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!
So here are the topics (with the time where they appear in the vlog) and supplemental links for today:
Handwriting (0:10)
Take Time for a Little Name Writing Practice {Teach Preschool}
Ways to consider breaking up the task:
- Recognizing name (select from group)
- Form with pre-made letters
- Write in salt
- Work on fine motor and pencil grip
- Practice different strokes like straight, zig-zagged, and curved
- Try some of Deborah’s great activities above.
Hitting and Aggression (3:02)
When it Comes to Challenging Behavior, Do You Take the Time to CARE? {NJC}
6 Peaceful Solutions for Hitting and Anger {Simple Kids}
Love this book: Practical Solutions to Practically Every Problemby Steffan Saifer
Making Soft Blocks (6:52)
(Mentioned in this construction post.)
Here’s my layout (the bottom blocks were made from scraps, so they don’t really follow the unit block concept):
For more info on covering cushions:
- Curbly (Skip the piping and zipper.)
- Sew Mama Sew (Again, skip the extra frills.)
- eHow (Start at step 3, using foam instead of the foam rubber they refer to.)
(And I have to thank Diane, of In My Own Style, for helping me out with an assignment recently. She has an inspiring home deco blog you really should check out!)
If you want to buy them pre-made, you might try Amazon.
Now it’s your turn. Please add to the conversation! Do you have a great handwriting activity? Lots of experience addressing hitting and aggression? Have you made or bought soft blocks? Please share!
I learned this the hard way with my oldest…we have had a very difficult time converting her to the “correct” way. With my second child I’ve worked harder to teach him exactly what you outlined. I know it will benefit him more when he starts Kindergarten. Great tips! Thank you!
Great post today! I taught my oldest the all caps and now transitioning over, but I am planning to start the younger on standard writing from day 1! It helps that the younger one has a shorter name. 🙂
I’m a first grade teacher, and I have had a very tough time un-teaching the all-caps habit. Many times a child will transfer the capital habit with letters from their own names to other words as well, so that “JAKE” will write “cAn” and “EAt” and so on. I’m definitely with the 2nd camp on this one!
Interesting! On behalf of all of us who were once misguided, please accept my apologies!
I am a Thirty Years experienced Teacher in Costa Rica. I believe there is no rush in writing. It is better to develop fine motor skills through games. They will have to sit and write for lots of years.Don’t know any that marries without writing.
About agression, usually make rules with them works, they feel involved…they are really hard on it, once a little sweet student said “We should cut the hands of the ones that hit!”. After talking about how sad that would be, we got into sitting five minutes to think…and more if goes on. Sometimes works. I also use charts with stickers for very short periods, lets say..if you fight without hitting, using words, untill first recess, you´ll get a sticker,when you get five you can choose a surprise from teacher´s bag. This has to get longer periods of no hitting by week, and the child stars getting less interested by the third week, so…”Now that…it´s never going to hit again…” And, never give up, kids are developing and chances for them must be a constant. Laura Oreamuno. San Jose, Costa Rica, Central America.
Well done, Mandy. Love your advice on the hitting issue. The script is crucial. Showing a child how it should be done is so important. Instead of immediately disciplining or sometimes even ignoring the issue will not correct the behavior. Examples and practice are what improve the behavior and allow the child to take responsibility.
Enjoy this Easter season!
Always good to hear from you, Diane!
I recently started thinking about the caps/no caps question, so your video is perfectly timed for me. We’ve been using caps, but that will soon change! Thanks for the thoughtful answers to all three questions.
I’m glad to hear the timing was right for you. I wish someone would have shared it with me a few years earlier! ;0)
well, what a treasure to have found you!
eager to come back!
: )
Welcome! So glad to have you reading!