Today there is another coalition meeting about early childhood in Evansville. Last month, Miss Kelly and I took time out from our busy schedules and went. All the things that the coalition wanted to implement in the next twenty years, we already have at the Garden School. I wrote a detailed letter to Vicki Paris about what we do at the Garden School and there was no reply.
I find the following interesting; it is from New Mexico
Schools participating in Early Childhood study
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
The Weymouth School District has been chosen to participate in a national research study on preschool interventions. The goal of the study is to help children obtain the skills that will help them be successful in school and that will reduce the need for special education services.
The U.S. Department of Education awarded this grant to Dr. Christopher Lonigan at Florida State University, a national expert on children's early literacy and language development. More than 20 school districts in New Mexico are participating in this project.
Project MOSAIC will begin in Fall 2006 and will continue for four years. Classrooms in the study will receive high-quality early childhood curricula with demonstrated effects - Literacy Express or Tools of the Mind - as well as professional support on how to use the curriculum effectively.
The study will bear all costs, including curriculum materials, training, and ongoing support in classrooms from mentors/coaches.
The study will follow children from preschool through second grade, to look at whether the special preschool curricula have long-term benefits for children. Project MOSAIC will provide important information on how best to support the development of at-risk children and reduce the likelihood of the need for special education when the children reach school.
All across the nation we hear of states with huge money wasting campaigns that scream preschool for all children, yet when you look at the curriculum, it screams "no teaching please." Personally, I've been attacked and verbally assaulted for bringing to life a glimpse of the world for our students. I would love to know what the curriculum is in New Mexico, and I would love to know, after all the hours, the money and the effort, what the coalition in my own city does about educating the children right here. So far we have a mind set that preschool should be non directed, non adult involved free play. Let's see what happens.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
My Mother Gave Me the Moon
One of the nicest things personal things I've received over the years is this book. It was a gift from Miss Molly. It is something I treasure and look at a lot. It sits on my piano in the front room and occasionally I pick it up and come to tears thinking of all the things mothers and children do together.
It's something worth looking at if you see it at the store and keeping it for a special occasion for that mom you care about.
This is also a book dads can get for moms and put a little hand print on the inside from a child.
...Just a thought.
Fun with Words
Here's a fun test:
Read out loud the text inside the triangle below.
More than likely you said, "A bird in the bush," and........ if this IS what YOU said, then you failed to see that the word THE is repeated twice! Sorry, look again.
Next, let's play with some words. What do you see?
In black you can read the word GOOD, in white the word EVIL (inside each black letter is a white letter). It's all very physiological too, because it visualize the concept that good can't exist without evil (or the absence of good is evil ).
Now, what do you see?
You may not see it at first, but the white spaces read the word optical, the blue landscape reads the word illusion. Look again! Can you see why this painting is called an optical illusion?
What do you see here?
This one is quite tricky! The word TEACH reflects as LEARN. Last one.
What do you see?
You probably read the word ME in brown, but....... when you look through ME you will see YOU! Do you need to look again?Test Your Brain This is really cool. The second one is amazing so please read all the way though.
ALZHEIMERS' EYE TEST
Count every " F" in the following text:
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTI
FIC STUDY COMBINED WITH
THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...
(SEE BELOW) HOW MANY ? WRONG, THERE ARE 6 -- no joke. READ IT AGAIN ! Really, go Back and Try to find the 6 F's before you scroll down.
The reasoning behind is further down. The brain cannot process "OF". Incredible or what? Go back and look again!! Anyone who counts all 6 "F's" on the first go is a genius. Three is normal, four is quite rare.
Send this to your friends. It will drive them crazy.! And keep them occupied For several minutes..! More Brain Stuff . . From Cambridge University.
O lny srmat poelpe can raed tihs. cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng i! s taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on !!
Psas Ti ON !
And I did!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Garden School Tattler
I haven't done a Tattler in a long time because I've had computer problems. I use a network system at home and lately the hookup has been really really slow. Just putting this on would take half an hour. It's temporarily fixed now.
The school has been zooming along with all kinds of new things. We've changed our discipline approach a little. We have added a temporary four clothes pins to the behavior envelopes. Every child gets four clothes pins to start the day. Rule breaking will result in a loss of a clothes pin. Check your child's envelop daily. All children know the rules. We review them every day.
We are trying to work cohesively, and we've been doing some all school games with spelling lists and sight words. Last week the children did a remarkable job.
Play has been ferocious. The afternoon complaint is that too many toys are pulled out. Can't see how that could ever be a problem, but teachers claim the clean up time is horrendous. We might try "plan do and review" a High Step method of play. I suppose this is the kind of thing that allows teachers to learn. Solving problems and making adjustments is part of growing.
The children are adjusting to new table plans. We have split up some of the boy and girl groups and incorporated the little children among the bigger ones. It has cut the lunch time noise to an all time low.
It's been too hot to spend a lot of time outdoors. Yesterday, as it began to cool down, it started to rain.
Today is science day and we will be teaching digestion. Let me leave you with a thought: if you don't poop, you die! Kids love that. It makes them roar with laughter. Then we get serious and talk about how "food happens" and pluggers and plungers and how important water is and teeth and where to find your stomach and all the rest. Should be interesting.
Cartoons in England
Cartoon Net unveils UK preschool block
The UK's Cartoon Network is to launch a preschool block on sister channel Cartoon Network Too next month, and aims to offer a bilingual service later in the year.
The new block, titled Cartoonito, is scheduled to transmit from September 4, 2006. A second-language service will be gradually introduced, with animated characters introducing programmes in both English and French.
Cecilia Persson, VP of programming, acquisitions and presentation at Cartoon Network EMEA, has brokered a number of acquisitions for the block, including Animal Stories, Hi-5, Barney, Fluffy Gardens and Callou, as well as Roobarb and Custard Too. Cartoonito will air daily from 06.00 to 15.00.Dee Forbes, senior VP and general manager of Cartoon Network parent Turner Broadcasting Systems, said: "Our research shows French is the second language most parents would choose for their children, and the addition of French to Cartoonito's offering is a logical step forward in the provision of premier preschool entertainment."
Cartoon Network Too launched on April 24, 2006, showing Cartoon Network Originals animation such as Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Johnny Bravo and Cow and Chicken.Jules Grant 14 Aug 2006 © C21 Media 2006
Comment: This is really an outstanding way for children to learn that there are other languages besides their own. Getting the idea across used to be very difficult. This will be a big help. Many children will develop an early interest in languages because of programs like these.
Checklist
Comment: Here's a good checklist to use when looking for an all day situation for very young children.
Child care checklists
By The Associated Press
Some things to look for when visiting child-care settings:
Are there enough adults to meet the children's needs?
Do caregivers seem to enjoy caring for the children? Are there joyful interactions between them?
Are children encouraged to talk with each other?
Is the noise level comfortable?
Is the center or home bright, cheerful, clean, safe and well ventilated? Is all equipment clean, safe and in good working order?
Is there a posted plan of activities being followed that includes large muscle play (i.e., running, climbing); quiet play with toys the child chooses; time for reading and talking; rest; and snacks and meals?
Does each child have a place for her or his belongings?
Is there a clean diaper-changing area with a nearby sink?
Are infants always fed in an upright position and held by an adult until they can sit by themselves for feeding? (No bottles should be allowed in bed or propped.)
Is the food nutritious, well prepared and suitable for the age group?
Is there protective surfacing under all indoor and outdoor climbing equipment?
Are the toilets and sinks clean and easy to reach?
Do caregivers and children wash their hands before and after handling food? Before giving medication? After playing in sandboxes? After changing a diaper or using the toilet?
Is the area free of secondhand tobacco smoke?
What to ask caregivers
What hours and days are you open?
How much do you charge?
When is payment due?
Do you charge for holidays, absences due to vacations or illness, or late pickups?
How many children do you care for?
How much child-care experience and education do you have?
How many adults care for the children?
What ages do you serve?
Can I visit at any time?
How do you handle discipline?
What do you do if my child is sick?
How do you handle an emergency?
Do you have a back-up caregiver?
Do caregivers have up-to-date CPR and First Aid training?
What to ask references
Was the caregiver reliable?
How did the caregiver discipline your child?
How did you get along with the caregiver?
Was the caregiver respectful of your values and culture?
Would you recommend the caregiver?
If your child is no longer with the caregiver, why did you leave?
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics, Michigan Department of Human Services.
Preschool Behavior
Preschool behavior: Who's the boss?
Carol Hunt
Raising kids
Does your preschooler tell you he hates you, or not to look at him? Does your child hit you?
When preschoolers tell parents or other family members they hate them or if they hit their parents, it is usually to get their own way. Children this young can learn to manipulate parents through the parent's emotions.
To change this behavior, start by ignoring your child's statements while maintaining your expectation that the child do as told. Discussing your child's statements or answering back gives attention to the behavior and reinforces it. This will only make it more likely your child will continue to tell you they hate you. In other words, your good intentions backfire. Therefore, do not answer back.
When your child is talking and behaving appropriately, give all kinds of positive attention. Make sure you take the time to comment when you catch your child behaving well. This will make a big difference.
The same rule holds true when preschoolers hit their parents. Ignore and redirect to the task at hand if possible, or in a firm voice say, "No hitting." Forgo any discussion on the matter as this only provides attention and actually reinforces the behavior. Certainly never hit back. This only models bad behavior and creates anger and resentment in the child.
Time out may also be used as a strategy by moving your child away from any activity that is fun or rewarding for a short period of time. When you observe quiet behavior from your child, then direct your child to do as previously requested.
Behavior can change rapidly, usually within three to 10 days when using these strategies. The first few days can be especially trying. The trick is keeping your cool under stress, redirecting behavior where you can, ignoring behavior that is a nuisance but not serious, using time out for misbehavior that is truly out of line and, most importantly, reinforcing behavior that is appropriate - catching a kid being good.
Be consistent, remembering that your child is learning how to behave and much practice will be needed before your child gets it right.
Carol Hunt is the executive director of Resource Connection For Kids.
Comment: Well behaved children never hit parents. Children who have had some formation would never dream of it. The advice is good, however, and always take the time to praise good behavior.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Art Classes in Newburgh
Old Stone Gallery and Art School
102 State Street, Newburgh, IN 47630
(812) 490-6070
CLASS SCHEDULE -- FALL 2006
(START) Super Tots Art
Who: Budding artists aged 3-5
Time: Tuesdays or Saturdays 9:00 – 9:45 a.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supplies included)
Goal: Students explore the basics of art from shapes to colors to techniques. Students recognize different shapes in their environment (lines, angles, circles) and apply these to the art they create.
WAMM (Watercolor, Acrylic, and Mixed Media)
Who: Developing artists, aged 6-12
Time: Choose from one of these three times: Saturdays 10:00 -11:00 a.m. (ages 9-12), Saturdays 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. (ages 6-8), or Tuesdays 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. (ages 6-12)
Cost: $60 per month (supplies included)
Goal: Students create their artwork while learning new techniques for using acrylic, watercolor, pastel, and pen & ink, separately or combined. Famous artists and their styles will guide the instruction.
Homeschool Art
Who: Developing artists aged 6-12
Time: Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supplies included)
Goal: Students enjoy the process of making art while socializing with other home-schooled children. Class focuses on painting, mixed media, drawing, and sculpture while highlighting famous artists and important art movements. Curriculum will be tailored to each child’s needs.
Saturday Afternoon Cartoons
Who: New or Developing Cartoonists aged 7-14
Time: Saturdays 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supply list provided)
Goal: Students draw in pencil and then transfer to black ink and color washes to create original characters and story lines. To basic shapes, students add emotion and action to bring characters to life.
