According to a New York Times research, “children who studied far more in kindergarten were more likely to attend college than students with otherwise similar backgrounds.” Students who were more educated were also less likely to become single parents. As adults, they were more likely to have a retirement savings plan. Most notably, they were earning more.”

As a result, you should recognize the significance of this year. And it is even more cause for you to pay attention to the teacher. We want your child to be successful. When I reflect on my time as a teacher, here are some of the things I wish kindergartner parents knew before sending their children off to school:

1. I am concerned about your youngster.

I am really concerned about your child. I want your child to grow at the appropriate rate and to learn as much as possible. Most importantly, I want your child to feel comfortable in my classroom and to succeed when they departs. I know all of my students’ names and what distinguishes them, and I frequently think about them when the school day (and year) is finished.

2. Talk to me rather than about me.

Communication is essential in our relationship. I really like it when parents contact me directly about difficulties rather than talking about me to others…or going above me before speaking to me.

3. I’ve learned not to believe everything your youngster tells me.

Kindergarten teachers are experts at separating the truth from the frills. Many parents are anxious that their child’s instructor would believe ridiculous claims. Trust me – if you don’t believe everything they say about me, I won’t believe everything they say about you. I’ll learn to tell the difference between the truth and falsehoods, and I hope you will as well.

4. Tell me about your child’s individuality.

While I will do my best to understand all of your child’s unique characteristics, if he or she has any unusual quirks, please let me know. I can’t promise I’ll be able to accommodate every request, but it will assist me to be more understanding.

5. We use all of the items in the list.

I understand that the school supply list can be intimidating, and you may not believe that all of the things are required. Please be aware that everything on the list will be used in the classroom this year – and we will run out of materials before the conclusion of the school year. Thank you for assisting with the purchase of several goods for the classroom that I could not afford on my own.

6. Your child will be preoccupied.

In the first few days of kindergarten, your child will most likely be exhausted. It’s exhausting to go from preschool hours to a full school day. We’ll keep ourselves active in class by having fun and learning. Your youngster should be OK in a few weeks.

7. I want your child to enjoy going to school.

I went to school because I enjoy school and children. The majority of teachers end up in the classroom for the same reason. My biggest wish is for your child to leave my classroom with a positive attitude toward school.

8. We are a group.

We are both concerned about your child’s success. We’re all on the same side. This will be a terrific year for your child if we all work together. Speaking of which, I’d appreciate it if you could help out in the classroom as much as you can.

Thank you for the privilege of educating your child this year. You may rely on me to look after your child on a daily basis.

The post What Kindergarten Teachers Would Like Parents to Know appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

1. Correctly Spell Their Name

Your child should be able to speak their first and last name when you leave them off at school. It is also vital that your youngster knows how to spell their name correctly. (especially the first name). Educators frequently use their names to identify what is theirs (such as desks and cubbies). In order for your child to be able to spell their name, they must also have a rudimentary understanding of letters.

2. Recognize Basic Colors and Shapes

While children should not be subjected to intense academic drills before entering kindergarten, it is critical that they be able to recognize fundamental colors and forms. For example, children should be able to recognize the color red and the shape of a circle.

3. Perform a ten-count

This is a talent that will be taught and reinforced in school, there are different perspectives regarding how children should identify numbers. Ultimately, children should be able to count to ten when they attend kindergarten.

4. Make Use of Writing Instruments

Your child should be able to write with a pencil and a proper three-finger grip. In addition, your child should be able to use scissors correctly.

5. How Does a Book Work?

Because books are utilized in the classroom on a daily basis, it is vital that your child understands how to tell the front and back of a book, as well as how the words on the page tell the tale. The greatest technique to teach this skill is to read books at home on a regular basis.

6. Change Their Clothes

When it comes to using the restroom, children entering kindergarten must be fully independent, This implies they must be able to modify their attire.

7. Pay Attention and Follow Simple Directions

Kindergarten students are expected to be able to listen to and follow simple two to three-step directions. “Simple” is the key word here.

8. Interact with Other People

Teaching your child how to interact with others is possibly the most important way to prepare him or her for kindergarten. Kindergarten is a time when children learn social skills such as cooperation. Teach your child to be respectful of others.

