Many of you have sent emails asking for a blog post addressing A Boy the Bullies Love to Beat Up, Repeatedly and the topic of bullying in particular. I've written roughly 4 different drafts for posts and haven't hit "publish post" for any of them. The topic is way too complicated for a short (or even long-ish) blog post.
Quick Coaching Tip:
I will say one thing to parents, educators and others who work and deal with children but might not be in a position to really "do" anything in certain bullying situations besides attempting to stop the bullying going on at the moment. Think teachers in a classroom, parents whose children have other friends visiting, counselors in group settings, museum and tour leaders and others.
It's one small phrase that I learned from a professor years ago (I wish I remembered who it was so I could give them the credit for it.) It will not solve the problem but it can make a big difference in a short-term crisis situation.
The short phrase is "I can't let you _____________________". You can fill in the blank depending on the situation.
"I can't let you do that in my classroom"
"I can't let you hit anyone in here."
"I can't let you call anyone names."
"I can't let you bother someone."
"I can't let you curse in my house."
"I can't let you punch someone else."
Practice saying it using other situations and expressions to fill in the blank.
Say it with authority.
Mean it.
Use an authoritative tone.
Don't whine it or put a question mark at the end of the sentence.
Don't sound hesitant.
Mean it.
Mean it.
Mean it. You can't let them do that. Period.
Practice the "teacher look" that my clients, friends and family always ask me to teach them. (Suffice it to say that on while taking a trip once with my third-grade students I used the look on the bus - the school bus driver who probably had seen it all looked at me and said "MAN! You even scared me with that look!")
Develop your own voice and look. Shouting doesn't do the trick, children learn early on how to tune out shouting.
Again - this is NOT a cure or solution, it's a quick short-term way to diffuse potentially difficult situations for a very short time.
Longer range solutions require different strategies for different situations which are too numerous to post here.
If you have any other questions or concerns that you'd like some information on please feel free to email me at rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com
Good Luck!
RK
Rebecca Kiki Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA
Daily Life Consulting
Showing posts with label NY Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NY Times. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Introducing EtherThink Inc. - Keep An Electronic Eye Out... - Re:Text Generation Gap: U R 2 Old (JK) - NY Times
Ok - we're still in development on this one but today's NY Times article Text Generation Gap: U R 2 Old (JK) just begs for the connection.
Welcome to EtherThink Inc.! EtherThink Inc. which will be housed at http://www.etherthink.com and at http://etherthinkinc.blogspot.com bridges the high-tech/high-touch divide. Think of EtherThink as your electronic eyes and ears and windows to the mind. Gone are the days of paper, pen (or markers and crayons for the younger set). "The medium is the message" as Marshall Mcluhan said. It's hard to understand the message of all the new mediums. It's hard to understand how people absorb and retain information. Now imagine combining the two. That's EtherThink Inc.
How can I best communicate my thoughts and information using the newest technologies?
Who is my audience? How do they think? How can I reach them using technology?
How can I translate my information to a technological language and medium?
How can I interact using the technology available?
The challenges of communicating using technology get more complicated as more becomes available. People learn new ways of interacting using technology.
Using training, education and experience in the high-tech arena as well as training, education and experience in the hi-touch areas of human development, education, mental health, psychology, educational programming and more EtherThink Inc. will assist you to combine, coordinate, translate and create ways of communicating using the latest technologies to reach your very human audience.
Is there information you'd like to transmit and for others to receive technologically? Information, entertainment, personal communication, educational or medical information, no matter what the information is there's a human at the end of the line. Who that human audience is, how they think, how they absorb and retain information, what are the best ways to reach them, what technologies are they using or will be in the future? EtherThink Inc. has been providing the service for educational, government, entertainment and media corporations for over a decade.
EtherThink Inc. is for you if you are a corporation, institution, educational institution, entertainment conglomerate, medical institution or private practitioner, art institution, parent, teacher, counselor, artist, writer or anyone who deals with those strangest of species...Humans.
Keep an electronic eye out for more information about EtherThink Inc.
