By Cynthia Manning, High School Principal
 On Wednesday, October 5th, a Thinking Maps workshop was held for LPS parents and guardians.  Cynthia Manning, High School Principal and Supervisor/Coordinator of Thinking Maps, conducted the seminar; included was an overview of the maps as well as research that supports the effectiveness of these visual tools.  Parents also learned how the maps are used within the classroom and why they are more successful in facilitating the learning process than graphic organizers.  Keywords and cues used to complete the maps were provided, and parents were shown how the maps could be used at home to reinforce lessons and concepts introduced at school.  Some suggestions for implementing Thinking Maps at home include:
        Social Skills Development
            Activities with family and friends
            Conversation topics
            Feelings about an upcoming event, funeral, family situation, etc.
            Making friends (school, neighborhood, family connections)
        Task Completion
            Family Pets
            Chores
            Preparing an after-school snack or recipe
            Answering phone calls
        Planning schedules and trips
            Vacations and holidays
            After-school jobs
            Meal planning
            Transportation
        Time management
            Activities
            Homework
            Chores
For those parents who were unable to make an evening workshop, a daytime presentation covering the same material and content is scheduled for Thursday, December 1st.  It will be held from 1:00PM - 2:30PM in the main office's conference room, #207.  Please RSVP to Cynthia Manning at (617) 965-0765, ext. 300, or by email at cmanning@learningprep.org.  We hope to see you there!  http://www.learningprep.org/academics/thinkingmaps.html