Thursday, July 31, 2008
U.S. Falling Behind in Education...
A couple days ago, the New York Times (July 29, 2008; "The Biggest Issue"), David Brook observed that the biggest issue in the campaign should be education. He commented on how for decades America had dominated the world in education, and that this edge “boosted productivity and growth”.
Then Brook observed… “But the happy era ended around 1970 when America’s educational progress slowed to a crawl. Between 1975 and 1990, educational attainments stagnated completely. Since then, progress has been modest. America’s lead over its economic rivals has been entirely forfeited, with many nations surging ahead in school attainment.
“This threatens the country’s long-term prospects. It also widens the gap between rich and poor….The pace of technological change has been surprisingly steady. In periods when educational progress outpaces this change, inequality narrows. The market is flooded with skilled workers, so their wages rise modestly. In periods, like the current one, when educational progress lags behind technological change, inequality widens. The relatively few skilled workers command higher prices, while the many unskilled ones have little bargaining power…. “
America rose because it got more out of its own people than other nations. That stopped in 1970. Now, other issues grab headlines and campaign attention. But this tectonic plate is still relentlessly and menacingly shifting beneath our feet.
What do you think? Do you agree with Mr Brook's opinion about education in our country?
A couple days ago, the New York Times (July 29, 2008; "The Biggest Issue"), David Brook observed that the biggest issue in the campaign should be education. He commented on how for decades America had dominated the world in education, and that this edge “boosted productivity and growth”.
Then Brook observed… “But the happy era ended around 1970 when America’s educational progress slowed to a crawl. Between 1975 and 1990, educational attainments stagnated completely. Since then, progress has been modest. America’s lead over its economic rivals has been entirely forfeited, with many nations surging ahead in school attainment.
“This threatens the country’s long-term prospects. It also widens the gap between rich and poor….The pace of technological change has been surprisingly steady. In periods when educational progress outpaces this change, inequality narrows. The market is flooded with skilled workers, so their wages rise modestly. In periods, like the current one, when educational progress lags behind technological change, inequality widens. The relatively few skilled workers command higher prices, while the many unskilled ones have little bargaining power…. “
America rose because it got more out of its own people than other nations. That stopped in 1970. Now, other issues grab headlines and campaign attention. But this tectonic plate is still relentlessly and menacingly shifting beneath our feet.
What do you think? Do you agree with Mr Brook's opinion about education in our country?
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
The Future of Early Childhood Education...
What will early education look like after President George W. Bush leaves office? The New America Foundation decided to try and find out. Hosting a forum with education advisers to both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, the nearly hour and a half discussion revealed much about how the two candidates might approach education for our youngest children.
The pending reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act will provide the next president an opportunity to substantially reshape federal education policy. To provide a preview of what that change may look like, the New America Foundation invited education advisers to the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to speak about their candidates' education policy agendas. Lisa Graham Keegan is a former Arizona superintendent of education who advises Sen. John McCain. Jon Schnur is former education adviser to President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Education Richard Riley, and an unofficial adviser to Sen. Barack Obama's campaign. Richard Lee Covin, director of the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at Teachers College, Columbia University, moderated the discussion.
Read more at the New America Foundation website...
What will early education look like after President George W. Bush leaves office? The New America Foundation decided to try and find out. Hosting a forum with education advisers to both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain, the nearly hour and a half discussion revealed much about how the two candidates might approach education for our youngest children.
The pending reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act will provide the next president an opportunity to substantially reshape federal education policy. To provide a preview of what that change may look like, the New America Foundation invited education advisers to the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates to speak about their candidates' education policy agendas. Lisa Graham Keegan is a former Arizona superintendent of education who advises Sen. John McCain. Jon Schnur is former education adviser to President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Education Richard Riley, and an unofficial adviser to Sen. Barack Obama's campaign. Richard Lee Covin, director of the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at Teachers College, Columbia University, moderated the discussion.
Read more at the New America Foundation website...
Daily Life in Child Care Setting...
The following is an interesting article from the Reliasun Information Information Network:
Daily Life in Your Day Care
How do you view the daily schedule that you maintain in your day care? How the time is used while you are the primary caregiver for those kids will say a lot about whether you see day care as essentially professional babysitting or as a time when the kids in your charge can grow and mature together. Now, we know that day care is not school. So you are not expected to run a curriculum and show substantial intellectual improvement in the children you care for. For the parents who leave their children with you there are only a few requirements and those are…
There are a number of great activities that hit several goals at once and are great ways for your day care workers to fill the hours during the day as the children are in your charge. A good activity is one that the kids enjoy and want to do again and again. When you announce "hey kids are you ready to….", you want to hear cheers and not groans. A good activity is one that works in a group setting. Not only does this encourage socialization, it makes keeping an eye on the kids much easier and takes maximum advantage of a few day care workers caring for many children. And a good activity is one that the kids grow and learn from. That learning doesn't have to be facts and figures like they will get in school. It should be values and social and problem solving skills that are every bit as valuable as facts as they grow older.
Circle time is a classic and a must have for any schedule you put together. There are so many things you can do with circle time that bring out the personalities of the kids. It's a relaxed format so if some children are shy, they can hang back. But as they see how much fun everyone is having, you will quickly see them beginning to come out of their shells as well. Some of the things your day care workers can do during circle time include songs, stories, role playing and group games.
When you set up your day care, you should have included both the space and the materials for arts and crafts. Young children love to make things. And the materials you need to excite that creative side of them are easy to keep in stock including clay, colors, construction paper, glitter, glue, child safe scissors and colors. One great way to give a day a feel of being part of something big is to have a theme that carries through play time, circle time and arts and crafts. For example, if your theme is dinosaurs, you can select games and stories with those characters and create crafts that the kids can do as well.
In addition to activates that can happen indoors, you may have wonderful outdoor activities you can take advantage of to get the kids out and about. Field trips can break up the tedium of week after week in the day care. You will integrate these organized activities with rest times and unstructured play as well as all of it is important. But if the day come to the end and you hear the words, "mommy, guess what we did", then you know you did a god job of providing fun and beneficial activities for the kids in your care.
The following is an interesting article from the Reliasun Information Information Network:
Daily Life in Your Day Care
How do you view the daily schedule that you maintain in your day care? How the time is used while you are the primary caregiver for those kids will say a lot about whether you see day care as essentially professional babysitting or as a time when the kids in your charge can grow and mature together. Now, we know that day care is not school. So you are not expected to run a curriculum and show substantial intellectual improvement in the children you care for. For the parents who leave their children with you there are only a few requirements and those are…
- Is my child safe with you?
- Do you know how to handle emergencies if my child has one?
- Is my child getting socialization skills?
- Is my child having happy and having fun at your day care?
There are a number of great activities that hit several goals at once and are great ways for your day care workers to fill the hours during the day as the children are in your charge. A good activity is one that the kids enjoy and want to do again and again. When you announce "hey kids are you ready to….", you want to hear cheers and not groans. A good activity is one that works in a group setting. Not only does this encourage socialization, it makes keeping an eye on the kids much easier and takes maximum advantage of a few day care workers caring for many children. And a good activity is one that the kids grow and learn from. That learning doesn't have to be facts and figures like they will get in school. It should be values and social and problem solving skills that are every bit as valuable as facts as they grow older.
Circle time is a classic and a must have for any schedule you put together. There are so many things you can do with circle time that bring out the personalities of the kids. It's a relaxed format so if some children are shy, they can hang back. But as they see how much fun everyone is having, you will quickly see them beginning to come out of their shells as well. Some of the things your day care workers can do during circle time include songs, stories, role playing and group games.
When you set up your day care, you should have included both the space and the materials for arts and crafts. Young children love to make things. And the materials you need to excite that creative side of them are easy to keep in stock including clay, colors, construction paper, glitter, glue, child safe scissors and colors. One great way to give a day a feel of being part of something big is to have a theme that carries through play time, circle time and arts and crafts. For example, if your theme is dinosaurs, you can select games and stories with those characters and create crafts that the kids can do as well.
