Important, Early Childhood Education Based on Pluralistic Culture

Director General of Non-formal Education, Ministry of National Education, Hamid Muhammad, Ph.D., says early childhood education was instrumental in the effort to prepare optimal child growth and development. As the foundation of education, early childhood education is also able to increase children's participation in education.

Given the importance, the government has established various policies and strategies to develop them. The policies is aimed at establishing education that is righteous, valuable, and relevant to the needs of the community. "The Government makes an effort to establish the availability of early education services that is accessible and affordable by all levels of society. In addition, the government also seeks to guarantee the certainty of each member of the public in obtaining services as a provision to continue their education to the next level," explained Hamid at the Faculty of Psychology UGM, Monday (17/5).

In a seminar on Early Children in Education Multicultural Perspectives: Multicultural Approach in Improving the Quality of Early Childhood Education, Hamid said the establishment of early childhood development in Indonesia besides to  comprehensively develop the intelligence potential and creativity of children, it also aims to prepare the children to attend the next level education. "Therefore, starting this year early childhood education development is established through an integrated holistic approach. In this case, it does not only emphasize on the educational aspect alone. Conversely, it also includes nutrition services, health, parenting, and child protection aspects," he explained.

He added, since Indonesia consists of many ethnic groups, religions and cultures, the development policy requires the internalization of the cultural wisdom values in the parenting process and child protection services. "Preparing children with multicultural conception as early as possible becomes very important to ensure a tolerant character of a child who has the confidence as an excellent and dignified nation," he explained.

Meanwhile, Supra Wimbarti, M.Sc., Ph.D., lecturer of Faculty of Psychology UGM, said the development of pluralistic cultural education in early childhood level is an urgent need to be done. The reason is that the awareness of self-existence has begun since the child is infantile. Along with age, the child will have a bigger social circle. "So, it is very appropriate if the pluralistic cultural education is associated with early childhood education, because at this period the basic values of humanity are laid," she explained. In her opinion, pluralistic cultural education can be given to children in many ways, such as through artistry. Storytelling is one powerful medium to transfer the values in family and society.

Topics include:

Choosing a Preschool     

Parental Involvement

Communicating with Parents/Conferences

Interactive and Dialogic Reading Techniques

Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence

Managing Transitions

Observing and Recording Behavior

Pre-reading and Pre-writing

Academic Motivation

Kindergarten Readiness

Learning Through Play

Language Development                                                  

Cognitive Development

Motor Development

Power of Play

Toys

United Nations Conference Adopts Action Plan

Participants at a UNESCO-supported conference, held last month in Moscow, adopted to expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children. In their concluding document, called the Moscow Framework for Action, participants specifically requested that UNESCO reinforce efforts to promote and develop early childhood care and education. They also called on nations to partner with UNESCO to mobilize international donors to increase financial support for these purposes.

Using Open-Mind Portraits as a Springboard to Expository Text Writing

With a school-wide focus on improving students ' expository text writing skills, Ms. Rearick worried about her ith-grade students ' abilities to write text that explained what they had learned. She had tried a variety of informational topics; however, they all proved to be lackluster for her young learners. After reading Tough Boris (Fox & Brown, 1994), Ms. Rearick realized that the topic of pirates had piqued her students' interest. Inspired by their enthusiasm and inquiry, Ms. Rearick took the opportunity to develop a one-week mini-unit on pirates.

After searching the Internet and collecting all of the pirate-related books in the library, Ms. Rearick felt encouraged that her students would respond well to the subject and hoped it would generate myriad opportunities for discussion. She knew that connecting classroom learning with this pop culture topic would provide the motivational avenue to facilitate her students' expository, text-based writing development. Drawing about pirates might logically lead into writing about pirates.

Knowing her students' interest in drawing, Ms. Rearick was confident that the Open-Mind Portrait Strategy (Tompkins, 2008) would help develop her students' expository writing skills. She launched her pirate unit with a variety of motivating activities, graphic organizers, and creative projects. As a result of Ms. Rearick's student-centered planning and preparation, enthusiasm for reading and writing about pirates soon flooded the classroom.

Seven Ways to be Smart

 smart_childWhen considering children's intelligence, early childhood professionals have always looked at the whole picture. Psychologist Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory reinforces the fact that there are a lot of ways for children to be smart. Instead of asking, "How smart is this child?" a better question may be, "How is this child smart?"

Children learn how to get along with others and meet their own needs during the early years. These factors, along with many others, contribute to children's intelligence – something far too complex to be measured by a standardized test, or even by how quickly children learn to speak or walk.

Each of us possesses seven "intelligences," or ways to be smart, according to Multiple Intelligence Theory. Some of us are good at making rhymes, or singing songs, others are more adept at using hands. Every type of intelligence gives us something to offer to the world. The way each intelligence expresses itself in our lives makes us unique.

smart_childWe can help children enhance their individual strengths by recognizing multiple intelligences. But don't be too quick to label your child as a future accountant, artist, or athlete without giving her a chance to explore the world, work on her skills, and develop her own abilities.

