In my final blog, I want to provide you with some words to use when you are working with the challenging behavior of children.

Some questions to ask yourself:

• Am I inspiring self-evaluation or dependence on the evaluation of others?
• Am I being respectful or patronizing?
• Am I helping them discover how to act or trying to manipulate their behavior?
• Am I seeing the child’s point of view or my own?
• Would I make this comment to a friend or neighbor?

 It is important to provide a connection before correction:

1. State clear expectations… “As soon as you finish, you may… ”
2. Respond with a question… “Would you like to do this by yourself, or do you want/need help?”
3. State a given (i.e. rule or condition)… “I can’t let you do that, those words are hurtful.” “The balls stay outside.” “It’s not time for that now. It’s ok to be disappointed.”
4. Check his/her understanding… “Tell me how we’re solving this problem.” “What’s the next step before we can… ”
5. Invite cooperation… “I need your help with this.”
6. Limit choices… “Would you like to put this away now or after dinner?”
7. Say what you want and mean… “I want you to use your body in a different way. That feels unsafe. Try this… ”
8. Negotiate an agreement… “I can’t let you do that, it hurts her body. But you can climb up this way.”
9. Use non-verbal language such as a hand on the shoulder or a secret nod.
10. Follow through… “Time to… now”. Be sure to follow through yourself. Don’t use the word “now” if you’ll get busy and forget to follow through.

Most of all, anticipate and be ok with mistakes. They are opportunities to learn. We all make them. Remember to recover from a mistake.

• Re-gather: Everyone has had ample time to calm down.
• Recognize: “Whoops, I made a mistake.”
• Reconcile: “I’m sorry.”
• Re-solve: “How can we work together to make it better?”

-posted  by Teacher Aaron, who wants to remind you to think about how these tactics work best for you and your family. Share them with your parenting partner and keep the discussion going!

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tips for when YOU have flipped your lid:

• Recognize what it feels like physically: fast heart beats, redness of the face and neck, sense of urgency. Learn your body’s warning signs.
• Recognize what it feels like mentally: An inability to think calmly and clearly. Thoughts that repeat or go in circles. A sense of urgency
• Take a time out from the situation and calm down: Recognize that continued engagement won’t help. Take a moment to calm down and breathe. Remove yourself.
• Focus on your breathing: Do it slowly. In and out.
• Use large muscles: walk, run, bike, do push-ups, or yoga. Anything to keep yourself moving.
• Try engaging your cortex: Do mental math, count backwards, list facts. Anything to slow the pace.
• Notice why you’re in “survival mode.” This situation makes me feel vulnerable because I’m not being heard, I’m not being respected, etc. Don’t take it personally. Your brain thinks it’s about survival, when it really isn’t.

Tips for when THEY have flipped their lid (child or adult):

• Watch for signs in the other person: Intense emotions, disjointed sentences, irrational action, flushed/red face.
• Notice your body: Use those mirror neurons. Get down on the child’s level. Be calm and speak slowly. Use simple words. This makes it easier for them to calm down too. Don’t let their “flipped lid” catch you off guard.
• Remember safety: People unable to use their cortex act irrationally and can be physically dangerous. Be calm, stay aware, and move slowly.
• Acknowledge feelings: Use few words and speak slowly. “I can tell you’re frustrated” or “I see tears running down your face, you must be sad.”
• Talk TO them not AT them: Don’t make fast movements. They may want to be touched or they may not want to be touched, be aware of what their body language is telling you. If they want to leave (and it is safe), let them.
• Give them space, don’t crowd: Don’t give complicated directions (they cannot process them), keep it simple. Don’t demand from them.
• Invite them to take a CDT (Cool Down Time): This is similar to a time-out, but instead is non-punitive. This works best as an option, not a command.
• Simple tasks engage his/her cortext: Ask him how his name is spelled. Ask her to count to ten. Math and literacy are both great ways to do this.
• Ask for their help: Finally, when they begin to de-escalate, change their focus by asking for their help. “I can tell you aren’t ready to play yet, but can you help me get these things from the cupboard?” or “I know you can’t go back to work yet, but could you help me by…?”

