All Hands on to PLAY Outside!

Now that it is warming up outside, it is the perfect time to yield the important advice that is offered in this blog post.  The first few sentences of the blog resonate with all of us that are early childhood educators, we need less sedentary play with devices and more active learning with the world we live in. 

"I get asked ALL.THE.TIME. for my recommendations of learning apps for babies and toddlers. Hands-on play is the best learning app, and the the perfect classroom for that learning right outside your back door. "

Click on the link to read more about the classroom that awaits you just outside your front door.

Nature is The Best App

Vocabulary Matters!

This is just a message that can not be emphasized enough. Early vocabulary is very important to a child's ability to read and write later.  

Research suggests that poor children hear just 600 words per hour, while more affluent children hear 2,000.

TALK, READ, SING AND PILE ON THE WORDS!

Click on the link below to learn more.

Georgia's Plan to Close the 30 Million Word Gap

The Power of WAITING!

It might not be something you think of; but as parents with children who are developing language, sometimes the best thing you can do is wait and listen.

In my 12 weeks as an Early On intern, I have observed how a concept so simple can have such a large impact on a child’s language development.

What it looks like….

Give Them a Chance

When you wait patiently for your child to formulate his thoughts or make a request, you give your child the opportunity to show you what he/she knows and can say. Showing your child, by waiting, that you are interested in what they are doing will instill confidence in young children as communicators.

Let Them Lead

Wait and follow your child’s lead when choosing an activity or toy. When children are participating in an enjoyable activity, it increases the chance your child will be interested in communicating or talking about those interests. Waiting for them to take the lead provides young children with the opportunity to practice communication while having fun.

Silence Isn’t Always Bad

As adults, it might feel natural to want to fill the “silence” with chatter. Children who are still learning how to process incoming language might need a little extra time thinking. The chatter can sometimes be overwhelming and distracting. Pausing and waiting clearly indicates to your child that it is their time to speak and gives them time to formulate a message and respond. Don’t be afraid of pauses. Slow down and take the time to listen to what children have to say.

Too Many Questions

Too often parents bombard their child with questions upon questions and don’t wait and allow them enough time to respond on their own. Kiddos have a lot to say; but if you don’t allow them the chance to speak and formulate a response, it could be limiting their chance to grow in their language development. A good rule of thumb for this strategy is to try and wait between five to ten seconds after asking a child a question.

Waiting is probably the most difficult thing for parents to do—but you will be surprised once you wait and listen how much more your kiddo may talk. So go ahead, wait and see what happens!

 This post was provided by Hannah Duke, a Michigan State University graduate student and intern with the Early-On program in Ionia County.

4 Focuses When Picking the Perfect Preschool

It is May and that may mean you are on the hunt for a preschool program for the fall. If you are looking for a high quality preschool program that is a good fit for your child you may want to consider some of the suggestion in the following article.

4 Focuses When Picking the Perfect Preschool

Cooking in Preschool

Once a month we incorporate a cooking experience into our room.  I send home a letter asking for donations of what we will need to become GSRP Chef’s.  Since there is no oven available, we use simple recipes. The experience of creating meals together can help build children’s self-confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits.  

It may take a little flexibility and some simple prep work, but with the right expectations, your time in the kitchen with your preschooler can be a culinary adventure you'll both enjoy.   This will not only be a fun and messy day, we are also learning:

Math: Following directions, measuring and number concepts.

Science: Life Science and making predictions.

Literacy: Vocabulary and language development and reading directions on recipe cards.

Fine Motor: using tools such as knives and developing muscles and coordination in the hand and fingers

Whenever possible we try to include a picture recipe so children can start be independent if possible when choosing to “cook” and item.

The following are some pictures of children preparing applesauce in the crockpot in the preschool classroom.

This blog post was contributed by Michelle Aldrich, teaching assistant in the Great Start Readiness Program operated by Eight Cap, Inc.

