I would like to take this opportunity to welcome each and every one of you to The Center’s Early Childhood page. As the Director of Early Childhood Programs, I have the pleasure of seeing children grow more independent on a daily basis. I am also very lucky to witness their family’s membership into our CEE community through participation in our school. As a parent of both a current and an alumni Center student (a 4th grade daughter and 7th grade son) myself I can relate to the journey parents take along with their children at the school. For this reason, I strongly believe that one of the my most important duties in my current role as director--second only to the needs of the students--is to help parents navigate this joyful and perilous journey called parenting. I hope that through this blog I will be able to share stories, relevant articles, and parenting tips that will help families enjoy this incredible moment in their child’s development.
Over spring break, a small group and I worked to plant a small urban garden in a small patch of land next to the Multi-purpose Room. We worked four hard days to clean, prepare, and plant an edible garden full of herbs, vegetable, and fruit. It was both hard work and incredibly rewarding. We all felt energized by the transformation and the possiblity of replicating this small action in other areas of the school. We will be working to enhance our gardens in all our EC yards and work with our elementary student mentor and parents to keep them growing and flourishing.
As I did this work I came across a recent TED Talk (you know how much I love TED) by Ron Finley a self-proclaimed guerilla gardener working to plant edible gardens across the city of Los Angeles in its low-income areas.
Ron Finley: A Guerilla Gardener in South Central L.A.
After visiting a few independent schools earlier this year, I returned to The Center eager to try some of what I had observed and learned. One such idea was an EC Assembly, where the children would gather once a month and listen to stories read by the Head of School. The aspect that resnonated the most with me was that of coming together and having a group experience. I also liked the idea of reading a story as a part of the assembly but wanted to make this activity more meaningful and relevant to us. As I reflected, I remembered that at the Canadian School in Guadalajara, Mexico the children gathered in assembly to highlight their core values. This information I had learned when we hosted a character education workshop by Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education in November. Now I was charged with a twofold purpose for the assemblies: coming together and focusing on our core values. Being that organizing these events and selecting the content of each assemby could be a time-consuming task I enlisted the help of members of the EC Mindfulness Cohort. They had been already working on gathering materials and activities for the teachers related to mindfulness practice that I believed could easily be adjusted to align with our core values' focus. Throught this collaboration, we created an assembly template that was predictable and consistent but flexible enough to keep the events novel for the children. We decided to begin each assembly by singing Breathing In Breathing Out by Thich Nhat Hanh and end with a Goodbye Apron activity borrowed from the Conscious Discipline Approach by Dr. Becky Bailey. The rest of the time would be filled with short group activities such as stories, songs, skits, and movement games. We have had two successful assemblies thus far and look forward to the rest. I envision making changes as we go along and further empowering the teachers through their participation in the process.
I invite all EC parents to visit their child's class website to see photos from the assemblies and a video created specifically for our Inclusion-themed gathering.
Recommended Books Related to our Core Values: Caring, Incusion, Responsibility, and Honesty
The Monster Who Lost His Mean by Tiffany Strelitz Haber.
Everyone knows that the M in “monster” stands for MEAN. But what happens when a monster can’t be mean any more? Is he still a monster at all? One young monster's attempts to live up to his name go hilariously awry as he discovers—with a little help from new friends—that it's not what you're called but who you are that counts.
It's OKay to Be Different by Todd Parr
It's Okay to Be Different cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding, and confidence in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr's trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Targeted to young children first beginning to read, this book will inspire kids to celebrate their individuality through acceptance of others and self-confidence.
Along with the four other bestselling Todd Parr picture books debuting in paperback this season, It's Okay to be Different is designed to encourage early literacy, enhance emotional development, celebrate multiculturalism, and promote character growth.
We All Sing with the Same Voice by J. Philip Miller
The familiar words to this joyful song combine with vibrant illustrations to celebrate the idea that no matter where children live, what they look like, or what they do, they're all the same where it counts -- at heart.
"We All Sing with the Same Voice" was aired and continues to be seen on Sesame Street, the celebrated educational children's television show produced by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization. Paul Meisel is the illustrator of many popular books for children, including how to talk to your cat by Jean Craighead George.