In addition to activates that can happen indoors, you may have wonderful outdoor activities you can take advantage of to get the kids out and about. Field trips can break up the tedium of week after week in the day care. You will integrate these organized activities with rest times and unstructured play as well as all of it is important. But if the day come to the end and you hear the words, "mommy, guess what we did", then you know you did a god job of providing fun and beneficial activities for the kids in your care.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The Increasing Cost of Child Care...
According to a report recently released by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) entitled Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2007 Update, the price of child care is rising faster than the average rate of inflation.
The report, which provides typical prices of child care for infants and for four-year-olds in centers and family child care homes in each state reveals that over the course of a year, the average price of full-time center care for one infant and one 4-year-old child increased an average of 6.5 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively, almost twice the rate of inflation.According to the report, in 2007, the average price of full-time care for an infant in a center was as high as $14,591 a year. For a 4-year-old in a center, parents paid up to $10,787 a year for full-time care.
Parents of school-age children paid up to $8,600 a year for part-time care in a center.
Additionally, the report also found that average prices for full-time care for an infant in a family child care home were as much as $9,630, $9,164 for a 4-year-old, and $6,678 for a school-age child. While the report demonstrates that costs are lower for family child care homes, many of these providers are unlicensed, leaving the health and safety of children in these types of homes unknown.
"The cost of quality child care is out of reach for too many families," said Linda Smith, Executive Director of NACCRRA. "No parent should have to choose a poor-quality child care setting just because they cannot afford anything better for their children. It's time to increase our public investment in improving the quality of child care for all families."
In order to improve access to affordable, high-quality child care for all families, NACCRRA supports the reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides federal funds to states to help pay for child care and improve the quality of care.Reauthorization of CCDBG should include not only an increase in the amount of money to pay for child care slots, but also in the "quality set-aside," the amount of money that states use to improve the quality of care available to families. Additionally, NACCRRA recommends providing resources for planning and developing child care capacity to increase the availability of child care options for working families; reducing barriers in the subsidy administration process that prevent families from accessing assistance; ensuring that public pre-kindergarten programs are designed to meet the child care needs of working families, and improving federal and state tax codes to help families at all income levels pay for care.
Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2007 Update provides results from a 2008 survey of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) State Networks, which asked for the average 2007 prices charged by child care programs listed in CCR&R databases. Located in every state and most communities across the nation, CCR&Rs provide services in 99.3 percent of inhabited zip codes. CCR&Rs work with parents to connect them with the child care that meets their needs and with caregivers to help raise the quality of child care in their communities.
According to a report recently released by the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) entitled Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2007 Update, the price of child care is rising faster than the average rate of inflation.
The report, which provides typical prices of child care for infants and for four-year-olds in centers and family child care homes in each state reveals that over the course of a year, the average price of full-time center care for one infant and one 4-year-old child increased an average of 6.5 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively, almost twice the rate of inflation.According to the report, in 2007, the average price of full-time care for an infant in a center was as high as $14,591 a year. For a 4-year-old in a center, parents paid up to $10,787 a year for full-time care.
Parents of school-age children paid up to $8,600 a year for part-time care in a center.
Additionally, the report also found that average prices for full-time care for an infant in a family child care home were as much as $9,630, $9,164 for a 4-year-old, and $6,678 for a school-age child. While the report demonstrates that costs are lower for family child care homes, many of these providers are unlicensed, leaving the health and safety of children in these types of homes unknown.
"The cost of quality child care is out of reach for too many families," said Linda Smith, Executive Director of NACCRRA. "No parent should have to choose a poor-quality child care setting just because they cannot afford anything better for their children. It's time to increase our public investment in improving the quality of child care for all families."
In order to improve access to affordable, high-quality child care for all families, NACCRRA supports the reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides federal funds to states to help pay for child care and improve the quality of care.Reauthorization of CCDBG should include not only an increase in the amount of money to pay for child care slots, but also in the "quality set-aside," the amount of money that states use to improve the quality of care available to families. Additionally, NACCRRA recommends providing resources for planning and developing child care capacity to increase the availability of child care options for working families; reducing barriers in the subsidy administration process that prevent families from accessing assistance; ensuring that public pre-kindergarten programs are designed to meet the child care needs of working families, and improving federal and state tax codes to help families at all income levels pay for care.
Parents and the High Price of Child Care: 2007 Update provides results from a 2008 survey of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) State Networks, which asked for the average 2007 prices charged by child care programs listed in CCR&R databases. Located in every state and most communities across the nation, CCR&Rs provide services in 99.3 percent of inhabited zip codes. CCR&Rs work with parents to connect them with the child care that meets their needs and with caregivers to help raise the quality of child care in their communities.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Promoting Creativity in Children...
I came across this talk from Ken Robinson. It may be a few years old - but definitely interesting and relevant. What seems like an obvious way forward for education, seems to be a new idea for so many. Sir Ken Robinson, doesn't so much give a definitive view on what education should look like, but rather poses some reflective questions about education today. I have thought for a while, that early childhood education is on a good path to improvement.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the school system followed the lead of Early Childhood Education, by following children's interests, strengths and the tools that come so naturally to them, as a vehicle to teach them many of life's necessities. And along the way wouldn't children develop a passion for learning, because they are learning about things that interest them. And wouldn't it be great if assessment did not consist of a hall filled with rows of desks, shuffling papers, tension, stress, and a pass or fail. But rather wouldn't it be great if children could be encouraged through positive assessment practices, and scaffolded by teachers who are passionate because there are sharing their strengths and interests.
Because isn't it that which is important - the knowledge, skill and passion TO LEARN - and not the actual data we throw at them? Because the data we feed them today, will probably not be the data they need for tomorrow...Here's Ken Robinson's take from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design)
I came across this talk from Ken Robinson. It may be a few years old - but definitely interesting and relevant. What seems like an obvious way forward for education, seems to be a new idea for so many. Sir Ken Robinson, doesn't so much give a definitive view on what education should look like, but rather poses some reflective questions about education today. I have thought for a while, that early childhood education is on a good path to improvement.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the school system followed the lead of Early Childhood Education, by following children's interests, strengths and the tools that come so naturally to them, as a vehicle to teach them many of life's necessities. And along the way wouldn't children develop a passion for learning, because they are learning about things that interest them. And wouldn't it be great if assessment did not consist of a hall filled with rows of desks, shuffling papers, tension, stress, and a pass or fail. But rather wouldn't it be great if children could be encouraged through positive assessment practices, and scaffolded by teachers who are passionate because there are sharing their strengths and interests.
Because isn't it that which is important - the knowledge, skill and passion TO LEARN - and not the actual data we throw at them? Because the data we feed them today, will probably not be the data they need for tomorrow...Here's Ken Robinson's take from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design)
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Funding Reduction...
Attention Child Care Providers in Minnesota: The following is a request from the Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Association (MLFCCA):
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Points...
Attention Child Care Providers in Minnesota: The following is a request from the Minnesota Licensed Family Child Care Association (MLFCCA):
Dear MLFCCA Association Leaders and Friends,
Some of you may know that there has been an internal Department of Human Services decision to discontinue funding to non-direct care (which includes family child care associations) through service development grants. I have been in close communication with Ofelia Lopez at Department of Human Services to convince her to rescind this decision. Family child care associations are direct care and there is a long list as to how this could negatively impact professional development for child care providers and the children in their care. Ofelia has been open to revisiting the decision. She needs data and contact from you ASAP.
Please call and email Ofelia Lopez and Deb Swenson-Klatt with the number of members of your organizations and the number of providers you have trained as a family child care association for as far back as you have data. Let her know that you are part of the statewide system and a member of MLFCCA. The contact information is below. They want to hear directly from you to determine the number of providers and children this decision will impact. I have attached some talking points for you to use if you like. MLFCCA will be sending a formal letter shortly. Please share this with your members and associates. Ask them to call and write as well.
