Screen-Free Week!

Don't forget SCREEN-FREE starts this week!!  Click on link to learn more!

Value of Solitary Play

The following is from Exchange EveryDay...
Value of Solitary Play
April 19, 2013

Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.
-Benjamin Franklin

In their new book, From Play to Practice, Marcia Nell and Walter Drew, summarize the work of Monighan, Scales, Van Hoorn, and Almy (Looking at Children's Play, New York, Teachers College Press, 1987) on solitary play:
"There is little reason to assume that solitary play is less mature than interactive play, or that children always benefit from admonitions to share their toys. Instead, there may be good reason for fostering solitary play in the curriculum.
"The sense of mastery that children gain from solitary play seems to provide a solid base for cooperative play, sharing of ideas, and social negotiation that are also called for in educational settings. The opportunity to consolidate intellectual activities in a private context may also contribute to the development of problem-solving skills and a reliance o n self-control in educational settings."

Butterfly Life Cycle

We were busy busy last week working on our life cycle of a butterfly project.  The project is a great example of scaffolding our learning.... or emergent curriculum.  While you won't find "make a caterpillar" on our curriculum guide it does list noticing change of season.  After reading Eric Carle's, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" we talked about changes that are happening around us.  Changes in season from winter to spring we see more insects, changes from night to day, days change from Sunday-Saturday, caterpillars and people change in size by how much we eat, caterpillars change into butterflies.  Loads of Pre-K Standards were met during this fun project! 

LANGUAGE
7.PK.2 Listen and respond appropriately to stories and group discussion.
SCIENCE
L.PK.2  Explore and identify a variety of animals and plants.
L.2.A.2 Students know differences exist among individuals of the same kind of plant or animal.
L.2.B  Students understand that living things have identifiable characteristics.
L.PK.6 Identify animals and their homes.
E.2.A.3 Students know weather changes from day to day and seasonally.

 One student described the change of a caterpillar as magic. Thus, we introduce the huge word "metamorphosis" then start of our metamorphosis project.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
G8.K.1 Recognize weather changes with the seasons and how people adapt to those changes.
Ec10.PK.1 Decide between two choices involving classroom resources.
6.PK.1d Demonstrate ability to delay gratification to complete a larger task (Waiting for paint to dry!)
6.PK.1a Attend to a task for at least 10 minutes.
2.PK.3a Use toys and materials with care.
2.PK.3b Clean up or put away toys and materials when finished.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION
5.PK.1 Recognize their own and others' artwork.
5.PK.2 Demonstrate respect for the artwork of others.

  We learned a moth makes a cocoon and a butterfly makes a chrysalis.

Using droppers and small motor skills of pinching, the students their choice of colors of paint, then fold, (another developmental skill) rub, and open.....ta da!
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
6.PK.2 Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items (scissors, writing utensil, paint brushes, play dough, buttons/snaps, etc.)
6.PK.3 Use fingered or tripod grasp with drawing, painting, or writing instruments.
Look at that satisfaction!
CREATIVE EXPRESSION
2.PK.2b Express satisfaction when accomplishing a task and achieving a goal.
2.PK.3 Demonstrate persistence by trying again when faced with challenges.
5.PK.3 Use language arts, math, science, and other disciplines in dramatic play (finger plays, counting, grocery store, life cycles!)
2.PK.4 Identify color, shape, and texture through art experiences.

The finished product!  What's hiding inside that chrysalis?  A caterpillar!  And when the "chrysalis" is unfolded it's a butterfly!

 

Living Love & Logic Tip #76

Nick is excited about playing the trumpet. He dreams of entertaining others, being on stage, and receiving applause. But now he has to practice daily, alone in his room. Rats, he thinks, this isn't what I signed up for. Where's the fun in this? It doesn't take long for his enthusiasm to dwindle.

Before long, Nick loses interest and wants to quit his lessons. Mom asks, "What's the problem, Nick? You were so anxious to get started. I know that if you just keep practicing, you'll love playing in the band." When this doesn't work, she tries everything else she knows, with no results. He still wants to quit.