Comprehending multiple intelligences means more than focusing on individual characteristics. Just imagine a grown person who could do nothing but write poetry, or solve algebra problems. But to do other things like drive a car or follow a recipe, a person needs to be smart in more ways than one.

Preparing Child for School

School Readiness
You should assist your child in having the kinds of experiences that will help them be successful in school at an early age. School readiness means being sure your child has the social, academic, independence, and communication skills that are required to do well in school. Talking, reading, and playing with others will help your child prepare for their school career.

Academic Readiness
Before beginning kindergarten, children need to know about their families, themselves, and the world. Children can start school with a lot of skills that teachers can build upon, if they have already had good learning experiences at home and with their parents. You can do the following things to prepare your child academically: 
• Try to read to your child every day and talk about what was in the story.
• Ñheck out books in the library.
• Sing songs and finger plays.
• Help your child to recognize his or her name in print by writing it in various places that will be seen by your child.
• Teach your child to write.
• Help your child to learn colors by pointing to and naming items like, red pencil, green rug, or yellow shirt.
• Puzzles and games that involve counting and problem deciding are good to learn by.

• Let your child write, draw, cut, and paste.
• Teach your child the alphabet song, and show them toys that will help him or her to better understand the alphabet.
• Choose childcare that teaches children with fun activities.
• Allow your child dance, sing, run, and ride bikes or tricycles.
• Visit with your child various places, like the store, playground, zoo, or an amusement park. Speak with your child about the things that they did and saw.

Social Readiness
Social readiness is also very significant. Children need to learn to be in harmony with other children, obey rules, share, take turns, and to leave their parents during school. You should do the following to prepare your child socially:
• Establish rules and give punishments when they are broken.
• Give your child a bedtime and a time for meals.
• Speak with your child about how to play and talk with other children.
• Teach your child to take turns and share.

Education Progress

Like anything else in life, there's a method to the special education process. It was created in order to help those people who deal with learning disabilities. In order to help you understand this method, here's a simplified version of the Special Education process.

1)Evaluation Request
Someone sees that the child is having difficulty in school and asks that testing be done to find out what's causing the problem. Such request can be from tutors or even parents. If the parents make the request, the district must agree to give a full and individual evaluation.

If the request has been sent by some other party, such as a teacher, the special team is gathered to consider the testing matter. No matter who makes the request, you as the parent, must give written permission for this testing to be done. Then you will be informed the results of the consulting.

If the council decides not to test you, it must inform about its decision straight forward. You can continue to pursue the option through a due process hearing if you wish.

2)Testing Results
You have a right to be mailed and informed about then council meeting results  beforehand. If you don't understand what is being said in the report, you have the right to have someone explain the results to you.

After the testing you will be granted the results given by the special team. If your child is found to have a learning disability, and you agree that he should receive special education services, then you must give written permission for this to happen.

Even if he is not found to be having any learning disability, anyway you will have evaluation of his capabilities.

If you disagree with the results either way, you have the right to have him tested by someone outside the school district. The district is to pay for evaluation, or state why it has been refuses, if had been.

3) Placement
If you and the school district agree that a learning disability was found, then you and the team will decide the best program for your child. Special Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be created in order to calculate the goals and potential during the coming year. It will also list the services your child will get and any special aids or helps your child can get, such as special transportation or speech therapy if he needs it.

Your child is entitled to receive his services in the "Least Restrictive Environment." That means that the services and products will be delivered in terms and to the right place. For example, he won't be placed in the resource room for help with math if he needs help only with reading. If he has a learning disability, he wont be asked to stay and repeat till he understands. In other words, he will only receive help in things he needs help in.

You should take the active part in the process of educating your child. If you know the process, you can make sure that it's followed correctly and that your child's rights are recognized. You just need to keep an eye of your child, but not to do all the work instead of him. Again, it all comes back to acting on behalf of your child, since he can't do that for himself. And, in the long run, he will be more successful because of you.

How Children Learn to Write?

Early Writing
A lot of children learn about writing a lot even before they go to school as elements of language are surrounding us. They are surrounded by print: on road signs, food packets, in books, magazines and catalogues. Words are connected and we use them only within the certain bonds. In the same way, especially in homes where people write things down, children learn a lot about writing through joining in and having a go.

Getting Confident
When your child writes, first of all she has to decide what to say. After that it should be written down. These two key aspects of writing, planning and actual writing, are constantly taught and practiced throughout the primary years. Mastering the writing skills of spelling, handwriting and punctuation is important. It makes possible to express their opinion in words. The flow of writing is spoilt if children have to write very slowly because handwriting skills haven't been developed or they need to keep stopping to look up spellings.