Studio A for Art, Teens Only for Coffee and Creativity
Who: Teen Artists aged 13 – 17
Time: Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supply list provided at the end of the first month)
Goal: Teens take a whirlwind tour of various art mediums and styles during the first month. Thereafter, students decide the medium on which they want to concentrate.
Painting for Adults
Who: Developing Adult Artists
Time: Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supply list provided)
Goal: Students learn to use acrylic as it mimics the washes of watercolor or the layering and impasto of oil. Techniques covered include wash, underpainting, sgraffito, glazing, impasto, and canvas stretching. A review of Composition, Elements & Principles of Art is provided as needed.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Happy Birthday: Let us arrange an art-filled party for you. Parties may be held in our classroom or at your house.
Meetings, Meetings, Meetings: Reserve our classroom for your group’s next meeting with refreshments.
Coffee and Creativity: Gather a group of friends and retreat to our classroom for a day of art and camaraderie. You supply the creative talent; we supply the coffee and space.
Ladies’ Night Out: It’s time to have a good time. Join us for coffee and dessert from La Sombra, create an artwork under the guidance of our art instructor, and visit with friends.
Private Instruction: Individual classes are available for all ages and in many mediums. Scheduling is flexible with cost determined by student’s age, supplies, and class length.
New classes and workshops are added as requested or created!
Sign our wish list and check with us for updates!
Comment: these are really nice people who do a great job. It's local and reasonable and the art produced is amazing.
102 State Street, Newburgh, IN 47630
(812) 490-6070
CLASS SCHEDULE -- FALL 2006
(START) Super Tots Art
Who: Budding artists aged 3-5
Time: Tuesdays or Saturdays 9:00 – 9:45 a.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supplies included)
Goal: Students explore the basics of art from shapes to colors to techniques. Students recognize different shapes in their environment (lines, angles, circles) and apply these to the art they create.
WAMM (Watercolor, Acrylic, and Mixed Media)
Who: Developing artists, aged 6-12
Time: Choose from one of these three times: Saturdays 10:00 -11:00 a.m. (ages 9-12), Saturdays 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. (ages 6-8), or Tuesdays 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. (ages 6-12)
Cost: $60 per month (supplies included)
Goal: Students create their artwork while learning new techniques for using acrylic, watercolor, pastel, and pen & ink, separately or combined. Famous artists and their styles will guide the instruction.
Homeschool Art
Who: Developing artists aged 6-12
Time: Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supplies included)
Goal: Students enjoy the process of making art while socializing with other home-schooled children. Class focuses on painting, mixed media, drawing, and sculpture while highlighting famous artists and important art movements. Curriculum will be tailored to each child’s needs.
Saturday Afternoon Cartoons
Who: New or Developing Cartoonists aged 7-14
Time: Saturdays 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supply list provided)
Goal: Students draw in pencil and then transfer to black ink and color washes to create original characters and story lines. To basic shapes, students add emotion and action to bring characters to life.
Studio A for Art, Teens Only for Coffee and Creativity
Who: Teen Artists aged 13 – 17
Time: Tuesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supply list provided at the end of the first month)
Goal: Teens take a whirlwind tour of various art mediums and styles during the first month. Thereafter, students decide the medium on which they want to concentrate.
Painting for Adults
Who: Developing Adult Artists
Time: Wednesdays 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cost: $60 per month (supply list provided)
Goal: Students learn to use acrylic as it mimics the washes of watercolor or the layering and impasto of oil. Techniques covered include wash, underpainting, sgraffito, glazing, impasto, and canvas stretching. A review of Composition, Elements & Principles of Art is provided as needed.
OTHER PROGRAMS
Happy Birthday: Let us arrange an art-filled party for you. Parties may be held in our classroom or at your house.
Meetings, Meetings, Meetings: Reserve our classroom for your group’s next meeting with refreshments.
Coffee and Creativity: Gather a group of friends and retreat to our classroom for a day of art and camaraderie. You supply the creative talent; we supply the coffee and space.
Ladies’ Night Out: It’s time to have a good time. Join us for coffee and dessert from La Sombra, create an artwork under the guidance of our art instructor, and visit with friends.
Private Instruction: Individual classes are available for all ages and in many mediums. Scheduling is flexible with cost determined by student’s age, supplies, and class length.
New classes and workshops are added as requested or created!
Sign our wish list and check with us for updates!
Comment: these are really nice people who do a great job. It's local and reasonable and the art produced is amazing.
Going to School
BACK TO SCHOOL:
Blaze an easy trail into preschool, kindergarten, 1st grade
By ALIAH D. WRIGHTGannett News Service
Cara Halstead Cea knows her 8-year-old son Christian - he’s sociable and quickly adjusts to new situations.But years ago, when it was time for Christian to take his place among new kindergarten classmates, “I looked at his face and he just looked so nervous and I got teary-eyed and he looked like a baby to me,” says the Westchester, N.Y., mother of two, who gave birth to her second child, Angela, on July 24.
“It was hard. I just wanted to walk in the classroom and sit down next to him and stay the whole day.”
Experts say such nervousness among the parents of preschoolers, kindergartners and first-graders entering classroom environments for the first time is nothing new. How to handle the angst is key.
“Going into kindergarten in our culture is considered to be a rite of passage and it’s not unusual for parents to get worked up about this transition,” says Dr. Ellen Lynch, associate professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Cincinnati. “Preschool can be a nurturing, homelike environment and suddenly (parents) feel like they are thrusting their children into ’real school,’ which is so very different from the world of preschool.”
Jerri Daniel, deputy executive director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, an organization that accredits preschools and kindergarten, agrees.
“Sometimes when we build things up as a really, really big deal, we can scare children. So the first step is to know your child and ... know how they will adapt to change,” Daniel says. “If they are hesitant or feel uneasy then you probably need to get started earlier than later” in helping them prepare for the new environment.
What do you do?
Experts say make sure both you and your child know what to expect long before school starts. Do that by contacting your child’s school district. Visit Web sites to find out what paperwork and health files are necessary. Consider visiting the school before the first day.
Walk to school or drive the route the school bus will take. Peek in the windows, play on the playground, discuss the upcoming school year, and explain what the routine will be like before and after school.
“You might also want to engage an older child who’s going to the same school who might walk with you and your child to school a couple of times ... so that your child ends up with a buddy if you will,” Daniel adds.
Francie Alexander, chief academic officer at Scholastic, Inc., and author of dozens of books for very young readers, says parents can show their children pictures of themselves at that age. It also doesn’t hurt to send your child to school with something familiar like “a special pair of socks, a little note in their lunch bag - a reminder that they are still connected to their parents.”
She says refresh your child’s manners as well. “There’s a connection between kids that have manners and reading success,” says Alexander, a former deputy assistant secretary for policy and planning at the U.S. Department of Education. So “review pleases and thank you’s and saying hello and role play a little bit.”
Role playing, says Barbara Hedspeth, a licensed clinical social worker at Family & Children First, a private nonprofit counseling center in Louisville, Ky., “gives a child a concept of how to respond when something comes up.” Setting a precedent will help your child respond to trying situations.
She adds that your child should have some level of expectation when they sit in their new environment for the first time. “The best thing is to explain to the child beforehand what’s going to happen.”
What if your child has special needs? Allergies, asthma, or the like? “You just want to tell the teacher,” she says, and have an action plan in place.Remember above all else, experts say, that children need reassurance.
“I did all the things that I would recommend any parent do: Tell the children that you love them, that you will return to pick them up at the end of the day, and wish them a good day,” says Dr. Stuart Chen-Hayes, an associate professor of counselor education at the City University of New York’s Lehman College. He says he remembers well the first time he took his son, now 3, to preschool.
“It was hard the first few weeks, but as we gained confidence in the preschool teachers and their skills, it became easier to separate.”
Comment: Part of the problem with separating is number of children. When the one going off to school has several siblings, it's a lot easier for mom because the "baby" is at home. In today's much smaller family, the child remains the baby for a long time. Sending a child off to school means the child has taken that step out of the house into the public world alone. It's a shocker to a lot of parents.
Blaze an easy trail into preschool, kindergarten, 1st grade
By ALIAH D. WRIGHTGannett News Service
Cara Halstead Cea knows her 8-year-old son Christian - he’s sociable and quickly adjusts to new situations.But years ago, when it was time for Christian to take his place among new kindergarten classmates, “I looked at his face and he just looked so nervous and I got teary-eyed and he looked like a baby to me,” says the Westchester, N.Y., mother of two, who gave birth to her second child, Angela, on July 24.
“It was hard. I just wanted to walk in the classroom and sit down next to him and stay the whole day.”
Experts say such nervousness among the parents of preschoolers, kindergartners and first-graders entering classroom environments for the first time is nothing new. How to handle the angst is key.
“Going into kindergarten in our culture is considered to be a rite of passage and it’s not unusual for parents to get worked up about this transition,” says Dr. Ellen Lynch, associate professor of Early Childhood Education at the University of Cincinnati. “Preschool can be a nurturing, homelike environment and suddenly (parents) feel like they are thrusting their children into ’real school,’ which is so very different from the world of preschool.”
Jerri Daniel, deputy executive director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, an organization that accredits preschools and kindergarten, agrees.
“Sometimes when we build things up as a really, really big deal, we can scare children. So the first step is to know your child and ... know how they will adapt to change,” Daniel says. “If they are hesitant or feel uneasy then you probably need to get started earlier than later” in helping them prepare for the new environment.
What do you do?
Experts say make sure both you and your child know what to expect long before school starts. Do that by contacting your child’s school district. Visit Web sites to find out what paperwork and health files are necessary. Consider visiting the school before the first day.
Walk to school or drive the route the school bus will take. Peek in the windows, play on the playground, discuss the upcoming school year, and explain what the routine will be like before and after school.
“You might also want to engage an older child who’s going to the same school who might walk with you and your child to school a couple of times ... so that your child ends up with a buddy if you will,” Daniel adds.
Francie Alexander, chief academic officer at Scholastic, Inc., and author of dozens of books for very young readers, says parents can show their children pictures of themselves at that age. It also doesn’t hurt to send your child to school with something familiar like “a special pair of socks, a little note in their lunch bag - a reminder that they are still connected to their parents.”
She says refresh your child’s manners as well. “There’s a connection between kids that have manners and reading success,” says Alexander, a former deputy assistant secretary for policy and planning at the U.S. Department of Education. So “review pleases and thank you’s and saying hello and role play a little bit.”
Role playing, says Barbara Hedspeth, a licensed clinical social worker at Family & Children First, a private nonprofit counseling center in Louisville, Ky., “gives a child a concept of how to respond when something comes up.” Setting a precedent will help your child respond to trying situations.
She adds that your child should have some level of expectation when they sit in their new environment for the first time. “The best thing is to explain to the child beforehand what’s going to happen.”
What if your child has special needs? Allergies, asthma, or the like? “You just want to tell the teacher,” she says, and have an action plan in place.Remember above all else, experts say, that children need reassurance.
“I did all the things that I would recommend any parent do: Tell the children that you love them, that you will return to pick them up at the end of the day, and wish them a good day,” says Dr. Stuart Chen-Hayes, an associate professor of counselor education at the City University of New York’s Lehman College. He says he remembers well the first time he took his son, now 3, to preschool.
“It was hard the first few weeks, but as we gained confidence in the preschool teachers and their skills, it became easier to separate.”
Comment: Part of the problem with separating is number of children. When the one going off to school has several siblings, it's a lot easier for mom because the "baby" is at home. In today's much smaller family, the child remains the baby for a long time. Sending a child off to school means the child has taken that step out of the house into the public world alone. It's a shocker to a lot of parents.
