The Benefits of Preschool For Little Ones

As children begin to pass the years of daycare and blossom into young kindergarteners, there is an important transitional step. Preschool is increasingly talked up by parents, doctors, and education professionals for being an extremely important step in the development of children for many different reasons. As families begin to explore their opportunities for their little ones such as home care with mom or dad, daycare, or preschool, the choice can be difficult. It can be hard to decide which option is best suited for your child but here are just some of the benefits of sending your child to preschool.

Upon entering a preschool program, here are just a few of the important lessons and skills that your little one will learn:

Basic social skills with a group of peersProblem solving through fun games and activitiesRespect towards peers and teachers through sharing, compassion, and using your wordsBuilding friendships with other children and learning to shareHow to contribute to conversations in group settingsPre-math concepts to prepare for kindergartenPre-reading concepts to prepare for kindergartenLanguage building through conversationsAn easier transition into kindergarten and grade school

The common age of most preschool goers is between the ages of three and five years old. It is up to the family to make the decision of how often they want their child to attend a preschool. Many programs do offer a range in attendance from just a few times a week for a couple hours or more full time with a few hours each week day. Another great benefit to a preschool program is that many preschool centers will offer lunch and snack times which is a great way to really help build the social skills necessary for entering the world of grade school.

Preschool is the perfect opportunity for your child to ease into the transition of kindergarten and grade schools which can be scary with so many new things at once. It is also a great way to learn to let go of mom and dad and enjoy a day away from home. It can be a difficult transition if your child has not yet been exposed to a group setting and they are suddenly faced with a kindergarten classroom. So instead of just a regular child care service that may or may not offer educational skills and peers to socialize with in their age group, preschool is clearly a smart choice.

For families living in Highland, Fulton and surrounding Maryland areas who have children ages three to five and who are ready for a preschool experience like no other, Little Builder's Learning Center is ready to help! Through the caring support of the highly qualified teachers, your Maryland youngster is sure to have a wonderful preschool experience that will prepare them to take on the kindergarten classroom with great success! Click here to visit Little Builder's website and to learn more about their exceptional preschool program.

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Learn What Math Is All About

A lot of people young and old alike share a common fear. This fear is math. Did you know math is used to help solve problems? An early introduction of math to preschool aged children will teach them that numbers are fun, this should also reinforce a defined structure which math is categorized in. It is easy to make this introduction by using math learning software.

Math learning software can be used to teach mathematics to children as young as preschool. By using these kinds of tools learning math will be fun, easy, and understandable. Also by using software aided programs, this should assist in promoting a desire to learn math. Math software for kids can be helpful for teens in high school who may be struggling with calculus as well.

Other programs utilized in teaching math are math game software. If you make something once thought to be difficult, and grueling into a game, then learning becomes fun. Again, by introducing these programs to young children, this will facilitate their desire to learn and possibly master math. It does not have to be a daunting subject in school, but one that students look forward too. Math game software begins by teaching the basics of addition and subtraction, this is sure to help any young child want to learn and advance their math skills.

Using another great product Schoolhouse Rocks Math, this software also begins with the foundation. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division-- the stepping stones to upper level math courses. Schoolhouse Rocks Math also teaches students about the importance of critical thinking in problem solving with each level gradually more difficult than the one before it. Feature packed, this software includes eight levels of learning fun that is sure to help any student conquer their fear of math!

Who knew learning math could be so much fun? Not only is learning math now fun, but it is vitally important to your child's overall success later in life. With so many technological advances, math has become a necessity for success in today's society. Today there are a lot of learning aids on the market that have been designed in an effort to make learning fun and exciting. Now that almost everyone in the United States has at least one home computer and many of the software programs on the market today are more affordable, learning what math is all about is easier than ever before.

