Raising a book lover

Home Grown
by Toni Tiu

I grew up in a house full of books. From finance to romance, there was always something to read. We are a family of book lovers, so naturally I hoped from the very beginning that my baby becomes a lover of books as well. With the way he interacts with his books now, I can confidently say he is a book lover too.

Encouraging a child to read can start at infancy. A month after I gave birth, I was desperate to catch up on my reading. Between taking care of the baby and trying to catch up on lost sleep, there was hardly any time for a leisurely read. That changed when I began a bedtime routine with my infant. Before tucking him in, I’d take out a book and read aloud a few chapters to him. Not only was it a way to familiarize him with my voice, it helped me catch up on my reading. I think reading aloud to him even when he was just a month old was a good start in establishing a healthy relationship with reading. He is now 11 months old and enjoys it very much when books are read aloud to him. Sometimes he babbles while I read to him. It seems like he’s reading along with me. I love sharing a book with him!

There is a wealth of good children’s books in stores that it’s a challenge picking just a few out. Books with big, bold shapes and bright colors are fascinating to a baby, so I choose books with these in mind. I find that they hold my baby’s attention longer. He carefully observes the details on each page before moving on to the next.

Board books are my current preference. It’s easier for the baby to turn the pages on his own. When he was a few months old, I’d sit him on my lap and turn the pages for him while reading aloud. Over time he would learn how to flip the pages himself. In the beginning he used his closed fist to try turning the page, then his open hands. Both times I would help him. Today, he uses his fingers and turns the pages on his own. I think his pincer grasp (using the thumb and index finger to pick up small objects) developed because of the page turning. I’m wary of books with paper pages for now because the baby crumples up the pages anyway, and he could be prone to paper cuts. Board books are friendliest for my little one.

Another way to build a child’s love for reading is to be conscious of what stage he’s in. My baby is at the phase where he is fascinated with textures, so he has some books that stimulate his sense of touch. Books that have little tags of a silky, cottony or furry texture intrigue him. Other ways to encourage reading are choosing books that reflect his interests, listening to audio books, and sharing books you yourself loved as a child.

I think the best way to raise a book-loving baby is as simple as showing him that you enjoy reading too. Whether it’s the newspaper, a magazine or a novel, if your child sees you reading he’ll be motivated to read as well. So far that’s working out fine for me and my son. He is growing up surrounded by books and by people who enjoy reading them.

When I see my baby pick up a book and go through the pages with such concentration, my heart sings. I love how he is so captivated by the pictures. I love how right now letters are just pictures and patterns to him, but eventually he’ll learn how they form words. Then words will unlock worlds, and my book-loving baby will find even more reasons to keep on reading.

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Bookworm Toni Tiu never leaves home without a book. Now she doesn’t leave home without two books – one for her and one for the baby. Visit her personal blog at WifelySteps.com.

Source:
http://ph.yfittopostblog.com/2010/08/21/raising-a-book-lover/

CAN YOU PRAISE CHILDREN TOO MUCH?

In the rush to give children a healthy dose of self-esteem, some adults go
too far to praise children. And that can backfire. It doesn't take kids
long to realize that all the praise may not be justified. Maybe you fail to
gush over a painting the way Mom and Dad have always done. Or a playmate
tells them their clay bowl is yucky. It's a rude awakening!

A child who is praised too much may fall into the great-expectations trap.
These kids feel the only way they can be accepted and loved is to keep
performing at higher levels. Too much praise can also set up a
fear-of-failure scenario. Kids are so dependent on the approval of others,
they may be afraid to take risks. Scared that they won't be able to do a
task perfectly, they don't do it at all.

This is not to say that adults should act like drill sergeants. It's fine
to tell a toddler everything he does is wonderful. And it's also fine to
burst out in spontaneous delight over something a child does. But by the
time kids are in preschool, caregivers and parents should think about when
and how they praise.


DON'T PRAISE INDISCRIMINATELY. Children need and deserve realistic
feedback about their accomplishments to understand their strengths and
weaknesses. If you gush over everything, they will never recognize that
some areas really do need improvement. Instead of treating every painting
as a masterpiece, talk about the facts: Look at that deep-blue sky! What a
lot of colors you used today! I can't wait to hang up this painting. Think
of praise as a form of feedback. The more specific you are, the more
important information you impart to the child.