Preschool to Kindergarten
Move from preschool to kindergarten a large jump for some
By Julie FinleyThe Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — No pressure. It’s just kindergarten.“This is different from where you have been before boys and girls,” said Alice Jackson, kindergarten teacher. “You are getting into what we call the big leagues now. And you know what that means, more learning.”
And more rules.No running. Raise your hand before you speak. Don’t lean on the wall. Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t block another teacher’s doorway. Boys, when we go to the bathroom we always aim. Don’t carry your lunch tray above your head. Don’t get up and walk around the lunchroom. Lunch trays must slide on the rail. Sit on the carpet squares. Always stop at the corners. When one person is getting water the others stop a step behind them. No fighting. No pushing. Listen to adults. Push in your chair.
The rules alone were enough to make some brand new kindergarteners at West Primary panic.
And that’s just what Shek’nah Hoskins did. When the new kindergartner realized mom was actually going to leave her in rule world, she ran.Out Jackson’s door she went, down the long West Primary hallway and to the double doors at the end that exit to freedom. But they were too heavy and mom was only steps behind.
Plan B — tears. The sobs, clinging and panicked look bought Shek’nah a few hours. Mom pulled up a spot next to the carpet and stayed long enough to hear Jackson’s full list of rules.
Be respectful. Be responsible. Keep your hands, feet and object to yourself. Raise your hand. Follow the directions of adults.“The first two weeks of school we are going to talk about these rules every day,” Jackson said. “You have got to learn them. We want our classroom to run smoothly and we want everybody to learn, and in order to do that we need to follow these rules.”
But Jackson will make it worth their while, she told the group of 21 that grew to 22 by 10 a.m.
Rewards based on a behavior-tracking chart will include stickers, praise and notes to parents to tell them how good children are doing. They’ll get some healthy snacks, and if things go well all year there are parties at the end.
But rule breakers face consequences, she said, including time out, parent notification, a trip to the guidance counselor and finally a trip to the principal’s office.Rules are a necessary part of the first day of school, West Primary teachers said, but there was room for hugs, kisses and comforting words too. Parents are allowed to stay with their children all day if necessary, Principal Cindy Idom said.
Teachers take it slow, reading stories about kindergarten and taking long building tours. Students won’t go to special classes like PE and music until next week, and no one expects them to learn all the rules on the first day.“We’ll just keep reminding them every day, throughout the day” kindergarten teacher Connie Fleming said.
Teacher Kit Spears said the hardest rule to grasp will be raise your hand before speaking.
“We are starting with a blank slate,” she said.
All Natchez-Adams public schools started Monday. Other area schools will start in the next week and a half.
Comment: If this kind of care began in preschool, the adjustment would not be so great. The adjustment from the Garden School to big school is about hours spent in desks and lots of kids. All the rules here apply to any group of children who are trying to learn. They also apply to good manners which is something we have forgotten.
By Julie FinleyThe Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — No pressure. It’s just kindergarten.“This is different from where you have been before boys and girls,” said Alice Jackson, kindergarten teacher. “You are getting into what we call the big leagues now. And you know what that means, more learning.”
And more rules.No running. Raise your hand before you speak. Don’t lean on the wall. Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t block another teacher’s doorway. Boys, when we go to the bathroom we always aim. Don’t carry your lunch tray above your head. Don’t get up and walk around the lunchroom. Lunch trays must slide on the rail. Sit on the carpet squares. Always stop at the corners. When one person is getting water the others stop a step behind them. No fighting. No pushing. Listen to adults. Push in your chair.
The rules alone were enough to make some brand new kindergarteners at West Primary panic.
And that’s just what Shek’nah Hoskins did. When the new kindergartner realized mom was actually going to leave her in rule world, she ran.Out Jackson’s door she went, down the long West Primary hallway and to the double doors at the end that exit to freedom. But they were too heavy and mom was only steps behind.
Plan B — tears. The sobs, clinging and panicked look bought Shek’nah a few hours. Mom pulled up a spot next to the carpet and stayed long enough to hear Jackson’s full list of rules.
Be respectful. Be responsible. Keep your hands, feet and object to yourself. Raise your hand. Follow the directions of adults.“The first two weeks of school we are going to talk about these rules every day,” Jackson said. “You have got to learn them. We want our classroom to run smoothly and we want everybody to learn, and in order to do that we need to follow these rules.”
But Jackson will make it worth their while, she told the group of 21 that grew to 22 by 10 a.m.
Rewards based on a behavior-tracking chart will include stickers, praise and notes to parents to tell them how good children are doing. They’ll get some healthy snacks, and if things go well all year there are parties at the end.
But rule breakers face consequences, she said, including time out, parent notification, a trip to the guidance counselor and finally a trip to the principal’s office.Rules are a necessary part of the first day of school, West Primary teachers said, but there was room for hugs, kisses and comforting words too. Parents are allowed to stay with their children all day if necessary, Principal Cindy Idom said.
Teachers take it slow, reading stories about kindergarten and taking long building tours. Students won’t go to special classes like PE and music until next week, and no one expects them to learn all the rules on the first day.“We’ll just keep reminding them every day, throughout the day” kindergarten teacher Connie Fleming said.
Teacher Kit Spears said the hardest rule to grasp will be raise your hand before speaking.
“We are starting with a blank slate,” she said.
All Natchez-Adams public schools started Monday. Other area schools will start in the next week and a half.
Comment: If this kind of care began in preschool, the adjustment would not be so great. The adjustment from the Garden School to big school is about hours spent in desks and lots of kids. All the rules here apply to any group of children who are trying to learn. They also apply to good manners which is something we have forgotten.
Move from preschool to kindergarten a large jump for some
By Julie FinleyThe Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — No pressure. It’s just kindergarten.“This is different from where you have been before boys and girls,” said Alice Jackson, kindergarten teacher. “You are getting into what we call the big leagues now. And you know what that means, more learning.”
And more rules.No running. Raise your hand before you speak. Don’t lean on the wall. Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t block another teacher’s doorway. Boys, when we go to the bathroom we always aim. Don’t carry your lunch tray above your head. Don’t get up and walk around the lunchroom. Lunch trays must slide on the rail. Sit on the carpet squares. Always stop at the corners. When one person is getting water the others stop a step behind them. No fighting. No pushing. Listen to adults. Push in your chair.
The rules alone were enough to make some brand new kindergarteners at West Primary panic.
And that’s just what Shek’nah Hoskins did. When the new kindergartner realized mom was actually going to leave her in rule world, she ran.Out Jackson’s door she went, down the long West Primary hallway and to the double doors at the end that exit to freedom. But they were too heavy and mom was only steps behind.
Plan B — tears. The sobs, clinging and panicked look bought Shek’nah a few hours. Mom pulled up a spot next to the carpet and stayed long enough to hear Jackson’s full list of rules.
Be respectful. Be responsible. Keep your hands, feet and object to yourself. Raise your hand. Follow the directions of adults.“The first two weeks of school we are going to talk about these rules every day,” Jackson said. “You have got to learn them. We want our classroom to run smoothly and we want everybody to learn, and in order to do that we need to follow these rules.”
But Jackson will make it worth their while, she told the group of 21 that grew to 22 by 10 a.m.
Rewards based on a behavior-tracking chart will include stickers, praise and notes to parents to tell them how good children are doing. They’ll get some healthy snacks, and if things go well all year there are parties at the end.
But rule breakers face consequences, she said, including time out, parent notification, a trip to the guidance counselor and finally a trip to the principal’s office.Rules are a necessary part of the first day of school, West Primary teachers said, but there was room for hugs, kisses and comforting words too. Parents are allowed to stay with their children all day if necessary, Principal Cindy Idom said.
Teachers take it slow, reading stories about kindergarten and taking long building tours. Students won’t go to special classes like PE and music until next week, and no one expects them to learn all the rules on the first day.“We’ll just keep reminding them every day, throughout the day” kindergarten teacher Connie Fleming said.
Teacher Kit Spears said the hardest rule to grasp will be raise your hand before speaking.
“We are starting with a blank slate,” she said.
All Natchez-Adams public schools started Monday. Other area schools will start in the next week and a half.
Comment: If this kind of care began in preschool, the adjustment would not be so great. The adjustment from the Garden School to big school is about hours spent in desks and lots of kids. All the rules here apply to any group of children who are trying to learn. They also apply to good manners which is something we have forgotten.
By Julie FinleyThe Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — No pressure. It’s just kindergarten.“This is different from where you have been before boys and girls,” said Alice Jackson, kindergarten teacher. “You are getting into what we call the big leagues now. And you know what that means, more learning.”
And more rules.No running. Raise your hand before you speak. Don’t lean on the wall. Keep your hands to yourself. Don’t block another teacher’s doorway. Boys, when we go to the bathroom we always aim. Don’t carry your lunch tray above your head. Don’t get up and walk around the lunchroom. Lunch trays must slide on the rail. Sit on the carpet squares. Always stop at the corners. When one person is getting water the others stop a step behind them. No fighting. No pushing. Listen to adults. Push in your chair.
The rules alone were enough to make some brand new kindergarteners at West Primary panic.
And that’s just what Shek’nah Hoskins did. When the new kindergartner realized mom was actually going to leave her in rule world, she ran.Out Jackson’s door she went, down the long West Primary hallway and to the double doors at the end that exit to freedom. But they were too heavy and mom was only steps behind.
Plan B — tears. The sobs, clinging and panicked look bought Shek’nah a few hours. Mom pulled up a spot next to the carpet and stayed long enough to hear Jackson’s full list of rules.
Be respectful. Be responsible. Keep your hands, feet and object to yourself. Raise your hand. Follow the directions of adults.“The first two weeks of school we are going to talk about these rules every day,” Jackson said. “You have got to learn them. We want our classroom to run smoothly and we want everybody to learn, and in order to do that we need to follow these rules.”
But Jackson will make it worth their while, she told the group of 21 that grew to 22 by 10 a.m.
Rewards based on a behavior-tracking chart will include stickers, praise and notes to parents to tell them how good children are doing. They’ll get some healthy snacks, and if things go well all year there are parties at the end.
But rule breakers face consequences, she said, including time out, parent notification, a trip to the guidance counselor and finally a trip to the principal’s office.Rules are a necessary part of the first day of school, West Primary teachers said, but there was room for hugs, kisses and comforting words too. Parents are allowed to stay with their children all day if necessary, Principal Cindy Idom said.
Teachers take it slow, reading stories about kindergarten and taking long building tours. Students won’t go to special classes like PE and music until next week, and no one expects them to learn all the rules on the first day.“We’ll just keep reminding them every day, throughout the day” kindergarten teacher Connie Fleming said.
Teacher Kit Spears said the hardest rule to grasp will be raise your hand before speaking.
“We are starting with a blank slate,” she said.
All Natchez-Adams public schools started Monday. Other area schools will start in the next week and a half.
Comment: If this kind of care began in preschool, the adjustment would not be so great. The adjustment from the Garden School to big school is about hours spent in desks and lots of kids. All the rules here apply to any group of children who are trying to learn. They also apply to good manners which is something we have forgotten.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
The Garden School Tattler
Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest. Rest for me is down time just like anyone else. People go round and round about what constitutes down time, and for me, down time is always creative. Movie watching, lunching out, Mass, shopping, visiting, a ride in the country, physical activity, sports events are up time for someone like me. These activities take a kind of effort and are a kind of distraction from what I really want to do. I'm a writer, and writers love to write to see what happens next. I could sit and fuss over a sentence for an hour or a single word for at least an hour. "What does it mean; where did it come from; what use could it be in this or that situation; what can I do with it creatively that would be new and different and would anyone understand my use?" These are the things creative writers like to do in their "down" time. An ice storm is conducive to a great period of down time.