Mom came to me for help. "Jim, you are a musician. How did your mom keep you practicing when things got hard for you? I know that you're glad you didn't quit. I've heard you tell about how thankful you are to have your music."

I owe it to a wise mother who kept me excited about playing my horn. She didn't send me to my room to practice alone. I practiced in the kitchen while she prepared dinner so that she could often interrupt my playing, saying things like, "Stop, Jim. That's great! Play that again. I just love how you did that. That was so beautiful." She would ooh and aah about my efforts.

Even though she heard my mistakes, she seldom stopped me to correct them. She left the criticism for the teacher and she only raved about how much she loved my good notes. My practicing didn't become work. It was a time to show off, and it became the best time of my day.

I wrote this today for a couple of reasons. My mom's technique can apply to all sorts of different childhood endeavors. And I was reminded of this because I will be the featured euphonium soloist in an upcoming concert.

If you happen to live in the Denver area, come to the free concert on May 9th at 7:30 p.m. It will be held at Ralston Valley High School. If you can't attend, look for it on our YouTube channel.

As you can tell, my mother gave me a gift for a lifetime.

Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.

Jim Fay
To read more from Love and Logic click HERE! This site is LOADED with so many useful tools for parents!

Effects of Media

Hi everyone,

In my field of teaching children and their parents I am always learning new things (that I wish I knew when my kids were little!) Following is a very powerful TEDXRainier on the effect of media on children and brain development. It is a MUST see in my opinion.

Dr. Dimitri Christakis is a pediatrician, researcher and parent that shares:

"There are certain things we can do early on in our children's lives that enhance their ability to pay attention and certain things that we can do early on that actually impede them." "The more television children watch before age of 3 the more likely they were to actually have attention problems at school age. For each hour per day a child watches before age 3 it increases the potential by 10%, 2 hours equals 20%. Compared to a child who watches none. Cognitive stimulation reduced the chances by 30% " (like reading to them, taking them to a museum or singing to them.)

Television is not the only culprit. Recent studies are referring to it as any screen time ie; computers, games, etc., (yes, even educational games and music videos)

see: http://youtu.be/BoT7qH_uVNo

While some of our children are over the age of 3, brain development is on going and needs positive HUMAN interaction.

These statistics are worrisome, especially for young children, says Dr. JoAnn Deak, author of The Fantastic Elastic Brain. In the first 10 years of a child’s life, the brain is designed to learn by doing—by interacting directly with people and things. In terms of language development, brain growth is only impacted by in-person talking. Brain scans show that young kids do not learn at all from a screen. “Language-acquisition centers show no change when language is being received by video or audio,” says Dr. Deak. They do show a change when another person is in the room speaking with the child.

 

At HO4K we spend lots of time reading, playing, and singing with the students. (the 3 main things that reduce the chance of impeding attention span in children.

 

The following is from Work and Family Life...

No matter how old we are, we want to keep our brains sharp, right? When you read the front page article in this issue, you'll catch up on the latest brain research and find out what to do to keep your brain (and heart) going strong for as long as possible.

http://www.workandfamilylife.com/os/apr2013

Third Annual Screen-Free Week: April 29–May 5

What can we do about the excessive media trend? One thing is to take the third annual Screen-Free Week challenge from April 29 to May 5. It’s a national campaign to encourage families to turn off their TVs, computers and video games for seven days and to explore other ways to enjoy family time together. For more information, visit www.eyi.org/screenfree.

The "screen smart" message reminds us that there is indeed a life away from screens. Screen-Free Week is coordinated by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. See www.commercialfreechildhood.org.

 

I extend the challenge for the screen free week starting April 29 !!!! 

The benefits are worth the challenge....I see it everyday!

Ms. JoAnn

What To Do When Disaster Strikes

Hi Everyone,

I am forwarding an email regarding how to handle the bombings in Boston. While it is geared for children with autism, the information is nearly identical and appropriate for all young children and pre-teens.

