Category: Parents/Guardians

I did a character reveal for Darth Harley yesterday on Secular Web Kids blog HERE as part of my end of summer posting that I also did on my Secular Frontier blog.  It turns out that while Harley is a bright kid, he also has significant mental challenges he is managing.  I wanted to create a character who would be inspiring to neurotypical kids and kids with disabilities alike for Harley’s will to overcome that any kid can cultivate. 

In recent years, there have been a number of TV and movie characters who had to manage mental challenges that were inspirational

The autistic character on Sesame Street is named Julia.  She is a 4-year-old Muppet with bright orange-red hair and green eyes who was introduced in digital and print resources in 2015 before making her television debut in 2017. Her character was created as part of the Sesame Workshop initiative, Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children, and she is performed by puppeteer Stacey Gordon. 

Dr. Shaun Murphy, the character in The Good Doctor, is depicted as having autism spectrum disorder and savant syndrome, but the actor who plays him is neurotypical.  The character Dr. Shaun Murphy (played in the series) is explicitly written and portrayed as an autistic surgeon.  The actor Freddie Highmore, the English actor who stars as Shaun, does not have autism in real life.  Some autistic viewers appreciate seeing a character with autism in a prominent, capable role and find certain behavioral traits relatable.  Many members of the autism community and critics argue that the portrayal relies on stereotypes, noting the lack of autistic writers or an autistic lead actor leads to a depiction shaped more by neurotypical perceptions than lived experiences.

Forrest Gump does not receive an official clinical diagnosis in either the film or the novel, though he is explicitly portrayed with an IQ of 75 and cognitive limitations.  An IQ score of 75 indicates limitations in intellectual functioning. Combined with his slow processing and concrete thinking, his profile aligns most closely with a mild intellectual disability.  Many educators and behavior analysts note that his behaviors—such as literal language interpretation, intense focus on specialized interests (like ping-pong), social naivety, and repetitive routines—mirror traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  His low-range IQ placed him in a demographic that was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War under initiatives like Project 100,000.

In my time working in Special Education and Gifted Self-Contained Education I have experienced a wide variety of exceptionalities and Harley’s profile certainly fits well with what I’ve encountered.  It is an incorrect bias of thinking to assume mental illness can’t go along with intelligence.  A portion of self-contained gifted classes often reflect gifted students who are also learning disabled. 

Darth Harley was a Bark Lord of the Sith.  Of course, Harley knew he wasn’t actually a Sith.  The Jedi and the Sith were from long ago in a galaxy far, far away.  But, he liked to think of himself that way.

Interestingly, Harley’s favorite movie series wasn’t Star Wars, but the Rocky movies.  He loved their theme song Eye of the Tiger:

He liked that even though Rocky was getting knocked down all the time he kept pushing forward.  His favorite scene was from Rocky 2 where the champion Apollo Creed’s coach warned him against boxing Rocky for a second match:

Harley liked this because he was the sickest boy in the world, and he was always getting knocked down by life and getting up again.  Of course, Harley wasn’t actually the sickest boy in the world.  There were plenty of kids sicker than him.  But Harley was proud of his ability to overcome mountains.

Harley’s body was healthy, but Doctors told him his mind was sick.  He had a friend Amanda whose was mind sick too.  She heard voices that other people couldn’t hear sometimes.  Amanda was tough though.  She knew the voices weren’t real and just ignored them until they went away.

Harley had a “Wonderland Sickness,” that’s how Harley thought of it.  He would be going along all nice and usual when he spotted a white rabbit that he decided to chase and would fall into a wonderful/terrible wonderland. 

(wiki)

He knew it wasn’t real, but once he was in it he was stuck for a while.  He could hear and see conspiracies and secrets going on around him, even though he knew they weren’t real.  Knowing it wasn’t real helped to end the episode, but like hearing voices, encountering secrets/conspiracies was just the way life felt for a while.

What Harley felt was remarkable was that he had learned to fight it.  Do you know how they put blinders on horses?  Harley did the same thing ignoring people when he wasn’t well and this helped him to gain control and focus.  Wonderland thinking was big picture thinking and Harley needed to focus on one simple thing at a time.

His wonderland thinking started when a group of kids in class started a secret club called The Builders.  Harley wasn’t invited to join but constantly saw them whispering and passing notes.  Soon, he started seeing secrets happening everywhere – what seemed like teachers talking about him, and parents. The world appeared in a secretive/conspiracy way.

