child education
Spilling the Secrets to Early Literacy
Reading is critical for young children’s educational journeys, impacting their cognitive abilities, language proficiency, and later academic achievement.
(Family Features) For young children, learning to read is a critical step in their educational journeys, as literacy helps build cognitive abilities and language proficiency and has a direct impact on later academic achievement.
While there are no shortcuts to early literacy, there are steps parents can take to promote the development of children’s reading abilities. Dr. Lauren Loquasto, senior vice president and chief academic officer at The Goddard School, and Steve Metzger, award-winning author of more than 70 children’s books, share this guidance for parents.
Get Started Early
It’s never too early to start reading with children. In fact, they respond to being read to prenatally. One of the best ways to encourage early literacy is modeling the act of reading. Young children love to imitate, and if they see their parents reading, they are more likely to want to read themselves. Instead of scrolling on your phone or watching television while your children play, pick up a book or magazine.
Use Conversation to Build Literacy
To help build their vocabularies, consistently engage children in conversation. Literacy is more than reading and writing; it’s also listening and speaking. Children understand words before they can articulate them, so don’t be discouraged if it feels like a one-way conversation.
Expose Children to More Than Books
Make your home environment print-rich, as the more exposure children have to letters and words, the better. For example, keep magnetic letters and words on the fridge, put labels on your toy containers and position books and magazines in different rooms. Also remember reading isn’t limited to books. Words are everywhere, from street signs to restaurant menus. Take advantage of every opportunity to connect with your children through words throughout your day.
Let Them Take the Lead
Children engage with books in different, developmentally appropriate ways. Some children quickly flip through pages or only look at pictures while others might make up stories or their own words or songs. Some only want to read the same book over and over and some want to read a new book every time. Embrace and encourage their interest in books, no matter how they choose to use them.
Establish a Routine
Parents of young children often have busy and hectic lives, so it isn’t always easy to find time to read. Consistency is key, so be intentional about setting aside time for reading every day – perhaps it’s after dinner or before bedtime – and stick to it.
Select the Right Books
Helping young children choose books is an important part of their learning-to-read process. Developmental appropriateness is critical. For infants and toddlers, start with nursery rhymes, which are mini-stories that grasp children’s attention through repetition, rhythm and rhyming. Visuals are also important because they aren’t yet pulling words off the page. For emerging readers, choose books that align with their interests. Focus on books that are printed with text that goes from left to right and top to bottom.
Expose children to both fiction and non-fiction books. Non-fiction provides real-world knowledge children crave and helps them make sense of what they read in fictional stories. For example, the learnings about the life cycle of a bat they read in “Bat Loves the Night,” a non-fiction book, can help them better understand what’s happening in “Stellaluna,” a fiction book about a young bat.
If you’re in doubt about book choices, consult with a teacher or librarian, who can make recommendations based on your children’s interests and reading levels.
Foster a Love of Reading
Children’s early exposure to books can set the stage for a lifetime of reading. Make reading a time for discovery. Take children to a library or bookstore and encourage them to explore and find books on their own. Display genuine interest in their selections and use books as a tool for engaging and connecting with them. Don’t pressure children to learn how to read. Accept, validate and encourage them as they progress on their unique literacy journeys.
To watch a webinar recording featuring Loquasto and Metzger providing additional literacy guidance and recommendations, and access a wealth of actionable parenting insights and resources, visit the Parent Resource Center at GoddardSchool.com.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
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Preparing Students for What’s Next in Work
Preparing Students: Automation, AI and societal economic changes are affecting the workforce and making a significant impact on the employment prospects of future generations. Consider this guidance to put students on the path toward greater earning potential and economic mobility in a rapidly changing economy.