When your child is this age, most educators will tell you that it is more important to teach them life skills than drill academics. Fortunately, you’re probably already honing these skills without even realizing it.

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There’s more to it than meets the eye when it comes to cognition. Fine and gross motor abilities are being developed, as is an overall understanding of the environment and its relationships. So, how do we support the toddler’s incredible development?

Here are seven excellent activities for your toddler to enjoy:

Sand table play- Sand table play promotes sensory development as well as basic scientific and arithmetic skills through scooping, pouring, and early forms of measurement.

Allowing time for your child to look at books on their own builds an appreciation for books and literacy while also providing practice turning pages.

Making play dough- A homemade recipe of flour, water, salt, and food coloring is a great method to practice following directions and understanding sequencing. A youngster is introduced to mixing, measuring, and pouring in a specified order to make a finished moldable product when making play dough.

Hoop jumping- Toddlers can gain gross motor practice by jumping from one hoop to the next with a few hula hoops lined up along the ground. This activity helps to strengthen muscles and coordination as they land their feet simultaneously from one hoop hop to the next. Spread the hoops further apart for a greater distance for a greater challenge.

Painting with primary colors- Using the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow is not only a fun painting activity, but it is also a great way to observe color changes and verbally identify each color that it produces.

Cardstock paper constructions– Toddlers may fold this thick paper to create art structures for fine motor work. Using scissors or a tearing method to cut the paper into smaller pieces and tape to hold them together by constructing “up” a structure is a fun way to start learning about age-appropriate engineering.

Salad spinner painting– Toddlers are invited to paint a salad spinner with drops of paint on a coffee filter. Start spinning the salad spinner with the coffee filter inside. This exercise creates open-ended art and allows infants to practice fine motor skills by turning the salad spinner with their hands.

Can you think of any other activities?

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Buying educational toys can be a difficult task for both parents and educators. You want to make sure you’re investing wisely in these toys, and you’re hoping the child will benefit from them. If you’re seeking advice on how to choose the best educational toys, look no further than these key suggestions.

Recognize the various types of educational toys.

Do you believe that all educational toys must assist your child in reciting the alphabet or counting to ten? You should take the time to assess which areas of education your child could benefit from additional assistance. These toys are divided into several categories, including those that are traditionally regarded as educational. You might come across toys that help your child develop fine motor skills or allow them to explore their senses.

Consider the age of the child.

Even if you believe your child is very advanced, you should keep their chronological age in mind when purchasing toys. They require something that is both cognitively appropriate and socially or developmentally appropriate for their age. A toy that fosters pretends play may not be suitable for a youngster who has not yet formed an imagination. Toys designed for group play, on the other hand, may not be appropriate for a child who is still focusing on independent playtime.

Invest in high-quality items.

It can be tempting to purchase the most inexpensive choice on the shelf for your child. After all, they are growing and changing so quickly that they may quickly outgrow the toy’s specific function. You should still make certain that you’re investing in a toy with high-quality standards in order to avoid easily broken pieces. A broken toy is both disappointing for a child and a potential safety hazard.

Select simple toys.

A toy that is overly complicated will irritate parents, educators, and children alike. You might be tempted to buy one with all of the bells and whistles. However, if it isn’t simple enough for a child to manipulate on their own, it will quickly grow old. A less complex toy may likewise have the option to develop with your kid as their creative limit develops.

Take note of your child’s interests.

The overall interests of the child should help determine which educational toys are appropriate for them. Do you ever catch them drawing or coloring in the afternoons? Perhaps they sing and dance for fun more often. Knowing the kid’s unique pursuits can assist you to select instructional toys that they will use greater frequently.

Take into consideration your child’s skill level.

Nothing is more upsetting than giving your child a toy that causes them to have a frustrated tantrum. Keep in mind the specific motor skills and abilities that your child will require in order to play with the toy you buy. It ought to be marginally over their present ability level yet within their grasp. A too-advanced toy will only cause frustration and tears.

Educational toys can be beneficial to educators and parents who want to encourage their children to broaden their skill set. Don’t be intimidated by the sheer number of toys on store shelves. With these helpful hints, you’ll be able to find the ideal educational toy in no time.