                   

Social Studies in Preschool

Social Studies starts in preschool by learning about jobs around town, to exploring identity in terms of family, community and holidays. In preschool we start to explore our families and the community we live in. We start with having large group discussions about things that we see in our town, different jobs that we know and places we have been. These conversations spark interest in the child and we carry that over into their play. We include different pictures of our community around the classroom, we add books and maps about different places to our library and we add environmental print to our block centers. In the block center we can build towns, street, or a new town. Within our play we use directional words, and we elaborate at what we see around us.

Using what the students already know helps us get a start on their understanding; where we live, knowledge about themselves and understanding of how people live.  Which are all social studies standards.  Preschoolers are already very curious about the world around them, we just need to tune into it with more depth and purpose.  

At home there are many different ways to incorporate more social studies:

o   Create a map with your child next time you go to the store

o   Draw a family picture and include grandparents and aunts

o   Read environmental print wherever you go

o   Discuss different jobs people have within you family

o   Visit different places within our community, library, park, fire station, etc.

o   When playing outside observe and explore the location, environment, and discuss what season it may be.

o   Make a puzzle out of a map and put it together. Discuss different things you see on the map, rivers, lakes, roads and etc.  

Learn more about Social Studies in the Preschool Classroom at this link:

https://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200509/MindesBTJ905.pdf

This article was provided by Hilary Butler, a Great Start Readiness Preschool Teacher with the Ionia ISD.

LEARNING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS

An Important School Readiness Skill

Recently I was in one of our preschool classrooms when I observed what often occurs with 4 year olds—CONFLICT!  As the children went to the small group table, two children wanted to sit next to same child…and a chair was not available ---Houston we have a problem! The one child staked out her position behind a child in the preferred chair and exclaimed, “I want to sit next to Bobby. The teacher confirmed, “You look upset, it sounds like we have a problem, as there is not a chair available next to Bobby, what could you do?”  The child with the problem suggested that the one child could just move, however that child declared that he wanted to sit next to Bobby too.” The teacher confirmed, “So it does not sound like that will work”.  Another child offered that, the child with the problem could sit next to Bobby next time.  However, that did not work for the girl with the problem either. Still another child suggested that if these three people moved to other chairs, it would let open up three chairs and they both could then sit by Bobby.  Of course as you may have guessed, this solution did not “work” of the other children at the table.  Finally, another child suggested that the one child switch chairs with the teacher.  The target child looked with big hopeful eyes at the teacher and the teacher said, “Ask me.”  So the teacher said, Miss Amanda, could you sit in this chair and can I sit in your chair so I can be next to Bobby?” The teacher said, “Sure I can do that today.”  Success, one child raised their arms in a cheer and said, “We did it, we solved the problem.”

There were so many wonderful moments in this interaction for both the teacher and the children.  When the teacher first started teaching in this program, she was the problem solver and most likely she would have directed the child where to sit. This is how most adults perceive their role with young children, I am the authority, I will keep the order and conflict was something you want to avoid.  However, she remained calm, and in a supportive role, restating and or summarizing children’s statements.   One of the clear themes that emerged to me in this interaction was not only that children have learned that they can solve their own problems but the sense of community that has been created in this environment.  Other children cared and offered ideas to help solve the problem.  From the child stand point, the child with the problem had learned to use her words to communicate and work through the problem which is another HUGE life skill.  There was no crying, pouting and physical tantrums in an effort to get her needs met.  The higher level thought processes were also evident as the group studied the dynamic and offered solutions to the problem. Problem solving is an important skill for young children to learn to work effectively with others.  

In all of the Great Start Readiness Preschool Programs (GSRP) teaching conflict resolution is a required component of the program.  High Scope offers the following steps to implement the problem solving process, which you can try at home.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION STEPS

• Approach calmly, stopping any hurtful actions. Place yourself between the children, on their level; use a calm voice and gentle touch; remain neutral rather than take sides.
• Acknowledge children's feelings. Say something simple such as “You look really upset;” let children know you need to hold any object in question.
• Gather information. Ask “What's the problem?” Do not ask “why” questions as young children focus on that what the problem is rather than understanding the reasons behind it.
• Restate the problem: “So the problem is...” Use and extend the children’s vocabulary, substituting neutral words for hurtful or judgmental ones (such as “stupid”) if needed.
• Ask for solutions and choose one together. Ask “What can we do to solve this problem?” Encourage children to think of a solution but offer options if the children are unable to at first.
• Be prepared to give follow-up support. Acknowledge children’s accomplishments, e.g., “You solved the problem!” Stay nearby in case anyone is not happy with the solution and the process needs repeating.