Ofelia Lopez 651-431-3866 ofelia.lopez@state.mn.us
Deb Swenson-Klatt 651-431-3862 deb.swenson-klatt@state.mn.us
Please act now. I think it would also be helpful to send your communication to Ann McCully, executive director of the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network at 651-290-9785 annm@mnchildcare.org and Fred Fuhrman of DHS at 651-431-3865 fred.fuhrman@state.mn.us.
Please feel free to send this request to any neighborhood groups, friends or providers you know. Thank-you for helping to preserve the family provider and their associations.
MLFCCA
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Points...
- Discontinuing funding to family child care associations will result in providers receiving less, not more professional development and training hours.
- In Minnesota, there is a longstanding history of grassroots licensed family child care providers, who through volunteer efforts, establish and maintain local area provider associations. Family child care associations have no staff, office space or admin costs. Funding them is funding direct care providers.
- For years, these innovative and self-supporting groups have met the local needs of licensed family child care providers by offering close to home training or even in-home trainings, peer mentoring and avenues of critical support and networking. Some provide additional supports such as new provider training and support, professional conferences and collaborations with local early childhood learning institutions.
- Discontinuing association funding is placing another barrier to accessing professional development. Barriers to application include English language issues, writing skills, lack of time and understanding in the complicated application process. Although there has been some attempt to offer clinics and training to help providers, they are too little, too late. For this reason, many of the state's 11,000+ providers rely on their local area provider groups and county associations to write grants and offer the supplemental training and support programs within their local groups.
- For provider groups without non-profit status, the annual service grant is the only funding option available to them.
- Countless family child care providers only receive professional development from their associations, food programs, and neighborhood groups; they will stop accessing more than the minimum required hours if this funding is stopped.
- Countless family child care providers look to their associations and neighborhood groups to write grants for their professional development. They will not write them as individuals.
- The CCR&R delivery system has only recently begun offering one 8 hour series training for family child care providers and this training has only been offered in one town in Minnesota. Family associations have offered a quality 16 hour series trainings (Essential Elements©) statewide, in fact, nationally, for many years.
- Do not take a step backward in raising standards for children. Rescind the decision to discontinue funding to family child care associations.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
The Value of Licensed Care...
A good article at DelewareOnline...
A good article at DelewareOnline...
What do you think? I believe that licensing is an important protection for children, but remember that simply being licensed is not a guarantee for quality child care.Would you take your child to an unlicensed pediatrician? Would you put your child on a school bus with an unlicensed driver? What about your day care provider? Would you entrust your child all day to an unlicensed, potentially hazardous provider?
Back in the day of Ward and June Cleaver, Dad went off to work and Mom stayed home. That just isn't the reality for many families today. To make ends meet, most mothers must work, and that makes day care a necessity. There are about 1,300 independent licensed home day care providers now serving Delaware families. Licensed providers follow state regulations, take training classes and have their homes inspected each year. But there are also many homes -- no one knows the number -- where child care is offered by people who have no licenses and no training, and who are not inspected or regulated. Unlicensed facilities, headed by operators with uncertain backgrounds, can pose a threat to every child in these homes. Right now, the state is unable to shut down these dangerous facilities effectively. They are difficult to track down and, once found, difficult to enforce any sort of regulation upon.
That's why our group of licensed independent day care providers has organized a political action committee to effect change throughout the state and to protect Delaware's young. The Delaware Childcare Awareness Network has a mission to educate parents, the public and lawmakers. Our objective is clear: "Helping Providers, Protecting Children."
Texas initiated a public awareness campaign to educate parents and caregivers after the tragic deaths of several children in unsafe unlicensed facilities. We don't want to wait for a tragedy in Delaware.
The Delaware Childcare Awareness Network is ready to partner with lawmakers, state agencies and parents to make changes and make sure Delaware kids in day care are as safe as they can possibly be.
Licensed facilities have many credentials that unlicensed facilities aren't likely to provide:
Completion of at least 60 hours of training in a variety of subjects, with a minimum of 12 hours of new training each year.
- CPR and First Aid certification every two years, and certification to administer medication.
- Successful completion of a criminal background check on themselves and all adult members of their households. Are you sure the "Uncle Charlie" at your day care isn't a sex offender?
- A home that has passed a professional electrical inspection, and is equipped with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers.
- At least one unannounced annual inspection by a
licensing specialist who also observes how the provider interacts with children
in her care.- A licensed provider who must keep records proving that children receiving care are up to date with immunizations, environment.
- A licensed provider who has liability insurance and pays income tax.
- A complaint mechanism, through the Office of Child Care Licensing.
- Also, payments to licensed providers qualify for employer-sponsored childcare reimbursement plans and for federal tax credits.
The Delaware Childcare Awareness Network is working to strengthen state laws to shut down unsafe, unlicensed providers and to educate parents about the benefits of licensed childcare. We encourage parents to learn as much as they can about their provider and about the law. By not following the law and paying under the table for your childcare, you are putting your children at risk.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a caregiver; making sure the provider is licensed is the best place to start.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Early Childhood Initiative...
From the moment a child is born, he or she begins developing cognitive skills.
According to the Bush Administration's Early Childhood Initiative, found at www.whitehouse.gov, developmental scientists have found that the brain obtains a great amount of information in the first year of life. Long before babies can talk, they are learning about language.
"By the time babies utter or understand their first words, they know which particular sounds their language uses; what sounds can be combined to create words; and the tempo and rhythm of words and phrases," the Bush Administration said.
The opportunity of success later in a child's life is greatly enhanced by the development a child undergoes early in life, according to the Bush Administration.
"For example, infants who are better at distinguishing the building blocks of speech at six months are better at other more complex language skills at two and three-years-of-age and better at acquiring the skills for learning to read at four and five-years-of-age," the Bush Administration said.
Adding that a child's ability to master the alphabet in kindergarten is an important indicator of what that child's reading level will be when he or she is in high school. Because of these factors, it is important for all children to be given early learning opportunities.
"When young children are provided an environment rich in language and literacy interactions and full of opportunities to listen to and use language constantly, they can begin to acquire the essential building blocks for learning how to read. A child who enters school without these skills runs a significant risk of starting behind and staying behind," the Bush Administration said.
Parent's are a child's first and most important teachers, according to the Bush Administration. For this reason, the Bush Administration said it is important for parents to be provided with support in educating their children.
"Efforts to improve early childhood learning will not work unless they involve States and school districts, which shoulder the primary responsibility for providing public education," the Bush Administration said.
"Since States and districts are directly responsible for student learning and achievement in school, preparing children to learn before they start school is in their best interest.
"This is particularly true now that the No Child Left Behind law requires standards and accountability for every school in America. Many States and districts have already taken concrete steps in recognition that, in order for students to succeed once they reach school, they must come prepared to learn."
From the moment a child is born, he or she begins developing cognitive skills.
According to the Bush Administration's Early Childhood Initiative, found at www.whitehouse.gov, developmental scientists have found that the brain obtains a great amount of information in the first year of life. Long before babies can talk, they are learning about language.
"By the time babies utter or understand their first words, they know which particular sounds their language uses; what sounds can be combined to create words; and the tempo and rhythm of words and phrases," the Bush Administration said.
The opportunity of success later in a child's life is greatly enhanced by the development a child undergoes early in life, according to the Bush Administration.
"For example, infants who are better at distinguishing the building blocks of speech at six months are better at other more complex language skills at two and three-years-of-age and better at acquiring the skills for learning to read at four and five-years-of-age," the Bush Administration said.
Adding that a child's ability to master the alphabet in kindergarten is an important indicator of what that child's reading level will be when he or she is in high school. Because of these factors, it is important for all children to be given early learning opportunities.
"When young children are provided an environment rich in language and literacy interactions and full of opportunities to listen to and use language constantly, they can begin to acquire the essential building blocks for learning how to read. A child who enters school without these skills runs a significant risk of starting behind and staying behind," the Bush Administration said.
Parent's are a child's first and most important teachers, according to the Bush Administration. For this reason, the Bush Administration said it is important for parents to be provided with support in educating their children.
"Efforts to improve early childhood learning will not work unless they involve States and school districts, which shoulder the primary responsibility for providing public education," the Bush Administration said.