For more information about EtherThink please contact me at rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com or Jill Evans at gtkgroup dot com
Rebecca Kiki Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA (member APA0
Daily Life Consulting
Welcome to EtherThink Inc.! EtherThink Inc. which will be housed at http://www.etherthink.com and at http://etherthinkinc.blogspot.com bridges the high-tech/high-touch divide. Think of EtherThink as your electronic eyes and ears and windows to the mind. Gone are the days of paper, pen (or markers and crayons for the younger set). "The medium is the message" as Marshall Mcluhan said. It's hard to understand the message of all the new mediums. It's hard to understand how people absorb and retain information. Now imagine combining the two. That's EtherThink Inc.
How can I best communicate my thoughts and information using the newest technologies?
Who is my audience? How do they think? How can I reach them using technology?
How can I translate my information to a technological language and medium?
How can I interact using the technology available?
The challenges of communicating using technology get more complicated as more becomes available. People learn new ways of interacting using technology.
Using training, education and experience in the high-tech arena as well as training, education and experience in the hi-touch areas of human development, education, mental health, psychology, educational programming and more EtherThink Inc. will assist you to combine, coordinate, translate and create ways of communicating using the latest technologies to reach your very human audience.
Is there information you'd like to transmit and for others to receive technologically? Information, entertainment, personal communication, educational or medical information, no matter what the information is there's a human at the end of the line. Who that human audience is, how they think, how they absorb and retain information, what are the best ways to reach them, what technologies are they using or will be in the future? EtherThink Inc. has been providing the service for educational, government, entertainment and media corporations for over a decade.
EtherThink Inc. is for you if you are a corporation, institution, educational institution, entertainment conglomerate, medical institution or private practitioner, art institution, parent, teacher, counselor, artist, writer or anyone who deals with those strangest of species...Humans.
Keep an electronic eye out for more information about EtherThink Inc.
For more information about EtherThink please contact me at rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com or Jill Evans at gtkgroup dot com
Rebecca Kiki Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA (member APA0
Daily Life Consulting
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
What Is Daily Life Coaching 4 Kids? + What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart? WSJ + Single Sex Public Education - NYTimes
When it comes to Education I'm a bit "Back To The Future" in my philosophy. Hi-Touch and Hi-Tech. Hi-touch because there's nothing more real than children, especially young children. Hi-tech because it's the present and future.
Combine the old fangled methods that work well with technology that meets the educational, intellectual, emotional and creative needs of children. It sounds very simple, and conceptually it is but...it also implies asking and answering many questions about what the "educational, intellectual, emotional and creative needs of children" are. That is one of our goals here at Daily Life Consulting (4 Kids).
Other goals include applying all the knowledge and using it to create and develop and teach daily life solutions which will enable children to have the most fun and successful childhoods possible. We work with parents, teachers, counselors, therapists, coaches, schools and school administration, government and corporations and anyone else who works and cares about children who would like to acquire the skills, knowledge and techniques that will enable them to encourage healthy growth and success.
To that end, along with the Learning Readiness and Skills modules that I've been working on we are in the midst of creating and developing one of the most exciting coaching and learning modules that it has been my extreme joy and excitement to create. I don't want to say more until it's been worked through a bit more but it will combine the most basic elements of hi-touch with preparing children for a future in a very hi-tech world.
In answer to your questions about what I think re: the New York Times article about Single Sex Public Education. Yes.
As for what works, check out a great article in the Wall Street Journal about education that works, that is (gasp) somewhat old-fashioned What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?Among other concepts "one explanation for the Finns success is their love of reading".
What I love about the article is the description of the Finnish philosophy, the libraries in the malls, the lack of competing "cool factors" in schools. The focus on learning and allowing for children to be children and growing. Mr. Erma, a teacher at the school put it brilliantly "we just have to accept the fact that they're kids and they're learning how to live."
Let's work together to do that ... help them "learn how to live". Not "how to take tests well" or "how to get a pedicure at 6" or "how to follow pop entertainment role models to the exclusion of everything else" or "how to be the ultimate consumer by age 10" but simply "how to live".
If you have any questions or comments or would like more information on Daily Life Coaching 4 Kids please email me at rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com.
Enjoy the day your way,
RK
Rebecca "Kiki" Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA
Daily Life Consulting
Combine the old fangled methods that work well with technology that meets the educational, intellectual, emotional and creative needs of children. It sounds very simple, and conceptually it is but...it also implies asking and answering many questions about what the "educational, intellectual, emotional and creative needs of children" are. That is one of our goals here at Daily Life Consulting (4 Kids).
