Knoxville Parent - September 2012 by Knoxville Parent

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Get Creative!

September 2012

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What’s Inside

KNOXVILLE

September 2012 Volume I • Issue 7

Support your local farmers! Re-establishing the link between farmers and the community

Creatively Teach Your Kids About Money! Looking for a way to make learning about money fun? A family board game might be the perfect solution. Money games for kids will help them learn about money management while having a great time. Here are some ideas of games for kids about money.

Michael Kull and Eva Nations, Publishers

Contributing Writers Ellen Blasius Kristina Howard Michael Kull Paul Nations, D.D.S. Erin Nguyen Marie Alcorn Phil Noe, N.P. United Way of Greater Mike O’Hern Knoxville Lori Patterson, M.D., FAAP Michael Smith, Ph.D. Mike Bailey Kathryn Rae Smith, Ph.D. Community Volunteer Lee Tramel Piotr Ulmer, MSPT Kathleen Gibi City of Knoxville, Parks and Liza Zenni Recreation Division Contributing Photographers Ellen Liston The Arts & Culture Alliance East Tennessee Children’s of Greater Knoxville Hospital Knox County Schools Knox County Parks & Rec Tracey Matthews Knox County Department Eva Nations of Education Advisory Board

Sr. Mary Marta Abbott, RSM The Diocese of Knoxville

PAGE 16

Visit the Puzzle Place. Solve the puzzle and win a prize!

Money Bags Kids learn how to count change by earning money for various activities in Money Bags. In addition, kids are limited to using certain coins, forcing them to keep finding new ways to count the coins.

Game of Life Make decisions about your career and other life moves in the Game of Life. The decisions you make affect the income you receive and how you spend your money. Payday In Payday kids learn to have a job, lend money, pay bills and interest, and deal with unexpected expenses. If a player doesn’t have enough money to make it until Payday, they have to take out a loan, teaching about living within your means.

Exact Change Kids use their coins to put together the “exact change” to win the pot of money. It’s a great learning tool for kids learning to count coins and make change.

Be creative with your money! Games you and your kids can play to learn about money PAGE 22

Kristina F. Howard khoward@tvacreditunion.com www.tvacreditunion.com

Elizabeth Pooley Community Volunteer Lee Tramel Knox County Sheriff ’s Department

Parent publications are GREAT places to advertise! For more information, please call: (865) 622-9680. Contact Info: Phone: 865.622.9680 Fax: 888.457.9602 E-mail: KnoxvilleParent@gmail.com Knoxville Parent is published monthly and is distributed throughout the city of Knoxville and surrounding communities. Knoxville Parent is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per monthly issue. Knoxville Parent may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

Knoxville Parent PO Box 52605 Knoxville, TN 37950, phone 865.622.9680 • fax 888.457.9602 The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Knoxville Parent. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. Knoxville Parent utilize freelance writers, and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. Knoxville Parent takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or other materials. Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. Knoxville Parent reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 500 words in length.

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We welcome your letters! If you have a question or comment for Knoxville Parent, please e-mail it to KnoxvilleParent@gmail.com. Letters may be edited to meet space requirements.

Contents

A letter from the publishers

14 One size fits one: Use your creativity to help your

Getting to the heart of creativity

Creativity through the arts? It’s good for grades, too!

The List: Ten terrific books about creativity

Live and Learn: Helping build your child’s confidence

child

16 Knox County Parks and Recreation: Local is good,

healthy, and fun!

17 Creatively teach your kids about money 18 Knox County Schools: What’s New? 19 Knox County Schools: Parent University Calendar

of Events

Housecalls: The importance of immunizations: part 1

20 Cyber smart: Keeping your kids safe online

The sleepy child, part 2

21 Practice makes perfect: Use music to exercise your

Childwise: A creative change to the school day

Dad Dispatch: The simple truth about great people

child’s creativity

22 Knox Kids Puzzle Place

on the cover:

Lucie Novoveska helping a young child try the violin for the first time following a KSO story time program at Karns Library Branch in Knox County. Photo CourtesyArts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville

Knoxville Parent welcomes your comments, story ideas and advertising inquiries. Contact (865) 622-9680 or KnoxvilleParent@gmail.com 3

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

A message from the Publishers by Eva Nations and Michael Kull

Dear Creative Families, We are excited by the opportunity to bring together parents, children, educators, businesses, and community leaders to build the strongest families and improve the lives of everyone through Knoxville Parent magazine! In this month’s issue we are celebrating creativity! No matter what you or your child is doing, it can always be approached with creativity, whether it is an artistic pursuit or not. With creativity, the impossible becomes possible. It brings out the positive. It is uplifting, encouraging, and inspiring, and above all real and honest. These qualities are important ingredients of a happy and rewarding life, and this is what we want for you. Our purpose is to educate parents and care-givers about ways they can be the best at their primary job: to protect, nurture, and ensure the healthy development of their children. Everyone involved in Knoxville Parent makes this purpose possible, and they do it with creativity. We invite you to celebrate with us as you read what our talented and expert contributors have to say. Use this information to discover a new, healthy and creative life! Sincerely,

Eva Nations Publisher

Michael Kull Publisher

PO Box 52605 • Knoxville, TN 37950 • (865) 622-9680 • KnoxvilleParent.com

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

by Piotr Ulmer, MSPT

Getting to the heart of creativity

ometimes I wonder if we really appreciate the gift of creativity. It’s not just an oil painting of the Mona Lisa or the sculpting of Archangel Michael. Creativity permeates all aspects of our lives on a daily basis. We all become more or less creative while landscaping, reorganizing furniture in the office, cooking or entertaining. Some people even get creative in the ways of avoiding work. From my own experience creating has always been such an important part of life. One example of this involves my mother. Music in all its forms has been a constant love in her life. She was a music teacher and has told me so many stories about Mozart, Beethoven and other composers. She would asked me many times what a composer thought, or tried to illustrate through composing a particular piece of music, and I was supposed to listen to the music and then come up with the answer. She would share with me all the “behind the scenes” stories of the music we were just listening to. In doing this she regularly took my mind through a creative “work out.” Then she would encourage me to sit at the “Berlina” upright piano in my six foot by nine foot bedroom and “put together some sounds” on my own. For example, I used lower keys and bass notes for illustrating a bear coming to get us and the high tones and keys to illustrate birds singing in the forest. My mom’s love of music stayed with me through my high school, when every day straight after school, I’d come home and play simple songs and harmonies on the piano. Most of the time I didn’t even know where it all came from, and every time after about twenty to thirty minutes of this creative outlet, I’d have to use the restroom. I think my body was just unwinding from school stress and relaxing to the point of having an autonomic reaction. Perhaps it kept me from trouble, because I looked forward to coming back home to my mom’s “Berlina” piano instead of hiding out and smoking stuff behind the corner. As an adult I think about creativity and our human ability to create life. Have you thought, meditated, prayed about or analyzed it? How come every healthy, adult human without education or particular skill is able to recreate life? Anybody who even has a hint of knowledge about the complex processes that take place during conception, growth, birth and life of a baby should agree it is all beyond our human grasp and control of organizing or even merely imitating it. Thinking about this leads me to add another dimension to the act of creativity. You see, as important as creativity is for life there is no supercomputer nor nuclear lab nor mad scientist who is capable of starting life. We can peek into the mitochondria of a cell with an electron microscope. We are able to shuffle and manipulate genes inside the nucleus. We can even observe structures, movement and relationships of the atoms we are made of. All these are creative acts, but the mystery of creating life itself remains a mystery. Or does it? Even though we humans do the “creating,” in the way I see it, all creativity actually comes from Piotr Ulmer established CTS Physical Therapy in 2001. A native of Warsaw, Poland, he received his Master of Rehabilitation degree from that city’s Academy of Sports in 1991. He formerly served as the director of an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Clarksville, TN and as a Sports Medicine Physical Therapist in Knoxville before starting CTS Physical Therapy.