"Since States and districts are directly responsible for student learning and achievement in school, preparing children to learn before they start school is in their best interest.
"This is particularly true now that the No Child Left Behind law requires standards and accountability for every school in America. Many States and districts have already taken concrete steps in recognition that, in order for students to succeed once they reach school, they must come prepared to learn."
Monday, July 21, 2008
Another Online Resource...
Well, I'm back from the National Association for Family Child Care Annual Convention in Chicago. As always, it was educational and a lot of fun. Its always great to meet some friends from across the nation who I only get to see about once a year at this time.
But, its back to work today... Things are starting to get back to normal, but for today I want to quickly share another online resource for you to look over...
ChildCare.gov is the official source for all US government child care information. It is a great site for parents, providers, and advocates. ChildCare.gov is a comprehensive online resource designed to link parents, child care providers, researchers, policymakers and the general public with Federal Government sponsored child care and early learning information and resources both quickly and easily.
Take some time and look through the links that are provided. I'm sure that you will find something useful...
Well, I'm back from the National Association for Family Child Care Annual Convention in Chicago. As always, it was educational and a lot of fun. Its always great to meet some friends from across the nation who I only get to see about once a year at this time.
But, its back to work today... Things are starting to get back to normal, but for today I want to quickly share another online resource for you to look over...
ChildCare.gov is the official source for all US government child care information. It is a great site for parents, providers, and advocates. ChildCare.gov is a comprehensive online resource designed to link parents, child care providers, researchers, policymakers and the general public with Federal Government sponsored child care and early learning information and resources both quickly and easily.
Take some time and look through the links that are provided. I'm sure that you will find something useful...
Monday, July 14, 2008
Everything Preschool...
Today I'd like to share another online resource... the website: Everything Preschool.
Everything Preschool was founded by preschool teachers and parents that were not satisfied with the amount of preschool information available on the web. For this reason we decided to found our own preschool site dedicated to being a complete source for all of your preschool needs.
This site contains over 30,000 early childhood education ideas separated into over 100 themes, 26 Alphabet Idea Sections, & Lesson Plans. There are activities, coloring pages, product reviews, project recipes, and more.
Check out Everything Preschool. I'm sure that you can find things to use in your child care program.
*******
This will be my last posting for the week. Tomorrow morning I am flying to Chicago to participate in the 18th Annual NAFCC (National Association of Family Child Care) Conference. This is always my favorite conference of the year. There are some great trainings and it is the only time that I get to see some of my friends and colleagues from around the country.
If you happen to be attending, look me up and say hi.
Today I'd like to share another online resource... the website: Everything Preschool.
Everything Preschool was founded by preschool teachers and parents that were not satisfied with the amount of preschool information available on the web. For this reason we decided to found our own preschool site dedicated to being a complete source for all of your preschool needs.
This site contains over 30,000 early childhood education ideas separated into over 100 themes, 26 Alphabet Idea Sections, & Lesson Plans. There are activities, coloring pages, product reviews, project recipes, and more.
Check out Everything Preschool. I'm sure that you can find things to use in your child care program.
*******
This will be my last posting for the week. Tomorrow morning I am flying to Chicago to participate in the 18th Annual NAFCC (National Association of Family Child Care) Conference. This is always my favorite conference of the year. There are some great trainings and it is the only time that I get to see some of my friends and colleagues from around the country.
If you happen to be attending, look me up and say hi.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Key Is To Build Reading Activity Into Routine...
From preschool forward, most teachers strongly urge parents to have their children read--or be read to--on a reading activity schedule throughout the year. This includes summer months, holiday breaks, or any time when school is out. It's easy to understand why. Children who maintain their reading skills or younger ones who are read to on a daily basis will be on target for back-to-school or back-to-regular routines in the fall. Those who don't typically have to pay catch-up in the classroom, which can set the stage for a challenging year.
Child care centers, in-home child providers, babysitters, and family members can do their part to foster a love of reading through fun reading activities. Parents should ask whether their day care center or care provider reads to children daily--and if not, ask them to start a story hour.
Older kids who no longer take naps often find enjoyment in reading right after lunch, traditionally considered "quiet time." Parents can set an hour each evening for books; older ones can read in their room, read to their parents, or even to younger siblings. Younger children always enjoy being read a story on a topic of interest to them.
The key is to always make the reading experience fun and a time to look forward to. Reading or a reading activity should never be perceived as a chore. What are things parents and child care providers alike should keep in mind to encourage reading?
Take advantage of weather by dangling the reading carrot in fun ways. Be adventurous and make it a game as to where you should read to your child and how. In warm weather, read next to a pond or lake, under a tree, by the pool, or even in the tree house. Be bold and carefree. One mother reads to her young child in their blow-up children's pool in the backyard during the summer months. Another mom finishes the much-anticipated daily trip to the park in the spring or fall by reading a book before they leave. Cold months can mix reading activities by having books about snowmen, snowfalls, winter holidays, or sports such as ice skating. Day care centers or child providers can add reading fun into the mix by tying it into a planned activity for the week. If the theme for the week is "Under the Sea," then the books can be about the ocean or fish.
Consider a reading series. There are countless book series tailor made for your child's age, and a good experience with one means there is a high likelihood your child will enjoy others about the same characters. There are series on action heroes and princesses, popular characters such as Bob the Builder, the classic Dr. Suess collection, and about young heroes and heroines. There are series about beginning school for the first time or about going on vacation. Older children like series such as Harry Potter.
Build reading into the schedule. Parents and child providers can and should build a reading activity into the daily schedule. While evening or before-bedtime are popular times to read, reading after breakfast or before children go to an activity, sets a routine that most children embrace. Providers can set a daily story time and let parents know what book is being read and how it matches enrichment and learning activities for the week.
Plan ahead with exciting books on vacation. Vacation is a prime time for reading enjoyment, when family is together and fun is in the plans. Reading is a great activity for around the pool or in the hotel room in the evening.
Build a reading activity into life's planning. Children of all ages should learn the connection between reading and knowledge. If your family is adding a flower bed, have children read about how to prepare a bed and what flowers and shrubs are optimal for the area of the country and whether it is in sun or shade. Getting a new family pet? Read up on varieties of dogs, care required, and even stories about children and their pets first. Traveling somewhere? You guessed it, read all about your destination first and you and your children will have the added benefit of knowing more about the area when you arrive.
Involve the entire family. Studies show that moms have the tendency to read more to their children then dads, robbing both children and fathers of positive reading experiences. Make reading time with dad or grandpa a priority. Dads read books aloud with children differently then moms do, and children will flourish with the perspective and experience of both.
Ask for your child's feedback. Evaluation and discussion is an important part of a positive book-reading experience. Ask your child simple questions, such as: Did you like the book? Why or why not? Who was your favorite character? What was your favorite scene? Did you like how it ended? Would you like to read it again someday? Don't be surprised if your child wants to re-read the same book again! That means you did your job well and helped foster a love of reading.
From preschool forward, most teachers strongly urge parents to have their children read--or be read to--on a reading activity schedule throughout the year. This includes summer months, holiday breaks, or any time when school is out. It's easy to understand why. Children who maintain their reading skills or younger ones who are read to on a daily basis will be on target for back-to-school or back-to-regular routines in the fall. Those who don't typically have to pay catch-up in the classroom, which can set the stage for a challenging year.
Child care centers, in-home child providers, babysitters, and family members can do their part to foster a love of reading through fun reading activities. Parents should ask whether their day care center or care provider reads to children daily--and if not, ask them to start a story hour.
Older kids who no longer take naps often find enjoyment in reading right after lunch, traditionally considered "quiet time." Parents can set an hour each evening for books; older ones can read in their room, read to their parents, or even to younger siblings. Younger children always enjoy being read a story on a topic of interest to them.
The key is to always make the reading experience fun and a time to look forward to. Reading or a reading activity should never be perceived as a chore. What are things parents and child care providers alike should keep in mind to encourage reading?