Other goals include applying all the knowledge and using it to create and develop and teach daily life solutions which will enable children to have the most fun and successful childhoods possible. We work with parents, teachers, counselors, therapists, coaches, schools and school administration, government and corporations and anyone else who works and cares about children who would like to acquire the skills, knowledge and techniques that will enable them to encourage healthy growth and success.
To that end, along with the Learning Readiness and Skills modules that I've been working on we are in the midst of creating and developing one of the most exciting coaching and learning modules that it has been my extreme joy and excitement to create. I don't want to say more until it's been worked through a bit more but it will combine the most basic elements of hi-touch with preparing children for a future in a very hi-tech world.
In answer to your questions about what I think re: the New York Times article about Single Sex Public Education. Yes.
As for what works, check out a great article in the Wall Street Journal about education that works, that is (gasp) somewhat old-fashioned What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart?Among other concepts "one explanation for the Finns success is their love of reading".
What I love about the article is the description of the Finnish philosophy, the libraries in the malls, the lack of competing "cool factors" in schools. The focus on learning and allowing for children to be children and growing. Mr. Erma, a teacher at the school put it brilliantly "we just have to accept the fact that they're kids and they're learning how to live."
Let's work together to do that ... help them "learn how to live". Not "how to take tests well" or "how to get a pedicure at 6" or "how to follow pop entertainment role models to the exclusion of everything else" or "how to be the ultimate consumer by age 10" but simply "how to live".
If you have any questions or comments or would like more information on Daily Life Coaching 4 Kids please email me at rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com.
Enjoy the day your way,
RK
Rebecca "Kiki" Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA
Daily Life Consulting
Monday, March 3, 2008
Bill Gates Wants To Know... How To Make Kids Interested in Science
So Bill Gates wants to know how to get children more interested in science (he asks the question on Linked In).
Simple Bill - in three words - fun, exciting, important.
Make science fun.
Make it exciting.
Make it something that is perceived to have worth and importance in our society.
Make science mushy, gushy, messy, explosive, fun, something to think about before, during and after school. Don't fit it into a 45 minute block of time during a school day that is devoted to test-prep at the expense of everything else.
I could go on and on about it but instead I'll just remember the goofy science experiments and lessons I did with my early childhood classes. We laughed, we gasped, we thought and talked about them. We took pictures and they became "remember when?" moments. They were fun. They were exciting. They were important because I tied them into the children's worlds. They were relevant.
So Mr. Gates here's how it looks through the eyes of someone who looked at it through children's eyes for many years. Joyous, Fun, Exciting, Full of Feeling, Worthwhile.
Or, imagine what it looked like. A room full of children from all different countries around the world (our public school was called "The International School"). Some speak English, some don't. They're all huddled around a corner of the room. Some are wearing smocks, some are wearing rubber gloves. They are all smiling. Most are giggling. Some are ooo-ing and aaaaa-ing. Some are clapping their hands with glee and some are getting a bit giddy and jumping in place. Their eyes are glowing and their faces are shining. They're all smiling unless they're concentrating too hard, in which case, they are tense with anticipation.
They are inventing. They are creating. They are discovering. They are asking questions. They are uncovering answers. They are thinking new thoughts.
(Oh, and by the way - they're behaving.) They are scientists and they are loving every minute of it.
That's how you get kids interested in science Mr. Gates. Try it. You'll love every minute of it yourself.
Simple Bill - in three words - fun, exciting, important.
Make science fun.
Make it exciting.
Make it something that is perceived to have worth and importance in our society.
Make science mushy, gushy, messy, explosive, fun, something to think about before, during and after school. Don't fit it into a 45 minute block of time during a school day that is devoted to test-prep at the expense of everything else.
I could go on and on about it but instead I'll just remember the goofy science experiments and lessons I did with my early childhood classes. We laughed, we gasped, we thought and talked about them. We took pictures and they became "remember when?" moments. They were fun. They were exciting. They were important because I tied them into the children's worlds. They were relevant.
So Mr. Gates here's how it looks through the eyes of someone who looked at it through children's eyes for many years. Joyous, Fun, Exciting, Full of Feeling, Worthwhile.