The foundation of the tools to helping young children self-regulate is the relationships we build with them. Discipline means not just what we do during moments of challenging behavior, but how we encourage children to be better people. This is a concept adopted from Positive Discipline by Jane Nelson. Positive discipline

inspire with courage.”

We do this by helping children self-evaluate themselves (“tell me about it” or “what do you think?”). Instead of conformity (“you did it right”, “I’m so proud of you”), build empathy (“I can see you enjoyed that”, “what do you think and feel?”). Appreciate them by being specific (“I appreciate your help with…” or “who can show me the proper way to sit?”).

Tomorrow, I’ll give you some helpful words and phrases to use in the process of discipline.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who takes some hot tea to a quiet corner when he’s flipped his lid.

We want to understand:

1. how we make meaning of our experiences
2. how challenging behavior is a solution to a different problem
3. what are the practical tools for young children to self-regulate
4. the recovery tools in developing minds
5. how to use several tools for improving relationships with young children

As irrational as it sometimes appears, we know that behavior is always purposeful. The purpose of behavior is to find belonging (a sense of connection) and meaning (significance). People make decisions based on how they perceive the world. A perception leads to an interpretation which leads to a belief, and then a decision based on that belief which leads back to a new perception. Children do this all the time. They use their senses to make interpretations. “How heavy is this block?” “What does tomato soup smell like?” “I can see steam; that must mean it’s hot.” “When I see a black bird, I notice it makes a certain sound.” Children make these interpretations in an effort to organize the world around them.

So when there is a “problem,” it really is a solution to another problem that we just are not aware of yet. A child who is “misbehaving” is, rather, discouraged. Children want to feel a sense of community. Being in one and contributing to it. We need to teach children ways to accomplish their goals that are appropriate and safe. By encouraging a child instead of discouraging them, we give them the power to solve problems autonomously.

This happens when we:

• Teach life skills to children.
• Pay attention to the power of perception.
• Focus on encouragement (connection and presence with  children).
• Be kind and firm at the same time.
• Look to mutual respect. Respect for yourself. Respect for the situation. Respect for the needs of the child.
• Celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn.
• Look to solutions rather than punishment.

These are the building blocks for effective discipline. Parents struggle with this word all the time. “What is discipline and how can I be sure it’s appropriate?” Taken from Adler, a prominent child developmentalist, effective discipline helps children feel a sense of community by being mutually respectful and encouraging. What is the child thinking, feeling, learning, and deciding about herself in her world? What does he do in the future to survive and thrive? So it is effective long term. Discipline teaches important social and life skills such as respect for others, problem solving, cooperation, and contributing to the world around him. It also helps a child to discover how capable she truly is.

Tomorrow I’ll talk about some tips for when that mid-brain takes over and the challenging behavior comes out. There are tips for when your child “flips her lid” and for when YOU flip your lid.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who is a Preschool Director in his other, non-Kindermusik life!

Looking back, those words were so important for me because I knew that my mom valued reading for pleasure. Now, as an educator, I think about how can children learn to read for pleasure. How do they develop a love for reading?

Reading involves two major processes: comprehending (what words mean) and decoding (recognizing and sounding out words). Children begin these processes far before Kindergarten. We call this phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge. Phonological awareness is a rather broad term that also includes the more familiar term phonemic awareness. When a person has phonological awareness, he or she can recognize the sound structure of speech, or in other words, the ability to perceive word sounds and to pronounce parts of words.

Even infants do this! They are starting this when they babble. You sit with your baby in your lap and you say “bah, bah, baaaah” or “zu, zu, zu.” At ages 3 and 4, children can already hear rhymes like small, ball, tall and also alliterations like fast, free, foam, flick. Practicing these skills helps them to break down words. Later, at ages 5 and 6, they can break down words into syllables, identify sounds of words, and even hear different sounds in the middle of words too. In preschool, we play with words all the time. Maybe we will be reading a book by Dr. Seuss and make up as many rhymes as we can to the word lorax or schloot. We’ll sing songs that rhyme and separate the rhyming words. We also say rhymes during circle time or on the way to outside. Here’s a rhyming finger play as an example:

                Two little black birds sitting on the hill (hold up both index fingers)
                One named Jack and the other named Jill (wiggle one, wiggle the other)
                Fly away Jack, fly away Jill (put one hand behind your back then the other)
                Come back Jack, Come back Jill (bring back one hand, then the other)

We’ll even ask children what else the black birds are sitting on. Maybe they’re sitting on a pot and one is named Jack and the other is named Snot! Children love being silly with rhymes and it helps them enjoy reading when it can be silly. That way when they come to a book, they remember the rhyming words they sang about earlier.

