How Many Ways...

I was recently at the headquarters of Discount School Supply and was able to see many new products that are coming out this year in their catalog. This meeting is always a treat and I get excited to see new ways of doing things. We do know what early childhood children need to support their growth, but it is always a challenge to come up with new ways to introduce and support it. I have heard people scoff at new products saying that it is just a new way to do the same old thing. YES! Since we have many children to support, we need many approaches to that support. It is just as critical to use different teaching strategies that meet a child's learning style as it is to choose the appropriate skills to introduce. In fact, new products sometimes get teachers and caregivers out of the rut of using the 'same old thing' time and time again. In fact, I just had a blast with two of my grandchildren using scratch art to develop fine motor skills.

The End is the Beginning..

I recently had the son of a friend graduate from high school as the valdicorian

The End is the Beginning..

I recently had a friend graduate from high school as the valedictorian. We always knew he was very intelligent and would do well. I would take Tom to the library when he was young and he would check out 20-25 books. This made me a bit nervous until his dad assured me that he would get through them all during the three-week checkout time. I remember watching a program with him on the History Channel about how thimbles were made. That is the last thing I wanted to know, but I watched it with him as he was so engrossed in the program. I also remember a discussion with him about nuclear fusion and what it will eventually be able to do (something I still don't understand!). Tom was intelligent beyond my abilities years ago. It didn't surprise me that he was first in his class. What I relish is the fact that everyone around him encouraged and allowed him intellectual freedom. He now starts on a new beginning with the help of a full scholarship to a great university. I wish all children had this great support for development.

New Crop

I was excited to run into some of my former students this past month. Most of them were graduating in early childhood and interviewing for teaching jobs. I was excited because last fall I worked with this wonderful group of early childhood teachers. I am encouraged because they know how to be developmentally appropriate in early childhood settings. My hope is that in their new classrooms they can hold onto those important objectives and not buckle under to peer pressure to become ditto factories and assembly lines. It can sometimes be a balancing act, but well worth it if you persevere. Children always learn more in appropriate settings. Research tells us the number one factor for a child learning to read is the attitude of the teacher. I think it works on more than just reading...

Avoiding Negative Behaviors

I was speaking to a group in Kingsville, TX, this weekend and I was again reminded about how important it is for early childhood teachers to set up engaging and effective classrooms. Research by the Center of Social and Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (CSEFEL-see website below) indicates that the organization and setup of a classroom is key to preventing negative behaviors. Adults tend to blame children for negative behavior when the real culprit is the environment in which the child is forced to function. CSEFEL has developed a pyramid for the classroom teacher to follow in setting up a class setting to avoid those negative episodes. There are many additional resources available on their website: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/

DAP Mathematics Skills

I was recently talking to a group about developmentally appropriate math skills for early childhood children (see 'Conference Handouts' below right). I remember discovering the developmental order of math skills a number of years ago when I was teaching kindergarten. When I patiently worked through the developmental order (and didn't rush to talk about numbers, shapes, etc.), the most amazing thing happened. ALL of the children in my class acquired all the skills when they were introduced. I no longer was playing the 'catch-up' game with children that didn't seem to wrap their minds around the skill. It gave me the understanding of how important it is to built the foundation for every skill that is taught. Children that don't seem to understand a concept usually do not have the background knowledge to support that skill. For other developmental lists, check out: http://www.teacherquicksource.com/

Multiple Uses

In most areas, the educational dollar is not as plentiful as it should be. As a teacher, I always looked for products or additions to my classroom that I could use for multiple teaching experiences. I have been doing a series of math workshops this year and explain to teachers how easy it is to use items for teaching numerous different skills. I also have been working on ways to keep children active and energized. One item that caught my attention was a circus tent for active play that could also double as a reading center or any other type of center. I am very much in favor of products and activities that can be used for various teaching strategies. That way, the teacher can stretch that scarce dollar a bit further. It will also help children think of creative uses for toys and games.