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Read Through the Book Yourself First

If you fail to read through a book prior to reading it to the class, you may identify that it doesn’t suit the lesson as well as per your thinking, or it can even make the students bored. Even if you’ve read the book in the past, it’s wise to reread it before you use it in a new lesson. The reason is that you want to ensure the book is contemporary and will be applicable to your present students as much as it was to the past students.

Ensure the Message Is Easy To Understand and Clear

You should select every book for a particular situation or lesson for the class or the kid you’re reading to. If you feel that the message of the book may not be adequately clear for the children after you read through it, you should continue searching for another book. You want books that’ll leave children with something to learn from and think about. Therefore, if a book doesn’t have that element, it’s nothing but a cool story for the children.

Ensure It’ll Be Appealing to All the Children

If you’re reading a book to a whole class of students and just a few of them actually enjoying it, perhaps it isn’t the best choice. Ensure you only choose books that’ll appeal to all or most of your students and benefit them. Moreover, when it comes to reading, interests vary from one age group to another, so ensure you select a book that’s perfect for the particular age group you’re teaching.

Ensure It’s Enjoyable to Read

Even if a children’s book contains a good message, it might not be enjoyable to read. You want to select a book that’ll be able to keep every child interested throughout the story. Search for books that have limited words on each page and interesting pictures. In case the book isn’t interesting enough, children may quickly become uninterested and fail to retain the story’s message at all.

Summing Up

You cannot just choose the first children’s book with a useful message that you find, as you must ensure it’s appropriate for the child’s grade level and interesting. An extensive selection of children’s books with good lessons and positive messages is available for learning. So, when choosing a book to teach children about social or emotional situations efficiently, you must take your time to choose one that’ll work most effectively for the given subject. With a huge number of children’s books available in the market, you shouldn’t have much difficulty finding the one that’ll perfectly cater to your needs.

The post Using Children’s Books to Support Social and Emotional Learning appeared first on The Tech Edvocate.

Here’re some effective methods to place importance on playing during early childhood.

Restrict Use of Electronics

The increased use of electronics is a key reason why today’s children usually aren’t as imaginative or creative as they were in earlier times. Once a child gets possession of an app or a video game, they appear to be uninterested in doing any other thing, including playing. So, parents need to enforce rules regarding the amount of screen time a kid can have to let them learn to play and relish their childhood.

Promote Imagination

Children build a solid sense of imagination by playing often. A child’s surroundings can be anything according to their wish. Even if a child doesn’t have games or toys, they should have the freedom to run around and relish the wonders of visualizing fascinating situations in their head. Parents should want their children to realize what’s actual and what isn’t gradually, but they shouldn’t stop their children from imagining as it’ll help them build creative skills when growing up. It may also help them develop open-mindedness regarding the world.

Teach Them How to Play On Their Own

Children need to learn to play on their own once in a while. Children can learn lots of things when they play on their own, and it can provide them with the independence to select their own stories that they can direct. If you teach them the ways they can use to play by themselves, they’ll be able to identify lots of things to stay entertained without having any reliance on other people or electronics.

Play With the Kids and Motivate Them to Play With Others

Many times, children don’t prefer to play alone, and hence, parents should ensure to manage time to get involved in their children’s playing. Show them methods they can use to play and exhibit their creativity. Additionally, if you don’t have the time to play with them at some points, motivate them to invite friends to your house to help broaden the extent of their creativity. However, don’t simply allow your kid and their friends to become glued to a screen whenever they’re together. Propose fun activities to help them stay entertained if required.

Wrapping Up

In today’s world, tech is becoming increasingly common, and parents may not always be able to find time to get involved in playing activities with their children. However, it’s still vital that parents teach their children to play during their early childhood. Not only can playing help children better build creativity and imagination, but it can also help them learn how to be independent and work with others. The extent of playing goes much beyond just a hobby as it’s a vital element of every child’s childhood.

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1. Stay Calm Always

In case you get irritated with toddlers, they’ll understand it. So, when you manage a conflict situation with toddlers, you’ve to put your best foot forward to stay calm or look calm to them. Breathe deeply and continue talking to them as you’d normally, regardless of how unaccommodating they behave. They’ll give a much better reaction to somebody who talks to them normally rather than shouting at them. Maintain a soft voice when speaking to make sure that the situation doesn’t intensify because if you show anger to them, they’ll probably yell back.