Alphabet knowledge is also really important for little readers. Young children are engaged in representing familiar objects and actions in a variety of ways, including writing. After all, reading and writing go together, we don’t learn them separately. Children easily love writing as much as reading. They see us write! They examine texts on signs, in books, on the way to school, at the park, everywhere! They are learning how to recognize and name familiar letters, especially those in their own name.

“The word ‘stop’ as a ‘T’ in it, just like my name!”

By experimenting with these letters, they start to write actual letters of words that are significant to them. Even if you feel like you can’t bare another read through of Goodnight Moon for the 5^th time that night, just remember that your child is developing a love for reading by bonding with you in your arms as you read together. Explore letters by using alphabet puzzles, magnetic letters, alphabet games, blocks, stamps, stencils, and charts. We want them to play with these manipulatives and have fun with them. Play Alphabet Yoga together and go through some of their favorite letters by posing as the letter with your whole body!

Finally, when you read with your child, open up a dialogue throughout the book. This is called Dialogic Reading. Research has shown that the way we read with children is just as important as how frequently we read with them. When a child is an active participant in the story, they retain it better. They also show greater gain in vocabulary then when you simply read the book straight through. So when you read, have a conversation about the story. Let them talk and don’t interrupt them, even if it’s hard. Children can take a while to process information before they speak it out loud. In your head, after you ask a question, count three alligators.

There are many ways to engage a child in dialogic reading.

The first thing to remember is to ask them questions, and evaluate what they say. Then expand on their response and repeat what they say. For example, maybe you’re reading Where the Wild Things Are. You might turn to a page and ask “why do you think Max is upset?” They might say “because he had to go to his room without his supper.” Then you might expand on this by saying “wow, I can understand how he feels. Would you feel upset too if that happened to you?”

If a child knows a book really well, leave parts of it blank. Let them finish the sentences. This works especially well for books that rhyme.

You can also recall parts of the book. “Wait, why is Max upset?”

Last, be sure to ask your child open-ended questions such as “tell me what’s going on in this picture.” Open-ended questions help children increase expressive language and attention to detail. Children also love to relate the story to their own lives. “Wow, I have a monster suit just like Max!”

These strategies are a few that will help your child be a little book worm. Helping children to develop a love and appreciation for reading now will go a long way. And don’t forget to have them see you read too! After all, when children know that you love reading, they will too.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who leaves you with a favorite quote by Dr. Seuss: The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.

Superhero play helps children move their bodies by jumping, running, and trying new gross motor skills like climbing across the monkey bars. It also helps children feel powerful and in control when they are in a world that usually makes them feel just the opposite. Children engage in superhero play to feel as powerful as adults.

Although typically with less rough-and-tumble play, girls are superheroes just as often as boys. They may be less physical than boys, but they require just as much attention from adults. Just the other day, a child made a mask and cape at school during a craft project. She was using her “loving powers” to help people feel better who were sad or hurt. Later, she went home and with her mom, made hearts to bring to school the next day. Then she handed them out to other children at school.

That same week a 4 year old boy used his super brain powers to help others solve problems they can’t figure out. He could give them parts of his “super brain stuff” to help them “do hard stuff they can’t do by themselves.”

Superhero play in the classroom

When children play as superheroes, they learn how to respond to the needs and wants of others. They have to be able to operate in a group setting where everyone has different ideas about the game. Who has what super powers? How do they work? Are there bad guys and good guys? What’s fair in this game? Teachers and parents can help children distinguish between things that these characters do that hurt versus things that help. It’s important to open up the conversation that addresses qualities that superheroes have which help and benefit others.