FOCUS ON THE CHILD'S SPECIAL TALENT. Every child has some area of
competence, one that can serve as a source of pride and accomplishment.
Encourage that special talent and the child's pride in his achievement will
transfer to other work.


LOOK AT THE CHILD'S EFFORTS, NOT THE RESULTS. Too often, adults reward
the results and forget about the effort. Look back two or three months on
the child's progress and concentrate your praise on how much a child has
improved.


NEVER COMPARE A CHILD WITH SIBLINGS OR FRIENDS. Many times adults compare
one child to another. Encourage children to participate and do well because
they enjoy something, not because they want to beat out someone else or
prove they're smarter than someone else.


TEACH CHILDREN THAT MAKING MISTAKES IS A NATURAL PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS. While you will never be able to take away all the
disappointment a child will face, you can make sure he doesn't feel
defeated by it. For instance, if you see a child is upset because a project
didn't come out the way he wanted, you can encourage him to start over or
change something in the project.


Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
(1993). Can you praise children too much? In M. Lopes (Ed.) CareGiver
News (August, p. 1). Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Cooperative
Extension.

Source:
http://www.preschooleducation.com/art18.shtml

Montessori Education Provides Better Outcomes Than Traditional Methods, Study Finds

September 28, 2006—A study comparing outcomes of children at a public inner-city Montessori school with children who attended traditional schools indicates that Montessori education leads to children with better social and academic skills.
The study appears in the September 29, 2006 issue of the journal Science (see article full text; available free through Montessori-Science.org).

Montessori education is characterized by multi-age classrooms, a special set of educational materials, student-chosen work in long time blocks, a collaborative environment with student mentors, absence of grades and tests, and individual and small group instruction in academic and social skills. More than 5,000 schools in the United States, including 300 public schools, use the Montessori method.

The Montessori school studied is located in Milwaukee and serves urban minority children. Students at the school were selected for enrollment through a random lottery process. Those students who “won” the lottery and enrolled at the Montessori school made up the study group. A control group was made up of children who had “lost” the lottery and were therefore enrolled in other schools using traditional methods. In both cases the parents had entered their children in the school lottery with the hope of gaining enrollment in the Montessori school.

“This strategy addressed the concern that parents who seek to enroll their children in a Montessori school are different from parents who do not,” wrote study authors Angeline Lillard, a University of Virginia professor of psychology, and Nicole Else-Quest, a former graduate student in psychology at the University of Wisconsin. This was an important factor because parents generally are the dominant influence on child outcomes.

Children were evaluated at the end of the two most widely implemented levels of Montessori education: primary (3- to 6-year-olds) and elementary (6- to 12-year-olds). They came from families of very similar income levels (averaging from $20,000 to $50,000 per year for both groups).

The children who attended the Montessori school, and the children who did not, were tested for their cognitive and academic skills, and for their social and behavioral skills.

“We found significant advantages for the Montessori students in these tests for both age groups,” Lillard said. “Particularly remarkable are the positive social effects of Montessori education. Typically the home environment overwhelms all other influences in that area.”

Among the 5-year-olds, Montessori students proved to be significantly better prepared for elementary school in reading and math skills than the non-Montessori children. They also tested better on “executive function,” the ability to adapt to changing and more complex problems, an indicator of future school and life success.

Montessori children also displayed better abilities on the social and behavioral tests, demonstrating a greater sense of justice and fairness. And on the playground they were much more likely to engage in emotionally positive play with peers, and less likely to engage in rough play.

Among the 12-year-olds from both groups, the Montessori children, in cognitive and academic measures, produced essays that were rated as “significantly more creative and as using significantly more sophisticated sentence structures.” The Montessori and non-Montessori students scored similarly on spelling, punctuation and grammar, and there was not much difference in academic skills related to reading and math. This parity occurred despite the Montessori children not being regularly tested and graded.