Preparing Students for What’s Next in Work
(Family Features) Automation, AI and societal economic changes are affecting the workforce and making a significant impact on the employment prospects of future generations. More than one-third of today’s college graduates are “underemployed,” meaning they work jobs that don’t require a college degree and may pay less than a living wage, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. At the same time, a World Economic Forum report explored how advances in AI are threatening to negatively impact access to entry-level and even mid-level jobs for millions of Americans. Looking ahead, research by Georgetown University indicates that by 2031, 70% of jobs will require education or training beyond high school. However, data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicate only one-third of high school graduates go on to complete a college degree with many of those being in fields that are not in high-earning, high-growth professions. These challenges are not lost on today’s students. In a survey by Junior Achievement and Citizens, 57% of teens reported AI has negatively impacted their career outlook, raising concerns about job replacement and the need for new skills. What’s more, a strong majority (87%) expect to earn extra income through side hustles, gig work or social media content creation. “To put students on the path toward greater earning potential and economic mobility in a rapidly changing economy, students need proactive education and exposure to transferable skills and competencies, such as creative and critical thinking, financial literacy, problem-solving, collaboration and career planning,” said Jack Harris, CEO, Junior Achievement. This assertion is consistent with findings from the Camber Collective. This social impact consulting group identified four key life experiences students can consider and explore that positively affect lifetime earnings, including:- Completing secondary education
- Graduating with a degree in a high-paying field of study
- Receiving mentorship during adolescence
- Obtaining a first full-time job with opportunity for advancement
- Learning opportunities that are designed with the future in mind. For example, learning experiences offered through Junior Achievement reflect the skills and competencies needed to promote economic mobility.
- Internships or apprenticeships that provide hands-on experience and exposure to a career field that can’t be found in a textbook.
- Volunteer or extracurricular roles that develop communication and leadership skills. Virtually every career field requires these soft skills for growth and greater earning potential.
- Relationships that provide insight and connection. Networking with individuals who are already excelling in a chosen field, as well as peers who share similar aspirations, offers perspective from those who are where you wish to be and potentially opens future doors for employment.
- Courses that offer introductory insight into a chosen career path. Local trade or technical schools and other training organizations may even offer certifications that align with a student’s area of interest.
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The Substitute Teacher Who Wanted Blueprints of Our House
A fifth-grade assignment took a strange turn when a substitute teacher asked students to draw schematics of their homes. What followed — a wildly fictional floor plan and a priceless reaction from my mom — turned into one of my funniest childhood memories.
Last Updated on December 8, 2025 by Daily News Staff
The Substitute Teacher Who Wanted Blueprints of Our House
Elementary school memories tend to blend together — cafeteria pizza, playground arguments, the eternal struggle of times tables — but every once in a while, something happens that sticks with you for life. For me, that moment came in the fifth grade during a week when our regular teacher was out, and we cycled through substitute teachers like we were testing models for durability. By midweek, in walked a substitute with a mysterious, slightly intense energy — the kind of vibe that suggested he either meditated at dawn or worked a graveyard shift doing something he couldn’t talk about. We settled into our seats, expecting worksheets or quiet reading time. But nope. He had other plans. “Today,” he announced, “we’re going to draw schematics of our houses.” Schematics. Not drawings. Not little houses with smoke coming out of the chimney. Actual blueprint-style schematics. He wanted the layout of our bedrooms, our parents’ rooms, and where the pets slept. Every detail. Now, to be fair, Highlights Magazine did have a feature that month teaching kids how to draw floor plans. So maybe he was just a bit overenthusiastic about cross-curricular learning. Or maybe — and this is my completely rhetorical adult theory — he worked the graveyard shift as a cat burglar gathering intel between heists. Just moonlighting between blueprints. While the rest of the class tried their best to recreate their actual homes, my imagination sprinted in a totally different direction. The house I drew had:- A massive master bedroom with an oversized bathroom for my parents
- Separate bedrooms for us kids on the opposite side of the house
- A kitchen placed right in the center like a command center
- And the dog — the true VIP — had a luxurious two-story doghouse
Later that day, my mom asked the usual question: “So, what did you guys do today?” “We drew schematics of our house,” I said casually. The look on her face was instant and intense. She wasn’t panicked, but there was definitely a “Why does a substitute teacher need to know the exact layout of my home?” expression happening. Parental instincts activated. But then I showed her my diagram. She stared at it. Blinked. Then sighed with massive relief. “This isn’t our house,” she said. “Nope! I made it up,” I replied proudly. Her shoulders relaxed so much she probably lost five pounds of tension in one instant. If the substitute was secretly planning a heist, my masterpiece of misinformation would have sent him to the wrong house entirely. Looking back, the whole moment feels like a sitcom setup — a mysterious substitute collecting “house schematics,” me creating a completely fictional piece of architecture, and my mom going on a full emotional journey in under 30 seconds. Maybe he was just excited about the Highlights Magazine floor-plan activity. Or maybe — just maybe — he moonlighted in cat burglary. We’ll never know. But if he was, I like to think I threw him completely off the scent.Enjoy this story?
