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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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Tag Archives: education
The Importance of Social Emotional Learning
At a recent Parent Involvement Association (PIA) Meeting, our accomplished Division Heads and our amazing School Counselor shared our SEL curriculum with parents. We like to say the “the social emotional curriculum sets the table for the academic and cognitive … Continue reading
Posted in empathy, kindness, leadership, parenting, parenting middle school aged children, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek
Tagged 21st Century Education, education, educational leadership, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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The difference between nice and kind…
At Seven Hills, we often say to students “when you have a choice, be kind…” This is a great distillation of the “why.” There’s a difference between nice and being kind—even our bodies recognize the distinction. Kindness not only pours … Continue reading
Posted in 21st Century Skills, education, empathy, kindness, mental health, mindfulness, parenting, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, social emotional learning
Tagged education, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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On David Brooks’ Op-Ed Dateline October 20, 2023, Tanzania, Africa
I am here in Africa for only the second time in my life, the second time in 12 months, as it turns out, preparing for a personal challenge to climb Africa’s tallest mountain. It is sunrise. I am listening to … Continue reading
Posted in 21st Century Skills, academic excellence in elementary schools, childhood development, David Brooks, NY Times, early childhood education, ECE Early Childhood Education, education, empathy, global skills, mental health, mindfulness, new york times, NY Times, parenting, Seven Hills School Walnut Creek, the science of emotion
Tagged 21st Century Education, @NYTDavidBrooks, education, educational leadership, seven hills school walnut creek
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Returning to this writing on 9/11…
I am not sure why it has taken me a year to get back to this blog. A year ago I was preparing for my sabbatical and planning to take time away, during a school year, for the first time … Continue reading
Posted in education
Tagged 21st Century Education, education, educational leadership, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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What Is School For? NYTimes OpEd
School is a community, a common place to gain relationships. School is for social interactions and learning to become an active member of society. Most grown-ups believe that school is only for learning back-to-back. They don’t understand the parts that … Continue reading
Posted in education
Tagged 21st Century Education, education, educational leadership, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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NYTimes: Teens and Phones on the return to school…
Yes, we need to reclaim being together, in person, when school starts…
Posted in education
Tagged 21st Century Education, 21st Century Skills, education, educational leadership, parenting, Seven Hills School, seven hills school walnut creek
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TED Talk by a 7 year old: Helping young children thrive
Our Early Childhood Director, Shauna Maraccini, shared this amazing TED Talk with us last week…
Posted in education
Tagged early childhood education, early childhood lietracy, education, educational leadership, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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NYTimes: Helping Parents Make Decisions…
I will say this resonated on many levels as we work with families all the time. Interesting tips…
Posted in education
Tagged 21st Century Education, education, educational leadership, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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50 Books to Read before Age 12
So many of these staple read alouds at Seven HIlls… https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/50-books-all-kids-should-read-before-theyre-12
Posted in education
Tagged 21st Century Education, 21st Century Skills, education, educational leadership, empathy, Seven Hills School, seven hills school walnut creek
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Children want to be seen as the most special by their parents, so they’re “always going to push for preferential treatment,” over their siblings, Vivona said. Having grown up with four younger brothers, I see this as underlining some universal … Continue reading
Posted in education
Tagged 21st Century Education, education, educational leadership, parenting, seven hills school walnut creek
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Head's Up, Kathleen McNamara 