Archive for the ‘Early Childhood Education’ Category
Grace Geller on September 2nd, 2010
The school telephone has been very busy these last two weeks as we fielded two different types of phone calls. One was the predictable call from parents checking on their child’s adjustment to the preschool setting, the other (also predictable) parents of recent graduates, now in Kindergarten. The last few weeks I’ve shared some of the transition issues young children are learning and mastering when left for the first time in a new setting. This week we focus on our graduates.
I am a firm believer that children are capable of reading, tying their shoes and acquiring appropriate independence skills prior to entering elementary school. For the last five years, we have succeeded in accomplishing this goal 95% of the time. We set high standards for the children and provide them with the skills necessary to achieve these goals. It is a formula that has worked well in all of the schools I have had the pleasure of working with and for. Children who graduate from our program are competent and excited to take on their next learning adventure. The first week goes off without a hitch. Week two is when the phone calls start pouring in. The children do not want to go to school. The class work is too easy! It is for babies….
Most parents take the complaints with a grain of salt, but then they look at the work and agree it is for babies. The children stand at the edge of a great precipice ready to try their new wings and they feel like they have lead weights tied to their feet. Rather than soaring to great heights, they are being tied down. What’s a parent to do?
First take a deep breath….. Teachers need a little time to get to know their students and how they function in their classroom setting. To each parent their own child is a genius, as it should be. However, the definition of genius is different for most of us. After two weeks, if you and your child still believe they are not being appropriately challenged; write the teacher a note outlining your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. If your child is reading, send a book to read to the teacher or demonstrate their printing skills. Remember: One parent’s definition of reading or writing is not the same as others.
Finally, if after contacting the teacher and establishing a suitable plan for your child’s education, the work still remains too easy, it’s time to request a conference. A discussion between a parent and teacher will clarify what your child is demonstrating in the classroom setting. Understand that you might not have the complete picture of how your child is functioning. If all else fails, speak to a guidance counselor, vice principal or the next person in the chain of command. Do not become prematurely disillusioned. When you advocate for your child in a calm and organized manner, you help ensure that their educational, social and physical needs will be met. The most important point: It is not okay to allow your child’s burning quest for knowledge to dim. It is not okay to just let it be.
The curriculum can change to meet the caliber of the student; it is up to the parent to be an advocate for it!
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: Education, first days of school, Kindergarten, preschool
Grace Geller on August 26th, 2010
Fall 2010 school year has begun in our preschool and the classrooms are bustling with activity. The front desk’s phones are ringing and the administrative staff is busy checking on the children who have been left in our charge. From the back of the school we can hear a mixture of happy and sad voices.
No matter how many years we do this, it is always difficult to watch children who are exhibiting signs of distress. As parents and educators we would like to have their first experience at school be pleasant, and for the majority of children it is. But for some, it is a difficult transition. Children of various stages and ages will exhibit distress when left on their own in an unfamiliar environment. It is a normal reaction.
How families deal with their child’s “normal” reaction can influence how their child will deal with new situations now, and in the future; as well as how confident they will be when left to their own resources. Some of our families have spent a significant amount of time helping their child prepare for the transition to school. They have visited the classroom, played on the playground and spoken to the teachers. Though they have planned well, this does not guarantee that their child will not have any difficulty when left in the care of their preschool teacher. All children go through a certain level of anxiety when left on their own, but some children have had opportunities to develop self soothing and coping skills and the transition is shorter and less difficult.
All parents want to spare their children (any and all) pain and distress. But is sparing them the pain and distress really in their best interest? Every year we see one or two parents withdraw their child from preschool because they cried when their parents left them at school. By not allowing a child to grow through the process of learning to trust others to meet their needs, we may be robbing them of acquiring skills they will need to gain for success in the future. There is such a thing as “over-protecting.”
All children need to be protected from physical and mental harm. However, they do not need to be protected from learning how to deal with developmentally appropriate separations and restrictions. When they are given the opportunity to navigate the social terrain, they begin to acquire skills and confidence that they can bring with them to the next task or trial that presents itself.
It is important that parents do not rush in to rescue a child before they have had ample opportunity to figure it out on their own. Socially adept children learn from parents who have confidence in their child’s ability to sooth themselves in a difficult situation and make appropriate choices when allowed to. Or at the very least, learn and grow from their mistakes.