Or, imagine what it looked like. A room full of children from all different countries around the world (our public school was called "The International School"). Some speak English, some don't. They're all huddled around a corner of the room. Some are wearing smocks, some are wearing rubber gloves. They are all smiling. Most are giggling. Some are ooo-ing and aaaaa-ing. Some are clapping their hands with glee and some are getting a bit giddy and jumping in place. Their eyes are glowing and their faces are shining. They're all smiling unless they're concentrating too hard, in which case, they are tense with anticipation.
They are inventing. They are creating. They are discovering. They are asking questions. They are uncovering answers. They are thinking new thoughts.
(Oh, and by the way - they're behaving.) They are scientists and they are loving every minute of it.
That's how you get kids interested in science Mr. Gates. Try it. You'll love every minute of it yourself.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Setting Limits - Giving Children a Childhood Re: Never Too Young For a Pedicure
I received many emails and questions this morning about the very, very disturbing article in today's New York Times Never Too Young for That First Pedicure asking me what I thought.
What do I think? I think that there is a time that a child is too young for a pedicure and everything else that might go along with that. Why the rush? Why are people rushing children past the most wonderful, innocent, fun and youthful times of their lives?
The best way to phrase this comes from something my own mother said to my younger sister (Rachel C.)years ago. My sister's classmate got some ridiculously inappropriate outfit for a girl that age - I think it was a white mink skirt for a tween or early teen. After hearing all about the outfit my mother responded "what will she have to look forward to?".
That's it in a nutshell. What will they have to look forward to?
I work with people who are working very hard to raise their children the best way they can, in a world that seems to have decided that children are a consumer opportunity, miniature adults, accessories, in charge and lots of other things. They're not.
Setting limits for children is a loving and generous thing. You are allowing them the freedom to be children and not have to deal with situations that they aren't equipped to deal with now and that they'll have plenty of time to deal with later. You are giving children the opportunity of having an authority figure who tells, and shows, them how to navigate the world while they're too young to understand the consequences of many of their actions.
Many parents I work with are often afraid at the beginning to set limits because they're afraid their children "won't love them" "will be angry at them" "won't think I'm cool". So?
Yes. You heard that right. So? They will love you even if they say "I hate you", it is inevitable that they will be angry with you and quite frankly your job as a parent is not to be there in order to be cool. If you want constant adulation and cool appreciation become a rock star.
You are there as their parent, first role models and authority figures. At some point every parent who is doing a good job and is asserting their authority will hear the dreaded "I hate you". Guess what? You'll live through it. Your children will live through it. Sometimes they'll feel that way. It doesn't mean it will last forever, it doesn't even mean it's unusual. It's just what they're feeling at the moment.
The question is do you have the guts to stand up for what you believe in?
Can you be a role model in asserting your beliefs and opinions to your children? If you can, whether they like it or not, they'll learn to stand up for what they believe in. It won't happen until they're older but it will happen and then you'll hear and feel the love.
Can you delay the gratification until then? Can you tolerate the negative feelings they'll be having toward you? Great. That's how they will learn how to do the same.
Enjoy the day your way,
RK
Feel free to email any comments or questions to
rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com
Rebecca Kiki Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA
Daily Life Consulting
What do I think? I think that there is a time that a child is too young for a pedicure and everything else that might go along with that. Why the rush? Why are people rushing children past the most wonderful, innocent, fun and youthful times of their lives?
The best way to phrase this comes from something my own mother said to my younger sister (Rachel C.)years ago. My sister's classmate got some ridiculously inappropriate outfit for a girl that age - I think it was a white mink skirt for a tween or early teen. After hearing all about the outfit my mother responded "what will she have to look forward to?".
That's it in a nutshell. What will they have to look forward to?
I work with people who are working very hard to raise their children the best way they can, in a world that seems to have decided that children are a consumer opportunity, miniature adults, accessories, in charge and lots of other things. They're not.
Setting limits for children is a loving and generous thing. You are allowing them the freedom to be children and not have to deal with situations that they aren't equipped to deal with now and that they'll have plenty of time to deal with later. You are giving children the opportunity of having an authority figure who tells, and shows, them how to navigate the world while they're too young to understand the consequences of many of their actions.