Take advantage of weather by dangling the reading carrot in fun ways. Be adventurous and make it a game as to where you should read to your child and how. In warm weather, read next to a pond or lake, under a tree, by the pool, or even in the tree house. Be bold and carefree. One mother reads to her young child in their blow-up children's pool in the backyard during the summer months. Another mom finishes the much-anticipated daily trip to the park in the spring or fall by reading a book before they leave. Cold months can mix reading activities by having books about snowmen, snowfalls, winter holidays, or sports such as ice skating. Day care centers or child providers can add reading fun into the mix by tying it into a planned activity for the week. If the theme for the week is "Under the Sea," then the books can be about the ocean or fish.
Consider a reading series. There are countless book series tailor made for your child's age, and a good experience with one means there is a high likelihood your child will enjoy others about the same characters. There are series on action heroes and princesses, popular characters such as Bob the Builder, the classic Dr. Suess collection, and about young heroes and heroines. There are series about beginning school for the first time or about going on vacation. Older children like series such as Harry Potter.
Build reading into the schedule. Parents and child providers can and should build a reading activity into the daily schedule. While evening or before-bedtime are popular times to read, reading after breakfast or before children go to an activity, sets a routine that most children embrace. Providers can set a daily story time and let parents know what book is being read and how it matches enrichment and learning activities for the week.
Plan ahead with exciting books on vacation. Vacation is a prime time for reading enjoyment, when family is together and fun is in the plans. Reading is a great activity for around the pool or in the hotel room in the evening.
Build a reading activity into life's planning. Children of all ages should learn the connection between reading and knowledge. If your family is adding a flower bed, have children read about how to prepare a bed and what flowers and shrubs are optimal for the area of the country and whether it is in sun or shade. Getting a new family pet? Read up on varieties of dogs, care required, and even stories about children and their pets first. Traveling somewhere? You guessed it, read all about your destination first and you and your children will have the added benefit of knowing more about the area when you arrive.
Involve the entire family. Studies show that moms have the tendency to read more to their children then dads, robbing both children and fathers of positive reading experiences. Make reading time with dad or grandpa a priority. Dads read books aloud with children differently then moms do, and children will flourish with the perspective and experience of both.
Ask for your child's feedback. Evaluation and discussion is an important part of a positive book-reading experience. Ask your child simple questions, such as: Did you like the book? Why or why not? Who was your favorite character? What was your favorite scene? Did you like how it ended? Would you like to read it again someday? Don't be surprised if your child wants to re-read the same book again! That means you did your job well and helped foster a love of reading.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Ten Ways to Make Time For Your Children...
Spending quality time with your children is essential to not only your child’s health and well-being, but also your own. Parents feel that their responsibility is to work hard and provide a decent living for their family. While there is no question that that is important, we also need to pay attention to the relationship with our children. I am often asked what can be done to spend more quality time with the children.
First, you need to realize that children define quality time by quantity... it's not what you are doing together or that the activities must be elaborate, but simply that you are spending time together.
Here are the 10 ways to make some time for your children:
1. Commit to a family mealtime each day.
Setting aside time to sit down as a family and share a meal is very important. Eliminate any distractions, such as the television or the newspaper, so you can focus on having some quality conversation. It may be difficult to always be home in time for dinner but don’t let that stop you. Maybe you can share breakfast on some days before you head to work and the kids leave for school. Or maybe it can be something as simple as a special dessert time after dinner if you cannot get home in time for dinner. Be creative.
2. Write your children’s activities into your schedule book - in ink!
You might not feel like the occasional baseball game or dance competition is that big of a deal, but this is something that is important to your child and your presence demonstrates that they are important to you as well. Is that late work meeting really more important than the excitement your child feels when they see you in the crowd? Book their events on your calendar and treat their “meeting” just as you would if you were meeting with your boss.
3. Identify one thing on your weekly schedule you can do without and replace it with kid time.
Do you really need to see the new episode of Lost? Look at the variety of ways that you spend your time right now and find something that can take a backseat to spending time with your child. Honestly evaluate how important each activity is during the week and ask yourself if your time would be better spent building a stronger relationship with your son or daughter.
4. Take one of your children along when you run errands.
While your kids might not always want to run errands, you can spend some great time together running around town. The time in the car offers a great chance to talk about things such as school or whatever is on their mind. Face-to-face conversation can sometimes be too intimate for your children to feel comfortable sharing all of their thoughts. When you are focused on driving, you may find that your kids will never stop talking.
5. Volunteer to participate in a regularly scheduled child activity, such as coaching a softball team or helping with a school activity.
Your kids will enjoy your mere presence at their activities, they will really enjoy the time you can spend with them as a coach or participant. Even if you are not able to devote the time to coaching one of your kid’s activities, you can have the chance to participate at their school in a variety of ways.
6. Identify one children’s show on TV that you secretly like to watch and make a point of watching it with your child.
Just one? Seriously, there are quite a few children shows that even adults really enjoy. Find a show that you all enjoy watching. The family shows tend to have quality family lessons and can provide quite a few topics to discuss with your children.
7. Develop an interest in a hobby you and your child can enjoy together.
There is nothing better than spending time with your child doing something that you both love. There are endless opportunities as to what you can do together - fishing, biking, basketball, etc.
It really doesn’t matter which hobby you share, as the real goal is to just have time to bond together.
8. If your work requires that you travel, take one of your children along with you when your business trip can be extended into a long weekend.
Depending on the age of your child, this may be rather difficult but not out of the question. The largest obstacle would be to find someone that can watch your child while you are occupied with work. If you’re visiting another office from your company, maybe they have an on-site daycare. You may also be able to talk to who you are visiting and request that your child be permitted to accompany you as long as they behave professionally.
9. If your work schedule is flexible, start your work day earlier so you can get home earlier in the afternoon to be with your family.
Flexible schedules are a great way to make additional time to be with your kids. You can start the day earlier to be home earlier, or maybe spend the morning with your kids and work a little later.
10. Leave your work, cellular phones and pagers at home when you go on family vacations and outings.
Technology can be a life saver - but it can also hamper your relationships. You need to be conscious of not allowing technology to rule your life.
Get Involved With Your Children
There are many ways to get involved with your children. Whether it be one of these ten suggestions or something else that you have discovered, get out there and be an active part of your child’s life.
Spending quality time with your children is essential to not only your child’s health and well-being, but also your own. Parents feel that their responsibility is to work hard and provide a decent living for their family. While there is no question that that is important, we also need to pay attention to the relationship with our children. I am often asked what can be done to spend more quality time with the children.
First, you need to realize that children define quality time by quantity... it's not what you are doing together or that the activities must be elaborate, but simply that you are spending time together.
Here are the 10 ways to make some time for your children:
1. Commit to a family mealtime each day.
Setting aside time to sit down as a family and share a meal is very important. Eliminate any distractions, such as the television or the newspaper, so you can focus on having some quality conversation. It may be difficult to always be home in time for dinner but don’t let that stop you. Maybe you can share breakfast on some days before you head to work and the kids leave for school. Or maybe it can be something as simple as a special dessert time after dinner if you cannot get home in time for dinner. Be creative.
2. Write your children’s activities into your schedule book - in ink!
You might not feel like the occasional baseball game or dance competition is that big of a deal, but this is something that is important to your child and your presence demonstrates that they are important to you as well. Is that late work meeting really more important than the excitement your child feels when they see you in the crowd? Book their events on your calendar and treat their “meeting” just as you would if you were meeting with your boss.
3. Identify one thing on your weekly schedule you can do without and replace it with kid time.
Do you really need to see the new episode of Lost? Look at the variety of ways that you spend your time right now and find something that can take a backseat to spending time with your child. Honestly evaluate how important each activity is during the week and ask yourself if your time would be better spent building a stronger relationship with your son or daughter.
4. Take one of your children along when you run errands.
While your kids might not always want to run errands, you can spend some great time together running around town. The time in the car offers a great chance to talk about things such as school or whatever is on their mind. Face-to-face conversation can sometimes be too intimate for your children to feel comfortable sharing all of their thoughts. When you are focused on driving, you may find that your kids will never stop talking.
5. Volunteer to participate in a regularly scheduled child activity, such as coaching a softball team or helping with a school activity.
