I’m taking a little break as we welcome our fourth son to our family. Enjoy this First Friday Q&A from last year (also available at YouTube here).
First Friday Q&A 4.1.11
Can you believe it’s First Friday already? No Foolin’! I selected just three questions this time to keep things more streamlined. If you have a question for the next installment of First Friday Q&A, email those to my NEW address: questions@notjustcute.com . Go ahead and do it today. Trust me, the next First Friday will be here before you know it!
Sign Me Up! Meaningful Ways to Encourage Preschoolers to Write Their Names
I wrote a while back about a sign-in chart that provides regular practice for name-writing while also providing a record-keeping system to track progress. Some children really thrive with this method — they’ve recently figured out that they OWN their name, and they want to write it everywhere! Others however, are more reluctant. “I already did that,” they may say. Like the parent who’s constantly cleaning the same kitchen, the child wonders, “Why am I doing this again? I did it yesterday!” Sometimes all a child needs is more purpose for the writing. Writing it today so they can write it again tomorrow just doesn’t always cut it. Here are some ways you can encourage reluctant writers to leave their mark. [Read more…]
The Writing in the Salt
My oldest son began kindergarten this year. He is enjoying all of the “big-kid” perks of going to school like riding the bus and having recess. But he’s also discovered that school also comes with responsibilities. Not least of which is a list of skills to be practiced as homework, including several penmanship tasks like drawing shapes and writing letters, numbers, and his first and last name. I don’t think my guy is the first child to react as though writing practice were akin to being kidnapped by terrorists, but there is at least one way I’ve found to get around this response. Make it fun and exciting! [Read more…]
The Write Way to Read
Often, when we think of writing, we think of penmanship. We give children handwriting guides and workbooks and think we’re teaching writing. But truly writing in the context of developmental literacy is so much more. In my view, writing is a display of a composite of skills: [Read more…]
You've Got Mail!
Do you remember how excited you were to get mail as a child? The mail system seemed magical and mystical. You might get a package from Grandma, an invitation to a birthday party, or a letter from a secret admirer. The possibilities were endless! In these days of email and text messages, children still love to get mail! Here’s a great mail activity that will give them the opportunity to get and send mail while also getting some practice with recognizing and forming their written names.
You’ve Got Mail!
Do you remember how excited you were to get mail as a child? The mail system seemed magical and mystical. You might get a package from Grandma, an invitation to a birthday party, or a letter from a secret admirer. The possibilities were endless! In these days of email and text messages, children still love to get mail! Here’s a great mail activity that will give them the opportunity to get and send mail while also getting some practice with recognizing and forming their written names.
Book Activity: Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Sign In! Practical Name Writing Practice for Preschoolers
Children come to preschool with wide ranging ability levels when it comes to recognizing and writing their names. Some of this is due, quite frankly, to the length of their names and which letters are included in them. Think about it. Who will likely learn to write their name first? Lilly, or Savannah? Some of the difference is due to their different ages. In a mixed-age setting, the one year difference between 3 and 4 is dramatic! Even a six month difference is often pronounced. Varying rates of development in fine motor skills or even interest in writing may also be causes for different skill levels. Here is how I have addressed this challenge with my preschoolers.
Using a basic plastic photo holder, I trim back the plastic on the top layer of each pocket, to make the opening more perceptible. I then write each child’s name at the top of an index card and insert each one into a pocket. Each day as the children arrive, they know that their job is to “sign in”. They find their names in the pockets (which I have hanging on the wall near the writing table), and write their names on the cards. At the end of the day, I remove the cards, write the date on the bottom (you could get a really cool date stamper like this to be really slick *affiliate*), and then make any necessary notes. Each card is then placed in another photo holder, specific to each child, to create a collection of writing samples through the year. At the end of the year (or at shorter intervals if desired) I stack the cards in the pockets so that the child’s first and last samples are visible one above the other. Then I can point out the progress to the child, send the samples home, or use them in parent-teacher conferences. This allows me to track progress on a key skill and also allows the children to work from their individual starting points. Here’s Ella’s one year progress: [Read more…]