Many parents I work with are often afraid at the beginning to set limits because they're afraid their children "won't love them" "will be angry at them" "won't think I'm cool". So?
Yes. You heard that right. So? They will love you even if they say "I hate you", it is inevitable that they will be angry with you and quite frankly your job as a parent is not to be there in order to be cool. If you want constant adulation and cool appreciation become a rock star.
You are there as their parent, first role models and authority figures. At some point every parent who is doing a good job and is asserting their authority will hear the dreaded "I hate you". Guess what? You'll live through it. Your children will live through it. Sometimes they'll feel that way. It doesn't mean it will last forever, it doesn't even mean it's unusual. It's just what they're feeling at the moment.
The question is do you have the guts to stand up for what you believe in?
Can you be a role model in asserting your beliefs and opinions to your children? If you can, whether they like it or not, they'll learn to stand up for what they believe in. It won't happen until they're older but it will happen and then you'll hear and feel the love.
Can you delay the gratification until then? Can you tolerate the negative feelings they'll be having toward you? Great. That's how they will learn how to do the same.
Enjoy the day your way,
RK
Feel free to email any comments or questions to
rebecca at dailylifeconsulting dot com
Rebecca Kiki Weingarten M.Sc.Ed, MFA
Daily Life Consulting
Monday, January 21, 2008
New York Measuring Teachers by Test Scores - NY Times
Thanks D. for emailing me the article New York Measuring Teachers by Test Scores - NY Times by Jennifer Medina
As for what I think...ARGH is about all I'll say in writing...ok - make that ARGH ARGH ARGH
One question though - anyone making a connection between the article in the WSJ about behavior problems in pre-school and the unrelenting pressure and emphasis being put on testing and test scores? I am and have been for quite a while. I was also discussing the WSJ article (post below) with my 90 year old mentor/professor last week and the first thing she said was "maybe they're trying to teach them too much". There you go. Out of the mouth of experience....
I'll be happy to talk to you about the article and the implications for J. when we meet this week but as for a request for a blog reaction this is about all I'm comfortable with.
Argh.
Enjoy the day,
RK
As for what I think...ARGH is about all I'll say in writing...ok - make that ARGH ARGH ARGH
One question though - anyone making a connection between the article in the WSJ about behavior problems in pre-school and the unrelenting pressure and emphasis being put on testing and test scores? I am and have been for quite a while. I was also discussing the WSJ article (post below) with my 90 year old mentor/professor last week and the first thing she said was "maybe they're trying to teach them too much". There you go. Out of the mouth of experience....
I'll be happy to talk to you about the article and the implications for J. when we meet this week but as for a request for a blog reaction this is about all I'm comfortable with.
Argh.
Enjoy the day,
RK
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success - NY Times
Happy 2008 All!
I got so many emails about the planning and organizing post below so if you haven't gotten a response it's on its way! (Not today though I was supposed to be on tech-break altogether...)
Meanwhile there's an interesting article in the New York Times
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success by Alan Finder.
It makes some great points about organizing and planning. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole boys/girls points that they raise. In my years of experience I've come across boys who were so organized they put everyone in the class/school/university to shame and girls who came in on a cloud of dust like Pigpen in the Snoopy comics. Although I'm the first one to talk about how boys and girls are different and that that's wonderful and as it should be I'm not sure about this area.
Having said that, there are some great ideas and thoughts for boys and girls in the article. Not the least of which is the idea of doing homework in a silent environment without tech or other distractions.
Another thought - the fact that the boys get the personalized attention with their work - well to me that might be a big part of it. Any child could benefit from that. And a teenage boy getting personal attention from an attractive 20-something year old? Damn straight they'll sit up and pay attention!
It actually brought to mind a story about a student of mine from my first year of teaching. He was 4 and it was kindergarten. He was, how shall we put it, quite active and it took months to get him into a routine and behaving appropriately for school. He was bright and sweet and everything else and I enjoyed him as a student to no end. I ran into his mother the following year and asked how he was doing "could I please give him back to you?" was her response. It seems Greg (not his real name) was having toughest time in his new class. His behavior was a problem as well as a host of other things we'd worked on the year before. They'd called in his mother for a meeting with the principal and his teacher and during the course of the conversation they'd asked him what was going on.