I wish you well,

Ms. JoAnn

By now most of you have probably heard about the explosions that killed and injured people at the Boston marathon today. What can we do as parents to shield our children on the autism spectrum from this awful news?
Those on the autism spectrum often take news of disasters (whether man-made or natural disasters like earthquakes) very hard. Remember, those on the autism spectrum thrive on routine. Now, due to a terrible event like a bombing, it is possible that folks with autism will be more adversely affected than others who do not have autism. This disaster, seemingly coming out of nowhere, can create a state of anxiety and worry that can last a long time.
How to handle this situation:
1. Try to keep your children away from the TV, especially. They do not need to see dozens of ours of details of bleeding people. Also, keep newspapers and radio broadcasts away and don't forget that the internet will be full of videos and gory accounts of the mayhem.
2. Explain to your loved ones that this is an isolated incident that that they do not have to worry. You are keeping them safe. Explain that the police have the situation under control. Reassure your loved one that their routine will remain the same.
3. Control your reactions when around your children. Ideally, do NOT discuss this situation in front of young children. Your children do not need to see their parents stressed, angry or fearful. Even teenagers will get extremely anxious if they see their parents very concerned, angry and fearful. Remember, they are relying on YOU to keep them safe. Do not let them see you worried, anxious and angry. While I realize this may be upsetting, consciously try to keep your emotions in check around your autistic loved ones.
4. Ask your children how they are feeling. It is important for them to be able to express their fears and emotions. Be reassuring. Be loving. They need you to provide the safety, security and routine in order to feel safe.
Evil exists in the world. But it is isolated. Do not let your children see killings, bombings and terrible events endlessly on the TV. They will begin to think this is all around them. Remember, folks on the autism spectrum often lack the emotional maturity of others their age. When in doubt shield your children as much as possible from any negative news.

Craig Kendall

Meal/Snack Time

We are big on sitting family style and having conversation at HO4K. One of the biggest challenges the children have is portion control. They want to eat more and more of the crackers, cookies etc. At HO4K we reinforce nutritious amounts with statements like, "4 crackers is how much our body needs to be healthy and have fuel for energy. If you'd like more....you may have____"(offering fresh veggies and fruits)
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
1.PK.1 Demonstrate personal hygiene skills (hand washing.)
1.PK.3 Identify healthy foods.
1.PK.8 Identify the basic need for air, water, and food.
SOCIAL/EMOTION
H1.K2  Listen to stories of family members, local residents, and prominent figures to highlight the human experience.
H1.PK.3 Share information about their family practices, customs, and culture.
H3.K.4 Demonstrate respect for each other in the classroom and school.
H3.K.5 Share those events that are important to the students and their families.
4.PK.1b Express common courtesy to others (saying "thank you", "please", "excuse me")

 

This is a great article from Exchange EveryDay!

Learn politeness from the impolite.
-Egyptian proverb

"How people eat is often as important as what they eat," observe Sharon Bergen and Rachel Robertson in their guidebook, Healthy Children, Healthy Lives: The Wellness Guide for Early Childhood Programs. They continue...

"In the past meals took time to prepare and families gathered around a table to eat them together. As they ate their food, they spent time talking. Often this was a bonding experience. It also helped people stay healthy. By eating food they had prepared themselves, they knew what ingredients went into it. Eating together encouraged eating slowly, which aided digestion and helped them know if they were full or still hungry. Today the average family's schedules and the convenience of restaurant meals have decreased the time people spend preparing and eating food. Further, restaurant foods are often high in additives, sugars, and fats. These ingredients can affect immediate and long-term health and often lead to overeating and weight gain.

"Teachers can help children read their own bodies' cues so they know how full or hungry they are. To that end, children should be offered food at regular time intervals throughout the day. Additionally, children should not be required to eat when they aren't hungry. They should not develop a habit of snacking throughout the day, either. Food should be used to give their bodies energy. It should not be treated as a reward or a punishment. Children need food for energy and most of them eagerly choose to eat at allotted times."