Children who may find it difficult to voice their opinions are often empowered when pretending to be a superhero. It’s so wonderful and attractive to a child to be something strong and powerful. This is when a child who is quiet most often in play all of a sudden is shouting loudly with a big smile. By taking on another persona, a child can practice being brave or responding to difficult or stressful situations. Here is an anecdote from last week that illustrates how a child used his superhero game to help a classmate:

Kaveh: I can move so fast!
Me: Wow, I could really use your help.
Kaveh: I can do anything
Me: Can you help me rescue someone? She is in trouble.
Kaveh: I’ll help you
(he and I race off to a girl who is crying on the other side of the room)

We then helped her feel better about missing her mom. It was a wonderful lesson in empathy. They both played together later in the day as well, which was the first time at school the two of them ever played together. Kids engaged in superhero play use their imagination and learn to work well with others.

Setting limits

Superhero play, like other kinds of play, can become emotionally or physically harmful. So as parents and teachers, it is our job to guide play when it no longer solves problems or helps others. Children don’t know their physical limits and sometimes that means that they hurt others. We want to show them how to start play and how to be conscientious of others needs in the game.

• Establish rules from the start. For example, no pointing sticks or other props used as weapons directly at another person. These rules may need to be discussed several times. Listen to feedback. Kids can find creative ways to satisfy their interests while following directions and being safe.
• Be specific about what aggressive behavior is. Is it touching another person’s body? Is it using certain harmful words?
• Respond accordingly either by interrupting the play to stop aggressive behavior or talking about it afterward. The discussion can also address the story created, children who felt excluded and interesting twists and turns in the plot.
• Make sure there is an appropriate amount of space for safe play.
• Talk to the kids about real-life heroes, both male and female, and focus on their positive characteristics — for example, helpfulness, perseverance and diligence.
• Use this play as an opportunity to build problem-solving skills. When there is an issue, resist resolving it for the children. Ask for their ideas.
• Be positive. Acknowledge children’s new accomplishments and skills. Help them feel powerful.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who if he could have a super power, it would be getting up in the morning without coffee.

A 3 year old child is playing a game of tag on the playground. She trips and falls down and then begins to cry. A neighboring peer comes by and he says “are you ok? I’ll get you a band-aid so you feel better.”

I saw this last week at school and it reminded me how truly wonderful it is to see children show signs of an emerging empathetic personality. We all want our children to be caring, loving individuals who have empathy for others.

Empathy truly is the skill of taking the perspective of others and thinking about it before acting. Children who have this skill are usually very aware of their own emotions and are aware that others experience the same emotions they do.  A child who is empathetic knows the appropriate response to an emotion, whether that emotion is seen by adults as positive (e.g. excited) or negative (e.g. angry). Empathetic responses are actions responding to caring feelings of another individual.

Before the preschool years, we know from observation and well-known developmentalists such as Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson, that toddlers are primarily egocentric. “This is my toy.” “I want to go here right now.” “That is mine.” The egocentricity is so evident throughout even infancy because children are discovering themselves and are showing signs of expressing their needs. The primary use of emerging language skills is quite often to express need, so it’s no wonder toddlers are all about themselves.

The preschool years however, mark the move from egocentricity to empathy – at least the potential for it anyway. Children become more helpful and caring during these years, although it can be a struggle. She is still wondering whether to be egocentric or helpful to others in problem situations.

There are many reasons why we want her to understand that empathy is important.  In particular, empathy is vital for children to form healthy long-lasting friendships. Healthy peer relationships give a child not only a sense of safety and security, but a higher self-esteem. Also, a child who shows signs of empathy typically does well to prevent bullying throughout the school years.  In fact, children who self-report empathic feelings for victims of bullies have been shown to be 64% more likely to play a role as a defender or to intervene when bullying occurs. Research also shows that if she develops good empathy skills now, she’ll have better emotional regulation during her school years. One study even indicated that scores of young children on an empathy measure were positively correlated with scores on standardized tests of reading, spelling, and math at age 10 and 11.

