tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71463329663747722432024-03-14T01:34:58.255-07:00Little Stars LearningMy experiences teaching and caring for young children.Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.comBlogger250125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-82048944783663484052023-10-25T13:12:00.002-07:002023-10-25T13:15:22.051-07:00Our STEAM Toys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuNyRsUcD0x7qnm-j8lDDDs6nrhEatpXojyKFbaTsV8izlum4RKZ6JuIEWteOOw94kjeBP3FhkAP1fg5G5bvWjCyEFPvUGK-5yuPu7MChwYYHvTcN4MdVQx6thBGr7ODEcpgyvgfs0nu79SoBagEHCgOG7ZFZ4THpqeWuegFwO3JuTH2NPOeCuqf8WQ/s872/g26358.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="733" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuNyRsUcD0x7qnm-j8lDDDs6nrhEatpXojyKFbaTsV8izlum4RKZ6JuIEWteOOw94kjeBP3FhkAP1fg5G5bvWjCyEFPvUGK-5yuPu7MChwYYHvTcN4MdVQx6thBGr7ODEcpgyvgfs0nu79SoBagEHCgOG7ZFZ4THpqeWuegFwO3JuTH2NPOeCuqf8WQ/w181-h215/g26358.png" width="181" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS!</span></div>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><br />Play.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Build.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Experiment.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Don't be afraid of failure.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Try again, the next attempt may be FABULOUS.</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">STEAM is not a "part" of my program. It is the core principal. If they come out of here with a love of learning, a love of art, and the ability to think logically and expansively, then I'm very happy with those results. Everything else is tag-on.</span><br />
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;">FAIL means:</span></span></div></span>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">First </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Attempt </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">In </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">Learning</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Art is not crafts that I spend my free time doing 90% of the work and they do a bit of glue and construction. Art is seeing pictures in the clouds, tracing the veining on leaves, observing shadow and light differences, immersing in the materials around them and in the art process. Art is finding the wonder in the world and within themselves and developing the ability to express that through different mediums.</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">While I would love to have all natural materials, it simply isn't financially and logistically feasible for me to do so. The items I bring in, at this stage of my teaching career, however, must have a very specific purpose to them. I don't just grab a "deal." Most of the items I am currently curating have to do with STEAM relevance for the big boys. I have 5-year-olds redshirting with me for the next year, and I want them off devices and making the most of their time with STEAM materials. </span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">What do I consider a STEAM materials?</span><br />
</span><ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Open ended, it has no defined outcome or limited-use play </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Can be used for a small-scale structure or more elaborate one, so it builds with a child's development</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Can be played with from the get-go by a child, no instructions needed</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Can be played with independently when developmentally appropriate</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Many of these materials are only available to the big boys during nap time in the front room, gated off from the under 3's and those putting items in their mouth, no matter what the age. While some of these materials have small parts, </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">since I do have toddlers in the room at the end of the day,</span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"> I do shy completely away from things that are comprised mainly of small or unsafe parts, like small piece Erector sets, marble magnet sets, tinker toys, Kinex, small Legos, etc. I want all pieces to be easily visible if they stray.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;">GEARS</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">We have a TON! Two large bins and two large baskets full. These are used by everyone, but the big boys have access to some of the small pieces for building more complex structures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_lmKXl2ihfftTHZY3ZJjZmEQG8PxVrJ6OjFYxgSCYW3e_1xbPIRSvbq8UP85GvAuf_og9ryJF8_0QIJxDH7DRbI2XsVU8AJP48CeNbxcqyPm_lOoPc-z9-bDZSJdnmol5KkYKBZtCRg/s1600/20190709_141425.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_lmKXl2ihfftTHZY3ZJjZmEQG8PxVrJ6OjFYxgSCYW3e_1xbPIRSvbq8UP85GvAuf_og9ryJF8_0QIJxDH7DRbI2XsVU8AJP48CeNbxcqyPm_lOoPc-z9-bDZSJdnmol5KkYKBZtCRg/s200/20190709_141425.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yCa1QdxUVhB63Yd58-b93gFS2bJ1es2vWSTB2STQJl7ldX6KdnBNbumokjsV6VsTdQTnQEHMpfGYFc39rgwUENhiAGhwzt84SiRYGLnf0scTIx4s0tcIGMXlZnVQqtwM1npQSQlhmY8/s1600/20190709_141644.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1478" data-original-width="1536" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3yCa1QdxUVhB63Yd58-b93gFS2bJ1es2vWSTB2STQJl7ldX6KdnBNbumokjsV6VsTdQTnQEHMpfGYFc39rgwUENhiAGhwzt84SiRYGLnf0scTIx4s0tcIGMXlZnVQqtwM1npQSQlhmY8/s200/20190709_141644.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">While I've collected sets over many years, this one is a great start set.</span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2JHO6I0"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="580" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qUDKu5HehczCv6pKyGGZnlwPs7xMfvyKj_vJD626Oudyt44V6yBJIReXy1SJ7j8DwuAjbiFEqtRbDtXYCvJYiMOXCmzut2DOelJtNgD9s6MnhSukhNckT_d1Bx0EDuDs8XC7cdH24DU/s320/gears.PNG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Gears! Gears! Gears! Super Building Toy Set, 150 Pieces-Amazon</span></span></h1>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;">MAGNETIC BLOCKS</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Everyone loves the magnetic blocks. It is very interesting how they start out with them two dimensional, go to three dimensional and then get very complex in their structures very quickly.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM3b4pbka0nwfiD7JfeAPQkK00JATOVrjDGTQsIKYtcOWxc-AEFFt55m-2nQaBIqmPSOd5JmeYsQAd71gPDy1uh2vOyckSm27iJHNbzlP4OUVq-8mfxgtRA548RZhG8vmpFD1V9Hmvs_NxoDn8yYLqRaJaIz4vlXDBEgo7EbObdcw5KraNsUSDlFUjw/s493/Screenshot%202023-10-25%20151423.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="493" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM3b4pbka0nwfiD7JfeAPQkK00JATOVrjDGTQsIKYtcOWxc-AEFFt55m-2nQaBIqmPSOd5JmeYsQAd71gPDy1uh2vOyckSm27iJHNbzlP4OUVq-8mfxgtRA548RZhG8vmpFD1V9Hmvs_NxoDn8yYLqRaJaIz4vlXDBEgo7EbObdcw5KraNsUSDlFUjw/w210-h209/Screenshot%202023-10-25%20151423.png" width="210" /></a></div><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;">WEDGITS</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">I consider this one of the absolute BEST toys everrrr! Infants can use them and even adults enjoy them. I rarely give them the cards to make matching structures, I just want them to build and create.</span><br /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbjd11M8d0c5KE-Hpeq6umotsYej4qAAu97Jpp_2mw9gKbdfyT-hiqvHZPp12vyMpVNsnsO2SL_kvoh1YooPbm9-Xnpeo-d5Bgrlj8RUi9unhTGXVe0F8dfDt6uRD-fhozrvLAE8Ax08/s1600/20190709_142143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1257" data-original-width="1109" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbjd11M8d0c5KE-Hpeq6umotsYej4qAAu97Jpp_2mw9gKbdfyT-hiqvHZPp12vyMpVNsnsO2SL_kvoh1YooPbm9-Xnpeo-d5Bgrlj8RUi9unhTGXVe0F8dfDt6uRD-fhozrvLAE8Ax08/s320/20190709_142143.jpg" width="282" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; text-align: start;">We have two sets of Wedgits and one building board. While this is enough for one child to play for a long time and not get bored, it is not enough for more than one child at a time. I would like to have double the amount.</span></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2SkD8Mo"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="549" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9y96au0y2d4KSJ8O6waggRR1ZxAKliLkernoGCdMysBooKqD6rBjXq4dh7ibd0vaNXdCACfQtR10a4rBvKhbELBKZ7t5F2_FRdQksGhNw8x13GZXC7I_NpRumHQtC-MVwGW9O2PT0bSA/s320/w2.PNG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Building Blocks Toys Set - Amazon</span></span></h1>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgY_qClKiuTNp3jbQag1vrACpyzLSWuuM0-xMbZxvwAB0f4BvY2IHKzFeu2UAJVnKOpMrYrPPvVNal1UMGDbPxPU2y2Vs6uInnHhVCMvTftioXXQdAOiD-3BNIKwbnMGbw21GbjJ8FBTY/s1600/Capture.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="444" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgY_qClKiuTNp3jbQag1vrACpyzLSWuuM0-xMbZxvwAB0f4BvY2IHKzFeu2UAJVnKOpMrYrPPvVNal1UMGDbPxPU2y2Vs6uInnHhVCMvTftioXXQdAOiD-3BNIKwbnMGbw21GbjJ8FBTY/s320/Capture.PNG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">WEDGiTS Building Board, Dual Sided-Amazon</span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: verdana;">BUILD A ROBOT</span></h1>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">The robot can get a little wonky, but that is the joy of the process. It never looks like the original package image. It shouldn't. It is their individual creation every time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoI9d8hqQuaNYjJwM9GS5-OEw286nf79clum49b0rsQmAIyb5pkAB2qXobjmqCnIRRr3qPmby3FjsevS4fQQ7LL10kB192xueLU5OqFGc7jV915gqmQ35UtSaiLSqDK7BhcFy_HnuDfuc/s1600/20190709_143635.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="991" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoI9d8hqQuaNYjJwM9GS5-OEw286nf79clum49b0rsQmAIyb5pkAB2qXobjmqCnIRRr3qPmby3FjsevS4fQQ7LL10kB192xueLU5OqFGc7jV915gqmQ35UtSaiLSqDK7BhcFy_HnuDfuc/s200/20190709_143635.jpg" width="123" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgzisyGc373-5gCqq3Cpwtr0qPRCw8595yI8AMMOwzlgyRPcTbdnQhgqVkWW2HGTT8IyBdM_Ba3AesczfQmneUZurOkVTq1qhdQVloqBE9JhP4tbCYAEfveBJak4fD5Fc_1NV6R2vv3M/s1600/20190709_155451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="814" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgzisyGc373-5gCqq3Cpwtr0qPRCw8595yI8AMMOwzlgyRPcTbdnQhgqVkWW2HGTT8IyBdM_Ba3AesczfQmneUZurOkVTq1qhdQVloqBE9JhP4tbCYAEfveBJak4fD5Fc_1NV6R2vv3M/s200/20190709_155451.jpg" width="108" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wwwlittlest0b-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B01N5SN8W3" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">I can't find one exactly like this, but this one is very similar and still great for the preschool crowd, unlike most robot kits which are geared to older children.</span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2YaC43c" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDsU1VzJYIPGprn60XU43MOOxv7wFhks5CSq_8QsOqMwmiz04knLPAJYP5d02th-c8b96nQiCgRvkjHMJWsYQDHQIYZmnRtKvUNcYuS0vFn5oZA_Sd3azhqsNLJN_YsQBhKanBBVy4rc/s1600/download.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Educational Insights Design & Drill Robot-Amazon</span></span></h1>
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;">LARGE SIZE ERECTOR SET</span><br />
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<span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue;">We have the tools, but the are usually somewhere in the dramatic play or block area. Mostly they just use their hands to work these. They make some pretty interesting construction. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAxZySJLUXVvdqPdDYc1ALUE9U-bXetcqgGyhyphenhyphenLEM8vkVDIhpyU7Em4QImPPKpkAx2GHp5mQHQ5adFnmjA1gG_S-frqpIgEOQ719L3v89Oj06agQWaEHLqWg2ZqiPSzAK8VtPJjXxInc/s1600/20190709_141556.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1505" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAxZySJLUXVvdqPdDYc1ALUE9U-bXetcqgGyhyphenhyphenLEM8vkVDIhpyU7Em4QImPPKpkAx2GHp5mQHQ5adFnmjA1gG_S-frqpIgEOQ719L3v89Oj06agQWaEHLqWg2ZqiPSzAK8VtPJjXxInc/s320/20190709_141556.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; text-align: start;">Mine is an old set. As much as they like it, I may be getting a new one to add to it this year.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XSIGPj"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="576" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVL0aWnV05p7aLirCJ9qv4tGg1bfcvOB9q6-g53DuBIHU8EWaltU18v1XWKQIfhxfgM6EMQiXIEMdlwT4NdXSItKRfrwrt9zogmvIuafS2TmSATDJzMWWNbCtba07vRfa15fSHHcOkNW4/s320/tools.PNG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XSIGPj">Multifunctional Wood Building Blocks - Amazon</a></span></span></h1>
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<span class="a-size-large" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">https://amzn.to/2SicNOY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;">STAR LINKS</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">I've heard them called other things as well, but I believe the package when I first bought these AGES ago was labeled Star Links. The big pieces are out for all children at all times. The small connectors and the small 2-ball pieces are only for the preschoolers. The large 6-ball stars are great for infant sensory as well.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XXMajA" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="601" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZGQ2Fhyphenhyphen3ZOLDXWY-k-NfaMfk15S3HkYEX9uRksbCOUgKzB1TnFxWWghWyxHnm5wDA-cHYOI5pJXmBSpWxhr1YPC1MD0ZDjpGh-K4tWMwr18E69M9QCKYG9ThjXdRZKYLtIDmDwBBgZA/s320/star.PNG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XXMajA" target="_blank">STEM Flowers Interlocking - Amazon</a></span></span></h1>
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<span class="a-size-large" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">https://amzn.to/2XXMajA</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">BRISTLE BLOCKS</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">They frankly like these a lot more than I thought they would and do a lot more with them than I thought they could. There are a couple of sets in there and it is enough for up to all 3 of them to be playing. It is one of those toys were they can see almost instant results, so it is good for the early preschoolers as well. </span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisIHJGbEnN3n0B986_Uhzvm5dJp-Y0N3Ntlll0GDRP5UXcJ3YUwAOXCcL1dOu6RCmzOZQwCPjqtjuW0unBHJaMqpfzoRReoZ7uHXdTD6rEo8iWffqW5XxySzE8xR0bnbw3xv4JCZH82Y/s1600/20190709_141815.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1332" data-original-width="1474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjisIHJGbEnN3n0B986_Uhzvm5dJp-Y0N3Ntlll0GDRP5UXcJ3YUwAOXCcL1dOu6RCmzOZQwCPjqtjuW0unBHJaMqpfzoRReoZ7uHXdTD6rEo8iWffqW5XxySzE8xR0bnbw3xv4JCZH82Y/s200/20190709_141815.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Robot and train made by Mr. R</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">The infants can use the largest pieces for sensory, too, so it is another one of those 3month-12 years+ toys. This one is nice that it has play surface on top of the bucket.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XRvla8" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEYf-6xFOHAv1JDSdZi77vAazFJ5AbKJ2oDS01eQYDvScKi-OSn5UcruMzTAfBaaFdD51YoPjin2yVsroMELuqOB7_74Y0TeJ8eUmOqlDgt8TlulrSQrWBIUfMwqphPtZij9VDuQIL6rU/s320/br.PNG" width="265" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2XRvla8" target="_blank">The Official Bristle Blocks - Amazon</a></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">https://amzn.to/2XRvla8</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-size: large;">SMALL LINKS</span><br />
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<span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Not just for making chains, although that's mostly what they do, which is great for fine motor. These are also used for patterning, shape making, color sorting, counting, etc.</span></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kMjxebyH3sU6CvKpg2ijkSr8t3i9xvIN3mv_elyT4TNvEAiqHFZBzepqFmTwEhF-zlYIBwYP7sJZMjw0YsaE3rQ9uZx_Hj3cYaqUtH-l1x7NMSRIxWfCyWNhTWtnlHFaynL73435VNdTWXCJqyQKC6JPRb0ZwHjTotB18nZeYflu7zz7fOBvQIe99Q/s490/Screenshot%202023-10-24%20154938.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="490" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kMjxebyH3sU6CvKpg2ijkSr8t3i9xvIN3mv_elyT4TNvEAiqHFZBzepqFmTwEhF-zlYIBwYP7sJZMjw0YsaE3rQ9uZx_Hj3cYaqUtH-l1x7NMSRIxWfCyWNhTWtnlHFaynL73435VNdTWXCJqyQKC6JPRb0ZwHjTotB18nZeYflu7zz7fOBvQIe99Q/s320/Screenshot%202023-10-24%20154938.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="color: blue;">TUBE BLOCKS [FREE!]<br />I get these heavy tubes from interior design firms, carpet stores and engineering firms. They are used in fabrics, carpet, and drafting paper. I cut them in one inch increments and large segments, some at slants to increase their possibilities. They are used throughout the day in many ways, and the children learn new ways to use them often. For instance, Mr. H last week realized that he could use a narrow tube as a base to stack wider diameter rings onto it to form a totem-like stack.<br /><br />Ways they use them:</span>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">stacking</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">fort/fencing</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">wearing for robot play</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">armor</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">sorting rings</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">mega phones</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">chases for balls, cars, blocks, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">container<br />log rolling</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">LOOSE PARTS<br />lids</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">shower curtain rings</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">napkin rings</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">yogurt cups</span></div><div><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Really, basically anything and everything.</span></div>
<div><br /></div><div><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Above all remember: OPEN ENDED PLAY. They should be able to make something new every time they engage with the activity.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-1902363363801299992023-10-24T13:44:00.002-07:002023-10-24T13:44:26.890-07:00No Yellow Walls in Childcare Settings!<span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dTu9Z8EBc_-cOT-34-1uIwU3Ecw4x8rzPJcj2FJO9wKDNi9oyYnGxR1KD-cYkeuN-WVO5Pypm87lFeM1SfAjIZg04hNDVAVpiXy2mlpdOG91t_a3nmq3UdEpzaepeVKkwjMyrdE2SiQmLcvsU0DwC8HUNPtIrw0wr5tfk2BxHFXrJf1-IxOvM5kuHw/s872/yellow%20walls.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="733" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dTu9Z8EBc_-cOT-34-1uIwU3Ecw4x8rzPJcj2FJO9wKDNi9oyYnGxR1KD-cYkeuN-WVO5Pypm87lFeM1SfAjIZg04hNDVAVpiXy2mlpdOG91t_a3nmq3UdEpzaepeVKkwjMyrdE2SiQmLcvsU0DwC8HUNPtIrw0wr5tfk2BxHFXrJf1-IxOvM5kuHw/w192-h229/yellow%20walls.png" width="192" /></a></div><br />"I love my daycare space! It's bright and happy with a sunny yellow color on the walls."</span><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">My response to my provider friend: an internal, "NOOOOOooooooo!"<br /></span>
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<a href="https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/brightyellow-paintchip.jpg" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: indianred; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2099" height="300" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/brightyellow-paintchip.jpg" srcset="https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/brightyellow-paintchip.jpg 500w, https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/brightyellow-paintchip-150x150.jpg 150w, https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/brightyellow-paintchip-300x300.jpg 300w, https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/brightyellow-paintchip-144x144.jpg 144w" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a></div>
<h3 style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">
There’s a reason you never see yellow in an airplane.</span></h3>
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Take a good long look at the above block of yellow. Does it make you feel dizzy after a moment? Maybe even a little nauseated? If so, you’re in good company. A number of studies have shown that the color yellow can cause dizziness and nausea. For this reason, it’s often used sparingly (or very strategically) by those in advertising, and is almost never used in the interiors of various forms of transportation — most notably, airplanes.</span></div>
<a href="https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/psychology-color/">https://www.onlinepsychologydegree.info/psychology-color/</a><br />
<br /><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Also hospitals, nursing homes, and....childcare settings.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br />I happen to be one of those people. The color yellow makes me physically ill. There's conjecture that something harmful that was the color yellow caused anxiety in my ancestors to the point that it altered our DNA to see the CAUTION sign of yellow. Possibly hornets or nightshade flowers. When we see it, we are thinking of danger, flight/fight, self-preservation, and our nervous systems go into panic mode. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Since it is a genetic thing, there's no turning it off. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">The last thing you want is to have children in an internal panic the moment they walk into a room. You may not understand their reaction, they definitely don't. If you don't know that yellow can be a triggering color, you may never consider that a child had that genetic component, and instead chock the accompanying behavior to separation anxiety, non-compliance, just an ornery child, or other non-related contribution.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">After talking to my friend about this phenomenon, she agreed that in looking back, there were definitely some children who showed signs of this trait. She just hadn't known. Her walls are no longer a "sunny yellow." She keeps that color for her personal space, since she loves it. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><br />
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<br /></div>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-40406382698389508452023-10-24T13:24:00.003-07:002023-10-24T13:24:33.640-07:00Why Gifted Kids Sometimes Seem Behind<span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDoVJbtix-O9BKJLEIPN1FNTYkIBCkr7yfhqGDUeAQ3oL6Q8oq8nEnAo7hOsaQKg_v8ajyZg7lI_r2JO-7hiSY4EvFwnmG7WNGCs2ohUJeAbArYug3Li5yrOWpvk7o19J4qGG2lIqkyyQX3xA3AKEKh8tyHVJvYzh7wR97ODWjj4NcYkKT-GDjsZfEA/s872/Why%20gifted.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="733" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDoVJbtix-O9BKJLEIPN1FNTYkIBCkr7yfhqGDUeAQ3oL6Q8oq8nEnAo7hOsaQKg_v8ajyZg7lI_r2JO-7hiSY4EvFwnmG7WNGCs2ohUJeAbArYug3Li5yrOWpvk7o19J4qGG2lIqkyyQX3xA3AKEKh8tyHVJvYzh7wR97ODWjj4NcYkKT-GDjsZfEA/s320/Why%20gifted.png" width="269" /></a></div><br />Most children have a desire to communicate and get themselves heard and understood. Most children have a need and desire for adult approval that leads them to do what is expected when expected. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Gifted kids, often not so much.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">However, all children perform better and with more enthusiasm when they see a REASON for their efforts, especially if that reason is personally gratifying through some enlightenment, intrigue or purpose. For gifted children, who often have so much going on in their heads, taking the time to focus and perform must have purpose, otherwise, they have better things to do.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">It's not that they CAN'T do it.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">I have a little girl, Miss A, who is going on 4. If she was an average child, I'd be looking at why she has not followed the normal developmental progression of drawing figures around the age of 3, and detailed figures by the age of 4. She makes little scribbles for people still, not even the "drawing" figures of a 2 year old, just random dark scribbles. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">But she's not average. She has a nearly photographic memory and at 3 3/4 can read nearly anything we place before her. She is artistic, creative, and music and has been dance inclined since birth. But drawing isn't her thing. Movement based expression and verbal expression are her strengths.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">So I know why she doesn't draw figures. She doesn't see a purpose. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">The other two preschoolers have a need to put down on paper their story. They want to show it and tell it to their parents and others at some future time, and they want to make sure it is RIGHT. They put a lot of time and effort into getting their pictures the way they want them to be, and insist I journal their drawings in precise detail. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Miss A, however, knows that she will be able to accurately tell her story to anyone at anytime. The picture in her head, which will always be there just the same, is so much grander than anything she could ever get down on a two dimensional piece of paper, that it just doesn't seem worth the time or effort to draw it. It will never be RIGHT. It will never be enough. She can draw her picture with words so much better. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">She'd rather write words. They have purpose. They can be perfect.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">As her teacher, I know that her developmental level and intelligence level make it very apparent that she CAN draw figures. So I challenged her last week on Monday journal. She drew a circle for a dog. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">This week I challenged her again. I told her to look at her friends and draw them with shapes, starting with circles for their head and body. She drew a fairly detailed figure, exceeding the 10 identifiable features we look for in Kindergarten. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">It was perfect. In my estimation. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">She didn't really care, just shrugged when I complimented it, then started in telling me the story about her picture in extravagant detail. </span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">My oldest is gifted. He was nearly held back every year. When I took him out to homeschool, he was failing every class. Yet, he had an average test score in the high 90s in every subject. They wanted him to do worksheets, and games, and homework, projects and busy work. He found it painful to waste his time when he had better things to do. So he would go into his own head and spend his time there. He did great in college, though, because every class had a purpose towards his life goals.</span></div>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">My youngest is not gifted.. However, he has known from a very early age what he wants to be when he grows up. School work falls into three categories. </span></div>
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<li><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">I need to know this. I must master it. [Java]</span></li>
<li><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">I don't need to know this, but it is interesting, so I will find out everything I possibly can about it. [Mythology]</span></li>
<li><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">I will never use this in my life and it is a complete waste of time. [Diagramming sentences] </span></li>
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">As his teacher, it is my responsibility to ensure that he makes these determinations accurately, and with an understanding that he may change his life direction at some point in the future. But yeah, some of what is taught in the school years is simply a complete waste of time. Probably not as much as most high school students believe, but some.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue;">Gifted children are still CHILDREN, with limited life experience and incomplete data. They need guidance, but most of all, they need understanding, challenge, and PURPOSE. </span><br />
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<span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue;">This is why project based education is such a better fit for gifted students. When they have a topic that interests them, the surrounding educational component has an intense purpose to their learning. A gifted child may not know their times tables, yet be able to instantly spout accurate, detailed statistics about a subject that interests them. Using their interest as a pathway, it can be very easy to slide educational components, of high complexity, along that path they are ready to run, and it can lead to such amazing learning opportunities and extraordinary retention.</span></span></div><div><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Verdana, sans-serif" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;">Always look at the whole child. Never focus on one small skill and miss the much bigger picture of the child's abilities.</span></div>