Your kids will enjoy your mere presence at their activities, they will really enjoy the time you can spend with them as a coach or participant. Even if you are not able to devote the time to coaching one of your kid’s activities, you can have the chance to participate at their school in a variety of ways.
6. Identify one children’s show on TV that you secretly like to watch and make a point of watching it with your child.
Just one? Seriously, there are quite a few children shows that even adults really enjoy. Find a show that you all enjoy watching. The family shows tend to have quality family lessons and can provide quite a few topics to discuss with your children.
7. Develop an interest in a hobby you and your child can enjoy together.
There is nothing better than spending time with your child doing something that you both love. There are endless opportunities as to what you can do together - fishing, biking, basketball, etc.
It really doesn’t matter which hobby you share, as the real goal is to just have time to bond together.
8. If your work requires that you travel, take one of your children along with you when your business trip can be extended into a long weekend.
Depending on the age of your child, this may be rather difficult but not out of the question. The largest obstacle would be to find someone that can watch your child while you are occupied with work. If you’re visiting another office from your company, maybe they have an on-site daycare. You may also be able to talk to who you are visiting and request that your child be permitted to accompany you as long as they behave professionally.
9. If your work schedule is flexible, start your work day earlier so you can get home earlier in the afternoon to be with your family.
Flexible schedules are a great way to make additional time to be with your kids. You can start the day earlier to be home earlier, or maybe spend the morning with your kids and work a little later.
10. Leave your work, cellular phones and pagers at home when you go on family vacations and outings.
Technology can be a life saver - but it can also hamper your relationships. You need to be conscious of not allowing technology to rule your life.
Get Involved With Your Children
There are many ways to get involved with your children. Whether it be one of these ten suggestions or something else that you have discovered, get out there and be an active part of your child’s life.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Help For A Crying Baby...
Babies cry. Sometimes they cry a lot. Crying is the only way a baby can tell you what they need. They're not crying to be disobedient. In fact young babies are too immature to understand adult expectations. For instance, if your baby is crying and you tell them to stop and they continue to cry it's not because they're defying you. They are simply too young to understand your words. When a baby is crying they are sending you a message that they are either hungry, sleepy, need a diaper changed, or they're just being a baby.
A Baby Cries for Many Reasons:
Each baby is different.
Get to know me and what I need. Learn that I have different cries that mean different things. One cry means, I want to eat. Another means I want to do something else. By thinking about what I need, you can help me stay happy.
To help me stop crying:
Babies cry. Sometimes they cry a lot. Crying is the only way a baby can tell you what they need. They're not crying to be disobedient. In fact young babies are too immature to understand adult expectations. For instance, if your baby is crying and you tell them to stop and they continue to cry it's not because they're defying you. They are simply too young to understand your words. When a baby is crying they are sending you a message that they are either hungry, sleepy, need a diaper changed, or they're just being a baby.
A Baby Cries for Many Reasons:
I cry because there is something I want to tell you.
Sometimes I cry to tell you:
- I am hungry.
- I have a gas pain.
- I am too cold or I am too hot.
- something scared me.
- I am sick or I hurt.
- I am bored or I am lonely.
- there is too much noise.
- I am being held by too many different people.
- my diaper is wet and I need to be changed.
- I am tired. Sometimes I cry when
- I think you are feeling upset or grumpy. Sometimes I am just fussy because:
- I don't know how to settle down.
- I am in a bad mood.
Each baby is different.
Get to know me and what I need. Learn that I have different cries that mean different things. One cry means, I want to eat. Another means I want to do something else. By thinking about what I need, you can help me stay happy.
- Knowing what I don't like can help to prevent me from being fussy.
- Be sure to change my diaper if I am wet or dirty. Like most babies, I will need to be changed at least every 3 hours when I am awake.
- Make sure I am not too hot or too cold.
- Don't feed me more milk than I need. I will tell you when I have had enough.
- Don't feed me cereal or solid food without talking to my doctor first.
- Don't leave me in an infant seat too long. I like to do many activities. I may fuss to tell you that I want to do something else.
- I need to suck.
- Let me suck as much as I want to, either on a pacifier or my fingers.
- Try different pacifiers until I find one that I like.
- I need to learn that I belong to my parents.
- You can't spoil me at this age. When I learn that you will help me, I will cry less.
- Spend as much time with me as you can when I am awake.
- Touch, hold, hug, cuddle, and love me.
- Talk to me.
- Walk or rock me.
- Come to me as soon as you can when I cry.
- As a young baby, I need lots of sleep and quiet time.
- Let me sleep a lot if I want to.
- Place me in a quiet place. I don't like a lot of noise and I don't need a lot of visitors.
- As I get older, I will want to do more things with you.
- Play with me and talk with me.
- I will tell you when I am tired of doing something by fussing or turning my head away.
- I like a routine. Try to do things the same way and at the same time as much as possible.
- am wet or have a dirty diaper.
- am too hot or too cold.
- am hungry.
- am too full.
- need to burp.
- have a stomachache.
- am tired.
- could be upset by something you ate if you are breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding, avoid drinking coffee, tea, or cola and avoid eating spicy foods and foods that cause gas.
- Is there too much going on?
- Is there too much noise in the room?
- Are there too many people holding or touching me?
- Are people smoking around me?
- Am I sick?
- Do I have a fever?
- Am I vomiting?
- Have I had a bowel movement in a while?
- Do I have loose bowels or diarrhea?
- Do I have diaper rash or some other rash?
- Do I have a cold or runny nose?
- Am I pulling on my ears? This may be a clue that I have an ear infection.
To help me stop crying:
- pick me up and hold me.
- snuggle or wrap me in a blanket.
- talk or sing to me.
- play soft music.
- lower the lights.
- give me something to look at or something to play with.
- give me a pacifier.
- sit with me in a rocking chair.
- walk or dance with me.
- take me for a ride in the car or in the stroller.
If nothing works and I get on your nerves: put me in a safe place. Let me cry alone for 15 minutes.
Sometimes I get overtired and need a chance to settle down. Ask someone to come over and care for me while you take a break from me.
Never Shake Me!
No matter how upset or angry you feel, do not shake me. Shaking me can cause brain damage or even death.
I will outgrow this constant crying. Holding and cuddling me tells me that you love me and that you want me to feel better.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Raising an Intellectually Healthy Child...
What can I do to assist my child's intellectual development?
The most current brain research demonstrates that the earliest years of a child's life are the most critical for determining the child's future intellectual development. When a baby is born, her brain has incredible potential that can only be realized through adequate brain stimulation in early childhood. Is there a magic formula for developing high level thinking skills in children? There are some basic things that all parents can do to assure that their children have the greatest capacity for future learning.
Not only are these great tips for parents, but there are some wise concepts to put into practice for a child care business as well...
Talk to and listen to your child.
Even from before birth, we know that babies respond to sound. Newborn infants immediately respond to the voices of their parents. Talk directly to your child from birth. Look directly into their eyes and smile at them. Discuss with your child the world around her. Go for walks together or take trips and talk about what you see. When children learn to talk, listen carefully to what they say. Encourage them to ask questions and to wonder why. Ask what they think or how they feel about something.
Read to your child every day.
The best predictors of good future readers are parents who value books, who read in the presence of their children, and who read to their children on a daily basis. When children are old enough, allow them to choose the books you read to them. Repetition is good for them. As soon as your child learns the words in a book, he will help you read it. At first, he will fill in a few words and later he will add longer sentences. These are important beginning steps to learning to read.
Help children experience the world through all their senses.
Young children learn best by doing. They have to experience things in order to learn. Give them opportunities every day to smell, hear, see, feel, and taste. Even very young children can memorize facts, but true learning and thinking capacity come, not from rote memorization, but by actively engaged in the world around them. Every day children need opportunities to experiment and explore in a safe environment.
Help children develop a questioning mind.
Teach them to wonder why things happen the way they do. Don't always give them the answers directly but guide them in figuring things out. Ask questions such as, "What would happen if?" or "What do you think might happen next?" And then stop long enough to let them find out. Be cautious about responding so quickly that children don’t have opportunities to think and figure things out for themselves.
