Jun
23
2009
As parents and teachers, we should always be actively aware of the signs and symptoms that may be of concern to your child’s health. Below are questions that can be used as your guide to find out if your child is healthy or not:
Physical Characteristics:
- Is your child alert and enthusiastic?
- Is his growth steadily increasing in height and weight?
- Does he have inoffensive breath?
- Does he appear rested or tired?
- Not easily fatigued?
- Assumes straight posture?
- Is his/her skin clear (take note of the skin color)?
- Is his eyes bright?
- Is his legs and back straight?
- Does he have a good hand-eye coordination?
Jun
22
2009
If you are surrounded with kids, you would want to know more about them. You would want to understand how they think and feel and why they act the way they do. Understanding leads to compassion which also teaches us the value of how to respond appropriately.
- From birth to age 4, the intellectual development is as great as it is from 4 to 18.
- By age 2, most emotional and intellectual patterns are established.
- Classical music can stimulate learning and can improve academic performance.
- Toddlers can understand more words than they can utter.
- Play is the most natural and vibrant way for a child to learn.
Jun
20
2009
It is very important for kids to wash their hands properly before and after meals. Naturally when the hands are dirty, one should wash right?
The important thing to remember is to also wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, using the bathroom, handling nappies, touching dirty surfaces, playing with the pet dog or cat (or other animals), and during and after preparing food.
Jun
19
2009
Reading is a very important foundation to learning. The wonderful news is that you can teach children to read using games and activities. Doesn’t that sound fun? It sure is.
When I was a child, for the life of me, I can’t recall games and reading being put together in the same space. So the kids today have a lot of advantages since educators and parents are aware about having fun while learning. When kids learn to read, it can open the doors to the wonderful world around them.
Jun
18
2009
Children as they grow begin to ask the question “Why?” along with the “What? Who? Where? Do we have to?”
I believe that curiosity is an essential ingredient to learning. And when curiosity is aroused properly, this natural desire to know will encourage them to explore the world. You don’t have to force it. Kids would love to learn if given the right, positive, stimulating environment.
This photo shows how a multi-sensory approach to learning is being used in our preschool. Aside from looking at the pictures of the solar system, the kids were made to make a model using clay.
The kids delighted in the activity as they asked questions while they were making their model.
Multi-sensory activities stimulates all the senses and increase their curiosity.
Continue Reading »
Jun
15
2009
It was the first day of classes yesterday in our preschool. There were a few incidents of separation anxiety observed in the younger classes. But since it was the first day of school, we allowed the parents or nannies to stay inside the classroom. Thankfully the Nursery 2, Kinder 1 and Kinder 2 classes were beyond that.
Separation anxiety in one’s children can actually cause anxiety to the parents themselves. I’ve observed how some parents are embarrassed when their child would bawl their heads out or would start clinging to their legs like monkeys. (I exaggerate but I’ m trying to lighten your mood about separation anxiety.)
Remember dear parents: Fear is normal. Separation anxiety is normal. A child who is thrust into a new environment would sometimes need time to adjust. And guess what? The good news is the teachers themselves understand separation anxiety and I’m sure all other parents too. So let the embarrassment fly out the window. That will ease the stress and pressure most certainly. Continue Reading »
Jun
12
2009
I love You, Blue Kangaroo is a wonderful book for children to read. An interesting discussion came up amongst the teachers about the story as we exchanged ideas about what love is. Within its scope came forth more questions “What does it mean to be special? Is it okay to share the same space of specialness with another? If there are other people who are special to a loved one, does our specialness decrease? To be special, does it mean we have to be the only one?”
I Love You, Blue Kangaroo!
On a personal note, I remembered that to be special I had to be the only one. For instance, I found myself having a tantrum when I discovered my best friend had other best friends! How can that be? Am I not enough? Looking back, I had to smile ruefully at my definition of love and specialness.
Teacher Stella wrote a beautiful review about this book which you can read by clicking on this link: I Love You, Blue Kangaroo By Emma Chichester Clark (a book review). If you want to tackle a topic about love, or why your child has a special affinity with some toys this book is for you.
![[Google]]( http://www.dynamicmindsph.com/wp-content/plugins/easy-adsenser/google-light.gif)