There seems to be much concern over kindergarten and the issue of readiness. With this in mind, I have read up on some of the considerations for kindergarten preparation. Kindergarten has changed in recent years. The controversy is how academic should kindergartens be? And how do young children learn? Due to pressures from parents and society’s need for higher test scores, curriculum from the higher grades has been pushed down to the lower grades and into kindergarten. This is when early childhood professionals get frustrated because we know that young children under the age of six learn differently from older children. Quoting from Betty Farber’s article “Getting your Child Ready for School”--
“Professional organizations, such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children, The Association of Childhood Education International, and the International Reading Association have voiced their concerns about the academic kindergarten programs. They say that schools are pressuring children to learn using methods that do not fit the ways young children learn best. They are concerned that many kindergarten children are subjected to formal reading programs in which there are unrealistic expectations for children to succeed; that too little attention is placed upon reading for pleasure, so that children do not associate reading with enjoyment; that little attention is given to children’s individual development and individual learning styles.”
Don’t be overly concerned with academics right now. Parents are already doing a great deal to ensure success in kindergarten for your youngster. You read to your children, you go on family outings, you model a love for learning, but most of all you are very involved in the lives of your children. This will make kindergarten a wonderful time for your child, and start him/her on the road to a good education.
For what it is worth, I believe the two skills needed for kindergarten are first, listening and following directions and secondly, good social skills. The rest will come as the children mature. Here are 10 skills that will help your child succeed in kindergarten:
Readiness for School*
Kindergarten readiness is most apparent in children who:
1. Feel capable and confident, and tackle new demands with an “I can do it” attitude.
2. Have an open, curious attitude toward new experiences.
3. Enjoy being with other children.
4. Can establish a trusting relationship with adults other than parents.
5. Can engage in physical activity such as walk, run, climb (children with handicaps can have a fine time in kindergarten if school and parents work cooperatively on necessary special arrangements).
6. Take care of their own basic needs, such as dressing, eating, and toileting.
7. Have had experience with small toys, such as puzzles and crayons.
8. Express themselves clearly in conversation.
9. Understand that symbols (such as a stop sign) are used to provide useful information.
10. Love books, stories, and songs and can sit still to listen.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Keep Halloween Safe
Keep Halloween Safe
by Michele R. Berman, MD
The fall is here. The days are getting shorter, the weather cooler. Which means of course, that the time of ghouls, goblins, and bags full of treats will soon be upon us. It seems a fitting time, therefore, to review some safety issues regarding the upcoming Halloween holiday.
First, regardless of age, children should never trick or treat alone! Smaller children should always be accompanied by an adult. Older children (particularly adolescents) should travel in groups. Stress to trick-or-treaters that they should only visit the homes of people they know. Take along a flashlight. Reflective stripes on costumes or trick or treat bags make children more visible. Stay on the sidewalks and away from traffic as much as possible.
Costumes should be comfortable and warm for outdoor trick or treating. Remember, it can often be quite cool (not to mention damp or rainy) after dark, so flimsy costumes will not afford much protection. If possible use makeup (hypoallergenic is best) to decorate a child’s face instead of a mask. If a mask is used, make sure the child can breathe easily.
Other Tips:
-Trick-or-treat during the daylight hours when possible.
-Give trick-or-treaters flashlights.
-Children should never trick-or-treat alone. Younger children should be with an adult, older children should travel in groups.
-Feed trick-or-treaters before they go out so they are not tempted to eat collected candy before it is inspected
By following these simple safety tips, Halloween will be a treat for the whole family.
by Michele R. Berman, MD
The fall is here. The days are getting shorter, the weather cooler. Which means of course, that the time of ghouls, goblins, and bags full of treats will soon be upon us. It seems a fitting time, therefore, to review some safety issues regarding the upcoming Halloween holiday.
First, regardless of age, children should never trick or treat alone! Smaller children should always be accompanied by an adult. Older children (particularly adolescents) should travel in groups. Stress to trick-or-treaters that they should only visit the homes of people they know. Take along a flashlight. Reflective stripes on costumes or trick or treat bags make children more visible. Stay on the sidewalks and away from traffic as much as possible.
Costumes should be comfortable and warm for outdoor trick or treating. Remember, it can often be quite cool (not to mention damp or rainy) after dark, so flimsy costumes will not afford much protection. If possible use makeup (hypoallergenic is best) to decorate a child’s face instead of a mask. If a mask is used, make sure the child can breathe easily.