2. Advocate Humane Words like “Please”

“Please” is an excellent word that you can teach toddlers to help them understand how to resolve their conflicts in a better manner. Continuously remind them to say “please” rather than just taking something from someone else. When they get familiarized with methods to ask for things decently, it can also help them stay away from conflicts.

3. Elucidate Emotions and Conflict in a Manner Comprehensible To Them

As the toddlers have never encountered the topic of conflict resolution before, you must talk to them and explain it in a manner that they can comprehend. Talk over emotions with them and utilize associated facial expressions so that they can learn from those situations. Then, motivate them to talk about their emotions. Instead of picking sides, listen to the explanation of every child and do all you can to ensure all the children involved in the discussion feel understood.

4. Let Them Produce Ideas to Solve the Problem

Rather than discussing the situation and showing them the exact way to solve it, you should let them generate some ideas. Ask them what, as per them, should be the solution to the problem and help them deal with it successfully. Don’t instantly remove their attention from the thing that began the disagreement, as it can be part of an important learning experience for them. By teaching toddlers to settle conflicts by themselves, you can help them build problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

5. Divert Their Attention to a New Activity

In case you’ve tried all the strategies mentioned above to settle the conflict, and the argument is still going on, redirecting their attention is a simple method to end it. You can start playing with a new toy to help them figure out the fun elements in other objects. If you can distract and redirect them to a new object, they’ll probably forget the conflict. However, you shouldn’t use this strategy each time there’s a conflict without at least attempting to teach them conflict resolution’s basics first.

Wrapping Up

Even if you want to show frustration or yell at toddlers who don’t maintain a friendly relationship, it isn’t the most effective way to develop their skills. Always make good use of the learning experiences with toddlers and do your best to stop the issues from taking place again in the future.

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People learn how to respond to a variety of situations through coping mechanisms when they are children. This is how important early childhood is in the growth and development of a person. Therefore, there is a need to address any needs a child may have and any red flags that may arise early on in life.

Access to basic needs and social and emotional aspects are all critical in early childhood development. Inadequacy in any of these factors is detrimental to growth and development. Here’s a look into the roles they play in early childhood.

• Basic needs

Food, clothing, shelter, and security are essential requirements for survival. A child feels secure and comfortable when these needs are adequately satisfied. Lack of access to these basic needs could lead to health problems such as malnutrition due to poor diet as well as stunted growth. Problems associated with mental health and addiction could also arise later on in life.

• Emotional and social development

The early years of life dictate how one is able to handle situations as well as other people. Their ability to form and maintain relationships, handle crises, and even become aware of how they feel is greatly influenced by the experiences and interactions of early childhood. Children learn to empathize, show gratitude, trust, patience, and communication at this stage.

Parents, guardians, and caregivers play a significant role in teaching a child skills that will equip them to face everyday interactions. These skills can be learned through experiences as well as guidance as well as watching interactions between those around them. Poor social and emotional development, particularly at this stage, leads to dysfunctional people later on in life.

• Brain development

The brain develops fast during early childhood. How the child thinks is founded at this stage. Positive interactions allow for the creation of pathways that impact the child’s thought process as well as how they move. Negative interactions, on the other hand, hinder the formation of these pathways, having lifelong implications for the maturity of the brain.

• Dealing with difficult situations

How a person deals with negative feelings and situations such as failure, heartbreak, disappointment, and anger is developed in early childhood. Restraint and healthy coping ways are learned in childhood through interactions as well as guidance from guardians and caregivers.

Negative responses and interactions in early childhood could lead to a person developing negative ways of coping, leading to mental health issues and even self-harm. It is therefore critical that those around a child encourage young children to positively approach intense situations, not only through guidance but also through their actions and interactions.

It takes a lot of discipline, patience, and care to raise a child to become a functional person. Children merely learn through observation, and it is therefore important that parents, guardians, and caregivers are aware of their interactions around children.

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On average, children ask over seventy questions per day; that’s a lot, and you can quickly feel a bit unsure how to answer them all. Fortunately, you can prepare for some of them. So, what common questions do children ask, and how should you answer them?

Why is the Sky Blue?

Skies are blue because the light in the air is blue; so, when you look up at the sky, you can see the light coming from the air. When the molecules in the air scatter at sunrise and sunset, the sky turns orange and red. 

