Miss Lori wants you to join the READING Eggs National Learn-To-Read Challenge
August 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
“National Learn-to-Read Challenge” Launches August 16
Children’s Television Personality and Celebrated Mom Blogger Miss Lori Helps Kids Get Excited About Reading through Educational Online Games
(June 16, 2010) Beginning on August 16 and continuing until through September 30, 2010, Blake Publishing and Reading Eggs will launch the first-ever “National Learn-to-Read Challenge.” For six weeks, children from the ages of 3 to 7 will be able to sign up for free, at ABCReadingEggs.com (www.readingeggs.com), and participate in this national literacy event for youngsters. (Sign up today at Reading Eggs.com for a free trial using the access code “MISSLORI”.) [Read more...]
Miss Lori is trying not to succumb to the back to school push
August 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
You know why August gets on my nerves? Because I feel like the World is rushing me through it. “How,” you ask? By talking incessantly about going back to school. Now I realize that there are many unfortunate souls who actually have to return to the hallowed halls of learning in this crazy, hot, ultra Summer month. And I truly feel for them. I actually think it is criminal that any child has to goto school in August. ( I am sporting a “FREE the kids” t-shirt as opposed to a “Free Steven Slater” T-shirt.) But that is a bigger nut to chew. So, for our purposes here, I am going to focus on my children and my plight. [Read more...]
Miss Lori encourages you to nudge your representatives on Arts Advocacy Day
April 13, 2010 By 1 Comment
Today is National Arts Advocacy Day. A day when we should all nudge our representatives reminding them how important the arts are to our children, our communities, our development as a creative supportive, diverse society. Below is a sample letter, or you can write one of your own. Whatever the words just get them to policy makers in Washington. Don’t let them forget that our country was founded by people who were willing to think outside the box, and dream of a brighter future. Such initiative is fostered by an arts rich, soulful society. [Read more...]Miss Lori echoes First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to action at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll
April 5, 2010 By 1 Comment
Today is Easter Monday and that means it’s time for the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. Over 14,500 hard boiled eggs have been decorated and are ready for duty on the White House South Lawn. There are 135,000 commemorative eggs with both the President’s and First Lady’s signatures on them. Thousands of people vied for to earn one of the coveted tickets that were issued through a lottery. It’ going to be a glorious day. But what makes me the happiest is the theme of this years’ festivities. Ready Set Go! It’s in line with Michelle Obama’s initiative as first lady to fight childhood obesity with her new Let’s Move campaign. now those of you familiar with my own mission of the last several years will absolutely understand why this makes me so happy. Even before my award winning first album in 2007, “Music ‘n Movement TOGETHER!” 
I was talking about getting kids to “Move, Groove and Grow” through my Miss Lori’s CAMPUS classes here in Chicago. Coincidentally I first started teaching my platform at the dance school that the Obama children attended while living here. Michelle and I actually met during an exercise class at the studio. [Read more...]
Chuck Holton, a quiet National hero disguised in Daddy clothing
February 24, 2010 By 8 Comments
When I was growing up we did a few projects at school where they would ask you to name what you parents did for a living. Answering about my Mom was easy, she was a therapist. I always new that. Heck anyone could figure that out just by talking to her for 5 minutes because invariably you would start telling her your life story. She just has that way about her. But my father, well that was a little more difficult. You see, what I knew about my father’s job was that he got up and went to work early in the morning, and came home fairly regularly around 530 at night. Usually I only saw him fleetingly for dinner just before I would rush out the door with my mother and sister to an evening dance class or rehearsal. But nevertheless I did have an answer for people who asked what my father did. He gave away the free cheese! See in Wisconsin there was this program that gave away free cheese to people in need. And though I didn’t know much else about my father’s job, I did know that he had something to do with that program. As I got older I finally got a real title for my father. He was the Regional Director for Health and Social Services for the State of Wisconsin. I still didn’t know exactly what that meant, but it was a great title!
That was his present while I was growing up. His past was something a little more colorful, but truthfully still elusive. From 1952-58 my father was a Harlem Globetrotter. Yes, you heard me right. He was a Harlem Globetrotter. And the only reason I have the dates down pat was because he had this award from the organization that hung in our house and it had the dates in raised characters on the front. I memorized them. I had to, because that was about as much detail as I ever really got about his experience. It’s not his fault totally. I don’t remember if I have ever really asked for detailed memories, I’m embarrassed to say. Amazing how we take the people close to us for granted. Their histories.
Last week I learned something more about my father that I didn’t know. Not from him, but from a newspaper article. [Read more...]