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-7521845461223787882023-10-24T13:07:00.004-07:002023-10-24T13:07:48.140-07:00Circle Time Circus<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33Tyy243yyeqc7hn6FzY3Emm8QC-uDfzdKrqzD_9gTFB7lDneUeKDE9pYhnuoZH2_2WHtxJVyuynXMjaeMRlVlgLMngi1pE5DKYsPW4VkkFyAPL21xAtubW_upC34PhHqXLqmVDcwiFeT_XXav9W0IRJk89yZ5kmP9bIDzA0AzI1E7FrEggqxwWgq7Q/s872/circle%20time%20circus%20pic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="733" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33Tyy243yyeqc7hn6FzY3Emm8QC-uDfzdKrqzD_9gTFB7lDneUeKDE9pYhnuoZH2_2WHtxJVyuynXMjaeMRlVlgLMngi1pE5DKYsPW4VkkFyAPL21xAtubW_upC34PhHqXLqmVDcwiFeT_XXav9W0IRJk89yZ5kmP9bIDzA0AzI1E7FrEggqxwWgq7Q/w170-h202/circle%20time%20circus%20pic.png" width="170" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">I was observing this morning, and once again am concerned about the desire to sit small children in a circle for circle time. It's done all over the world on the daily. That does not mean it is good ECE practice. </span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Why does this concern me?</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">I've mentioned in the past that this type of circle time usually has a lot of classroom management entanglement. One teacher does the activity and another teacher, or two, are constantly correcting children into sitting properly and staying quiet. It often looks like a 3 Stooges skit, Whack-a-Mole, or herding cats.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">The goal, is supposedly the learning activity. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">However, the actual lessons are the skills of:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Staying in place</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Staying in crisscross applesauce</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Staying quiet unless appropriate</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Paying attention to the teacher</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Not looking around</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Not interacting with your friends</span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">These are all REALLY hard skills to master for small children, let alone comply with all of them at once for an extended period of time. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">When you consider attention span to be 1 minute per age under 5, the expectation of a child under 5 to sit still, in position, and quiet, for much longer than that minute per age, is not developmentally appropriate practice.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Having to work so hard at the basic physical skills, means that most of the children do not have the extra attention to send towards the learning activity. It may catch their interest every so often, but they do not have the attention to focus. Retention is nearly non-existent. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">And as I've tried to reinforce, if they aren't moving, their brains aren't working optimally. So if a child is focused and paying attention, with all the wiggles distraction around her, coupled with minimal engagement, her retention of information, ability to analyze and compare the new information to old, is as nearly nonexistent as the child doing everything BUT paying attention.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">The constant correction to sit in the right place, in the right manner, saying only the right things at the right times to the right people, for much longer than is developmentally appropriate, means the child feels frustration and failure. If kept far longer at the task than is comfortable, it can lead to anger, defiance, stress, anxiety, and physically acting out such as hitting a friend. Then, the child is really reprimanded and admonished for behavior that the child was pushed into by the adults.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">So, the activity is pure frustration to both teachers and children, and of almost no value. And yet, centers and providers keep doing it.</span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">When does circle time and other large group activities usually occur? As one of the first activities of the morning. This does not set up the day well. Circle time is actually a detriment to the rest of the day in many ways. Classroom management is already in play, tensions are high on all sides, the attempted "fun" was not had, the attempted learning was not accomplished. The bright potential of the day has been dimmed early. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">If it isn't working, why does it keep being done? Habit. Boxed curriculum. Expectation. Often it's the only "teaching" time provided. Easy routine. Sorry to say it, but lazy or in-experienced teaching. </span></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i>What to do differently</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Keep it short. Break up something like circle time into small bite-size segments and sprinkle them throughout the day.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Don't expect young children to sit still, it's not natural for them.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Don't expect young children to sit quietly and wait a turn for more than a couple of minutes. </span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Make sure as many children as possible can participate at once.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Differentiate instruction for different attention spans, interests, or capabilities. Not all children have to participate in all activities at all times. </span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Teach the same lessons through play or day. Count the blocks, ask for the red car, spell their name out together as you get something from their cubby. That individualized instruction will stick much better in a receptive mind.</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">Make it free-choice to join or leave. </span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Children learn so much by just being in the presence of information. They pick up what interests them when they are in the right mind-set to pick it up. Through repetition and exposure, they will pick it up even without direct formal instruction. I've taught a lot of skills from just singing a little ditty about it throughout the day. Children are drawn to music and you'd be surprised what giving them an ear worm can accomplish.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;">We need to set children, and teachers, up for success. Traditional instruction often puts children and teachers as adversaries rather than a team. That needs to change. No child should ever feel less-than because teachers are asking him to perform at a developmentally IN-appropriate level.</span></p>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-66933624542310217242020-07-28T19:28:00.001-07:002020-07-31T08:32:55.894-07:00Teaching Penmanship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-itrtqDXBgHItzzhd5pz1uaELolD118TmbRuGpO3EFF65CTfrEGSU5ycImzpT4FqP896Bb_Qpr777jiIb_xko8Yrv_VVJN-NI42L0SE93VhxKY-_g9AkLt5HPWi_XGJ7-JDoDbv5JD1A/s1600/Teaching+Penmanship.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="330" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-itrtqDXBgHItzzhd5pz1uaELolD118TmbRuGpO3EFF65CTfrEGSU5ycImzpT4FqP896Bb_Qpr777jiIb_xko8Yrv_VVJN-NI42L0SE93VhxKY-_g9AkLt5HPWi_XGJ7-JDoDbv5JD1A/s200/Teaching+Penmanship.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="color: blue;">I do not begin with writing instruction until right before a child leaves for kindergarten. Usually it is a late spring/summer thing. I'm starting it earlier with this group, in February, because they want to learn it. Actually, they are DEMANDING to learn it. The whole purpose of writing is to convey meaning, and these boys have a lot to say, the ability to compose it, and now they require the means to do so.<br /><br /> Forcing penmanship early and often does nothing more than make it a chore. Working on a letter a day/week with complete disconnection to reading and writing, is one of the things I believe is wrong with our school, and pre-school, system. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Forcing it early also breeds frustration, feelings of failure, and a dislike for education over all. Why? Because in order for a child to be able to properly form letters, stay within lines, etc., he <a href="https://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2013/07/ready-to-write.html" target="_blank">must have a ton of other things in place first:</a></span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Advanced fine motor skills</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tripod grasp</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hand strength</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Crossing-the-midline</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Core strength</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ability to focus and pay attention</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Depth perception</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eye tracking</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One-to-one correspondence</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children under the age of 5 have better ways of developing these necessary skills and competencies than forced writing they probably don't have the ability to do with success.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As with all the things I teach, I look for that pivotal moment when the learning is developmentally appropriate, and DESIRED.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />There are keys to determining if a child is ready to put in the tedious time and attention to learn correct penmanship.</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can color in an entire coloring page without prompting</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is drawing independently for fun</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is telling stories about their drawings</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is attempting writing on their own</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is doing inventive spelling</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is asking how to spell</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Is asking how to write letters and numbers</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All of these must be in place. FIRST.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These worksheets 1-8 are what I use for my pre-k’s Penmanship Boot Camp that we do before kindergarten. This is the order we do them. They do the same one each day for 2-3 days, or until they get down proper formation of all letters on the worksheet. Only then do they move to the next one. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Each worksheet works specific movements and shapes that coordinate. It makes it easier to get down muscle memory. I watch them carefully as they make the first letter. If they need to, I simply have them repeat OVER the first one as many times as necessary to get the formation down, talking through the movements. Then I have them fill in the rest of the line on their own. <br /><br />A bootcamp is not a whole-class experience. It is very individualized attention to target key movements in an intensive, short period of time. When we do the penmanship boot camp, we are working on very little else at that time. I do not want their minds going in any other direction. Outside of worksheet practice, I encourage them to be writing lists, stories, plays, letters, creating cards, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ONLY DURING THIS TIME do I begin to correct their handwriting. Until this 2-3 week boot camp, I have let them write inventively to encourage that desire and not squash it. Only now, when they truly WANT to learn to write and spell well do I intervene and we learn how to do it properly. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is truly a once and done thing. It doesn’t take a letter a week, or a year of schooling, or starting too young when their fine motor skills are not fully up to the task. It is EASY to get penmanship down when a child truly not only wants, but NEEDS to learn it for himself, and is fully developmentally ready. As with most things.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The order we practice is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">l h i j<br />b p d o<br />r n m u<br />c a g q<br />e t f z<br />w x k y<br />s 8 6 9<br />2 3 5 4</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Number 1 is the same as letter l, letter v is in letter w, and letter o is the same as number 0, so I leave those out. No need for repetition.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">File is <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Penmanship-Practice-5841995" target="_blank">FREE on TPT</a>! 8 worksheets and letter and number practice sheets. The letter and number practice sheets are FREE CHOICE. We do not do those as "lesson" worksheets. They also have their name worksheets, with first and last name, as free-choice practice as well.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Penmanship-Practice-5841995" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="797" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15L0sXBW-gP1TNkmoOLKcgcSisKB0H3oBlNGlP5PDi4o3kyvWkp40PiybJWPacN1Qh-rpj3JLk6Yv8wzwuocv9nwrUiZYizBE0tVOEYS-SOJpM2DX2wB4zCS-ifJ_PvYR2RyurLYB4ts/s320/original-5841995-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Oh, these are only lowercase letters? YEP! Uppercase letters are easy. </span><u style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">95% of what they write should be in lowercase letters like normal writing.</u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Seriously. Look at this paragraph and how many letters are uppercase and how many lowercase? </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's another thing that goes REALLY sideways - teaching children penmanship of uppercase letters and having them WRITE in all uppercase. This creates a VERY bad habit that is hard to break. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here, we learn uppercase, lowercase and phonics simultaneously, and these children have had those down for a loooong time. These children are reading. Yes, BEFORE they learn penmanship. So lowercase penmanship is appropriate. As it should be. Any uppercase issues we either have already addressed or will in writing sessions. There is no reason to spend a lot of time or effort on it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why this works is because I provide each child several minutes of direct instruction, moving their hand myself for each letter if necessary. Then, they make a TON of copies. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRSkJOAMpe6kGxjcqnb9G4nL7Jk7mxXJhx-gQjTEiIJRkfPvYbW6EWP8iRt8kmxUfvXXMYxpmJhMikoLVCs-9LpsG4LrgGgg83UfGOkY_zZGm0FVMipttKrpOyz2j0xKYdfpNzJw-OXc/s1600/20200210_094015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRSkJOAMpe6kGxjcqnb9G4nL7Jk7mxXJhx-gQjTEiIJRkfPvYbW6EWP8iRt8kmxUfvXXMYxpmJhMikoLVCs-9LpsG4LrgGgg83UfGOkY_zZGm0FVMipttKrpOyz2j0xKYdfpNzJw-OXc/s320/20200210_094015.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First time through!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If they don't get it pretty much perfectly the first day, we will do it again the next. There is no forcing them to sit and practice, they WANT to do it. </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyGQhM_Oqx0l5oI_m2wZ4rZt5TrQMzqoitMIdXyJJ8oNAlflto4WsM8_uvh1JshFQxUpqowax7cmrZpyiZB7w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So after that, Mr. R </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">did this for FUN. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Often, they will continue to practice on their own. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MK9D5A_9I-vpoOzp-PsTG8mA0zq0n8xaj-Ozk8RhmzMN5nh-ZdyrUuAT6xLay3tbOSFMCfeh69fA6R6XLXbHQbp9kFqUgQrvhiHQgBGWg8F3JC_nsnK9EdxGcZr16HYrt7UAd5AJAWI/s1600/20200210_092155+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MK9D5A_9I-vpoOzp-PsTG8mA0zq0n8xaj-Ozk8RhmzMN5nh-ZdyrUuAT6xLay3tbOSFMCfeh69fA6R6XLXbHQbp9kFqUgQrvhiHQgBGWg8F3JC_nsnK9EdxGcZr16HYrt7UAd5AJAWI/s200/20200210_092155+%25281%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yp2uq4-6DIGgM6sjDKIpOZlFGVPQL9hXOqc4qIIPnuVj5eSvhiBNDJurtnHigbxABqMIOroEkcTa3FaEikH3Vpz5gV-tZ9OncVY34UmKlnOLU-vMuWU5D4JuTd7EJnYZsmMQ1UFU_PQ/s1600/20200210_093907+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yp2uq4-6DIGgM6sjDKIpOZlFGVPQL9hXOqc4qIIPnuVj5eSvhiBNDJurtnHigbxABqMIOroEkcTa3FaEikH3Vpz5gV-tZ9OncVY34UmKlnOLU-vMuWU5D4JuTd7EJnYZsmMQ1UFU_PQ/s200/20200210_093907+%25281%2529.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then he evidently went home and chose to do even MORE writing. Chose being the operative word. His parents don't ask him to do anything there, they just facilitate his interest. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As do I.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You might be interested in my earlier [2013] <a href="https://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2013/07/ready-to-write.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> on this subject that has over 10,000 views.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2013/07/ready-to-write.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="299" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimuxA_nOEM6wB9ozXukCLoUAtUXUSzv1DslH5oZ5AnO4XfTlz_D70RHkcd-jWudMPYtFDi6xErumRMNYFev4Try8Q4irJuxzKEdjC_ObbEEmLbNMRqIQ8_BM58Cb9KZBGBe04eDy7CEMs/s200/ready+to+write.jpg" width="186" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; font-size: xx-small;">preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, childcare, child care, daycare, writing, handwriting, penmanship, worksheets, language, language arts, fine motor, </span></span></span><u><br /></u></div>
Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-84685247089583253802020-07-17T13:35:00.000-07:002020-07-18T10:24:26.880-07:00Preparing Baby for Daycare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYAKychScYTOHV5xbb1K7uVFjy3WLH1mqXvjlZiRhQLwhpdIa9KImDynwMppMmBliJcLXZ80zpcYD6P3KxotllasNd7J0TmA0iZliZwbkJKgajwXnioz0OUl47HW3cXUmY-jF1WOE5AU/s1600/Preparing+baby+for+daycare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="363" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYAKychScYTOHV5xbb1K7uVFjy3WLH1mqXvjlZiRhQLwhpdIa9KImDynwMppMmBliJcLXZ80zpcYD6P3KxotllasNd7J0TmA0iZliZwbkJKgajwXnioz0OUl47HW3cXUmY-jF1WOE5AU/s320/Preparing+baby+for+daycare.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Transitioning a baby to daycare doesn't begin when you hand your infant off on the first day to your provider. It starts waaaaay before then. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For your peace of mind, your child care provider's ability to provide quality care, and your infant's emotional and physical comfort, there are several things that need to be accomplished long before that first day of child care.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>For a successful transition:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby must be bottle trained</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby must be able to nap well in the crib or pack-n-play your provider uses</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby must be used to safe sleep practices</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby must be able to fall asleep on own</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby must be able to spend time not being held</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby should be able to self-soothe to some degree by 4 months</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is very easy while on maternity leave, especially with your first child, to breast feed exclusively, hold your baby all the time, let your baby fall asleep on the breast, and hold your baby while sleeping. You want that closeness and to spend as much time as possible with your infant. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, all these things set your infant up for having a very rough transition to a daycare situation, and possibly the loss of your daycare position. Even if you have a wonderful and attentive provider, they have other children to take care of as well. Lunch must be made, diapers changed, altercations mediated, learning taught. One infant can not consume 100% of a provider's time and attention. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A parent and infant that expects or demands that, will need to find a provider willing and able to accommodate those needs. Since sleep practices are regulated by licensing, that can mean needing an in-home nanny who is not under the same regulations, or an illegal provider. A quality licensed provider will not be placing an infant at risk, even at the parent's request.</span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BOTTLE TRAINING</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The earlier you introduce the bottle, the better the result. As soon as good breastfeeding is established, the introduction of a bottle a few times a week will help your infant transition to day bottle feeding during child care much easier. Introduction just a few days or even weeks prior to going into daycare, will be a struggle. I currently have a 15 week baby that took more than 3 weeks of daily 3 bottles a day training to even BEGIN to take the bottle with any level of success. She was exclusively breastfed while mom was home. She had never had a bottle and refused that plastic nipple even being near her mouth. Quite vocally. Starting earlier is easier. For everyone, including your baby. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFXbj4BLVSIs1VJ_r8rpdVDdR2kFlBRxyPRsJCny9O07ZnajOvnUqEuervQf7iwzLfmhnqhoD0cbtIZysHBcbLUQyAlCe9i8wrKkJfxMPghVToZ4z1rBpokUCHusW3Iug3VFRwnFp9hQ/s1600/baby-105063_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFXbj4BLVSIs1VJ_r8rpdVDdR2kFlBRxyPRsJCny9O07ZnajOvnUqEuervQf7iwzLfmhnqhoD0cbtIZysHBcbLUQyAlCe9i8wrKkJfxMPghVToZ4z1rBpokUCHusW3Iug3VFRwnFp9hQ/s320/baby-105063_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Baby should be taking a bottle on the same schedule as they will at daycare, at minimum, the last two weeks before transitioning into care. If there will be no option for you to come breast feed, there shouldn't be any option of that at home those last two weeks, either. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even if you plan to breastfeed every feeding at your child care provider's, your baby should still be bottle trained unless you can GUARANTEE that you will be able to make those feedings. No meetings that go over, no late phone calls, no car accidents or bad traffic in your commute, etc. You can't leave a hungry baby screaming with your provider with no way for them to accommodate your child's needs. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Keep in mind that exclusive breastfeeding also means your baby will have a very difficult time if you get sick or in an accident, they get sick and need to go into a hospital, you want to go out for an evening or go away for a weekend, you need to take certain medications if you get sick, or would like to have alcohol every once in a while and be able to pump-and-dump for 24 hours afterward. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Very few infants have "<a href="https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/nipple-confusion/" target="_blank">nipple confusion</a>" after breastfeeding is established at about the 4 week mark. They want their mom connection and the taste and feel of the breast, and will go between bottle and breast with little fuss once trained. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once baby is old enough to have an opinion, it can be difficult to bottle train. There are some tricks:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Provide a nipple that mimics mom's breast and nipple size OR</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Provide a nipple that is similar to their pacifier if they use one</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As with a binky, begin by just having them play with it in the mouth</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have dad or someone else give the bottle</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Give the bottle in a position other than the one for breastfeeding</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Give the bottle when you know baby is hungry</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Try holding a shirt or blanket with mom's smell next to baby's head</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If baby refuses to take breastmilk from a bottle, try formula. If formula works, gradually mix it with breastmilk in increasing quantities until baby is back to taking breastmilk exclusively.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Make sure bottle is warm enough, it needs to be body temperature</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>What causes problems: </b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not starting early</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not starting early enough to have it completed in time for care</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Liking that baby only wants mom, not fair to baby</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not pumping prior to care to know how much can be produced and creating a back up supply of frozen breast milk</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Assuming baby will take a bottle from the provider, in a new environment with new sights, sounds, smells and people, when baby is already stressed from starting at a new place</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Most providers require infants to be bottle trained prior to starting care.</span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">HOLDING</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hold my infants to 4 months as much as possible. I have a lot of experience and am able to do <i>almost</i> everything with an infant in my arms. When not in my arms, the infant is in their carrier, pack-n-play or bouncer right next to me. I am able to talk and interact with the baby at all times. However, I can't hold them the <i>entire</i> time. They must be okay with the separation and just being close, seeing my face and hearing my voice.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnECUO-LI0czsbYWekuiSz6FVfrKdI2NyvXyVaTMppJ5My8sfE94GNItJ6RYNl-Q8hyphenhyphenoX4XZDobDZ7yD5Muih1PxNKXM4d-wS5Rfu6c_1jCCZl13uDr28KFWeRZONCOaeIWr5mKISc6k/s1600/baby3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnECUO-LI0czsbYWekuiSz6FVfrKdI2NyvXyVaTMppJ5My8sfE94GNItJ6RYNl-Q8hyphenhyphenoX4XZDobDZ7yD5Muih1PxNKXM4d-wS5Rfu6c_1jCCZl13uDr28KFWeRZONCOaeIWr5mKISc6k/s320/baby3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Your baby needs tummy time and to spend time near, but off, of you. Holding an infant 24/7 is fine for the first weeks, but they need to build the muscles for rolling and that takes time down on the floor. They need to know that not being held is not being abandoned and to be okay with it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over 5 months, a baby should be on the floor most of the time. Spending time on the floor with a constantly changing variety of toys and sensory items is what builds physical strength, proprioception sense, vestibular balance, crossing-the-midline ability, cognitive connections, resiliency, cause/effect understanding, visual acuity, and so many more developmental markers. Being held, sitting in a stationary exersaucer, and using any other contraption that holds an infant in a fixed position is detrimental to their growth and development. It is vitally important for their physical, mental, emotional and cognitive growth that they be allowed to spend time alone on the floor exploring and moving. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4AruuIzwa7DLcFgtaIWks4OzaYbACZXNm2DkcRZTs8kyNCzdRjIOzPqApUjqXrUilHz5SPaTrteepi-aGUw-WjDB1AlEro8X_zCMMTfOBZphhcKq3HMqx1nJCJ9goCbUglaTU0uw_b4/s1600/music-818459_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4AruuIzwa7DLcFgtaIWks4OzaYbACZXNm2DkcRZTs8kyNCzdRjIOzPqApUjqXrUilHz5SPaTrteepi-aGUw-WjDB1AlEro8X_zCMMTfOBZphhcKq3HMqx1nJCJ9goCbUglaTU0uw_b4/s320/music-818459_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">What causes problems:</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hold 24/7</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Expect provider to do the same</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Expect baby to be okay with not being held exclusively once in care, even though they are not okay with it at home [we are not magicians]</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not providing tummy time and other physical growth opportunities so that once in care, baby is not developmentally able to perform at an age-appropriate level</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDf6iQAntps6t1LWFVbCzoLXB7rGRTbnVepJ3J_hyI1sbYOo2G8pxH6B1QLpsiWZwD66wcJVFIw9iQaqDGu-jjfwUHbJNv7NbXaPqt9TYFWOMdyaUUuHU3kk8VnVLsiu3Pjk68Qtc4Rs/s1600/babe-2972221_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDf6iQAntps6t1LWFVbCzoLXB7rGRTbnVepJ3J_hyI1sbYOo2G8pxH6B1QLpsiWZwD66wcJVFIw9iQaqDGu-jjfwUHbJNv7NbXaPqt9TYFWOMdyaUUuHU3kk8VnVLsiu3Pjk68Qtc4Rs/s320/babe-2972221_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SLEEPING</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Legally, providers must practice <a href="https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx" target="_blank">safe sleep practices</a>. Infants must be placed on their backs in a pack-n-play or crib to sleep with nothing more than a plain pacifier. Period. Sleeping in a carrier, bouncer, baby hammock or even in the arms can place the infant in danger of <a href="http://www.babyyourbaby.org/infants/positional-asphyxia.php#:~:text=Positional%20asphyxia%20happens%20when%20a,be%20unable%20to%20fully%20expand." target="_blank">positional asphyxiation</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If a baby is allowed to sleep on a parent's chest, laying face down for naps, the transition to care is going to be VERY difficult. You've got a level of warmth, heart beat sound, face-down position, smell and body feel all to overcome before the infant can sleep in a daycare situation. This is SO far outside of how the infant will need to be taking naps at daycare, that it is very difficult to overcome once this becomes the baby's norm. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWZRsOFsESr_BgB88TkmBviNsiGCr4vN6DwzhIulLKaM88E-48Pe61rtqJ-CaaKKHRwjHaW0qFuPdqea01DEBnE1yFiGUaP-_kWYqZOvNaYPNyAqgzplauxCX1xk_F2M33Zbds1w_7Zo/s1600/baby-22194_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWZRsOFsESr_BgB88TkmBviNsiGCr4vN6DwzhIulLKaM88E-48Pe61rtqJ-CaaKKHRwjHaW0qFuPdqea01DEBnE1yFiGUaP-_kWYqZOvNaYPNyAqgzplauxCX1xk_F2M33Zbds1w_7Zo/s320/baby-22194_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">NOOOOooooo!</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Establishing your care situation as early as possible, you can find out if your future provider will be using a crib or pack-n-play, which music or white noise they use, level of light in the nap area, etc. so that you can mimic those factors as early as possible to get your infant comfortable with how they will be sleeping in care.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We often can't take the time to rock them to sleep, and we can't allow them to fall asleep on the bottle. We need to be able to place them in their crib or pack-n-play, on their back, and have them go to sleep with reassurance and soft touches.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even the most chill daycare will have crying babies, screaming toddler drama, bickering preschoolers. Add in some banging, music, chatter, etc. and daycare is NOT a quiet place. Infants, especially for morning nap, must be able to sleep through noise. Putting them down in a quiet room by themselves all the time is setting them up for sleep problems at daycare. At minimum, have music or TV playing while they sleep in the morning and go about your regular activities. My infants sleep through the vacuum, dogs barking and all the other noises that go on here. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">What causes problems:</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Letting baby fall asleep on the breast or bottle </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Holding baby in any manner while sleeping</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not putting baby to sleep in a crib or pack-n-play as will be required at daycare, especially for naps, while at home</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not practicing safe sleep practices/back-2-sleep</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Swaddling beyond 2 months when daycare can't</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Using a white noise your provider can't replicate</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Using a Wubbanub, blanket, or other lovey for sleep time that can't be used at daycare for sleep</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Having baby sleep in a quiet environment</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">SELF-SOOTHING</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Parents, especially new parents, are quick to pick up and soothe at every peep their infant makes. Soothing is not at all bad, but when infants associate any little discomfort or irritation with being held, cuddled, rocked, cooed and entertained, it doesn't allow the natural progression of self-soothing. "<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/baby/self-soothing-baby#do-earlier-feed" target="_blank">Babies</a> who can self-soothe sleep for longer periods and have longer total sleep times at night." Infants should begin to learn to self-soothe at 3-4 months and a 6 month old should have the ability. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A child care provider may be dealing with another child when baby starts to fuss, and unless the infant is in emotional distress, the infant may have to wait their turn.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1e4uD0u-17SdR_c3PQdmnmHlTjxUvnFePPGB3C3EAoo1BE8aU1e_mvCYxfxCZs0CiPCN48EtceJHMbWM2D85mGhxOWVKX37Y1ns45pj3WFJRMKA0lNnz632KaseWjQ7wE6c-JMfRnKhM/s1600/baby-215303_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1e4uD0u-17SdR_c3PQdmnmHlTjxUvnFePPGB3C3EAoo1BE8aU1e_mvCYxfxCZs0CiPCN48EtceJHMbWM2D85mGhxOWVKX37Y1ns45pj3WFJRMKA0lNnz632KaseWjQ7wE6c-JMfRnKhM/s320/baby-215303_1920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Helping with self soothing:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Give the opportunity for your infant to self-soothe by not immediately jumping in to "fix" the situation</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Watch for self-soothing behavior and only step in if the baby seems to be escalating in need for assistance</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If necessary, soothe with sounds, words and soothing touch [gentle pats, back rub] rather than holding, rocking and full physical contact when possible</span></li>