I often watch the children at play to see just what constitutes a child's work and his "down" time. Hadley is a thinker - she likes to figure things out. Abby is a doer - she likes to see how something will work. Daymon is a watcher - he wants to see what people will say or do in any given situation. William is a doer, but his doing is stress related - how much will something bear and how much will an adult watching bear. Faith is a watcher- participant. She's a quiet thinker at school and likes to see how well people do things. It all takes thought and composure and a kind of earnestness about life. Letting them have time to explore their personality and others' takes some engineering, but it's always worth the effort.
"Can I go into your room and work on the puzzle?" I always let the doers go because invariably they will get something done.
Getting something done is a joy to some and a chore to others. The question to ask about children and adults is "How well do they like work?" And detailing that "What work do they like?"
Some children are creative workers and some are task doers. Some children will rip out every toy to play a remarkable five second game. Putting back the toys is another story. Some children rarely take out a toy but will laboriously struggle to clean up with such precision it's frightening.
Where does this go? I think it goes into the personality banks for a later work out. Ask yourself: would you rather cook dinner or clean up the mess? Would you rather go to school than just get a job? How do you spend ordinary time? Would you rather clean a room or paint it? Would you rather rearrange a room or clean it? Would you rather read trade or fiction? Are you a fact person or a fiction person? When you go to bed at night do you dream the impossible dream, or are you thinking about the 2.95 mistake in your check book?
It all starts in early childhood - that's why I love this age so much.
***
And since it's Sunday, here's some fun:
Chicken the kids just love: Take a chicken, give him a short bath in cold water; put him nicely into a deep bed; sprinkle him generously with salt and Mrs. Dash, and bake him for twice the length recommended by poundage. If he's three pounds, bake him at 350 for about three hours.
***
Here's a recipe for bread sticks the kids love. For family use, use 1 (of 3) package of yeast, 1 cup warm water, a couple of tablespoons oil, a teaspoon of sugar to feed the yeast, some salt for taste, and enough flour to make a wet dough. Dump onto a floured board or stone and kneed enough flour to make the dough dry. Let rise .5- 1 hour. Pull chunks off, roll between fingers to make short snakes, and then twist and bake at 400 for about 10 minutes.
Makes pizza crust as well. Bake at 450 on lowest oven rung for pizza.
***
Here's a quickie chicken pot pie. Take enough frozen chicken breasts for the people you are making this creature for. Saute small bite sized chicken pieces and whatever vegetables you are interested in eating in the pie, but don't over cook. (Chicken can be cut up with clean kitchen sheers - makes cutting chicken so much easier.)
Make pie dough: 2 cups flour, 1/2 up white Crisco, 1 tsp salt and mix until the stuff looks like sand. Then add enough boiling water to make a dough.
Roll out dough on floured board or stone and add chicken and vegetables and then five or six slices of cheese or a cup of shredded cheese. Parmesan is good too. Roll, fold, or spindle and at least crimp your edges and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Slice and serve.
Have a great day!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Ireland
Irishexaminer.com
Cork, Ireland
Charity calls for free pre-school place for every child
08/08/2006
Free pre-school education should be offered to every child in the year before they officially start school to ensure they are given a strong start in life, a leading children’s charity said today.
An investment programme for education announced in the last Budget will see 50,000 additional childcare places, including 5,000 after-school places and 10,000 pre-school places aimed at three- to four-year-olds by 2010.
Norah Gibbons of children’s charity Barnardos said: “This is a good first step to developing an early childhood education initiative but we are very concerned that of the 50,000 additional pre-school and after-school places announced by Minister (for Children Brian) Lenihan over the next five years, only 10,000 are actually targeted at the three- to four-year-old age group – the year before most children in this country start primary school.”
The Government investment programme will cost the state around €575m.
The charity estimated the provision of free early childhood education for all children for a year prior to joining primary school would cost €1.4bn to start up, and €636m a year to run.
Barnardos voiced its concern that access to early education was often based on a parent’s wealth.
“Access is largely contingent on parental ability to pay, which may result in the children of families on low and average incomes being excluded,” Ms Gibbons said.
“Parental income should not be a barrier to a child realising his or her potential – where you’re going in life shouldn’t be dependent on where you’ve come from. Unfortunately, research shows us that it (is).”
Ms Gibbons called for early childhood education programmes to be rolled out first in disadvantaged areas.
She said it should be made obligatory that pre-school staff were adequately trained.
“The most up-to-date research shows that investing in early childhood education is cost-effective for the state in the medium to long-term with regard to improved school success, economic performance and reduced associated crime levels,” she said.
“Socially, economically, developmentally and morally we cannot afford to let children down when it comes to providing equality of opportunity for all children.”
Comment:
I'm always surprised by the idea that we should have to pay for higher education, but not for preschool. Until preschool becomes a part of regular public school education, it should remain optional and cost. Spending money on children is part of having a family.
On the other hand, education should be mandated in any early childhood setting.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
The Garden School Tattler
We had a super day today. We started off with Mr. Clint Perry, our good friend of 25 years and bug man come and spray the school. He is always so interesting about new and different pest products. He uses all natural and organic materials which are harmful to bugs but not to children or adults.
If you want his number, please ask.
We are working on a packet of pen pal information to send. We worked on self portraits today.
In class, my room was spectacular. We worked on following directions, and addition. The kids all enjoyed adding Popsicle sticks. Every one understood what we were doing. We have two children who can't read numbers yet, and it's a barrier to some math, but the concepts are there and that's interesting.
We did our flash card game and David and Austin won with seven cards each.
The children are having fun coloring dragons. Every so often we get on a binge of this or that, and this week it's dragons.
The new fun game is Marbleworks again. Clays are second.
I am searching EVV for tiny china tea sets. If you see some in your wanderings, please let me know. I want about ten of them for the girls to play with at the tables. I got one someplace for about $1.00 Can't remember where, however.
There has been a lot of reading going on in the library, and that's a really good thing. The little kids take out the books and make a mess, but suddenly, they are taking the time to look at them and that can only be a positive thing.
If anyone has a rug cleaner they wouldn't mind lending, let me know. I'll trade you for a guinea pig or a pair of love birds or even a cat overnight. Maestro would love to visit your home!
Lunch was pizza, watermelon, grapes!!! and salad and milk. Tomorrow is chicken pot pie, water melon and canteloup, hard rolls, salad, cottage cheese and milk.
Friday is a fine arts day. We will look at Gauguin and color spaces.
Spiders...Again
One of our fathers brought this to my attention today. Apparently packers use brown recluse spiders when packing green grapes. The spiders destroy all the possible vermin that could harm the grapes in transit. He was doubtful that this was true, so the next time he bought grapes, he submersed the bunch in a sink full of cold water and sure enough out popped a brown recluse spider. Coincidence? Be careful when buying grapes. I must buy grapes nearly every week for school, and today the package went into the sink full of cold water.
Raccoons
I'm posting this for families. Children love their pets, and when a pet is destroyed or hurt by something wild and beautiful and fun like a raccoon, it's really confusing for a child.
This year I lost three female cats. One inside cat I had had for ten years, and two feral cats who ate on my front porch. The two males I have left seem fine. One is feral and one is tame.
It's probably a good idea not to feed the raccoons. I was leaving cat food out, and the raccoon would come and sit on my porch day and night. My vet and a naturalist from Lincoln said it's their nature to kill small animals. It's worth paying attention. Who knows; next we'll be losing our rabbits!
Cat-killing raccoons on prowl in west Olympia
By STEVE POWELL
The Olympian
OLYMPIA - Raccoons are cute, until they kill one of your cats.
That is what a west Olympia neighborhood is learning this summer.
Raccoons have killed about 10 cats in a three-block area near the Garfield Nature Trail at Harrison Avenue West and Foote Street Southwest.
Problem wildlife coordinator Sean Carrell of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife called the situation "bizarre, weird."
"I've never heard a report of 10 cats being killed. It's something we're going to have to monitor," he said. He added that they may have to bring in trappers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The problem got so bad that residents Kari Hall and Tamara Keeton even started a Raccoon Watch after having an emotional neighborhood meeting attended by about 40 people.
At the meeting, they encouraged people to stop feeding the raccoons. They also decided to keep their pets and pet food inside. And they decided to carry pepper spray to drive off raccoons that attack again.
Keeton and Pam Corwin have decided to have "cat coops" built so their pets can go outside and have some room to roam, with protection.
It's not just cats being attacked. Five raccoons actually ganged up on and carried off a little dog, who survived.
One thing that makes these raccoons scary is they have no fear. One neighbor threw firecrackers at them to try to scare them off, and it didn't even bug them, Hall said.
"It's a new breed," Keeton said. "They're urban raccoons, and they're not afraid."
"There's one really big bad dude," she added.
"He was the biggest raccoon I've ever seen. He was a monster," added Tony Benjamins, whose family has had two cats killed.
The raccoons are so bold they bit Lisann Rolle when she tried to fling three of them off of her cat, Lucy.
"I was watching her like a hawk, but she snuck out," Rolle said of Lucy. "Then I heard this hideous sound - a coyote-type high pitch ...
"It was vicious. They were focused on ripping her apart."
Lucy had been a member of the family for seven years. Rolle received rabies shots as a precaution.
Rolle still gets upset talking about it. "I'm afraid of them," she said of the raccoons. "I carry an iron pipe with me" when I go out at night, she added.
'They were so cute'
Kim and Tony Benjamins are still mourning the killing of their favorite cat, Novalee. She was ripped to pieces, and it was hard to identify her.
"I see Kim sit by Novalee's grave in their front yard every day ... talking or just being with her kitty," Keeton said.
Tony Benjamins said that in previous years, raccoons would come within 5 feet of cats with no problems.
"We used to love the raccoons. They'd have their babies this time of year, and they were so cute. Even though we lived in the city, it was neat to have wildlife around."
But this year, things changed. "They went nuts," he said of raccoons. "We got a dog" - a German shepherd-Rottweiler mix - to scare them away.
Hall, her husband and a neighbor actually helped save one cat's life.
"We were right there trying to get him off the cat," she said. "The cat was screaming, and the raccoon was ferocious. My husband and a neighbor grabbed a shovel and a bat, and they were waving them until it took off. It was scary."
She said she doesn't know whether neighbor Kathy Wood's cat, Sweetie, will recover.
One thing that also saved Sweetie's life is she's overweight.
"It couldn't pull Sweetie under the deck. But it pulled so hard it hurt her internal organs," Hall said.
The neighbors hired trapper Tom Brown, a nuisance wildlife control operator from Rochester.
Brown said of the raccoons, "They are in command up there."
He said he's seen packs this big, but none so into killing. There was one in Rochester that killed a peacock last winter and another in Grand Mound that killed three chickens. But nothing like this.
Brown said there is an overabundance of food in the area with many fruit trees.
"And the good folks feed them. They're cute as a bug's ear," he said, adding, "I wouldn't mind being a raccoon up there."
Normally, Brown said, he can fix a problem in a few weeks, but he has set traps there for six weeks and caught only one.
"It was with sardines and cat food," he said. "For bait, I use what they've been feeding them."
Brown said he hasn't trapped more because raccoons are intelligent. They teach their young, the same as beavers do. He said one big male boar is the main killer, and he's tasted blood, and he wants more. He's usually helped by one or two others.
"The boar's likely been in a live trap before," Brown said.
Carrell added: "It's highly unlikely you will ever trap him again, and he'll teach the others to stay away."
Brown said he's going to back off for a while until the food supply dries up.
"Then they'll be a little less persnickity," Brown said.
He said his goal is to make them feel uncomfortable. Until that happens, they aren't likely to leave.
"We have our favorite restaurants; they have their favorite routes," he said.
'It's like a freeway'
Keeton said the raccoons travel their route so often they've worn a path.