Miss Lori says parents and educators who have patience will persevere
January 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I started teaching when I was a teen-ager. I always loved working with children and felt that I had something special to share with them. However, I would teach for a session or two and then need to take a break for a few months. I would get burned out. Then I had children of my own and it was as if my DNA changed. [Read more...]
MIss Lori encourages you to include instead of exclude to combat bullying.
December 15, 2009 By 2 Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z42ZzjVaOHQ
When I was a kid in elementary school I had a really hard time. I was one of two children of color in an all white Catholic school, (the other was my little sister). I was outspoken and smart, (I actually skipped a grade). I was into theatre and music, performing downtown in plays. I was very different than my schoolmates. At least that?s how they made me feel-like I really didn’t fit in. And most of my classmates actively made sure that I knew it, in both physical and emotional ways. But some, some did it passively by just ignoring me and the bad things that were being done by the other kids. All of them were bully?s.
Bullying is an epidemic in our society, especially in elementary school. Student bullying is one of the most frequently reported discipline problems at school: 21% of elementary schools, 43% of middle schools, and 22% of high schools reported problems with bullying in 2005-06. Most bullying fact sheets will tell you that victims of bullying are people who are timid and less likely to report offenses. That may be true in general, but there are still many bullying victims who are just the opposite. Who appear to be strong, capable, and perhaps talented individuals. And it is those very qualities that can make them a target. They may find that their classmates target them in an attempt to cut them down to size and put them in their place, so to speak. The play of today is creating a generation filled with ?Simon?s?, (IE American Idol). Being the evil critic is totally acceptable and practically expected. Supporting someone, cheering them on, encouraging new pursuits…well that?s just not cool. Better to demonstrate how cutting you can be with your tongue OR, if tongue lashing isn?t your forte then maybe you can start a club to alienate the target. Shut them out of the conversations, pick them last for the team in gym class, close them out of the lunch table, or simply pretend they don?t exist.
I spend a lot of time in schools all across the country and I can tell you this happens every day. And because the targets appear strong and self sufficient, and the bullying is cut downs and exclusion, not physical or overt, many parents and educators are missing the danger. But it is dangerous, and destructive. It eats away at even the strongest of children, because everyone wants to feel accepted and a part of the group. It?s human nature. Just because you have a strong character and perhaps a talent, doesn?t mean you don?t bleed like everyone else or cry like everyone else. Everybody hurts. Some just hide it better than others.
But just because a child can cope, doesn?t mean they should have to.
Let?s all make a point of opening our eyes and recognizing the child standing off to the side, and the child standing right in front of the room. They both deserve our attention but they also need our protection. Lead by example. Don?t tolerate exclusion. Don?t tolerate unsupportive language. Step in and change the tide. Sometimes all it takes is eye contact, a smile and a simple ?hello? to change the World.
SMILE On!
ML
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com and ChicagoMomsBlog. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Miss Lori’s had ENOUGH of Bullying and Violence in Schools!
October 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment
I gotta tell you I am mad. I am really mad. Just a few weeks ago I wrote about the death of Derrion Albert less than a mile from his school. He was beaten to death on the street by a gang of youths armed with railroad ties. The entire event was captured on video, particularly the absence of help. He was an innocent kid stuck walking a gauntlet of violence to get from school to the bus stop to home. Now we have Gamma.
Gamaliel Toscano actually participated in a safe haven program that helps get kids off of the street and away from gangs. Not far enough apparently, because at 245pm on Thursday, October 22 Gamma was gunned down in an alley on his way home from school.
Miss Lori challenges you to stoke the fire of learning
September 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
One week ago today my children and countless numbers of other children across the country returned to school. And on that bustling first day President Obama spoke to all of them, whether they were free to listen or not. He charged our children to do right by their school, their family, but chiefly, to do right by themselves, making the most of the education they have before them. I believe whole heartedly that our children want to be excited about school. They want to achieve. They want to succeed. Children have an innate sense of excitement and anticipation about school on the first day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn2–WIsvgM
It is a flame that is either fanned or extinguished based on how we as a community respond to their quest for the fires of knowledge. So now that we are in the second week of school I challenge you, just as President Obama challenged our kids, to step up, embrace and fulfill your responsibility. The responsibility to your kids, your community, your country. Help kids put education first by supporting schools and their efforts to do right by our children and thus pave the way for a brighter future for us all. To inspire you on this journey I share some of my favorite points from President Obama?s school speech.
Miss Lori
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com and ChiacgoMomsBlog. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori’s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
