Beat Brain DrainHelp your kid's reading skills soar during summer break with these words of advice from literacy experts. By Michelle Crouch from Parents MagazineWhen Kelley Dolling's first-grade students go on summer vacation, they forget a lot of the reading skills they've learned. "I talk to their second-grade teachers, and find out that many children who [...]
From worksheets to short essays, there are a lot of assignments for your kid to crank out -- and his teacher has to be able to read them. "Despite the increasing amount of technology in classrooms, a child's schoolwork still is mostly handwritten," says pediatric occupational therapist Jan Z. Olsen, founder of the Handwriting Without [...]
Week of the Young Child 2013 Theme: “Early Years Are Learning Years”The Week of the Young Child is an annual event sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC, the world’s largest early childhood education association, has nearly 90,000 members and is committed to providing and promoting excellence in early [...]
Dos and Don’ts of Minimizing Children’s Holiday StressBy Barbara ThorntonDuring this holiday period, there are lots of fun activities and events going on both at home and at school, and while this is a good thing, holiday stress does cause varying degrees of anxiety in children. Routines are important! Loss of sleep, change in diet [...]
Common mistakes we make when guiding children’s behavior:1. Not setting clear expectations in advanceExample: “We are going shopping. Remember, we are only buying food for breakfast, and you can help me make some healthy choices.” It also helps to review healthy choices. 2. Not setting boundariesThink of how you would feel driving in the right [...]
Halloween can be a fun day for the whole family! Here are a few great tips from the Center For Disease Control to help make your Halloween adventures fun and safe! http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/
Discipline is not punishment, but an opportunity to help children behave appropriately. Discipline includes preventing problems and helping child succeed.Discipline helps children learn self-control and how to get along with others. It is appropriate and necessary for children to be curious, experiment and test the limits. The environment and routine should prevent crowding of children [...]
Staff is key! Look for attentive and caring teachers. You should see lots of smiles and warm, patient interactions. Ask about the longevity of teachers as consistency provides a secure base for children.Is the facility safe? Are outlets appropriately covered, is there a procedure for security at drop off and pick up times, is the [...]
Did You Know…· When children identify and recognize shapes they are practicing simple geometry, an important early math skill!· When children squeeze playdough they are developing the fine motor skills they will need for writing!· When you read nursery rhymes to your child you are helping him or her with their ability to sound out [...]
The best environment for children is where parents & educators communicate & work in a collaborative partnership. Schools should welcome parents as partners. Parents should connect with schools and teachers by communicating early, volunteering to help, and saying thank you!Here are some tips for a smooth start to the school year! Connect with teachers early! Volunteer [...]