 

Living Love & Logic Tip #75

There's nothing more frustrating than students who just won't listen and follow instructions! In every classroom, there seems to be at least one or two. To make matters worse, their selective hearing impairment seems contagious.

How do successful teachers…and parents…train kids to listen? Listed below are some suggestions:

Build special relationships with your most resistant students.

Great teachers know that tough students are far more likely to listen to teachers they love.

Set limits only for things over which you have total control.

Unsuccessful teachers and parents are famous for attempting to set limits on things they could never control in a million years. Successful teachers use Enforceable Statements to set limits.

Great teachers say things like, "I give full credit to papers handed in on time." Less successful teachers say, "Hand your papers in on time."

Enforce limits without repeated warnings and reminders.

Effective parents and teachers remember that kids will always come to need at least the same number of warnings and reminders they are given.

For additional ideas on building cooperative teacher-student relationships, applying Enforceable Statements in the classroom, and managing behavior as you teach, listen to our CD, Quick and Easy Classroom Interventions.

Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.

Dr. Charles Fay
To read more from Love and Logic click HERE! This site is LOADED with so many useful tools for parents!

Making Tortillas

Last week, two of the students were reading Highlight magazine and noticed a recipe for tortillas.

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL

1.PK.2a Express ideas for activities; initiate and participate in discussion with teachers or peers.

 They asked if we could use it in our next cooking class. We read and followed instructions and made our own tortillas.

LANGUAGE
4.PK.1  Demonstrate and understand that printed material contains information.
4.K.7 With assistance, listen to and follow pictorial and written directions to complete tasks.

 PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
6.PK.2 Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items.

We didnt quite master rolling them into circles... but that's ok,

our shape was oval last week anyway!

MATHEMATICS

4.K.1 Identify 2-D shapes.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

1.PK.1 Demonstrate personal hygiene skills (hand washing).

1.PK.3 Identify healthy foods.

Announcement

Hi Everyone,

About a year and a half ago I was teaching Love and Logic (R) at a conference in Reno and I heard about another positive discipline program called "Conscious Discipline (see consciousdicipline.com). They said, "If you like Love and Logic (R) you will LOVE Conscious Discipline" Well, that really perked my attention so I attended the 2 hour intro class and really liked what I learned. I came home and implemented some of the tools but with out further training I didn't know the why's and how's to really use it. You've heard "Use it or Loose it" and I did. However, it's always been in the back of my mind that I really wanted to find out more. I have used and taught Love and Logic (R) for nearly 9 years now however, I have discovered there are some kids that need something else....there just seemed to be something more that I needed to help through some of the challenges facing kids. I think I have found those tools with "Conscious Discipline".

Kate Fraiser is trained in "Conscious Discipline" and is coming to our school 2 days per week for an hour or 2 during the month of April and modeling the tools and techniques. I am learning so much and seeing great results for all of the children. There are a lot of similarities and quite a few differences between "Love and Logic" (R) I really like them both.

Recently I sent a "Love and Logic" (R) flyer offering a 3 week course starting next Saturday, however, I recently learned of and also want you to be aware of the 7 week "Conscious Discipline" course that Kate is offering through a grant......so it's FREE. Classes are spread out being held every other month. The first class is being held Monday, April 29, 2013 from 6pm to 9pm. See the information to follow for all the details.

As we are implementing the tools and techniques of "Conscious Discipline" in the class room, I am highly reccomend that you do all you can to attend at least this first class and get the basics of the program. It is VERY valuable information that I see can actually make life-long changes.

I hope you will contact Kate at your earliest convenience to reserve your space!

 

Have a great week end!

Ms. JoAnn

---

PLEASE NOTE ACHANGE IN LOCATION FOR OUR CLASS on 4/29/13 from 6 – 9 pm:

Conscious Discipline: It Starts with YOU!

