I am Sam.

Sam I am.

That Sam-I-am!

That Sam-I-am!

I do not like that Sam-I am.

The six short lines above were written by one of the most outstanding children's writers of our time - Dr. Seuss. To see just a few of his printed words leaves the reader wanting to read more. The creative rhyme, colorful pictures, and the simplicity of the words catch the imagination and hold the reader spell-bound anxious to hear the antics of Dr. Seuss. But how did Dr. Seuss come to be?

Read more »

The NEW YORK TIMES published the report of the "California Autism Twins Study" on July 8, 2011. This study was headed by Dr. Joachim Hallmayer, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford University. The study involved 192 pairs of mono-zygotic and dizyotic twins. One twin in each pair had the classic form of autism (withdrawal, communication problems and repetitive behaviors.) In many cases, the other twin also had classic autism or a milder"autism spectrum" disorder like Asperger's syndrome. Because identical twins share 100% of their genes and fraternal twins share 50% of their genes, the researchers were able to measure the importance of genes versus shared environment. The study by Dr, Joachim Hallmayer found that autism or autism spectrum disorders occurred in both children: 77% of the male identical twins and 50% in the female identical twins. These figures were expected as that is the general rate of occurrence. However, the rates among the fraternal twins were lower: 31% of males and 36% of females.

Read more »

Recently you asked yourself a very important question:

Does my child need tutoring? Many reasons why your child needed tutoring passed through your mind. Exploring those reasons can bring a peace of mind to you assuring you that the correct decision was made.There are many reasons why a child may need tutoring. The child may be suffering from autism or dyslexia. Or,he/she may not be making the grades sufficient for the end of school testing, thereby, causing frustration and feelings of failure in school. Mr. Edward Gordon, president of the Imperial Consulting Corporation, reported in an October, 2011 article for The New York Times that "the majority of parents who hired a tutor to help their child with academics did it because the child was struggling, or to increase already high scores."

Read more »

The ancient craft of origami got its name from the Japanese word "ori" (folding) and "kami" (paper). Actually origami began in China during the first or second century before traveling to Japan in the sixth century. The most noticeable attribute was the tranquility that the craft provided to the participants. Instead of bringing frustration, the craft developed problem solving skills and heightened thought processes.

In 1794, a small volume, How to Fold One Hundred Cranes was published. The littlebook contained the first set of written instructions for origami. Until then, all origami directions had been by word of mouth and the directions told from one generation to another. The book contained directions on how to fold a crane - the sacred bird of Japan, and relates the story of the Japanese custom that if a person folded 1,000 cranes, he would be granted one wish. With the publication of that book, origami soon became a very popular craft not only in Japan but around the world.

Read more »