“Even though we humans do the ‘creating,’ in the way I see it, all creativity actually comes from somewhere else.” somewhere else. In my opinion, it comes from that deep place within our heart where we feel love. For me it is God’s love. I believe that Love, that source of creativity, can be imprinted in anybody’s heart, because our ability to create is given to us on purpose. For this reason, we should not only invest in our children’s creativity, but we also should not give up on our own. On the contrary, we should consider becoming creative in shaking our live’s stagnant areas. Accepting being complacent inhibits our multi-dimensional (emotional, mental, spiritual) growth. Why not observe the world and especially those people around us, including our family and ourselves, and find creative ways to improve. Sometimes we need to move. Sometimes we need to change jobs. Sometimes we need to finish work earlier to witness the miracle of football practice or cub scout pack meeting. Don’t let the fire die out. Use it! Let’s become creative and make our lives better and our world a better place.

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Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Creativity through the arts? It’s good for grades, too! By Liza Zenni

id you know that children who participate in arts and culture are better educated, score higher on standardized tests, and realize an increase of 400% in their creativity ratings? As a matter of fact, visual arts students scored an average of 47 points higher in math and 31 points higher on the verbal sections of the SAT. Students with four years of music coursework scored an average of 49 points higher on the verbal and math portions of the SAT.

“Did you know that children who participate in arts and culture are better educated, score higher on standardized tests, and realize an increase of 400% in their creativity ratings? ”

Free In-School Arts & Culture in the Sun and A Christmas Carol at the Activities Clarence Brown Theatre. The Tennessee General Assembly The East Tennessee Historical Society knows those statistics, so they have made Museum is always free for children, but it possible through the Tennessee Arts through the Penny4Arts program, the Commission’s Student Ticket Subsidy Museum of Appalachia - Spinning and quilting demonstration ADULT also gets free admission. The program for local arts organizations to that shows how wool was used to make yarn and quilt batting Frank H. McClung Museum on the provide 100,000 hours of educational in the days before ready-made clothing and superstores. University of Tennessee campus is also free programming to local school children at every day – but if you come on Sunday, no charge to the county, the school, the parent, or the child. The program October 21, expert archeologists and geologists will help identify and tell is funded through an ingenious mechanism that allocates a percentage of you all about the fossils, rocks, bones, and artifacts that your children may the sale of specialty license plates (vanity tags) so that all of Tennessee’s have found while playing in the backyard. children can enjoy the arts via either school field trips or in-school On Sunday, September 23, take the children up to the Knoxville Botanical performances. If your child is enrolled in a public school, his teacher has Garden and Arboretum from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM for their Fall Festival! probably already applied to the program through the Arts Commission in Nashville.

Free-Out of School Arts & Culture Activities To augment the arts experiences available through the schools and because education is their mission, 30 Knox County arts and culture organizations have opened their doors to all Knox County children when accompanied by one paying adult. For some events, one paying parent (or aunt or grandparent or friend) can bring in up to three children for free (or a penny each); for other events, all attend for free! For instance, on Sunday, September 9 a paying adult can take a child to the Knoxville Zoo for a penny! Visit www.penny4arts.com to find out how you can get free tickets for your children to visit the Tennessee Valley Fair on Tuesday, September 11. Buy the best seat in the house at the Tennessee Theatre for any one or ALL of 21 Knoxville Symphony Orchestra concerts and bring up to three children to sit in the seats right next to you for free. Introduce your children to opera at either Die Fledermaus or The Girl of the Golden West, produced by the Knoxville Opera or take them to The Little Prince, A Raison

Log onto www.penny4arts.com to find out when you can take your K-12 children to events hosted by the following arts and culture organizations for a penny (or less!): Knoxville Arts & Fine Crafts Center • Knoxville Zoo • Tennessee Valley Fair • Wild Thyme Players • Knoxville Symphony Orchestra • Knoxville Botanical Gardens • HoLa Hora Latina • Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble • Knoxville Jazz Orchestra • Clarence Brown Theatre • Go Contemporary Dance Works • Frank H. McClung Museum • Knoxville Opera • Pellissippi State • Knoxville Chamber Orchestra • Circle Modern Dance • Wordplayers • Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame • Dogwood Arts Festival • Knoxville Chamber Chorale • Alexia’s School of Middle Eastern Belly Dance • Blount Mansion • Crescent Bend • Mabry-Hazen House • Marble Springs State Historic Site • James White’s Fort • East Tennessee Historical Society Museum • Knoxville Museum of Art • WDVX

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Don’t forget to break away on Friday evening, September 14 to the World’s Fair Park Amphitheater for Wild Thyme Players’ Duels and Desserts 2: Back for Seconds, a wonderful mix of performances and activities for children and adults. On the last Saturday of every month (September 29, October 27, etc), WDVX performs a free live music show called Kidstuff from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM in their studios at the Visitors’ Center studio in downtown Knoxville. Open the door to your child’s creativity while helping make them better students and better citizens. Through Penny4Arts programs, you can be sure your children have every opportunity to enjoy and experience the transforming power of arts and culture for free. To receive a weekly email update on current Penny4Arts activities, visit www.Penny4Arts.com and fill out the registration form. Penny4Arts is a program of the Arts & Culture Alliance, a membershipdriven organization located in the Emporium Center in downtown Knoxville. Its mission is to serve and support a diverse community of 300 artists and 100 local arts and culture organizations. To find out more about the Arts & Culture Alliance, visit www.knoxalliance.com or www. theemporiumcenter.com.

...continued from previous page

Knox County schoolchildren attending a performance of the Fisk Jubilee Singers at the Tennessee Theatre.

Liza Zenni has been with the Arts & Culture Alliance since 2002. She holds a BA in Theater and a MFA in Arts Administration from the Yale School of Drama. From 1990 to 1995 she was Executive Director of Theatre Bay Area, the largest regional theater service organization in North America. She and her two daughters live in Oak Ridge, not far from where she grew up.

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Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Ten Terrific Books About Creativity Compiled this month by Erin Nguyen

Hands By Lois Ehlert Reading level: PreK – 2nd A young child explores many things that can be created by hand, including a bird house, clothing, toys, paintings, and even a garden, in this uniquely designed book illustrated with the author’s trademark collage artwork. ish By Peter H. Reynolds Reading level: K – 3rd Young artist Ramon grows frustrated when his drawings aren’t perfect, but his little sister helps him see the true beauty in his artwork, inspiring him to create again.