Harley also had to be careful not to let his emotions get control over him.  One time he worried that he would forget how to ride his bike even though he had been riding for years, and sure enough when he got on his bike, he was clueless about how to balance himself, like he felt the absence of training wheels that had gone away long ago.

One of Harley’s biggest challenges was emails.   He constantly worried when he was at the computer that he was blacking out and was sending bad emails to people.  He did a lot of research on blacking out and found out many doctors didn’t think it was a real thing.  He always kept in mind the steps for sending and erasing emails, and whenever the thought he had sent something bad, he replayed the steps in his mind and usually found some he didn’t recall being recent. If he didn’t recall the 3 dots at the end of an email needed to erase it, maybe he didn’t click on them recently – no bad email sent! 

One positive thing Harley got from his illness was reading.  He could always find little shifts and twists in texts that others missed.  He thought part of this was his allergies, having a reaction at something unusual in the text.  Another was his dad got angry a lot so Harley was always on his tiptoes at home, and so he was very sensitive to what the writer was saying.

But, there was something else.  One day Harley learned the secret of how to turn wonderland on and off whenever he wanted.  When he needed to be creative or thoughtful, he could tap into the energy of that other world without letting it take over.  How did Harley do this?

Did you know the oldest goldfish lived to be 43 years old, or that you’re taller in the morning than at night? Check out some totally weird facts on this Reader’s Digest site and share some unusual facts about yourself to your friends.

Here are engaging, classroom-friendly ways a teacher can assign a family tree project so it feels creative and fun rather than just filling in names on a chart. These work well for elementary (and adaptable for middle school), encourage family involvement, and build skills in research, storytelling, art, and presentation. Always offer flexibility for blended, adoptive, foster, single-parent, or chosen-family structures—focus on “people who love and support me” when needed.

Hands-On Craft Versions

• Handprint or fingerprint tree: Students paint their hand/arm as the trunk and branches, then use fingerprints or cut-out leaves for each family member. Label with names and a fun fact (favorite food, hobby, or “something that makes them smile”).
• 3D real-branch or cup tree: Paint a styrofoam cup brown as the base, stick in a small real branch (or craft sticks), and hang paper leaves with names/photos. Kids can add gravel or clay for stability—great for a tactile, take-home display.
• Scrapbook or mini family book: Create a small book or scrapbook pages with photos, drawings, baby pictures, tickets from family outings, and short stories. Each “leaf” or page focuses on one person or generation.
• Felt or magnetic interactive tree: Make a reusable tree on felt or a cookie sheet so kids can move family members around as they learn more names and relationships.
• Edible family tree (classroom treat version): Use celery or pretzel sticks for the trunk, broccoli or green frosting for leaves, and candy or fruit for people. Photograph it first, then enjoy—perfect for a culminating celebration.

Story- and Interview-Based Twists

• Interview leaves: Students interview at least 2–3 relatives (in person, phone, or video) with simple prompts: “What was school like when you were my age?” “What’s a favorite family tradition?” “What’s one funny memory?” Add quotes or short answers to the leaves or branches.
• Family food tree: Instead of (or in addition to) names, put favorite foods, a signature recipe, or cultural dishes on the leaves. Kids can draw or cut out food pictures and share why that food matters to their family.
• Migration or journey map + tree: Combine a simple map showing where family members were born or lived with the tree. Glue tiny maps or stickers next to people and discuss how the family “grew” across places.
• Storybook tree: Write a short illustrated story about one relative on each page, then bind it into a personal “Once Upon a Family” book.

Games and Interactive Elements

• Family “Guess Who?” or memory match: Students make cards with photos or drawings of relatives (two of each) and play matching or “Guess Who?” games in class or at home to learn faces and relationships.
• Puzzle tree: Draw or print a tree, cut it into puzzle pieces, hide them, and have classmates help reassemble while sharing facts.
• Family traits science link: Add a simple genetics angle—eye color, hair, dimples, etc.—and note who shares traits. Pair with a short book or activity about inherited traits.

Classroom & Sharing Ideas

• Class family forest or mural: Each student contributes one decorated leaf (or small personal tree section) to a giant classroom tree or wall display celebrating everyone’s families.
• Gallery walk or presentations: Host a “Family Museum” day where students display their trees and give a 1–2 minute talk (or video) about a favorite relative or discovery.
• Digital option: Use free tools (Google Slides, Canva, or kid-friendly genealogy apps) to build an interactive tree with photos, audio clips of interviews, and links.

