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Welcome to this month's issue of the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter - A newsletter for those caring for children.
Notable Quote: "Children speak to us even when they don't speak" -- Carlina Rinaldi
The following tip is from Kelly Hamilton. Kelly works at Green Valley Head Start in Monroeville , PA , with children ages three to five.
File folder games are a great and simple way for children to learn and have fun at the same time. They are readily available in books, on line, or you can even make your own. They are great for arrival, drop-off, and for those who wake up early from rest. All you need are file folders, Velcro (the kind on a roll), crayons, markers, scissors, and contact paper or access to a laminator. And, of course, time to make them!
A simple one to make is baby animals and their mommies. I made mine from a book, but it can easily be homemade. Find about eight animal moms and their babies. Take the moms and color and glue, placing on the inside of the file folder. Then color and cut out the babies. Write the name of the game or the skill on the file folder tab. Laminate or contact and cut out.
Cut eight small squares of Velcro. Using the rough-sided Velcro, place on or near the mommy animals, and place the soft Velcro side on the back of the babies. Now you are ready to match the babies to the moms. I have had great success at not losing any pieces and it is easy to clean up as well. They store easily in a file cabinet or box
Where do you find the best ideas on caring for children? From child care providers, of course! Do you have a great tip or good thing? Send us your best tips in writing and your tip may end up in our newsletter! If your tip is chosen for the newsletter, you will receive a little something from the Better Kid Care Program. Mail tips with your return address, place of work, and the number and ages of those you care for to:
Better Kid Care Program
c/o Christine Belinda
Tips from Child Care Providers
253 Easterly Parkway
State College, PA 16801
E-mail to: crb16@psu.edu
by Christine Belinda
When considering caring for and educating young children, we prepare by gathering appropriate materials to suit children's individual needs. We prepare, painstakingly, our environments to add wonderful play areas, developmentally appropriate materials, inviting elements of beauty, and all we can think of to best support children's learning, discovery, and safety. We read and research child development and all its related components. We work diligently trying to provide the best for children. But have we forgotten something? What about something as simple as our words? Do our words and conversations get the same consideration as our other preparations?
Along with all the wonderful materials, environments, and experiences we offer, our words play a powerful part of what we do in caring for and educating young children. Think about how often we speak with the children. We provide great amounts of conversation, direction, and response to children's actions, questions, work, and behavior. If we think about what truly has an effect on children, it is our words. What do children hear when we speak? How do they interpret what we say? Where do our words lead children? Why do we say certain things? Do our words hold true meanings or empty messages? Are the words we speak for our benefit or to benefit the child?
We often do safety checks to our environments and materials, and also check to see if they match developmental need, hold children's interest, extend and motivate thought. Shouldn't we do the same with our words? Shouldn't our words support child development? Shouldn't our words hold children's interest? And shouldn't our words extend and motivate thought? All of these questions can be answered if we truly think before we speak. Allow yourself time to reflect about what to say, how to say it, or if even to say it at all.
As providers, we use our skills to observe children to assess their developmental abilities, discover their interests, and see how they learn. Try taking time to reverse the observation and reflect upon our own abilities, responses, and actions.
What do we say to children? A lot of our words hold praise. Praise can be wonderful when it is genuine and reflects actions for children to ponder. Some educators believe praise motivates children to get more praise instead of motivating children toward positive behaviors.
When we see great play happening, our first response to children might be, “Great job!” This actually says very little to children and focuses on the praise, not what they have actually done. Try, instead, stating what you saw. “ Sharon , I saw you share your truck with Peter. It looks like you two are having a lot of fun! I saw you drive your trucks to the sand box. Where will they drive next?” This response acknowledges their actions but doesn't offer an empty reward. The reward is the children enjoying their play!
By asking questions to children, we can find out a lot of information as well as guide the children to contemplate their choices and actions. For example, Jon just painted a creative, bright, beautiful painting. We could say, “Great painting, Jon!” or instead, we could find out Jon's ideas. “What do you like about your painting, Jon? How did you know you wanted to paint this? What was the first thing you painted? How did you mix your colors? What colors did you get? Did you want to add anything else? What should we do with your painting?” These questions lead the child to expressing his ideas. Using open-ended questions is an important way to extend and provoke thought.
How many times have we chuckled over children repeating “mixed-up” adult phrases? We know our words are engaging to young children and that children are intelligent and observant. Therefore, we need to consider our “background conversations” with co-workers and parents, to make sure they are appropriate. Even though the children may be fully engaged in play, that does not mean they cannot hear us. Our conversations should be considerate and appropriate for the children to hear.
One of the most powerful actions our words hold is the power to guide. Instead of just telling children the correct answer, our words can guide children toward self-discovery and wonderful revelations. For example, when exploring color, we could tell children that blue and yellow makes green. Better yet, we can guide children to discover this phenomenon by saying something such as, “What might happen if you put a drop of blue in your water? Now what if you add a drop of yellow? What is happening?” Learning through experiences and self-discovery carries great impact, far more than being simply told the answer.