Peace & Light,
Grace
If you would like to read more about transitioning to preschool, check out my post on “First Days.” www.preschooltimes.net/first-days
Technorati Tags: New School Year, preschool, transitions
Grace Geller on August 12th, 2010
Class assignments went out this week and the phone calls from parents began to trickle in. Each person had a different idea of what made a teacher a “good one.” Some parents want their child to be with their “friends,” others felt the teacher’s personality better suited their child’s personality, and still others were curious about why I had selected a particular teacher. When it comes to deciding if a teacher is good or not, there are many criteria. As an administrator my criteria may be different from a parent’s and still different from a child’s.
First I divide good teacher into two basic categories: good employee and good teacher. In this business you can have a good employee but only a moderately good teacher, a good employee who is a great teacher, or a great teacher who is a moderately good employee. (There is no reason to keep a moderate teacher who is a moderate employee, is there?) However, most people are not really involved in the business end of running a school. Instead, their interest focuses on an important question: “How does this affect me (my child)?” And that’s okay. After all, you select the school because of the administration, right? It is the administration’s job to manage their employees and set the tone for the entire school.
Let’s assume that the teachers at the school are good (if not great). What is it that distinguishes a good teacher from a great teacher? A good teacher plans effective, appropriate lessons and implements them. They arrive on time and have the materials readily available for the children when they arrive. Each child is greeted warmly and assisted with organizational clues.
A great teacher has all of these characteristics and qualities, plus something more. The component that elevates a teacher from good to great is their ability to: observe a child at work and play, question the learning taking place, observe patterns in the child’s thinking and adapt the lesson to the child (as an individual). On occasion, great teachers change the lesson to hone in and develop the children’s interests. A great teacher is interested in the process of learning as well as the outcome. They are interested in the dynamics of how a child learns, as well as their own learning.
You see, great teachers love to learn. They are interested in everything. Most of all they are interested in learning to be a better teacher every day. Periodically great teachers come across a child who does not respond to all the usual curriculum delivery techniques. This pushes the teacher to dig a little deeper to understand how that child is processing and learning. Understanding this progression a good teacher will hone her/his skills and move closer to becoming a great teacher. Learning to become a great teacher is a process that is influenced by the diverse make up of their class. Diversity allows each child to learn and appreciate differences and similarities. The most interesting lessons become even more so based on the characteristics children bring to the classroom. Classes that are too homogeneous tend not to propel them forward.
Sometimes we must be forced to think, for it is in the knowledge of what we do not know that we can achieve greatness.
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: preschool, teaching
Grace Geller on July 29th, 2010
In the southeast where summer comes early and leaves late, we have reached the half way mark. The time in the summer where half of the season is behind us and half is in front of us; from this point on, life begins to pick-up the pace and soon we find ourselves at the doorstep of a new school year.
Many of our graduating preschool children and their parents are stopping by to visit one last time before they matriculate into their perspective schools. Though it is always a joy to see “our children,” we are often saddened by how much they have grown. The less obvious transition is the one that occurs between the parent (formerly client) and the caregiver. A gentle peace settles between them, one that comes from the give and take of negotiating the daily care and education of each child. Gone are the inevitable power struggles as we strive to find the balance between what the parent wants and what the teacher needs to be successful. (And you thought it was all nicey, nicey!) It is replaced with a mutual respect that both parties found and maintained, to help the child reach their full potential. A sort of camaraderie sets in as we both watch this new, more competent child march into the future. We know there will be many more battles but at least we know they had the best start possible.
I often hear parents say, “I won’t spend a lot on preschool tuition, because I am going to save for a private high school; that’s when it really matters.” I have long held the opposite opinion. Based on my education and experience, I believe that if you give your child a high quality foundation their upper education will pay for its self. After educating young children for 20 plus years I’ve had ample opportunity to test my theory and I am happy to report the evidence supports my premise.
Over the past several years I also found that preschools can be the key to educating socially competent children as well. The solution has been and always will be QUALITY!
I am happy and alarmed to report about an ongoing study which has been tracking over 1,300 children in group care since 1991. So far, the study’s findings found obedience and academic problems among those who received low-quality care during their first 4½ years of life and persisted through their 15th birthday. The quality care profile included: The caregivers’ warmth, sensitivity, emotional support and the amount of cognitive stimulation they provided. Children receiving higher-quality care displayed fewer behavioral problems than children receiving lower-quality care. The type of care, whether inside or outside the home did not seem to matter.
There was no surprise that the children who received high quality care scored better on tests measuring math, reading and other cognitive skills throughout elementary school. What was a surprise was the persistent effect of low-quality care into adolescence and beyond! So, while out interviewing preschools for your little one, don’t forget that a quality preschool experience is often worth its weight in gold.