So how can we help? As adults, we can promote empathy by (1) helping children to recognize their own feelings, and (2) help children to recognize the feelings of others. Ask questions like “where in your body do you feel angry, sad, happy? Recognize and verbally label if they have clenched teeth, red faces, big smiles, tears, open bodies, or closed bodies. “You are smiling, this means you are happy.” Then help them see the difference. “Now you are jumping up and down, so you’re excited. Earlier you were clenching your fists, when you were angry.” Then, provide children with opportunities to talk about their feelings. “When that coffee shop closed early, we couldn’t get our hot chocolate. That made me frustrated. How did that make you feel?”

Help children to recognize the feelings of others by observation. “Susie is frowning because she is upset.” Or “Jason is running around outside because he is ecstatic.” Use both observations of both facial and body expressions. Even in story books, help children to recognize the emotions of the characters in the story.

Then, help children to develop appropriate problem solving skills. Show them exactly how to solve problems. As parents, we can do this by recognizing the problem (“she took the streamer out of your hand”). Discuss the choices available (I can get help from an adult, I can get more streamers, or I can ask for them back). Then, talk about what the consequence is of each choice (If I ask for them back, she may say no). When they choose, ask them if it was a good choice or not and support positive instances of problem solving whenever you see it.

Make sure that apologies are genuine. Research and good evidence based practice says that forcing apologies leads to shame and guilt instead of genuine remorse. Instead, promote the sharing of feelings. “He is very sad, I wonder what would help him feel better? What could we say or do? You could say you’re sorry or give him a hug. Maybe he wants a drink of water. Let’s ask him.” This helps children understand that when others are hurt or even when they are feeling happy, that it’s our actions which can have a positive effect.

Finally, good empathy skills develop in healthy, warm, safe environments. Research shows that children who grow up with warm, caring parents versus those who don’t, is correlated with high levels of empathy.  However, be sure to make rules and expectations clear. Be supportive, but be consistent. This makes it easier for children to understand and follow rules. “I cannot let you use your body that way. This is how we use our bodies.” Or “when you gave her the pitcher of water when she asked for it, that was a good way to eat at the table.”

Most importantly, be a good role model for your child. Children model adult behavior, so reflect on what kind of emotional responses you want your child to do. Research shows that parents who have positive responses to problem situations have children who develop positive behaviors during school years.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Bonnie Jean Wasmund

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who is so empathetic he still cries every time he watches Beauty and the Beast.

What I have come to love about Kindermusik is that now, at the end of the year, as I look into your faces and I look into the faces of your children, I know deep down that what you all take with you as you continue on is something that you’ll never forget. It comes from the foundation of how we teach: through play. Every day we get to play with our children, and in the classroom, I know that as a teacher, it is my goal to help you as caregivers and teachers of your children, to show you what you already do so well, and build on it even more. Take for example:

-          A richer vocabulary
-          Better verbalization
-          Higher language level
-          Better problem-solving strategies
-          More curiosity
-          Better peer cooperation
-          Higher mathematics skills
-          Empathy
-          Prediction of other’s preferences and desires
-          Control of impulsive actions
-          Increased motor control

These are all examples of skills we want our children to learn so they can have everything they need to be happy and healthy. Now pick two or three of these things. Think of an example from this past year in Kindermusik where you saw these skills emerge while you were playing and singing and dancing with the children. Reflect on what happened, what you were doing, what kind of play it was, what the children said, what you said, where you were, etc. What did you notice? What do you notice now that you didn’t notice then? Sometimes when we play with children or see children playing together, we don’t always make the connection that their play is helping them learn important skills, but it happens every day.

Learning happens in many different forms. When we get older, there is more time spent on formal and structured learning. We sit down in a desk, we learn from books, and lectures, and so on. However, to truly learn and absorb a concept, there must be structure and chaos. Everything that we learn during structured parts of our day is processed and absorbed into our long-term memory during the unstructured and more chaotic times. We see this every day. A dance with specific steps to follow on the beat is an example of structured learning. Open music play during a steady beat is an example of a more free and open learning. Both are equally essential for learning experiences to happen.

