Creative Preschool Teaching

Managing preschoolers is often perceived as an easy task, but on the contrary, it is hard and challenging. There are a lot of trials like unreasonable complaints, slow learners, hyperactive kids and the like. The school has to balance all of these things to maintain its good reputation. Every school aims to develop the student's skills and the way they relate with others. The school is one of the agents of socialization and is branded as the child's home. It is a venue for the child to express his feelings freely and to explore and discover new things. The teachers are there not just to facilitate but to facilitate creatively, because the child cannot cope easily without the creativity being one of the ingredients in teaching.

Thinking of ways to give the best learning experience to children involves a series of steps--- steps that are carefully planned, tested and developed. All schools have their own means of creating modules that can be instruments of a child's development. Let's take for instance, the math subject, which is said to be one of the more difficult subjects in school. It may be, but if it is taught creatively in preschool, the pupils, as they grow older, will definitely love studying Math. Of course, not all kids will turn into math geniuses but that's not the point. The keyword is fun, and there are lots of ways to have fun with math.

Here are some techniques in teaching math creatively:
1. Let the kids sing math songs. Songs are the best means for them to learn more easily. There are counting songs and addition songs. Be sure to let them sing those songs every day before the lesson starts.
2. Rhymes are also memory boosters. A teacher can teach classic counting rhymes or create her own.
3. Do the body math. Preschoolers are fascinated with their bodies. Count the child's eyes, and then add them together: one eye plus one eye equals two eyes. How many ears, legs, arms, elbows, knees or feet does he have?
4. Encourage four preschoolers to notice written numbers, street addresses, license plates or the numbers on the calendar. This not only offers experience reading numerals. It also reinforces the fact that numbers are a normal part of everyday life.
5. It is also effective to make use of blocks. Math is not just about numbers, it is also about area, size, space, dimension, shape and comparison.
6. Try "Match 'em up" games. Math requires the ability to distinguish similar and different attributes and to put things into categories. To build these things, preschoolers should be motivated to group items by certain attributes like clothes by color or plates by shape.
7. Show the child how to use the ruler. Let him measure his desk or notebook. Talk together about comparative length.
8. Experts still recommend dominoes to help kids learn to recognize whole amounts without having to count dot by dot. Pick a number between 1 and 20 and give the child a few chances to guess the number, offering "higher" or "lower" as clues.

Maureen Amberg is an author, entrepreneur and children’s advocate for MEA Online Edge Inc., with emphasis on the self esteem and positive inner confidence of children; including teenagers.  Caring for Kids is my current life focus.  I strive to be kind, tranquil, serene, and compassionate.  Hopefully, this translates into peaceful, calm and helpful.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ara_Despabiladeras

Variation in the Behavior of a Child Due to Day Care Centers

The percentage of working mothers is increasing day by day, as a result of which daycare centers are in massive demand. Children spend more than half of their day at such centers and therefore these centers affect the behavior of such children in an enormous way. A day care center not only help the mothers by not letting their child interrupt them while they are at work but also brings about a great change in the attitude of a child.
Socializing:
Interacting with new children and unknown faces is very difficult for a child. Therefore, socializing is one of the biggest advantages of a day care as a child learns how to interact with other children and adults. Children who are unable to join day cares find it difficult to interact with other kids at early stages of their kindergarten. Children at day care learn the meaning of sharing. They know how to make friends and are not afraid of crowds.
Reduces fear:
As compared to a kid who has never been to a daycare, a child who has spent a lot of time in a day care is very much relaxed and extrovert. Children are happy to be in their age group if they are habitual of it and if not it becomes very difficult for them to start up with their early education. Children who have never been to a daycare, if you leave them and go out they might feel that you may not return which will be very stressful for them. Whereas children who have been to day cares know that you will come back as this is not something new for them.
Prepared for kindergarten:
Children who are left at day cares start their education at an earlier stage as compared to a child who has never been to a day care. Therefore, learning in kindergarten is not stressful for them as their basics are strong. The younger the child the quicker it learns. Therefore, such children are able to sink in more in school as compared to those who have started their learning process in kindergarten only.
Children must spend a lot of time with kids of their own age, as spending a lot of time with adults at home brings a very mature behavior in them and snatches their innocence. They start talking and acting like their adult which is not fair to them. They must react according to their own age as having a very grown-up attitude is not a very positive sign. Therefore, those children who spend their time in day care are able to interact with children of their own age and are able to maintain their innocence.

Maureen Amberg is an author, entrepreneur and children’s advocate for MEA Online Edge Inc., with emphasis on the self esteem and positive inner confidence of children; including teenagers.  Caring for Kids is my current life focus.  I strive to be kind, tranquil, serene, and compassionate.  Hopefully, this translates into peaceful, calm and helpful.

Building Kids Self Esteem

Building Kids Self Esteem is extremely vital these days. Our kids are faced with so much more than we ever were. Severe peer pressure, bullying, drug and alcohol addictions just to name a few.
Many of our kids have been brought up with cell phones, ipods and computers and have access to sales ads promoting expensive clothing, shoes, accessories, gaming devices etc..
Are we allowing society to raise our kids in a materialistic way giving them a false sense of security and happiness?
The Internet, magazine ads, radio and television are overloading our kids with media on the “how to’s” of changing themselves with what they feel is unacceptable in today’s society.
For example, some young girls want to change the color of their hair, lose weight to wear a size 1 outfit, just to look like the models they want to emulate…while young boys want to build muscles to look like the “ultimate fighters” they watch on television and are portrayed in video games.
Unfortunately, with both parents now having to work to make ends meet, our kids may be lacking the necessary means of building their self esteem through tangible items instead of learning the basic foundation from within.
A new study shows that kids who feel good about themselves are less likely to be materialistic and more realistic than those who don’t.
As parents, we have an obligation to build their self worth and confidence. We need to listen, really listen to what they are saying about themselves, while taking note of their actions.
Taking the time now to ensure our kids develop positive self esteem and a positive self image, will carry them through their teenage years and adulthood, being successful and enjoying life the way it is intended.
Starting at a very young age, kids interpret life’s experiences either with a sense of pride or shame. Their self worth whether positive or negative, will lay the basic foundation of how they view themselves and impact their lives and decisions in later life.
Parents, grandparents and close caring adults all play a major role in building our kids self esteem. We must not only encourage and express positive feedback, but also nurture, provide love and apply a considerable amount of patience and understanding.
Think about it. Our kids are our future. Building kids self esteem doesn’t happen over night. Providing a positive, “safety net” in the home, allowing our kids to express their feelings openly without negative ridicule, is the beginnings of positive interaction our kids can rely on to guarantee their success.
We need to build our kids positive self esteem and confidence from the inside very early on. Material items should be something earned through completed chores, good grades and helping others. If we as role models succeed in teaching morals and values, our kids will be sure to succeed as well.
We owe it to our kids.