In social and behavioral measures, 12-year-old Montessori students were more likely to choose “positive assertive responses” for dealing with unpleasant social situations, such as having someone cut into a line. They also indicated a “greater sense of community” at their school and felt that students there respected, helped and cared about each other.
The authors concluded that, “…when strictly implemented, Montessori education fosters social and academic skills that are equal or superior to those fostered by a pool of other types of schools.”

Lillard plans to continue the research by tracking the students from both groups over a longer period of time to determine long-term effects of Montessori versus traditional education. She also would like to replicate the study at other Montessori and traditional schools using a prospective design, and to examine whether specific Montessori practices are linked to specific outcomes.

Lillard is the author of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius. More information is available at: http://www.montessori-science.org/.

Philosophy and Pedagogical Approach of Singapore Math

Part 2.
by Bill Jackson

In 1989, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) published the Principles and Standards, which advocated a problem-solving approach for the teaching and learning of mathematics. Thoughtful application of this approach, however is still relatively uncommon in U.S. classrooms. Analysis of the TIMSS videotape study revealed that Japanese math lessons embodied the spirit of the NCTM Standards more than American lessons. How could this be, given that NCTM is a U.S. organization?

It turns out that while American teachers were still trying to make sense of the standards, Japanese teachers were studying how to make them come alive in their classrooms through lesson study.

Another nation that took the NCTM Standards and other research on problem-based approaches seriously is Singapore. After its independence in 1965, Singapore realized that without any natural resources it would have to rely on human capital for success, so they embarked on an effort to develop a highly educated citizenry. Various education reforms were initiated and in 1980 the Curriculum Development Institute was established, which developed the Primary Mathematics program. This program was based on the concrete, pictorial, abstract approach. This approach, founded on the work of renowned cognitive American psychologist Jerome Bruner, encourages mathematical problem solving, thinking and communication.

The fact that problem solving is the central idea in Singapore math can be seen in the pentagon from Singapore's Mathematics Framework below.

The Framework states, "Mathematical problem solving is central to mathematics learning. It involves the acquisition and application of mathematics concepts and skills in a wide range of situations, including non-routine, open-ended and real-world problems. The development of mathematical problem solving ability is dependent on five inter-related components, namely, Concepts, Skills, Processes, Attitudes and Metacognition."

Problem solving and mathematical thinking are two big ideas behind Singapore math. To understand this better, let's look at an example that many American elementary students struggle with, long division. As noted in part one of this blog, word problems are often the last thing on the page in U.S. mathematics textbooks. Often times teachers never even
get to these problems or if they do, usually only the advanced students have the opportunity to tackle them while struggling students continue to practice procedures. The third grade Primary Mathematics textbook, however, introduces long division with a word problem. The description below is one way how the concept of long division might be introduced in
Singapore math.

After a brief warm up with multiplication and division flash cards, the teacher introduces a problem by saying, "Our friend Meihua has some toy soldiers. She wants to put them equally in some tents." (Note that no numbers are mentioned and there is no question asked yet.) The teacher then asks the students to try to imagine the situation and discuss what it means to put the soldiers in tents equally. Students share examples such as, "If she has 15 soldiers and 3 tents, she could put 5 soldiers in each tent," and "If there were 10 soldiers and 5 tents she could put 2 soldiers in each tent."

Next, the teacher gives the students 14 counters (chips) to represent the soldiers and 4 cups to represent the tents. Then she poses the problem, "Meihua has 14 toy soldiers. She puts the toy soldiers equally into 4 tents. How many soldiers are there in each tent? How many soldiers are left?"

Students begin solving the problem by dividing the counters among the cups as well as any other methods they come up with (e.g. using the multiplication table of 4). Then, several students share their solution methods with the class, the methods as well as errors are discussed and evaluated, and important ideas are highlighted. The teacher then uses these ideas to introduce the division algorithm for 14÷4, relating each step to the soldiers and the tents. Lastly, vocabulary words such as dividend, divisor and quotient are introduced and related to the problem.