All Educational Software offers educational software for all ages and all learners from Toddlers and Preschoolers to Grade School, Middle School, and High School. As well, it covers all subjects including math, language arts, science, music, learn to type, software for the deaf, and many more. The programs are designed to be fun as well as educational and in many cases link educational content to school curricula.

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Does Your Fish Climb a Tree?

Our children each learn so differently.

Some kids are book learners, some are more visual, some learn in hands-on ways, and others learn in a combination of ways. I love homeschooling because I can teach our kids in the ways they each learn best. As it is said, "There is more than one way to skin a cat." Similarly, there is more than one way to learn.

When I first started homeschooling our oldest children, Madison and Maguire, we noticed immediately that they were "textbook" kids. They loved to read their books and do workbook pages. They loved to draw and practice writing letters. They were reading and writing before they were 5. They are avid readers now, and for each of our lessons we read a book or novel along with learning from our textbooks. For example, we were studying World War II, so I assigned "The Diary of Anne Frank" along with the lesson. They learn best this way, which was easiest for me to teach since I learn best that way, too.

Then came our son, Maverick.

I'm pretty sure Maverick hasn't stopped moving for one full minute since the moment he came home from the hospital after his birth. He runs through the house constantly as a racecar. For several months, he became a train, complete with sounds. If we're watching a hockey game, he drags his sticks, pucks, and net into the livingroom and re-enacts each play during the game. When he was little, he would watch a Disney movie and recite it back to us (including acting out all the corresponding moves) after seeing the film only a couple times. At a very early age, he learned every song on the Christian radio station I listen to in our car. He never sat still long enough to color with crayons or markers and had no interest whatsoever in learning from a book. When presented with crayons, they became hockey sticks.

Needless to say, teaching him has opened a whole new world for me in creative thinking.

For example, it wasn't part of his assignment but Maverick watched a World War II kids' video along with his brother and sister this week. But as the older kids wrote reports, Maverick built a replica World War II plane out of Legos with excruciating detail. He then "flew" that plane around the house at full speed for hours, complete with sound effects. Recently he built a Titanic and even made sure the iceberg was on the correct side of the ship. He likes to build the things he learns. He likes to act them out. He is very visual and hands-on. He remembers things he sees and hears, with amazing detail. He learned to read by playing a magnetic LeapFrog learning game on our refrigerator that involves moving magnetic letters around to spell words. It works for him because it is hands-on. He can now zip through books; I'm amazed by his progress in the past year.

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." - Albert Einstein

At first, it was difficult for me not to compare Maverick to Madison and Maguire. They were reading by age 5, and at age 5 Maverick didn't even know all of his letters. But Maverick is not Madison. Maverick is not Maguire. Maverick is Maverick. If I judge his intelligence by his ability to do things the way some other kid does, he might fall far short (and vice versa!). And how crazy would that comparison be? He is an extremely intelligent, smart kid. I should never judge my "fish" by his ability to climb a tree.

My "fish" is the best darn swimmer in the pond.

Carrie Sharpe and her husband, Ryan, write a weekday blog called "He says, She says" ( http://www.ryancarriesharpe.com/ ). After their son, Maverick, almost died at birth they began public speaking to share their story with others in a way of giving encouragement and hope. They have spoken to a wide range of audiences across the United States and Canada. They live in beautiful Northern Michigan with their five children: Madison, Maguire, Maverick, Marin, and Moxie-Mae.

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Summarizing an Essay

A library request under any topic of interest will reveal an array of articles for use in any writing project needed. One article in particular which I would like to present for a critique at this time originated from the Christian Science Monitor, dating June 13, 2011. In this essay by Amanda Paulson entitled "Education secretary tells Congress: Change No Child Left Behind or I will" (Paulson, 2011), Paulson relates the current trend to reform this unpopular 2001 Bush administration act.