Children’s Department, Knox County Public Library

Rules to Rock By By Josh Farrar Reading level: 4th – 7th Annabelle Cabrera is devastated when her family’s move means leaving behind not only her beloved grandmother, but also her soon-to-be-famous rock band, until starting a new band helps her discover her own voice as a songwriter.

My Art Book By DK Publishing Reading level: 3rd – 6th This book is a great combination of art history and do-it-yourself guide, highlighting famous artists around the world with art projects inspired by their work that can be done with common household items and art supplies. Inkblot: Drip, Splat, and Squish Your Way to Creativity By Margaret Peot Reading level: 3rd – 8th This imaginative book shows how inkblots can be a great way to get your creative juices flowing, either by turning an inkblot into a work of art, or by using an inkblot as a starting point for another project, such as a creative writing prompt.

Dance: A Practical Guide to Pursuing the Art By rebecca Love Fishkin Reading level: 5th – 12th Part of a nonfiction series covering the basics of pursuing a career in the arts, this title includes the training and equipment dancers need, as well as sidebars featuring professional artists in the field. Other titles in the series explore singing, acting, and screenwriting.

Notes from An Accidental Band Geek By Erin Dionne Reading level: 6th – 9th Serious classical musician Elsie Wyatt isn’t happy that she’s being forced to join the high school marching band to fulfill an ensemble music credit for a prestigious orchestra program, but she soon finds out that there’s more to life than the French horn.

For libary information in your area visit: www.knoxlib.org/

Acting for Young Actors: The Ultimate Teen Guide By Mary Lou Belli and Dinah Lenney Reading level: 7th – 12th This fact-filled guide provides information on every aspect of acting a young thespian could ever need, whether pursuing the craft on stage or screen. Bronx Masquerade By Nikki Grimes Reading level: 7th – 12th When Mr. Ward begins Open Mike Fridays in his high school English class, each student in his class finds a way to express the many experiences they’re struggling with, from a weight problem, to bullies and teenage pregnancy. Page by Paige By Lee Gulledge Reading level: 7th – 12th In this graphic novel, teenager Paige fills the pages of her artist’s notebook with her feelings about being in a new place and searching for her true self after a move to New York City.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Knowledge you can use

Helping build your child’s confidence A little forethought goes a long way Article provided by Premier Martial Arts

uilding our children’s sense of self-confidence is one of the most important duties we have as parents. It is with us as we whisk them to ballet practice, make their lunch or rush them off to school. Parents are ideally positioned to positively build or raise their child’s level of self-confidence and self worth. The great part that it doesn’t take any extra time, just a bit of forethought and follow through. Here are the three rock solid suggestions to boosting your child’s confidence:

1. Retain

The first rule of building a child’s self esteem is doesn’t lose it in the first place! Trying to rebuild a child’s self esteem is much more difficult than to increase an already healthy one. Be conscious of what you say and the way you say it to your children. Children instinctually look to their parents for approval and love. All it can take is one frown or off hand remark to level a child’s self esteem. So next time junior brings you his art project from school- the one that looks like it was created by a wild rabid animal with paint, don’t say anything negative. Just smile and follow the next suggestion.

2. Reinforce

Reinforce with your child constantly what they are doing right. When talking with your children focus on their strengths and successes. Dwelling on past failures and weaknesses does nothing to motivate a child or sustain her esteem. Sure, Billy didn’t score the winning goal at soccer, but his passing and ball handling improved tremendously. Compliment them with phrases like “I am so proud of you because…” then give the reasons and supporting details.

3. Rein in

Rein in the need to be a permanent ‘fixer’ for your child. Being a permanent ‘fixer’ means stepping in, regardless of age or capability and fixing your child’s problems for them. This can send subconscious signals to your child that they are unable to deal with their problems productively on their own. It can sometimes lead to resentment and rebellion or indifference. Children are meant to make mistakes and learn from them. No one is suggesting not Barry Van Over is the owner and president of Premier Martial Arts International, of which there are currently over 80 location nationwide. Mr. Van Over has two locations in the West Knoxville area and been empowering families lives through the martial arts in the Knoxville community for over 20 years. Mr. Van Over and his local studios can be reached at www.premiermartialarts.com.

guiding and protecting them from harm- but if they know how to tie their shoes let them. Let them feel the triumph of having done it themselves- no matter how small the task. Point out to them often how everyday in every way they are getting better and better. Standing up to peer pressure and saying no to drugs just doesn’t happen on its own. It is crucial that you take charge in protecting your child’s self confidence and esteem. Build up your child’s confidence to the point that just like basketball superstar Michael Jordan, who after being cut from the high school basketball team didn’t give up, but chose and was encouraged to stick with basketball and improve in the areas he needed to succeed. This same sense of self-confidence, no matter how small it starts out can be built up and stoked into a raging fire of indomitable spirit in your child. Once you get it started through consistent encouragement, thoughtfulness and patience it will never burn out!

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Knoxville Parent • September 2012

The importance of immunizations: part 1 By Lori Patterson, M.D., FAAP

hen it comes to their children’s immunizations, some parents are choosing to listen to more than their doctor for information. Parents and caregivers are getting medical advice from message boards, blogs and other online sources. As a result, concerns and rumors have spread regarding the safety and purpose of vaccines. Here, Dr. Lori Patterson, pediatric infectious disease specialist, responds to common questions and misconceptions of immunizations.

Q: A:

“A flu shot can reduce a person’s chances of getting the flu by up to 80% during flu season.”

Q: A:

Will vaccines weaken my child’s immune system?

No. They actually strengthen the immune system by making it able to respond more quickly to the germs the person has been vaccinated against.

How do immunizations work?

A vaccine contains pieces of a dead or weakened disease-producing germ. When those pieces are injected (or swallowed for a few vaccines), the body recognizes them as “not self ” and makes antibodies (protective proteins) against them. This gives the person immunity against that specific infection, so the next time the individual “runs into” that live germ, his or her body can fight it off before it has a chance to make the person sick.

Can immunizations cause the disease it is supposed to prevent?

It is impossible to develop a disease from vaccines made with dead bacteria or viruses. Only vaccines made with weakened live viruses – like the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) – could make a child develop a mild case of the disease, but it is usually less severe than the illness itself. The risk of significant disease from vaccination is extremely small.

Q: A:

Can immunizations cause a bad reaction in my child?

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Common, minor reactions to vaccines might include soreness and tenderness where the shot was given, swelling where the shot was given or fever. Of the millions of children vaccinated every year, very few experience severe side effects. In rare cases, a child may have an allergic reaction or a seizure. Before vaccines are given, notify the doctor of your child’s history of allergies caused by food or medications. The risk of a significant reaction is much, much less than the risks posed by the diseases themselves.

Q: A:

Why are new flu shots required every year?