This class will introduce you to the heavily researched, highly acclaimed, and developmentally appropriate social-emotional skill building program of Conscious Discipline (www.ConsciousDiscipline.com) which starts by empowering ADULTS with necessary understanding and self-awareness so that assisting children with behavior regulation skills can actually make life-long changes!

We are now going to meet in the Training Room at

6171 W.Charleston, BUILDING 15 (STILL on April 29^th from 6 – 9)!

Be sure to let anyone else you registered for know of this change and feel free to invite others

– as long as they email me (kfraiser@dcfs.nv.gov) with their name and information to ensure we still have spaceJ

See you in FOUR WEEKS!!

Living Love & Logic Tip #74

Do you know a child who believes that they are entitled to all of the perks of success without having to exert a single drop of perspiration to earn them? Do you know a young person who has little or no respect for adults? Have you also noticed how poorly these kids feel about themselves?

This June, at our annual Love and Logic Summer Conference, I'll equip you with the weapons required to slay the ugly beast of entitlement thinking. You'll learn a powerful process for reversing the symptoms of apathy, disrespect, defiance, and low self-esteem:

Risk

Kids held captive by this beast must be encouraged to take positive risks that provide opportunities to develop different beliefs. Perhaps the only way to see the benefits of personal responsibility is by doing something positive and experiencing the intrinsic joy it provides.

Struggle

Entitled children also need to experience difficulties…and see that they can overcome them through perseverance.

Achievement

The beast of entitlement dominates and subdues its victims by leading them to believe that they are dependent upon others for success. Breaking the chains requires that they see themselves achieving hard-earned victories.

Attribution

Entitlement also tricks people into believing that life is simply a giant slot machine, roulette wheel, or lottery game. When children learn to attribute their level of success to their level of perseverance and personal responsibility, the beast loses its grip on their hearts.

At each step in this process, Love and Logic offers practical tools for success. Join me this summer for a full day of these solutions, as well as life-changing presentations by Jim Fay, Foster W. Cline, M.D., and Bob Sornson, Ph.D.

Thanks for reading! See you this summer. Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.

Dr. Charles Fay
To read more from Love and Logic click HERE! This site is LOADED with so many useful tools for parents!

Slack Line

Check out our new outdoor attraction.  We call it a Slack Line.  It's like a mini tight rope.  

It's great for building large motor skills, teaching balance, spatial awareness, and self-confidence and cooperation taking turns.

The students are learning so many things and meeting so many pre-k standards:
MATHEMATICS
4.PK.2 Identify positions (in front, behind, next to, up, down, etc).
SOCIAL/EMOTION
H1.Pk.1 Children begin to complete simple tasks together.
H2.PK.1 Begin to recognize that problems can occur in groups.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
1.PK.1 Identify the basic vocabulary of simple movement patterns(walk, run, jump, hop, coimb, etc.)
2.PK.1 Demonstrate a basic form in walking, running, climbing, jumping, hopping, etc.
2.PK.2 Perform a variety of large motor skills.
5.PK.2 Demonstrate turn taking and cooperation during physical activities.
5.PK.3 Interact positively with others regardless of personal differences.
3.PK.1 Demonstrate locomotor movements such as up, down, forward, and backward.

Look even our little toddler students can join in the fun!

 Doing this as a group makes the students have to work even harder as the need for group problem solving and coordination occurs.

SOCIAL/EMOTION
G5.PK.1 Identify direction and location (up/down and above/below).
C13.PK.2 Participate in group decision making.
5.PK.2a Participate in cooperative groups to complete a task.

Texture Painting

At HO4K our students do lots of painting.  Each week we focus on a color, and of course paint with that color.  Not only do we paint with brushes, but we have several different tools to use to make different textures with the paint as it dries. 