</ul>
<b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">What causes problems:</b><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Respond with soothing to every little peep their infant makes</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Soothing with breast/bottle feeding</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Soothing immediately with picking up rather than sounds, words or touch first</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SCHEDULE</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've seen mom blogs say that you need to get your baby on a schedule before they go into care. I disagree. A good provider is aware of developmentally appropriate practice and one of those practices is that infants are allowed to eat and sleep on demand. Especially until 6 months. At 6 months babies generally navigate into a regular schedule. However, this will always be at the whim of teething, gas, growth phases, changes in family schedule, any time away from parents or in a new environment, changes to routine, etc. Never get complacent with an infant schedule. As soon as you do, it will change.</span></div>
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<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The rhythms of a daycare setting are very different from the ones at home, and while a general schedule of morning nap, eating every 2-3 hours and afternoon nap are in play, schedules are never meant to be rigid for infants. Even older children often have different sleep needs when in a growth phase. I had a 5 year old who hadn't napped in a year suddenly start needing one when he took a massive growth spurt of an inch in a month. Your provider will want to know what the general schedule has been at home will try to accomodate that to some extent. More so, the provider will look to your baby for cues of hunger and tiredness and respond accordingly. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Forcing your infant to stay up, go hungry, or pushing your baby to eat when it is full, is not appropriate. Babies need what they need when they need it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">CONCLUSION</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When all of these things are in place, your infant and provider can focus on building an emotional bond, a trust bond. Your infant can focus on becoming familiar and comfortable with the new environment in a state of being well rested with a full tummy. Having those basic needs met with little to no issue, will make the transition a MUCH easier one, on your baby, your provider, and YOU.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When in doubt, ask yourself, "Would I be doing this if I had six children?" </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If your answer is no, and you plan for your baby to go into daycare, then your parenting should, at least most of the time, help your baby prepare for a child care setting.</span><br />
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-58801297677000615732020-06-15T18:13:00.003-07:002020-06-15T18:13:34.586-07:00Loaded Baked Potato Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5owis2wrrivdcVcsIp-3JLg_Hq8N4OUBKa1l_zv7cpqYjRPhjr17ObqlDUkmJx7P5QC4EUyggssQs3clL6iu3UUWv3jJuCR58w76vcusLF4HD7X4RKEblAC61a9VaaxTZ4nsTbZy8gQ/s1600/broccoli+soup.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="338" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5owis2wrrivdcVcsIp-3JLg_Hq8N4OUBKa1l_zv7cpqYjRPhjr17ObqlDUkmJx7P5QC4EUyggssQs3clL6iu3UUWv3jJuCR58w76vcusLF4HD7X4RKEblAC61a9VaaxTZ4nsTbZy8gQ/s200/broccoli+soup.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is one of their most requested meals. Of course, it isn't as healthy as some. Go figure. Using frozen hash browns is the time saver. My main goal with this one is to introduce rosemary to their palate. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">32 oz bag of frozen Southern Style hashbrown potatoes (veggie)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">16 oz bag frozen broccoli florets (veggie)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">32 oz organic all natural chicken stock (protein)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4 T butter (dairy)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4 oz cream cheese (protein</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">8 oz cheddar cheese (protein</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2.5 oz or 1/2 C crumbled bacon (protein</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">)</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1-2 T rosemary garlic seasoning blend<br />8-12 oz milk (protein)</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Heat bacon in stock pot</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add in and bring to boil potatoes, broccoli, seasoning and stock </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reduce to medium heat and cook 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Puree with an immersion blender </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add butter and cream cheese, let melt </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add cheddar cheese </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Add milk to desired consistency </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Serve with crumbled wheat or multi-grain crackers </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The addition of the refrigerated ingredients after cooking, brings the soup to a perfect immediate serving temperature for the children.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you need to make this quicker, the frozen potatoes and broccoli can be either defrosted in the fridge the prior day (preferred) or defrosted in the microwave first.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have also put the bacon bits, stock, frozen potatoes, frozen broccoli and seasoning into a crockpot on low the night prior, or on high as soon as I wake up, to have it ready to assemble from there for lunch.</span><br />
<br />Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-53884461836426459052019-12-17T08:49:00.001-08:002019-12-17T08:50:46.138-08:0010 Things to Discuss With Your Child Before the Family Christmas<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TppauJOE-YObaEQs4f2LBsbnWjKWgMc9c3xwWp14Lpf_brVEH8SCZjZvjvMadzmp0GVVr-HfzlDbQNqsjpxlFirpb8kOpzK7CvUgCW7-jn1z3zK91e4Mav-FnYzGcwkgZlRWeZootpk/s1600/Christmas+discussions.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7TppauJOE-YObaEQs4f2LBsbnWjKWgMc9c3xwWp14Lpf_brVEH8SCZjZvjvMadzmp0GVVr-HfzlDbQNqsjpxlFirpb8kOpzK7CvUgCW7-jn1z3zK91e4Mav-FnYzGcwkgZlRWeZootpk/s320/Christmas+discussions.png" /></a></span></div>
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<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">For our Christmas party we make crafts, drink Grinch juice and hot cocoa, make gingerbread people and do a small optional gift exchange with dollar items. It’s an opportunity for the children, especially the 3.5yo+ children, to discuss and practice societal norms and expectations before heading to family events and the mayhem and high emotions involved. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">It teaches:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">1. Giving is hard, especially if the item being given is something you really want.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">2. Gifts are new toys and you shouldn’t expect someone to be willing to share their new toys, and you may not want to share yours, either. And that's okay.</span><br /><br /><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb9szMiiRcO41FlR56hNsqkBXjcqoj6y1nKlN7Z0FWX_Ouww4Wwao2H1SbwGR4t3P2uxKdtlg10NNfaUummc7ECXnJ6NvOyKICDTUV8O7G6T7m3xb6msXDQZNuDjj2pzNvUjM9LQTAO8/s1600/two.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIb9szMiiRcO41FlR56hNsqkBXjcqoj6y1nKlN7Z0FWX_Ouww4Wwao2H1SbwGR4t3P2uxKdtlg10NNfaUummc7ECXnJ6NvOyKICDTUV8O7G6T7m3xb6msXDQZNuDjj2pzNvUjM9LQTAO8/s320/two.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="color: blue;">3. Wait your turn to unwrap a gift. It’s not WWF.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">4. Unwrap with care, gifts can be broken.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">5. Show gratitude when opening a gift. Someone put a lot of thought and effort into getting it especially for you.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">6. It’s the thought that counts. Keep any displeasure at the gift to yourself.</span><br /><br /><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRh6COzbLmR_sW51b-MHT9bmCbSCnwMPUm4qwJpNyNuRmiVEnRZXau8BN42lsta_Y7_jExyWblbH91yWVNFLzM_k8nLVjXqBLnL31noJdvgsIOfla2ij5QDizpOlz5l9dd946e0mRYQc/s1600/one.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRh6COzbLmR_sW51b-MHT9bmCbSCnwMPUm4qwJpNyNuRmiVEnRZXau8BN42lsta_Y7_jExyWblbH91yWVNFLzM_k8nLVjXqBLnL31noJdvgsIOfla2ij5QDizpOlz5l9dd946e0mRYQc/s320/one.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="color: blue;">7. Offer kisses, hugs, high five, handshake or a simple “Thank you” to the person who gave you the gift, depending upon your comfort level with the giver.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">8. You may politely decline personal space invasion. “I don’t feel like a hug right now. May I shake your hand?” Understand that there may be people around you that are your family, but you don’t know them or know them well. They will want to show you their love, but it may be uncomfortable for you. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">9. Ask consent before you invade a person’s personal space, especially little kids who may feel overwhelmed and may not know you well. “Can I give you a hug? Ok. How about a fist bump?”</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">10. If things get overwhelming, it’s ok to ask your parents for a retreat time to some place quiet for a few minutes to just talk it out and relax.</span><br /><br /><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OPP3sVmEhsgyMLGK_5dG324uPWy8GAQl-9yIR2m1v8XbcyZ1oCqGK6AT7DL8XLTBbJiz3pWyTrQL4hODMq6UXmYpIQ4JslRQch_GrlGrQqJRE0lcpEczPvrugKRZjbcJ-QyTTjZor2w/s1600/three.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OPP3sVmEhsgyMLGK_5dG324uPWy8GAQl-9yIR2m1v8XbcyZ1oCqGK6AT7DL8XLTBbJiz3pWyTrQL4hODMq6UXmYpIQ4JslRQch_GrlGrQqJRE0lcpEczPvrugKRZjbcJ-QyTTjZor2w/s320/three.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><span style="color: blue;">We also talk about that opening presents is about opening presents, not playing with presents. That time will come afterward. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">They know about being responsible and picking up, but those lesson can be lost in the mayhem, so we talk about that, too.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">A time of joy and family can be overwhelming to young children. I try to prep them a bit to handle it as gracefully as possible.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: xx-small;">parenting, child care, daycare, preschool, pre-k, teaching, holiday, holidays, Christmas, xmas, kids, children, </span></span>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-61212413319692251162019-11-17T12:00:00.000-08:002019-11-17T12:12:13.650-08:00Reading Taught Wrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNvMWQyHBeuYj3QMp9pJDyNxuxlh80eN_mZzrjNlqqGI6JDteowPQvgI0pITJB5x1JSr_-TWrXKCJDTiQ2wuVptcq0qjnLT9C20RuU8a0m5OikuARBrcSP3L8ssxjh6c-b8Prtk-YqU4/s1600/now+I%2527m+reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNvMWQyHBeuYj3QMp9pJDyNxuxlh80eN_mZzrjNlqqGI6JDteowPQvgI0pITJB5x1JSr_-TWrXKCJDTiQ2wuVptcq0qjnLT9C20RuU8a0m5OikuARBrcSP3L8ssxjh6c-b8Prtk-YqU4/s320/now+I%2527m+reading.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've done posts about how I teach reading. Now I want to do a comparison of what I think I do right compared to how I believe traditional instruction does it wrong. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can all my methods be incorporated into a traditional setting? </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Absolutely not. There is not the time. However, some of what I do can be, and should.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Expectation that children can read</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">P</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">retty much every developmentally on-track child can read by the age of 7 when they enter the next Piaget level of concrete operational. In many countries, reading instruction begins at the age of 7 when every child can be successful. Each child is unique. I've had children read at 3 and many more read at 5. However, EXPECTING every 5 year old to be able to read is not developmentally appropriate. Yet, we do that in this country. Under 7, it should be the child's choice and ability to read early, not an expectation. Under age 7, children are in the preoperational stage, where they CAN learn symbolic representations such as phonics and early sightwords.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWOpXOnl1rh81x2snAHoGjqV5JoJsqSr8s4XLDgQLwNdMcClqKPGxajh_4hiclQIliWrbYlie2Ycl_MTDWXX0BaRAvtBY_YDAtEgsY0_UFlJW-KbSVjXosk2e1BrVgXyn5BMdA_WzniU/s1600/20171110_101038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWOpXOnl1rh81x2snAHoGjqV5JoJsqSr8s4XLDgQLwNdMcClqKPGxajh_4hiclQIliWrbYlie2Ycl_MTDWXX0BaRAvtBY_YDAtEgsY0_UFlJW-KbSVjXosk2e1BrVgXyn5BMdA_WzniU/s320/20171110_101038.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making their own books with markers <br />
and cardboard to read to their friends</td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Teaching methods</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children under the age of 7-8 learn through movement and play. Which is how I teach early reading skills. Yet, traditional instruction has children sitting still and being instructed, which is again not developmentally appropriate.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Time and attention</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children have an attention span of, on average, one minute per age, increasing to 2 minutes at the age of 5. So a 5 year old has an attention span of about 10 minutes. This is greater if they are learning through play and movement and engaged in the activity. However, traditional teaching has them sitting in a group for up to 30 minutes and listening to a teacher or one another, or waiting their turn to read aloud. Again, not developmentally appropriate. My instruction takes no more than 5 minutes at any one time. The best is that they ASK for it, and they will choose to keep practicing and playing with it on their own after the lesson. Because, you know, it is FUN and ENGAGING, developmentally appropriate and at their skill level.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>4. Skills introduction</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pre-reading skills are begun here from birth. Turning pages, left-right convention, one-to-one correspondence, crossing-the-midline ability, etc. I will use a baby's finger to point to the words as I read them. After doing this daily for 2 years, it is muscle memory for them to do it themselves. Kindergarten classrooms focus so much on reading, that they forget that there are pre-skills necessary for success. When those pre-skills are not embedded, reading is much more difficult.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>5. Letter names</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I could care less if a child knows an A is an "A". It has no bearing on reading. I do, however, care that a child learns the phonetic sound for an A, which is absolutely necessary in teaching reading.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>6. Upper/lowercase letters</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Uppercase letters comprise such a small percentage within print. I teach uppercase, lowercase and phonics simultaneously. Just as a child can learn mom, mama and mommy all have the same meaning, so can a child learn that A, a, and aaaa have the same meaning. Traditional methods often focus on a "Letter of the Day" or week. Again, random letter recognition has NO BEARING on reading, yet so much school time is wasted on this. Knowing that lowercase a stands for aaa DOES. It is the most important instruction, but done through meaningful experiences, not isolated instruction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Phonics</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Phonics are music. Traditional methods want to teach phonics as written symbols first, without recognizing that phonics are tones, lilts, blends of sound. They are magical sounds with meaning. Teaching them as this, brings them life and a richness that traditional methods simply don't engage. Much of my early reading skills learning is done through music. I start exposing phonics of lowercase letters to my kiddos at the age of 2 1/2. They often have them down by 3.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>8. Giving meaning to symbols</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Traditional instruction has children practicing phonics unconnected to anything engaging. They are taught as representatives of a letter symbol, and the letter phonics are taught individually, one letter at a time. Nothing engages a child more than attention to himself. By beginning spelling with children's names, they have an instant buy-in. We do it with their name songs each morning. After they do their spelling song for their name, we review the phonics. The children quickly learn how to spell their friends' names and how to sound them out. We sit in this stage for awhile.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYMx_8Xbueb7ty_YgZhOzumJxc5dnUtUV6tG7btrQ17Hf3U9ja4dQws_AkYmS2TRZWoGNPmVl3uQaPTsg_vuYzfD89v7JO3L87gKuhnG0uG66nAICaPLPk6xeS_Z6Azw6-hMxvFzGj4U/s1600/297643_10151342668539908_191582420_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitYMx_8Xbueb7ty_YgZhOzumJxc5dnUtUV6tG7btrQ17Hf3U9ja4dQws_AkYmS2TRZWoGNPmVl3uQaPTsg_vuYzfD89v7JO3L87gKuhnG0uG66nAICaPLPk6xeS_Z6Azw6-hMxvFzGj4U/s320/297643_10151342668539908_191582420_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss A 2yo, yeah, she did this</td></tr>
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<b style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">9. Timeline</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As stated, we will sit in a learning stage for awhile to ensure that the children are fully engaged and have MASTERED a particular skill/stage before moving forward. Traditional methods push through a curriculum agenda, and poor readers are dragged along, often not mastering skills but sliding through.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>10. Developmentally appropriate</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children up to age 7-8 learn through play and movement. Phonics here are learned through music and games. I will make a phonetic sound and the child will run and jump on the letter laying on the floor. Early reading instruction here begins with simple sightword sentences with a movement component and some silliness. "I am a ______." goes on the wall in large letters with dots under each word. Each child takes a turn reading the sentence and putting his finger on the dot for one-to-one correspondence, adding in the word. Whatever the word is the child chooses, the whole group acts it out. This adds an element of anticipation and surprise, keeping the whole group engaged. The next week it may be "I can ______." always adding only one or two new sight words at a time. Then the sentences can be combined. "I am a MONKEY and I can CLIMB TREES." Further along, I will write in the words and we will sound them out phonetically after they do the movement, before moving to the next child's turn. For another game the current sightwords are attached to the wall and the children run around and I will call out a sightword as they come around and they hit it with a swat frame. Learning always has a movement attached in the early stages.</span><br />
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<b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">11. Books are engaging and complex</b></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our early readers are created around the child. "My name is...," "I like..." The books I teach with are from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwlittlest0b-20&keywords=Nora%20Gaydos&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=222fe9aa1a24559a5eb4810178bb3e19" target="_blank">Nora Gaydos</a> [affiliate link.] The stories are repetitive, building skills slowly with the ability for mastery, but complex and rich with vibrant illustrations. The children want to know what is going to happen next, which keeps them moving forward and eager to read another book. And, they are very appealing to both girls and boys. Often traditional methods focus on very simplified books with simple illustrations. The focus is on the READING rather than the STORY. We focus on the story, with the reading as a by-product. We talk about the characters and the story, working on comprehension and analytical thinking. Again, engaging the child with what he is reading, providing meaning and context. Children learn new skills because they are useful and fascinating, not because someone says they have to do so. Retention and mastery are dramatically higher when children are engaged with their learning. The Gaydos books also introduce phonics, digraphs, blends, sightwords and advanced reading skills in a perfect timeline for easy mastery. Often, books used in schools do not.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWfHlnesK8kqo0SAMG9-CORugr-FTQiwZywuVZ7CFYnwBBh6_omTR6grfc_5RgruHsyr4hkPKNr0DvK_c6wM71Gzhx056BDirEhyphenhyphenEuKFHpjrEe123sTYNpZtJvwUI7L3dQtxvKHKH4Q4/s1600/DSC01905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkWfHlnesK8kqo0SAMG9-CORugr-FTQiwZywuVZ7CFYnwBBh6_omTR6grfc_5RgruHsyr4hkPKNr0DvK_c6wM71Gzhx056BDirEhyphenhyphenEuKFHpjrEe123sTYNpZtJvwUI7L3dQtxvKHKH4Q4/s320/DSC01905.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>12. Individualized instruction</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since I read books individually with each child, they are never allowed to develop bad habits. They flow through reading instruction in a very linear, clear method. Instant, constant correction keeps them on the correct path. Traditional methods of group instruction at the early stages of learning to read allow children to become muddled, develop bad habits and become afraid to speak up about their confusion or to participate out loud for fear of sounding wrong and being corrected in front of their peers. Individual instruction and attention is simply something that doesn't happen in traditional settings to the extent that it needs to in order to create excellent early readers.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>13. Optimized Instruction Time</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The children here have a choice of whether or not to read. Some days they are engaged in something else and don't want to do it. Some days they will read 5 books in a sitting. Some days they are tired and unable to focus, and I will decide that this is not the day to be reading. Traditional settings don't have that option to optimize instruction time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>14. Sight word Instruction</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I believe that everything is learned better in context. My children learn their sightwords more through reading and me telling them that it is a sightword, than learning individual sightwords through other activities. Traditional methods teach a sightword then the child reads a book focusing on that sightword. It just isn't as engaging and meaningful. Any word is a sightword if a child sees it enough, and time spent reading, which occurs through engaging stories, is what makes a good reader. Once we get enough sightwords and phonics to begin reading my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwlittlest0b-20&keywords=Nora%20Gaydos&index=aps&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=xm2&linkId=222fe9aa1a24559a5eb4810178bb3e19" target="_blank">Nora Gaydos</a> books, reading instruction occurs through READING only. Only if a child is having a really odd, difficult time with a specific word or sound will I add non-reading instruction, which is usually just a few seconds, a few times a day, for a few days before he will get it down pat. This focused attention to a specific issue for a specific child is more impactful than a general instruction to everyone.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>15. Reading aloud</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children still in the preoperational stage have a lot of trouble reading silently. Or, they simply CAN'T. They also have a lot of trouble with comprehension, even if they have the ability to sound out and recognize words. Asking a child under 7 to read silently is not developmentally appropriate. My 5 year olds need to hear those phonics to spell out words and read. They need to associate the letter and word symbols to the sound representation. In traditional settings, unless reading together as a group, this can be unreasonable in a class of 28. One of the benefits, is that the children will correct one another if they hear something another child says that is off or wrong. They also will ask one another for assistance, and they usually provide the same answers I will give, such as "try to sound it out," "that's a sightword," "igh says I," and not just give the correct answer. Teaching another is a powerful learning tool. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJXRNC1iNjwAeu-iPxVFCFjeoG224Mnbjp6JLJJiqkJZNi65aP8Uq1DsUeAnYgMNtvzi_u653B_I-SVEm_z-GZlB9y3Co1zGF1MRhW8lxRogJ4qglgQj8khNcRAOBz2geuDHwzZMwNYs/s1600/Mr.+G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1231" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJXRNC1iNjwAeu-iPxVFCFjeoG224Mnbjp6JLJJiqkJZNi65aP8Uq1DsUeAnYgMNtvzi_u653B_I-SVEm_z-GZlB9y3Co1zGF1MRhW8lxRogJ4qglgQj8khNcRAOBz2geuDHwzZMwNYs/s320/Mr.+G.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. G 5yo</td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reading ability, and time spent reading and being read to, are the key to a child's future success. Time spent on reading instruction is never wasted</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I wish traditional school settings could incorporate more of my methods and allot more time for individual instruction. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So many children under the age of 7 are being labeled failures for not being able to read, when they are simply just not YET in that developmental stage where they have the ability. The joy of reading and learning is being stripped from them for simply being young children. That is something I can't forgive or forget.