The next day, I went into this same classroom to observe the large group time which happens at the very beginning of the day.  The teacher informed the children, that today they would use the felt board for all of the children to participate in re-telling the story that they had read a couple times already that week.  She said, she had pieces of the story in the bag and she was going to give one piece to each child. As she started to pass them out, a child sitting in the circle proclaimed, “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.”  As the teacher handed out 16 pieces of the story without one expression of protest I thought, these children have learned another very important lesson about life.  Somethings are just not a choice, you just do it.

As there is so much emphasis about academic skills being the cornerstone of a “ready child”, these examples highlight the importance of supporting and building preschoolers social-emotional skills.  These are life skills that will take children successfully into kindergarten and all through life.  

This post was provided by Chery Granzo, Director of Early Childhood Programs for Ionia County Intermediate School District.

Music and Literacy

Are you interested in your child becoming a reader?  Then turn up the tunes.  Read the post below to learn 5 ways music influences early literacy skills, then break out in song with your young child!

5 Things to Know About Music and Early Literacy

Thoughts on Parenting Hurting Children

Forward by Pam Gregorski, MSW  Social Worker with the  Ionia ISD Early Intervention program.      

                              

Motherhood.  Never a dull moment.  This is especially true for those special mothers who choose to be foster moms.  As a clinical therapist, I appreciate the article “Why Consequences and Rewards Don’t Work for Hurting Children” by TRACY DEE WHITT.  It touches the heart of every foster parent who has thought, “Yes, I have tried (insert advice), and since it did not work, what does that say about me?”  Foster children have had different experiences than other children.  These children feel repeatedly abandoned, isolated, powerless or uncared for.  They will learn that they can’t depend on others and the world is a dangerous and frightening place.  

Typical interventions for behavior will not work for these children.  They are in constant survival mode.  The only need they desire to fill is the need to feel safe.  Typical interventions, such as “Love and Logic” are wonderful, but “Love and Logic” will only work with children in a loving environment and who are bonded and attached to their caregivers.  Does this sound like children placed in the foster care system?  Sadly, this is what most foster parents are trained to use in those tough situations.

So what does it say about you when everything you have tried to deal with your foster child’s behavior has not worked?   It says you are normal.  Do not be afraid of your foster child’s behavior.  Stick with it. Our society needs you, and most of all, the children in your care need you.  Read on to see why your foster child’s behavior is typical and also get some ideas as to why typical interventions do not work, and what may work instead.

Why Consequences & Rewards Don't Work

W-SITTING: WHAT IS IT AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

W-sitting is a position we see many child choose to sit in. Children sit in a way that their legs go out on either side of them to provide a wide base of support and it looks like a W.   It seems like a perfectly fine to parents and other adults.  However, if physical therapists walked into a preschool classroom and saw children at group or play time sitting like this she would address this as a concern with the teacher.  

So, what is the big deal? It’s just a comfortable position for them right? Unfortunately, it is more than that. Many children sit in this position because it is easier since it provides more support for their upper body. The only problem is that it can lead to poor coordination, hip and knee problems, and low muscle tone when they get older.  It is a direct reflection of their core strength and impacts how they will be able to sit in a chair and write for example when they get to kindergarten.  Once this form of sitting becomes a habit it is a difficult one to break.  Being aware and trying to prevent it from the start is the best approach.  

If your child prefers this method of sitting, give them other options; criss-cross, legs straight, or even sitting with both legs to one side.

If you want to learn more about W-Sitting please read the article below.