Notice how this student is closely checking out the painting tool demonstrating a Pre-K Science standard N.PK.3 Use tools to safely observe and explore different objects/environments, another in Creative Expression 2.PK.4 Identify color, shape, and texture through art experiences, and some in Physical Development 6.PK.2 Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items, 6.PK.3 Use finered or tripod grasp with drawing, painting or writing instruments.

Living Love & Logic Tip #73

Over the past three decades, we've noticed that the most successful parents begin early in their children's lives with these steps:

Step One: Pray for your teeny-tiny ones to misbehave or be resistant.

Remember: The road to wisdom is paved with mistakes.

Step Two: Sing a sweet, empathetic, "Uh-Oh!"

Step Three: Follow through by taking over in a loving way.

Little Larry is nine months old and ready to do some major crawling and some major grabbing of Fluffy the cat's tail. Since his parents are praying for misbehavior, they are elated instead of exasperated.

They sing, "Uh-Oh," and put Larry into his playpen away from Fluffy.

Larry is now sixteen months old. He's being resistant to getting into his car safety seat. His mother's prayers have been answered!

"Uh-Oh," she sings as she straps him into his car seat.

Larry is now three. Every time he hears, "Uh-Oh," he thinks, "Uh-Oh!" and stops misbehaving.

It’s never too early to teach your children that your word is gold. Hear the "Uh-Oh, Song," modeled on the audio CD, Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers.

Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.

Dr. Charles Fay
To read more from Love and Logic click HERE! This site is LOADED with so many useful tools for parents!

Look at these Adorable Easter Bunnies!

Living Love & Logic Tip #72

I recently received the following email from my neighbor:

Jim,

Thanks so much for my new favorite line, "Aren't you glad I don't believe that?" It is brilliant! It was an instant re-direct this morning.

Jen

Jen is not the only Love and Logic parent who has discovered this handy Love and Logic One-Liner. It's especially effective when followed by a quick hug and a walk away. (Don't stick around for a response.)

You might want to run an experiment at one of those times when you feel at a loss for words. "Aren't you glad I don't believe that?" serves as a quick and loving reply to lots of childhood favorite retorts, including, but not limited to:

"I can't do that."

"I'm just stupid."

"I guess it's always my fault."

"I'm not going to be your friend anymore."

"Nobody likes me."

"It's too hard."

"I'm never going to…"

"You like her/him better than me."

"I hate you!"

Share this with your friends. They will probably thank you for it just as Jen thanked us.

To learn more easy-to-use solutions for everyday problems with kids, check out my new webinar: Home and School Strategies for Creating Respectful, Responsible Kids.

Thanks for reading! Our goal is to help as many families as possible. If this is a benefit, forward it to a friend.

Jim Fay
To read more from Love and Logic click HERE! This site is LOADED with so many useful tools for parents!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Recently, we discussed that preschoolers start reading pictures before sounding out words and can use the pictures to help add clues as they decode the letters to make words.  During reading time, one student found something in the Highlight magazine that had instructions with words and pictures on how to make a caterpillar (demonstrating a Social/Emotional Pre-K Standard 1.PK.2a Express ideas for activities; initiate and participate in discussions with teachers or peers; and several Language Pre-K Standard 1.PK.4  Recognize environmental print and symbols; 1.PK.5 Demonstrate awareness that print carries a message; 2.PK.3 Identify pictures to aid in comprehension.) 
He enthusiastically brought it to the creating table and started his construction.

Soon others wanted to make one too. So he instructed them what to do....(demonstrating a Pre-K Standard in Science-N.PK.2 Share ideas with others.)

  he carefully, cut, curled paper, and glued...(demonstrating a physical development Pre-K standard 6.PK.2 Demonstrate the muscle strength, dexterity, and control needed to manipulate items.)

And ta da! He shows his rendition of his fantastic caterpillar totally created on his own! Wow!!

Pre-K standard Creative Expressions

2.PK.1 Select progressively more challenging tasks.

2.PK.2b Express satisfaction when accomplishing a task and achieving a goal.

2.PK.3 Demonstrate persistence by trying again when faced with challenges.