"But you were so wonderful last year Greg." His answer? "But that was for Rebecca".
A good connection with a child will encourage the most wonderful behaviors and enhance the ablility to learn new skills and subjects. It's not the only thing, but it does play a part. I think the concept described in the article is great and the attention they're getting, especially from someone they're connecting with. I think all children and young adults should have that kind of personal attention while finding their place in school and the world.
Good article. Good concept.
Tips you can take from it include personal attention to homework, silent and concentrated homework time, interest in what they're doing and they're deadlines, a soft touch and a caring and interested adult. Watch how they thrive.
Happy 2008!
RK
I got so many emails about the planning and organizing post below so if you haven't gotten a response it's on its way! (Not today though I was supposed to be on tech-break altogether...)
Meanwhile there's an interesting article in the New York Times
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success by Alan Finder.
It makes some great points about organizing and planning. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole boys/girls points that they raise. In my years of experience I've come across boys who were so organized they put everyone in the class/school/university to shame and girls who came in on a cloud of dust like Pigpen in the Snoopy comics. Although I'm the first one to talk about how boys and girls are different and that that's wonderful and as it should be I'm not sure about this area.
Having said that, there are some great ideas and thoughts for boys and girls in the article. Not the least of which is the idea of doing homework in a silent environment without tech or other distractions.
Another thought - the fact that the boys get the personalized attention with their work - well to me that might be a big part of it. Any child could benefit from that. And a teenage boy getting personal attention from an attractive 20-something year old? Damn straight they'll sit up and pay attention!
It actually brought to mind a story about a student of mine from my first year of teaching. He was 4 and it was kindergarten. He was, how shall we put it, quite active and it took months to get him into a routine and behaving appropriately for school. He was bright and sweet and everything else and I enjoyed him as a student to no end. I ran into his mother the following year and asked how he was doing "could I please give him back to you?" was her response. It seems Greg (not his real name) was having toughest time in his new class. His behavior was a problem as well as a host of other things we'd worked on the year before. They'd called in his mother for a meeting with the principal and his teacher and during the course of the conversation they'd asked him what was going on.
"But you were so wonderful last year Greg." His answer? "But that was for Rebecca".
A good connection with a child will encourage the most wonderful behaviors and enhance the ablility to learn new skills and subjects. It's not the only thing, but it does play a part. I think the concept described in the article is great and the attention they're getting, especially from someone they're connecting with. I think all children and young adults should have that kind of personal attention while finding their place in school and the world.
Good article. Good concept.
Tips you can take from it include personal attention to homework, silent and concentrated homework time, interest in what they're doing and they're deadlines, a soft touch and a caring and interested adult. Watch how they thrive.
Happy 2008!
RK
Monday, November 19, 2007
Study Links Drop in Test Scores to a Decline in Time Spent Reading - NY Times
They ARE kidding that this is news? Right? A quick reply to the emails and questions I've gotten this morning regarding the article and the studies. I haven't had time to review the studies so I'll only comment on the article with some general thoughts. (For current clients - any specific questions would be best dealt with on an individual basis.)
Ok - here goes. Again. And again and again and again.
Instill in a child a love of reading and they will pick up books and reading material on their own. They won't only pick up the book that everyone's reading because "everyone's reading it".
Instill in a child a love of reading and the ability to be still with a book and you enable them to develop ;
*the ability to entertain and educate themselves
*patience
*the ability to listen to themselves think
*an ability to sustain silent moments
*the ability to focus, to imagine, to picture, to concentrate and to take a leap into a world that has been transported from the page to their imagination
*a love of the written word
*the ability to ask and answer questions themselves
*sometimes the desire to express themselves through writing
*a broader vocabulary
*a curiosity about worlds they haven't explored
....and more and more and more (this was just for starters)
As for tests and test results, teach children to take tests and do well on tests and they'll know how to - take tests and possibly get good scores on them.
That's a quick response. More in the future I'm sure.
Meanwhile, talk to your children (of all ages) about the topics and areas that they're interested in.
*Go to a bookstore, the library or online and let them choose books and magazines on those topics.
*Keep books, magazines, dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference materials around the house.
*Keep a daily newspaper around the house and discuss the events of the day.
