read-too-early/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>Kim John Payne Talk: The Soul of Discipline</title>
		<description><![CDATA[
I was very lucky to attend a local event where we had Kim John Payne (see http://www.simplicityparenting.com) come to give a talk on child discipline. Kim has a Masters degree in education and has been a school counselor, adult educator, consultant, researcher, educator and a private family counselor for twenty seven years. He regularly gives key note addresses at international conferences for educators, parents, and therapists and runs workshops and training’s around the world. Our event was sponsored by our local Waldorf School here in Nelson, B.C..
Kim started off with a clarification on the word &#8220;discipline&#8221;.  It really comes from the word &#8220;disciple&#8221; which means &#8220;to be followed&#8221;.  This underscores the importance of how parents must set an example for their kids, who are constant imitators ...]]></description>
		<link>http://rootparenting.org/kim-john-payne-talk-summary-the-soul-of-discipline/</link>
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		<title>Homeschooled Kids Less Dependent on Peers</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Homeschooling (also called &#8220;home education&#8221; in the UK or &#8220;home learning&#8221; elsewhere) is exploding in popularity in North America.  Some factors include more &#8220;stay at home&#8221; families who work remotely, and have more flexibility with travelling while checking in via Internet.  Others say this is a reaction to help children avoid the peer pressures of sex, drugs and alcohol which is more pervasive at a younger age in the public system.  Whatever it is, academically and socially, it&#8217;s benefitting children who school at home.
Internationally, 9 to 10 years of compulsory education is required in most countries, starting from age 5 or 6.  One notable exception is Germany, however, where homeschooling is illegal (and has been since 1930).  This is somewhat ironic, since Germany is the ...]]></description>
		<link>http://rootparenting.org/homeschooled-kids-less-dependent-on-peers/</link>
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		<title>5 Unique Benefits of Waldorf Education</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Many parents I know too quickly dismiss Waldorf education for their children before investing any significant amount of time to understand it.  The debate between public and private systems is a highly divisive issue.  Often the decision is an economic one, but I&#8217;ve found that like anything in life, if you are willing to spend a little time learning the ideology behind a new concept or idea, you will be rewarded.  We&#8217;ve found this with Waldorf.  First however, parents have to put their own ingrained and traditional biases and sometimes even egos aside, and think of what is best for our children&#8217;s needs and development, not our own.  Things that we enjoyed as a child such as television, electronics and branded plastic toys ...]]></description>
		<link>http://rootparenting.org/5-unique-benefits-of-waldorf-education/</link>
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		<title>Ken Robinson on how School Kills Creativity</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This video below is one of my all time favourites.  Creativity expert Ken Robinson speaks in such an eloquent, and comedic way that entertains and informs.  His premise is that school is still oriented far too much towards preparing workers for the industrial revolution, rather than giving children essential tools such as creativity and problem solving.
&#8220;Creativity is as important as literacy&#8221; in our education system, he says.  &#8221;We are educating people out of their creativity&#8221;.  He has advised the British government on Education issues, and was even knighted for his efforts.  I&#8217;ve also read his book entitled &#8220;The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything&#8221;.
Watch this video on YouTube
]]></description>
		<link>http://rootparenting.org/ken-robinson-on-how-school-kills-creativity/</link>
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