"It's like a freeway in the back yard," she said. "It's like clockwork. They come between 9 and 9:30 every night."
Corwin said the raccoons are brave. "They come on my deck and beg for food at my window," Corwin said.
Keeton said she's lived in the area for six years and never seen anything like this. She said Fish and Wildlife, the city of Olympia and animal control - nobody has any answers on why this is happening.
But Carrell said: "I talk to people until I'm blue in the face - do not feed cats and dogs outside."
Donny Martorello, also of Fish and Wildlife, said if people don't feed raccoons, or any wildlife, there won't be a problem.
"Raccoons adapt really well living in suburban environments," Martorello said.
Keeton said she knows people have invaded the raccoons' territory, but Hall added they have coexisted peacefully for a long time.
"You've got to watch which ones are bad," Hall said. "It's not all of them. We just have to arm ourselves with pepper spray."
Keeton added: "It may sound silly, but a lot of the people here truly feel scared and terrorized."
Tips on keeping raccoons away
Don't feed them.
Don't leave any food out that they can get to.
Clean your grill. The odor can attract them.
Don't put your trash can out where they can get to it.
Keep your lights on. Raccoons like to avoid being seen.
Keep gates closed to make it harder for them to get close to the house.
Source: Donny Martorello, state Department of Fish and Wildlife
Workout Tips for Stay at Home Parents
Exercising with Kids Brings Plenty of Possibilities
-- By Liza Barnes Rothfuss, Health Educator
When I was pregnant with my daughter I asked a friend of mine, a mother of three, “Don’t you get bored staying home with the kids all day?” Looking amused she replied, “Oh, I find stuff to do.” Now that my own daughter is one-year-old, I know why this question entertained my friend…
Between nursing, changing diapers, preparing meals (and cleaning up after those meals), visiting the playground, and trying to squeeze in a shower, being bored is something I wish for! Life as a stay-at-home parent isn’t all about Bon-Bons and soap operas (thank goodness!). Stay-at-home parents work just as hard as those who clock in elsewhere, and often find themselves stuck in the same no-time-to-exercise trap.
Regular workouts can bring peace to your day and fitness to your body. If you’re desperate for fitness but can’t seem to find the time, all you need is some planning and a little creativity.
8 Ways to Work-In a Workout
Exercise with your kids. If your kids are old enough, let them bike while you run or rollerblade. Hiking makes for a fun family activity that keeps everyone shape. Or, create a fitness course in the backyard, complete with jump rope, jumping jack, and pushup stations.
Invest in a jogging stroller or a “kid trailer” for your bike. When you’re pushing or pulling one of these, you’re sure to get a good workout—your kids will enjoy it too! Another current trend is the StrollerFit class, where parents (with their stroller-age children) utilize strollers for a cardiovascular and strength-building workout. (Read "How to Choose a Jogging Stroller" for more tips.)
Strap baby to you in a baby carrier. If your baby is too young to feel comfortable in a stroller, you can still exercise together. There are many comfortable baby carriers on the market, including slings, front carriers, and backpacks. Adding 10-20 pounds to your frame for a walk will boost calorie burn, helping you shed those extra pounds. And babies love to be held close to you. In fact, touching enhances brain development in infants, so as you get fitter, baby gets smarter!
Join a gym with child-care, or add it to your membership. Whether you don’t enjoy the great outdoors, or you live in a climate with blustery winters or lots of rain, outdoor exercise with the kids is not always an option. On-site childcare facilities offer convenience, and the peace of mind that if your child needs you, you’re only an intercom page away. Some gyms even have fitness classes for kids, so while you pump iron, the munchkins learn how to do the grapevine. (For more pregnancy and kid-friendly options, read "10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Gym".)
Sign up for parent-baby yoga classes. If these are offered in your area, parent-baby yoga classes can help you build strength and stamina, reduce stress, and provide you another opportunity to bond with your child.
Purchase some exercise videos. Yoga, Pilates, low-impact aerobics, and kickboxing can all be done on your living room floor with little or no equipment. Before you buy, rent a few from your local video store or check them out from the library to see which ones you like.
Improvise. If you miss your aerobics class because of a marathon naptime, pop in an exercise video or do lunges in the backyard with the baby monitor hooked to your pants. Don’t stress if you don’t get that perfect workout in every time. With exercise, doing some is always better than doing none.
Most importantly, put exercise on your “to-do” list. Make it a priority. If that means getting up an hour early for a run, then set the alarm and go for it. You’ll benefit in countless ways, plus you’ll be a happier, more peaceful parent for your kids.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Garden School Tattler
It's been a few days!
We had a blast last Friday- the whole school was exhausted from the heat and the shift in gears, so we all took a break and studied clay. We made space clay, play dough, brought out the petroleum clay, and we used earth clay to explore and create. After lunch the kids did all the dishes and vacuumed and mopped the floors, and boy were they absolutely fabulous! We were so impressed.
Monday and Tuesday have been regular school days. Miss Morgan has moved from the 4K to the K-1. Her work was just way above the other children's work. It was probably time. She'll have to work very hard for a while, but she can do this.
We were very saddened by the death of the young man at Castle High School. He was a close friend of one of our families. We are praying for him and the family.
We are trying to learn two new songs, Anthem and The Impossible Dream, but the kids are wont to sing this year. It could be that they are tired. This forever heat really does take a toll on everyone. We are trying hard to get out in the morning for some fresh air and to eat breakfast on the patio, but when the temp is 85% and climbing, and the humidity is 200% it's discouraging. All the kids want to go out on a regular basis, but can't because it's so uncomfortable.
This week, Mon and Tues, were Edith's and my wedding anniversaries. Edith and Ralph would have been married 41 years, and Terry and I have been married 36 years. It's a life sentence!
Reflecting back on 36 years, it's strange what you remember. This week I went down to our local school and brought my grandson Jack home from his first week at Newburgh School. He's in the first grade. I think I was in that school every day for at least 20 years, and now picking him up after school is familiar yet different. Jack and I go for ice cream first. It's just over the hill. We're walking of course, and the time we can spend together is priceless. I remember all the days my kids came home from that little school and the excitement and joy of learning and sharing and just being together is a memory worth thinking about over and over.
So it's been a really busy time.
This week in my class we learned about playing cards, numbers and games. We played "Fish" today and the kids seemed to catch on quickly. Card games teach children to think, do, act, and remember.
We also did some geometric art, played the who remembers what game, and David won. We have 25 sight words on flash cards. I'm trying to teach the children to remember and to get used to words in print. We go around in a circle and ask each child if they know either the name on the flash card or the word. If a child says it right, he can hold the card. We do this until all the cards are gone. Then we count who has remembered the most cards.
Behavior has been up and down. Some kids are just brilliantly behaved and some children are not. If your child receives a constant stream of green faces, he needs to go to bed earlier. Sleep deprivation is often a source for poor behavior.
Pizza tomorrow - watermelon and grapes, a salad and milk.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Boston
Brockton girl, 4, lost at theater by day care
By Margaret Hawryluk, Enterprise special correspondent
Ivette Williamson assumed the worst when the Brockton Day Nursery called her Tuesday at work about her 4-year-old daughter, Aaliyah.
“When they called, they started with, 'I regret to inform you,” Williamson, of Brockton, said. “I assumed she was injured in an accident, or dead.”
She was relieved to hear her daughter was safe, but grew angry after the nursery told her that Aaliyah had been left behind at the Showcase Cinema in Randolph during a field trip to see the movie “Ant Bully.”
Williamson said the nursery didn't realize her daughter was missing until 45 minutes after they had left the movie, which ended at 12:30 p.m.
“Someone could've snatched her,” she said. “I'm so upset right now I don't even know what to do.”
But what Williamson said further enraged her was how the nursery tried to cover up the incident.
Williamson said her daughter was separated from the group of 16 children, with two teachers and two substitutes, after the group lined up to go to the bathroom.
“There were four kids to each teacher — how could they miss her?” she asked.
When Aaliyah left the bathroom, Williamson said the group had left the theater and she was alone. Aaliyah approached a maintenance worker at the theater, who watched her until Randolph police arrived and brought her to the station.
“They didn't miss her until they got back to the nursery,” she said. “Instead of calling the police, they drove back.”
The Randolph police were unavailable for comment this morning.
Williamson said the police would only release Aaliyah to a parent or guardian, so the nursery called her at approximately 2 p.m. to pick up her daughter.
“They tried to snatch her before anyone noticed,” she added.
Williamson said the nursery did not realize the girl was missing until 45 minutes after they had left.
Merrilee Fellows, education coordinator at the nursery, said the teachers involved in the trip are being interviewed “to make sure it doesn't happen again.”
She said general procedure is to fill a sign-out sheet as the children leave the nursery and sign them back in when they return.
She said the team is also supposed to perform a head-count before children board the bus.
“They didn't count the children,” Williamson said.
Williamson, who works in Norwood, said she had been sending her daughter to the nursery for approximately two years, for five days a week, but is now looking for a new nursery.
“She told me, 'Mommy, I don't want to go to school today,'” she said.
, a single mother, added.
She is also upset that the nursery called her at 5:30 p.m. to say the teachers were responsible, but she said a director never called to apologize.
“It was troubling to me how they handled it,” she said.
Fellows said the situation is being handled internally and she had no further comment, but the nursery does recognize responsibility.
“We certainly express our sincerest regret and hope Aaliyah is fine,” she said.
Comment:
This is the Garden School faculty's biggest worry - that we will lose one. We count, count, count every so often. I'm usually rigid and uncompromising about headcounts. We called roll all summer in the bus even calling the parents' names and our names. Can you imagine leaving a child in a different city? Nightmares of nightmares for the child - he or she would never get over it. Safety and care are the FIRST priority of any field trip.
During our last trip to the lake, there was a drop off on the short road we walk out on, like crazies, the teachers were directing children's traffic away from the drop off. It can happen - someone will be hurt and the trip becomes a disaster.
I know that teachers are really boring and demanding about roll call, line ups and re-checks, but it's our only insurance that all the children are there and the trip has been a success.
As advice for anyone reading this, count, count, count and before leaving anything or any place, take roll if you are unsure. Ask about the youngest children every time you change positions, and keep everyone in sight. Check under, over around and through on playgrounds, and never let a child go to the toilet alone.
Friday, August 18, 2006
The Garden School Tattler - Questions
Here are some questions for a hot Friday in August:
Can a child begin his life as an adult and not a child?
What problems might a person have just skipping childhood and going straight for the adult camp?
What behaviors are permissible when a child has skipped childhood?
What kind of an adult is one who has never been a child?
Interesting and quite commonly found. There are many children who have never played the part of a child. What do you think?
Can a child begin his life as an adult and not a child?
What problems might a person have just skipping childhood and going straight for the adult camp?
What behaviors are permissible when a child has skipped childhood?
What kind of an adult is one who has never been a child?
Interesting and quite commonly found. There are many children who have never played the part of a child. What do you think?
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Florida
As more and more preschools get away from the day care mentality and begin to write curricula for real education, more and more places like this and the GS will be available to parents. It's a good sign.
New preschool stresses the arts
Terra Nichol Academy
ENGLEWOOD -- Children learn in many different ways, and each child deserves an educational structure that best suits his or her needs.
That's the premise behind the new Terra Nichol Academy of the Arts preschool and after-school care programs.
Parents are welcome to check out the learning center 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Wednesday and Thursday at 1362 Manasota Beach Road, just off State Road 776.
Owner Terra Nichol Tominelli, who has more than 15 years of experience teaching in preschools in the area, said she takes Howard Gardner's approach to education. Gardner is a professor of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and he is best known in educational circles for his theory of multiple intelligences.
