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Recent Posts
- The Importance of Social Emotional Learning October 14, 2025
- Lessons from the River #3… Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) September 24, 2025
- Lessons from the River…#2 Laughter is the Best Medecine September 8, 2025
- Lessons from the River…#1 Let go and flow with the river. September 3, 2025
- Paul Simon, A Quiet Celebration August 25, 2025
- Welcoming a new school year! Hello 2025-26! August 20, 2025
- Common Sense Media: New Year, New Rules Around Tech for Students/Children January 7, 2024
- The difference between nice and kind… November 13, 2023
- On David Brooks’ Op-Ed Dateline October 20, 2023, Tanzania, Africa October 19, 2023
- Returning to this writing on 9/11… September 11, 2023
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Author Archives: Kathleen McNamara Head's Up!
Why we ned to value kindness over achievement… The Atlantic Monthly
This article by Adam Grant and Allison Sweet Grant reinforces so much of what we mean when we say “Whole Child” at Seven Hills School. Enjoy! Stop Trying to Raise Successful Kids
Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, adam grant, childhood development, education, global skills, kindness, Making Caring Common at Harvard, mental health, mindfulness, parenting, parenting middle school aged children
Tagged #AdamGrant, #AtlanticMonthly, @7HillsSchoolWC, @MsMcNamara7H, kindness
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HuffPost: Why I dropped out of the Ivy League
I read this with great interest as I think about so many students working themselves sick for the “college admissions prize” and then wondering, “no what?” A very compelling read. HuffPost: One student’s perspective on the college arms race, and … Continue reading
Posted in Admissions, College Admissions, education, Huffington Post, Making Caring Common at Harvard, mental health, Rick Weissbourd, social emotional learning, the science of emotion
Tagged #huffpost, mental health
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This is a great article which reminds me of the advice of Madeleine Levine a few years ago. These come right out of Teach Your Children Well. -Don’t do for your children what they can do for themselves. -Don’t do … Continue reading
Posted in education
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EDUTOPIA: What happens when we rush children through childhood…
Some great reminders about the role of wonder in childhood and resisting the “adultification” of childhood. This is something our early childhood educators in Rainbow and RedBarn know so well! EDUTOPIA: Let’s Not Rush Children through Childhood
Posted in 21st Century Skills, childhood development, early childhood education, ECE Early Childhood Education, education, leadership, leadership in children, parenting, Seven Hills School, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek
Tagged @7HillsSchoolWC, @Edutopia, @MsMcNamara7H, children, education, parents
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NY Times Parenting tips at home for schoolwork…
Some easily implementable ideas here. And similar to what I am hearing teachers discuss in faculty meetings about what works best in school, it’s also true at home: Remember that consistency is key. Happy Opening!
Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, adolescent development, childhood development, ECE Early Childhood Education, education, global skills, new york times, NY Times, parenting, parenting middle school aged children, resilience, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning
Tagged family, parenting
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Parenting in a time of chaos in the news…
Parenting is fraught with issues as 24 hour news cycles plague us with the most recent stories of violence, hate speech and hateful rhetoric. The following NY Times parenting piece reminded me of when I held my 11 month old … Continue reading
Posted in 21st Century Skills, Common Sense Media, education, fear, helping children cope with tragedy, new york times, NY Times, parenting, parenting middle school aged children, resilience, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, the science of emotion
Tagged parenting, violence
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Common Sense Media New Report on Screens
Check out the latest from Common Sense Media about screens and sleep for children and parents. There is something for everyone as we think about how much we let screens rule our lives! Adults, Teens, Sleep and Devices around the … Continue reading
Posted in 21st Century Skills, Common Sense Media, education, global skills, parenting, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning
Tagged children, family, parents, school, technology
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Washington Post Opinion on “Just Right” parenting
This opinion piece in the Washington Post speaks to cultivating trusting, dependable relationships with children as the best possible foundation. It’s seems simple, and yet, I have seen so many examples of this strategy resulting in confident, competent young adults. … Continue reading
Posted in education, parenting, social emotional learning, washington post
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The College Admissions Game!
“No word yet on what it means for long-term happiness to find out your parents lied to get you into college in the first place.” Alyssa Nadworny, Anya Kamenetz, NPR This latest news about the College Admissions Scandal sends the … Continue reading
Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, Admissions, College Admissions, college athletic recruitment, education, global skills, parenting, Rick Weissbourd
Tagged @7HillsSchoolWC
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Simon Sinek at NAIS
“We have to learn to lead for the game we are in.” How do you lead in the infinite game? you advance within the infinite game, you do not win. Simon Sinek’s message: What does it mean to live an … Continue reading
Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, education, global skills, organizational psychology, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek
Tagged #NAISAC @SimonSinek
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Head's Up, Kathleen McNamara 