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: early childhood, great schools, preschools, quality care
Grace Geller on July 22nd, 2010
Three women of various ages and stages of life were entering the warm gulf waters when a tiny voice called out: “Can I come?” A resounding YES was their response. So adorned in her swim ring, the preschooler cautiously dipped her toe into the gulf advancing into the deeper water while holding her swim ring around her middle.
By now you might be a bit worried. We all know that swim rings are not life preservers. But worry not. The women quickly caught her in their arms and so began the little girl’s swimming class. From one set of arms to another she paddled her way. After she arrived in each of the women’s arms, she was rewarded with praise and a hug. She was safely nestled in loving arms as they bobbed together on the surf. After a little while, the second women called “Swim to me Lauren, it’s my turn.” Lauren turned to face the new set of arms and cheerfully paddled off. And so the afternoon progressed. Lauren paddled to and fro and relaxed in the surf, safe and snug in the arms of her care takers. Soon each member was identified. One woman was her mother; another, her aunt and yet another, an older sister or perhaps a young aunt. The day passed with little Lauren becoming more and more confident in her swimming skills and delighting in the peaceful gulf waters.
The next day at breakfast the women and several other family members gathered. I could hear them discussing the books they were reading and lunches at their various schools. Yes, of course, they were a family of teachers. There in this circle of women, little Lauren would learn not only how to swim but also how to teach; just as the adolescent sister/aunt was learning. Teaching was a gift passed down from one family member to another. It was a talent, a skill they honed, reinforced, refined and loved from early on.
Having observed many natural teachers in my career, I can easily envision the learning environments in the classrooms and the innate mannerism of these women as teachers. What a pleasure it would be to learn in their classrooms. They joyfully reinforced the child’s attempts at independence while allowing her to move at her own pace. When they saw that she was comfortable they encouraged her to move another step forward. Their delicate encouragement was as quiet and soft as the gentle gulf waters. There were no bells and whistles; no showering the child with accolades, just a circle of women welcoming this child forward.
So three soft cheer’s to the natural teacher residing in all of us; we just have to remember to gently welcome it forward.
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: learning, swimming, teacher
Grace Geller on July 1st, 2010
Every day I open the newspaper and read the leading news stories as well as the editorials. I turn on the television news and I see the networks version of what is important. It is a very complicated world out there and I ponder; how can we prepare children to be safe while at the same time care about their neighbors?
Before our children can understand and care about others, they must trust that their needs are being consistently met. Children are self centered and need driven. If you have any doubts; just watch or speak to a toddler at play. I guarantee you will hear the word “mine” more than once during their play. The more consistently we meet their needs (emotional, physical and spiritual) the less energy they will direct towards getting their needs met. The result: More energy that can be directed elsewhere.
Consider the difference between meeting your child’s needs and meeting your child’s wants. If you meet their needs you can’t do any harm, if you meet your child’s wants…that’s where you can get into trouble. It is important for children to know who they are, is not defined by what they have. No matter how many things you buy your child, or how much you entertain your child, it will never be enough. They will always want more. Wants are insatiable. The more they get, the more they want, the more they want, the more they get. The circle goes round and round never to satisfy for long.
So where does lasting satisfaction come from? Lasting satisfaction comes from caring for others. Most of us feel better about ourselves when we reach out and helped another through an act kindness, charity work, neighborly interactions, and volunteering. How do we begin to teach our children to care for the community in which they live?
We have to be good role models. When we express empathy toward others, children will first feel and then see what it looks like. What are your acts of kindness? Have you talked them through? Talk about how to treat other people then model the way you would like them to treat others. The same sensitive little children that know when we are harried, short tempered, or sugary sweet also sense when we are genuinely kind in the check-out line or at the gas station. They begin to watch and then mirror our acts of kindness and respect for the other people we interact with.
Every year many of us make donations to various causes that we believe in. Take the time to explain your child what you are doing and why. Teach children to understand that contributing (in which ever manner you choose) directly relates to their well being and humanity’s well being. By including them in the process they will begin to learn and incorporate this value as one of your core family’s values and ultimately go one step further in the world.
Include your child in finding ways to help others. Acting on empathy is different than just feeling for others. Empathy is a muscle, you need to flex it!
Support your child’s efforts to make things better. If they are worried about the sea turtles maybe they could help raise funds for their protection or volunteer at a rehab center. The opportunities for caring are endless. Start small but think big. Once they see that they can make a difference their empathy muscle will grow and become strong. A child with a strong empathy muscle can move mountains!