Unfortunately, it can be easy to spot mistakes in writing, so parents often worry when spellings are wrong, work appears untidy or a full stop is missing. Your child, particularly in the early stages, will find it difficult to focus on everything at once. Don’t try to find errors at first, read attentively what the writing says. Try to pick out the best bits to praise: it could be a great ending or a clear description. If the child uses words in some extraordinary way, you should praise him; despite he can use it in some grammatically wrong way.
Of course, it's important that children eventually learn to write accurately, too. While correcting the spelling of your child mention not al but some certain not numerous mistakes. If spelling lists are sent home try to make practice fun by playing games that encourage careful listening to the sounds in words and looking for letter patterns.

Planning
Young children usually write about subjects of immediate interest, in a style that sounds like speech written down. Writing styles are as they are according to these changes. Through constantly hearing how written language differs from speech, children become aware of writing conventions and phrases such as 'Once upon a time...' eventually the more formal structure begins to appear in their texts. Children learn to use paragraphs and to structure their writing to build up drama or develop an argument.

To ensure this happens in a systematic way most schools now follow the guidance of the National Literacy Strategy, which includes poetry, fiction and non-fiction writing in each term's teaching plan. Before your children are to write any written task, ask them what are they going to write about. Then ask them to keep re-reading what they have written, asking themselves: 'Does it sound right?'

First Day at School

First day at school is very important for your child. First impression plays important part in general impression forming and the child’s desire to study. That’s why you should make appropriate preparation for your child’s first visit to school.

Here are some tips on how to make your child’s first day at school or kindergarten exciting and unforgettable:

• First day at school shouldn’t be the first. It would be better for you and your kid if you make introductory visit to school. It’s a great chance for the child to get familiar with the classroom and teachers.

• Acquaint your child with his or her classmates. It won’t be that scary to enter the classroom for the first time if you know somebody in there. How to arrange it? You can ask phone numbers of other parents from the school staff and make a couple of phone calls before the school begins. Arrange a meeting with their kids. This will contribute greatly to your child’s confidence.

• Give your child an opportunity to communicate. Social skills play important part in your child’s adaptation in the new environment. If your child attended kindergarten or any other pre-school institution, he or she probably won’t have any troubles in getting along with people. But if he or she doesn’t have such experience you should try to arrange it. You can take your kid to summer camps or play groups in order to develop his or her social skills.

• Familiarize your child with school (kindergarten) routine. If you have an opportunity to visit school in advance try to explain all rules in the school. Accent that nobody is allowed to fight, the teacher is main hear, toys are for everybody and no talking during classes. Also you can involve the teacher into your explanation.

• Your child must have self care habits. It will be much easier for you and your child to get used to the school. Children at age of 6-7 years have to dress by themselves.

• Try to set your child’s mind at rest. Explain that there is nothing to worry about. Ask him or her what are the main questions he or she would like to get answers on. You have to assure your child that there in nothing to worry about, especially if your child asks such questions as how often he or she will be able to use the bathroom or which bus to take after school.

• Help your child to pack all things into the schoolbag in the evening before the first school day. It will be useful to write down your child’s name on the back of schoolbag and lunch bag etc. Explain the purpose of each item to your child so he or she will be able to pack the schoolbag by his/her own.

• Before the school begins check your child’s health. Such checkup should include vision and hearing screening. Very often students have problems in school because of health problem. Also all necessary vaccinations should be given to your child before school.

Library Impact on Children

The library is one of the most amazing places anyone could go. All the various resources and knowledge you can get there is wonderful. Going to the library should be a pleasure and a gratifying experience. The seclusion and quietness there almost makes the place serene, until you happen to be there a day when someone child is screaming and running around everywhere. The library is useful for everyone including children, but most of our children are not taught how to appreciate the library. They do not really understand how to behave and be considerate of others that’s there. Do they think it’s just a place where a lot of books are held and they can go there and choose a book and play? Children needed to be taught about the library and how to behave there to respect other people privacy.

A nice age to begin to take your child to the library is between the ages of four to six. A child younger than four is typically still very active and doesn’t want to or understand how to sit and be quiet. They are still at that age where they are unquiet and active, which means they will want to run around the library and not think about other people. It’s just a building to them with a plenty of books and open space. Whereas a child a little bit older is beginning to get structure in their lives by going to pre-school and school. They are beginning to live in an environment that is teaching them about dealing and sharing with other people. At the age of four and older they can comprehend and follow instructions better.

You can explain to them about the library and how all types of people use it for various reasons at various ages. Even though a lot of libraries have a children section, where all children can find their books, they needed to comprehend that there are several various areas that is used by other people and they have to be considerate of them also. The library is a quiet place where any sound can seem loud, that’s why children needed to be educated what to do when they are going to the library, so they can behave as quiet as possible. Explain to them that not only people come there to receive books, but they come there to read, relax, study and do research: that everyone there try to be as quiet as possible so they won’t prevent other people from reading. A small child needs to know that and be taught by their parents how they should behave in this special atmosphere of library. Parents are responsible for their children and they have to groom them on how to use a library for life.