The author affirms that Education Secretary Arne Duncan has alerted congress that if they fail to act upon modifying the decade old program that he will take what-ever actions are necessary and change the law himself (Paulson, 2011). The foremost drawback with the law as it presently stands is that it anticipates that all students regardless of their abilities should be proficient within the subjects of math and reading by the year 2014. This is obviously an unattainable goal for the program and as such according to the law more of our nation's schools are being categorize as failing in their responsibilities to the students. According to Secretary Duncan more than 80% of all American schools will be branded as failed institutions under these guidelines.

Once again unfortunately, what the federal government gives to the states arrives at a cost of additionally imposed stipulations. Paulson implies that in his statement (Paulson, 2011), Secretary Duncan hints that waivers established within the law would be granted in exchanges for explicit reform measures. By addressing the issue of student proficiency for the year 2014, it is projected that he will likely impart the districts involved with added flexibility in dealing with their failing schools rather than pushing for the funds to be spent upon tutoring or for school choice alternatives.

In practice, Paulson shows that numerous states implicated have already raised their standards resulting in lowering the total number of competent students (Paulson, 2011). The secretary's immediate plans are to review the over-all growth for a specific period of time in place of evaluating the unqualified test scores attained by the students.

There are still many portions of his plan which need the details worked out but at least it is a plan that is feasible and can be placed in operation. In her article, Paulson remarks that Duncan is likely to be walking a risky line by trying to challenge Congress (Paulson, 2011).

Reference

Paulson, A. (2011). Education secretary tells Congress: Change No Child Left Behind - or I will. The science Christian monitor, retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com.library.capella.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/

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Creating A Playspace: Creating A Happy Toddler

Toddlers love exploring the world around them and, needless to say, one of the best ways they have to do so is through play. This is probably the main reason why many parents are increasingly serious about providing their toddlers with a playspace that is tailor-suited for their child's age, his or her growing interests and avidness of exploration, and needless to say, is also safe.

Creating a playspace for a toddler is really a huge event for a parent. It means that your child will have his own space to spend hours on end playing, interacting with his toys and developing both fine and gross motor skills. Everything needs to be analyzed and tested from the child's point of view. Parents should make sure that their toddler can reach all his favourite games and toys without effort while preventing him from climbing into small pieces of furniture, which can end up in an accident.

It is of utmost importance that the playspace is organized into different working areas and that the room, whether it is big or small, is not overcrowded. Remember that your child should be able to play in it and display all his imagination in it, so he will definitely need some space. Using a colorful carpet on the floor can not only stimulate your child visually but also make the room cozier and more comfortable. Parents should just make sure it is a washable carpet and that your child cannot trip over it by accident.

It can be a great idea to provide your child with a small wooden table and a couple of chairs in his playspace. There are hundreds of different models available in the market that are painted in colorful varieties, or that you can even paint yourself in your child's favourite colour. Parents should make sure that all corners are rounded to prevent the toddler from hurting himself. The table can be a great space where your child can start reading books or playing easy board games or even doing some collages.

Parents should make sure that all toy cabinets where your toddlers' toys are stored are well secured to the walls and that your child cannot climb up them.

Give your child as much space as possible. Make sure he has plenty of room to distribute his games and toys and even to move within the playspace. Remember that your toddler likes exploring and that it is very likely that he will choose several different toys to play with at the same time.

One final important aspect parents should take into consideration is that their toddler's playspace should definitely encourage his imagination. Avoid using white paint on the walls. Make it as colourful as possible and decorate it with different shapes and items that nourish your child's imagination. Many parents even allow their children to create their own decoration by leaving a wall of the playspace either unpainted or painted like a blackboard surface so that they can paint or draw on it without causing trouble anywhere in the house.

The educational development of your child is an incredible journey, one that begins before birth! And it's a difficult journey, wading through the mountain of information on not only the educational, but the social / emotional development of your child.

That's where we come in. CleverStuff offers outstanding quality children's educational toys, wooden toys and sensory toys. Toys that are exploratory, educational, tactile, functional, fun and funky. And we reckon that's pretty clever!

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