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: core values, family values, preschooler
Grace Geller on June 17th, 2010
Summer is upon us! With a little extra time and an uncluttered calendar, imagine the possibilities…. Summertime is the perfect time to start something new; but what? How do you stop yourself, or your child, from falling into the doldrums and doing the same old thing?
As parents and teachers, we want our children to be “creative.” But what is creativity? And how do we encourage it in ourselves and others? Before we discuss creativity and enhancing creativity, let’s back up and examine a few creativity inhibitors.
In our never-ending effort to help create the well balanced child, we sometimes interfere with that balance. Some of our inhibiting behaviors include:
Hovering: Constantly watching children while they are working interferes with risk taking behavior. (We are not talking about safety issues.) We are talking about using a medium in a different way or combining items that are not usually combined.
Approval Seeking Behavior: Sometimes our children will do, or make something, in an effort to please us. They do not make it or do it to please themselves. When we seek approval from others we ignore the satisfaction that comes with our own accomplishments. Allow your child to check his/her motives. Let them tell you why they created what they did….
Rewards: Excessively rewarding children with prizes and gifts deprives them of the pleasure of creating something for its own value. The goal then becomes receiving the prize rather then creating something new. Create for the sake of creating.
Competition: Sometimes when we place children in the position that only one or two children can win, we create an environment that winning becomes the important result. Innovation can lose to the sure thing.
Controlling: Constantly telling children what to do and how to do it can inhibit a child’s ability to develop problem solving skills. Without problem solving skills it becomes increasingly difficult to think of and test new ideas.
Over Scheduling: Directing your child’s activities or enrichment classes is an important part of exposing children to the many options available to them, but over scheduling limits your child’s time and interests to the allotted time and information. Children need time to explore and follow their passions. Sometime after the 20th “I’m bored” comes discovery. It takes awhile for our over scheduled children to learn how to fill their own time with things that are important to them.
Pressure: Last but not least, pressure. We need to scale our expectations for our child’s performance. When our expectations are too high our children may refrain from trying something new or not taking any risks, for fear of failure. As parents and teachers we must remove our ego from the equation!
The beginning of this post referred to creativity in our children and ourselves. We too, are victims of inhibitory behaviors. More often than not, we place those inhibitors on ourselves. The more aware of the inhibitors that we are, the better we can deal with them.
So now that we have a handle on the inhibitors, what is next?
We need to get unstuck! First we must set a goal. One that is specific, attainable and realistic.
We are helping our children and ourselves learn to create! To relax, to go with a new flow, express ourselves, paint, make music, build things, try new foods, sing, look at the world upside down aaaaahhhh Create………
Next we must get up and move. That is right. We need to get the creative juices moving. So shake and shimmy until you work up a sweat.
Finally allow time – to dream, imagine the possibilities, visualize, hum, sniff, giggle. What would it be like if…
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: creativity, Early Childhood Education, Early Learning, family life
Grace Geller on April 22nd, 2010
Each spring as the weather begins to return to its warm, sumptuous generosity, we are blessed with new growth and beauty. Inspired by the beauty of nature, we set out to try our hand at duplicating and creating some beauty of our own!
Across the school, classrooms are humming with activity. Each class is laden with an abundance of raw art materials waiting patiently to be turned into a masterpiece. Hands: drip with finger-paints, cake with clay, clench hammers, and pound wood, as each new creation begins to take form. There is no more colorful place than a classroom of preschoolers set free with their imaginations. After a year filled with experiences which demonstrated each medium’s varied capabilities, they are ready to strike out on their own. Some children are creating hats inspired by the Hat Parade, others are busily working on their own interpretation of the solar system (don’t ask what started that project!), while still others are painting the background of a bean bag toss game.
Classrooms are alive with language as the children describe what they are doing and problem solving when something doesn’t work out as intended. Some are frustrated with a negative turn of events while others embrace the mistake and incorporate it into their piece. Watching the children create gives me some insight into their self concept as well as their problem solving skills. Children who are confident will often continue with a project even when they face difficulty, while those who are still unsure of themselves will often abandon a project when adversity strikes and still others will just live with their mistakes. Teachers can help by demonstrating appropriate problem solving skills that they then can apply to their creations. The more problem solving skills the children are familiar with the greater their successes.
Creating our own piece of art is like creating our own life. We are all given materials to work with; some will create a safe and orderly life while others will create a more abstract experience. The more problem solving skills you have in your arsenal the better able you will be to deal with an adverse condition when it presents itself. It takes confidence to build a life you can be proud of.
So, as my little preschoolers prepare their works of art for display and their teachers help label their work, I will see more then the pretty colors and the precariously balanced building. I will see their lives unfolding.