The library card it the most useful one among of all the cards the adults used. With that card you can receive knowledge on anything you needed that will help you to be successful in anything that you want in your life. Your child should be taught in the very beginning how to appreciate a library card and how the library can help them in their life. With teaching them at a young age they will be able to use the library successfully from being a child and enjoying storytime, to doing a research paper when they are in college. The library is a place that everyone can take advantage of. The library is there for everyone, from a child to an adult.

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Here are 20 ways that will assure that will help you and your children to have a very good school year.

1 – don't let your children skip breakfast, eat a good breakfast every morning.
2 – wake them up early enough to get up on time so they are not sluggish! Even if that means waking them up 15 or 30 minutes earlier than they used to wake up.
3 – be sure your child gets a good night's sleep, turn in early.
4 – have them prepare all of their things the night before, including clothes or uniforms, shoes, socks, booksacks, homework assignments in booksacks,etc. down to the finest details, even hair accessories.
5 – children should keep their desks, booksacks, and rooms organized so they can find what they need easily and nothing gets lost.
6 –encourage your children, praise them, use positive reinforcement, work closely with them, let them know that you can help if needed.
7 – create a study routine for your child, a good rule of thumb is to have them do their homework right when they get home.
8– go over homework together.
9– check their booksacks for notes, missed assignments, book orders, etc.
10 – promote healthy habits like healthy snacks, low in sugar, fresh fruits and vegetables.
11 – children should ask questions, they should not afraid to ask questions, that is how they learn.
12 – a stress free child is a happy child, a happy child will do better in school.
13 – children should start reviewing notes at least three days before a test, don't wait until the night before or worse, the day of the test to study for it.
14 – children should write down their assignments carefully, have the number of a few classmates in case you forget to write it down.
15 – parents, be a role model to your children, your children learn from you, be positive and supportive of the school system and teachers.
16 – have your child read to you often and regularly.
17 – have them put all of their things in their room right when they get home, this will alleviate the chances of losing or misplacing something, more time is wasted looking for a lost shoe or where they put their booksack.
18 – children should take notes when the teacher repeats something, tells them to write it down or that is very important or will be on a test, or if she writes it on the board.
19 – don't cheat, don't be lazy, do your projects and assigments like reports, ahead of time, study and learn, you will be proud of yourself.
20 – during tests, read all of the directions, follow directions, read the questions carefully, and double check your answers if you have time after you are done.

Every person is smart in all seven ways

Every person is smart in all seven ways. It is possible to recognize these multiple intelligences:
• Word smart – Lawyers, journalists, and storytellers often demonstrate what Gardner refers to as linguistic intelligence. Such people are good at using the written or spoken word to communicate.
• Logic smart – People with a great deal of logical-mathematical intelligence are good at reasoning, and thinking in terms of cause and effect. Accountants, scientists, and computer programmers generally have this ability.
• Picture smart – Otherwise known as spatial intelligence, this involves thinking in pictures or images. Such people may be able to follow directions best, or be able to visualize and draw accurately.
• Music smart – Musical intelligence is the ability to keep time with music, sing in tune, and discern the difference between different musical selections. These individuals can best perceive and appreciate melodies.
• Body smart – Individuals with bodily-kinesthetic intelligence are best able to control their own movements, which involves not only outdoor sports, but tasks like sewing and carpentry.
• Person smart – Such persons have the ability to respond to, understand, and work with other people. Interpersonal intelligence means that a person is able to see from others' perspectives.

• Self smart – These people tend to be contemplative and can easily access their own feelings. Those people with intrapersonal intelligence may be introspective and enjoy meditating.

By discovering all of their intelligences, children become well-rounded individuals who are successful in many aspects of life. Early childhood professionals and parents must recognize these different strengths in children as they emerge. Some children may be good at words, others in music – the point is for adults to let children express themselves. If your child has the opportunity to learn in the areas he or she prefers, and to improve in those areas that are not as strong, they will grow to become intelligent in more ways than one!

When considering children's intelligence

When considering children's intelligence, early childhood professionals have always looked at the whole picture. Psychologist Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory reinforces the fact that there are a lot of ways for children to be smart. Instead of asking, "How smart is this child?" a better question may be, "How is this child smart?"

Children learn how to get along with others and meet their own needs during the early years. These factors, along with many others, contribute to children's intelligence – something far too complex to be measured by a standardized test, or even by how quickly children learn to speak or walk.

Each of us possesses seven "intelligences," or ways to be smart, according to Multiple Intelligence Theory. Some of us are good at making rhymes, or singing songs, others are more adept at using hands. Every type of intelligence gives us something to offer to the world. The way each intelligence expresses itself in our lives makes us unique.