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<br />Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-44000698745438074302019-10-23T08:34:00.000-07:002019-10-23T08:34:59.478-07:00Halloween Sensory Bin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LpQf77rxLhkTdBUXOJ42iEJ59eZVp74Tdr2yoiN_C5LfDsB8iJS-HNvQ62i70oK8853Jy4BOrjWDMboVKj2TEseq6PL9hsMD0m6FWCGkAuT1O1XkeokVSKVCiEpR9tbRxRfLIYd76hs/s1600/HALLOWEEN+SENSORY.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="337" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1LpQf77rxLhkTdBUXOJ42iEJ59eZVp74Tdr2yoiN_C5LfDsB8iJS-HNvQ62i70oK8853Jy4BOrjWDMboVKj2TEseq6PL9hsMD0m6FWCGkAuT1O1XkeokVSKVCiEpR9tbRxRfLIYd76hs/s320/HALLOWEEN+SENSORY.PNG" width="316" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lots of choking hazards, so children under 3 AND children of any age still putting items in their mouth, are only allowed to play under direct, strict supervision.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Learning activities:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorting by orange/black/white</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorting by pumpkins/skulls/bats</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorting by item</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Counting to 5/10/20+</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Matching bugs</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stick puppets</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Retelling "5 Little Pumpkins"</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Role playing "Witches Brew"</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Retelling "5 Little Skeletons"</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Make a skeleton</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Patterning</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scoop/pour/transferring</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What's in it?</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Main fill is black and white beans</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Qtips for bones</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Orange/black/white pom poms</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2 bags of bugs (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Skull/pumpkin/bat erasers (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gold pipe cleaners</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mini caldrons (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stick puppets, Frankenstein and pumpkin</span></li>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">White cloth pieces</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bats (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Orange/black/white feathers</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stick ghost puppets</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bag of plastic eyeballs (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bag of plastic skulls (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Packing peanuts for ghosts or bones</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Large styrofoam pumpkins</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Mr. R: "The beans are his bones and muscles."</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> A favorite activity of the 2 year olds.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They figured out that they could take apart the eyeballs, fill them with beans, and put them back together to make mini maracas.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I found that they really liked just tearing apart the packing peanuts. Still a great fine motor activity and since they are free..."Go for it!"</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">preschool, daycare, pre-k, child care, childcare, Halloween, sensory, sensory bin, learning, activity, activities, counting, dramatic play, child, children, kids, homeschool, homeschooling, boy, girl, scary, ghost, skull, witch, bat, spider, skeleton, pumpkin</span><br />
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-62776844978804176912019-07-17T07:53:00.001-07:002019-07-17T13:29:04.048-07:00Siblings Blessing or Burden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDIS6T4jgH2HmX74c6E_5sCDtnGu0tf3sQ2D4msEAEUwIG3VkBD0gtFWPuVAI-syoyukecHv7GzrXkBMum33VxRAm2qchtTUkcP8AUtqgXlSxMmh8ahnBmfPvtjKqT4D0YM5MDGLPG9A/s1600/SIBLINGS.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDIS6T4jgH2HmX74c6E_5sCDtnGu0tf3sQ2D4msEAEUwIG3VkBD0gtFWPuVAI-syoyukecHv7GzrXkBMum33VxRAm2qchtTUkcP8AUtqgXlSxMmh8ahnBmfPvtjKqT4D0YM5MDGLPG9A/s320/SIBLINGS.PNG" width="319" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A conversation with a client this week:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"How did he do with having his baby brother here today?"</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Fine."</span> </span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I was afraid he would try to do too much. He's very responsible with him and likes to help out."</span> </span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I let him know right off that the baby was MY job and MY responsibility and that if I needed him to help out as teacher's helper, which is his job this week, that I would let him know. He went merrily off to play."</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You may think that siblings are a gift of one to another. That can be true. However, they are often a burden and that burden is created by adults.<br /><br />One of the best gifts you can give an older child is to say about their younger sibling:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>"He is <u>NOT</u> your job. </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>He is <u>NOT</u> your responsibility."</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have heard so often, "Take care of your baby brother!" as a parent leaves. Seriously, that is the last thing they say as they walk out through the door. A 3 or 4 year old child is left with that as their parent's final farewell. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It is a massive burden. </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It strips away your older child's childhood.</b></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children do naughty things. Children get hurt. Children get hungry or sad or frustrated and cry. As adults we know we can't make a child's life perfect for them, but a young child has no clue and just gets anxious, frustrated, fearful and depressed when they understand the futility and POWERLESSNESS of the position they have been tasked with by their parent.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is not a good thing for either child. </span></b></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. </span></b>It teaches the older child to lie. If it is his responsibility, then he will do anything to make sure the younger sibling doesn't get into trouble. This means lying about what happens, usually blaming another, innocent, child.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. </b></span>The older child will do anything to make the younger child happy. That often means assisting them in participating in something physical the older child is doing, which can be dangerous or inappropriate for the younger one. The helping can take the form of lifting the child or in other ways manhandling the child that could cause harm, or placing them higher or on more precarious places than a younger child should be accessing. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By getting into physical positions with help, the younger child doesn't build the necessary skills to do so independently safely, and by not getting there himself, he lacks any knowledge of how to get out or down, let alone safely. Helping a child do anything physical is always a bad idea. They need to get there on their own, with some coaching, not physical manipulation. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3.</b></span> Also in making the younger child happy, the older one may sneak foods, steal toys from others, harm other children to allow their younger sibling to have an undeserved turn at an activity and in many way undermine the foundations of a good community. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The older sibling wouldn't be doing this without the weight of responsibility, so it is turning a perfectly good child into one who is doing not good things, and developing not good habits. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The younger sibling, on the other hand, is learning that she can get what she wants whenever she wants, doesn't have to wait, how to bully, and getting spoiled.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This week:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />"[Mr. H], that is NOT her toy. Just because she wants it doesn't mean she gets it. It is not your job to make your sister happy, but it IS your job to follow the rules and be a nice person. Please give that back to him."<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4.</b></span> The older sibling spends so much time worrying and care taking over the younger child that they lose the ability to just play, be with their friends, and relax. They are constantly on the lookout for the younger one, and constantly intervening whenever anything goes even a bit sideways. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The younger sibling doesn't learn proper coping mechanisms, patience, and social norms. Gaps can emerge in their development when the younger one is pushed by the older one into participating at a higher level before ready. The younger one isn't allowed to develop at their natural pace.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yesterday:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Mr. R to his friends: "I can't play right now, I need to get [baby brother] calmed down."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Me across the room: "He is NOT your responsibility. He's mine. He's fine. His bottle is almost ready. Go play."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5.</b></span> When things go wrong, and they will go wrong, the older sibling feels responsible. He wasn't watching close enough, he wasn't near enough, he wasn't good enough to keep the younger sibling from getting hurt, either physically or emotionally. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Couple that with a parent or adult that immediately demands harshly of the older sibling, "What happened?" It makes that burden even weightier. The proper response is to take care of the younger one, reassure the older one, and casually ask the older one if he saw what happened without a harsh grilling.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. </b></span>I have seen parents punish an older child for what a younger one did. Why? "You are old enough you should have stopped him or at least come and told me what he was doing!" Again, making the older child responsible, rather than acknowledging their own lack of parental supervision. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It isn't fair to rely on a 3-6 year old to supervise an infant - 5 year old. There are plenty of videos on Youtube showing what children can get up to when left unsupervised. GOOD KIDS. For just a few minutes. Be the adult. Supervise your own children or hire someone else to do it. Take parental responsibility and don't lay it in any way in your older child's direction.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKxHVFeM70lUMQordmTofdIMTOXnkLOK8UU1VJAh0k4AwY0Nrq0BKks4nVCEZiRl50cBkSyLHlXC_RJJCLOngHD8mrEtTR-xE7EgIb8qGgVkzBWh4OJjLGY1LkxsScBnezISMAISYgwg/s1600/DSC00599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1449" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKxHVFeM70lUMQordmTofdIMTOXnkLOK8UU1VJAh0k4AwY0Nrq0BKks4nVCEZiRl50cBkSyLHlXC_RJJCLOngHD8mrEtTR-xE7EgIb8qGgVkzBWh4OJjLGY1LkxsScBnezISMAISYgwg/s200/DSC00599.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I, my brother and mom</td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I know many adults who hold resentment, and even trauma, due to a burdensome responsibility for their sibling(s) placed upon them by the adults in their lives. It can not only alter and even eliminate a happy, content childhood, it can change a person for life. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have a friend whose little brother died from a drug overdose when they were teens. She still blames herself nearly 50 years later for not being able to intervene enough to save him. She was tasked with taking care of her brother from an early age.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Give your child the gift of a sibling, not the burden.</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">parenting, parents, pre-k, sister, brother, sibling rivalry, development, child care, childcare, daycare, preschool, toddlers</span>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-29963719304673999042019-03-10T16:43:00.001-07:002019-03-16T10:12:08.998-07:00Children and Boredom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzo4gsOlllWBpcR4TCJRHXYpyScnSrf377_JpjCzDdDDrE10-gvkPRR2FGEdkz8LTHczS_6YJzo2_gSFsqdXEPQT0nIhO0q0zo3pAE9_uA4AxeSXWhduw36s0eW2MZQpyihVR34NaPb9I/s1600/boredom.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzo4gsOlllWBpcR4TCJRHXYpyScnSrf377_JpjCzDdDDrE10-gvkPRR2FGEdkz8LTHczS_6YJzo2_gSFsqdXEPQT0nIhO0q0zo3pAE9_uA4AxeSXWhduw36s0eW2MZQpyihVR34NaPb9I/s1600/boredom.PNG" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I received this question from one of the people I am mentoring:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"How can I create lessons so that the children won't be bored?"</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It got me thinking about children and boredom, because <i>the two just don't mix</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All human beings are born with an unlimited capacity and drive for exploration and learning. Infants use all their senses to explore anything and everything with which they come into contact.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So what happens? Why do children get bored? Why does it seem to be more of a problem these days?</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: red;">I can tell you exactly why children get bored:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They aren't allowed to entertain themselves.</b> Babies should be held and interacted with as much as possible in the early months. Often, though, babies continue to be held, contained and entertained most of their waking time when they should be exploring on their own. Babies today are held, placed into stationary contraptions or placed into safe areas with limited, non-rotating toys. Babies don't need baby toys, they need exploration opportunities. Give a baby a whisk and even at 4 months old their eyes light up because it is something NEW and to them, extraordinary. That word EXTRA-ordinary. It can be an ordinary object, but to a baby or child, anything new is extraordinary. From 6 months on, children need to be down, freely exploring new and varied materials, textures and environments, building and utilizing skills.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfrwCXvqLuMWzTT2bDervrkn5e0weJ1TRLTEEne8Gvd0KJ4P9_BAKm6P-zkXlzhB_-8eAYGHxptslkiCBw_AXukGCl3YaTWiRhaENgzQbB1Jo-wGGL6xAjJ7yeK0Rt2_pectFVuS8Flg/s1600/10410790_10153946398759908_417186164951307191_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="784" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfrwCXvqLuMWzTT2bDervrkn5e0weJ1TRLTEEne8Gvd0KJ4P9_BAKm6P-zkXlzhB_-8eAYGHxptslkiCBw_AXukGCl3YaTWiRhaENgzQbB1Jo-wGGL6xAjJ7yeK0Rt2_pectFVuS8Flg/s200/10410790_10153946398759908_417186164951307191_n.jpg" width="163" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBKVdgadZZG83p9yyTfAY7s3iS6k6D806VHdWA6i2Ts3j7O5rBq93VtdnxLPYYC9S7RkYfuz5pcQuAjR8sGLOJldJ_xmWS0qW8BoiCq5EYTa_hIBBAVbYa-S-kY1lx4JsKytMNvqKoBc/s1600/lou.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1211" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBKVdgadZZG83p9yyTfAY7s3iS6k6D806VHdWA6i2Ts3j7O5rBq93VtdnxLPYYC9S7RkYfuz5pcQuAjR8sGLOJldJ_xmWS0qW8BoiCq5EYTa_hIBBAVbYa-S-kY1lx4JsKytMNvqKoBc/s200/lou.JPG" width="151" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They aren't allowed to do individual exploration</b>. So often today children are told what to do, where to go. They aren't allowed to venture forth to check out the world on their own. I had a conversation with a mom who was very irritated that her one year old kept moving the backdoor back and forth one day while she had it open. She couldn't get the little one to stop. I asked why she wanted the child to stop. She didn't have a good answer, she just felt it was not appropriate behavior. I explained how moving the door back and forth shifted light patterns, shifted any breeze patterns coming through the screen door, had heft for gross motor control practice, probably created noise changes as he could hear outside and inside noises differently, he was learning about arcs and physics. SO MUCH LEARNING at play, with a mother demanding that he stop.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They aren't allowed to play as they wish with items. </b>"That's not how we play with cars." "That's not a toy." "No, here's how you do it." "Stack the blocks up high." You wouldn't think saying something like "Stack the blocks up high," would be a bad thing, but it imposes our own idea of what is to be done with the blocks, rather than the child's. Maybe she wants to line them up, or use them as pretend food, or carry them in a purse. So often we want adults and teacher playing with children, but too often the play is then directed by the adult and their narrow in-the-box view of how play should go. Children don't just "think outside of the box," to them, there is no box. WE adults create the boxes for them. WE limit their imagination. WE limit their ability to play and explore. By suggesting how a child should play, our powerful influence through how they wish to please and imitate us, eliminates immeasurable ways that THEY may have chosen to play. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiilrpzBRLBoQqiHsijByuJdmt1tcUHcxGyS1Kaswd_o7keNaMNlHZ4ecGzUPTNjmk1geUAPKeTaxmKzK-bVSbuaV1JVORYwDJ8Fow8RUg4VqDYOzBm_Ee3h8FsC8D_3GnKL10kOeYow/s1600/297643_10151342668539908_191582420_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiilrpzBRLBoQqiHsijByuJdmt1tcUHcxGyS1Kaswd_o7keNaMNlHZ4ecGzUPTNjmk1geUAPKeTaxmKzK-bVSbuaV1JVORYwDJ8Fow8RUg4VqDYOzBm_Ee3h8FsC8D_3GnKL10kOeYow/s200/297643_10151342668539908_191582420_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They are told no.</b> It's a freakin' spatula. Let the kid play with it. Before taking an item from a child, really assess if it is necessary to do so, or if you are simply making a knee-jerk reaction because you don't see it as a "toy." We need to get out of the idea that children need toys and into the idea that children need to explore anything and everything around them that is safe to do so. So your toddler loves the Tupperware. Let him play with it. It will wash. Create a home where your child will only hear NO if a situation is unsafe, meaning where she will harm something valuable, herself, another person or living thing.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: blue;">We do for them rather than teach them.</b><span style="color: blue;"> Maria Montessori said, "</span><i><u><span style="color: red;">Never do for a child what he can do for himself</span></u></i><span style="color: blue;">." I live by that. Even the two year old here is folding towels, sweeping, helping to dress herself, etc. The goal is to raise competent, resourceful, polite human beings. We do them no service when we don't allow them opportunities to practice and gain skills as soon as they are ready. When we shut down a child's emerging independence because we are too impatient, too time-crunched, we tell them, "You can't do it." "You can't do it well enough." "This doesn't matter." "Your needs are not as important as my needs." You find children try less hard. They try to do fewer things. They give up quicker. They begin to more and more look to the adults in their lives for what they SHOULD be doing, HOW to do it and WHEN. See where this is going?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>We instill unnecessary fear. </b>"Get down from there before you get hurt." One of the worst things an adult can do is to save a child. Instead, they should teach the child how to get out of the situation on his/her own. If it happened with your back turned once, more than likely it will happen again. Giving skills rather than help is a much better approach.<b> </b>Rather than helping a child gain skills to be competent, we tell them they are NOT competent and not to do something. This is more true with girls, but it is true as well with boys, especially in our helicopter parenting world. We shut children down, not allowing exploring, risking, learning, allowing them to find their own limits, to learn the skills necessary, to set goals, grow and accomplish. Children in fear will not attempt new things, even simple ones, either completely or at least not without hesitation. Children living with a sense of bravery will assess risks, make a determination, and proceed with knowledge, experience, and skills. They will seek help in their endeavors as necessary, and be willing to face failure.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">LOVE this:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>We don't embrace failure.</b> Failure = First Attempt In Learning. From the beginning children are taught the "right" way to do things. If they don't do it the "right" way, they are corrected at least, put down at worst. The one thing we have majorly forgotten is the importance of praising EFFORT. Effort will get children farther in life than anything else, but we praise perfection over trying. So they fear trying because they fear not being able to do it perfectly. While some children are natural perfectionists, in general, this need to be the best, to be the smartest, to be perfect, is instilled by adults. The freedom to fail is one of the greatest gifts we can give to children. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>We don't give them time.</b> Children are expected to conform to adult schedules. It's time for this, so let's go. No matter what children are doing, they are expected to abandon it without fuss to be moved to the next "important" activity as deemed by the adults in their lives. They aren't allowed to immerse themselves, without any type of time limit, in exploration. That sense of impending loss hovers over them constantly as they play. We put their toys away, their activity away, when the time is up. There is no leaving it for the next day, no chance to come back with a new perspective to tweak and re-do. There is little chance to fully explore, to their heart's content, materials and experiences. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2ncA0dw9HZz3rj2p-sGlVlmBbGFOANUTspYPjFBh9nifo9NcVvYppoeawqXUk6gy6pJ96g8gZGY27mCikSjTRpoL-59DEihlstT8Hcs0JLc-gmLwbrUV4uog_SokM57QUXG0-5Tw6BU/s1600/sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2ncA0dw9HZz3rj2p-sGlVlmBbGFOANUTspYPjFBh9nifo9NcVvYppoeawqXUk6gy6pJ96g8gZGY27mCikSjTRpoL-59DEihlstT8Hcs0JLc-gmLwbrUV4uog_SokM57QUXG0-5Tw6BU/s320/sun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>We expect them to play with toys with a purpose. </b>The toy phone is a phone. You push the buttons on the phone. You listen to the sounds it makes. You pretend to use the phone. This takes almost no imagination and there is almost no exploration past about a minute of initial introduction. It is what it is, it does what it does. Unstructured toys such as blocks, can be ANYTHING. They can be animals, people, food, etc. Their only purpose is what the child makes of them. These are the toys they need. </span><br />
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<b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">We don't provide free outdoor time in a true outdoor space. </b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children are outside at home in manicured yards. Most child care facilities have large climbers with mulch underneath. Period. Children aren't finding pine cones, bugs, digging in the dirt and carrying buckets of stuff from one place to another. They aren't allowed to use sticks as magic wands, swords, markers, dolls. They can't go barefoot to feel the grass, rocks, mud. "Don't touch that!" "Don't get dirty." Even when outside, we tell children very often that the outside is NOT a place for exploration, when it is the ULTIMATE place for exploration. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Children today spend less time outdoors than any other generation, devoting only four to
seven minutes to unstructured outdoor play per day while spending an average of seven and
a half hours in front of electronic media.<a href="https://www.nrpa.org/uploadedFiles/nrpa.org/Advocacy/Children-in-Nature.pdf"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">[source]</span></a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They don't do art, they do crafts.</b> How often do children bring home these perfect crafts that look identical to everyone else's in the class? This isn't art. This isn't imagination and exploration. This is doing what you are told, with the expectation of perfection. Give a child a lump of clay and they can spend an hour with it, if they have experience and feel comfortable in being a true ARTIST. They should be allowed to explore materials, their viscosity, their malleability, their weight and other properties. THEN can they create their own masterpieces with them. When we have children do pre-determined crafts, we box up their innate artistic genius. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They aren't exposed to a variety of music.</b> Kids songs are great, but children are born with musical ability. Exposing them to zydeco, Indian flute music, Asian music, classical, blues & jazz, not only gives them a greater musical perspective, it lets them find their own musical passion. Dancing, making music and listening to music are all another form of exploration that many children are severely stunted in doing.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They are given electronics as a quick solution.</b> Rather than having a child make a mess or having to assist them in exploration, it is much easier to just plop them in front of an iPad or TV. When they claim to be bored, an easy solution is to provide electronics. Electronics for children benefit adults, not children. Children need to be using their imaginations and exploring their real world, not escaping into a fantasy one.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>They buy in, like adults, to the concept that education = learning.</b> That it takes a teacher to teach in an academic setting to learn. Actually, most learning takes place through children's observations and experimentation in everyday life. But children usually don't research, practice or experiment anymore on their own. They don't identify a passion and immerse within it. They don't push to learn things not taught in school. They simply wait around until someone tells them it is time to practice, time to learn, what to learn, what to practice. I remember studying botany over the summer, on my own, and my brothers wondering why I would have my nose in a book and off doing experiments when I didn't HAVE TO. The thing about passions, is that the HAVE TO is internal, not external. Children need to find internal motivation to increase their knowledge and skills without being ordered about to do so. This type of learning, is what sticks. When children have a passion, all other learning gains purpose and meaning. When I child develops a passion for trains, suddenly reading becomes a necessary skill, math had a purpose to count the cars on the track, and so many other taught skills suddenly become important and relevant. Things that were once boring, are now fascinating. There is suddenly not enough time in the day to learn and do all the things the child can come up with to perform.</span>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My Mr. H was at his grandma's one day and she told me that he played outside, by himself, all day. Happily. She thanked me for that. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the boys was in time out last week and played with a string on his sock the entire time. He continued to do it when he came out of time out.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had a 6 year old boy come as a drop-in one day last summer. He entered my 1/2 acre natural backyard and immediately said, "I'm bored.' He stood around, asking to go in, until we did so. He had no clue how to play and explore. Once inside, he wanted to watch TV. He couldn't see a place filled with exploration opportunities. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is amazing that older children that I get in have to be TAUGHT how to play. They don't know how. They can't break past the tight constraints put upon them since infancy in how they explore. They don't have the capacity to rely on their own imagination and abilities. They need to be told what to do, how to do it, when, where, why. They have not lost, but been stripped, of their innate curiosity. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is why children are bored. A bored child is not natural. Play is how they learn, much more so than academics.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You notice the overlying reason children are bored? </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Unnecessary or limiting adult intervention in every aspect of their ability to play, explore. learn and entertain themselves, from infancy.</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I find this very, very sad.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">parenting, day care, child care, daycare, boys, girls, classroom, parenting, pre-k, kindergarten, elementary, learning, development, preschool, language, math, science, psychology</span><br />