What is W-Sitting?

This blog post was contributed by Linda Weaver, GSRP teacher for Ionia ISD.

Play Dough has Many Benefits for Learning!

If you have a home with young children there is a chance you may or may not have play dough in it too!  Many parents have a love or hate relationship with play dough.  If you are a hater, you might have expounded, "It is messy", "It gets stuck in my carpet"," It dries out, gets hard and HURTS when I step on it"," The kids mix up the colors and now we have a blob of grey!"  

Play dough is not just a messy kid activity, it can be very important in developing critical skills for school readiness.  This is most obvious in the fine motor area with improving strength, dexterity and eye-hand coordination necessary for writing.  Beyond that, play dough activities support language, literacy, math and creativity in your child.  

There are many different kinds of play dough that you can make at home with your child; adding in scents and textures and objects to play serve to enhance your child's learning experience 

Check out the link below to learn specific play dough activities and their benefits.

Benefits of Playing With Playdough

Why is play important for young children?

As a preschool teacher working in a play-based preschool program, I get asked this question all 
the time.  Play is critical to children’s learning especially when they are young.  It is how they discover and learn about the world; develop creativity, as well as language and motor skills.   

In my classroom, the environment is divided in to many areas that children can direct their own learning through play.  In the sand and water table they learn about measurement, in the block area they are learning about geometry in the art center they discover colors, cutting and how to write their name on their papers.  In the house area they will often play what they know,  “acting out” familiar scenes from home; for example playing in the house center may involve cooking food for a family, going to work,  taking care of the kids, they assign different roles such that someone is the mom, dad, baby, sister, brother, dog, etc.  

Play is indeed not a frivolous activity to be done after the “work” is done, when it comes to young children play is their work and it is essential for children to learn. Please take a minute to read the article about the importance of play that Karen Bilich wrote for Parents magazine. 

The Importance of Play

This post was contributed by Angie Guernsey, Ionia ISD GSRP teacher assigned to Saranac Community Schools.

Hand Strength is Important for Writing

There may be hand prints on your windows, hand prints two-feet-high on your kitchen appliances, and maybe even sticky hand prints on your clean dress pants.  Little hands can be busy!  All the pulling, pinching, patting, and pushing has a purpose though.  Just as babies develop, little hands go through a developmental sequence that will one day enable that child to engage in functional, meaningful, and necessary activities.  As children enter school, one of the most important activities for those little hands is writing.  Check out the following post for 16 easy ways to turn play-time into a hand-workout that can facilitate successful pencil use.

Hand Strengthening

Conscious Discipline - Not Just for Classrooms!

Picture this: You and your preschooler are getting ready to play outside in the snow together. We all know that the challenge of dressing a child to play in the snow is not one for the faint of heart. You see your child start getting frustrated because their coat sleeves are inside-out or they can’t find their mittens. Before you know it, your child is crying, you are yelling, and you are probably starting to second guess the whole thing!

Before you decide to throw in the towel, take a deep breath… we are about to find out why your preschooler is not listening to you and what you can do to help them!

Conscious Discipline teaches us that children (and adults) have three brain states, the Survival State, Emotional State, and Executive States; and preschoolers are only able to productively solve problems in the executive state.  

When your child is crying or screaming on the floor, they are in their Survival State. Your child may also avoid eye contact, be resistant to questions and touch, or have a tense face and/or body. When your child is in their Survival State, they are NOT ready to solve their problems or address any issues that are going on.

Taking Action: You may be asking yourself, “What do I do when my child is in their Survival State?.

• Gain your own composure – take a deep breath (or two) and calm down
• Say to your child, “You are safe. You can handle this”
• Say to your child, “Breath with me” and take deep breaths together
• Use an assertive and ‘matter-of-fact’ voice.

As your child starts to calm down, they will often transition to the Emotional State. How do you know if your child has moved on from their Survival State to their Emotional State? If your child is in their Emotional State, their body will be relaxed. They will be seeking touch or a connection with you and looking to make sure that they are still loved.