Influenza is a virus that constantly changes every year, and the vaccine must change with it. A new flu shot is required each year to protect against the newest strain. A flu shot can reduce a person’s chances of getting the flu by up to 80% during flu season. The vaccine doesn’t protect against all strains of the flu, and it’s still possible to contract the virus. However, symptoms are usually milder and easier to get over if a person has been vaccinated. Also, immunity from a flu vaccine only lasts for a year or so.

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Look for more information on immunizations and answers from Dr. Lori Patterson in the next issue of Knoxville Parent. Lori Patterson, M.D., FAAP specializes in pediatric medicine and infectious disease at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. For more information please visit the Children’s Hospital website (www.etch.com).

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

The sleepy child: part 2

Healthy sleep is essential for your child’s health By Phil Noe, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

ast month I discussed two potential causes of excessive daytime sleepiness in children: insomnia, which is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep during the night, and narcolepsy, which occurs when children are very sleepy during the day sometimes resulting in sleep “attacks” that make them suddenly fall asleep or lose muscle control. This month I will discuss two more potential causes of excessive daytime sleepiness: Obstructive Sleep Apnia and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder and also Restless Leg Syndrome. As I previously mentioned, for the majority of children, establishing a healthy sleeping environment and sleep schedule will result in a well-rested child. There are several keys that are critical to helping a child fall asleep, stay asleep, and achieve restful sleep. These keys include: 1. A quiet bedroom – no noisemakers in the room such as a television, computer, radio, I pod, video game or cell phone. 2. Falling asleep independently - A child should fall asleep on their own with no one else in the room or in the bed with them. 3. Nightlights are acceptable – otherwise, the room should be dark. 4. Keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature (70-72 degrees) – avoid an overly hot room. The next step is to make sure your child is getting enough sleep. Most 6-12 year old children need 10 – 11 hours of sleep each night. In addition, most children take around 15 minutes to fall asleep. When these two facts are combined, it is easy to see that 6-12 year olds need roughly 11 hours in bed each night. To determine an appropriate bedtime, simply subtract 11 hours from the time the child needs to get up in the morning for school. If morning wakeup time is 7 a.m., the appropriate bedtime is 8 p.m. Children who start their day at 6 a.m. should go to bed at 7 p.m. This practice will provide an opportunity for your child to obtain an adequate amount of sleep each night. If your child continues to experience excessive daytime sleepiness despite an appropriate sleep environment and an adequate amount of sleep, the next step is to consider that your child might have a sleep problem. Here are two additional sleep problems that can exist during childhood:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea This sleep disorder causes a person to stop breathing temporarily during sleep. One common cause of obstructive sleep apnea is enlarged tonsils or adenoids (tissues located in the passage that connects the nose and throat). Children with obstructive sleep apnea might snore, have difficulty breathing, have pauses in their breathing, gasp and sweat heavily during sleep. Because it disrupts sleep, someone with sleep apnea may feel extremely sleepy or irritable during the day. Obstructive sleep apnea has also been linked with elevated blood pressure, concentration problems, learning difficulties and behavior problems mimicking ADHD. If your child has symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea, he/she should be evaluated by a health care professional. At the Pediatric Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine Center at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, these children are

“Most 6-12 year old children need 10 – 11 hours of sleep each night ...[and] take around 15 minutes to fall asleep.” then often tested with an overnight polysomnogram or sleep study. Treatment is available for children diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, and most problems can be eliminated or greatly reduced by the removal of the child’s tonsils and adenoids.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder and Restless Legs Syndrome This is an uncommon cause of daytime sleepiness in children. Children with this condition find their sleep is disrupted by leg (or, less frequently, arm) movements, leaving them tired or irritable from lack of sleep. In the case of periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), these movements are involuntary rhythmic movements that occur frequently throughout the night while asleep. They are called involuntary, because the person isn’t consciously controlling the movements and is often unaware of it. These rapid leg movements may partially awaken the child repeatedly throughout the night, resulting in poor sleep and daytime sleepiness. Children with restless legs syndrome (RLS) actually feel physical sensations in their limbs, such as tingling, itching, cramping or burning. The only way to relieve these feelings is by moving the legs or arms to get rid of the discomfort. This problem may result in major difficulty falling asleep, and doctors can treat PLMD and RLS with medications. What to do if you suspect a sleep problem If your child seems to be getting enough rest at night but is still feeling tired during the day, it’s a good idea to visit your health care provider. Excessive tiredness can be caused by a wide variety of health problems, not just difficulties with sleep. If a sleep problem is suspected, your health care provider will evaluate your child’s overall health and sleep habits. In addition to doing a physical examination, your provider will take a medical history by asking about any concerns and symptoms your child has and about his or her past health, your family’s health and any medications your child is taking. The provider also may do tests such as a sleep study to find out whether there is a medical condition affecting your child’s health. Your provider may even refer you to a specialist such as the Pediatric Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine Center at Children’s Hospital. Healthy sleep is an essential part of your child’s overall health. Monitoring your child’s sleep and ensuring an adequate amount and quality of sleep is extremely important in keeping your child physically and emotionally healthy. Phil Noe has been a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with the Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine Center at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital for the past 15 years. He works with a variety of sleep-related medical problems from newborns to young adults.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

by Michael K. Smith Ph.D.

A Creative Change to the School Day

“E

very child in the U.S. needs 21st century knowledge and skills to succeed as effective citizens, workers and leaders…There is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st century communities and workplaces.” This mission statement from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills reflects the concern that what is currently taught in schools should change. In particular, the Partnership argues for the teaching of problem solving and creativity. However, for students to become creative problem solvers, what would happen during a typical school day? What would teachers and students do? First, teachers and students need knowledge. There is a common myth that creative problem solvers do not need facts, only skills. For instance, it is believed that a skilled mathematics problem solver can easily solve problems in biology or economics or international relations. This is not necessarily true. A certain basis of information is needed to solve important problems or create new solutions in any field. The Common Core Standards initiative recognizes this need by advocating broader standards in Reading and Mathematics. In Reading, “students establish a base of knowledge across a wide range of subject matter by engaging with works of quality and substance.” The Partnership for 21st Century skills goes even further: students should not only master subjects like reading, mathematics, science, and history but also develop global awareness, financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy. Teachers need to keep learning as well. Strong professional development programs could be incorporated into the school day, as teachers and students learn together. So part of the school day would be spent acquiring all kinds of knowledge. Second, teachers and students should work on well-defined or previously solved problems. The word “problem” derives from the Greek words for “something thrown forward.” The word “solve” comes from the Latin word for “to loosen, dissolve, or untie.” Many classroom problems are of this nature; a teacher places a problem in front of a student and the student seeks to “take it apart” step-by-step. Teachers often know the answers to these problems and have carefully constructed lesson plans to help guide students through the learning process. Students “rediscover” classic laws of physics and chemistry through laboratory exercises. Open-ended mathematics problems help students apply mathematical principles to something other than repetitive drills. The Common Core Standards state that “mathematically proficient students start by explaining to themselves the meaning of a