Solving and discussing this "anchor problem" has taken a little more than half of the one-hour math period. For the rest of the class, students solve and discuss a few carefully selected problems from the textbook, gradually moving from simple to more complex numbers, and using pictures from the textbook to help them form a mental picture of the process. Over the course of the unit, students will learn to calculate long division problems using only numbers but they will have frequent opportunities to move through this cycle of concrete manipulation to pictorial representation to abstract calculation. Since there are fewer topics in the Singapore math textbook, the students have sufficient time to study the concept in depth to understand and master it.

I would like to point out a few reasons why this approach is helpful.

1) The problem situation provides a familiar context for students to think about an abstract concept.

Although 14÷4 might seem easy to adults, for a third grader, especially one who is already struggling in mathematics, it may seem quite abstract. The use of a familiar situation makes it easier to understand. Every child can think about dividing toy soldiers equally into tents. Since no numbers are mentioned initially, no child is lost. Every child can enter the lesson successfully at some level.

The problem setting also makes mathematical terms like divisor, quotient and remainder easier to understand. All too often, abstract mathematical concepts and vocabulary are presented in a void. But the problem situation gives the terms meaning. The toy soldiers become the dividend, the tents the divisor, the number of soldiers in each tent the quotient, and the soldiers who don't have a tent the remainder. When used in this way, instead creating difficulty, the word problem makes learning more concrete by presenting abstract ideas in a familiar context. As a result, students' attitudes towards problem solving and mathematics in general improve.

2) By sharing and discussing their solution methods, students develop metacognitive
processes (ed. note: metacognition - awareness & understanding about one's own
thinking).

Sharing and discussing their methods requires students to think about their metacognition, as well as the thinking of their classmates. When students share their own solution methods they are required to make their thinking clear and explicit so
their classmates will understand them. When they have to listen to their classmates' methods and restate their friends' thinking in their own words they learn how to listen to and learn from each other. The pentagon from the Singapore Mathematics Framework shows how important reasoning, communication, thinking and metacognition are for students to become good mathematical problem solvers.

3) By spending time on concrete manipulation and pictorial representation, students are able
to internalize and visualize mathematical concepts.

The concept of division can be very abstract to children. Thinking about division using counters and cups is much easier than thinking about it with abstract numbers. By manipulating concrete objects, students internalize the division process. U.S. math programs often also begin with concrete activities but students usually go from using concrete objects right to abstract calculation. Singapore math textbooks include an intermediary pictorial stage. By looking at pictures of concrete objects being divided equally, students form a mental image of what long division looks like. When they finally get to abstract calculation, they have already internalized and visualized the process.

The above example shows a little of what Singapore math is. But I would also like to discuss what it is not, in order to dispel a couple of common misconceptions:

1) Singapore math is not the way we learned math as kids (that is, unless you went to school
in a developed East Asian nation).

In Singapore math, traditional algorithms are learned but conceptual understanding is taught before procedural fluency. For example, the long division algorithm taught in Singapore math textbooks is the same one we traditionally learn in the U.S., but it is presented and explained quite differently than the way most of us learned it (see Power Point presentation below). In Singapore math, students not only learn how to do an algorithm but also why and how every step of the algorithm works.

2) Singapore math is not "drill and kill," facts memorization, or rote learning of procedures.

In Singapore math, students learn their addition, subtraction and multiplication facts and eventually memorize them. But they also learn the structure and patterns behind the facts so if they forget them, they are able to reconstruct them in their minds. From early grades, children learn how to compose and decompose numbers and manipulate them in useful ways in order to calculate mentally.

Singapore math is about students solving problems, thinking deeply, sharing their ideas, and learning from one another. Conceptual, procedural and factual understanding is developed through problem solving and carefully structured practice and as a result, students learn how to think deeply and appreciate mathematics.

We cannot to go into sufficient detail in this blog about how mathematical concepts are presented in Singapore math so I am attaching a SingMathPPT.pdf presentation that will give you an idea of how basic algorithms and mental calculation are taught. (large file so download may take a couple minutes). In future posts, I will discuss the use of bar models for problem solving, and tips for successful implementation for schools that are interested in using Singapore math.