Taking Action: What can you do to help your child move out of their Emotional State?

• Offer encouragement and say, “You can do this.”
• Offer empathy and label feelings and say, “You are sad/upset/angry, what do you need?”
• Give love! Do not discipline, teach, or problem solve
• Offer two choices that are acceptable – “Do you want to where your blue mittens or red mittens?”

It is only when your child reaches the Executive State that they can truly understand and reflect upon what upset them. You will know your child has transitioned from their Emotional State to their Executive State when they are calm and willing to learn. Your child will be able to learn new skills, reflect on the past, and plan for the future. They will also be able to see the impact they have on others. This might be several hours or even the next day before you can reach this point.  

Taking Action: What can you do to help your child when they are in their Executive State?

• Teach a new skill – like pulling sleeves back right-side in.
• Problem solve (Do this if there have been no imposed consequences that were previously set.)
• Problem Solving is your chance to talk about what happened and what to do next time. This does not have to be immediately after your child’s tantrum; it could be later in the day or even the next day. Do this only when your child is calm and in their Executive State. Say, “Do you remember when ___ ?” For example:  “Do you remember when you were screaming and crying on the floor when we were getting dressed and ready to play outside? You were upset.)”. Ask your child, “What do you think we could do next time?”. You should try to problem solve with your child most often – rather than resorting to consequences.
• Implement Consequences (Can be Natural or Imposed).
• Natural Consequences are those that happen without adult interference. For example, if your child refuses to eat dinner, the Natural Consequence would be that they feel hungry. Feeling hungry would deter them from skipping dinner again. However, if you make them a dinner later in the evening, you will stop the natural consequence from happening and the behavior may continue.
• Imposed Consequences are those that have been set before the tantrum. For example, you tell your child ahead of time, “If you do not eat your dinner, you will not get to have dessert”. These should be used sparingly.

One of the other key components of Conscious Discipline is “Tones of Voice”. When talking with children who are working through their Brain States, it is important to be matter-of-fact and use an Assertive Voice; rather than a Passive or Aggressive Voice.

Adults who use a Passive Voice manipulate children and give them power. A Passive Voice includes: begging, asking them to stop, telling them it will help you, bribing, or ignoring the situation. Adults who use a Passive Voice also give choices when there are none.

The other extreme is using an Aggressive Voice which includes empty threats like, “If you don’t do this, I’m going to…”. Aggressive-voiced adults use always/never statements like, “You never do what I ask” or “You always do this”. They also use “Need-To” statements; “You need to put your coat on”. Sometimes, they don’t use any voice at all but they physically respond by making children do something, moving them, picking them up, holding them still, etc.

Taking Action: You may be asking yourself, “How do I be assertive and use my Assertive Voice?.  First, bend down to your child’s eye level and use gentle touches. Use “do” statements that are clear and direct to tell your child what they should be doing rather than what they should not be doing. Model what you want them to do using actions and words. Offer them two choices when it doesn’t matter and then stick to what they choose. If choices are not an option, say, “There’s no choice”; for example, “It’s time to ______, there’s no choice”.

By remembering the Conscious Discipline Brain States and Tones of Voice, you can help your preschooler learn how to work through conflicts, solve their own problems, and teach them new skills. You will both be able to get outside and enjoy playing in the snow together in no time. 

If you would like to learn more about brain states, watch this video by Becky Bailey who is the founder of the Conscious Discipline Aproach.

Dr. Becky Bailey at TEDx - Wiring the Brain for Success

This blog post was contributed by Chelsey Fitz, teacher in the Great Start Readiness Preschool Program for the Ionia Intermediate School District at Oakwood Elementary in Portland.

10 Habits to Stay Connected to Your Child

February is here and love surrounds us--at least at our local retail establishments! All of these images of "love" the hearts, the hugs, the candy, the pink teddy bears will all be images that our children will learn represent love.  Expressing your love is really developing a strong connection with your child.  The following blog post offers some excellent suggestions about how you can really connect and keep those connections strong with your child at any age.