Make learning a positive experience for your child.
Sometimes in our efforts to help our children succeed, we put extreme pressure on them for academic achievement. We inadvertently add to the stress they feel in a competitive school environment. Learning is a normal process and brain stimulation should be a natural part of a child’s life. The development of cognitive skills begins at birth and you as a parent have a major role in building those skills. So relax, enjoy your child, and learn together.
What can I do to assist my child's intellectual development?
The most current brain research demonstrates that the earliest years of a child's life are the most critical for determining the child's future intellectual development. When a baby is born, her brain has incredible potential that can only be realized through adequate brain stimulation in early childhood. Is there a magic formula for developing high level thinking skills in children? There are some basic things that all parents can do to assure that their children have the greatest capacity for future learning.
Not only are these great tips for parents, but there are some wise concepts to put into practice for a child care business as well...
Talk to and listen to your child.
Even from before birth, we know that babies respond to sound. Newborn infants immediately respond to the voices of their parents. Talk directly to your child from birth. Look directly into their eyes and smile at them. Discuss with your child the world around her. Go for walks together or take trips and talk about what you see. When children learn to talk, listen carefully to what they say. Encourage them to ask questions and to wonder why. Ask what they think or how they feel about something.
Read to your child every day.
The best predictors of good future readers are parents who value books, who read in the presence of their children, and who read to their children on a daily basis. When children are old enough, allow them to choose the books you read to them. Repetition is good for them. As soon as your child learns the words in a book, he will help you read it. At first, he will fill in a few words and later he will add longer sentences. These are important beginning steps to learning to read.
Help children experience the world through all their senses.
Young children learn best by doing. They have to experience things in order to learn. Give them opportunities every day to smell, hear, see, feel, and taste. Even very young children can memorize facts, but true learning and thinking capacity come, not from rote memorization, but by actively engaged in the world around them. Every day children need opportunities to experiment and explore in a safe environment.
Help children develop a questioning mind.
Teach them to wonder why things happen the way they do. Don't always give them the answers directly but guide them in figuring things out. Ask questions such as, "What would happen if?" or "What do you think might happen next?" And then stop long enough to let them find out. Be cautious about responding so quickly that children don’t have opportunities to think and figure things out for themselves.
Make learning a positive experience for your child.
Sometimes in our efforts to help our children succeed, we put extreme pressure on them for academic achievement. We inadvertently add to the stress they feel in a competitive school environment. Learning is a normal process and brain stimulation should be a natural part of a child’s life. The development of cognitive skills begins at birth and you as a parent have a major role in building those skills. So relax, enjoy your child, and learn together.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Brain Development...
The experiences young children receive in the first three years of life are crucial to brain development. As your child receives loving care and stimulation, neural connections are formed between his brain cells. These connections form the wiring system of the brain. Your child's early experiences largely determine the strength and function of her brain's wiring system. Warm responsive parents, who cuddle and talk to their children and provide challenging learning experiences, promote healthy brain development for their children.
Brain Facts: Understanding the latest research
New technology allows the thorough study of the brain, like we've never seen before. These studies prove that a child's early development is determined by his daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone. Researchers now believe it is the plasticity of the brain, its ability to develop and change in response to the demands of the environment, that enables a child to learn to use computers, solve mathematical problems and learn foreign languages. In order to fully understand this information, we must first understand how a child's brain works and develops.
The experiences young children receive in the first three years of life are crucial to brain development. As your child receives loving care and stimulation, neural connections are formed between his brain cells. These connections form the wiring system of the brain. Your child's early experiences largely determine the strength and function of her brain's wiring system. Warm responsive parents, who cuddle and talk to their children and provide challenging learning experiences, promote healthy brain development for their children.
Brain Facts: Understanding the latest research
New technology allows the thorough study of the brain, like we've never seen before. These studies prove that a child's early development is determined by his daily environment and experiences, rather than genetics alone. Researchers now believe it is the plasticity of the brain, its ability to develop and change in response to the demands of the environment, that enables a child to learn to use computers, solve mathematical problems and learn foreign languages. In order to fully understand this information, we must first understand how a child's brain works and develops.
- Brain Facts: Understanding the lastest research
- What does this brain research mean
- The effect of abuse, neglect, and stress on brain development
- Brain development makes economic sense
- Glossary of brain terms
By taking the time to learn a bit about early childhood brain development, we can see the importance of quality care for even the youngest of children!
P.S. I hope everyone had a wonderful Independance Day and weekend. The weather here was warm, but still an enjoyable summer holiday.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Children Are A Good Investment...
Nationally, the 20-year projections of the prison population are based on the reading achievement of third-graders. This is sad and scary. It is sad that the future of our children is essentially determined by age 8 by a skill that is so fundamental that most of us take it for granted. It is scary that our policymakers have chosen to write these children off and invest in prisons to warehouse them.
Eighty-eight percent of children who have problems reading in first grade still have problems reading in fourth grade, and 74 percent of children who have problems reading in third grade still have problems reading in ninth grade. Children from the lower socio-economic status enter school with poorer skills in the major areas of development and learning. Average achievement scores for kindergarten children in the highest socio-economic group are 60 percent higher than those in the lowest socio-economic group. Nearly one-third of children in Kansas arrive at school without the basic skills needed for success.
There is a solution. We must invest in quality early childhood programs today. The 40-year longitudinal High/Scope study of Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Mich., found a benefit-cost ratio of $17 to $1 for investments in quality preschool programs for high-risk children. This results in an 18 percent annual rate of return. The public yield is a 16 percent rate of return in savings to the criminal justice system, crime victims and welfare payments. The children in the study gained higher educations and earned more money over their lifetimes, making them contributors to our society rather than users of the system.
I am not suggesting that we subject our 18-month-old toddlers to a volley of flashcards each morning between 9:30 and 10 a.m. The early childhood program must be developmentally appropriate. For the very young, focus on social-emotional development is the key. This means stable, secure relationships and language development. Between ages 3 and 5, emergent literacy skills can be introduced. The five key components of an early literacy program include a print-rich environment, oral language development, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness and writing. And, of course, the need for stable, secure relationships remains, as it does throughout our lifetime.
Investment in early childhood learning opportunities today will return millions in benefits to society over the next 20 years. We owe it to our children. Their futures and our society depend upon it!
Nationally, the 20-year projections of the prison population are based on the reading achievement of third-graders. This is sad and scary. It is sad that the future of our children is essentially determined by age 8 by a skill that is so fundamental that most of us take it for granted. It is scary that our policymakers have chosen to write these children off and invest in prisons to warehouse them.
Eighty-eight percent of children who have problems reading in first grade still have problems reading in fourth grade, and 74 percent of children who have problems reading in third grade still have problems reading in ninth grade. Children from the lower socio-economic status enter school with poorer skills in the major areas of development and learning. Average achievement scores for kindergarten children in the highest socio-economic group are 60 percent higher than those in the lowest socio-economic group. Nearly one-third of children in Kansas arrive at school without the basic skills needed for success.
There is a solution. We must invest in quality early childhood programs today. The 40-year longitudinal High/Scope study of Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Mich., found a benefit-cost ratio of $17 to $1 for investments in quality preschool programs for high-risk children. This results in an 18 percent annual rate of return. The public yield is a 16 percent rate of return in savings to the criminal justice system, crime victims and welfare payments. The children in the study gained higher educations and earned more money over their lifetimes, making them contributors to our society rather than users of the system.
I am not suggesting that we subject our 18-month-old toddlers to a volley of flashcards each morning between 9:30 and 10 a.m. The early childhood program must be developmentally appropriate. For the very young, focus on social-emotional development is the key. This means stable, secure relationships and language development. Between ages 3 and 5, emergent literacy skills can be introduced. The five key components of an early literacy program include a print-rich environment, oral language development, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness and writing. And, of course, the need for stable, secure relationships remains, as it does throughout our lifetime.