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-63305664649998505032019-03-03T11:43:00.001-08:002020-02-26T05:45:12.995-08:00Red Shirting Kindergarten<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you aren't familiar with the term, RED SHIRTING is a term used in college sports where a freshman is part of the team, trains with the team, but doesn't play. They are given a year to mature their skills before entering the fray. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This term has become applied to the choice to allow young 5 year olds [as of the kindergarten cut-off age], children an extra year of maturity prior to entering kindergarten. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is more important for young 5 boys, those who turn 5 only a few months prior to the school cut-off date. In the U.S.A., this is almost universally right around September 1.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the practice first started, it was used by affluent families to give their child an advantage in academics and sports. Now, with the pushing down of academic skills to developmentally in-appropriate levels in schools, the removal of recesses and free play time, and the requirements of sitting still and paying attention for far longer than is age appropriate, it is becoming a necessity for children born close to the cut-off date. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%E2%80%9312" target="_blank">K-12 education model</a> was developed in 1847, life expectancy was 37 years. That is double now, but we are pushing academic expectations down and eliminating childhood freedom to develop normally. Children actually have MORE time available to develop, grow and learn, but we are pushing them to do academics that aren't even developmentally appropriate. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Much of the internet hits on this topic are connected to a 60 Minutes pieces from 2012 and the book Outliers [2008, Gladwell.] If researching, please use CURRENT information. Since the introduction of Common Core Standards in 2009, which pushed required skill sets below developmentally appropriate practice [DAP], redshirting, especially for boys, has become not only more common, but necessary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What seems to be the biggest reason that parents <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/04/14/523282846/ready-or-not-for-kindergarten-some-research-says-enroll-anyway">choose to delay</a> their kids' enrollment into kindergarten?</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It really does seem to be emotional development. In the data you can see, clearly, that this happens most for boys who are born in the summertime to highly educated parents. They want [their kids] to be able to walk tall into a classroom, advocate for themselves, be an active participant in their learning.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/academic-redshirting/">Dr. Suzanna Jones</a> in her dissertation, Academic Redshirting: Perceived Life Satisfaction of Adolescent Males, found that:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the Life Satisfaction Scale, redshirted students showed significantly higher levels of life satisfaction than those who had not been redshirted. The feelings described by subjects in the interviews offered substantial evidence that redshirted students were happy with the decision their parents made, and those who were not [redshirted] wished they had been. Although this was a small study, it suggests that parents who opt to redshirt their children may be setting them up for a generally more satisfying life later on.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Interviews with parents offered similar insights: “The parents of the redshirted students all said they would do it again, no questions asked,” Jones reports. “When I asked: If you had another child today born in the summer, what would you do? Automatically (they said): ‘We would redshirt.’ No considerations whatsoever. The non-redshirted group, seven of the ten said that they would redshirt the next time. Without consideration of anything—how they’re doing at school—they would just automatically, summer boy, we would redshirt.”</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of my client's talked to her pediatrician last week about whether or not she should send her son to kindergarten next year. Her pediatrician, based solely upon her son's birthday and nothing else, said, "Absolutely not!" They discussed it further and her pediatrician said one thing that really stuck out to both of us, "The consequences may not show up until 6th grade." </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's still rare, but there's been a troubling rise in suicide by children younger than 12</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">...medical professionals and researchers have noted alarming increases in the last decade – deaths more than doubled from 2008 to 2016 – and rising numbers of young children visiting emergency rooms for suicidal thoughts and attempts. <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/09/10/rising-child-suicide-defy-answers-prevention-month/1197113002/">[source]</a></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another client's pediatrician: "If you can keep him out another year, I would strongly advise it."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a <a href="https://www.yourmodernfamily.com/should-i-redshirt-my-kindergartener/">blog post</a> it reads, "Our pediatrician told me that if we have a child born AFTER March, we should wait to send them (the cut-off here is September 1st)."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why? Because boys are entering school, being compared to girls who naturally show about an extra year of emotional and social advancement, along with the ability sit still, pay attention and follow directions. G<a href="https://www.additudemag.com/add-in-women/">irls with ADHD</a> are usually not diagnosed, because even they have this ability to conform. When boys are not DEVELOPMENTALLY CAPABLE of performing at a similar level, they are termed bad, wrong, a problem. They are being labeled as LESS THAN from the moment they step into a school system. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-adhd-overdiagnosed-and-overtreated-2017031611304">In some school districts</a>, by the fifth grade 28% of boys had been diagnosed with ADHD. In other communities, being young for one’s grade increased the chances of being prescribed stimulants 20-fold.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is even more relevant when you consider the link found between ADHD and increased suicidal thoughts and actions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The reasons for the increases are unclear. Few researchers have examined suicide before age 10, so little is known about suicidal thinking and behavior in young children.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But as they look more closely, themes are beginning to emerge. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which can make impulsive youth still more impulsive, was a common characteristic found in <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2016/09/15/peds.2016-0436">a 2016 study by researchers from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus</a>. </span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The reason many countries do not being formal education until age 7 is because at that age nearly EVERY child, can be successful as they enter Piaget's <a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/concrete-operational.html">concrete operational stage</a> of development. The younger the child is at the time of entering school, the farther away they are from this very critical cognitive developmental advancement. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Research has largely shown that the effects of redshirting on academics are positive, with older students likely to score higher on standardized tests than their younger classmates. One recent <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w23660">study</a> by Northwestern University’s David Figlio indicated that later school entry was associated with higher rates of college attendance and graduation, as well as a lower likelihood of incarceration.</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I currently have 3 July birthday boys in care who will turn 5 this summer. Two of the parents are having a debate about sending or not sending this fall. One set of parents knew from the time their boy was born that they would redshirt. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Academically, I believe two of the three would be fine. While they are all exceptionally smart, the youngest one has more trouble listening to and following directions and processing stepped incremental instruction. He works better with back-stepped "big picture" instruction, which is not done in public schools. All the boys, however, are not able to control their emotions, still throw tantrums, have difficulty focusing and sitting still for any length of time. They have a VERY difficult time when they are not interested in the subject or activity, have been forcefully transitioned from a desired activity, or are anticipating the next one. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Normal little boys, right?</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">YES!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, in kindergarten these aspects of boyhood are NOT OKAY. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a </span><a href="http://baltimore-berc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SocialBehavioralReadinessMarch2016.pdf" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">study by John Hopkins University</a><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Notably, social-emotional readiness in kindergarten was a significant predictor of grade retention even after controlling for student scores on the other readiness domains of the MMSR, such as language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge, and physical development and health.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It turns out that, by the fourth grade, students who entered kindergarten behind in social-emotional skills (the “Not Ready” group) were:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">up to 80 percent more likely to have been retained;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">up to 80 percent more likely to require special education services; and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">up to seven times more likely to be suspended or expelled at least once.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The researchers also found that the most consistent characteristic associated with all three of these outcomes was being a male student.</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the key elements of a successful student is how well their Executive Function has matured. <a href="https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-executive-function/">Executive functions</a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: blue;">are "</span>a set of skills that are essential for school achievement<span style="color: blue;">."</span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "helvetica" , "lucida sans" , "lucida grande" , "lucida sans unicode" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 19.2px;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They</span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: , "helvetica" , "lucida sans" , "lucida grande" , "lucida sans unicode" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px;"><a href="https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-child-with-executive-functioning-issues?fbclid=IwAR2acJQ4Hh1wy1u1wRsz0NtIA3QTkBiGCbP3CvEBjtzw1qYBG0aI5wBjILM"> </a></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-child-with-executive-functioning-issues?fbclid=IwAR2acJQ4Hh1wy1u1wRsz0NtIA3QTkBiGCbP3CvEBjtzw1qYBG0aI5wBjILM">include</a>:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Organizing, setting priorities and starting tasks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Focusing, shifting or sustaining attention and thinking flexibly</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Regulating alertness and staying on task</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Managing frustration and keeping emotions in check</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Using working memory and recalling information</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Self-monitoring and controlling impulses </span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If a child doesn't have good executive function, at any age, they will have many more issues with behavior and academic skills. Executive function continues to mature into adulthood until about the age of 25. Girls' executive function usually matures earlier than boys'. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When determining whether or not to redshirt your child, consider how well your child can perform the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.growinghandsonkids.com/executive-functioning-skills.html">6 steps</a> the brain typically works through with good executive function skills when given an assignment/task:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Analyze a task. Figure out what needs to be done.<br />2. Plan how to handle the task.<br />3. Get organized. Break down the plan into a series of steps.<br />4. Figure out how much time is needed to carry out the plan, and set aside the time.<br />5. Make adjustments as needed<br />6. Finish the task in the time allotted.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An additional year of age also means an extra year of executive function maturity, which can lead to fewer behavioral problems and greater academic success, which leads, generally, to a more happy child.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We think of a kindergarten class as having a homogeneous group of same-age</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">d, same-development kiddos. That's not true. Here's a table of birthday months [number in red] with ages, and developmental ages, that could be in a kindergarten class, last column. Consider that girls naturally have about an extra year-equivalent of "<a href="https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/child-development/maturity-levels/">maturity</a>," so this shows where girls would START off in comparison to the younger boys, at the purple line. Kindergarten girls would not normally act younger than that first purple line in their ability to conform to expectations within a class setting. The purple range also shows where redshirting boys would generally fall if held back. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So in the first month of kindergarten, the class students can range from an immature boy with an August birthday who has a developmental maturity of 4, to a girl with a September birthday who turns 6 right after kindergarten starts, who has a developmental maturity of 7. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These two children are being compared. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By keeping the boy out for another year, redshirting him, at the start of kindergarten he is now just turned 6, developmentally 5, being compared to a girl who is developmentally 7. Still not a fair comparison, but the boy is significantly more likely to be successful. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Redshirting actually levels the playing field academically between girls and boys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">New ‘Redshirting’ Study Reveals That Boys Are Held Back More Than Girls — and It’s Actually Helping to <a href="https://www.the74million.org/new-redshirting-study-reveals-that-boys-are-held-back-more-than-girls-and-its-actually-helping-to-close-an-achievement-gap-between-the-genders/">Close an Achievement Gap</a> Between the Genders</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That gender disparity produces the important effect of dampening achievement gaps favoring girls over boys. Cook finds that if the third-grade tests controlled for differences in age, the existing difference in scores between white boys and girls would be 11 percent greater.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Every child is different. The last boys I sent off to kindergarten were twins 5 years 8 months. One still had a LOT of trouble sitting still, paying attention, getting his assignments done on time and correctly. The other one has flourished. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Using data from the North Carolina Education Research Data Center, [<a href="https://www.the74million.org/new-redshirting-study-reveals-that-boys-are-held-back-more-than-girls-and-its-actually-helping-to-close-an-achievement-gap-between-the-genders/">Duke professor Philip Cook</a>] traced the birth dates, kindergarten entry years, and academic performance of thousands of North Carolina students born between November 2003 and August 2004. Overall, about 6.7 percent of children in the state began school late...The mean effect of an extra year of age is positive, and striking.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's a quick chart to use as a non-scientific reference. If your child, boy especially, falls into a birthday month in the red zone, it would be a good idea to talk to your pediatrician, school administrator and research CURRENT studies on this topic. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I just read a blog post from a woman who was strongly encouraged to redshirt her August birthday daughter by the school personnel. She didn't. She defended her choice and said her daughter thrived - academically. However, her daughter couldn't keep up physically and had trouble socially. They eventually took her out to homeschool. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From a highschool friend who is an elementary reading teacher:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">...I totally agree. If it’s an option to NOT send them, I think developmentally that is the best option. We continue to push these little ones to do more and know more at younger and younger ages, yet many are just not ready for the structured setting that school now demands. In my current district kinder students don’t nap and many are exhausted by the end of the day. I am a reading teacher and when I test students the first thing I look at is their birthday. I know that the summer birthday kids can’t just overcome the year gap that the September birthday kids have. The Sept kids were probably walking and developing many skills when the summer birthday kid was just being born. No easy way to make up that time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On a personal note... My son has a July 17 birthday and is now 24. I have regretted sending him since about 2nd or 3rd grade. He is smart, he graduated 8th in his class of 180 kids. Intelligence was never a concern. But his maturity just wasn’t the same as other kids his age. By 3rd grade there was no holding him back [option], plus academics wasn’t an issue. I remember him saying he couldn’t believe when he didn’t get 2 recesses any longer. Fast forward to high school and he wasn’t able to drive for quite some time because of his age and the bus wasn’t very cool in high school. All the school dances his freshman year he couldn’t drive to so we had to take him, again not too cool. He did great academically in high school but socially he was awkward and always behind all of his friends which was a difficult time. Fast forward to college and he just wasn’t ready for that independence. He went close to home his freshman year and we were very involved because he was home a lot so he was successful. His 2nd year not so much. He went 3 hours away and struggled with balancing his free time and his school work. He was finally old enough to be independent and didn’t know how to balance everything. He is 24 and has struggled to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. He has an associates degree and went through a line apprenticeship. He worked in the line field for 2 years and decided he wanted to go back in school. I am praying we are on the last leg of this journey but it’s been a long time coming. Graduating at 17 and going away to college shortly after that is just hard for kids. I truly believe you can’t throw a barely 5 year old in a kindergarten classroom and expect they will preform like the kids who are 6 or turning 6 soon. They need time to grow and develop. I know it’s not an easy decision but I experienced it personally and it’s been hard. [My son's] preschool teacher told us he would be bored if we didn’t start him, so we listened. I always wished we would have went with our gut feeling of not starting him until the following year.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">D. M. former kindergarten teacher:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At least June through Aug. [birthdays]. I kept my Aug BD daughter back a year. Best thing I ever did!! A friend who is a reading teacher did with both kids. The other friend who taught kindergarten did with both of hers too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Careful though. It’s not totally across the board. When I taught kindergarten I did come across a few who were ready both cognitively and emotionally.<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Generally it’s usually much better to wait!! </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">C. M. child care provider:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My son will be 5 September 5th. He will go to Kindergarten at 6. Academically he is ready now, emotionally he is not.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The most common reason to NOT redshirt a child? Money. Even knowing their child would benefit from an additional year before kindergarten, many families simply can't afford an additional year of child care, or choose to put their money in another direction. Often, they believe that the choice is not really all that important in the long run.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is.</span><br />
<span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">tags: parents, parenting, kindergarten, school, pre-school, child development, delayed entry, </span></div>
Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-65132172672989541682019-03-03T08:03:00.001-08:002019-03-03T08:03:21.335-08:00College vs. Daycare Costs<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">"Childcare costs more than some local universities.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The annual tuition at TSU is $7,776.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The tuition at MTSU is $8,080.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The average cost of care for an infant in Nashville is $8,523 a year, and that's just for one child." - Cathy Gordon </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">WSMV News 4 February 25, 2019</span></span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">I can't believe this narrative still exists. Let's break it down. Being conservative with the numbers given in this article. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">$7776/12 hours per week/32 weeks for 2 semesters =<b> $20.25 per instruction hour</b> for tuition. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">VERSUS </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">$8523/10 hours per DAY/5 days per week/50 weeks per year =<b> $3.41 per instruction hour </b>for daycare. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">Many children are in care for longer and many providers do not take time off, for an even lower per hour daycare cost. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">$3.41 and $20.25 are not exactly the <b>SAME</b> cost. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">Then lets look at what is involved in instruction - college classes to ADULTS who have FULL responsibility on what they do, where they go, getting their own food and bodily functions taken care of, and on their own as to whether they even come to class or bother to learn. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daycare - an individual solely responsible to keeping small humans ALIVE, fulfilling every single one of their emotional, physical and mental needs and teaching them basic life skills like how to eat, dress, poop on the potty. Providers deal with bodily fluids on a regular basis, teething, tantrums, and so many other things for $3.41 per hour. Not even babysitting wages which are $10-15/hour these days. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">Additionally, only about half of the $3.41 goes into the pocket of the daycare provider, the other half goes towards your child's food, toys, bedding, art and craft supplies, etc. So a daycare provider is only making a net income of $1.70/hour/child. Quite a bit less than any college professor, and not nearly as much as any college administrator.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">Really? Same cost/same service? Uh, NO.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: blue;">What we should be asking is why does college tuition costs $20.25 per instruction hour when students are often in large classes, rather than $3.41 per hour for an infant in a group of 4-6 with personalized loving care.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3; font-size: xx-small;">Tags: child care, daycare, college, tuition, costs, comparison, preschool, state, university</span></span><br />
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-70270295746769153602018-12-04T10:42:00.000-08:002018-12-06T11:55:00.709-08:00Christmas Sensory Bin Checklist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I try to add to our Christmas sensory bin each year. Frankly, they spend the majority of their time filling and dumping the rice. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The 2s love the sensory exploration, </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and the 4 and ups get more into the dramatic play and artistic aspect.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm not indicating the type of material. While I love items that are real and wood, I'm not going to put real candy canes in a sensory bin rather than plastic or wood. I know what will happen. Gross. Wood has a heft to it that isn't always welcome. The children like the small plastic ornaments. They are cheap and come in a variety of sensory-rich textures and patterns. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can also get creative. Gingerbread salt dough can be cut thick and, when dried thoroughly, it can make some very sturdy little gingerbread men for the sensory table. You can find a picture of a decorated fireplace or Santa through Google, print out and Modge Podge to blocks you already have in use. The children's favorite funnel is the top of a 2 liter soda bottle cut off. Almost no cost for these types of items.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Keep in mind ages and stages. A sensory bin for under 3s is much different from one for over 4s. </span><b style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Choking hazards MUST be minimized</u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> for any child, regardless of age, that is still putting items into his/her mouth. Or, direct supervision at all times from an adult is required.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I store my sensory bin items in large, air-tight containers and re-use the items each year for a month. The investment in time and money is well spent. If you don't anticipate this type of long-term need, then use what you have available or invest in just a few items from your dollar store.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I use under-bed storage containers for my sensory bins. These are a good size for 2-4 and, with a tight squeeze, up to 6 children. We usually use them on the SANITIZED train table, since it has a nice lip edge to keep everything contained. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The children also wash their hands prior to sensory bin use to keep materials clean and germs from spreading in this high-contact activity. Good sanitation is especially important as the cold and flu season hits around now, along with a lot of shopping and visiting of friends, family and parent work places. Never know what is lingering around during the holiday season. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have a small dustpan and hand sweep set from the dollar store that I can gather any stray filler with and, since the surface is sterilized, I can plop it back into the bin so there is little waste. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Every item has a sensory component, but they are also intended for some other aspect as well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I also try to add items that can be</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorted</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Paired</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Counted to 10 or 20</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Used with a magnet</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stacked</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Inserted into something else</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Flowed through something else</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Manipulating light in some way</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wrapped around something else</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Smelled</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Not sure what they were counting earlier, but there was a heated debate as to whether there were 17 or 18. I asked them to simply recount together.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMZwqHJgmlaZV0-hXJzUQfWeuT3dwow9HVHdvkXvZZFP-UMWOPrBZSvh7dFD3gdBTXbqH1S8IMUPbVzH4X0NY6_vuOknfAW4GzeT3_38cwJTbV46hXvJTjv9M2ZHjKqn3h3OtpsJxGtc/s1600/DSC02187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMZwqHJgmlaZV0-hXJzUQfWeuT3dwow9HVHdvkXvZZFP-UMWOPrBZSvh7dFD3gdBTXbqH1S8IMUPbVzH4X0NY6_vuOknfAW4GzeT3_38cwJTbV46hXvJTjv9M2ZHjKqn3h3OtpsJxGtc/s320/DSC02187.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3yo exhibiting a vertical schema, lining up items in a row</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>On to the checklist...</u></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are the categories I like to cover in each sensory bin with some options listed. Make it your own. Add as few or as many items, as simple or complex, as you desire or need for the children in you care. It can also be themed down to gingerbread people, Christmas trees, Santa, stars, etc. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 <b>Filler</b> needs to be something they can scoop and pour [pick one]:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Green, red or white rice</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Green, red or white rice sand</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Green or red colored macaroni</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lentils</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">White beans</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>*</b>If your program is against using food items, then shredded paper, kinetic sand, or some other filler can be used. However, the viscosity and flow-ability of the items I listed, is much more conducive to the fine and gross motor activity I am mainly looking to obtain from this activity.