*Encourage your children (of all ages) to read.
*Model reading for them - telling them isn't enough, if they see you reading they are encouraged to read.
Granted, I grew up in an education minded household which I sometimes affectionately refer to as the "learning lab". Both my parents adore reading and read to us, with us and to themselves. We had the school reading programs in our house (Dad was a school administrator before he retired) and our biggest treats were books. I remember my father coming home with a briefcase full of books and we got to choose one or two knowing that there were so many other fun ones left. It was hard to choose but we always knew there was so much more. My mother to this day is one of the most voracious readers I have ever met reading more than a book a week, not to mention magazines and newspapers. They certainly modeled a love of reading and knowledge. It was natural. It wasn't work or homework, it was fun.
I should mention that both my parents are immigrants who speak about 10 languages between the two of them with English being the most recent, so the fact that they were, and continue to be, voracious readers of English is no small feat. I will also say that a love of reading is one of the single greatest gifts they gave us and I am thankful for it every day of my life.
Give your children a love of reading and you give them a gift they'll use every day. I say that as a reader, writer, teacher and person.
Ok - here goes. Again. And again and again and again.
Instill in a child a love of reading and they will pick up books and reading material on their own. They won't only pick up the book that everyone's reading because "everyone's reading it".
Instill in a child a love of reading and the ability to be still with a book and you enable them to develop ;
*the ability to entertain and educate themselves
*patience
*the ability to listen to themselves think
*an ability to sustain silent moments
*the ability to focus, to imagine, to picture, to concentrate and to take a leap into a world that has been transported from the page to their imagination
*a love of the written word
*the ability to ask and answer questions themselves
*sometimes the desire to express themselves through writing
*a broader vocabulary
*a curiosity about worlds they haven't explored
....and more and more and more (this was just for starters)
As for tests and test results, teach children to take tests and do well on tests and they'll know how to - take tests and possibly get good scores on them.
That's a quick response. More in the future I'm sure.
Meanwhile, talk to your children (of all ages) about the topics and areas that they're interested in.
*Go to a bookstore, the library or online and let them choose books and magazines on those topics.
*Keep books, magazines, dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference materials around the house.
*Keep a daily newspaper around the house and discuss the events of the day.
*Encourage your children (of all ages) to read.
*Model reading for them - telling them isn't enough, if they see you reading they are encouraged to read.
Granted, I grew up in an education minded household which I sometimes affectionately refer to as the "learning lab". Both my parents adore reading and read to us, with us and to themselves. We had the school reading programs in our house (Dad was a school administrator before he retired) and our biggest treats were books. I remember my father coming home with a briefcase full of books and we got to choose one or two knowing that there were so many other fun ones left. It was hard to choose but we always knew there was so much more. My mother to this day is one of the most voracious readers I have ever met reading more than a book a week, not to mention magazines and newspapers. They certainly modeled a love of reading and knowledge. It was natural. It wasn't work or homework, it was fun.
I should mention that both my parents are immigrants who speak about 10 languages between the two of them with English being the most recent, so the fact that they were, and continue to be, voracious readers of English is no small feat. I will also say that a love of reading is one of the single greatest gifts they gave us and I am thankful for it every day of my life.
Give your children a love of reading and you give them a gift they'll use every day. I say that as a reader, writer, teacher and person.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Building a Nation of Polyglots, Starting With the Very Young - NY Times - So Simple Even Adults Can Do It!
I tend not to comment here about many of the education findings that I read about or that many of you ask about since my thoughts are usually in opposition to much of what I read. Because of my training in different areas and being raised and educated to ask and challenge accepted modes of thinking, I do the same with studies, research and all the rest. There are so many holes and so much missing from much of the work that the thought of applying much of it can be downright frightening. Using fMRI scans of children with ADD...without a whole lot of other information that can get into some real Big Brother territory, not to mention jumping to conclusions.
Having said that, I would like to comment on Building a Nation of Polyglots, Starting With the Very Young by describing my experiences as a teacher (and English as a Second Language teacher) for a few years to classes composed wholly of immigrant children. English was spoken in the classroom - by me and only me, at least at the beginning of the year.
Oh, did I happen to mention that they were 5 and 6 and in the first grade?
Did I mention that they were 27 children who spoke about 17 languages?