Peace & Light,
Grace
"The Mona Lisa"
Technorati Tags: art, family life, preschool
Grace Geller on April 1st, 2010
Preschoolers are the smartest people I know. Don’t get me wrong; I have the opportunity to meet and speak to some of the most complex minds, but it is the youngest members of society who constantly remind me of true “smartness”. Preschoolers have the innate ability to discern that which is important from that which is not.
Many of you may have seen or heard about the social experiment conducted by the Washington Post. It focused on social priorities, perception and taste. A violinist played beautifully in an urban subway. The adult commuters barely paused a moment to hear the music, but the children were transfixed. They did not want to move. Every parent, without exception, forced their child to move on quickly. Even as they were forced to leave, the children continued to turn their heads in the direction of the music.
I quote from the study, “The violinist finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. “
So who was the smart person in this story? Certainly, it was not the professionals, workers or parents who passed the musician without even acknowledging him. It was the littlest members of our society who slowed down to enjoy the beauty where they found it. No one had to tell them this is Joshua Bell the great violinist. They heard his music and understood this is a thing of beauty and it must be enjoyed here and now. No matter how they tried to point this out to their parents, no one listened.
As “grown-ups”, we tend to like our beautiful moments to arrive as scheduled. Of course we will pay for this privilege but it is also in paying that we find their value (He must be good; the tickets are $100.00 dollars). But it is our children who see the world in real time. If they see someone behaving ugly, they see it here and now and when they see something beautiful or interesting, they want to experience it now; not in some unseen future time. It is the children who understand the true value of a moment. It is the adults who, in their never ending desire to meet too many deadlines, squander beautiful moments in anticipation of a big payoff which may never come.
As an American I was taught by word and action to embrace the efficient, no nonsense approach to life. And this behavior model has served me well up a point. It is my time spent with preschoolers that has taught me to appreciate the gift of each day and to understand how fleeting a moment can be. So the next time you are tempted to push your preschooler along, pause and see just what it is that has caught their attention it might just be a wonderful gift; the gift of a moment.
Happy Holidays,
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: family life, parenting, preschool
Grace Geller on March 25th, 2010
Over the last few years we have all had an opportunity to examine our expenses for areas in which we could fine tune our spending. I, like many of you, have taken the opportunity to evaluate that which is necessary and enriching and that which is just plain fluff. Doing without certain items has been liberating. The constant demands to purchase, maintain and store “stuff” can oft times be confining.
The school system is not unlike us. They too must make decisions about where their monies could be of the most benefit. No one even considers slashing spending on the “basics”: reading, writing and arithmetic, but the arts seem to be fair game.
With the abundance of research on the cognitive development, it is worrisome that important areas of the curriculum may be removed from the standard curriculum. On the cutting block once again is the fine arts program. Too often we do not give the fine arts program the level of importance it is due.
Music and Art are essential to brain development. Words and music are natural partners. As any preschool teacher can tell you, “singing” is the easiest way to get children to remember important details. For instance, I do not know a teacher who would even attempt to teach the days of the week or months of the year without the help of a song. The patterns, tempos and modulation used in music correlate with similar attributes used in conversations.
Science is now confirming that words and sounds are linked in the brain. Studies have found that there is an overlapping of the brain’s ability to process language and musical sounds. People with brain injuries, that have impaired their ability to talk, improve dramatically with music therapy. I personally am not surprised by this. My mother, who suffered with Alzheimer’s disease in the later part of her life, could barely remember the names of children or dogs but she could remember all the words to her favorite songs and passed many hours listening to her music and singing along.
Music education can be helpful for children with dyslexia or autism by helping them use language more accurately and effectively. Musical training enhances the brain’s ability to do many things. It can help train children to hear the nuances in sound. Playing instruments can help children learn how to focus on a particular sound while screening out extraneous ones even in the noisiest of atmospheres.
The written and spoken language has sounds and rhythm. Playing music and experimenting with sound exposes children to different sounds and rhythms. This ultimately helps them learn phonics and how to read. Music also promotes physical development. By experimenting with different sounds and ways to create these sounds, children practice their gross and fine-motor skills and hand-eye coordination. They also begin to develop an awareness of their body within a physical space.
So, as your school or school system begins to fine tune their budgets, let them know that it is important to keep the fine arts in the schools. If they need to cut something, tell them that we will teach our own children to brush their teeth and wash behind their ears; it is their job to make sure they can sing!
Peace & Light,
Grace
Technorati Tags: art, finance, fine arts, music, preschool
