Toddler's Creed

If I want it, it's mine.

If I give it to you and change my
mind later, it's mine.

If I can take it away from you, it's mine.

If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

If it's mine, it will never belong to
anybody else, no matter what.

If we are building something
together, all the pieces are mine.

If it looks just like mine, it is mine.

Anonymous

Good Old Paper Chains

Making paper chains is an activity that is remarkable popular with children and incorporates the concept of pattern and sequence.

Materials
colored or white paper, cut into strips (any width or length)
pencils, crayons or markers
tape
Process

1. Draw strips of paper with designs (Adult help may be needed.
2. Stack the strips of paper into piles according to similar colors or designs.
3. Tape the ends of one strip of paper together into a loop.
4. Slip another paper strip through the center of the first loop and tape the ends to form another link of the paper chain.
5. Create a pattern by repeating colors or decorations until the paper chain is any length desired.

Games That Develop Skills In Following Directions

Stop When The Music Stops
How to Play:
On the keyboard play a simple tune, or tap a rhythm on a drum or other object. At times play very softly so the children have to listen attentively. The children walk to the music , but stop instantly when you stop. They have to stop in whatever position they find themselves.

Do What The Puppet Does
How to Play:
Hold a puppet or doll in your hands; it should face you as the children do. When you make the puppet jump up and down, the children must imitate it exactly. When the puppet lift its left arm or leg, the children should imitate. Continue and be creative. While children enjoy the challenge of copying the puppets action, these games also help develop a sense of direction.

Command Game
This game not only develops the ability to listen well, but also teaches children to remember a sequence of verbal commands.
How to Play:
You begin by asking children to play the command game. Say to one child, "Go to my desk, get the stack of papers, and give one paper to each child. Then go back to your child and sit down." At home, parents can say, "Listen carefully. I want you to close the bedroom door, turn off the T.V. and then come sit next to me on the floor in front of me." The child must follow your "commands" in the exact order you gave them.

Games That Develop Listening Skills and Concentration

Listening Game
How to Play:
Ask child to close their eyes. They must tell you what noises they hear from the street and who makes them: the honking of a car, people talking, the chirping of birds, the motor of a lawn mower, the barking dog, etc. This game requires no preparation and is a great favorite with young children.

What Made The Noise?
How to Play:
Place several objects such as pencil, spoon, cup, pot, piece of paper, and wooden spoon on a small table. Ask one child to close his eyes. Make a noise by tapping the pencil against the table and ask him how you made the noise. Or ring the spoon against the pot. or later rustle the piece of paper. Ask, "How did I make the noise?"

Tapping A Rhythm
How to Play:
Tap simple rhythms on a drum or with a wooden spoon on a pot and ask your child to repeat it. Start with no more than two or three taps so that the child will be successful when they imitate you.

Where Is The Alarm Clock?
How to Play:
Take a small alarm clock or timer that ticks loudly and hide it. Children should find it by listening for the ticking. After a while, you can make the game more difficult by extending the realm of the room.

The Public Library

The public library is a source of tremendous opportunities for children. In addition to making thousands of books available to them, public libraries host puppet shows, storytelling hours, travel documentaries, guest speakers, movies based on literature, and a vast variety of activities that are designed to educate, inform, and entertain----all for free!

The following activities will help students, and their parents, become familiar with their local libraries:

1. It's all happening... at the library. What does your public library offer? Involve students in a "fact-finding mission" to learn what activities and events their local library hosts. Have students advertise monthly events through a school newsletter, announcements, and "billboards."
2. Calendar of events. Select students each month to create a calendar of events bulletin board. Select a strategic location for the bulletin board, such as the cafeteria, so that all students will be sure to see it. Copies of the calendar can be sent home for parents as well. Encourage students to evaluate the activities and select those events they would like to attend.
3. Library field trip. Arrange a tour of the local public library. The tour should include an explanation of the organization of the library and procedures for checking out materials. Allow time for children to browse through the aisles of books searching for those that capture their interest. If a child is having difficulty finding a book, suggest appropriate materials. To check out books, students will need their own library card. Most libraries require that the parents of minors fill out and sign a special form since the parent is ultimately responsible for anything borrowed from the library. Before the field trip, determine what procedures your library follows, and send parents appropriate forms to be completed if their child does not have a library card.
4. Scavenger hunt. Prepare a scavenger hunt (appropriate for your students' abilities) that asks the students to locate certain materials in the library. Divide students into teams. Allow groups to discuss what they found and how they went about finding each item
5. Guest librarians. Invite local librarians to your classroom for a "story-sharing session" to introduce students to specific books, either on a selected theme or that are new to the library.

(Liz Rithlein, Anita Meyer Meinbach)

Children Learn What They Live

He didn't tell me how to live, he lived and let me watch him do it.

~ Clarence Budington Kellard

Pretty Wings: Urania Moth

It all started with the entrance of a moth that looked like a butterfly. My brother in-law was leaving my home and in swooshed a butterfly-like moth. We had been studying butterflies earlier in the summer so needless to say the children were flabbergasted. They begin to leap and shout with excitement.