According to Tominelli, Gardner identifies many ways children learn: by doing, by playing, by being interested, through the senses, through language, by moving, through success, through repetition, through experimentation, through interacting with peers by using real materials, by pretending and by constructing their own knowledge.
"The curriculum is designed for each individual," Tominelli said. "Each child learns in a different way."
Tominelli said that everyone thinks predominantly in four different ways, but everyone has the ability to improve skills in the other cognitive learning processes.
Tominelli said in addition to academics, the children at her preschool will get a taste of different forms of the arts.
"My background is the arts," she said. "I used to teach drama and yoga at local preschools. I think it's a great outlet for children. They're under a lot of stress these days.
"Children naturally respond to dance and music and drama, and this is the time you want to expose them to those many experiences," she continued. "They're like little sponges. They just soak it all up."
Studies have shown that exposing children to the arts increases self-confidence, develops critical thinking skills, aids brain development and improves excellence in reading, math and science, Tominelli said.
"Teachers recognize that performing arts are an essential part of learning," she said.
Tominelli said Terra Nichol is in the process of getting accredited with Gold Seal, through the YMCA, a program subsidized and encouraged by the state.
The school also participates in Florida's voluntary prekindergarten program.
She is hopeful her academy will open Aug. 7. It accepts preschool children ages 2-5 and after-school children in kindergarten through grade 5.
There is transportation from both Taylor and Englewood elementary schools.
"There's a bus stop right in front of our school," she said.
Tominelli is offering "mommy and me" classes 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. The classes include "play-away-baby beats" and "baby boot camp," she said.
Classes will be taught in music, dance and drama, photography, art appreciation, pottery and scrap-booking. The physical education will be yoga and gymnastics, karate and gardening, she said.
Tominelli is teaching computers and cooking, as well.
Part of the academics includes language literacy, poetry, science, math, social studies and Spanish.
All teachers have degrees in either early childhood education or in visual and performing arts, Tominelli said.
Terra Nichol Academy of the Arts can accept 69 students.
There is a full-time program and a half-day program.
New preschool stresses the arts
Terra Nichol Academy
ENGLEWOOD -- Children learn in many different ways, and each child deserves an educational structure that best suits his or her needs.
That's the premise behind the new Terra Nichol Academy of the Arts preschool and after-school care programs.
Parents are welcome to check out the learning center 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Wednesday and Thursday at 1362 Manasota Beach Road, just off State Road 776.
Owner Terra Nichol Tominelli, who has more than 15 years of experience teaching in preschools in the area, said she takes Howard Gardner's approach to education. Gardner is a professor of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and he is best known in educational circles for his theory of multiple intelligences.
According to Tominelli, Gardner identifies many ways children learn: by doing, by playing, by being interested, through the senses, through language, by moving, through success, through repetition, through experimentation, through interacting with peers by using real materials, by pretending and by constructing their own knowledge.
"The curriculum is designed for each individual," Tominelli said. "Each child learns in a different way."
Tominelli said that everyone thinks predominantly in four different ways, but everyone has the ability to improve skills in the other cognitive learning processes.
Tominelli said in addition to academics, the children at her preschool will get a taste of different forms of the arts.
"My background is the arts," she said. "I used to teach drama and yoga at local preschools. I think it's a great outlet for children. They're under a lot of stress these days.
"Children naturally respond to dance and music and drama, and this is the time you want to expose them to those many experiences," she continued. "They're like little sponges. They just soak it all up."
Studies have shown that exposing children to the arts increases self-confidence, develops critical thinking skills, aids brain development and improves excellence in reading, math and science, Tominelli said.
"Teachers recognize that performing arts are an essential part of learning," she said.
Tominelli said Terra Nichol is in the process of getting accredited with Gold Seal, through the YMCA, a program subsidized and encouraged by the state.
The school also participates in Florida's voluntary prekindergarten program.
She is hopeful her academy will open Aug. 7. It accepts preschool children ages 2-5 and after-school children in kindergarten through grade 5.
There is transportation from both Taylor and Englewood elementary schools.
"There's a bus stop right in front of our school," she said.
Tominelli is offering "mommy and me" classes 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Monday through Friday. The classes include "play-away-baby beats" and "baby boot camp," she said.
Classes will be taught in music, dance and drama, photography, art appreciation, pottery and scrap-booking. The physical education will be yoga and gymnastics, karate and gardening, she said.
Tominelli is teaching computers and cooking, as well.
Part of the academics includes language literacy, poetry, science, math, social studies and Spanish.
All teachers have degrees in either early childhood education or in visual and performing arts, Tominelli said.
Terra Nichol Academy of the Arts can accept 69 students.
There is a full-time program and a half-day program.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
The Garden School Tattler
What a great day - a real day day. The little kids were not overwhelmed by the demands of the older children looking continuously for something to do. Interesting they rarely find something real to do. But they can find some real annoying stuff to do at the expense of everyone else.
Sounds like we don't like the big kids - we do - but mixing certain ages is just very difficult. What I imagine for the big kids is someone like Tom who can take five of them and work with them all summer taking them places, teaching them to do things and to think in alternate ways. You can't do that with a lot of little kids hanging around.
At the same time, you can't teach little kids to think as little kids do when you have big kids filling in your deliberate word gaps and contradicting most of what you say. It's a different patois and trying to balance the two is purgatory stuff.
***
The food program inspection has brought a lot of things to light. I've been cooking for children for 35 years. My first and foremost thought in meal planning and serving is that food is an investment in the health of a person. Building bodies goes beyond birth; it's a daily activity.
At the same time, food is a natural enjoyment. It's often festive, fun, engaging and satisfying, so dressing up to cook with a stainless steel helmet and fire gloves, boots and long handled tongs is not my idea of cooking. I'm not a plastic and chemical person; I'm a last minute let's have this because it's fun cook. I'm a try this; I promise you'll love it.
Planning menus today for next week leaves me cold. Who knows what will be fun or available next week? If pomegranates come on the market at 10 cents a dozen, and I have canned rhubarb and spinach loaf on the menu, it would be a sad thing to have to pass by the delicious for the disgusting. So...I compromised-- sort of. I wrote out a general menu which you will find at the front of school from now on. Suggestions are extremely welcomed -- use a post a note.
What I am trying to do - or what I am doing which Edith would call trying - is to pack each week with all the foods kids should get. Mondays are ground beef days; Tuesdays are pork days; Wednesdays are egg and cheese + days; Thursdays are chicken days; Fridays are fish or pizza days. Last week we had a whole baked salmon. This week it's homemade cheese pizza. The fruits and vegetables I will fill in as we use them or come by them. It makes sense to me. Bread is easy and is often an experiment anyway.
Today we had summer sausage and quiche or egg and cheese pie, and fresh fruit and fresh garden vegetables and homemade muffins and milk. Tomorrow is baked chicken, rice, corn, melon, bread and butter of some kind - maybe bread sticks with cheese dip, and milk.
This planning will allow me to buy a little of everything and make different things as the desire and the interest and the curiosity flies. The question with cooking is always - can it be done, and secondly would anyone eat that? MMMM.
Tonight I am making sundaes with my usual axle grease chocolate sauce, and I'm trying some raspberry jelly boiled into it. Axel grease is something I make for the kids - it's one part butter to one part sugar to one part cocoa to one part milk. Stir and boil three minutes to make sure sugar has de-crystallized. The end product is a thick heavy chocolate fudge stuff that's hardy and gives a real boost to plain ice cream.
The problem with the new rules is that we HAVE to serve the children even if they don't want it. So we are serving several things so that each child can choose two edible veggie and fruit components. It's a compromise as well. My question is: if one child likes one thing and another likes something else, is there a "rule" on the books which would prevent very sly children from swapping? I would of course turn a blind eye.
***
The PC party today went very well. We are always so grateful to our parents for their help and generosity.
Classes went quite well today. We are learning two new songs in music and a bunch of new things in Spanish Class. Kelly is so good.
Sounds like we don't like the big kids - we do - but mixing certain ages is just very difficult. What I imagine for the big kids is someone like Tom who can take five of them and work with them all summer taking them places, teaching them to do things and to think in alternate ways. You can't do that with a lot of little kids hanging around.
At the same time, you can't teach little kids to think as little kids do when you have big kids filling in your deliberate word gaps and contradicting most of what you say. It's a different patois and trying to balance the two is purgatory stuff.
***
The food program inspection has brought a lot of things to light. I've been cooking for children for 35 years. My first and foremost thought in meal planning and serving is that food is an investment in the health of a person. Building bodies goes beyond birth; it's a daily activity.
At the same time, food is a natural enjoyment. It's often festive, fun, engaging and satisfying, so dressing up to cook with a stainless steel helmet and fire gloves, boots and long handled tongs is not my idea of cooking. I'm not a plastic and chemical person; I'm a last minute let's have this because it's fun cook. I'm a try this; I promise you'll love it.
Planning menus today for next week leaves me cold. Who knows what will be fun or available next week? If pomegranates come on the market at 10 cents a dozen, and I have canned rhubarb and spinach loaf on the menu, it would be a sad thing to have to pass by the delicious for the disgusting. So...I compromised-- sort of. I wrote out a general menu which you will find at the front of school from now on. Suggestions are extremely welcomed -- use a post a note.
What I am trying to do - or what I am doing which Edith would call trying - is to pack each week with all the foods kids should get. Mondays are ground beef days; Tuesdays are pork days; Wednesdays are egg and cheese + days; Thursdays are chicken days; Fridays are fish or pizza days. Last week we had a whole baked salmon. This week it's homemade cheese pizza. The fruits and vegetables I will fill in as we use them or come by them. It makes sense to me. Bread is easy and is often an experiment anyway.
Today we had summer sausage and quiche or egg and cheese pie, and fresh fruit and fresh garden vegetables and homemade muffins and milk. Tomorrow is baked chicken, rice, corn, melon, bread and butter of some kind - maybe bread sticks with cheese dip, and milk.
This planning will allow me to buy a little of everything and make different things as the desire and the interest and the curiosity flies. The question with cooking is always - can it be done, and secondly would anyone eat that? MMMM.
Tonight I am making sundaes with my usual axle grease chocolate sauce, and I'm trying some raspberry jelly boiled into it. Axel grease is something I make for the kids - it's one part butter to one part sugar to one part cocoa to one part milk. Stir and boil three minutes to make sure sugar has de-crystallized. The end product is a thick heavy chocolate fudge stuff that's hardy and gives a real boost to plain ice cream.
The problem with the new rules is that we HAVE to serve the children even if they don't want it. So we are serving several things so that each child can choose two edible veggie and fruit components. It's a compromise as well. My question is: if one child likes one thing and another likes something else, is there a "rule" on the books which would prevent very sly children from swapping? I would of course turn a blind eye.
***
The PC party today went very well. We are always so grateful to our parents for their help and generosity.
Classes went quite well today. We are learning two new songs in music and a bunch of new things in Spanish Class. Kelly is so good.
The Garden School Tattler
This is our first day without the summer big kids. They are going back to school today, and we wish them the very best experience. We love the big kids, but their care and feeding reaches into other categories that we just don't have the staff for. When we are on the go, the big kids are an asset, but when we are at home every day, there is just not enough for the big kids to do. Hide and seek in the building during regular class time is a sight to behold!
Our graduates have slowly left. Our last child was Jack Snyder. He will be going to Newburgh Elementary and will have a "family teacher." That means he will have one of the teachers his mother and some of his aunts had. Jack will come home from school to grandma's house twice a week. It's such a small world. When Jack started at the GS, he was no bigger than Robby who sat quietly yesterday watching from his infant swing.
