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Whole Child Development

Why Don’t You Teach Reading? A Look at Emergent Literacy

by Filed Under: Building Readers Leave a Comment

Many developmentally appropriate preschool teachers have been asked, “Why don’t you teach reading?”  The question is innocent.  But teachers often come away frustrated, as most of what they do is focused on building successful readers.  Often, outside observers are looking for reading worksheets and primers and long stretches of direct phonics instruction.  The trick is, in these early years, so much is being done to build successful readers, but it is in the form of emergent or early literacy skills, which are much less visible to the untrained eye.  [Read more…]

Book Activity: Pete's A Pizza

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Snack Time 2 Comments

Pete's a Pizza

William Steig’s books are always clever and unique.  Pete’s A Pizza is no exception.  This book, published when Steig was about 90 years old, is based on a game he used to play with his own daughter decades earlier.  The character in the story, Pete, is disappointed when the rain spoils his plans.  His dad however, turns the day around by pretending to turn Pete into a pizza.  The typical steps for making pizza take on an imaginary element (checkers for tomatoes, paper for cheese) and soon evolve into tickling and chasing until Pete, of course, is happy once again.  It’s a fun read, and one that obviously invites some light-hearted participation! [Read more…]

Book Activity: Pete’s A Pizza

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience, Snack Time Leave a Comment

Pete's a Pizza

William Steig’s books are always clever and unique.  Pete’s A Pizza is no exception.  This book, published when Steig was about 90 years old, is based on a game he used to play with his own daughter decades earlier.  The character in the story, Pete, is disappointed when the rain spoils his plans.  His dad however, turns the day around by pretending to turn Pete into a pizza.  The typical steps for making pizza take on an imaginary element (checkers for tomatoes, paper for cheese) and soon evolve into tickling and chasing until Pete, of course, is happy once again.  It’s a fun read, and one that obviously invites some light-hearted participation! [Read more…]

How to Improve Your Read-Alouds with Young Children

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Learning through Play and Experience 2 Comments

 

It’s hard to disagree with the evidence that reading aloud to young children yields great benefits throughout life.  And that’s just the factors that are easily tested – language skills, reading readiness, comprehension, and so on.  Add to that the relationship building aspect that comes along with a positive shared experience.  I still remember snuggling up in my dad’s lap and listening to him read some of my favorite stories and the “funny page” in the Sunday paper.  It was a real treat to get that one-on-one time, not to mention getting to hear his hilariously animated voices as well.

[Read more…]

Magic Words for Guiding Behavior: “Let’s Pretend”

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Child Development & DAP, Create, Positive Guidance and Social Skills Leave a Comment

In Vivian Gussin Paley’s book, A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play, she mentions the opportunity to use fantasy play as a tool for classroom management or child guidance.    I found this interesting, and it caused me to think about that premise, the ways I have used it in the past, and the ways I could use it to smooth out difficult situations.

As she states, “Conversations with children may arise out a ‘last straw’ annoyance, in other words, or from a sense of dramatic flow.  They can come from concerns over decorum or from respect for our imaginations.  Both approaches will manage a classroom, but one seems punitive and the other brings good social discourse, communal responsibility, and may have literary merit.” (pg. 74)

[Read more…]

Magic Words for Guiding Behavior: "Let's Pretend"

by Filed Under: Building Readers, Child Development & DAP, Create, Positive Guidance and Social Skills Leave a Comment

In Vivian Gussin Paley’s book, A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play, she mentions the opportunity to use fantasy play as a tool for classroom management or child guidance.    I found this interesting, and it caused me to think about that premise, the ways I have used it in the past, and the ways I could use it to smooth out difficult situations.

As she states, “Conversations with children may arise out a ‘last straw’ annoyance, in other words, or from a sense of dramatic flow.  They can come from concerns over decorum or from respect for our imaginations.  Both approaches will manage a classroom, but one seems punitive and the other brings good social discourse, communal responsibility, and may have literary merit.” (pg. 74)

[Read more…]

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