One by Kathryn Otoshi
Blue is a quiet color. Red’s a hothead who likes to pick on Blue. Yellow, Orange, Green, and Purple don’t like what they see, but what can they do? When no one speaks up, things get out of hand — until One comes along and shows all the colors how to stand up, stand together, and count. As budding young readers learn about numbers, counting, and primary and secondary colors, they also learn about accepting each other's differences and how it sometimes just takes one voice to make everyone count.
What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
In this spare and deceptively simple book, Laura Vaccaro Seeger shows us the same story with three different outcomes, each highlighting the possibility in possibilities.Youngest children will enjoy this visit to the beach and the chance to guess what happens when different choices are made.
Say Hello by Jack Foreman
A lone dog comes upon a group of kids playing ball and with leaping ease, joins the game. They’re all having so much fun, they don’t see a sad little boy standing off by himself. Who will spy the boy and invite him to play? With arresting images by a master illustrator and a simple, touching text by his son, SAY HELLO evokes the joy and relief of finding a new friend just when it’s needed the most.
Fill a Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for the Young Child by Carol McCloud
This is a version of Have You Filled a Bucket Today? for younger children. The concept of bucket filling is an effective metaphor for encouraging kind and considerate behavior as well as teaching the benefits of positive relationships to children.
I See Kindness Everywhere by Shelley Frost
Where do you see kindness? No matter who we are or where we come from, when we take a moment to look around, we can see kindness everywhere. With an engaging message and vibrant illustrations, this little book can help children learn how to notice and appreciate everyday blessings. Ages 2 and up. This book was inspired by an Eastern concept of kindness that can help people of all ages notice and appreciate the kindness of others. The concept is this: any action that benefits you -- large or small, intentional or even unintentional -- is a kindness given to you. One night at dinner, author-illustrator Shelley Frost heard her two-year-old daughter exclaim, "Thank you, tomato workers! Thank you, lentil bean workers!" Shelley then realized that even young children could grasp this concept of kindness . . . and in the process, learn the language of gratitude and respect for others. The author will donate a portion of her book-sale proceeds to community charities. For more gifts that nurture gratitude and kindness, and to vote on which charities will receive the author's donations, visit http://www.EnlightenedArts.com.
Deb Roy captured, chronicled, and analyzed 90,000 hours of footage to find the intersection where words are first born. He sifted through home video of his son to understand how sounds (babbling) converge to make recognizable words like "water." Further his research has real implications for our understanding of language acquisition. He found that context or environment provides a framework for vocabulary learned; in fact, it may both impact and accelerate it.
As we process the tragic events that occurred in Connecticut, we must quickly figure out ways to help our children deal with the emotions incidents like this one can create. It is important first for us to acknowledge and recognize our own worries and fears surrounding a school shooting. We need to accept that wanting to protect our children is okay and that feeling scared about how to do it is a normal response to a frightening event. Similarly, our children have a right to feel scared and uncertain. For this reason, we are charged with providing a space for our children to work through these strong emotions and return to feeling safe. This is not an easy task and you may ask:"How do I speak to my child about this event?" Please find below the following links to resources that can help guide you through this process:
The holidays have arrived and we are all trying to make them more meaningful for our children. If we refocus our attention towards the importance of getting together with our loved ones, thinking about others, and serving in our communities both our children and us will be better for it. Remember that less is more and okay. It is rejuvenating to stop and "smell the roses" this time of year, particularly when time seems to go by so quickly. Enjoy your time with your children, allow yourself to play and work together. Please find an article attached with more specific ideas about making the holidays that much more meaningful and memorable for you and your family.
There is a silent buzz and energy on election day that is palpable. The children know that the adults are eagerly anticipating something that they do not quite understand. If not explained the voting process can be very mysterious and perhaps in some cases overwhelming. Elections can provide the perfect backdrop for character and civic education. Children can learn that they have rights and responsibilities. They can practice making choices, talk about how it feels to vote, and learn how voting can be a good thing for everyone. Also they can learn from these discussions that not every candidate wins but that voting is a fair process and it is okay to feel disappointed. This lesson is especially important if the candidate you voted for does not win. Also it is equally valuable if a loved one like a grandparent does not vote for the same candidate. Sharing these examples with your child can help them understand that voting is an individual choice which can help him or her develop tolerance.
