by Courtney Cappallo (USA) | Oct 3, 2012 | 2012, Childhood, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Family, Homeschooling, Kids, Older Children, Parenting, Preschool, USA, Younger Children
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” This is how I home-school my two children. The majority of children in the United States of America attend some form of organized schooling either at public school, private school or a charter school.
I graduated from a public school, my husband attended a private school. Both of our exposure to art came from the art classes our school provided. Neither sets of our parents enrolled us in an after school art program or exposed us to art on a personal level.
Too often I find that parents rely on the system to teach and inspire our children. I believe that as parents, we are responsible for exposing our children to the arts while adding meaning to these experiences. Art is an essential component of education. All children benefit from opportunities to create. During these difficult economic times, arts programs are the first to be sacrificed in public schools.
I desire for my girls to be cultured. I want them exposed to the arts at a young age. I believe the benefits of fostering a love and appreciation of the arts is immeasurable. Because my husband and I have chosen to home-school our children, we take full accountability and responsibility for our children’s education. I cannot sit back and hope that someone else will teach or expose my children to the arts. I take action and get the job done myself. (more…)
Courtney Cappallo is a mom of two girls, ages 7 and 4-years-old. She is living her dream life by residing on Cape Cod and being able to stay at home with her two little beauties. Courtney is currently homeschooling both of her daughters for 2nd grade and preschool, respectively.
Courtney uses a mix of Classical Education and Montessori. She is a strong believer in teaching to the five senses. Courtney’s homeschooling efforts are unique, as she uses the latest technology of the Smartboard. She is also taking on the task of learning Spanish as a second language, as well as, teaching her two children and husband Spanish.
Prior to becoming a homeschooling teacher, Courtney was the Director of Marketing for Simon Property Group, which is the largest U.S. real estate company. Courtney was Simon’s Director of Marketing for the Burlington Mall, Arsenal Mall and Cape Cod Mall. Courtney is a graduate of Villanova University and is proud of her small town roots from growing up in Oxford, Pennsylvania, which only has two traffic lights! She can be found making homeschooling lessons and more at Table of Four !
More Posts
by Melanie Oda (Japan) | Feb 13, 2012 | Culture, Japan, Motherhood, World Motherhood
There is an old man who lives a couple of buildings down. He is in no way remarkable, really. I often see him walking his dog or riding his bike to and from the local supermarket.
On Sunday afternoon, though, he transforms.
He is the Kami Shibai, Paper Theater, man. He changes from his everyday clothes, drab blues and grays, into his yukata (informal kimono) and his geta( wooden sandals) and his newsy cap. He looks as if he walked right out of the Yokohama of the 1930s, the pre-war Japan of his childhood.
He makes the rounds of the supermarket, banging his hyoushigi (bamboo blocks) that same echoing sound you hear at sumo matches or on winter’s evenings when the volunteers go around the neighborhood, reminding us of hi no youjin, caution against fire.
He distributes tickets to the children. The Paper Theater starts at four. All good children will receive a present at the end, he says.
And come four o’clock, a gaggle of youngsters have gathered in the corner of the supermarket where he has spread a swatch of carpet. (more…)
If you ask Melanie Oda where she is from, she will answer "Georgia." (Unless you ask her in Japanese. Then she will say "America.") It sounds nice, and it's a one-word answer, which is what most people expect. The truth is more complex. She moved around several small towns in the south growing up. Such is life when your father is a Southern Baptist preacher of the hellfire and brimstone variety.
She came to Japan in 2000 as an assistant language teacher, and has never managed to leave. She currently resides in Yokohama, on the outskirts of Tokyo (but please don't tell anyone she described it that way! Citizens of Yokohama have a lot of pride). No one is more surprised to find her here, married to a Japanese man and with two bilingual children (aged four and seven), than herself. And possibly her mother.
You can read more about her misadventures in Asia on her blog, HamakkoMommy.
More Posts
by World Moms Blog | Nov 5, 2011 | Babies, Blogiversary, Breastfeeding, Eva Fannon, Family, Friday Question, India, Kids, Motherhood, Norway, Parenting, Saturday Sidebar, Tara B., The Alchemist, World Moms Blog
Since we celebrated World Moms Blog’s 1st Blogiversary this week, Jen Burden, our founder, asked,
“What has been your favorite moment so far on World Moms Blog?”
The Alchemist of India writes:
“I got my first paid writers’ job after my employer read my first post at World Moms Blog. It was India: In the eyeglasses of the beholder.
I have come a long way from there. I got two editing offers after someone checked out my posts at WMB and another site (Awesome Cuisine). These have been some “Awww, is it me?” moments. The power of affirmations, like Jen mentioned in the Blogiversary post.
I have especially liked Dr. Jeanelle’s post on taking time out for oneself as a mom, and about the emotions when the child leaves the nest. That is one great post and mothers have to always be cautious about their individual identity. I always had that in mind and her post reinstated the same.” (more…)
World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children.
World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.
More Posts