We can help children enhance their individual strengths by recognizing multiple intelligences. But don't be too quick to label your child as a future accountant, artist, or athlete without giving her a chance to explore the world, work on her skills, and develop her own abilities.

Comprehending multiple intelligences means more than focusing on individual characteristics. Just imagine a grown person who could do nothing but write poetry, or solve algebra problems. But to do other things like drive a car or follow a recipe, a person needs to be smart in more ways than one.

Parental Involvement

Why Get involved in my Childs Education?
Research has shown that students benefit from parent involvement in many ways:
• better grades;
• better attendance;
• higher graduation rates;
• better self-esteem;
• less drug and alcohol use;
• less violent behavior.

What Can I do to help my Child do Well in School?
According to the Michigan Department of Education, parents whose kids do well in school support them by:
• Having a regular, daily routine.
• Keeping tabs on kids’ after-school activities and making sure they are supervised.
• Showing your kids you value learning, self-discipline, and hard work.
• Setting realistic, but high goals and standards for your child.
• Encouraging progress in school by showing interest in your child’s schoolwork, helping with homework, and staying in touch with teachers
• Guiding TV viewing, reading aloud, taking trips, having books around the house and doing other activities to stimulate your child’s mind.
• Going to the school regularly, so your child will view home and school as being connected, and will view school as an important part of the family’s life.
What are some organizations that promote and support parent involvement in education?
• National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) supports and speaks for kids and youth, helps parents learn the skills they need to raise and protect their kids, and works for parents and the public being involved in the public schools of our country;
• The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a group for people who work in education and childcare sphere. They have online handouts (Early Years are Learning Years), and brochures and books for parents that you can order to buy. Their primary focus is on the preschool and kindergarten years;
• The National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education strives to advocate the involvement of parents and families in their children's education, and foster relationships between home, school, and community to enhance the education of young people;
• the goal of the Center for Parent Leadership is to provide parents with the skills and opportunities they need to become effective leaders and advocates in their local schools;
• The George Lucas Educational Foundation runs the website Edutopia Online, which has a great section documenting successes in increasing parent involvement in schools;
• from the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education, part of the US Department of Education, come some publications.
• parents for public schools is a national organization of community-based chapters working to strengthen public schools. The group believes that quality public education is vital to democracy.

One Teacher’s Tough Decision

“Please don’t call my house!” The words came out in a jumble, between sobs and sniffs as tears ran down his little face.

These were the words of a little boy who had just gotten sick in his classroom and needed to go home.

Or did he?

After walking him to the office to help clean him up, get him into some new clothing and take his temperature, it was my job to contact his parents to come pick him up from school. But he was unbelievably upset about that possibility.

In sitting with him for a little once he was cleaned and bundled up on the school’s cot, he told me his mom was in jail after the principal called the police on her and his dad was real mad about it. He didn’t want his dad to get mad at him again.

Now, the typical course of action when a child is sick is to call home so that someone will take care of him. But when that same child truly is better off at school, even though everyone around him will probably also get sick, what is one to do? Do I allow him to stay, knowing he might need an aspirin to bring down his fever or do I call home and hope that his father knows how to take care of a sick little boy and also hope to God that his father doesn’t beat him again once he gets home?

Schools have to do so much these days. It would be relatively easy for anyone to find an article about how schools are failing our youth. But maybe those readers should spend some time reflecting on the damage some parents are doing to their children that the adults within the heart of a school are trying to fix.

When a child comes to school, of course we all hope he or she is ready and eager to learn. However, in more and more situations, that same little child has just come into another building housing many people he hasn’t bonded with yet, still carrying the stresses he woke up with. Stresses like being hungry because his family doesn’t have enough food in the house because they are unemployed, have lost transportation or aren’t educated enough to read to sign the free breakfast and lunch forms. Stresses like being too tired to think after living a lifestyle without a bedtime due to living with parents who don’t understand what it means to take care of their child. Stresses like having dirty clothing on a dirty body because the water has been shut off at his house and his parents don’t know what to do about it. Stresses like being in pain because the parents, frustrated and angry at their own situations, have lost their moral compass and feel it is okay to beat their children.

A child cannot learn if he feels anxious, upset or stressed. Teachers may know how to take care of each individual child but honestly do not have the capability to do this for each student in addition to covering all the basics that the state department enforces.

So, what to do for this poor little boy? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we lived in a world in which all children knew that there were adults who cared about their welfare? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if children lived in a world where they could depend on their caretakers to make the right decisions? In our lives, we all have many chances to make a difference. I know what I did.

What would you do?

More Help With Math

For years, I worked at a local college as a tutor and have worked with countless individuals who claim to hate Math but they love English and writing. Conversely, individuals who enjoy Math usually find it difficult to sit down and write a paper. I hesitate in making generalizations like this but I believe, in the world of academia, there are two types of people: Math and English people. Every once in a while you find someone that can excel in both without a problem, though that says nothing regarding their feelings towards either subject.

