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Making Family Your Top Priority

April 6, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Celebrate!, Uncategorized 4 Comments

I was just sitting down to write a post about making your family your first priority when ironically – or perhaps serendipitously – my oldest son woke soon after going to bed, crying in pain with an earache.  So the laptop quickly closed, and I spent the next few hours curled up with a warm and snuggly six year-old.  Particularly set in the context, it struck me how easily sobs abated simply by putting my attention, and my presence in the right place.

Making family priority #1 seems more clear-cut in these moments of crisis than in the everyday.  Is it more important that I comfort a sick child or write?  The answer there is obvious.  But in our day-in, day-out life, it sometimes becomes more difficult to ensure that our priorities are reflected in our actions.  We become caught up in the “Tyrrany of the Urgent” or commonly suffer from “Intention Deficit Disorder”.  [Read more…]

Reading Aloud is More Than Just Reading (And an Introduction to Brontorina)

April 4, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Building Readers 18 Comments

It’s rather well-known that reading aloud to children is one of the best things you can do to promote literacy.  While simply hearing the story has its benefits, really building literacy, comprehension, and vocabulary requires conversation off the page.  Here is an example of some of the conversation that took place as I recently shared a wonderful book, Brontorina by James Howe,* (*affiliate) with a group of young children.

Before starting the story, I show the children the cover and ask what they see.  They notice the ballet dancers and the enormous dinosaur on the cover.  They love that the dinosaur’s head is bumping into the letters above.  Some point out that there are BOY ballet dancers, and an old lady.  “Probably their grandma,” someone suggests.

I ask what they think the story might be about.

“The dinosaur wants to eat the kids.”

 “No, that’s a plant-eater.”

“I think he’s dancing.  Wait, is that a boy dinosaur or a girl dinosaur?”

We talk about their ideas.  We’re building prediction skills and a foundation for connections and comprehension.  Then I point out the title as I read it.  We talk about the letter it starts with and the sound it makes.  Then someone points out that the name of someone in the class starts with a B as well.  We talk about who Brontorina might be, and they all agree it must be the dinosaur on the cover.  The kids can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen, so we jump in! [Read more…]

Weekend Reads 4.2.11

April 2, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Get Outside, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills, Uncategorized, Weekend Reads 4 Comments

10 Secrets to Raising Good Listeners {Janet Lansbury}

[Read more…]

First Friday Q&A 4.1.11

March 31, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Building Readers, Child Development & DAP, Learning through Play and Experience, Positive Guidance and Social Skills 11 Comments

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!

[Read more…]

The Need for Social Problem Solving Skills

March 29, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Child Development & DAP, Positive Guidance and Social Skills 14 Comments

I’m reading a fascinating book called Crucial Conversations, by Kerry Petterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.  It’s been sitting on my proverbial nightstand for at least a year now, and after hearing it recommended again from about a fourth source – from education administrators to business execs to parents – I decided I’d better start reading.

[Read more…]

Email is Up!

March 29, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Uncategorized, Unit Themes 2 Comments

 

Well, it looks like we’ve got all the email subscriptions moved over!  Phew!  For those of you who are getting posts emailed, you might have missed an email or two in the move.  You may want to check out Weekend Reads for 3.26.11, or More to Build On… with more construction activities to add onto the “Let’s Build” unit.  And for those of you who aren’t receiving the emailed posts, well you might want to click up there in the top right side of this page and start getting some of this good stuff sent right to your inbox!  Have a great Tuesday!

[Read more…]

More to Build On…

March 28, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Unit Themes 8 Comments

*I hope you’re enjoying the layout of the new site.  A big “Thank You” to Brandon Sunday of Sunday Ventures for his help!  I think it would have taken two years to figure it all out on my own.  We’re still fine tuning, so if you notice anything that needs our attention, please let us know.  It looks like email subscribers still need to be transferred from the old, so don’t fret if you haven’t gotten your emails yet, they should be back on track by the time the next post goes out!

When I wrote about activities for a construction theme a while ago, I left you hanging on a few activities I promised to add.  Well, today’s the day!

Word Building

If you have budding readers, you may want to try out this word family activity.  Draw a crane and tall building with windows on poster board.  (I’m pretty sure you can make yours look better than mine!)  Laminate so that you can use dry-erase markers to change up the word families in the windows. [Read more…]

Weekend Reads 3.26.11

March 26, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Child Development & DAP, Create, Get Outside, Learning through Play and Experience, Snack Time, Weekend Reads 10 Comments

OK, looks like the switch has been thrown and we’re up and running with the new design, thanks to the amazing work of Brandon at Sunday Ventures!  There may be a few kinks to work out on this first run, your patience is appreciated.  In the meantime, enjoy these gems from around the blogosphere:

[Read more…]

A Thursday Post?

March 24, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

I know I don’t normally post on Thursdays, but there were two quick housekeeping items I wanted to take care of.

First off, I’m planning on switching over to a new design format in the next few days.  It will still be the same content in the same place (www.notjustcute.com) but a better layout and organization.  I’m really excited about making this switch and have been working on it for quite some time. 

Now my computer expert helping me out with this says odds are 99.9% certain that all the email and feedburner subscriptions should all transfer just fine.  But I don’t want anyone getting left behind!  So if it seems I’ve disappeared from your reader or inbox in the next few days, please know it wasn’t intentional.  Find your way back to www.notjustcute.com and add the subscriptions again.  I really think you’re going to like what we’ve done with the place!

[Read more…]

Early Birds and Night Owls {Simple Kids Guest Post}

March 23, 2011 by notjustcute Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

“Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the incongruous.” – Yehudi Menuhin

[Read more…]

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I’m Amanda Morgan. Here’s what I’m about…

In early education, there is too much distance between what we know and what we do. I bridge the gaps that exist between academia, decision-makers, educators, and parents so that together, we can improve the quality of early education while also respecting and protecting the childhood experience.

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