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><b style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Secondary filler</b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> something they can manipulate [pick one]:</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Batting for snow</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Styrofoam for snow</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cotton balls for snow</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tinsel</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Green and/or red shredded paper</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Figures </b>for dramatic play</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Santa</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sleigh</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Elves</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Christmas house</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reindeer</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.littlestarslearning.org/product-page/christmas-figures">Snowpeople</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Styrofoam balls & toothpicks to make snowpeople</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.littlestarslearning.org/product-page/christmas-figures">Christmas trees</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Mini nutcrackers</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gingerbread people</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Carolers</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Themed Other</b> items for artistic manipulation</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pinecones</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Christmas ornaments</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Garland</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Light string</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bell</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jingle bells</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 <a href="https://www.littlestarslearning.org/product-page/busy-bag-stacking-stars">Stars</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Snowflakes</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Candy canes</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bows</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mini wreaths</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Felt shapes to decorate trees and wreaths</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mini stockings</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Small canvas "Santa" bags</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Small toys for bags and stockings</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Black stones for lumps of coal</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Block painted up as fireplace</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Poinsettia silk flowers</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Holly silk flowers</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Mini presents</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Mini snowman hats</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Green feather "Grinch fur"</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Mini drums</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Gingerbread house(s)</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Themed buttons like snowmen, gingerbread men, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Themed erasers</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Themed confetti</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Themed fabric pieces</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Cinnamon sticks</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Christmas cookie cutters</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Prete</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">nd Christmas cookies/candy</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Icicles</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Non-themed Other:</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Red, green, white, gold or silver:</span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆 Pom poms and/or balls<br />𞸆 String or yarn<br />𞸆 Straw pieces<br />𞸆 Pipe cleaners<br />𞸆 Buttons, beads<br />𞸆 Fabric pieces<br />𞸆 Plastic gems<br />𞸆 Glass gems<br />𞸆 Feathers</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Red or green craft sticks</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Red and green milk jug lids</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Silver juice lids as ornaments or cookie trays</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We use the same box of accessory/manipulative items for every sensory bin. I may change out colors if I have them available, but in general, it is the same items out all the time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Accessories:</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tongs</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scoops</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Measuring cups</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Funnels</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tubes</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mini rake</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mini shovel</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sifter</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Magnifying glass</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Magnet wand</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Buckets</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cups/containers</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Small pitcher</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Egg cups</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yogurt cups</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kid chopsticks</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kid tweezers</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ruler</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">𞸆</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Flashlight</span><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRsd_uEreXZqdFdZv_KA2zWlxK__PhPkJi8BVMVAO7Mjudb-adRHu974eaUYLRoQtAtdsgZzQvf8J3i/pub" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Printable checklist:</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRsd_uEreXZqdFdZv_KA2zWlxK__PhPkJi8BVMVAO7Mjudb-adRHu974eaUYLRoQtAtdsgZzQvf8J3i/pub"><img alt="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRsd_uEreXZqdFdZv_KA2zWlxK__PhPkJi8BVMVAO7Mjudb-adRHu974eaUYLRoQtAtdsgZzQvf8J3i/pub" border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE02_rpxSc0p9DGfGyH3O1A7u0Mfpw-Fl6zUXV27ORAl4rwHXyt1XTdC75E9xf8MJ8WrpZ3oXVMAHyh_E_YVa0Flej4_6lHjyBLMj1xmVHlN2DCHac3ZSgBmntcDSo_hX_58x_2EaoM-I/s320/xmas+checklist.PNG" title="" width="253" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Note that this post has been added to, so the printable checklist will NOT have absolutely every item included in this blog post. I hope to keep adding to this post list, so please feel free to offer your suggestions!</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The small LED flashlight I attached to the bin with a retractable lanyard. We have other flashlights, but this one is specific to the sensory table. It is a huge hit.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Coloring rice </b>for the sensory bin is really easy. It is:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 Cup rice</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1 Teaspoon vinegar</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Food dye to the intensity of color you wish</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Combine the vinegar and food dye, add that and rice to a plastic bag. Mix and coat the rice well. Spread out on cookie sheets to dry. On sunny days I do this outside in someplace protected from wildlife. It can be done just by letting air dry on paper towels, or it can be put in a 200 degree oven until dry. Check it every 15 minutes and stir to prevent clumping. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My green rice was made many years ago and the color has faded a bit over time. All I would have to do to refresh it is to color it again. This green was done with regular grocery store liquid food dye, but for more intense colors and more variety, I use the Wilton gel colors. You just HAVE to make sure the coloring gets absorbed and thoroughly dried before the children use it </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">when using the gel colors</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, as it could dye their hands and clothing otherwise.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sensory bins are "play" with some AMAZING learning inherently built within the activity. It is developmentally appropriate for the under 8 age group, and enjoyed by any age.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Skills:</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fine motor</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Gross motor</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Logic/reasoning</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Creativity</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Numeracy</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cause/effect</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sensory bins can be as elaborate or as simple, as costly or as inexpensive, as your program requires. Yes, they can be a bit messy, but they are SO worth the time training the children in proper use, and the clean up required, to integrate them into your environment.</span></div>
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<a data-pin-board-width="400" data-pin-do="embedBoard" data-pin-scale-height="200" data-pin-scale-width="80" href="https://www.pinterest.com/littlestarlearn/sensory/">Follow Connie -'s board Sensory on Pinterest.</a><!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --><script async="" src="//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js" type="text/javascript"></script><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: xx-small;">homeschool, teaching, parenting, special needs, holiday, math, language, manipulatives, Montessori, Reggio, Waldorf, loose parts, </span><br />
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-42445823689822813672018-08-31T12:26:00.000-07:002018-10-26T14:12:05.016-07:00Art Smart - Mondrian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvd9YkstD4PU_xwjgnnCxBM6W5oIOF5Mj-jLqHDC7kHuMHr4o51k6ONkV0gttu1JViZtiV7qFt4016Sx0EINq8-QddURxhVl_Ylcr5e5ZlznPOmpVuJ0L0Q44MVqlC_Poadm6fJqBovQ/s1600/Mondrian.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvd9YkstD4PU_xwjgnnCxBM6W5oIOF5Mj-jLqHDC7kHuMHr4o51k6ONkV0gttu1JViZtiV7qFt4016Sx0EINq8-QddURxhVl_Ylcr5e5ZlznPOmpVuJ0L0Q44MVqlC_Poadm6fJqBovQ/s320/Mondrian.PNG" width="318" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u><br /></u></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u>Activity for ages 4+ with good scissor experience.</u></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are stepping beyond scribbles, smears and tossed-on collages and </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">adding some product into our process art. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wednesdays are our cut and paste days. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Often preschool teachers cut out the shapes themselves, give the students a review of Mondrian pieces and put some up as "inspiration" and then provide a piece of paper and glue. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To me, this strips away the skill inherent: cutting, and the process: creativity. It becomes purely product, trying to replicate Mondrian's creativity with pieces skillfully cut by the teacher.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To make this a process piece, I simply give the following directions:</span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Black is to be cut into strips</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Red and yellow are to be cut into squares</span></li>
</ol>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>"How big should they be?"</b></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>"However big you want them to be."</b></span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I provided 2 sheets of black and 2 half sheets each of yellow and red for 4 children. [The 3yo isn't up to cutting shapes, so he was just cutting.]</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once THEY feel they have cut as much as they desire, then I bring out the paper.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> 3. Put your cut pieces on your paper how you want them</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then I bring out the glue.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> 4. Glue your pieces where you put them</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JmV0Z64-Wb-WtonP0koXMIHXiySmX8vNHH5xNn5QNt9GRWG6I2eE9VMdcZRphuW_D4cVncsylWdH4vrK4CGmXzD3W7ERwaEUx96CvJJjO2EJ9RXNECtKKqrsQiBLHmsGZmS-89u_rkA/s1600/DSC01904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JmV0Z64-Wb-WtonP0koXMIHXiySmX8vNHH5xNn5QNt9GRWG6I2eE9VMdcZRphuW_D4cVncsylWdH4vrK4CGmXzD3W7ERwaEUx96CvJJjO2EJ9RXNECtKKqrsQiBLHmsGZmS-89u_rkA/s320/DSC01904.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So this is still a process piece with just a bit of direction. As you can see, there is still plenty of room for creativity and interpretation. One did it portrait and two did it landscape. One didn't use any red. One made a road. It is still black lines and colored squares. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They worked very diligently and were very proud of these pieces. Not bad at all for 4-year-olds.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next week, when this activity is not fresh, we will observe and discuss Mondrian. They will be able to relate to the works after doing this activity, but they will have lost any intense emotional attachment to their own art and should not feel any inferiority or desire to change it in light of the new information. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: xx-small;">Tags: child care, daycare, preschool, pre-k, teaching, homeschool, fine motor,</span>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-1521242052150934542018-08-30T12:06:00.001-07:002018-08-30T15:06:13.444-07:00Preschool Time!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's August! Back to school! We never really stop having "school" time, but now that the big boys are all four, and are developmentally ready, we are taking it more seriously. Here's what we are working on this first month of pre-k:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">PAYING ATTENTION</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sight words</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Letter blend phonics</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Writing</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Number recognition to 24</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Number order to 20</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Basic math</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Geometry</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Animal classification/habitats</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These children have the following skill sets firmly in place:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Number recognition 0-10</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Letters: uppercase/lowercase/phonics</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Basic shapes, including hexagon/octagon</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Excellent vocabulary</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Basic reading and writing conventions</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While they still get to make their own decisions on participation and processes in many areas, when it comes to "school time," things have changed up. The transition to being expected to follow directions is a HUGE one. Some transition better and quicker than others. Another wonderful aspect of small-group preschool is that individual tailoring of instruction can still be very much in place.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here's what we are up to.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>LANGUAGE</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sight word exposure began almost a year ago. I would point out words, talk about words, spell words, and we would dance to word videos. This pre-loading exposure made it very easy to slip into more formalized instruction.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I believe that learning to read needs to be personalized, whole movement and fun, as much as possible. You won't see us sitting in a circle doing flash cards. I teach that letters have sounds, sounds make words, words make sentences, and sentences tell a story/have meaning. Words have little meaning by themselves, and thus breed little interest.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sight words must be memorized. Period. The children are expected to have some sight words memorized prior to kindergarten and to have nearly 100 words memorized by the end of kindergarten. These are highly common words they will encounter and words that don't follow the rules, such as "is." By learning them early, the children gain a limited ability to read. Success! So when they begin to sound out words, they only will have a few difficult words to sound out, and be able to read the rest of the story. This ability to succeed is very important for them to remain engaged when reading becomes more difficult. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sight word memorization, whole word reading, is the third of 5 key components to actual, fluid reading ability.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. Learning conventions such as left-right reading, turning pages, letters make words </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Learning upper & lowercase letters and phonics</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Learning sight words</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Learning to phonetically sound out words</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5. Learning advanced blends, digraphs, phonemes, rule breakers</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our sight word books are simple, repetitive, and created with input from the boys. THEY pic out the pictures we use. THEY have ownership.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGAoCnKI8JGE-ICuYHNGgsqzjNTgVksMKpNKyaBUzkDjQSty-fjI1r3IkW1Q1rLf3PQZ4P45wq5ODmc1vfL4C5gwh8pfbCHuZdqT_VFT4zQNYTM7msu_YjznXc9-KRoblEJgPUkC0KY4/s1600/20180829_171354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1600" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGAoCnKI8JGE-ICuYHNGgsqzjNTgVksMKpNKyaBUzkDjQSty-fjI1r3IkW1Q1rLf3PQZ4P45wq5ODmc1vfL4C5gwh8pfbCHuZdqT_VFT4zQNYTM7msu_YjznXc9-KRoblEJgPUkC0KY4/s320/20180829_171354.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ownership is the KEY INGREDIENT to reading. Children are self-centric. It's all about them. If you make reading about them and their interests, they will dive in enthusiastically. This is a pic of them while I'm making books. They could be doing a hundred different things, but they are SO anxious to get ahold of the new books they just got through helping to create.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfQwBimSFa9MvlZmnpXRNGG6SC8LcPLQ5okXgJobCZ6ir4xkE8K8boG0Z-b3F1o9aFj4EDITuyBSMMZt13CLkpMlXjk-9z9LwA97KMKUm_WHQGibrFZG_0jIaRJMeAo4oL4o2gUMBwdQ/s1600/DSC01889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1600" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfQwBimSFa9MvlZmnpXRNGG6SC8LcPLQ5okXgJobCZ6ir4xkE8K8boG0Z-b3F1o9aFj4EDITuyBSMMZt13CLkpMlXjk-9z9LwA97KMKUm_WHQGibrFZG_0jIaRJMeAo4oL4o2gUMBwdQ/s320/DSC01889.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While I teach according to the <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/erinranieri/dulch-words-list">Dolch word lists</a>, I will pull from any level I feel is appropriate to our situation, not just the pre-k level. "This" is a 2nd level word, but it is one of the first ones I teach. "This" implies immediacy, ownership, and singularity, all of which appeal to preschoolers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we come across words with blends, such as "this," then we talk about, practice, and use the blend. At this point, it is simply as we come across them, no active planned instruction on blends.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We play a lot of games with sight words. One of their favorites is Word Run. I put out sight words on the floor, right now we are only doing 4 at a time, and give them an order to step on them. We do a few rounds, then I change the word order they are to do them, and the order they sit on the floor. It makes it a whole new activity with very little change. Keeps it fresh and keeps them thinking. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is also a MATH activity, as they have to listen to the pattern and follow it. A 4 unit pattern is just that bit difficult, while a 3 unit pattern is pretty easy for them. One of the reasons I am doing 4. If we are doing a sentence, it becomes easier for them to remember the order and we can do a larger number of words. In this case, I used a sentence because I was filming and wanted them to do it independently. They still looked to me whenever they were uncertain, because it is a relatively new activity. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As with all the activities, we do one, then they have the opportunity to do it independently for as long as they wish, or to do it independently as a free choice activity later in the day. It's important that they take ownership of their learning. This is a Reggio inspired school, and even though instruction has become more formalized, it is still important that they choose and own their learning.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I don't introduce writing until 4 and don't get serious about letter formation until the summer before kindergarten. This is the ONLY area where I use worksheets as a key component for instruction. Our writing bin has a lot of wipe/erase books, white boards, magnetic writing boards, chalk boards, etc. for them to practice writing. They also have free access to paper, crayons, pencils and markers. We do writing in the dirt, sand, etc. But until 4, it is a free-choice activity except for Journal drawing on Mondays.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For language, we also do Monday speech, where the children take turns standing up and talking about their weekend, tell a story, sing a song or show a trick. They take questions and give answers to practice public speaking. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>MATH</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They have down 0-10 and somewhat 11-20. 11-20 I consider to be the most difficult number recognition to get down, and it is where I always end up spending the most instruction time on a single repetitive topic. They can pretty much count by 10s. So on our journey to be able to count to 100, we are getting more serious about number recognition and number order. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have our large number cards, and we do this as an instruction activity. The cards are mixed up and scattered on one side of the floor and they move them into the correct position on the other side. It is also offered as a free choice activity, and these two are always wanting to do it and get faster. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At first they would ask me after each card if it was correct. I've altered their expectations so that they have to check one another's work and only ask me when they are finished. If it is wrong, then we work to find the error together and have them make corrections.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These number cards [<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Number-Cards-0-l0-139685">0-10 are available FREE in my TPT shop</a>] are also great for recognition. I will lay out the cards and have them step on the number I call out. When working on 0-10, we will line them in a path and walk the path saying the number name. There are a ton of activities to do with them. They are also color coded for when we start working on odd/even later in the year.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This week we have also been doing Number Lotto for 0-24. We always use edibles for our game tokens when doing it as a "school" activity. They get to eat them when done. This time, we are using Cheerios. Hands and cards are cleaned prior to activity.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I teach addition/subtraction/multiplication/division/grouping/grid formation/graphing all together. Children get it. Grouping automatically connects to un-grouping, which is what it is all about. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is not taught on a white board. It is done hands-on with toys, and not just any toys. It is with their FAVORITE toys. They want to know how many THEY have, how many more THEY can add, how many THEIR friend just took, etc. It's entirely personalized. There is an emotional reaction in physically handing over toys to someone else and realizing that your amount just lessened, or joy in receiving more. That personalized connection to the activity is huge to their understanding and retention. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These children already have down the 12 basic shapes I teach. [<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/SHAPES-poster-matching-flashcards-and-pre-writing-244192">Available on TPT</a>] So we are moving on to 3D shapes, trapezoids, parallelograms, rhombus, etc. While our geo board activities are more about following directions, interpreting data, and mirroring processes, it is also a great geometry tool. We discuss angles and how many sides, and are beginning to work out how the grid works. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The boys get to pick out a shape to make each day. This day they chose a butterfly. Today we made a train. After the group activity, they get free play time with the geo boards and clean up and abandon the activity at will. Once everyone is done, then we all come back to put away and move on.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SCIENCE</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We have the globe out and are learning about our place in the world and world's place in the universe. Since they are SO into animals, that is our focus. As we learn about animals, we are learning about habitats, eating habits, classifications, etc. We were in a snake and shark phase, luckily that has expanded.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Just now, Mr. L at lunch:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Connie, we are HUMANS. Right?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Yes. We are people and people are humans."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"We are CARNIVORES. Right?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Well, we are omnivores. We eat meat AND plants, so we are carnivores and herbivores. Since we are BOTH carnivores and herbivores, we are called omnivores. That means we eat plants AND animals."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. L nods his head like he's got it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Lesson tomorrow is determined.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>ART</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We are adding more product to our process. For instance, in this activity, they were to cut tissue paper into strips and glue it down in one direction, where before they were allowed to just cut it up and glue it down however. So, while it is still entirely their choice of pieces to use, colors, which direction, etc., there were some parameters given.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These are multi-step directions, which is also something we are working upon. They do not get into trouble for not following through with the parameters, but it gives me great insight to see who does what, how and to see where the disconnects occur. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They are, after all, just turned 4, and Mr. La, who coat-tails along wonderfully, is just turned 3.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: xx-small;">Tags: homeschool, home school, preschool, pre-k, child care, daycare, teaching, kids, children, boy, girl, learning, education </span></div>
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-13704007121566111472018-07-01T12:51:00.001-07:002019-07-17T07:55:31.547-07:00Parental Rights and Decisions<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are moral, ethical, societal and political forces at work in how parents parent. While it would seem to be the most basic tenant of society that parents make the decisions for their child's health, well-being and education, there has been a dramatic shift in this belief over the last few decades. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been a strong and vocal advocate for <a href="https://parentalrights.org/">parental rights</a>, long before the Justina Pelletier or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/03/world/europe/uk-trump-pope-francis-charlie-gard.html">Charlie Gard</a> cases. It is the belief that loving, caring parents will always have the best interests of their child at the forefront of every decision. In the absence of abuse or neglect, parents should be allowed to direct their children's lives. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This right is eroding. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many parents do not know that when a child enters a public school, they become temporary wards of the state and parental rights are, in some <a href="http://eagnews.org/parent-calls-911-after-public-school-refuses-to-release-child/">instances</a>, <a href="https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2017/01/20/mom-outraged-school-dental-program-removes-childs-teeth-without-her-knowing/">waived</a>. Often, decisions are made by teachers and administrators, such as allowing children to <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/video/im-going-to-sue-dad-confronts-principal-for-letting-12-year-olds-join-gun-walkout">leave school</a>, for a "protest/walk-out," without permission from the parents. While, the same children would be considered truant if the parents kept them out for the same type of event. In many states, parents are not allowed to decide to keep their child home for any reason other than illness or doctor/dentist appointment, and pre-approved educational trips. Parents are not allowed to excuse their children. Heaven forbid grandpa is on his death bed during state testing. If you keep your child out, you will find yourself in court with your child's custody in peril. Your child gets panic attacks when in a testing situation? Too bad. Suck it up buttercup. This is a major reason for the rise in homeschooling.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My cousin called me one day frantic because her medically fragile child had evidently missed too many days of school, while IN THE HOSPITAL. She had provided the school with documentation of every visit and doctor notes. She had just received a court subpeona for truancy. They were threatening to take away her child, declare her an unfit mother. This same mother sat by his bedside for days and weeks on end. The bedside of the child that wasn't supposed to live until 3 and was now in his teens, against all odds. After all they had been through, to have the school step in and bring the court into it, was just too much for her. She believes the school did this because their small town budget was being eaten up providing accommodations for her son. They just didn't want him there anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, what brought me to thinking about this issue of parental rights this weekend, was that within a 10 minute drive, I, ME of all people, questioned parenting decisions twice. As I thought about it that evening, I felt like such a hypocrite. I wondered why I would have the audacity to question parents, obviously caring and involved parents, about their choices. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. The first instance was a dad cleaning up yard debris with his 2 and 4 year old next to a busy street. The children were only a couple of feet away from the curb, and he was putting stuff in a bag while they brought him more. One trip, a push, and I could see a child falling into traffic. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. A family was riding bikes on the sidewalk next to a very busy street right before a highway interchange. The sidewalk was right up next to the street, no safety zone. The kids looked to be about 6 and 8. Dad was in front, kids, then mom. All were wearing helmets. There was a large park one block down with massive bike trails they could have been on. They were not heading that direction. There were subdivision on every corner they could have been riding through. The littlest didn't seem that steady and I feared for him. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Neither of these are parenting decisions I would have made. But, they are spending time with their children, and they are RIGHT THERE. When did it become okay for us to make these judgements? When did we become the kid police, such as the children taken away by the police after the neighbor called on them <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/protective-services-called-on-mom-for-letting-child-play-outside/">playing unsupervised</a> in <a href="http://www.scarymommy.com/mom-child-services-investigation-kids-play-backyard/">THEIR OWN BACKYARD</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have to trust, that these parents love their children, know their children, and have worked their way up to these activities to the point that the parents are comfortable with these situations. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is absolutely NOT MY PLACE to impose my own parenting choice upon others, unless the parents are clearly incompetent.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In talking with my clients at a birthday party yesterday, we debated/discussed this at length. We were reminded that many parents, and even care givers, would probably be appalled at some of the things the boys get up to. I believe in supervised risky play. We work our way up to things. I know these children. I know exactly what each one is capable of performing. I let them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is easy to judge quickly and from a distance. We have to trust our fellow parents that they've got this.</span></div>