The subject of math constantly builds upon itself. You’re first introduced to whole numbers; adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing them. Then decimals, percents, and fractions which build upon what you’ve previously learned. The rules build upon themselves and you must have a solid understanding of the concepts in order to move forward, which for some may mean a lot of studying outside of class. You have to keep up.

My guess is that the reason most teens don’t like math is because they don’t have a solid understanding of the fundamental concepts, which means it takes longer to complete math assignments and harder to grasp the new concept being introduced. A teacher can only do so much. Become involved with your child at an early age and make sure they understand the concepts being introduced at every stage of progress.

As a side-note, for parents whose children are struggling, the calculator is a wonderful invention your child should not have. Unless your child is in an advanced algebra class, this item is a definite no-no. Using this device will only hinder progress in learning the fundamental concepts. All of the mathematical concepts that can be performed on a calculator should be learned to do by hand first.

So what’s a good solution?

Brain Quest Workbooks & Math Made Easy are a couple of series of books for children of varying grades. Give your child the tools to succeed, no matter what age.

Dealing With Asperger’s Syndrome

A child with Asperger’s syndrome typically has impaired executive function and has difficulty switching attention from one task to another. The child often requires closure with one activity before beginning another. A teacher will need to begin developing a routine of reminders of when an activity will be winding down. Verbal reminders, a timer, and breaking down activities to smaller tasks assist the child in finishing the activity within the natural time frames. It is important for the child to understand the need to finish up and move on to the next task, it is also important to remain flexible if the child is nearing a natural completion of the task.

What is Executive Function?

Executive Function is a psychological term that includes the following:

* Organizational and planning abilities
* Working memory
* Inhibition and impulse control
* Self-reflection and self-monitoring
* Time management and prioritizing
* Understanding complex or abstract concepts
* Using new strategies

A child or adult with a diagnosis of Asperger’s has an impaired Executive Function. Often their abilities to respond as a typical person of their age group would begin to become noticeable in early school years. Parents should kindly instruct the teacher as to what the child needs in order to transition from one task to another, begin a communication book for the teacher, the child and parent, ask for copies of class notes to be given to the student instead of being expected to copy from the board or overhead, and other individual needs the child requires for success.

Developing a Routine that Works for Your Child

A child with a diagnosis of autism has difficulty dealing with changes in their lives. The changes do not have to be large or unexpected events to cause disruption in the child’s life. Even the smallest change can cause the child to feel stress and act out. You can prevent this additional stress in the child’s life by developing routines, charts, and being consistent.

* Make a routine or schedule that everyone can understand and follow. The most important person that needs to understand the schedule is the child diagnosed with autism. This schedule needs to be easy to follow and posted where they can see it on a regular basis. Use simple directions, words and pictures depending on your child’s skill level.
* Rewards for overcoming negative behaviors can be tracked on a token chart. Each time the child goes a specific time period without exhibiting the behavior the child receives a token. The tokens are turned in on a regular basis for a reward. The reward may be time to play their favorite game, a favorite treat, or an outing they enjoy.

Remember that a child with autism does not do well with change; remaining consistent with whatever method you use in establishing a routine with your child will reduce the amount of stress your child feels.

Educational Wooden Toys – Sometimes Simple is Better

With all the high tech gadgetry available in children’s toys it can often be overwhelming for both parents and kids.

Why not consider something which has withstood the test of time and get your children some educational wooden toys? Kids for many generations have loved these toys and for good reason.

1. Despite the prevalence of complex and highly technical toys children do love to play with objects which allow them to use their imagination.

Otherwise why do we keep hearing the stories about a parent who buys their kid a terrific new toy only to find out that the child prefers playing in the box it comes in more so than the toy itself.

2. Educational wooden toys are high quality items which challenge and entertain children. They can be in the form of puzzles.

3. Sometimes they are jigsaw puzzles, or they may be puzzles which teach the child how to unlock a device.

4. A very popular toy for young children are stacking games. This is colored wooden pieces in different shapes and sizes.

It helps the child to locate and stack items in a required order. They learn to identify different shapes and colors and use this information to achieve a goal.

5. A set of wooden blocks are another great toy for kids. It helps them to create a fantasy home and really let their imagination soar.

Kids love to play with these for hours and many generations of children have done the same thing.

6. Wooden letters are a lot of fun. Children can use these letters to form fun words.

They can make games where each child adds a letter to eventually form a word. The longer the word can be, the higher the points. There are many variations to a basic but fun toy.

So these complex and high tech talking and walking toys may not always be necessary. Try some of these educational wooden toys and see how much fun your children will have with them. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Listening and Talking

• Start a conversation with your child by asking a question that has no right or wrong answer:
"What did you think when you saw this book?"

• Help your child become a creative thinker by asking, "Suppose that..." "What do you think..." "What if..."

• Encourage your child to talk with older and younger family members. A child will learn how to put ideas into words, when he has lots of opportunities to talk.