And what do we want for our graduates? We want them to take with them a security about learning. We want them to know that other children in the classroom, together with them, make a team. We want them to be kind, and know how to love one another. We want them to be helpful and courteous to their teachers, know when to be quiet, and know how to listen and do their best so that they will always be a class treasure. We want them to share what they know in a polite way, and we want them to always do the hard jobs because the harder the job the more they learn and learning doesn't stop in school.
Yesterday David's family brought in a new train set. It is a marvelous toy and we are very grateful. The kids absolutely went crazy about this new set. They had track all over the place and they quarreled over the trains at first but settled down to a real sharing.
We are all looking forward to that real break in the weather. It's just too hot.
Miss Kelly is doing a pampered chef party this afternoon at school. Please feel free to look over the neat merchandise. The proceeds go to the school.
The DVD Miss Kelly and Mr. Tim made of summer field trips is available. Please call the school. They are a nominal fee and run 15 minutes. They have music and pictures and are really quite beautifully done.
Our graduates have slowly left. Our last child was Jack Snyder. He will be going to Newburgh Elementary and will have a "family teacher." That means he will have one of the teachers his mother and some of his aunts had. Jack will come home from school to grandma's house twice a week. It's such a small world. When Jack started at the GS, he was no bigger than Robby who sat quietly yesterday watching from his infant swing.
And what do we want for our graduates? We want them to take with them a security about learning. We want them to know that other children in the classroom, together with them, make a team. We want them to be kind, and know how to love one another. We want them to be helpful and courteous to their teachers, know when to be quiet, and know how to listen and do their best so that they will always be a class treasure. We want them to share what they know in a polite way, and we want them to always do the hard jobs because the harder the job the more they learn and learning doesn't stop in school.
Yesterday David's family brought in a new train set. It is a marvelous toy and we are very grateful. The kids absolutely went crazy about this new set. They had track all over the place and they quarreled over the trains at first but settled down to a real sharing.
We are all looking forward to that real break in the weather. It's just too hot.
Miss Kelly is doing a pampered chef party this afternoon at school. Please feel free to look over the neat merchandise. The proceeds go to the school.
The DVD Miss Kelly and Mr. Tim made of summer field trips is available. Please call the school. They are a nominal fee and run 15 minutes. They have music and pictures and are really quite beautifully done.
Monday, August 14, 2006
The Garden School Tattler
Today our whole day was set up to meet with the USDA Child Care Food Program. The program is a wonderful help to early childcare places, public schools and family homes. We are so proud to be on this program.
Part of the program is collecting paperwork. That's no easy chore. Like any Federal or State program, the paperwork is voluminous! Every child's file must contain, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, .... forms and more.
Menus have to contain certain components in order to count as nutrition for children. We didn't have a single problem there. We serve A+, 100% good food at the GS, and we serve as much as a child wants.
Today we had spaghetti with meat sauce, cottage cheese, green salad, kandy melon, watermelon, green apples, French Bread and butter and milk.
But here's the rub: how much, how much, how much? Everything has to be weighed or measured. That's not usually a problem because what the state says we should be serving to a child in the 3-5 category is so small, we usually laugh and serve several times as much.
For instance: pancakes must equal one 1.1 ounces. Have you ever thought about what that is? It amounts to about one 2.5 inch pancake. We serve about six 3-4 inch pancakes to every child.
The lady who monitors us is Miss Kim. She's an excellent lady and full of bright clear answers to questions and enthusiastic about food. We are very glad to have her on our side.
If you want to know what your child is eating and I don't post it here, I have it posted in the kitchen and will post it on the door of the school a week in advance. If you have any suggestions, please tell one of us.
Food is an important issue because it is an investment in the future of the health of the child. Every effort is made to make sure our children are well fed and happy. Hunger in a country of plenty is a disgrace, but then so is poor nutrition.
Mars
Here's an interesting thing to watch with older children:
MARS The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month the Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.
Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye.
Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m.
That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN This should be interesting if it happens and is true. We'll be watching.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
High Notes
This is a letter posted to the blog. In case you didn't see it, I'm posting it as a post. This is the kind of teacher that makes the GS a great place to work.
Judy, Thank you so much for the kind words. It makes me feel good to know that I have a boss who trust's me like this. I have my own children Caleb and Josie with me when I am at the garden school. When a situation like this arises my "mommy" instincts kick in. All of these children are my own when they are in my care. I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. I hope the parents can work a little easier knowing that their children are safe and sound in The Garden School. The part I found the funniest was, no matter how dark the sky kept getting and how hard the wind was blowing, the children had one thing on their mind, Snack! They didn't want to miss that. However, a pack of cookies later, the storm passed. I was so impressed with the kids. It takes patience to sit on the floor of the bathroom for thirty minutes. They are truly a special group of children. And I love everyone of them. Miss. Jana
Judy, Thank you so much for the kind words. It makes me feel good to know that I have a boss who trust's me like this. I have my own children Caleb and Josie with me when I am at the garden school. When a situation like this arises my "mommy" instincts kick in. All of these children are my own when they are in my care. I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. I hope the parents can work a little easier knowing that their children are safe and sound in The Garden School. The part I found the funniest was, no matter how dark the sky kept getting and how hard the wind was blowing, the children had one thing on their mind, Snack! They didn't want to miss that. However, a pack of cookies later, the storm passed. I was so impressed with the kids. It takes patience to sit on the floor of the bathroom for thirty minutes. They are truly a special group of children. And I love everyone of them. Miss. Jana
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Yoga and Pilates
This is a wonderful explanation of a fantastic group of exercises that can be done at home, at work or anywhere to keep fit. It's worth reading.
This article has special attention for pregnant women. But these exercises are good for anyone.
Yoga and Pilates from Babyfit
A Winning Fitness Combo -- By Sara Hambridge, Physical Therapist
Yoga and Pilates are two very popular forms of exercise today, and for good reason. Each has wonderful benefits, including many for the expectant mother. Both originated long ago and have since been adapted into many different forms, such as yogalaties and power yoga, to name a few.
Yoga, started in India more than 5000 years ago and springing from a Sanskrit word meaning “union,” has many forms but generally centers around techniques for breathing (pranayama), postures (asanas), flexibility, and meditation (such as the techique called dhyana). It can be very spiritual, linking the mind, body, and spirit. Other popular types seen today in videos and in gyms include:
Hatha: Involves basic introductory yoga poses, usually gentle and slow-paced.
Vinyasa: A version that uses more aggressive stretching, with focus on sun salutations and connecting breathing to movement.
Ashtanga: Fast-paced and more intense (sometimes referred to as "power yoga"), this form focuses on constant movement from one pose to the next in a specific order.
Bikram: Also referred to as "hot yoga," this form is intended to be practiced in an environment where the temperature is 95-100 degrees, to promote intense sweating that will loosen tight muscles and facilitate cleansing of the body. (Please note that this form is NOT recommended during pregnancy.)
Pilates was first practiced in the early 1900’s by Joseph Pilates, who as a young boy suffered from rickets, asthma, and rheumatic fever. He developed a system of exercise to help recover from his illness, emphasizing moves that would strengthen and elongate muscles without adding bulk.
Once little known, Pilates is increasingly popular with dancers, therapists, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts who want to develop a strong flexible body. Pilates movements are generally taught either through reformer classes, using a pulley-based machine and providing more one-on-one instructor time (more expensive and not as easily accessible), or as mat exercises (more popular, since all you need is floor space). Both categories focus on the core muscles to improve posture and flexibility, and strengthen muscles in the abdomen and back.
Pilates is similar to yoga in that breathing, flexibility, and strength are emphasized, but yoga involves more static poses, while Pilates combines dynamic movements originating from the core that are more precise and controlled. Pilates can be described as an abdominal workout integrating moves with the upper and lower body to create firmer, longer, leaner body tone.
So how do yoga and Pilates help during pregnancy? As the body changes through each trimester, aches and pains can become more prevalent. Studies have shown that exercise during pregnancy can alleviate many discomforts, such as backache, fatigue, nausea, and cramping, as well as assist in an easier delivery and quicker recovery. Both yoga and Pilates focus on many of the key areas that need work during pregnancy-- areas such as flexibility, abdominal muscles, and pelvic floor strength, of utmost importance in carrying and delivering a baby.
How to choose which is for you, yoga or Pilates?
It’s an individual choice but keep in mind that both provide different but excellent benefits. You may want to reap both the strengthening of Pilates and the relaxing, stress-reducing effects of yoga. Either way, consider your individual situation, both during pregnancy and postpartum, and ALWAYS check with your doctor first to make sure you have no reason to avoid exercise (bleeding, past miscarriages, placenta previa, and so on).
Then follow these Do’s and Don’t’s:
Avoid prolonged moves lying on the back-- try to modify poses or positions to an incline, if feasible.
Never hold your breath!
Avoid holding positions for prolonged periods, especially positions where the head is lower than the heart (such as “the downward dog”). This can cause dizziness when coming out of the pose.
Always check for the condition of diastisis recti (separation of the midline abdominal wall) before doing any abdominal exercise – if you have this problem, avoid Pilates to prevent the separation from worsening.
Stop doing any exercise that causes dizziness, shortness of breath, pain, or nausea. Some moves can also cause heartburn; if you discover any affecting you in this way, avoid them.
Avoid exercises that “stretch” the abdomen (for example, “the upward-facing dog,” “the bow,” or standing back extensions).
Avoid exercises that enhance forward head and shoulder postures (such as “the plow” or shoulder stands).
Beware of poses that require a great deal of balance-- you lose some balancing ability as your center of gravity changes during pregnancy.
If you’re a beginner, try to find a “prenatal” class or video to ensure proper instruction.
Always go at your own pace and remember to listen to your body.
Avoid inverted poses for several weeks postpartum to avoid air embolism.
Drink lots of water and be careful not to get overheated. The gains achieved from yoga and Pilates are extremely beneficial for the pregnant woman. Many women say they’ve alleviated back pain, feel more prepared for delivery, or just plain feel better about their changing bodies.
Although there are many options available today for the exercise enthusiast, yoga and Pilates top the list for great prenatal and postpartum workouts.
This article has special attention for pregnant women. But these exercises are good for anyone.Yoga and Pilates from Babyfit
A Winning Fitness Combo -- By Sara Hambridge, Physical Therapist
Yoga and Pilates are two very popular forms of exercise today, and for good reason. Each has wonderful benefits, including many for the expectant mother. Both originated long ago and have since been adapted into many different forms, such as yogalaties and power yoga, to name a few.
Yoga, started in India more than 5000 years ago and springing from a Sanskrit word meaning “union,” has many forms but generally centers around techniques for breathing (pranayama), postures (asanas), flexibility, and meditation (such as the techique called dhyana). It can be very spiritual, linking the mind, body, and spirit. Other popular types seen today in videos and in gyms include:
Hatha: Involves basic introductory yoga poses, usually gentle and slow-paced.
Vinyasa: A version that uses more aggressive stretching, with focus on sun salutations and connecting breathing to movement.
Ashtanga: Fast-paced and more intense (sometimes referred to as "power yoga"), this form focuses on constant movement from one pose to the next in a specific order.
Bikram: Also referred to as "hot yoga," this form is intended to be practiced in an environment where the temperature is 95-100 degrees, to promote intense sweating that will loosen tight muscles and facilitate cleansing of the body. (Please note that this form is NOT recommended during pregnancy.)
Pilates was first practiced in the early 1900’s by Joseph Pilates, who as a young boy suffered from rickets, asthma, and rheumatic fever. He developed a system of exercise to help recover from his illness, emphasizing moves that would strengthen and elongate muscles without adding bulk.
Once little known, Pilates is increasingly popular with dancers, therapists, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts who want to develop a strong flexible body. Pilates movements are generally taught either through reformer classes, using a pulley-based machine and providing more one-on-one instructor time (more expensive and not as easily accessible), or as mat exercises (more popular, since all you need is floor space). Both categories focus on the core muscles to improve posture and flexibility, and strengthen muscles in the abdomen and back.