The following day the moth (butterfly) was still there and we put it in a large clear container to observe it. The children and I went to the computer to research exactly what kind of moth it was. We learned that it was a Urania Moth. This moth is brightly coloured like many butterflies and flies during the day.

I informed the children that the moth was a part of nature and we would have to set it free at the end of the day. One of the children asked if we could keep it longer. I used this experience to encourage the children to do some meaningful writing. I suggested that we write the moth (butterfly) a note to let him know how much we appreciated his visit.

Upon completion of our writing, we took the container to the back door, opened it and set him free. We waved good-bye to the Urania moth and he fluttered away gracefully.

Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits In Your Child

Parent s can do a lot to encourage healthy eating habits in their children that will last the child's lifetime. The foods served to children should help them to grow strong and healthy. If children fill up on foods that are high in fat and sugar, such as cookies, chips, or sugary drinks, there will be little room left in their stomachs for foods that promote better health. It is best to limit high fat and sugar foods so they make up the smallest part of what your child can choose to eat.

Sometimes it may seem that your child just does not want to eat any healthy foods. But there are lots of ways to move your child toward healthier eating. Here are a few ideas:

1. You can be sure to serve plenty of your child's favorite foods that are not high in sugar and fat.
2. You can introduce new foods gradually and encourage but never force your child to taste them.
3. You can substitute similar more healthy foods for your child's less healthy favorites. Children who like chips which are crunchy, may also like crunchy crackers, celery,or low-sugar dry cereals. Children who like the sweetness of candy will often like toast with low-sugar fruit spread. Children who like ice will usually enjoy low-fat frozen yogurt or frozen juice popsicles just as much. Plain cereal with fresh fruit can often replace sugary cereals.
4. You can act as a good example by eating foods that are low in fat and sugar.

Teaching Children How to Handle Books

Model, model, model! Demonstrate how to pick up a book, how to open a book, how to turn pages, and how to return a book to the book case. If you talk about how much you value books, how preciously they should be treated, children will learn to do the same.

Allow children to practice! The only way children can learn to handle books responsibly is to spend time holding and reading books. If children are very young, or have no prior experience with books, begin with board books, which are more durable.

Involve the children in developing book handling rules, then write and post them in the library corner. Phrase the rules in positive language: "We handle the books with clean hands" rather than "Don't get the books dirty." Review the rules and demonstrate book handling frequently.

Make "librarian" a classroom job. The librarian can help put the books away, keep them neatly arranged on the book case, and place "hurt" books in the "Book Hospital" or other special box to be repaired.

Remember: Being able to handle books independently allows children to "read" the books themselves, using words they remember from being read to. These activities improve verbal abilities. Children who are not allowed to handle books will be far less likely to seek out books for entertainment or information.

(Children'sLiteracyInitiative)

Anatomy of a Student Portfolio

The most important criteria in choosing what items to include in a portfolio is what is relevant to the individual classroom teacher and the child:

1. Anecdotal records
2. Writing samples
3. Journals
4. Conference records for reading and writing
5. Reading checklist
6. A list of books read to students
7. Tape recordings of child reading or pretending to read
8. Samples and photographs from activities
9. Lots and lots of art work
10. Other work that shows a developmental process
11. Student sign-in sheets
12. Observations in social situations such as the playground or dramatic play center
13. Interest inventory

Creative Gift Ideas for Young Children

Remember back when you were a child? Gifts were so simple; sometimes homemade and yet you could play with it for hours and hours. Now that we are in a recession and most families are trying to prioritize to save money. I often find myself playing the "tier" of need and want game. One of the areas where I found I could cut corners without it being too devastating was gift-giving to young children. There are so many occasions where I provide gifts for young children (i.e. Birthdays, Easter, Christmas, etc.).

I started to reminisce about the gifts and/or toys I received from teachers, aunts, friends, etc. They were no way near as extravagant as the gifts I have seen young children receive today. However, they were meaningful and appreciated. Because most young children are not too difficult to please and their imagination is never ending, following are a few gift ideas that is inexpensive but practical. They are sure to be a winner.

• A plain white T-shirt or tote created especially by you or provide the fabric paints and/or markers fro them to create their own.


• A memory game created out of special occasion photos, or old school photos (use color copier to make duplicates).


• A bucket of ingredients with the recipe for play dough, bubble solutions, silly putty, etc.


• A dress-up box created out of an old suitcase with some old clothing and/or jewelry from a family member or thrift store.


• A favorite book with an audio tape of you reading the book packaged in a Ziploc bag decorated with pictures or items from the story.

These are just a few gift ideas. I'm sure you can come up with more. As I come up with more, I'll add them to the list. Please share by leaving your ideas as a comment after the post.

A Guide to Questions to Ask When Choosing a Preschool for Your Child

It's that time of the year again! Parents in search of the perfect preschool for their children. However, the options can be overwhelming and finding the right preschool can be challenging.

Not all preschools are accredited or have teachers with formal education. Most importantly, a school's reputation may overshadow its credentials or vice versa. In addition, even though a school has been recommended to you by someone you trust, you should never choose a school based on someone else's opinion. Always check it out for yourself.