Until next time,

Bill Jackson
Math Helping Teacher
Scarsdale Public Schools

THE KIDDIE TOES MONTESSORI ADVANTAGE

DID YOU KNOW THAT one year of mental growth from age three to four is equivalent to three years of growth between ages 9 to 12? Don't let your kids lose out on the best years of their lives.

Here at KIDDIE TOES MONTESSORI SCHOOL we specializes in providing a "Prepared Environment" that spurs your child to learn during his most receptive stage from 3 to 6 years - a period when his mind leaps to growth. This environment is modified to suit his later developmental needs between 7-12 years, 13-16 and 17-20 years of age.

One of the factor missing in traditional schools is the Montessori "Prepared Environment" which readily conditions the child to work and concentrate. Bad habits of disorderliness, selfishness or dependence will be replaced by obedience and friendliness. Thus, the Montessori discipline is acquired through work not play.

Friendships - An Important Part of Childhood

Friendship is one of life’s greatest gifts. I was reminded of this the other day when two colleagues disclosed that they had been friends since kindergarten and had shared the ups and downs of school years, teenage years, marriage, children and careers. Considering they are both baby boomers, that is some test of time. By today’s standards where everything is disposable, dispensable, recyclable and replaceable, it was quietly comforting to hear of something that had remained constant. When we finally roll up to the pearly gates and reflect on our lives, I daresay it won’t be the material things we’ll value the most, but rather the people we’ve held near and dear.

Our children are growing up in a very different world to previous generations. They can expect to change house, move schools, travel overseas, meet people from many cultures and develop cyberspace friendships all before they get the ‘key to the door.’ Previous generations had smaller lives, moved in tighter, more limited circles and befriended people primarily from their immediate neighbourhood or workplace.

The social and sporting lives of children are enough to leave the average adult’s head spinning. Friendships originate from a seemingly unlimited supply of activities: music lessons, dance practice, swimming training, sporting interests, after school care and last but not least - school.

On face value you’d think friendships would be easier to form and maintain than ever. But this isn’t always the case and chances are kids today will at some stage find themselves floundering with friendships, battling with bullies or rattled by relationships.

So how can we help our kids nurture lasting friendships?

Being a good role model is always a great place to start. Demonstrating that friends are important, showing care and consideration for the feelings of others and a willingness to compromise when differences arise, is all good stuff. Discussing ways to be a good friend in order to have a good friend, gives children sound grounding.

Encourage them to have a variety of friends. The old adage, ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’ makes sense, especially today, when children can move schools, states or countries before leaving primary school. Losing your best friend can become monumentally challenging and devastating if they are your only friend. Encouraging your kids to invite several children from a variety of sources into their life, is good insurance. Being watchful for others who endeavour to dominate your child’s time at the exclusion of others is sound practice. Nurturing that special bond that exists between ‘best friends’ comes naturally when the connection exists, but developing a wider social network simultaneously is equally important.

Sitting back and letting your kids fight their own battles within reason adds to their education on relationships. Falling out with friends is always tricky and with children it is doubly difficult, because you have parents to deal with as well. Unless the issue is of considerable magnitude, on most occasions, common sense and time-out can sort out most tiffs. Kids are resilient and forgive and forget at the speed of light, especially when a new game, toy or activity to explore together is on the horizon. Learning how to settle differences, negotiate with mates and compromise is all par for the course for future friendships so they might as well learn it young.

The flipside of friendship is bullying. Unfortunately it is on the rise in schools, not only in this country but globally. Bullying was once thought of as physical abuse carried out in a sly, secret way. Research has shown that emotional bullying is equally damaging. It manifests itself in many ways: teasing, name- calling, threatening, staring and excluding. The latter often inflicts the greatest degree of hurt by deliberately leaving others out of activities.

Psychological profiles of bullies universally indicate that they suffer from low self esteem, despite their bravado. Victims, also fall prey to low self esteem and in many cases resort to bullying themselves in order to break the cycle. Schools have anti-bullying policies in place and discipline strategies to prevent such behaviour, but a bully becomes a master of disguise and their behaviour often continues despite the best efforts of teachers and parents to minimise its chances.

