The mobile photography explosion has revolutionized the way we capture the important (and not so important) events in our lives. Smartphone owners (and a great many “dumb phone” users too) now carry cameras with them everywhere they go, cameras with the ability to share photos with the world in an instant.

As a result, people today take many more pictures than we used to. We take photos of ourselves, our kids, and the big and small events in our day, right down to what we ate for lunch.

While camera phone technology is continually improving, these devices do have their limitations. Still, the best camera is the one you have with you. An iPhone is better than a Canon DSLR when the Canon is at home in a bag!

Special Workshop: Common Core Standards and K12 

There has been a ton of buzz in the news lately around Common Core Standards being implemented within our educational system.  This is a topic that will matter to you and your family.

Over the course of our childrens' education, there are certain concepts and learnings that they are expected to know. They call this “the core” and they are taught within curriculum categories: math, science, language arts, and social studies. One of the challenges currently is that the definition of "the core" differs from state to state. The Common Core State Standards are being introduced to address this challenge. 

According to CoreStandards.org, "the Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy." 

Picture this: Your child runs into the room, elated to show you the results of her latest math test – 100%! A perfect score! “Great job!” You say, giving a high five. “You’re so smart!”

Seems like a pretty typical scenario, right? We know that encouragement, as in the scenario above, is hugely important for kids’ development, and in all likelihood you’ve probably had a similar exchange with your own kids at some point. While it is important to praise kids for their accomplishments, what many of us may not have considered is the way in which we praise kids. As it turns out, the words we use to encourage children can have a profound effect on them both now, and in the future.

Drop the red pen. You heard me. Do it. You did not like it when you were in school, and neither does your kid. It may help your ego that you know more than your child, but to a writer, the red pen can stomp dreams and self-esteem. 

May I make a suggestion? Grab a green pen, and yes your local office supply store sells boxes of them for a few dollars. I allow my students to use highlighters as well, and yes, you can teach them not to be “highlighter happy.”

Next, grab a comfortable spot for you and your student.

Finally, go ahead and fill up the cup of coffee or heat up your tea.

Ladies and Gentleman, it's time for a writing conference!