Investment in early childhood learning opportunities today will return millions in benefits to society over the next 20 years. We owe it to our children. Their futures and our society depend upon it!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Day care may make more sense than kindergarten
Everyone agrees that children should start the first grade with the social and intellectual skills needed for success. Both certified day care centers and public kindergarten programs contribute to the needed preparation.
However, it is interesting to compare the costs and benefits for these two approaches, as well as to consider the possibility that day care could address some of the English-as-a-second-language problems that confront the public schools later.
Kindergarten serves 5-year-olds with a half-day program for about three hours of education during one school year, or about 500 hours, at roughly $6,000 per child.
For most working moms, this isn’t much of a gift. The start and end of kindergarten isn’t likely to match their shifts. They will need to find child care for those days, weeks and months when the public school system is not open. Kindergarten isn’t going to save them any time or money.
The private care of preschool children is partly regulated by the state of Oregon. Someone who takes in a couple of kids is not regulated. As the number of children being cared for rises, so does regulation. Whenever more than 16 children are being cared for, the operation must satisfy strict standards and become a certified child care center. Staff must be qualified, facilities must be of high quality, and the programs must be safe and stimulating, both socially and mentally. I know of no study that shows that care at this level doesn’t yield the same benefits as an abbreviated kindergarten experience.
Let’s suppose that rather than telling parents that they have only one option, kindergarten, we give them a second. They can take $250 a month for 24 months as a subsidy for certified day care. The cost to taxpayers of each option would be roughly equivalent, and there would be three quick, positive effects:
Suppose we know a 4-year-old boy who speaks no English. We can wait until he reaches first grade and then employ a 50-year-old woman with 25 years of teaching experience and a master’s degree to work with him for a few hours a week. Or, metaphorically speaking, we can take him to a sandbox occupied by a half dozen 4-year-olds who speak English and leave him there, day after day. In three months, he’ll be communicating. In two years, he’ll be babbling like all the others.
There are problems with this scenario, of course. To attract the kids, we might have to offer a more attractive plan than we offer native-born English-speaking children, and that would understandably create a furor. In some neighborhoods, it may now be difficult to find enough English-speaking kids to make it work. Clearly, this is an idea that is jsut in the intitial thought stage...
But what do you think? Maybe kindergarten isn't early enough to start.
Everyone agrees that children should start the first grade with the social and intellectual skills needed for success. Both certified day care centers and public kindergarten programs contribute to the needed preparation.
However, it is interesting to compare the costs and benefits for these two approaches, as well as to consider the possibility that day care could address some of the English-as-a-second-language problems that confront the public schools later.
Kindergarten serves 5-year-olds with a half-day program for about three hours of education during one school year, or about 500 hours, at roughly $6,000 per child.
For most working moms, this isn’t much of a gift. The start and end of kindergarten isn’t likely to match their shifts. They will need to find child care for those days, weeks and months when the public school system is not open. Kindergarten isn’t going to save them any time or money.
The private care of preschool children is partly regulated by the state of Oregon. Someone who takes in a couple of kids is not regulated. As the number of children being cared for rises, so does regulation. Whenever more than 16 children are being cared for, the operation must satisfy strict standards and become a certified child care center. Staff must be qualified, facilities must be of high quality, and the programs must be safe and stimulating, both socially and mentally. I know of no study that shows that care at this level doesn’t yield the same benefits as an abbreviated kindergarten experience.
Let’s suppose that rather than telling parents that they have only one option, kindergarten, we give them a second. They can take $250 a month for 24 months as a subsidy for certified day care. The cost to taxpayers of each option would be roughly equivalent, and there would be three quick, positive effects:
- The thousands of families that now take their children to certified day care would be relieved of a $6,000 expense while they raise each child to the age of 6.
- The thousands more who are accepting lower-grade care because they can’t afford a certified day care center would save money, while their children would be better prepared for school.
- And for the untold thousands more who are leaving the workforce or moving out of their communities because they simply can’t get care for their kids, the new child care centers that would pop up around the state in response to this program would be a godsend.
Suppose we know a 4-year-old boy who speaks no English. We can wait until he reaches first grade and then employ a 50-year-old woman with 25 years of teaching experience and a master’s degree to work with him for a few hours a week. Or, metaphorically speaking, we can take him to a sandbox occupied by a half dozen 4-year-olds who speak English and leave him there, day after day. In three months, he’ll be communicating. In two years, he’ll be babbling like all the others.
There are problems with this scenario, of course. To attract the kids, we might have to offer a more attractive plan than we offer native-born English-speaking children, and that would understandably create a furor. In some neighborhoods, it may now be difficult to find enough English-speaking kids to make it work. Clearly, this is an idea that is jsut in the intitial thought stage...
But what do you think? Maybe kindergarten isn't early enough to start.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Increasing Access to Early Education...
An interesting article about a recent speech given by Bill Gates, Sr. about the importance of early childhood education...
Read the entire article in the San Jaun Journal.
An interesting article about a recent speech given by Bill Gates, Sr. about the importance of early childhood education...
We are born wired to learn.
By age 3, our brains have one trillion synapses — more than we’ll have in adulthood. By age 6, our brains are 95 percent the size of mom’s and dad’s.
We’ll spend 13 years in school preparing for college or the workplace. But it’s our first five years of life — those years before we ever set foot in a classroom — that have the most impact on our ability to learn, control our behavior and build relationships.
By age 5, we have the building blocks for success, or we have a tough road to hoe.
“The first five years have so much to do with how the next 80 turn out,” said William H. Gates Sr., co-chairman of Thrive by Five and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates was the guest speaker at the San Juan County Early Learning Leadership Luncheon, Friday in Mullis Community Senior Center. In attendance were educators, health and social workers, and business people from throughout the county.
The message: Investments in early learning pay huge dividends for children, families and society. By increasing the likelihood that children will be literate, employed and college-bound, we decrease school dropout rates, dependency on public assistance and trouble with the law.
The luncheon was sponsored by the San Juan County Early Learning Consortium, Thrive by Five and five county health and human services agencies. San Juan County is part of a regional partnership that has been awarded a grant to develop a business plan to make early childhood education available to all children.
Gates, whose Thrive by Five foundation has raised $10 million in two years to promote and support early childhood education, led the call for islanders to get involved locally in raising funds and building policy to ensure all children enter school ready to succeed.
Gates said Thrive by Five and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation believe all lives have equal value. The challenge is to ensure all children have access to what they need so they can lead productive lives.
Some 600,000 Washingtonians live in poverty, he said. A year of child care costs 50 percent more than tuition at Skagit Valley College. More than 50 percent of Washington children walk into a kindergarten classroom unprepared.
“It’s a moral failure and a policy disaster,” he said.
Gates pointed out how easily a child can fall behind. A child who did not have access to early childhood education and shares a kindergarten classroom with children who can read or write their ABCs can lose self-confidence early. If the child’s behavioral and social skills are not as developed as the other children’s, then the problem is compounded. The result is disinterest in school.
“Dysfunctional children grow up to be dysfunctional adults, and that leads to a dysfunctional society,” Gates said.
Studies bear out the success of early childhood education.
Some 123 children from low-income families in Ypsilanti, Mich., were followed from pre-school age through age 40; the number included children who had been randomly selected to attend Perry Preschool, a recognized program with well-trained teachers, daily classroom sessions and weekly home visits.
At age 40, almost 10 percent more of the group that had attended Perry owned their own home, compared to those that did not attend Perry. Twenty percent more earned more than $20,000 a year. Almost 25 percent more had a savings account. Twenty percent more graduated from high school on time and did not require special education.
In a similar study of children at a full-day, year-round program near Chapel Hill, N.C., almost 30 percent more of those that had attended the program didn’t repeat a grade, 20 percent more were non-smokers, and about 25 percent more attended a four-year college.
Gates said quality early learning programs offer up to a 16 percent return in the form of the child’s contributions to economic development and prosperity in adulthood. The Perry study showed a return of $17 for every $1 spent — an annual rate of return of 18 percent and a public rate of return of 16 percent.
Read the entire article in the San Jaun Journal.