This is why play is so essential to learning and is the foundation of everything we teach. But I am hardly the first to think so. In the 1970s, Israeli psychologist Sara Smilansky conducted research on the role of dramatic and sociodramatic play (dramatic play with others) in cognitive and socio-emotional development. These long-term studies were among the first of many that link children’s ability to engage in dramatic and sociodramatic play to their later academic success.

For example, I was not alive during the Civil War. I know, big surprise. But I am a huge history buff. I can vividly recall most everything I learned in a history or literature class. Problem solving in schools requires a great deal of make-believe. We have to imagine conceptual constructs all the time. Imagining a story and writing it down, solving arithmetic problems, finding a variable in calculus, determining what will come next are all things that require an imagination and a sense of make-believe.

There are many things in education we learn about that we never directly experience, like my anecdote about the Civil War.  Having this ability to make these constructs and imagine these concepts is a learned skill. It emerges in play. That is why children with a strong foundation in play so very clearly have the skills they need to be successful in their education, and can confidently make their own choices.

As I look back over the year, I think about everything we have learned. Each concept in we address in class, all the songs we’ve learned and skills we’ve seen our children develop, and I see that at the heart of all of it, is play. Education should always be this fun I think. In my book, school should never be boring, and play should always be at the heart of everything we do with our children.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who leaves you with a quote from Ignacio Estrada: “If a child cannot learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

However, science isn’t about memorizing data or facts, it’s about learning how to use a method of inquiry. It is a way to organize curiosity. We do this at a very young age. Infancy, in fact. When babies come into the world, they learn through their senses. Touch, taste, smell, sounds are all data that helps infants organize their physical world around them. Children continue to learn through their senses in their lives, in fact, we as adults do too.  As early as toddlerhood, children begin showing that they receive data and organize it. It could be a child stacking lids, or arranging toys by color or by size.

That is science! In order to be scientific, one must do science! This is when we ask questions, conduct investigations, collect data, and look for answers.

With young children, the best way to conduct science is to use natural phenomena. Why? Because children learn best when they can use their own knowledge as a stepping stone to new knowledge. Children need to have a chance to ask questions, do investigations, and use problem-solving skills. As adults, the best way to make this happen is to create or use an environment that naturally creates problems we have to solve.

For example:
David: “What is swimming in there?”
Teacher: “That’s a tadpole! Someday it’ll be a frog”
David: “But how does it become a frog?” (asking questions)
Teacher: “Let’s find out together”

The teacher and David could take out a book that has information about how tadpoles grow legs and lose their tails and develop lungs. Or the teacher could take out models of tadpoles at different stages of development. As adults, we help children to gather the information. Then together, the teacher and David could make a chart of different stages of frog development to help organize the information and then draw conclusions.

Presto! That is using the scientific method. In fact, children use so many skills when they conduct science. One-to-One Correspondence is a good example. Children could be counting the number of tomato seeds they will plant and then record it on a chart. Classifying is another skill children use all the time such as classifying all the seeds, either by type (fruit or vegetable) or by size, or by color, etc.  Measuring happens at school and outside school all the time. We could be pouring and measuring in the sensory table with sand, or measuring rainfall outside over time.

Using an organized method of inquiry not only helps children to develop the basics of science, but helps them to learn how to process new information. When we learn something new, our brains must process the information to put it into long term memory and thus increase the retention rate. We can teach children how to do this by using naturalistic experiences, or experiences where children naturally use their senses to absorb and process new information.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who was stung by a bee at preschool and turned it into a teachable moment for the children. (But it still hurt!)

Every time children and caregivers in Our Time come into the classroom, they are greeted with their peers and a fun activity at Gathering Time. Maybe it’s puzzles, blocks, or builders. When the teacher sings the toys away, the children know that when the sticks come out, it’s time to sing hello. They’ll get to tap, thunk, scrape, click, and roll hello to each other. Then they’ll sing about their day with the bars, bounce on their grown-ups laps, play instruments, dance, and in my classes, we always end with a snuggle.