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-42301747563692758712018-06-26T11:52:00.001-07:002018-06-27T05:08:02.295-07:00Discipline Through Observations<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Kind of a mess in here, isn't it gentlemen?"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Discipline literally means "to teach." It is not only learning to follow rules, which so many adults focus upon. It is also teaching children to CHOOSE to follow the rules, to choose to work with their community members to better situations, to choose to be responsible for their behavior and their actions, to choose to not follow friends who are making bad choices, and to have the internal motivation to make correct choices even when no one is looking. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is another low-key method to use in your discipline strategy, that greatly enhances the above aspects in children's behavior.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It again works best with clear and consistent rules and expectations. If a child knows exactly what is expected, then they also know exactly what is going wrong. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The key aspect of this method is that it places the responsibility for knowing the rules and expectations, choosing to follow the rules and expectations, and correcting their behavior, ON THE CHILD. It is not a top-down demand for obedience, it is an observation that requires the child to own their behavior and make different/appropriate choices. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It promotes internal motivation, self-reliance, resiliency, responsibility, autonomy, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, community...Yes, 3-4 year olds. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Demands simply require compliance. Demands place the problem on your shoulders. Demands tell children to do things they should already be doing.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I use it in a 3-step process:</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. "Do I hear someone running inside? I hope not There is no running inside. Someone could get hurt and I don't like my friends to get hurt."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. "Did I just hear someone running inside AGAIN? People who run inside will have to go into time out."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. "[Mr. L] time out for running."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Examples:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Did I hear someone spitting? [blowing raspberries] I hope not, there is no spitting. That's how people spread germs and children get sick. No one likes to be sick."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. R: "[Mr. La], don't do that. It's nasty."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I wish we could go outside, but the floor is all full of toys. We can't even safely get to the door. We have to take care of our responsibilities first. Responsible children don't leave messes on the floor for others to trip over and get hurt."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. L: "[Mr. H] and I'll pick up the block area. You guys pick up the play area so we can go outside."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"We can't have story time until people take care of their responsibilities." [I circle my finger around the table area, where children have abandoned activities]</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. H: "I'll put mine away. [Mr. La] you need to put your activity away so we can have stories!</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have no problem rewarding and promoting compliance. I always offer high praise. The person who chooses to pick up will get the choice of story. The person who picks up others' messes will get a few chocolate chips. These random rewards just help to reinforce that good behavior, good choices, have their benefits.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We currently have a "Responsibilities First" agenda going on here and at home, so they hear that word repetitiously, and know what it means.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you are not telling a specific child to do a specific thing, then the group as a whole has to decide who is responsible, what changes need to be made, and who will perform in what manner. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is an underlying request for action, and an underlying reward or threat of discipline for making their next behavior CHOICE. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is a choice. If it is not a choice, then I would make a clear demand: "Time to pick up. Let's get to it." "We're going outside. Pick up now." </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Choice of good behavior, teaches SO much more than demand, that I try to use this method as often as possible. It also tells me a lot about each child as to how they respond to these observations. </span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-size: xx-small;">Tags: child care, daycare, preschool, parenting, discipline, toddlers, preschoolers</span>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-66075138498601566112018-06-26T08:23:00.003-07:002018-06-27T04:39:13.538-07:00Discipline with Discussions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is a very calm and methodical method to use in discipline. It works if rules and expectations are clear and consistent, as they should be. Always.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What is a "discussion" and how does it impact discipline?</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So just now I had a child complaining about another child taking a toy. Both boys are about to turn 4.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>STEP 1 is a warning discussion: </b></span></h3>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"[Mr. H], do we need to have a discussion about your behavior?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. H stands and looks at me, side-eyeing his activity, "No!"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Do you know how you should be behaving and what you should be doing?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Yes!"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Then I want to see that happening."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Okay..."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Goes back to his activity.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why it works:</span></b><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I talk to a child, I look them in they eye. They are expected to stand and look me in the eye, which takes them away, momentarily, from their activity. The rule here is that a child has possession of items as long as they are actively engaged with that item. Once they are not actively engaged with an item, then they lose possession and the item becomes available to others. So with this "discussion" I took him out of active play and made him concerned for his possession. It reminds him of what step 2 entails if he doesn't change his wayward path.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>STEP 2</b> is a full-on discussion about his behavior </span></h3>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At this point, we discuss what he did inappropriately, what he should have done instead, and how he plans to respond in a similar situation in the future. It ends with a warning of a time-out consequence if the behavior is repeated. This discussion takes place away from the other children and play areas, removing the child from active possession of any items. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why it works:</span></b><br />
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It reiterates the rules and expectations in place.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It tells the child what TO DO, and creates within them an appropriate plan of behavior.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It makes them indirectly lose possession of their activity, just as a time-out would, without segregation and direct discipline.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is a second-step, higher-level consequence to their continued bad choices.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It gives them a specific future consequence if the behavior is repeated, placing the choice in the child's realm of responsibility.</span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These guys spend a lot of time in toy jail. Bad dinos.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>What a full-on discussion looks like:</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, as with Mr. L in the pic above, discussions take place because clarification of rules and expectations is necessary. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mr. L is also almost 4. Rule broken: Taking toys from your friends.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Me: "Why can't he play with that toy?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I don't want him to."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Were you still playing with it?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"No."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"So he could play with it?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I didn't want him to."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Then what do you need to do if you want to keep a toy safe?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"I don't know."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"You need to put them in a safe spot. Where are the safe spots"?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"On the counter."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Yes, or in your cubby or you can hand it to me and ask me to put it on the dresser. If you ASK me to put something there, then you can also ASK me to get it down when you are ready to play with it again." [It also acts as toy jail.]</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"But I wanted [Mr. H] to have it."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Then you walk it over to him, ask him if he wants to play with it, and hand it to him. Leaving it lying on the floor makes it okay for ANYONE to play with it, and it is no longer your decision who gets to do so."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Okay."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"So, since the toy is causing problems, its going up for the rest of the day."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Okay."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Now, where are the safe spots to keep toys you want to keep for yourself?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Counter, my cubby, or give it to you."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"Yes."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"And if you want to give a toy to a friend, how would you do that?"</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"Go give it to him."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"Yes, and if he doesn't want it, then you put it away in the play area."</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"Okay."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I will re-visit this discussion later in the day and once again the next day to ensure understanding. If it is something that needs to be reinforced to the entire group, I will do so in a group setting.</span><br />
<span style="color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Tags: parenting, child care, daycare, preschool, discipline, toddlers, preschoolers, 3 year old, 4 year old, rules, expectations</span>Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-9401432521180847232018-03-28T11:00:00.000-07:002018-03-28T11:11:38.204-07:00Communication in Child Care<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Communication between child care providers and parent clients is vitally important, and often lacking. The relationship between parents and providers needs to be a clear PARTNERSHIP. All good relationships are based in good communication.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>You can't fix a problem you don't understand.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>You can't be fully compassionate or patient when you don't understand the motivation.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have two sets of clients that came to me complaining that the main reason they were leaving their previous provider was due to lack of communication. Both said that each day all the discussion given was a simple, "had a great day!" Then at home when the child wouldn't eat or sleep like usual, was more fussy or defiant than usual, the parents had no clue what could have caused it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While parents may not appreciate a detailed listing of all their child's transgressions throughout the day, especially when they just got through with work and are not looking forward to the evening drill, it is important that everyone understands and focuses on the child and his/her well-being.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Open communication needs to be created by the provider.</b> Parents do not want to anger a provider who has their child's well-being in their hands for most of each day. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many parents and providers simply do not have a personality that allows them to be communication instigators. But as providers, it is a requirement of our business that we learn and practice good communication skills.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Communication levels and methods need to be not only open, but negotiated. I just had a newborn start and I talked with the parents about what I needed and what the parents needed regarding information and communication. I let them know I could give them as little or as much as they needed to feel comfortably informed. Since they are former clients, and our partnership and trust is well established, they need much less from me than a brand new set of clients probably would need.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They decided to send a text when they feed before coming so I know when he'll need another feeding, and they change the infant before coming here as a given. At the end of the day I give them a quick verbal rundown to let them know if he was fussy any, had any tummy issues, how he slept, how many dirty diapers and if wet was good. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They preferred a verbal rather than written or texted daily review. Their previous provider texted both of them throughout the day what was going on, and it was bothersome to them at work, but they didn't know how to tell her and didn't feel comfortable doing so.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A friend complained recently to me that her center teacher at pick-up time always said her child had "a great day!" But when talking to her child, it was anything but. After hearing that her child had a great day, and then finding a knot on her child's head due to being pushed, my friend went in to talk to the director. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The pick-up time teacher was only with the children the last couple of hours, and didn't communicate or relay any information from the lead teacher. My friend never saw the lead teacher at drop-off or pick-up, so had absolutely no idea what was actually going on throughout the day. The director offered no apologies or solutions. My friend was thankful her child was old enough to talk, and was talking to me because she is looking for other care options.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Providers need to relay factual detailed incident information, not a general feeling or overreaching label. It should NEVER label a child, only the behavior. "He was a pretty bad boy today," does not tell a parent much and attacks the child's identity. "He hit a child with a dinosaur when I asked him to put it away before lunch," says what happened and gives an indication of why without making assumptions. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It leaves open that it could have been retaliatory, he could have been hungry or tired, etc. It still wasn't appropriate behavior, but gives more information which leads to more understanding of the situational aspect of the behavior. It also identifies a short period of inappropriate behavior rather than overreaching to include the whole day.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Providers also need to not take parents' concerns as a personal attack, criticism, or complaint. It is a concern about an issue that needs to be addressed. If a discussion devolves into this type of conversation, then it needs to be re-focused on the issue and solutions, not blame or attack. Someone has to be the bigger person and keep a clear and level head.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is your business. You can run it as you wish and those parameters need to be clear in your <a href="http://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html">Policies and Procedures</a> and your clients need to be thoroughly briefed on those before even an interview is conducted. Policy and procedure issues should have very little contention if presented properly prior to contract. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Issues that will arise that need to be addressed should revolve around the child, the school and home environments, home schedule changes, expectations of the child and developmental issues.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last evening, Monday, I spent over half an hour discussing behavior issues with one of my parents. The child had had a couple of rough days at both school and home and we were trying to determine the source. <b>Behavior in young children always has a source.</b> The first behavior we discussed was his obsessive ownership over specific toys. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While this child has obsessive tendencies, it was unusual for him to be so invested in ownership and, at 3 1/2, throwing screaming tantrums when any other child came near him or played with the items after he abandoned interest. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had been thinking about it and had come to the conclusion it had to be something that happened over the weekend to spark this behavior. Mom had been thinking about it and thought it may have been that they had children over to visit over the weekend. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we talked, it came about that we agreed that:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The parents had violated the "<a href="http://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2012/08/sharing-dont-drive-my-corvette_29.html">new Corvette</a>" rule: they had forced him to share a brand new toy that he had worked for and was extremely special to him.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The visiting children had been allowed to play in his room, invading his space and making him feel violated.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He was forced to share his toys and space without limit or discussion.</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We discussed that next time children visited that:</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Communal toys should be ones he held no possession over, ones kept just for that purpose of playdates and/or ones that he had abandoned and had little interest in or knowledge of owning.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Playdates should be in a public area like a living room rather than private like his bedroom. The child can invite the other children into his personal space, but it should be at his invitation with no encouragement or coercion by parents.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Discussion should be made about any special toys the child might want to have put away for the visit or ones he would truly like to share.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My solution for here at school, was simply to remove the toys he was obsessing about. One of which, was his "new Corvette" dinosaur that he had to now leave at home.</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We also discussed that though the parents' personalities were very open and social, that their child's personality was NOT, to their extent, and that they needed to recognize and respect their child's personal limits and boundaries. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I discuss things like this with parent clients ALL. THE. TIME. Once we each understand the issue, and come up with some workable solution(s), then the child benefits, as well as everyone in the child's community. The consistency in expectations, and the core value of the child's mental and physical health being forefront between provider and parents, makes the child's life much richer and happier.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Another one of the moms, who I don't see regularly, was in for pick-up last week and brought up a couple of concerns about her son. We just stood around bouncing ideas and theories off of one another for about half an hour, and afterward, we felt we had a good understanding of what was going on and what could be done at school and home to make things better.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Issues that I have discussed with parents recently: the possibility of a preschooler having an auditory processing disorder, a toddler not sleeping through the night and night terrors, a baby wetting out even though the diaper size was upped a size, defiant rule breaking at home and school, a child self-identifying as bad when he doesn't get that information from school or home, potty training prep, a child's recent balance issues, consistency between school and home of vocabulary introduction and sign language for the 11-month-old. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOIvkEE-LPMncKoxB-oBHknvJjVMM3debTiyJrib461UfMAFozoJLfNJ1VtxjprRV4mYzBflD07kAo5nmzPxpN4ih7Kxh0vdTIJ3PnhetbGp9bCLQsMdAwkhBYB7HS1XKoqsRG_3uzQQ/s1600/20170519_192922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQOIvkEE-LPMncKoxB-oBHknvJjVMM3debTiyJrib461UfMAFozoJLfNJ1VtxjprRV4mYzBflD07kAo5nmzPxpN4ih7Kxh0vdTIJ3PnhetbGp9bCLQsMdAwkhBYB7HS1XKoqsRG_3uzQQ/s320/20170519_192922.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The children are very comfortable with ALL the parents,</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">and all the parents are comfortable with all the children.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Communication from me comes regularly through emailed newsletters/notifications, texts, Facebook posts, Youtube video posts, blog posts and verbal daily discussions both mornings and evenings. Clients are welcome to hang out here at any time during school hours, but I will put them to work as teacher's helpers. Clients are also welcome to meet with me after hours to discuss skill development and discipline issues more thoroughly with both parents present without the child[ren]. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In Reggio, we are all about community, and that is between the children, but also between the children and the other families' members, including extended families, and me. I am on Facebook with most of my current and former clients, many of the grandparents, and some of the aunts and uncles. We have regular dinners where everyone can get to know one another, and often the families get together on the weekends for playdates and outings. This sense of community, which is sorely lacking in young children's lives these days, builds a trust and security that helps them be happier children and better citizens. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It all begins with good communication.</span></div>
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Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-48491639485224609252018-03-27T11:11:00.001-07:002018-03-27T12:45:14.577-07:00Essential Preschool Math Skills <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SsLf3u76rxOLAe2TiKpwgseQCA7piid-Th4eDmwUlc5vqNc1R22U_UO5ECZ6HUL8-tLT7uuzTTPbrvWOduvQ9gA7yin_lzrdBwrKQ58SY9rCd4fG7iSODNy8Q5XPIakUjaBV7qPyCsk/s1600/BLOG+PRESCHOOL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SsLf3u76rxOLAe2TiKpwgseQCA7piid-Th4eDmwUlc5vqNc1R22U_UO5ECZ6HUL8-tLT7uuzTTPbrvWOduvQ9gA7yin_lzrdBwrKQ58SY9rCd4fG7iSODNy8Q5XPIakUjaBV7qPyCsk/s320/BLOG+PRESCHOOL.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even though I have training in curriculum, it still took me awhile to figure out the different types of math concepts that I needed to be integrating into my teaching, how, and when. I hope this will help others who are teaching or homeschooling preschool. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of my former students placed in the top 2% internationally in Math Olympiad. This is why...[in addition to her just being exceptionally smart!]</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The main math skills I will cover here pertain to numeracy and are:</span><br />
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pattern recognition & sorting/classification</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Subitizing/quantification</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One-to-one correspondence counting</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rote counting</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Counting on</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grid counting</span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scatter counting</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Note that on this list is NOT learning number names. This goes with my <a href="http://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2017/12/functional-learning-vs-rote-teaching.html">functional learning method</a>. Knowing the name of a number 1 is not functional. It is vocabulary. Knowing the order or quantity for the number 1 allows for functional mathematical ability. The children all learn that a 1 is called a one, but incidentally, not as a focus of teaching.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This post goes to the next level from my <a href="http://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2016/10/teaching-twos-math.html">Teaching 2's Math</a> post which was a level up from my <a href="http://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/2012/05/learning-math-from-birth.html">Learning Math From Birth</a>. You may also want to read my post <a href="http://littlestarslearning.blogspot.com/search?q=early+math">Early Math is as Important as Early Literacy</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Math, especially, needs to be hands-on learning through play and manipulation in the early years. We are currently on our EGG unit, which is math intensive. This allows you to see some ideas on how to integrate the skill learning into a unit or theme.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These children, 2-3 years old, know their basic colors and can count to 10 in order to do the activities.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I put these skills together because they are complimentary skills. They both are observation and interpretation of where things belong. If a child can't sort/classify, then they can't complete a pattern activity, and sorting and classification are patterning activities. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ability to recognize patterns is considered the NUMBER ONE key indicator for future math success. I start this in infancy, patting out song rhythms on their back or with their feet to music playing along. It builds that ability to begin linking patterns to their world. I use repetitive patterns, audio, physical or visual, for most of my infant and early toddler learning play, specifically to enhance this ability. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It works. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My preschoolers can sort, categorize, and pattern forward and backward much earlier and better than their peers who have not had this early exposure.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Activity:</u></b> The children create their own pattern and then extend it out in either direction until they run out of eggs.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Patterning is not just a preschool skill activity. There are patterns everywhere - in the seasons, in our daily schedule, even our daily routines. It allows children to be able to tell time in a general way even as infants. It leads to understanding quantities of time such as weeks, months, years. It allows them to know that we always wash our hands before eating or brush our teeth before going to bed. Those are patterns. There are patterns in nature, music, and daily life. As they enter the preschool era, we work more hands-on and intentionally with creating and manipulating physical patterns.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Activity:</u></b> The children gather eggs as fast as they can, then sort their eggs by color. For younger children, I might have colored bowls or color circles to assist. We are working on grid formations, so that is why theirs are sorted like this.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sorting and categorization are naturally occurring. They know farm animals from zoo animals. Red cars are sorted from yellow cars. Blue blocks are suddenly preferred and everything is made up only of blue blocks. As we advance, opportunities are created for more advanced sorting and categorization on more than one trait. Red/green/purple circles that are also small/medium/large. Then throw in a few blue squares of the sizes and see how they handle that. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SUBITIZING/QUANTIFICATION</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is the ability to instantly recognize quantities. It starts as soon as you begin asking a child if they want MORE. More/less, big/small and their counterparts are all quantifications that toddlers learn. Around three they are learning to recognize a quantity of at least 1-3 objects as being that amount just by looking at it. This is an important mathematical, observation and spatial skill that is often overlooked. The only way to enhance this skill is to give children a ton of opportunities to practice it in grid formation and scatter groups. "Look, you have 3 blocks lined up!" "I see you have 3 cars in your hands." "Do you want 2 or 3 pieces?" and have the groups of 2 and 3 laid out for them to see.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Activity:</u></b> Bring me 2 eggs the SAME color. Bring me 2 PAIRS of eggs. 2 eggs + 2 eggs is how many all together? Bring me 3 DIFFERENT color eggs. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Dice play in later preschool and pre-k really works this skill.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, quantification BEGINS by getting them comfortable with assessing quantities. This is smaller/larger, more/less, smaller/bigger, shorter/taller. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It also carries over to categorization/sorting and patterning. Being able to tell a specific quantity, first comes from being able to assess the quantity.</span><br />