Pilates is similar to yoga in that breathing, flexibility, and strength are emphasized, but yoga involves more static poses, while Pilates combines dynamic movements originating from the core that are more precise and controlled. Pilates can be described as an abdominal workout integrating moves with the upper and lower body to create firmer, longer, leaner body tone.
So how do yoga and Pilates help during pregnancy? As the body changes through each trimester, aches and pains can become more prevalent. Studies have shown that exercise during pregnancy can alleviate many discomforts, such as backache, fatigue, nausea, and cramping, as well as assist in an easier delivery and quicker recovery. Both yoga and Pilates focus on many of the key areas that need work during pregnancy-- areas such as flexibility, abdominal muscles, and pelvic floor strength, of utmost importance in carrying and delivering a baby.
How to choose which is for you, yoga or Pilates?
It’s an individual choice but keep in mind that both provide different but excellent benefits. You may want to reap both the strengthening of Pilates and the relaxing, stress-reducing effects of yoga. Either way, consider your individual situation, both during pregnancy and postpartum, and ALWAYS check with your doctor first to make sure you have no reason to avoid exercise (bleeding, past miscarriages, placenta previa, and so on).
Then follow these Do’s and Don’t’s:
Avoid prolonged moves lying on the back-- try to modify poses or positions to an incline, if feasible.
Never hold your breath!
Avoid holding positions for prolonged periods, especially positions where the head is lower than the heart (such as “the downward dog”). This can cause dizziness when coming out of the pose.
Always check for the condition of diastisis recti (separation of the midline abdominal wall) before doing any abdominal exercise – if you have this problem, avoid Pilates to prevent the separation from worsening.
Stop doing any exercise that causes dizziness, shortness of breath, pain, or nausea. Some moves can also cause heartburn; if you discover any affecting you in this way, avoid them.
Avoid exercises that “stretch” the abdomen (for example, “the upward-facing dog,” “the bow,” or standing back extensions).
Avoid exercises that enhance forward head and shoulder postures (such as “the plow” or shoulder stands).
Beware of poses that require a great deal of balance-- you lose some balancing ability as your center of gravity changes during pregnancy.
If you’re a beginner, try to find a “prenatal” class or video to ensure proper instruction.
Always go at your own pace and remember to listen to your body.
Avoid inverted poses for several weeks postpartum to avoid air embolism.
Drink lots of water and be careful not to get overheated. The gains achieved from yoga and Pilates are extremely beneficial for the pregnant woman. Many women say they’ve alleviated back pain, feel more prepared for delivery, or just plain feel better about their changing bodies.
Although there are many options available today for the exercise enthusiast, yoga and Pilates top the list for great prenatal and postpartum workouts.
Malta
Interesting article on Malta
Times of Malta - Valletta,Malta
When I touch on the issue of working mothers, I like to remember an event which I witnessed and which left me both mesmerised and amused. It happened quite a few years ago, while I was interviewing a priest on the topic of poverty in Malta.
He was honing in on the issue of families, women, their children and the phenomenon of working women. He had barely finished voicing the start of a sentence: "Ever since women started working...", than a nun who happened to be in the same room filing papers, swirled round to face us, walked abruptly up to his desk and with pointed intensity said: "Father... women have always worked."
She left him agape and point made, she demurely walked back to her papers and filing. She might have been a nun with chaste habit and all, but she sure was a feminist.
A lot has changed since women walked to their husband's, father's, brother's fields and worked there from dawn till dusk. Those were the times when the suckling babes were carried about in swaddling, the ones old enough to help did, while the ones in between stayed at home helping out grandmothers, spinster aunts and older sisters care for the home, elderly and ill, cook, wash, bathe and feed the chickens.
Young children could run about in the fields and play all day long. It was a different lifestyle. The working mother usually had somebody back home to help out, in some way or another, and the extended family was not only there to share Sunday dinner but to help in a factual way, every moment of the day.
Today many wish to remain hooked on to this romanticised version of a family, as if wearing blinkers. We are living a different reality and to keep a family and make ends meet, one must only do a simple physical exercise - share life with one medium-sized family of moderate means and try dealing with shopping, bills, school requirements, doctor's fees, etc, etc, for just one month. One month will be long enough to discover that it is imperative in this day and age for most women to contribute financially to the family.
Fine. But what does one do with children before they are old enough to go to school and in between schooling periods? How can a woman work outside the home with peace of mind? Children need to be cared for by their parents or other persons and carers who are suitably qualified to do so.
Given a choice, most mothers will opt to stay at home with their babies for as long as it takes, and if they desire to proceed with a career, they would want to reassure themselves that the care given to their children will not be in any way ransacking their own right of motherhood.
But there is no simplistic solution to all this and since I'm writing about mothers and their children, I will only later on be writing about the father's role in the whole set-up.
If grandma is still working herself, too old to care for grandchildren or simply disinterested, how is the young mother to regain her place of work? She has to seek child care, even if she is working on a part-time arrangement or at least on those days when nobody else from within the family can 'replace' her.
In a bid to address gender sensitive issues, the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) took specific action last year through an EU-funded project which aims to train and give the necessary qualifications to prospective and existing child carers to work in this field and to offer employers the possibility of incorporating child care facilities on their premises through a number of incentives.
This year Government has specifally allocated Lm130,000 to support 45 existing child centres to upgrade their standard in order to comply with the new regulations.
Anna Borg, senior ETC executive in charge of the Gender Issues Research and Development Division, explains: "We want to tangibly help increase female participation through the provision of child care services at the workplace."
ETC offered courses to women interested in taking up child care as a career. Training involved 300 hours of intensive tuition, and 500 placement hours in various child care centres catering for children aged up to five.
"With one course ready, and another ten still ongoing, we are planning to have a strong workforce of fully trained child carers to fill the need to man child care centres according to the standards set last summer by the Department of Social Welfare Standards."
This is especially important in a country where up until a short time ago, child care centres were not regularised and mothers could not be blamed for being apprehensive about leaving their children in care.
The course attracted a healthy number of applicants - 700 women who applied for the child care training programme, even though ETC could only take around 200. But what about the other side of the coin - the employers?
Initially there was a relatively high response with 60 potential employers enquiring about the system. They were interested in being offered a scheme of incentives, namely providing full-trained child carers and grants to facilitate the initial transitory process. Since last year, however, interest dwindled due to a series of problems.
"Some employers found they simply did not have the physical space on their premises to set up a child care centre. Another set of employers found that, following site inspections, their premises, while being large enough, did not have the suitable requirements in terms of safety - no apertures, no space at ground floor level, or free space only within the basement quarters."
The end result is that only a few valiant employers have held on to their initial resolve to man a child care centre in-house and these are presently in the process of carrying out the necessary alterations to accommodate their employees' children.
After due clearance from the Department of Social Welfare Standards, permits from MEPA and physical time to carry out works, it is hoped these companies will be able to offer their employees full child care facilities with the assistance of the ETC.
In view of the limited number of employers who will actually have a child care centre on their premises, Ms Borg said: "We would have wished for bigger numbers and better results, but at least these employers have taken on an act of courage and it is a start. We live in a rather macho society which is hard to change quickly. We shall be applying for the next funding period which stretches from 2007-2013 and we are looking forward to wider opportunities and hopefully more openings for in-house child care centres."
ETC employees have been among the first to enjoy the serenity of having an in-house child care centre which is open daily during working hours offering year round care, including an after-school and holiday-care service.
"Our employees are now dropping off their children in the morning, popping in to nurse or play with them during their lunch break and picking them up after work to head home together.
This peace of mind allows parents to continue with their work reassured, also because our child carers are top notch and that is what we have attempted to do during this past year - raise standards, raise awareness, inform parents that child care is not just about minding but also about educating. Hopefully more companies will follow suit."
School Rankings
For more information go to the links on the right.
Evansville teachers get a lesson of their own before school starts next week.
Superintendent of Public Instruction in Indiana, Dr. Suellen Reed gave the keynote address Friday afternoon for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation's summer academy, Making Connections.
The focus was on how to close the achievement gap and strengthen instruction in math, science and technology. This comes a week after Reed announced new rankings of the state's public schools.
Nine schools in the EVSC are on academic probation. Dr. Reed says, "We all have some schools in the district that maybe need to work a little harder. We need to make sure we narrow that achievement gap and we also have to be absolutely certain that we keep all the kids in school until they graduate."
Reed says she hopes the General Assembly will consider extra funding for schools on probation. For a look at how your child's school ranks, click here.
Friday, August 11, 2006
The Garden School Tattler
Yesterday during the storm Terry and Edith and I were giving platelets at the Blood Center. As the storm turned the sky darker and darker I was torn between the perfect blood match the Blood Center said I had with someone who desperately needed my platelets, and the safety of the school. Jana and Tom closed yesterday.
Edith and I both agreed there was no better closing team for an emergency. Jana and Tom are well versed in safety issues and when Edith called, they had the place settled down and battened down for safety. Tom is electrified by need. He has a heart as big as a bushel basket and relates so well to anyone who is needing special attention, he's my choice for that desert island situation.
Jana is a "doer" like me. She's the strong arm, the detail person, the rough and tumble, get it all done quick type whose personal radar probably sensed the storm and the entire afternoon's agenda was probably a full script by the time the first drop of rain fell.
These teachers are the backbone of the school. They are the reason the "all day" teachers can relax and leave after class time is done. The school doesn't stop after class time is over. Kids continue to learn and continue to thrive after school. The after school time is often the time when kids think about what they have learned and put the pieces together, that's why it's important to have the right people do the job. It's tough to find the kind of people who compliment the school as well as Tom and Jana.
This has been a good first week. We've done a lot of adjusting. There will be more adjusting as the weeks develop. I think the primary interesting thing we've noticed is how well the Garden School children have learned to listen and how far some of the new children have to go to catch up with this single so important element in learning.
The primary single thing preschool and kindergarten children need to do is listen. This will be our first priority for the next few months. If a child can't listen; he can't learn.
Today is fine arts day and we will be looking at Van Gogh's work. He's an interesting artist and a lot of fun to copy.
Lunch is whole salmon and fish sticks - choice. We will have rice and corn and watermelon and cheese bread.
Edith and I both agreed there was no better closing team for an emergency. Jana and Tom are well versed in safety issues and when Edith called, they had the place settled down and battened down for safety. Tom is electrified by need. He has a heart as big as a bushel basket and relates so well to anyone who is needing special attention, he's my choice for that desert island situation.
Jana is a "doer" like me. She's the strong arm, the detail person, the rough and tumble, get it all done quick type whose personal radar probably sensed the storm and the entire afternoon's agenda was probably a full script by the time the first drop of rain fell.
These teachers are the backbone of the school. They are the reason the "all day" teachers can relax and leave after class time is done. The school doesn't stop after class time is over. Kids continue to learn and continue to thrive after school. The after school time is often the time when kids think about what they have learned and put the pieces together, that's why it's important to have the right people do the job. It's tough to find the kind of people who compliment the school as well as Tom and Jana.
This has been a good first week. We've done a lot of adjusting. There will be more adjusting as the weeks develop. I think the primary interesting thing we've noticed is how well the Garden School children have learned to listen and how far some of the new children have to go to catch up with this single so important element in learning.
The primary single thing preschool and kindergarten children need to do is listen. This will be our first priority for the next few months. If a child can't listen; he can't learn.
Today is fine arts day and we will be looking at Van Gogh's work. He's an interesting artist and a lot of fun to copy.
Lunch is whole salmon and fish sticks - choice. We will have rice and corn and watermelon and cheese bread.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