Did I happen to mention that many of them were brand new immigrants who came in at different times during the year and so the English learning process had to begin with them all over again from where they were?
Did I happen to mention that I single-handedly kept the caffeine industry going? I also learned how to say "good boy", "good girl" and "bathroom" in more languages than I'll ever need. (You should see how well I do when I travel!)
As a speaker of other languages, the child of immigrants, and someone whose first language is not English I was exquisitely attuned to the difficulty and challenges involved. The desire to say the words that just won't come out of your mouth the right way. The frustration of knowing perfectly well what it is that you're thinking but being absolutely incapable of translating it and getting it out. It's the feeling you get when you travel to another country. You know that you know what you're thinking and you know how to say it, you just don't know how to say it to them so they'll understand you.
It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my career and taught me so much about human nature and the nature of communication. The children were warm and open to helping each other. They were sensitive to each other's needs without having to be told in words. Non-verbal communication was picked up quickly by the children in order to help each other. A look, an expression, a quivering lip, a smile were translated and understood. Latino children spoke some words in Chinese, Chinese children learned a bit of Russian and Russian children picked up some Urdu.
So much of the talk about education and children learning is fancy words and concepts and old theories recycled in new packaging. Having been there and done that I will tell you with complete authority and sureness that it's all about letting children do what comes naturally when it comes to learning. Let them play, interact, become curious, ask questions, get the attention they need, develop a sense of their strengths and weaknesses, learn to love learning and the process of learning and also how to interact with others in the best way to facilitate progress.
Children do that in any language that they speak. They are so open to helping each other learn and thrive. It's as they get older and defenses develop and get stronger that it gets harder to give and receive the help.
So yes, it was an interesting article and I was pleased that the issue is getting attention but let's step back a moment and get all the way back to the basics. The ABCs, as it were.
It's all there.
It's all been there all the time -
and it's so simple -
EVEN ADULTS CAN DO IT.
Having said that, I would like to comment on Building a Nation of Polyglots, Starting With the Very Young by describing my experiences as a teacher (and English as a Second Language teacher) for a few years to classes composed wholly of immigrant children. English was spoken in the classroom - by me and only me, at least at the beginning of the year.
Oh, did I happen to mention that they were 5 and 6 and in the first grade?
Did I mention that they were 27 children who spoke about 17 languages?
Did I happen to mention that many of them were brand new immigrants who came in at different times during the year and so the English learning process had to begin with them all over again from where they were?
Did I happen to mention that I single-handedly kept the caffeine industry going? I also learned how to say "good boy", "good girl" and "bathroom" in more languages than I'll ever need. (You should see how well I do when I travel!)
As a speaker of other languages, the child of immigrants, and someone whose first language is not English I was exquisitely attuned to the difficulty and challenges involved. The desire to say the words that just won't come out of your mouth the right way. The frustration of knowing perfectly well what it is that you're thinking but being absolutely incapable of translating it and getting it out. It's the feeling you get when you travel to another country. You know that you know what you're thinking and you know how to say it, you just don't know how to say it to them so they'll understand you.
It was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my career and taught me so much about human nature and the nature of communication. The children were warm and open to helping each other. They were sensitive to each other's needs without having to be told in words. Non-verbal communication was picked up quickly by the children in order to help each other. A look, an expression, a quivering lip, a smile were translated and understood. Latino children spoke some words in Chinese, Chinese children learned a bit of Russian and Russian children picked up some Urdu.
So much of the talk about education and children learning is fancy words and concepts and old theories recycled in new packaging. Having been there and done that I will tell you with complete authority and sureness that it's all about letting children do what comes naturally when it comes to learning. Let them play, interact, become curious, ask questions, get the attention they need, develop a sense of their strengths and weaknesses, learn to love learning and the process of learning and also how to interact with others in the best way to facilitate progress.
Children do that in any language that they speak. They are so open to helping each other learn and thrive. It's as they get older and defenses develop and get stronger that it gets harder to give and receive the help.
So yes, it was an interesting article and I was pleased that the issue is getting attention but let's step back a moment and get all the way back to the basics. The ABCs, as it were.
It's all there.
It's all been there all the time -
and it's so simple -
EVEN ADULTS CAN DO IT.
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