Where Do Babies Come From?

It’s important to give the child a factual answer. Of course, it must be age-appropriate. You can’t, however, be afraid to be specific about certain things as it causes more confusion. While you don’t need to go into the nitty-gritty details, it’s good to have an honest conversation. 

Where Does Water Come From?

97% of the Earth’s surface is water and water creates the oceans. Water forms ice and snow in cold temperatures. While young children don’t necessarily understand the ins and outs of the planet, it’s good to give them a general understanding of where water comes from.

Why Do People Get Sick?

Viruses can cause someone to become sick, but there are ways to keep the body healthy. It’s important, to be honest with this answer; however, you don’t have to talk about specific illnesses or diseases unless the child asks. Of course, as the child gets older and they ask more questions, it’s good to be more specific. 

What Happens When You Die? 

It’s a difficult question to answer because everyone has their own beliefs. If you genuinely don’t know how to answer, say you’re not sure. If you follow a religion, you could follow your beliefs. For example, you’re Catholic and believe there is a God and when you die, you will go to Heaven. It’s one way to answer this difficult question.

Where Does God Live?

It’s important to answer this question based on your beliefs or faith. For example, you can say God lives in Heaven. If the child asks a follow-up question, answer it as best as you can. 

Are We Poor? Are We Rich?

It’s important to keep a child level-headed when it comes to financial matters. For instance, let them know you have money to buy the essentials, but not everything they would like. It’s a difficult question to answer because no child should know their family doesn’t have enough money. If your family is well-off, you still want to keep the child level-headed, otherwise, they can become spoiled. 

Why Aren’t There dinosaurs anymore?

You could give them the simple answer that an asteroid crashed into the planet many years ago and dinosaurs were wiped out. It’s important to stress that newer animals replaced them. 

Where’s My Socks?

It’s easy to give a smart answer back; however, make their minds do the thinking. For instance, when a child asks where their socks are, you ask where they last saw them. It’s a simple way to answer the questions. Of course, if you put the child’s socks in their dresser drawer, tell them so. It might be easier.

Why?

Children often follow up questions with a why. So, give a specific answer to the question. It is the simplest way to answer the question and possibly prevent another spate of queries. 

Inquisitive Children

Children love to ask questions and you should try to answer them as honestly as possible. It’s good the child is inquisitive, even if it frustrates or tires you. 

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Reasons behind the Importance of Performing Arts

When it comes to standing before a gathering of people, children can often be shy, which is the reason they may try to avoid giving performances if possible. Nevertheless, performing arts can do wonders in helping children with their presentation skills and confidence. By doing performances, children can get exposure to unfamiliar situations in an inspiring and enjoyable manner instead of just having to present a boring slideshow or deliver a speech in class. By presenting an act or show, children can also work with a batch of other students to make sure success of the performance, which can also significantly develop their teamwork skills.

Even children, who dislike performing, can learn how to express themselves in a better manner by doing it occasionally. They can learn how to produce fresh ideas and exhibit emotions via the art of performing and acting. So, even if it isn’t an activity they like, they can still learn many things from their experience. While it might be difficult, motivating students to come out of their comfort zones slightly can help them learn a lot.

How to Incorporate Performing Arts into Your Classroom?

It isn’t mandatory to put on a large musical or play every year to better promote performing arts in your classroom. Many times, several small things can help you promote these skills. Letting the students act out different scenarios when there’s an option is a simple method to do this. During the discussion of a topic or theme in class, you can inspire children to roleplay it to help the entire class get an improved visual of the lesson. Additionally, the more children perform things before each other, the more practical the lessons will appear to them and the more confidence they’ll get.

Letting the students give presentations whenever there’s an opportunity is another effective idea. Instead of having typical presentations that students fear, you can motivate them to show creativity and perform things as required. You should try multiple approaches to presentations and projects to make sure children make the most of their public speaking skills. Additionally, the more creativity the presentations have, the more enjoyable they’ll be for your students.

Closing Thoughts

While performing arts isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, you can integrate it into your classroom with proper encouragement and tools to help students develop other skills. While many students can fear public speaking and presenting, they’ll gain more confidence by practicing performing more before other people.

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