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Preparing for the Future of Work: Tips to help teens choose a career path
Preparing for the Future of Work: American teens are optimistic about their careers despite concerns over AI’s impact. Many value internships and real-world experience over degrees, and are weighing passion against pay, seeking balance in their future career choices.
Last Updated on December 2, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Preparing for the Future of Work: Tips to help teens choose a career path
(Family Features) American teens are preparing for a workforce shaped by AI, new approaches to education and economic uncertainty. While challenges are real, optimism remains high.
In fact, 94% of teens said they are optimistic about their future careers, reflecting a strong sense of hope and ambition, according to research from Junior Achievement and Citizens. The two organizations have partnered for more than 18 years to advance financial empowerment nationwide, with the bank allocating funding and volunteer support, including more than $630,000 in 2025 to support financial empowerment programs that give people the confidence and tools they need to budget, save, invest and pursue their goals.
However, 57% of teens surveyed believe AI has negatively impacted their career outlook, raising concerns about job replacement and the need for new skills.
“Today’s teens face a rapidly changing world, from the rise of AI to shifts in education and careers,” said Susan LaMonica, chief human resources officer at Citizens. “The survey shows they know the importance of adaptability and continuous learning.”
To help teens build skills for emerging roles and navigate their futures, consider these tips from the experts at Junior Achievement, the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures and make smart academic and economic choices.
Explore Internships
Success depends on more than credentials alone. Survey respondents believe networking (50%) and internships (41%) are keys to future success. What’s more, 56% believe real-world experience is more valuable than a four-year degree. Internships can provide that experience and allow students to test their interest in a field while building their professional networks, developing skills that can be applied to a range of career paths, identifying strengths and weaknesses and clarifying future goals.
Consider Post-High School Education
Teens’ perspectives on education reflect their uneasiness. Only 40% of teens surveyed believe a four-year degree is always a good investment. At the same time, about 6 in 10 believe a bachelor’s or graduate degree is still necessary for their chosen profession, which shows how complicated these decisions can be. While many careers require a college diploma, that isn’t the only path to career success. In addition to traditional four-year universities, consider alternate education paths such as trade schools or technical programs, apprenticeships, two-year degree programs or professional certifications if applicable to your career path.
Weigh Passion Against Pay
While most teens surveyed (63%) said they would prefer a good-paying job even if it comes with stress, many are weighing passion against pay as they explore career opportunities. In fact, some top industries in which teens plan to pursue a job include health care and life sciences (30%), arts and music (27%) and content creation and digital media (25%), further showcasing that willingness. Many students are also exploring less traditional routes to build security and opportunity, with 87% expecting to earn extra income through side hustles, gig work or social media content creation.
“The data illustrates how the stressors on young people are compounding year after year,” said Tim Greinert, president of Junior Achievement USA. “It also shows how resilient and savvy students are these days in terms of understanding the world around them and deciphering the best path to the future that’s best for them.”
To learn more about preparing for future success and find full survey results, visit JA.org/FutureOfWork.
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