Tips for Success

• Start simple (immediate family + grandparents) and expand only as far as kids can comfortably go.
• Send a clear parent/guardian letter explaining the project, offering options, and requesting photos or help with interviews.
• Provide templates, blank leaves, and art supplies so everyone can succeed regardless of home resources.
• Celebrate diversity: Include space for pets, close friends who feel like family, or cultural symbols.
• Tie it to other subjects—writing (biographies), art, social studies (heritage), or science (traits/maps).

These approaches turn a standard assignment into something kids actually enjoy creating and sharing. The most memorable ones usually mix creativity with real conversations at home.

Big Idea: Teachers and kids should always present a friendly, caring classroom because you never know what problems from home a student may be showing up with (hunger, fighting parents, etc)

A consistently friendly, caring classroom climate is one of the highest-leverage things teachers and students can offer, precisely because many kids walk in carrying invisible loads—hunger, sleep deprivation, parental conflict, instability, or worse.Those home stressors don’t stay at the door. They affect attention, emotional regulation, trust, and the capacity to learn. A classroom that defaults to warmth, predictability, and basic human kindness reduces the cognitive and emotional tax those kids are already paying. It signals safety, which frees up bandwidth for actual learning. Teachers modeling calm respect and kids practicing the same with each other compounds the effect: peer culture either amplifies stress or buffers it.This doesn’t require teachers to become therapists or solve every home problem. It does require:

• Consistent emotional tone (not performative cheerfulness, but genuine regard and low drama).
• Clear expectations paired with patience when a student is off.
• Small practical notices—food insecurity, fatigue, withdrawal—without public interrogation.
• Students themselves contributing: kindness isn’t only the adult’s job.

The alternative—classrooms that are cold, sarcastic, chaotic, or purely transactional—hits the already-burdened kids hardest. They notice. They internalize it. And the learning loss compounds.

None of this means ignoring behavior or academic standards. Structure and high expectations can (and should) coexist with warmth. The point is the baseline atmosphere: treat the room as a place where every kid is assumed to be carrying something, so the default is care rather than indifference or edge. That baseline is protective, and it’s free.

One of the biggest red flags are teachers who regularly yell and get angry. This teaches students that getting loud and angry are normal reactions to stress.

Gamification and Game-Based Learning are two cool ways teachers make school more fun—like turning learning into a game!

(1) Gamification

Think of it like this:

You’re doing regular schoolwork (like a math worksheet or reading a story), but the teacher adds fun game stuff to it.

• You might earn points for getting answers right.
• You can collect badges or stickers for finishing hard challenges.
• There’s a leaderboard so you can see how you’re doing compared to friends (in a friendly way!).
• Or you “level up” as you learn more.

It’s still regular schoolwork… just dressed up with game rewards to make it exciting and help you want to keep going.

Example: Your spelling list becomes a quest. Every word you spell correctly gives you points, and if you get them all, you unlock a cool badge!

(2) Game-Based Learning

This is when the game itself is the lesson. You actually play a real game, and while you’re playing, you’re learning something important.

• It could be a board game, a card game, a video game, or even acting out a story.
• The rules, challenges, and fun of the game teach you the skills.

Example: You play a board game where you move spaces by solving math problems, or a video game where you explore a forest and learn about animals and plants as you go. You’re having so much fun playing that you almost forget you’re learning!

Quick Way to Remember

• Gamification = Regular schoolwork + game rewards (points, badges, levels)
• Game-Based Learning = Playing a real game that teaches you something

Both ways help make learning feel like an adventure instead of just work. Which one sounds more fun to you?

In this Christmas classic, Linus explains to Charlie Brown what the true meaning of Christmas is:

Do you agree? What if you are Jewish and don’t have faith in Christ? What if you are a secular kid and don’t believe in the supernatural? Can you celebrate Christmas without Christ?

Did you know that some kids don’t go to school, but have their parents or guardians teach them at home? Look at the book cover below and try to think up reasons home schooling might be a good idea, or a bad idea:

The new school year is getting near. What are your new school year resolutions? Do you want to do better in a subject this year? Do you want to make a new close friend? Write down your top five goals for this year. What is the difference between a hope and a goal?