“It is often thought that creativity only applies to the arts: painting, photography, sculpture or stories and poems.” problem and looking for entry points to its solution. They analyze givens, constraints, relationships, and goals.” So, a second part of the school day would be devoted to teachers guiding students through well-structured exercises that teach problem-solving skills. Finally, though, teachers and students need to tackle problems that have not been solved. These types of problems may not have definitive lesson plans nor even have solutions. The word “create” derives from the Latin word “to make, bring forth, or grow.” It is often thought that creativity only applies to the arts: painting, photography, sculpture or stories and poems. Students, however, can learn to be creative in all disciplines, from mathematics and science to history and social studies. The Common Core Standards say, “Mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace.” The Partnership urges students to “create new and worthwhile ideas.” So part of the school day would have to allow time for students to present new ideas and problems and for teachers and students to collectively work on solving these problems. But true creativity can be frustrating, time-consuming, and even end in failure. Not all problems can be solved nor can something be made of all new ideas. So, schools would have to reward both students and teachers as they struggle to “view failure as an opportunity to learn.” So the 21st century classroom would be different. The first part of the school day would be spent learning what is already known and solving problems that have been solved before. Then, the second half of the school day would be more challenging. Students and teachers would create new problems to discuss, investigate, and propose solutions. This collaborative effort could be engaging but scary: both teachers and students may have to step outside their normal roles and create new relationships within the classroom. But isn’t this what the 21st century is demanding of us all? Michael K. Smith, Ph.D., is owner of TESTPREP EXPERTS (www.testprepexperts.com ) which prepares students for standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT. He is also a consultant to Discovery Education Assessment. He can reached at mike@testprepexperts.com.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

The simple truth about great people by Paul B. Nations, D.D.S.

“I’m just a normal guy who works. I pick my kids up from school and make sure that they are fed. I help with their homework. I get them in the bath and make sure that they brush their teeth.”

hen I was recently asked to make a contribution to Knoxville Parent by writing about being a Dad, I thought long and hard about what to say. I had read other great articles that other dads had written. These fathers talked about being there for their kids and about special moments that they had experienced with their kids. These stories were so extraordinary and individual, so touching and personal that I was at a loss as to how to proceed. I thought about my life as a father and what I could possibly add to these great better place for that than America. examples. This is why so many wonderful I’m just a normal guy who works. human achievements have occurred I pick my kids up from school and Dr. Nations and his three children love splashing around in the pool! in this country in such a short make sure that they are fed. I help with amount of time. their homework. I get them in the bath and make sure that they brush As I watched these people in the conventions, their simple yet their teeth. I try to make sure that they get to bed on time, so that they’ll inspirational message that it is those simple things that are worth be rested for the next day of school. I referee the fights and disagreements celebrating, striving for, and even fighting for, I realized that I do have between three kids and listen to their problems and concerns as best as I something to add. I became excited and wanted to pass these ideas on to can. I give advice and council when I can. I do my best to get them to their my kids. I recalled with them my first memories of following elections with sporting events and school related activities. I do laundry and sometimes my parents. I was too young to understand the politics of the time, but I manage not to make their white clothes pink. Sometimes I might even do could grasp the simple ideas of freedom and dreams. I understood what the dishes and clean something. I do not see these things as exceptional or they passed on to me about how America was special. With my parent’s special, just simple and part of life. I decided that I had nothing great to help, I grasped at a child’s level that I lived in a country where I could add. These guys had already said it. actually be anything that I wanted to be. While I struggled with this subject, I happened to turn on the television Now, as a father myself, I realize the important responsibility that I and started watching the conventions for the presidential elections. There must fulfill. I have to let my kids see the same thing that I saw at their were these great and accomplished men, both leaders, both fathers, making age. I tell them that they have the opportunity to be and do anything that speeches to the nation. They could have spoken about anything and the they imagine; they can create their lives to be what they want them to be. world would be listening,but the speeches focused on simple things. The They can follow their own dreams and make them happen, but in order topics included ideals like family and parents wanting a life that is better to do that, they have to first learn the value of those simple things like for their kids than it was for them. They reminded us that we live in the homework, bath time, and even brushing their teeth. These “simple things” greatest country in the world. America! They reminded us that in this are the things that I am grateful for and am happy to celebrate with my country, like no other, the opportunity for greatness is there. No matter children, so that, one day, they can realize their own dreams and pass these where you start in life in this country, there is always the chance to make ideas on to their children. anything out of your life. If you can dream it, you can make it happen. There is no promise that it will be easy or that it will be handed to you. There will be work and adversity. Life is full of hardship no matter where you live, but what makes our country special is that there is freedom and the possibility to do any thing that you can imagine, if only you are willing and refuse to give up. True creativity cannot be unleashed without the freedom to create and what

Dr. Paul Nations received his B.S. in Biology at Vanderbilt University and his D.D.S. at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, where he graduated with honors. He also completed one year in Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at the University of Tennessee, Memphis and maintains a private practice at Cedar Bluff Dental Center, P.C. in West Knoxville.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

One size fits one

Use your creativity to help your child by Kathryn Rae Smith, Ph.D.

he creative process is alive and well in East Tennessee family homes! And no, I am not talking about the multitude of school projects the students are doing. Rather, I am referring to the creativity involved in parenting. Parents engage in a creative process when solving their children’s problems. They often don’t recognize, however, that they are creating something new each time they facilitate a resolution to a parenting dilemma. In this article, I will highlight the creativity involved in parenting and offer some suggestions for Photo courtesy Chattanooga Parent enhancing the creative process. The kinds of problems parents encounter with their children are seemingly endless. There are developmental issues, academic problems, medical or emotional disorders, social delays, behavior disorders, interpersonal struggles, and parent-child relationship issues. When faced with one of these problems, what’s the first thing parents typically do? They seek information, often from various sources, including parenting books, the Internet, other parents, pediatricians, teachers, guidance counselors, mental health professionals, and members of the clergy. Very often one source of information leads to another, such that eventually parents have several ideas about how to help their child.

“There are things that parents can do to optimize the creative process as applied to parenting.” Once the information has been gathered, parents sift through the ideas to determine which ones are likely to work for their child. Parents are the real “experts” when it comes to their children. For each child, parents have a “working model” based upon the child’s unique attributes and the knowledge that comes from loving and taking care of the child over time. In considering the best solutions to a parenting problem, parents creatively sort the options based upon intimate knowledge of their child. Very often, parents will take a suggestion from a parenting book or a fellow parent and adapt it to fit the needs of their child. Parents know that effective discipline is not “one size fits all” but rather results from the interplay of potential solutions and the unique needs of the child, creatively mediated by the parents’ imagination. When I had a child therapy practice, I worked with several children and their parents on a variety of childhood issues. My approach was to spend as much

“Parents are the real ‘experts’ when it comes to their children.” time working with the parents as with the child. Once I figured out what was going on with the child, the emphasis in my work was on helping the parents to understand the child and to be more “therapeutic” in the home. Because I wanted to both support and empower the parents, I would offer suggestions of things the parents could say or do differently while also encouraging them to put their own spin on the intervention. When parents reported the results of their efforts to me, I noticed they had indeed taken my suggestions and modified them to fit the working model of their child. The parents created something new from the building blocks I gave them. There are things that parents can do to optimize the creative process as applied to parenting. First, parents can devote time to thinking about solutions to a child’s issue. Parents can reflect on the child’s problem while walking, running, or driving. Prayer, meditation, and journal writing are other examples of ways to contemplate the child’s needs. I, for one, do my best thinking about my children when I am out walking or running and often return home with a new perspective on the issue. Another important way to optimize creativity is to be on the lookout for anxiety. When children have a problem, the parents’ first response is to become fearful. This is natural and inevitable but not good for creative problem solving. Basically, anxiety kills creativity. When anxiety emerges, it’s important to nip it in the bud. Do what is necessary to calm yourself down so that the creative ideas can flow. Children are living, breathing works of art and parents have the privilege of facilitating their development. Parents need to acknowledge those moments when their creative efforts on the child’s behalf bear good fruit. To do so can bring tremendous gratification at a job well done. Kathryn Rea Smith, Ph.D. is a private practice psychologist specializing in assessment. She is the married mother of two school-aged boys.