10 Habits to Stay Connected to Your Child

Reading! Love it!

Do you have any memory of your preschool experience? 

Perhaps you remember your kindergarten. 

Try to remember what those places felt like. 

I remember on my first day of school I asked my teacher if I had to go home, because I had had so much fun, I didn’t want to leave. For people in my generation (Gen Y, yay!) preschool and kindergarten were about learning how to play with others, keeping our hands to ourselves, sipping juice at snack time, and playing. Lots and lots of play time. My teachers would share stories with us at every opportunity. I remember using the letter people throughout the entire year of kindergarten to teach the class letter names and sounds.

My 3 year old, Michael, is learning letter names and sounds in his preschool class now. What!? Don’t get me wrong, I love his preschool teacher. She teaches the alphabet, but puts very little pressure on her students to learn it because she understands something very important. They need to be kids! They need to learn to love books and reading before they can learn to do it. 

My parents read the book Teddy Goes to the Park every day at my demand. It was the only book I was interested in. They read it until it fell apart. They read it so many times that when my grandma read it, I would correct her pronunciation. They must have thought I was crazy to want that book over and over again, but they probably didn’t know that at the time, during every one of those readings, I was learning something new. I may have learned a new word, or made the connection between the marks on the page and the words being spoken aloud. I might have even noticed how the pictures matched what the words said. 

Needless to say, I was an early reader. Why? Because I was read to, that’s why. I am of average intelligence. But because of my early and frequent exposure to books, I read early. So did both of my boys. Both of them read before four years old. Why? My wife and I take the time to make reading important to us. We show our boys how fun and joyful it can be to read. Unfortunately, many people don’t have that same passion for reading aloud. 

Many children are entering school without the joy of reading in their hearts. The system is very hard to change and that system is set on having kids reading in Kindergarten. That puts a lot of pressure on parents and children and that is where the Ionia County Library Association Means to Help.

We are proud to announce that the 1,000 Books before Kindergarten Program is coming soon to Ionia County. Beginning on January 23rd, any child who has not attended kindergarten yet can enroll in this program. It is entirely free of charge. So you may be asking yourself; “What is 1,000 Books before Kindergarten?” It’s really very simple. 1,000 books is an incentive program with the direct purpose to help families spend more time together reading. Families will register at their local library. They will receive a starter pack with a folder and tracking sheet for their first 100 books. For each book read, they will mark one space off on their sheet. When it is complete, families will return to the library to receive a prize and their next tracking sheet. When the 1,000 book goal is met, the family will receive a keepsake book and a certificate of completion. It’s really just that easy. Just keep track of what you are reading and persevere!

There are many frequently asked questions. I will try to answer some of them now.

My child has a favorite book. Does it count if I read it more than once?
Yes! We encourage you to re-read and enjoy favorite stories over and over again.

My child is enrolled in daycare and I work long hours. Can anyone read the books?
Yes! Each time your child is read to counts. You, siblings, family members, caregivers, teachers, librarians, can contribute to this. Even if your child explores or reads a book on his or her own, it counts! I must add that we encourage you to think of reading time with your child as a special time to spend together if possible.

We have many books at home. Will reading those count?
Yes! While we encourage you to pick from our expansive and diverse selection, books from home or daycare providers, offices, or the Dolly Parton Imagination Library all count the same!  

1,000 books…wow! That’s a lot of books. How long does it take?
The amount of time necessary to complete the program is dependent on your own motivation to read to your child.
1 book per day– 2 years, 9 months
2 books per day– 1 year, 4 months
3 books per day– 11 months
4 books per day– 8 months
5 books per day– 6 months
(Note: All times are approximate)

My child is in preschool. Can they still sign up?
Yes! Your child is eligible to start the program until they start Kindergarten. Even after their 5th birthday!

We, at the Ionia County Library Association leave this challenge open to you. Please take us up on it. Your child can only benefit from this amazing program.

Mike Golczynski

Ionia Community Library

Youth Services Librarian