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<b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">ONE TO ONE CORRESPONDENCE COUNTING</b></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While rote counting to 100 wins the accolades, the whole purpose of math is to count THINGS. Even as infants, I have their little fingers touching bunnies in a book as we count them and everything else we can one-to-one correspond. We count, with fingers touching the items we are counting, multiple times a day from the first day they arrive. It is ingrained.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This ability leads to accurate counting, an ability to practice subitizing/quantification on their own, and an ability to do equations much earlier. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Activity: </u></b>Once sorted by color, children count how many of each color they have. Then the eggs are combined and again counted by color for the group. Subitizing is encouraged on individual small quantities. Quantity comparisons of same/equal, more, less, how many more, how many less, etc. can be performed.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>ROTE COUNTING</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rote counting is the ability to count in numerical order. Seems simple, but it is more difficult and important that children understand that the order has permanence. Numbers occur in order. Always. I have a 2-year-old that just counted to 13. He then skipped up to 15, 16, 17, 19, 20. Still in order, even though he skipped a couple, showing that he has that concept understood. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We count here multiple times a day, at least once a day to 100. With toddlers, we do 1-2-3 as the focus, and do it multiple times a day until they get it. When they have that down, then I work to 5, then 10, then 11, then 13, then 16, then 20. Then we learn to count by 10's before moving on to counting to 100. Eleven is the hardest because they hear 1-10 SO much from parents and in the shows they watch [AT HOME.] I try not to do that here, which is why we do various counts throughout the day and week.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Rote counting and one-to-one correspondence must be mastered to some degree before other math and science skills can be mastered.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is so ingrained here, that I just caught this one counting the stripes on his socks as he laid down for nap. It's just what we do. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Activity:</u></b> Incubating eggs takes 21 days, exactly the number we are working on for rote counting. 11-19 are the most difficult numbers to master, and this gives us the opportunity to count those on a daily basis for 21 days. We count how many days the chicks need to develop, how many days have passed, and how many day until they hatch. Working rote counting and number recognition. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is an example of how number recognition happens without it being a main objective. The objective is counting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>COUNTING ON</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is the beginning of addition and future understanding of equations. It is an extension of rote counting and one-to-one correspondence. You have 3 items and another two are added, you can continue on from 3 to count 4, 5. This is NOT an easy skill to master. They want to go back and now count the whole group, until it clicks. This takes a lot of exposure and practice, but a child that can subitize/quantify then count on has a higher level of numeracy and mathematical understanding from which to scaffold.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Activity:</u></b> When doing 10-frame counting, try to get them to begin counting after subitizing a smaller amount. Also when doing fact families of lower numbers. Here we are doing fact families of 5, and I ask them to subitize and count on from the smallest quantity. This requires direct instruction. This is an activity they can do independently, to a quantity they are familiar with manipulating. The older ones will automatically go to 10-frame.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>GRID COUNTING</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The current math [Common Core circa 2018] is almost entirely based on 10. Ten frames are used exhaustively. So what used to be just an easier way to line up and count items, now becomes a focused effort to get preschoolers to line items into ten frame organization, which is a grid. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Understanding rows and columns, creating and reading charts, is actually very easy for even young preschoolers to master. I begin by using the actual items and eventually move it to a white board. Once they reach school, the same concept will be used on endless worksheets [sigh.] </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Additionally, if preschoolers get the concept of grid layouts early, multiplication and division makes absolute sense to preschoolers, and often they figure it out on their own. It also helps with the concept of skip counting that they will need to master in elementary school.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Grid counting here begins when I line up items for a toddler or early preschooler to rote count easily using one-to-one correspondence. I do make certain that they count vertically as well as horizontally, such as stacked blocks. These are some former pre-k students doing the same at a higher level. As play. Their ability to read and interpret graphs was amazing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yUX53iFn6f5ww9PZzAnZaI0RwL-Fc3u_8NGqNCVkI0t29lWw0c5uC0N1dht383FSqAjKTotKQO75FLTjvhLBndjsmH4THaNA8WjEhY7XylSgmNza8YQzCBtzU5_rfSLR_3vWqvtVgbk/s1600/10003231_10152698701879908_996833590_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="747" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yUX53iFn6f5ww9PZzAnZaI0RwL-Fc3u_8NGqNCVkI0t29lWw0c5uC0N1dht383FSqAjKTotKQO75FLTjvhLBndjsmH4THaNA8WjEhY7XylSgmNza8YQzCBtzU5_rfSLR_3vWqvtVgbk/s320/10003231_10152698701879908_996833590_n.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It also helps with addition and subtraction as I can split objects into linear groups to show fact families and the permanence of the count.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>SCATTER COUNTING</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Scatter counting is figuring out a methodology of counting a scattered group of objects. It's pretty difficult. Different children do it differently. Whatever works for them. Left-right, top-bottom, or physically moving items from an uncounted grouping to a counted grouping. I show them all the ways and let them figure out what works best for themselves. This takes a lot of exposure and practice. They begin as toddlers as I hold their fingers and we count flowers in a book, worms on the ground, freckles on a face, etc. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since mine learn it in conjunction with rote counting and one-to-one correspondence counting, they pick it up fairly easily. The main issue is getting them to slow down and pay attention enough to be accurate. Even if I just observe them doing it in play on their own, if they do it wrong, I have them do it over again until they get it correct. This is one skill that needs accuracy reinforced.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVfCOc6JgcpDiPgcvBEklaAE_DcZiwSobtgYbZR8O03Goc49JYlvzJdIgtuDeEmpRf6tIk0kxhgWELRhG0FXr8oRnrP7BMtPmqQHxQ1nmyvRwVga6lKAGFruyixmZi8mYrHQqLeDWwy0/s1600/DSC01454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVfCOc6JgcpDiPgcvBEklaAE_DcZiwSobtgYbZR8O03Goc49JYlvzJdIgtuDeEmpRf6tIk0kxhgWELRhG0FXr8oRnrP7BMtPmqQHxQ1nmyvRwVga6lKAGFruyixmZi8mYrHQqLeDWwy0/s320/DSC01454.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Activity: </u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Place items in a bowl so that linear or grid formation is not possible then have them count the items. Different colors, especially in easily subitized quantities, is easier than all different colors or all one color. This is an activity they can do independently.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These are the skills that make other skills possible - time, measurement, geometry beyond simple shapes, fractions, etc. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="color: red;">These are the skills that I want, at minimum, for my preschool graduates to have mastered.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, start them young and you'll be surprised what they can achieve...</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even at 3.75 years of age, my preschoolers are able to reach beyond these preschool-level skills. We have been spending a lot of focus on measuring recently, which they love. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For this unit, we started with 3 different sizes of eggs. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We discussed how they were the size of a duck, goose and ostrich egg. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We discussed how the goose-size blue egg could be small, medium or large depending on which other egg(s) it was compared to in size. We then started to measure. The main objective was to learn about circumference. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We started with measuring the eggs.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHp12jIUyD7zElGpc10RZym2zgvllVrtFgaQyM_m5wVFR1JBBtg0rBtBlVyw4tG2_M2EVpQUav1yWbHxQBc0JM0kbnZMxaJCWnKoTRE9LVzlGWLxsM5rmEZIjvAj1v6dhuWykN1YNGao/s1600/DSC01437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHp12jIUyD7zElGpc10RZym2zgvllVrtFgaQyM_m5wVFR1JBBtg0rBtBlVyw4tG2_M2EVpQUav1yWbHxQBc0JM0kbnZMxaJCWnKoTRE9LVzlGWLxsM5rmEZIjvAj1v6dhuWykN1YNGao/s320/DSC01437.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then ourselves.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Oowdb16EiZRqbtHeZYVQKqNUGqQ_D5Au3u4wKGf5fFDeNS44T_HKZRN4-A7Bdf3zsjqgouxoNYtvk9a8eMJOivHYx_f3LUHByn2pe1i6yzYbf3_nqnHMdDIMyMuImJUh0Dd8WmPk1sw/s1600/DSC01441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1270" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Oowdb16EiZRqbtHeZYVQKqNUGqQ_D5Au3u4wKGf5fFDeNS44T_HKZRN4-A7Bdf3zsjqgouxoNYtvk9a8eMJOivHYx_f3LUHByn2pe1i6yzYbf3_nqnHMdDIMyMuImJUh0Dd8WmPk1sw/s320/DSC01441.JPG" width="254" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF1-_X2cYlq4d1vn2280284bEm8sKwqgAQaU7Tcr1uJU-eg0kTIwM8zjc-vhCAcsk1yS7TFOfG2SsC_LL5b2WizgFvChItaUXK2Pcd4gmSPrJmNcpAIOW77ZJvEt3p6_C8kvirNMDxYI/s1600/DSC01438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF1-_X2cYlq4d1vn2280284bEm8sKwqgAQaU7Tcr1uJU-eg0kTIwM8zjc-vhCAcsk1yS7TFOfG2SsC_LL5b2WizgFvChItaUXK2Pcd4gmSPrJmNcpAIOW77ZJvEt3p6_C8kvirNMDxYI/s320/DSC01438.JPG" width="294" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then special visitor sock monkey couldn't be left out.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyJsFPqh1Ms1bsWjwfpHeiH0vUc7eVUpoJ5l3UraV6ui0T63FuovwMl3yoBOYF5M-SWB1FCo8K4Bfx0y6BjytHEMmFd2EPiPoZCo0N9wxzi3jez4K0x7NcV3qiESELS9242Dm9fi9H60/s1600/DSC01439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyJsFPqh1Ms1bsWjwfpHeiH0vUc7eVUpoJ5l3UraV6ui0T63FuovwMl3yoBOYF5M-SWB1FCo8K4Bfx0y6BjytHEMmFd2EPiPoZCo0N9wxzi3jez4K0x7NcV3qiESELS9242Dm9fi9H60/s320/DSC01439.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then we worked on heights.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50KD4VMCcEcR6tXLBCyYKunN9BCzSznnJyKMG1-879ATKLVVvXVqry2M8HhFx3cn0D-LWagt31D1xGNmo0v-zs8mXTKzzYE3vA0D_uYtPTJWE3_KEftiBFl6em5ZETnsYbvH7nub7IZg/s1600/DSC01436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50KD4VMCcEcR6tXLBCyYKunN9BCzSznnJyKMG1-879ATKLVVvXVqry2M8HhFx3cn0D-LWagt31D1xGNmo0v-zs8mXTKzzYE3vA0D_uYtPTJWE3_KEftiBFl6em5ZETnsYbvH7nub7IZg/s320/DSC01436.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Width and diameter.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_Ed-SjqPGCPrwesEMBJy_suLQyU6A8e5MKIUb6x_E_BEVyk1HBNqck7p4LWMosJRWOINIuVWJD0Y4diGYodq-CnqiCyMg506psu8pqc44m7Jdi3w-Jd-HORcpzHISWQBXZcZqDig7K8/s1600/DSC01435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_Ed-SjqPGCPrwesEMBJy_suLQyU6A8e5MKIUb6x_E_BEVyk1HBNqck7p4LWMosJRWOINIuVWJD0Y4diGYodq-CnqiCyMg506psu8pqc44m7Jdi3w-Jd-HORcpzHISWQBXZcZqDig7K8/s320/DSC01435.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once again, measuring was the goal, but number recognition, number order, and quantity comparisons were integrated. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They were allowed to play and do the activity unsupervised after our introductory session.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can see the level of engagement and curiosity. Make it fun, and they don't even know how much they are learning.</span></div>
Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-50431866622095327792018-01-02T08:16:00.001-08:002018-01-07T11:05:13.633-08:00Classroom Energy Flow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAPgiF-dgNAYBhv1qtefOErP6PqOKnKZ4GKPTw_rCo87TwY2hPlx9PgQe-5EjKUlIxrOvFSdrZnqADf_c8ATTjoYPAaXLi6rZEUGmM_5jHa0V0gKxlRBBK0KwiyGbhlXddzVyO-qfx1Y/s1600/Classroom+energy.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="379" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAPgiF-dgNAYBhv1qtefOErP6PqOKnKZ4GKPTw_rCo87TwY2hPlx9PgQe-5EjKUlIxrOvFSdrZnqADf_c8ATTjoYPAaXLi6rZEUGmM_5jHa0V0gKxlRBBK0KwiyGbhlXddzVyO-qfx1Y/s320/Classroom+energy.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We ECE teachers/providers talk a lot about our school/child care environment, curriculum, discipline, assessments, classroom management, etc. One of THE most important elements in a classroom, that never seems to be talked about, except how to squelch it, is the energy. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, the energy within a child or classroom can be directed and manipulated in such a way that it enhances, rather than detracts, from the learning environment and objectives.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've been talking about this quite a bit in forums and with my clients over the last six months, and I am amazed at just how much effort care givers spend in stopping, repressing, or disciplining children's energy. </span><br />
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<b><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">THERE IS A BETTER WAY!!</span></b></b></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First, we have to acknowledge that each individual child, and ourselves, have a common energy level. It may vacillate due to those around us and the activities at hand, but in general, each person has a fairly set energy level. Some are high energy, naturally, while some are low.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Second, we have to acknowledge that there is a common energy level between certain children, certain groups of children, and naturally occurring in certain activity situations. For example, I have two 3-year-old boys, one of whom is high energy and one is medium energy, but when they get together, the energy sky rockets. They egg one another up the scale until they need to be separated to come down from it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Third, we have to acknowledge that we are usually most comfortable with others of an energy level similar to our own. While a young man in college may have ample patience and energy to play and corral some high energy children, an older woman with low energy will usually have little patience for rough housing and high energy children. Someone with high energy, may be constantly trying to entice the low energy children to join in more active games and activities, pushing them out of their comfort zone.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I call this the flow of energy. Each person, and the environment and activities, contribute to the flow of energy in a classroom. It is an INNATE PART of each person and what is going on. Yet, we tend to think of it as something easily manipulated and controlled to the level we, as care givers, perceive to be the "appropriate" energy level at the time. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We see this in many classroom management practices such as the stoplight, where children are no longer allowed to talk once the stoplight for loudness reaches the red zone. So the energy, and decibel level, ramps up and up, then it is supposed to instantly lower to zero. Hmmm. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Go for a good run and then try to get your heart rate to instantly get back into the normal zone or below it. Doesn't work that well. What if you were in the middle of a run, in your groove, and someone said to stop and sit down and be still. I know I wouldn't be happy. Same for children and their energy. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I look at the energy of the individual and class as a flowing stream. If you dam it up, the pressure becomes explosive, overflows the restrictions, and you have children misbehaving. If you channel it, you move that energy into appropriate activity until it slows to a controllable level or runs out. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For example, I observed at a very well-known franchise in their 3-year-old class in the morning. The children were using the large cardboard blocks to build very large towers, which would fall over and the children were laughing uproariously. This was a very high energy group doing a high energy activity. At 8:00 a.m., it was now time to do circle time and all twelve 3-year-olds were told to pick up and sit in a circle, criss-cross-applesauce-spoons-in-the-bowl, still and quiet. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The teacher began to go slowly around the circle asking each child a question. The other teacher kept correcting children to sit still, sit properly, don't touch your neighbor, etc. The wiggles just kept getting worse, and the teachers' patience started to erode and the corrections became more curt, etc. By the end of 20 minutes, the teachers were angry, the children upset, three were in time-out, and the purpose, and any learning potential, of the activity was forgotten. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A) A three-year-old's attention span is approximately 5 minutes, so the activity was not developmentally appropriate.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">B) There was absolutely no transition of the energy level from very high to the expectation of sitting still, quiet, and being patient. [They are THREE!]</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At a smaller, high-end child care, I observed a young 2-year-old class. It was open play when I got there. The children were running, climbing, squealing and having a great time. Again, the teachers decided to do a curriculum activity of rolling a ball. The little ones were sat in a line and a teacher rolled the ball to the first child who picked it up and started playing with it. She kept trying to get the child to roll it back. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The other teacher was changing a child's diaper, and most of the children quickly wandered off. The second teacher finished and brought the other children back and sat them in line, and kept doing it, bringing to mind the term, "herding cats." The same exact issues of developmentally appropriate activity and expectation, along with the absence of energy transition, were in play, with the same results.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Being Reggio inspired, I naturally look to the children for what we should be doing. They also have the option of participating in activities or not. Some children may be coloring or doing small-world play, while others are jumping, spinning, or doing a high-energy activity. If we are going to be doing something as a group that I would like everyone's participation in, then I will purposefully tire out my high-energy kiddos first, or do the activity in a naturally low-energy time period. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For instance, these two are obviously interested in stories and at a low energy level. It would make sense to do story time now.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If misbehavior occurs due to high energy, putting a child in time-out, stopping the flow of energy, is just not the right response. I have them jump, crawl, or move that energy until it dissipates and they are in control of it. If they say, "Can I stop now?" Then I know they need just a bit more, a few more seconds, of high energy activity. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you tell a child in high energy to move, they won't balk, but gladly do it. It is what they need. Once they are tired out and in control, then they can rejoin. Often, other children will join in the "discipline" because they, too, have energy to release. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's become so normal for me to recognize high energy, that I will usually do this as a preventative measure rather than a disciplinary measure now. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If we do high energy activities at a high enough level to use up all their energy, then I can go straight to a low energy activity such as story time. Usually though, we take it up and down in increments. Being play and movement based, the children here are never expected to just sit still and quiet. After all, they are children. That is nearly impossible and not developmentally appropriate practice until about age 8, if then. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We will do story time, then maybe table activities which they move from one to another but is mainly fine-motor, then a gross-motor activity, then back to a combination fine and gross-motor activity, then down to a fine-motor activity again. We will transition from a high-energy activity to picking up, which requires a lot of movement but focus and fine-motor as well, then sit down to eat which is a low-energy activity, then straight to nap, which is even lower energy. I try to have the energy flow smoothly in a wave, rather than have any harsh changes asked of them. </span><br />
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This is NOT a good time for sit work.</div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've been asked what to do with high-energy kiddos at home. Trying to force the energy down usually leaves in its wake tantrums, misbehavior, discipline, etc. Parents are now flowing the energy to walks, backyard play time, mini-trampolines, horizontal climbing walls, doorway gyms, jumping/twirling/crawling, dance videos, and yoga videos, rather than expecting the child to simply bring their energy down from high when the high energy is still wound up. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They say it has made a big difference in their child's attitude, their attitudes, and the family dynamic evenings and weekends. If it happens at a restaurant or such, they are now taking the child outside to jump or run, rather than expecting a 3-year-old to get their energy under control in a public place with nothing much to do.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With it being -20 windchill this week, we are stuck inside. Yesterday we did dance party, Five Little Monkeys about 5 times, Ring Around the Rosie about 15 times, etc. All to get the wiggles out of the high energy kiddos. The low energy kiddos looked on as they sat quietly doing their activities. To each his own.</span><br />
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<br />Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-20413562940137693932017-12-15T19:22:00.000-08:002017-12-16T08:07:08.246-08:00Functional Learning vs. Rote Teaching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Our education system likes to teach. A lesson + an activity = you should know this and be assessed on it. Learning is not like that. Learning is incremental scaffolding through discovery and processing over time.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">There is a huge difference between knowing something and being able to USE information in a continuous learning process. Some information floats around and is picked up as a type of appetizer, nice but not filling and while it serves a purpose, it is not a foundation. Some information is the meat and potatoes that other, important, learning builds upon.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had a client dad ask a few months ago about his son's ability to identify numbers. "He doesn't seem to know what a 7 looks like." </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I kinda blew him off, saying something about his child not needing to know that and I don't teach it. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That conversation sat uncomfortably with me for the rest of the evening and night and I got back to him the next morning.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I had a similar conversation with a mother a few weeks ago. They were at Thanksgiving and her sons' cousin, who is a few weeks older, could identify all of his ABC's. "So, how is [my son] doing on his letter recognition?"</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Again, I don't teach that.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This time, however, I was prepared with the better explanation I had given the dad the day after I kinda blew him off with a non-answer.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I explained:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Most preschools teach letter identification, and usually only uppercase letters. They also teach number identification to 10 and a set of primary color names. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here, I teach functionality. Your child may not be able to identify a 7 as a seven, but he can do one-to-one correspondence counting, even in a scatter group and COUNT to seven. He can COUNT to 20, possibly with some errors, in any manner required. He can simply look at a group of four items and know it is a quantity of four. He can count, with some ability, imperfectly, to 100. At 3 1/2 years old. A person can count without knowing number names. We are working on counting and quantification.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Your child may not be able to label an A as an A, but he can say that both upper AND lowercase Aa's say "ah." Uppercase recognition, when 90% of reading is lowercase letters, has very little functionality. If a person never, ever, learned letter names, they could still learn to read if they knew phonics. I am working on them reading.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Your child, at 3 1/2, can also identify around 12 shapes and colors, and I never stood in front of them and held a lesson and "taught" them anything.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I didn't even get into the fact that these children can pattern [#1 indicator of future math success], sort, graph, etc., which most other preschools are not even attempting to expose their students.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These children have been exposed to, and picked up through environmental, functional, exposure, LIVING experience, these SKILLS. There is no letter of the week, color of the day, flash cards, or expectation of memorization here. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Can you hand me that WHITE towel, please?"</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Do you want the BLUE or the PURPLE cup?"</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"How many kids are here today?"</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"How many cars do you have?"</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"We are having eggs for lunch, how do you think we would spell EGGS? Let's sound it out. Eh, yep, gg, yep, ssss. Yeah. In this word, eggs has two g's, so it would be E-G-G-S. Eh, g, s. Eggs."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"Which one is your cubby? How do you know? Yes, it's your color, but it also has your name on it. Let's sound it out."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">"We have to put your name on your art so I know who it belongs to. How do we spell your name? Let's sound it out."</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They all pick up the letter and number names by kindergarten, but knowing their phonics and counting methods means that they are learning numeracy and literacy far earlier than their traditionally "taught" counterpart preschoolers. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">BECAUSE: </span><br />
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Their learning has meaning. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It has functionality. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is important to THEM. </span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ukt2gkE2XmofkX8SPUqEyNPRs6ApR8cjZ5NwqtTFScWLlgiGht1G_lDeXyPSPerMASy5Y2uaK7gtpoaYliwAjwTZFYD9bYxxICQeEjMUyCX_Wo868kjt1i4NBMx_O1RqAcga_U1AsA0/s1600/Libby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="826" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ukt2gkE2XmofkX8SPUqEyNPRs6ApR8cjZ5NwqtTFScWLlgiGht1G_lDeXyPSPerMASy5Y2uaK7gtpoaYliwAjwTZFYD9bYxxICQeEjMUyCX_Wo868kjt1i4NBMx_O1RqAcga_U1AsA0/s320/Libby.jpg" width="275" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Graduate of mine who placed in the top 2% <br />INTERNATIONALLY in Math Olympiad</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They may not be able to do a dog and pony show for the relatives, but they can do important WORK. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is why my kiddos historically leave here for kindergarten reading and doing math at a 2nd grade level. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I think that the ability to read or DO math, is much more important than rote memorization of letter and number names. It's worked so far. Very well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Knowledge is only powerful if you can USE IT.</span></div>
Connie - Little Stars Learninghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020956279277180518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7146332966374772243.post-79889020103092199852017-11-16T11:06:00.001-08:002017-11-17T10:43:05.097-08:00LSL E-commerce!<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've combined my products from sites such as Etsy, Teachers Pay Teachers and Spreadshirt and added a shop to my website for direct purchase/ordering. I'll be adding items over the next several months. All items are intended to serve multiple skill sets or developmental areas, be as natural as possible, and/or be open-ended play opportunities, and/or support specific learning objectives. I hope parents, providers and teachers will continue to enjoy my products and find a few more to add to their school or play room. On the left of the SHOP page, you will find the categories. Check it out!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.littlestarslearning.org/" target="_blank">SHOP</a></b></span></div>
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