Are you with me? I’m excited to find out what’s on your mind!
How to Spot a High Quality Play-Based Preschool
It’s January, and in many families that means time to register for preschool. I’ve had several readers email me describing the overwhelming task of selecting a quality preschool, and asking for my suggestions. So I’ve assembled a list here of what I would look for in a quality play-based preschool. This is my dream list, and you have to realize that there are some great programs that won’t have every component I list here. You have to be aware of what your priorities are and what you’re willing to live without or make up for at home.
Play vs Academics: A False Dichotomy
An argument is brewing in the preschool scene. In one corner, you have those arguing for more academics to give children that head start that might correct the troubles of high-school drop-outs and low test scores. They claim that children rise to the occasion and show that they are capable of more than we’ve been asking.
In the other corner, you’ll find those who say play is disappearing from the cultural landscape of America and that its absence is a contributor to many childhood maladies such as obesity, ADHD, and declining social skills. They say that children “rising to the occasion” are really only performing splinter skills , which are more closely aligned with party tricks than with actual learning.
Did You Read That? Top Posts of 2010
As one year wound down and another got set to roll, it was fun for me to look over the stats for the year and see what the top posts were. I think what I found gives a great sampling of what you typically find here at Not Just Cute:
Intention Deficit Disorder
While ADD, or attention deficit disorder, is a term frequently referred to in educational and developmental settings (an intriguing article on which can be found here), I’d like to introduce another term, one directed at us as adults. IDD, or Intention Deficit Disorder is not a disorder you’ll find the DSM-IV diagnostic manual, but it’s one I see in frequently in adults working with children, and even in myself from time to time.
Age Does Matter: Your Questions Answered by Dr. Marcy Guddemi
On the first of this month, I wrote a post about The Gesell Institute of Human Development and their recent study, asserting that the progression of healthy child development has not changed over the past 70 years, in spite of the fact that our expectations of them have. (You can read the full post here.)
DAP: What Does it Mean to Use Developmentally Appropriate Practice?
It’s occurred to me that I’ve used the term DAP a lot around here lately, and that it’s a term that warrants a full discussion in itself. This is a term you can take an entire series of courses on, but here’s my best attempt to get you the basics — quick and dirty! I’m hoping this will serve as a reference point for more discussions!
Bibliomaniacs Beware!
I feel I need to confess my addiction. I am a bibliomaniac. In spite of the fact that I have a library card, which gives me access to plenty of wonderful books, and which I enjoy using regularly, I still find the need to OWN them. I just love books! It doesn’t help that my husband feels the same way. Who’s going to put on the brakes?
Finland’s Finest: Why We Need to Take Note of Finland’s Approach to Early Education
In recent years, Finland has been consistently at the top of worldwide rankings by nation for 15 year-old academic performance. They’re obviously doing something right. And in my biased informed opinion, if we want to know why their 15 year-olds are so bright, we need to look not only at what they’re doing in high school, but also (and perhaps more so) at what they’re doing in their early education programs.
Finland’s Finest: Why We Need to Take Note of Finland’s Approach to Early Education
In recent years, Finland has been consistently at the top of worldwide rankings by nation for 15 year-old academic performance. They’re obviously doing something right. And in my biased informed opinion, if we want to know why their 15 year-olds are so bright, we need to look not only at what they’re doing in high school, but also (and perhaps more so) at what they’re doing in their early education programs.
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