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Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Local is good, healthy, and fun! Re-establishing the link between farmers and the community by Ellen Blasius

nox County Parks and Recreation presents a weekly Farmers Market at New Harvest Park in northeast Knox County. New Harvest Park was built on the site of the former Knoxville Regional Farmers Market that closed several years ago. The market, open every Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., April through November, features fresh and locally grown produce, meat and dairy products, organic fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, artisan bread and gourmet food products. The market enjoyed a rousing opening in April and is demonstrating continued success. From an opening day with seven vendors, the market now boasts 14! Combining activity with tradition, the Farmers Market creates community and reestablishes the traditional link between farmers and consumers. Each week, unique and different products are available. Customers can establish a relationship with the local producer and get to know how and where their products are grown. Many of the growers display information about their farms and growing processes. Because the produce is usually picked the day of the market, it is fresher and tastes better. The market also provides an added income source for the producers. In addition to keeping food dollars in the community, farmers markets are also helping to keep family farms in business. Buying locally reduces the need for transporting produce long distances, which can impact the quality of the produce. Plus, it’s better for the environment. We have planned special events throughout the season to keep the momentum of the market going. This week, two local celebrities will compete in a cookoff, using only products found at the market. With all this added activity of the Farmers Market, citizens from throughout Knox County are now also aware of the wonderful amenities available to every age group at New Harvest Park. With an outdoor picnic pavilion and amphitheater, playground, splashpad and a walking trail, there is definitely something for everyone! Because of the success of the current market, discussions are underway concerning the expansion to other parks throughout the county. Knox County has been thrilled with the success of the New Harvest Park Farmers Market. Events like this—that create community, support local health and wellness, and provide activities for families—directly address the mission of our parks department.

PARTNERING WITH:

Dr. James D. Walmsley, DDS, PC 1011 Waterford Place, Kingston, TN 37763 (in Ladd Landing) Office: 865.376.9687 • www.drwalmsley.com

What would a new smile do for you?

Knoxville Parent • August 2012

Creatively teach your kids about money by Kristina Howard, Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union Marketing Specialist

Monopoly Buy and sell properties, build houses and collect rent. Monopoly is a great money game for kids learning how to count money and make decisions. Play the classic Monopoly with paper money or the new Monopoly with Electronic Banking. Game of Life Make decisions about your career and other life moves in the Game of Life. The decisions you make affect the income you receive and how you spend your money. Payday In Payday kids learn to have a job, lend money, pay bills and interest, and deal with unexpected expenses. If a player doesn’t have enough money to make it until Payday, they have to take out a loan, teaching about living within your means.

Kristina F. Howard khoward@tvacreditunion.com www.tvacreditunion.com

Moneywise Kids Two different games are included in Moneywise Kids, one for making change and the other for budgeting money. Players must account for food, clothing, and housing in the play option focused on budgeting. Money Bags Kids learn how to count change by earning money for various activities in Money Bags. In addition, kids are limited to using certain coins, forcing them to keep finding new ways to count the coins. Exact Change Kids use their coins to put together the “exact change” to win the pot of money. It’s a great learning tool for kids learning to count coins and make change.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Get ready to save with Knox County School’s Annual Coupon Book Campaign!

The Knox County Schools will officially kick off its annual coupon book sale on Thursday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. at Belle Morris Elementary School.

ou’re Invited to the 8th Annual Parent Conference: Parents…Our True Superheroes!

The Knox County Schools, Knox County Council PTA, and Project GRAD Knoxville are partnering to present “Parents…Our True Superheroes!” at the 8th Annual Parent Conference. The Parent Conference will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center located at 701 Henley Street on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with extended exhibitor hours through 3:30 p.m. A light, complimentary breakfast and lunch will be provided along with a variety of free materials to all parents and caregivers of Knox County Schools’ students. “Parents and extended families are critical ingredients in educating our children,” says Dr. Jim McIntyre, Superintendent of the Knox County Schools. “This conference will provide a wonderful opportunity to support meaningful engagement for our most important allies in education. It will also provide access to valuable resources to help our children succeed academically and in life.”

Parents will have the opportunity to attend multiple workshops on topics identified through input from parents throughout the Knox County Schools, such as homework help, resources for English language learners, special needs advocacy, college prep, and more Dr. Autumn Tooms Cyprès, director of the Center for Educational Leadership at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will present, “The 10 Best Things You Can Do To Make a Greater Difference in the Lives of Children” during the keynote lunch. Space is limited to 800 guests, and registration is required by Tuesday, October 9. Registration can be completed online by visiting www.knoxschools.org or by calling (865) 594-1192. Carpooling is encouraged. Complimentary parking and shuttle services to the Knoxville Convention Center will be provided by Knox County Schools to those who park at the Blackstock Parking Lot located at 640 Blackstock Avenue. Additional downtown parking options are available for those who wish to make alternate plans. Exhibitors at the event will include a variety of local non-profit organizations, community-wide educational resources, along with colleges, universities and institutes. For more information, please visit the Family and Community Engagement Department site at www.knoxschools.org.

The top-selling students from last year’s campaign will be recognized at this event. Representatives from the coupon book’s six corporate sponsors – U.S. Cellular, Rusty Wallace Honda, Rusty Wallace Kia, Junk Bee Gone, Stanley Steemer Carpet Cleaners, First Tennessee Bank and Comcast - will also be on hand. The Original Knox County Schools Coupon Books provide funds to meet school needs identified by parents, teachers and school administrators. Students sold 156,175 coupon books during the 2011 campaign representing a profit of $1,382,148.75. Since 1989, over 3 million coupon books have been sold to raise more than $26 million for Knox County students. This year’s book includes 45 new merchants and a Sevier County family fun section, which features popular attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. The coupon books cost $10.00 with $7.90 going to the school where the book is sold. Schools with a high number of economically disadvantaged students share $.72 from the sale of each book. ebook subscriptions for all Knox County Schools’ libraries is funded by $.13 of the proceeds and another $.07 funds the “Schooled for Success” program, an eighth grade career awareness initiative in each Knox County middle school. The cost of printing is $.63 per book. Only $.55 of the book’s cost goes to cover administrative and student incentive cost. The Original Knox County Schools Coupon Book contains money-saving offers worth more than $10,000, providing discounts on fast food, fine dining, personal and professional services, as well as shopping and entertainment. Students sell the coupon books, which feature discount coupons for over 300 area merchants, in a two-week campaign conducted this year from Thursday, Sept. 6 through Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Additional information and a list of participating merchants can be found at www. knoxschools.org.