Before you come to a final decision, schedule a time to meet with the teacher and the director of the school to answer any questions you may have. Prepare your list of questions in advance to ensure that all of your questions have been answered. Be sure to take the list with you so that you don't forget anything. Don't be afraid to jot their response next to the question. It is quite difficult to try and remember everything that was said.

Some sample questions you may want to ask are:

1. What if any is the tuition?



2. What curriculum will be used?



3. Is the program accredited



4. Is there a religious affiliation?



5. How long has the teachers taught at the school?



6. What is their educational level?



7. What is the child-teacher ratio?



8. What is the discipline policy?



9. What are the operational hours?



10. What are the toilet training policies?



11. Is there an open door policy?

This is just a starter list of questions you may have. However, please add other issues that may come to mind in regards to what you are looking for in a preschool. Keep in mind attending a good preschool gives your child a significant advantage. Not just any old preschool will do!

The Ten Teaching Commandments

1. Thou shalt love thy students as you would love your own children.


2. Do unto your students as you would have them do unto you.


3. Honor your students, praise as well as criticize.


4. Thou shalt not spend so much time being a teacher that you forget what it is like to be a child.


5. Love your students so well that you give your last iota of energy to make them good citizens.


6. Thou shalt not let any students fail.


7. Thou shalt never give busy work.


8. Thou shalt never consider yourself in the land of done. You, as a good teacher will always know that you'll always strive to become a better teacher.


9. Thou shalt love freely, purely, consistently, and that love will return to you ten-fold.


10. Thou shalt respect every child and every parent, and always be true to the Latin meaning of the word "teacher", which means "to lead or draw out".

(Marva Collins)

Ways Parents Can help Their Children Develop a Positive Attitude about School

Helping children to be successful in school is an easy task if they want to learn. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. As parents we have the responsibility of helping our children develop a positive attitude about school and learning as a catalyst to motivate them as well. This has to be done as early as possible. As you prepare to get your young child ready for preschool or kindergarten, most parents' primary focus is on basic skills (i.e counting to 100, letter recognition and sounds, etc.). Basic skills are without a doubt important. However, it's not the most important goal. We should focus on developing their positive attitude about school to the point where they can't wait to start. Following are a few suggestions on what to do and what not to do as you support them:

Do:

• Talk about school in a positive way



• Begin routines that will support going to school (i.e. regular bedtime, quiet time to read and write, etc.)



• Start taking your child to the library on a regular basis



• Prepare a place for your child's school items



• Prepare a quiet space for your child to complete homework

Don't:

• 
  Push your child academically prior to school; if your child is enthusiastic about it then go for it. However, be careful not to over do it.



• Use other children as examples of the virtue of school



• Use older siblings as examples

Remember the old saying, "attitude is everything. If we help our children develop a positive attitude about learning and school, success is inevitable. Keep in mind that every child is different. You may have a child that is eager to learn but be prepared to support that child who's eagerness doesn't come naturally. Be equipped to give them the boost they need; the earlier the better. Ready or not they're on their way to school life!

Exploring Nature with Young Children

My children and I went to the playground as we normally does on a daily basis when the weather permits. As Jadah began her exploration, she yelled with excitement, "Hey, come over and see this big spider web!" Everyone scurried over and congregated at the monkey bars with Jadah. As we too begin to observed the spider still in the process of weaving a web, we became totally engaged by the spider's complex work. We stayed staring for the duration of our outdoor time. As we stood gazing, so many questions were asked about the spider and his web; We sung, "The Eensy Bitsy Spider", and it was unanimous that we had to read, "The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle for story time.

There are many reasons why teachers may hesitate to go outside with children. One of the reasons why as a new teacher I hesitated was because I felt I didn't know much about the things of nature, plant life or animals and wouldn't have all the answers to questions that may come up. I personally was not a "nature" type of girl. However, by the end of my first years, my students and I learned so much about nature by watching quietly, listening with open eyes as well as open hearts. I begin to relax and enjoy the outdoors. So I can identify with those teachers who have some apprehension about exploring nature. I would like to encourage you to become a learner just like your students; look, watch, and reflect. Follow your students lead. Let your enthusiasm and imagination be your guide.

Learn with your students
Teachers do not have to be a walking encyclopedia of facts to lead a good exploration activity. How you react to something speaks volumes children often do not hear what you are saying. Be an enthusiastic facilitator. Don't be afraid to say you don't know. Let your students know that you can find out.

Reinforce discovery
When a student brings you an insect, dandelion, or other things from nature, it is the most important thing in the world to him or her at that moment. Respond with enthusiasm to the discovery and let the other students share in the discovery. After examination, be sure the child replaces it. Enthusiasm is a greater catalyst than knowing all the facts.

Use open-ended questioning about the discovery
Discussions are far better than lectures at encouraging participation from your students, especially with preschoolers. Open-ended questions encourage thinking and reflection:

• Why is the spider living here?


• What would we need to live here?


• Does the spider have anything that helps him live here?

Relax, enjoy, and there is no end to the educational benefits of becoming one with nature. Most importantly, be the voice of nature. When your students try to destroy an insect, try to impart an ethic without being negative.