Other Tips:
-Trick-or-treat during the daylight hours when possible.
-Give trick-or-treaters flashlights.
-Children should never trick-or-treat alone. Younger children should be with an adult, older children should travel in groups.
-Feed trick-or-treaters before they go out so they are not tempted to eat collected candy before it is inspected
By following these simple safety tips, Halloween will be a treat for the whole family.
Internet Exploring with Children
One of the main attractions in our classroom is the computer center. While some of the children know the games well enough to teach the teachers, others are learning along with us.
There is no doubt that this wide range of experience exists at home, too. Many parents wonder if there is anything beyond games for their preschool-age children. According to Carolyn Jabs, preschoolers can explore the Internet just like anyone else.
Here are a few of Jabs helpful hints that will make exploration easier for your family:
- Be prepared by exploring beforehand so you know where you’re going. Get recommendations from friends, family, magazines, etc.
- Respect the fact that young children have a low tolerance for the long waits encountered on the Net. Download software for them beforehand.
- Take advantage of the help available for parents including chat rooms and bulletin boards.
- Make Web surfing a parent-child activity that can be enjoyed together.
There is no doubt that this wide range of experience exists at home, too. Many parents wonder if there is anything beyond games for their preschool-age children. According to Carolyn Jabs, preschoolers can explore the Internet just like anyone else.
Here are a few of Jabs helpful hints that will make exploration easier for your family:
- Be prepared by exploring beforehand so you know where you’re going. Get recommendations from friends, family, magazines, etc.
- Respect the fact that young children have a low tolerance for the long waits encountered on the Net. Download software for them beforehand.
- Take advantage of the help available for parents including chat rooms and bulletin boards.
- Make Web surfing a parent-child activity that can be enjoyed together.
Humor
One of the pleasures of working with young children is observing their humor. What a delight! What four and five-year-olds see as funny is often strange to you and I. It’s important to have laughter and humor in the classroom.
Here are some ideas:
Here are some ideas:
- Reading funny stories and singing silly songs together. We can do more in this area by reading nonsense or “just for fun” books. We can help the children make a connection between humor, imagination, language, and creativity. When they write their own stories and act them out, humor surfaces and becomes more fun and meaningful.
- Using humor to deal with frustrating or difficult situations. Sometimes we can turn a stressful situation into a funny one.
- We must continue to support silly make-believe play. Encouraging the children to try out different voices and roles with the help of puppets, props, dress-up clothes, etc., will bring out their humor.
- Joining in the fun by being silly ourselves sends the message that being humorous is okay. We will always reinforce limits when necessary, but we adults need to show our fun side to the children.
- It is important to listen to children’s humor because it offers insight into their concerns. For example, too much joking about bad dreams may indicate a fear that needs to be dealt with, or silly rhyming could be carried over into storytime.
Home Literacy Environment: Phonological Awareness
One of the greatest predictors of early reading success is phonological awareness. This simply means that children know spoken words have a definite structure and can be broken down into smaller parts. They also have an awareness of rhythms, rhymes, and things that sound alike.
Chances are you already promote this important skill in your home.
Here are a few things you might be incorporating now if you’re not–give them a try!
- Reading or reciting Nursery Rhymes with your child.
-Playing the game, “I’m thinking of something..” For example, “I’m thinking of a word that starts with s-s-s-s-s-s. Its home is in the sky. It is bright and helps plants grow. What is it? The sun.”
- Sing a rhyming song together such as, “Five Little Monkeys.”
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his hear.
Mommy called the doctor
And the doctor said,
“No More monkeys jumping on the bed.”
- Clap the syllables in your child’s name or other interesting words.
- Substitute the words to favorite songs to words that begin with the same letter. Instead of Old MacDonald having a pig, he has a pigeon.
Chances are you already promote this important skill in your home.
Here are a few things you might be incorporating now if you’re not–give them a try!
- Reading or reciting Nursery Rhymes with your child.
-Playing the game, “I’m thinking of something..” For example, “I’m thinking of a word that starts with s-s-s-s-s-s. Its home is in the sky. It is bright and helps plants grow. What is it? The sun.”
- Sing a rhyming song together such as, “Five Little Monkeys.”
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his hear.
Mommy called the doctor
And the doctor said,
“No More monkeys jumping on the bed.”
- Clap the syllables in your child’s name or other interesting words.
- Substitute the words to favorite songs to words that begin with the same letter. Instead of Old MacDonald having a pig, he has a pigeon.
Does Your Home Encourage Learning?