Mark your calendars for Monday, Sept. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012 for “Thank a Teacher Week.” This teacher appreciation week is designed to reinforce the value we place upon our tremendous educators and the work they do every day in the classroom. As parents, there are so many ways you can join the community in expressing your appreciation for the work of our Knox County teachers. Some of those ways could be: Parents write a note or email your teachers expressing your thanks. Have your child draw a picture and either you write or your child write what they think makes their teacher special. Attach a note saying “thank you” to an apple and send in to your teacher. Bag up some peanuts or other nuts and write a note saying “We’re nuts about our teacher”. Google “Teacher Appreciation” and you will find all sorts of creative ideas. One creative website is: http://www.skiptomylou.org/teacher-appreciation-ideas/. This site offers some step-by-step adorable projects to show appreciation for teachers. Many groups are involved in making this week a success, which include the Knox County Schools, the Great Schools Partnership, KCEA, PTA, the Knoxville Chamber, Knox County Partners in Education, SIMPLY SMART Foundation for Education, and Support Our Schools.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Knox County Schools PARENT UNIVERSITY “P.E.” (Parent Empowerment) Classes and Events Submitted by Tracey Matthews, KCS Supervisor of Family and Community Engagement SAVE THE DATE!: Tuesday, October 23, 2012: “Parents…Our True Superheroes” is the theme of the 8th Annual Parent Conference cosponsored by Knox County Schools’ Family and Community Engagement District Advisory Council (DAC), the Knox County Council PTA, and Project GRAD Knoxville. For more information, please visit the Family and Community Engagement Department site at www.knoxschools.org. Parents and community members are invited to join the KCS Family and Community Engagement Department’s webpage at engagement@knoxschools.org to receive automatic information via email as details are posted. September 1: “Explore the Discovery Museum” with ASA-ETC’s Smoky Mountains’ Friendship Club from 10 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Cake, water, and paper products will be provided. Contact Lisa Roberts at 774-0494 or fwfurniture@ aol.com for more information. September 1, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, and 29: “The Market Square Farmer’s Market” held by the Market Square District Association. The Market will be open every Wednesday 11 a.m. -2 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. For more information call 405-3135 or visit http://marketsquarefarmersmarket.org/ September 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29: “Parenting Classes for Divorced Families” are held each Saturday from 9 a.m. – noon at the Child & Family Tennessee Building: 901 E. Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37915. This is a 12-hour course consisting of four weekly sessions. Call 524-7483 ext. 240 for more information. September 2: The City of Knoxville’s “25th Anniversary Boomsday Fireworks Festival” will be held from 1 - 10 p.m. on Neyland Drive at Volunteer Landing along the Tennessee River. This event is FREE and features fireworks, food, a kids’ play area, and live entertainment. For more information visit http://www.boomsday.org/. September 3: “Great Tennessee Valley Rubber Duck Race” will take place at World’s Fair Park from 10 a.m. – noon. This event benefits the Boys and Girls Club of East Tennessee. Families can adopt a rubber duck for $5 to be entered into the race. Prizes will be awarded! For more information call 2321205 or visit http://bgctnv.org/site/TR/General?fr_id=1030&pg=entry. September 4: “Car Seat Inspections” are being given for FREE by the Clinton Fire Department and ETCH. Inspections will be held from 5 - 8 p.m. at the City of Clinton Fire Department Station #1, 100 Longmire Road. Call 541-8000 or visit www.etch.com for more information. September 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26: Knox County Schools Adult Education program will provide registration for the “English Language Learners Classes” (formerly ESL at Fountain City United Methodist Church) every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. in Room 112, and at the Cokesbury Center every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in Room 112. The classes will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 a.m. – noon and 6 – 8:30 p.m. at the Fountain City United Methodist Church, and every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. – noon at the Cokesbury Center. Contact Nancy Seely at 594-3622 or visit www.ae.knoxschools.org for more information. September 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, and 27 (two days or evenings are required): “Adult Education Registration/Orientation” classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Historic Knoxville High School. Once you are registered, Adult Education Classes take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. – noon and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Please call 594-3622 to sign up for mandatory orientation or visit www.ae.knoxschools.org for more information.

September 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, and 27: “Nurturing Parents Classes” are held at the Child & Family Tennessee Building, 901 E. Summit Hill Drive, on Tuesdays 10 a.m. – noon and Thursdays 4 - 6 p.m. This is a 12-hour course in which attendance is mandatory. For more information call 524-7483 ext. 240. September 6, 13, 20, and 27: The Helen Ross-McNabb Center presents the “Mother Goose Program.” The Mother Goose program teaches crucial interaction in the formative first steps of an infant’s life. The program has 12 groups each month. The groups will meet on September 6 and 20 at the Knoxville Center Mall in the UT Classroom, and on September 13 and 27 at the Cokesbury Center. Call 523-8695 or visit www.mcnabbcenter.org/socialservices/children.html for more information. September 7, 14, 21, and 28: Knox County Public Library presents, “Movies on Market Square.” This FREE event will take place in Market Square from 7 - 10 p.m. every Friday evening. For more information visit www.knoxcounty.org. September 13: K-Town Youth Empowerment Network will host its “Family-to-Family Support Group” from 6 - 8p.m. The support group is held on the second Thursday of every month. A light dinner will be served. Call 474-6689 for more information. September 22 and 29: “Saturday Stories and Songs” are held at the Cedar Bluff Branch and Lawson McGhee Libraries from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Join guest storytellers at the libraries to learn songs and stories that both parents and children can enjoy. For more information call Lawson-McGhee Library at 215-8750, Cedar Bluff Branch Library at 470-7033 or visit www.knoxcounty. org. September 23: Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum presents its “3rd Annual Fall Festival” from 1-5pm. The festival is FREE for all ages. Call 862-8717 or visit www.knoxgarden.org for more information. September 10 and 29: ETCH is providing “CPR and Safe Sitter Classes.” CPR Classes are being offered for teens and adults ages 14 and over on September 10 from 6 – 10 p.m. Safe Sitter Classes are being offered for teens ages 11-14 on September 29 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. The cost for each class is $25. Call 541-8000 or visit www.etch.com for more information. Other Dates to Remember:

September 3: Labor Day Holiday (Schools Closed) September 11: End 4 1/2-weeks Grading Period September 17: Constitution Day (Students in School) September 21: Student Holiday (Staff Development Day) October 23: 8th Annual Parent Conference

Free Family Resource of the Month: The WIAYouth Program provides services to economically disadvantaged high school students who are either in school but at-risk for dropping out, or for those who have already dropped out but would like to improve their work and educational skills. WIA provides these students with a GED program as well as the opportunity to enter post-secondary training. Some of the opportunities made available to at-risk students by WIA are: work-related workshops, simulated work experience, paid internships, and life skills. The WIA Youth Program aims to provide students with the skills necessary to successfully transition into adulthood as well as the work force. For more information visit WIA Youth Programs, 2247 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921. (865) 544-5200. For details and more information about any class or other information, please visit www.knoxschools.org, select ‘Parents,’ and then select ‘Family and Community Engagement.’