Letting a child who is being bullied, know that they can do something about it, is the first step. Giving them strategies for action, rather than reaction is empowering. Most kids relate to the experiences of others and books on both the topics of friendship and bullying are a great way to share ideas and deliver positive messages. Two Australian authors who have written about friendship and bullying are Sue Whiting and Susanne Gervay .

Sue’s book, Elephant Dance touches on the topic of ‘falling out’ with friends and Susanne’s, I am Jack delivers a first hand account of her son’s experiences with bullies. Both make for great reading.

Elephant Dance. Koala Books.

Written by Sue Whiting and illustrated by Nina Rycroft, Elephant Dance is a touching story about the universal theme of friendship. Two elephants, Hugo and Millie are the central characters. They share a special friendship until a difference of opinion causes a commotion and a parting of the ways. Pride gives way to loneliness and when Hugo’s solo journey lands him in danger, Millie comes to the rescue. The result is a happy reunion, with both characters wiser for the experience.

The text has great rhythmical appeal, which lends itself beautifully for reading out aloud with young audiences joining in.

Bright colours on the cover are continued throughout the story delivering a visually attractive and appealing journey. The target audience is 3 – 8 year olds, but the message of friendship being a cornerstone of our lives, makes it a suitable read for a variety of age groups.

I Am Jack. Angus and Robertson

Susanne Gervay’s novel, I Am Jack, is based on the experiences of her own son at the hands of schoolyard bullies. It addresses the isolation and desperation of the victim of bullying, yet contains just the right mix of humour to keep it entertaining and enthralling for its intended audience – children.

The book highlights to both parents and educators, how changes in a child’s behaviour are the initial warning signs. It also serves as a timely reminder of how busy lives can sometimes leave us unaware of important signals being sent from those closest to us.

The story is woven around Jack’s family life with his single mum, Rod, his soon to be step dad, his sister Samantha, his nana and his best friend, Anna.

I Am Jack, addresses the problem of bullying in a warm, uplifting way and more importantly extends a message of hope to any child who falls prey to this insidious practice.



SOURCE:
http://www.naturalparenting.com.au/flex/articles/7961/friendships-an-important-part-of-childhood.cfm

Montessori Schools Foster Social and Academic Skills

Researchers Report in Science

One of the first studies to scientifically test the impact of Montessori education suggests that Montessori schools can foster social and academic skills that are equal or superior to those in certain other types of schools, the authors report in the 29 September 2006 issue of the journal Science, published by AAAS, the nonprofit science society.

Montessori education takes a different approach from the traditional by employing multi- age classrooms, student-chosen work in long time blocks, the absence of grades and tests and a special set of educational materials.

Angeline Lillard of the University of Virginia and Nicole Else-Quest of the University of Wisconsin, Madison studied two groups of five- and 12-year-old students in Milwaukee, Wis. The results indicated that by the end of kindergarten, the Montessori children performed better on reading and math tests, as measured using the Woodcock-Johnson Test Battery that assesses letter-word identification, word attack and applied math problems.

Montessori students also engaged in more positive interaction on the playground and showed more advanced social cognition and executive control. They also demonstrated more concern with fairness and justice.

The Montessori 12-year-olds wrote more creative and sophisticated narratives, performed better on a test of social skills, and reported feeling a stronger sense of community at their schools, the authors said.

"Inner-city children who attended a well-implemented Montessori program were found to have social outcomes that were superior to those of children attending traditional schools," said Lillard."And they had academic outcomes that were at least as good on all measures, and on several measures were better," she added.

The parents of the students in the study had average incomes ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 annually. All parents entered their children in the school district's random lottery for the Montessori school. The Montessori group attended a public, inner-city, traditional Montessori school. The control group attended another school because they were not selected in the district lottery.

Lillard was drawn to study Montessori education by its close alignment with research on learning."I decided to do a study to see if it actually makes a difference," Lillard said. Usually parents are the major influence in a child’s social skills but this research shows Montessori education fosters improved social and academic skills, Lillard explained.
Funding was provided by the Jacobs and Cantus Foundations and sabbatical fellowships from the Cattell Foundation and the University of Virginia.

Tunisia Riley
29 September 2006
Source: http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/0929montessori.shtml