Don't Take Away Hope

#6 Don't take away hope. Don't prepare for disappointment.

Children NEED their dreams. You might say "What does this have to do with their sense of independence?" but a child with a dream aspires to do what it takes to get there and make it happen. A child with a dream has motivation.

Maybe your child is a tad tone deaf and dreams of becoming a singer. Instead of dashing those dreams "Don't get your hopes up. There are a lot of talented voices out there," go with a response that speaks of something positive they DO display like "You'd have an awesome stage presence." Besides, dreams don't always live forever. I no longer want to be a ballerina. In fact, I never even took ballet. My parents gave me the ultimate gift of feeling like I could be successful at whatever I tried my hand at.

Our goal is self-governing people who CAN separate from us and function, living positive and happy lives no matter what they do!

Encourage Use of Outside Sources

#5 Encourage children to use sources outside the home.
It's ok to ask community members for help. We can seek information in a variety of ways (internet, library, personal experience, teachers, community helpers, professionals, etc.) Children need to be able to be "away" from their parents or caregiver and knowing whom to ask for help brings about confidence and security. Being able to ask for help when needed is huge! Knowing whom to ask is huge!

The result? Children feel empowered, and not completely dependent on us.

For example, a child inquiring about fire safety might be ready for a trip to the local firestation. A child interested in meerkats (C is!) can check out books from the local library. I want C to feel comfortable in certain situations and know when to raise a red flag. Being able to seek help or answers from others is a start.

#6 is big in THEIR minds. Wait for it and I think you'll see what I mean.

Asking Questions, Answering Questions

#3 and #4 refer to asking and answering questions so I've grouped them together.

#3 Don't ask too many questions.
This refers to the child feeling that questions are an invasion of privacy. I don't agree with this altogether, because sometimes asking questions IS necessary for you to gather information.

Try- Instead of a barrage of questions (HOW WAS SCHOOL? DID YOU HAVE ART? WHAT DID YOU MAKE? DO YOU LIKE THE ART TEACHER? HOW ABOUT THE COLOR BLUE?), ask in a way to invoke thought and response. There are going to be times children simply don't want to engage and that's OK! Anything that might invoke a response beyond YES or NO goes!

"Tell me something you enjoyed about your day..."

"Oh I see you had art today. How did that go?"

"You seem upset. I'm hear to listen if you need to talk about it..."

"I'd like to hear how your day went..."

"I'm interested in what you did at recess today..."

#4 Don't rush to answer questions.
Give children the opportunity to explore the answers to their own questions. Sometimes a pause or "Tell me what you think" goes a long way!

Stay tuned as #5 is tomorrow.

Give Information, Engage Cooperation

#2 Give information.
Giving information allows children to see for themselves what needs to be done. Giving information is just one of the ways to engage a child's cooperation:

a) DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE OR DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM.
"There are toys in the walkway."

b) GIVE INFORMATION.
"Someone might step on these toys and get hurt."

c) SAY IT WITH A WORD.
"The toys."

d) DESCRIBE WHAT YOU FEEL.
"I don't like tripping on toys."

e) WRITE A NOTE.
Please put me away so I'm safe from people's feet. Thanks, Your Toys

#3 and #4 coming tomorrow!

Encouraging Independence - Help Children Help Themselves

One of the books I've encountered since entering this field that I have a lot of praise for is How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish.

This book gives fantastic information on communication; I'm particularly partial to the section about encouraging children's sense of autonomy because I think it portrays my vision of what a parent and teacher can accomplish by NOT doing things for a child.

1. Help children to help themselves.
*Are we helping a child more by TELLING them how to put on a coat, or SHOWING them how to do it and then letting them try? If I put C's coat on for him, I took away a learning experience. When we let a little bit of struggle happen, learning is taking place. The child gets pride in accomplishment AND the courage to persist the next time. If I put C's coat on for him, I took away a learning experience.

See tomorrow's post for #2!

Generating Rhyming Words - Down by the Bay

"The ability to recognize and generate rhyming words will eventually help children to use known words to decode new words." Literacy and the Youngest Learner by V. Susan Bennett-Armistead

A catchy little song that provides opportunity for generating rhymes is
"Down by the Bay":

Down by the bay

Where the watermelons grow

Back to my home

I dare not go

For if I do

My mother will say

Have you ever seen _____ wearing _____

Down by the bay


Have children help you fill in the blanks! Silly huh? Give these a go:

Have you ever seen a _____ eating a _____
Have you ever seen a _____ walk with a _____

The popular song is also available in book form. Thanks Raffi!
Down by the Bay (Raffi Songs to Read)

It Looked Like Spilt Milk

Just want to recommend a book that might inspire a few activities this summer. It's called "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" by Charles G. Shaw and published by HarperFestival.

*Extension: Cloud watching.

*Extension: Paint white paint on blue paper and then fold it in half. What does it look like now?

Adopt a Tree

Meet my adopted tree, above. At first, I was a little hesitant to jump on this activity as a preschool activity, but I realize it's important to show children change over time. Select a tree nearby that you can observe throughout a year. It can be informal, as in talking about it each time you walk by. Or you can be formal "scientists" taking samples, collecting measurements, researching it, taking its picture, drawing it, and even getting crayon rubbings of the bark and leaves.

A fun book to read with this activity is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Harper & Row, 1964.

100 Books Every Child Should Hear Before Kindergarten

Our local libraries compiled a list of 100 quality children's books to read with children to help them develop their Early Literacy Skills. I couldn't find the exact same list online, but it close to this. It's a great resource- even printable! For those of you who will have kindergarteners this fall, take advantage of a whole summer of reading opportunities.

http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/booklist/booklist.asp?printme=1&iam=100prek

Blueberries For Sal

Today we read Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey.

In this classic picture book, little Sal becomes so involved in her blueberry picking, she doesn't notice that she's following the wrong mother - an equally startled mother bear! "Amusing and suspenseful and entirely childlike in appeal." - Booklist

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!

Meet math standards: Number and Operations
*Computation
*Adding and subtracting
*Using objects to computer; using mental computation

((We used pony beads and a small metal pail from Target's Dollar Spot.))

Ask the child to listen as you drop a number of blueberries into the bucket one at a time. How many are in the bucket? Pour and count.

Add a small number to that. Pour and count.

Divide the blueberries into two or three groups and have the child pick which group has the most and which group has the least. Try it several times.

Have the child drop one blueberry at a time into the bucket and count out loud. How high can you count?

Write a numeral (for younger children) or a number sentence (such as 3+4 for older children). See if the child can put the right amount into the bucket.

Go Beyond a Book Today

It's raining. It's pouring.
Staying inside can be boring.
Picked out a book.
About a cook.
Now the kitchen we are touring!

Today I challenge you to go beyond a book. Read one of your favorites and then choose an activity to do that goes with it. We read Jake Baked the Cake by B.G. Hennessy today, and now we're going to make paper chefs hats and I think I'll even let my little chef join me in making dinner tonight. It's easy to extend the learning beyond a book. Read a book about construction workers and build a tower of blocks or paper cups. Read about bugs and go find some to observe. Read about fish then make your way to the pet store. See how easy this is?

Come back and share what you did here so we can bounce ideas off of each other!