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Cyber smart

Keeping your child safe online by Chief Lee Tramel, Knox County Sheriff ’s Office

“Do not let computer illiteracy keep you from protecting your child. If you are unsure of how to implement these privacy settings, find someone who can help you.”

he Internet is a wonderful place for kids to learn and have fun, but it also exposes them to a lot of dangers. As a parent, it is your job to monitor your child’s Internet usage and to use the maximum privacy and security settings, as well as parental controls, on browsers, email accounts, and websites. Do not let computer illiteracy keep you from protecting your child. If you are unsure of how to implement these privacy settings, find someone who can help you. There are some very important steps to take to help provide a safer online experience for your child. •

Share an email account with your children so you can monitor messages.

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Monitor your children’s use of social media, if you have chosen to allow it. Your children should not have any sort of account to which you do not have the user name and password. Set up accounts like email addresses and instant messenger accounts with your children.

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Do not divulge their name, age, address, phone number or school in their profile or screen name. Children should never give anyone or any website their personal information. This includes their address, phone

St. Joseph School Memorial Golf Tournament Friday, October 12, 2012 Three Ridges Golf Course 6101 Wise Spring Road

number, the school they attend, their Social Security Number, their Driver’s License number, or where they are socializing. Instruct your children to keep their passwords safe. •

Monitor your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.

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Find out what online protection is offered by your child’s school, friends’ homes, after-school center, or any place where children could use a computer without your supervision.

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Keep the computer in a common area, not in individual bedrooms, where you can watch and monitor its use.

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Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior.

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Forbid your child from entering private chat rooms. Block them with safety features provided by your Internet service provider or with special filtering software. Be aware that posting messages to chat rooms reveals a user’s email address to others.

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Instruct your child to be nice to people online. Cyber bullying is not cool and is very dangerous. Tell your child to tell his or her friends that, if they are cyber bullying, that it is not funny.

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Tell your children to never share photos or post information that would embarrass them. Tell them that if it is not something they would show or tell their teacher, their parents, and their entire school, then it is not something that should be posted online. Things that we put on the internet are there forever.

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Instruct your children to talk to an adult that they trust immediately if they see anything online that makes them feel uncomfortable. Take your children seriously if they report an uncomfortable online exchange.

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Forward copies of obscene or threatening messages you or your kids receive to your Internet service provider.

$100 per player (Entry fee includes round of golf, lunch, golf apparel, goodie bag and beverages.)

Check-in and Lunch 11:00 am. Shotgun Start 12:30 pm For more information contact: Danny Clancy, 865-384-6861.

Fall Festival

Saturday, October 13,2012 10:00A.M.-7:00P.M. Inflatables • Games • Cake Wheel • Basket Raffle • Talent Show • Fun • And Much More! The festival will take place on the grounds of St. Albert the Great Church. 7200 Brickey Lane Knoxville, TN 37918 1810 Howard Drive • Knoxville, TN 37918 • ph: 865-689-3424 • sjsknox.org

Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678 if you are aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography online. Contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI if your child has received child pornography via the Internet. Lee Tramel is the Assistant Chief Deputy for the Knox County Sheriff ’s Office. During his 26 year career, he also served in the civil warrants division and as Assistant Director of the Court Services Division. Lee is a Knoxville native, where he lives with his wife and 10 year old daughter.

Knoxville Parent • September 2012

Practice makes perfect

Use music to exercise your child’s creativity by Michael Kull

y ust minutes before I walked out on r stage to sing in public for the first time, I remembered a trick that I had heard to ocombat stage fright: “Imagine that everyone the audience is sitting there in their ,inunderwear!” It was supposed to help me feel ”more confident, because I would surely feel

better in my clothes than all those people sitting uncomfortably in their seats. The truth is that, at the time, I would have felt more comfortable standing on stage in my underwear than I did at that moment getting ready to sing. Not many activities in life can cause as much anxiety as opening one’s mouth and singing in front of others, especially if you are the only one doing it. Interestingly, there are so many other activities that are far more complex than singing that people undertake everyday without giving a second thought. Actions such as swinging a golf club, driving a car, balancing a checkbook, all are infinitely more complicated than opening one’s mouth to sing. These other activities are not typically associated with creativity. They seem more mechanical in nature. But singing, especially when it is performed well, is recognized as a purely creative act. Those who sing are regarded as artists and are revered for their creativity. One may drive a car without being creative, and nobody will care. On the other hand, if one sings without being creative, people will notice that something important is missing. All artists must learn the mechanics of their art form before they can perform. They have to become expert at the activity just like learning to drive a car requires developing a specific set of skills. For any artist, though, creativity is always considered a fundamental and necessary ingredient in the mix. It is a simple ingredient. You don’t have to study it to have it. There is no wrong way to have it. Creativity is within everyone, whether anyone chooses to use it or not, but for creativity to be authentic and real, it must come from within a person’s own inner world. It has to come from their essence or spirit, or, if you like, soul. The fact that so much of daily life does not demand creativity in order to be sufficiently performed means that the beautiful wellspring of creativity remains untapped and even unrecognized. Then, when one is called on to be creative, it can feel like an impossible task, not because it isn’t there, but because it hasn’t been exercised regularly. I have been teaching a high school teen voice lessons for over a year now. When he started, he had that “deer in the headlights” look about him before he opened his mouth to sing. I could see that the moment of truth, the moment for him to be truly creative was a scary proposition. He wanted to sing, so he was willing to try. My task was to convince him that the only way to succeed in singing was to take a risk, to go ahead and dip into that deep well of creativity that was just waiting to be used. Over time, he became more and more confortable with “giving his creativity a voice.” He started to sing.

“...when one is called on to be creative, it can feel like an impossible task, not because it isn’t there, but because it hasn’t been exercised regularly.” He is now off to college as a voice major, but before he left the studio for the last time, he thanked me for the lessons, and said, “Even more than voice lessons, you have taught me about life. Thank you.” He will always have his own creativity at his disposal, no matter what activity he does. That’s the real beauty of creativity. Learning to sing is a concentrated way to get to know one’s creativity, because singing only works when creativity is present. But once a person has gotten in touch with creativity, that simple and honest impulse can be applied to any activity, whether it is related to the arts or not. Even balancing a checkbook can become a creative act, if one can access that spark. This is why introducing a child to a creative art is so important for that child’s overall development. He or she might really take to the activity, say playing piano or singing, and decide to make a career of it. But even if your child doesn’t make the arts a lifelong pursuit, learning to access the spark of creativity will add fulfillment to any task or job. On life’s performance stage, the child who has learned to access creativity in everything he or she does, will be able to give something special and unique to the world, whether or the audience is fully clothed or not. Michael Kull, in additiona to co-publishing Knoxville Parent, is a classically trained singer. He has performed with orchestras and choruses around the country and in Europe and maintains a private vocal studio in Knoxville.

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