This is a part of a routine that children learn and look forward to every week. But why do we work so hard in Kindermusik to build this routine?

 In short, optimal learning for a child happens in a classroom where he feels most comfortable. Think back to one of your best educational experiences. It could be a wacky funny teacher you had in high school, or a fun environment at work with people you enjoy being with.  Do you remember how comfortable it felt to be in that place on a regular basis? How much did you learn when you were there? 

For me, it was my course at UW in early childhood social/emotional behavior. Every time I walked into that classroom, I was greeted warmly by my professor, Gail Joseph, and was delighted to see what sort of snacks she brought for us. It was “food for thought”. J I always knew what to expect and that made me feel comfortable and happy to be there. Looking back on that experience, I realized that I retained more from that class than almost any other at UW. And now I use what I learned there in my professional life every day.

In Our Time, children develop this same comfort when they learn a good sense of self-esteem from the familiarity of their environment.  They know that after the sticks are put away, they get out the bars. When the bars come out, the teacher sings to them what will happen in class. The best part is, when we sing about cars, jingle bells, and snuggling, we actually do those activities in class. That may sound like a simple concept, but try and think about all those checklists you’ve made, either mental or on paper, and how good it feels to check those items off when you complete them. Children get to make their checklist when they sing with the bars every day in Our Time.

You may have your own way of building a routine at home with your child. Maybe you both sit down at breakfast and go over what will happen in your day. Maybe you and your child draw a picture together to go over the fun things you did. The more ways you can discuss and recap a routine with your child, the better.  Not only does this bring them immense joy and self-esteem to know that their expectations are being fulfilled, but it helps them to build memory retention.

 Quite often, a toddler will look out the window and see that it’s raining. Then they’ll go outside, feel the rain, and go back in and say “Mommy, I need a coat.” She won’t see the rain and connect that she needs a coat right away until she builds a temporal sense of cause and effect. Routines are one of the best ways to build this skill.

This developing sense of routine is one of the many reasons why Kindermusik is so beneficial for a child’s development. And it’s important to provide for our children a consistent learning environment. In fact, some children are still developing their sense of the classroom routine in the second or third semester.  So every day when you come in with your child and bounce, sing, dance, and play, know that it is just another vital component to your child’s learning.

-posted by Teacher Aaron, who looks forward to his routine everyday!

However, you probably are completely unaware that when he was 6 years old, he devised a plan for finding a wife. Teacher Aaron believed that when you were ready to get married, you went knocking door to door. If the woman was already married, you had to try the next house. If she was unmarried, you could marry her. (Makes sense, sorta…) We probably don’t need to point out the break-down of his oh so practical logical thinking.

Here’s some other tidbits about Teacher Aaron:

1.   If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
 Turquoise

2.  What was your favorite toy as a child?
Legos! Lots and lots of legos. 

3.  Which cartoon/children’s TV show character are you most like and why?
I am a huge fan of Beaker from the Muppets. I’d like to think I’m most like him because I get extremely excited about my work and that’s when I talk too fast and only my best friend can understand me.

4.  What is your favorite Children’s book?
Giraffes Can’t Dance. (It’s my favorite book that addresses emotion regulation and individuality)

5.  What was your favorite cartoon or children’s TV show as a child?
I absolutely love the Muppets. Not so much the cartoon but the Jim Henson original one is best. (big surprise, right?)

6.  What is your favorite kid staple  – macaroni, pizza, chicken nuggets or hot dogs?
Mac and Cheese. Hands down. With extra cheese… and butter.
 
7.  If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be?
Well my favorite flavor to eat is Cherry Choclate Chip. YUM. That’s what I would be.

8.  What was (or perhaps is) your favorite play structure at the park?
The tether ball. I should’ve gone professional.

9.  What was your favorite dinner as a kid?
Beef roast made in the croc pot. mmmmmm. With potatoes and carrots and onions. That’s how my parents got me to eat my vegetables.

10. What is your favorite Kindermusik instrument/manipulative to use with kids?
The parachute. It can be anything you want it to be.

-posted on behalf of Teacher Aaron, whose door-knocking was apparantly not successful. At least not yet.