• Help your child choose a few special television shows that are just right for children of the same age and interests. Talk with your child about what you see and hear. "Are those tigers like the ones at the zoo?" Ask questions to know what the child is learning. "Does our family do things like the family in the show? How are we different?"

• Use television wisely. Talk and enjoy each other's company at family mealtimes. Think about things your child can do instead of watching television, such as looking at books, playing with brothers and sisters, or drawing pictures.

How to help your child's caregiver:
Inform the caregiver about the things your child does at home. This will help the caregiver start conversations with your child and encourage your child to talk.

Preschoolers learn about language by watching and listening to you.
• Think and plan out loud so that your child can see and hear you using language to solve problems or make plans.
"Hi John. Are we still on for basketball?" "Great! I'll meet you at the park."

• Visit and talk about interesting places. Visit library, the park, or a museum. Speak with your child about what you see during the visit. Discuss everything the child sees. Ask that the child tell a relative or friend about the trip.
"Grandma might like to hear about the giant insects we saw at the museum."

• Suggest your child to help you do a chore – replace a battery in a toy, wash the car, or pull weeds. Speak with the child about what you are doing. Your child will learn some new words and have fun.

• When you do errands take your child along. Your child will enjoy talking and learning with you at the supermarket, the laundromat, or wherever else you need to go. Children also like to observe what's happening in the neighbourhoods along the way to and from these trips.

Choose the Best Pre-School

Choosing good pre-school for your child is very important. Attending pre-school coincides with critical formative period of your child personality and intellect. These years are extremely important and parents should be very attentive in such matter as choosing appropriate environment for their child development. The staff must be qualified, attentive and loving in such establishment.

In order to choose the best pre-school institution in your location you can look through available newspapers and magazines or browse Internet sites about education. Also ask for recommendations your acquaintance, relatives, neighbors or colleagues, whose children attended pre –school institutions. They are to know good ones. Always check couple of different sources (e.g. find nearest pre-school and ask your friends about it). Ask their children about impressions, achievements and grades.

After you kept an eye on one or two institutions find out its tuition fee. Also take into consideration the distance from your home to school. If it is situated too far from your home, - consider another one.
Call the school you’ve chosen or visit their web-site for such information as its accreditation and regulations. Study thoroughly all the information and make a decision about pre-school suitableness.

Also it is important to find out teacher-child correlation. It is obvious that the fewer children each teacher has, the better. It means that each child gets more attention. And love and appropriate attention is exactly what children in pre-school age need.

If you have an opportunity, watch the teachers in work. It will show you the level of their care and professionalism, which are so important for children development.

Compare the system of education in the school you’ve chosen with your expectations and make the final decision. Don’t be afraid to ask questions in such matters as your child’s future and prosperity.

Early Childhood Education Service

Early childhood education (ECE) services offer education and care for young children, from babies to school age. As a parent or caregiver you would like to provide for your child the best possible start to their learning. Early childhood education adds to what you already have done to support your child’s learning. While time in a loving, secure home environment is important to their education, learning outside the home can build and improve their skills. It gives them a fresh environment, chances to learn new things and make friends.


Benefits of Early Childhood Education
Here you will learn when children start learning, what they learn at ECE service and how ECE service is qualified.
Under-twos at ECE
The following information will help you to find the best early childhood education service that will suite your child. Get to know what thing you have to take into account.
Where to Start
Are you considering childhood education services? Clear up some thing. Get to know a wide variation of services available.

Education Progress

Like anything else in life, there's a method to the special education process. It was created in order to help those people who deal with learning disabilities. In order to help you understand this method, here's a simplified version of the Special Education process.

1)Evaluation Request
Someone sees that the child is having difficulty in school and asks that testing be done to find out what's causing the problem. Such request can be from tutors or even parents. If the parents make the request, the district must agree to give a full and individual evaluation.

If the request has been sent by some other party, such as a teacher, the special team is gathered to consider the testing matter. No matter who makes the request, you as the parent, must give written permission for this testing to be done. Then you will be informed the results of the consulting.

If the council decides not to test you, it must inform about its decision straight forward. You can continue to pursue the option through a due process hearing if you wish.

2)Testing Results
You have a right to be mailed and informed about then council meeting results beforehand. If you don't understand what is being said in the report, you have the right to have someone explain the results to you.

After the testing you will be granted the results given by the special team. If your child is found to have a learning disability, and you agree that he should receive special education services, then you must give written permission for this to happen.

Even if he is not found to be having any learning disability, anyway you will have evaluation of his capabilities.

If you disagree with the results either way, you have the right to have him tested by someone outside the school district. The district is to pay for evaluation, or state why it has been refuses, if had been.

3) Placement
If you and the school district agree that a learning disability was found, then you and the team will decide the best program for your child. Special Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be created in order to calculate the goals and potential during the coming year. It will also list the services your child will get and any special aids or helps your child can get, such as special transportation or speech therapy if he needs it.

