It’s That Time of Year!

September is the time for students and their families to head back to school. It can be both a stressful and exciting time. Fortunately, Mercer County Library System has a number of resources you can turn to - not only at the beginning of the school year, but all through the months ahead, helping to ensure a successful, enjoyable educational experience!

Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times by Phyllis L. Fagell. Are you concerned that middle school will wreak havoc on your tween's well-being and sense of self? Wondering how you can ward off the decline in confidence research shows kids experience during these vulnerable years? Seeking strategies that will help your child emerge from middle school with even more resilience than when they started? This book will address these issues and more.

Autism & Education: The Way I See It: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know by Temple Grandin. Dr. Temple Grandin discusses the real issues that parents, teachers, and kids face every day. Here is a concise handbook that illustrates what Temple has found to work in the field of education. Topics include: the importance of early intervention, teaching for different types of thinking, developing talent, motivating students, keeping high expectations, and much more!

Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children and Parents Thrive by Angela Sizer and Maren Goerss. Hosts of the Homeschool Unrefined Podcast show you how to let go of traditional measures of success, and instead measure learning by curiosity, joy, self-regulation, and critical thinking. Children deserve more than the systems we're currently using to educate them. Hardworking teachers, diligent administrators, and devoted parents are trying their best in an outdated system that isn't meeting our children's complex needs.

Advanced and Struggling Students: An Insider's Guide for Parents and Teachers to Support Exceptional Youngsters by Parry Graham Based on the author's over twenty-five years in public education, Advanced and Struggling Students is a collection of insider information to help parents navigate the school system. Focusing specifically on the needs of struggling and high-achieving students, this book is a roadmap to help parents get the best for their child.

Parenting the Smart Kid: 25 Tips No One Told You About Raising Gifted Teens by Brenda Kay Small. Parents of smart kids know they can have complex social, emotional, and intellectual needs. This resource condenses the wisdom and experience of teachers and school leaders who have experienced thousands of students with the same needs into 25 key tips for parents seeking to help their smart kids thrive.

The Montessori Child: A Parent's Guide to Raising Capable Children with Creative Minds and Compassionate Hearts by Simone Davies and Junnifa
Uzodike. From the bestselling authors of The Montessori Toddler and The Montessori Baby, The Montessori Child guides parents in using the principals of Montessori to raise their school-aged children in ways that assist their development and foster a respectful relationship between parent, child and world.

Inside the Dyslexic Mind: A Resource for Parents, Teachers and Dyslexics Themselves by Laughton King. In Laughton King's formulation, a dyslexic person is like a diesel vehicle. They run perfectly if you give them the right fuel, but if you put petrol in the tank (i.e. expect them to learn like every 'normal' child in our current education system) they break down. This book is designed to help dyslexic (diesel) thinkers make sense of their lives.

Yes! Your Child Can: Creating Success for Children with Learning Differences by Victoria E. Waller. Help and hope for parents of children with learning differences. Every child can succeed in school and life, but some children need more help than others. For over 40 years, internationally acclaimed reading specialist and student advocate Dr. Victoria E. Waller has helped children who have trouble reading, who can't sit still in class, who don't feel like they can participate-children whom teachers have all but given up on.

Trans Children in Today's Schools by Aidan Key. Authored by a seasoned diversity educator, Trans Children in Today's Schools provides a pragmatic and thorough approach to creating inclusive, safe, and flexible environments for gender-diverse young people. The primary audience for this text is parents and K-12 educators, as well as the extended support network in a child's life.

MCLS also has some useful databases for school preparation, including:

ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy
In-Library Use Only. ABCmouse.com® Early Learning Academy is the leading and most comprehensive digital learning resource for children ages 2–8.

 

 

Explora Primary Schools
Designed for elementary school students, students can look up articles and facts for research papers, class projects, or homework from the world’s leading magazines and reference books.

Lumos Learning
The Lumos StepUp™ program creates a collaborative learning platform for students, parents, and teachers available all year. It consists of hundreds of grade-appropriate questions based on the new Common Core State Standards. Students will get instant feedback and can review their answers anytime. This resource offers insights into students’ strength and weakness areas for parents and teachers to assist with test preparation.

Primary Search
Designed for elementary school libraries, Primary Search is a full-text database providing popular children’s magazines, easy-to-read encyclopedic entries and a vast image collection. Students can learn about a variety of topics, including endangered species, famous musicians, fitness and space exploration.

World Book
From pre-K to high school and beyond, we have digital resources for every learner at every level.

 

 

Sharon S.
Ewing Branch