We also guide behavior and choice with our words. Instead of simply telling children what to do or how to act, our words can gently guide children to make positive choices. We see two children fighting over the same book. We can simply tell them to stop and decide who gets the book first or we can guide with our words. “It looks like you two have a problem. What can we do? How can we fix this? What are you going to do? Is that okay with your friend?
The value children will gain from thinking of their own ideas and choices will be far more important than if we simply tell them the answer or tell them what to do. The children become the problem solvers and carry the power and skills to make good choices.
We can lead the children in our care into self-discovery and meaningful experiences by carefully choosing the words we say or not say. Our words and our pauses are welcoming invitations for children to think, make choices, and discover what wonderful ideas they have.
Better Kid Care resources are available for child care providers by contacting your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office.
Enjoy the following highlights from one of the many Better Kid Care Distance Education Lessons. Participate in Distance Education training in the convenience of your home.
Many adults think children should be able to say their ABCs, count to 20, and know their colors and shapes before they start school. If you talk with a kindergarten teacher, you may hear a very different answer. Kindergarten teachers say that what children need most are the social and emotional skills to begin school. These are things like taking turns, working in a group, making friends, and solving arguments with words instead of hitting. Sad to say, studies show that many children start school without these skills
You can help the children in your care get ready for school by giving them opportunities to learn social and emotional skills. The Distance Education lesson, Stepping Stones to School Readiness will get you started. Click on the link to read this lesson in its entirety.
The Better Kid Care Distance Education Program helps child care providers and early educators earn Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, Pennsylvania Pathways training hours.
To view a complete listing of all distance education lessons and additional information and resources, visit the Better Kid Care Distance Education page.
Meets the Keystone STARS Core Series Training Requirements - This three part series shows how to establish, run and maintain a successful child care business and presents important information about understanding and supporting the developmental needs of each child.
Receive the videos and workbooks in the mail. Complete the entire series and return assignments to the Better Kid Care office for review to earn six Department of Public Welfare training hours.
To order: 1-800-452-9108 or betterkidcare@psu.edu
Reading aloud with children is a wonderful activity. Children of all ages love to be read to. Support the love of reading for children in your care by trying the following books:
The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn, ISBN 08786855, published by Child and Family Press. Chester Raccoon learns about his mother's love while going to school. His mother shares her wonderful secret to make the transition from home to school. Discover mother raccoon's secret to easing the goodbye.
When Summer Ends, by Marisabina Russo, ISBN 068807605X, published by Greenwillows. A young girl tells of her sadness of summer ending, but through reflection she remembers not only the joys of summer, but fall, winter, and spring. All seasons are celebrated in this story.
How Did You Grow So Big So Soon? by Anne Bowen, ISBN 087614024X, published by Carolrhoda Books. Read the sweet conversation between a mother and her son on the eve of his first day of school.
You Go Away, by Dorothy Corey, ISBN 0807594423, published by Albert Whitman and Co. A reassuring text and photo display of the return of a parent. You go to get the laundry, you come back. You go to the store, you come back. You hide under the blanket, you come back.
Contact your local children's library or your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office to find out about more books on making friends and child care. Reading with children creates lifelong readers. Enjoy your time reading with children!
August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The goal of NIAM is to increase awareness about immunizations across the life span, from infants to the elderly. For more information on National Immunization Awareness Month, go to the National Partnership for Immunization (NPI) Web site, call NPI at (703) 836-6110 or e-mail npi@hmhb.org.
Additional immunization information can be found at the American Academy of Pediatrics Web site.
The Penn State Better Kid Care Program has developed a new and exciting season of interesting, helpful satellite topics for 2005-2006. Join with many other caregivers in experiencing live satellite training workshops, offered through the Penn State Better Kid Care Program, in Pennsylvania and across the United States . To participate in these workshops, visit the Satellite Workshop link.
Do you have questions about caring for other people's children, such as:
Call the Better Kid Care Mentoring Line at 800-859-8340 or e-mail your questions to betterkidcare@psu.edu for information about child care and children's issues.
The New Staff Orientation curriculum is now available to child care centers in Pennsylvania. This curriculum is specifically designed for new staff members in child care centers. Included are a thirty-page workbook and thirty units on seven videotapes. The easy-to-understand information is reinforced with activities and assignments. Units are designed to be used during naptime or other small blocks of time as staff/child ratios permit. Meets the Keystone STARS Performance Standards.
Do you provide care for children in your home? The kit, which is free for Pennsylvania residents, includes booklets with activities, child care ideas, information about distance education training, a children's development chart, and much more. Complete our on-line registration form or call 800-452-9108 to order.
The University of Maine has a new resource for child care providers, titled Growing Ideas Tipsheets. Be sure to check out this quick reference tip sheets on many relevant topics related to early childhood care and education.
PA Pathways Professional Development for Child Caregivers has information, training, and educational opportunities for child care providers across Pennsylvania. Visit PA Pathways or call toll-free 800-492-5107.
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Look for information on the importance of exploring nature with children.