Your child is entitled to receive his services in the "Least Restrictive Environment." That means that the services and products will be delivered in terms and to the right place. For example, he won't be placed in the resource room for help with math if he needs help only with reading. If he has a learning disability, he wont be asked to stay and repeat till he understands. In other words, he will only receive help in things he needs help in.

You should take the active part in the process of educating your child. If you know the process, you can make sure that it's followed correctly and that your child's rights are recognized. You just need to keep an eye of your child, but not to do all the work instead of him. Again, it all comes back to acting on behalf of your child, since he can't do that for himself. And, in the long run, he will be more successful because of you.

Child Development

There are different developmental domains of children which all relate to each other:
• Physical development - Concerning the physical growth and the development of both gross (e.g. walking) and fine motor (e.g. finger movement) control of the body.
• Perception and sensory development - How a child functions using the senses and the ability to process the information gained.
• Communication and language development - Using visual and sound stimuli, especially in the acquisition of language, also in the exchange of thoughts and feelings.
• Cognitive development - Concerning how the individual thinks and react.
• Emotional Development - Concerning children's increasing awareness and control of their feelings and how does he react to these feelings in a given situation.
• Social Development - Concerning the child's identity, their relationship with others, and understanding their place within a social environment.

Recent studies on infant brain development show most of a person's neurons are formed from ages 0-5. If a young child doesn't receive sufficient nurturing, nutrition, parental/caregiver interaction, and stimulus during this crucial period, the child may be left with a developmental deficit that can break his or her success in kindergarten and further.

Worst case scenarios such as those found in the Romanian orphanages demonstrate how the lack of proper social influence and attention affect the developing child. Children must receive affection and respect from their caregivers to develop in a healthy manner.

Pedagogy
The philosophy of early childhood education is largely child-centered education. Therefore, there is a focus on the importance of play. Play provides children with the opportunity to actively explore, manipulate, and interact with their environment. It encourages children to investigate, create, discover and motivate them to take risks and add to their understanding of the world. It challenges children to achieve new levels of understanding of events, people and the environment by interacting with concrete materials.

Hands-on activities create authentic experiences in which children begin to feel a sense of mastery over their world and a sense of belonging and understanding of what is going on their environment. Children should actively participate in their world and various environments so as to ensure they are not 'passive' learners but 'little scientists' who are actively engaged.

Using Open-Mind Portraits as a Springboard to Expository Text Writing

With a school-wide focus on improving students ' expository text writing skills, Ms. Rearick worried about her ith-grade students ' abilities to write text that explained what they had learned. She had tried a variety of informational topics; however, they all proved to be lackluster for her young learners. After reading Tough Boris (Fox & Brown, 1994), Ms. Rearick realized that the topic of pirates had piqued her students' interest. Inspired by their enthusiasm and inquiry, Ms. Rearick took the opportunity to develop a one-week mini-unit on pirates.

After searching the Internet and collecting all of the pirate-related books in the library, Ms. Rearick felt encouraged that her students would respond well to the subject and hoped it would generate myriad opportunities for discussion. She knew that connecting classroom learning with this pop culture topic would provide the motivational avenue to facilitate her students' expository, text-based writing development. Drawing about pirates might logically lead into writing about pirates.

Knowing her students' interest in drawing, Ms. Rearick was confident that the Open-Mind Portrait Strategy (Tompkins, 2008) would help develop her students' expository writing skills. She launched her pirate unit with a variety of motivating activities, graphic organizers, and creative projects. As a result of Ms. Rearick's student-centered planning and preparation, enthusiasm for reading and writing about pirates soon flooded the classroom.

More Alike Than Different: Promoting Respect Through Multicultural Books and Literacy Strategies

Rich experiences with quality multicultural literature allow children opportunities to establish a greater understanding of themselves and others. Examination of the lives, worlds, and experiences of the diversity of people found in multicultural literature satisfies children's curiosity regarding human similarities and differences. When multicultural literature and literature-related activities are infused into the curriculum in developmentally appropriate ways, children uncover commonalities and differences within and among diverse groups of people. They learn to value both the differences and the commonalities.
Children's multicultural literature plays an increasingly significant role in early childhood classrooms. Multicultural literature - literature that focuses on people of color, religious minorities, regional cultures, the disabled, and the aged (Harris, 1997) - plays a significant role in the development of children's cross-cultural understanding. As societies become an increasingly complex blend of ethnicity, family structure, shared values, spiritual beliefs, and socioeconomic class (Anderson, 2006), this cultural and linguistic diversity has heightened awareness of and sensitivity to the needs of all people.

High-quality multicultural literature has the capacity to foster children's understanding of and respect for their own cultures, as well as the cultures of others. In her poignant book Against Borders, Hazel Rochman (1993) explains the overall purpose of multicultural literature.