Score two points for each statement that is “almost always true” of your home; score one point if it is “sometimes true”, score zero if it is “rarely or never true”.
- Everyone in my family has a household responsibility, at least one chore that must be done on time.
- We have regular times for members of the family to eat, sleep, play, work, and study.
- Schoolwork and reading come before play, TV, or even other work. I praise my child for good schoolwork, sometimes in front of other people.
- The family visits museums, libraries, zoos, historical sites, and other places of interest.
- I encourage good speech habits, helping my child to use the correct words phrases and to learn new ones.
- At dinner or some other daily occasion, our family talks about the day’s events, with a chance for everyone to speak and be listened to.
- I know my child’s current teacher, what my child is doing in school, and which learning materials are being used.
- I expect quality work and good grades. I know my child’s strengths and weaknesses and give encouragement and special help when needed.
- I talk to my child about the future, about planning for high school and college, and about aiming for a high level of education and vocation.
Helping Preschoolers Cope with Divorce
How was preschool today, Danny? I had fun, mom, but my friend Marsha was sad all day long. She said her mommy and daddy are getting divorced. She said her daddy is leaving because he doesn’t love her anymore. Will you and daddy get divorced?
You may be faced with the same situation that Danny’s mother had to confront. How well you handle the explanation can determine how well your child can react to his friend’s problem. You can reassure your child that you and his father have no plans to divorce, that you both love each other and him very much, and that you are going to continue living together as a family. You can explain that his friend’s parents will always be her parents, and will always love and take care of her, even if they don’t live in the same house. Although your first reaction as a parent might be to try to shelter your child from his friend’s painful experience, you can better help him become a more caring person by encouraging him to be extra friendly during this difficult period. You can try to explain that sometimes bad things happen to friends, even though they are nice people. When this happens, you can look for ways to help them feel better.
Children’s Reactions to Their Parents’ Separation
Divorce has emotional and behavioral consequences, even for well-adjusted preschoolers. Both long-term and short-term consequences are inevitable, but with proper understanding, much can be done at the time of divorce to help children adjust. Although most children do adapt eventually to the new family situation, the time of change is extremely stressful. Preschoolers will have different reactions to the news that their parents will be separating. Some of the following are reactions children might have to a divorce:
• Fear and Anxiety
• Sadness
• Conflict of Loyalty
• Guilt
• Regression
• Pseudo-adult Behavior
• Withdrawing from Play
Parents can do a great deal to help their children cope with divorce. For very young children, the most important factor in their adapting to divorce is the capacity of their parents to continue to be competent and attentive parents. Children adapt best to divorce when they can maintain contact with both parents and when a conflict in their parents’ relationship is minimized. To maintain contact with both parents in a meaningful way, children should be encouraged to feel that they will now have two families and two homes. They need to be reassured that their parents both love them and are committed to being their parents.
You may be faced with the same situation that Danny’s mother had to confront. How well you handle the explanation can determine how well your child can react to his friend’s problem. You can reassure your child that you and his father have no plans to divorce, that you both love each other and him very much, and that you are going to continue living together as a family. You can explain that his friend’s parents will always be her parents, and will always love and take care of her, even if they don’t live in the same house. Although your first reaction as a parent might be to try to shelter your child from his friend’s painful experience, you can better help him become a more caring person by encouraging him to be extra friendly during this difficult period. You can try to explain that sometimes bad things happen to friends, even though they are nice people. When this happens, you can look for ways to help them feel better.
Children’s Reactions to Their Parents’ Separation
Divorce has emotional and behavioral consequences, even for well-adjusted preschoolers. Both long-term and short-term consequences are inevitable, but with proper understanding, much can be done at the time of divorce to help children adjust. Although most children do adapt eventually to the new family situation, the time of change is extremely stressful. Preschoolers will have different reactions to the news that their parents will be separating. Some of the following are reactions children might have to a divorce:
• Fear and Anxiety
• Sadness
• Conflict of Loyalty
• Guilt
• Regression
• Pseudo-adult Behavior
• Withdrawing from Play
Parents can do a great deal to help their children cope with divorce. For very young children, the most important factor in their adapting to divorce is the capacity of their parents to continue to be competent and attentive parents. Children adapt best to divorce when they can maintain contact with both parents and when a conflict in their parents’ relationship is minimized. To maintain contact with both parents in a meaningful way, children should be encouraged to feel that they will now have two families and two homes. They need to be reassured that their parents both love them and are committed to being their parents.
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