In one of our EC classrooms children eagerly participated in a class "election" deciding over the all important choice for either over more recess time or a magic trick. Drum roll please...and the magic trick won! Children were able to practice casting their ballot, wait for the votes to be tallied and learn what option won the most votes. It gave them a glimpse into the voting process that was both relevant and age-appropriate. Take a lesson from this classroom and enjoy the process.
Often deciphering when a child is getting sick can be tricky, so too can deciding how long to keep him or her from school. This is insurmountably harder when your child is under five and not yet able to fully articulate how they truly feel. It is our job as parents to know how they feel and to know how to make them better. Here are some signs that your child is getting sick and tips for soothing them:
1. Being more tired than usual. One major symptom of most illnesses is lethargy. If your child falls asleep early or begins to lay about you can assume his/her body is fighting off a virus or bacteria. Take your cues from them allow them the opportunity to get the much needed rest. Ballet and soccer will still be there the next week.
2. Cranky behavior or random tantrums. Another common symptom of cold and flu is irritability. This can stem from the body aches, nausea, headaches, or overall malaise that sickness can cause. Be understanding and patient, as challenging behavior may be the only means your child has to communicate that he or she is feeling sick.
3. Red in the face. Children will become flushed at the onset of a fever. Rule out external factors like too much clothing or a hot environment as the cause first and follow-up by checking your child's temperature.
4. Picky eating. Loosing one's appetite can be another symptom of not feeling well. If you child turns down their favorite treat or only eats a few bites of a meal they normally devour chances are they are sick.
5. "My tummy hurts or my head hurts." Viral infections often cause headaches, vomiting, or diarrhea. Take these statements seriously but take note that these may be immediately followed by vomiting or crying as young children often are still developing body awareness and function in the moment. After the bout of vomiting is over make sure to acknowledge that it was probably scary for them and that you to do not like it when it happens to you. The more you talk about it the less abstract and scary the incident will be for them.
Remember you know your child and can tell when something is not quite right. Trust your instincts.
Last week, we had the pleasure of hosting a speaking event with Dr. Tina Bryson, co-author of the Whole Brain Child. She discussed the importance of helping children integrate both sides of their brains, a marriage of literal and emotionally driven thinking. According to her, guiding our children in striking this balance is a fundamental role and necessary for raising resilient children. Parents in attendance were impressed by her intellect and approachable delivery of complex neuroscience research, as someone said "neuroscience for laypeople." The evening was light yet substantive, full of laughs, with great takeaways. What a wonderful kick-off to our Parent Education Evenings and public programs!
If you like Whole-Brain Child you might also like:
Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina
Brain-based Parenting by Daniel Hughes
Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel
The Mindful Child by Susan Kaiser Greenland
Nurture Shock by Po Bronson
Posted
by Baudelia.Taylor
on Monday October 8, 2012 at 01:25PM
Every start of the school year is slightly different but overall many things are the same: the anticipation for the start, the process of separation, getting to know new teachers and classmates, and settling into the routine. This being said, every child (and parent) experiences this annual rite from their own perspective and developmental stage. It is important for parents to recognize that they have emotions (from their own childhood) attached to this process and to acknowledge that they may impact how their child deals with transitions and new situations, like the start of school. This is the good and bad news, it places pressure on the parent to model good behavior as they support their child through this event. If done well, it sets the stage for a parent-child relationship that is health and mindful of everyone's emotions. Children are comforted by knowing that there is someone that understands what is happening to them and that they have some strategies to help. Please find a few articles below that provide a few tips on the topic and as always happy parenting!
On June 29, 2012 the Early Childhood division took part in International Mud Day as a part of our renewed focus on outdoor education. The children played in and with the mud, observed and planted edible plants in our gardens as they enjoyed their time outside together. Research has found that children benefit from playing outdoors as unstructured play can help them express themselves and learn about the world in their own way. Here is to building a community of creative, independent, problem-solving nature lovers.
"I understand that willingness to learn and grow is the mark of a great teacher. As a result, focusing on lifelong learning has become a goal for the Early Childhood teachers and for me."
Baudelia Taylor, Director of Early Childhood Programs
It's OKay to Be Different by Todd Parr
We All Sing with the Same Voice by J. Philip Miller
One by Kathryn Otoshi
What If? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Say Hello by Jack Foreman
I See Kindness Everywhere by Shelley Frost
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