7 facts about learning

Learning to write and speak well enables your child to better appreciate and understand what others have written and to develop confidence in communicating his own ideas.

1. Reading great literature gives children the opportunity to enter exciting worlds, to meet heroic characters, and to consider what could be. 
2. While studying the classics of yesterday and today, students not only improve their thinking and communication skills, but also learn important moral lessons, lessons they can use to guide their lives. 
3. On one level, the purpose and value of math seems obvious. Students need math to function as adults: to pay bills, make change, negotiate salaries, and so on. 
4. Virtually every career today requires some mathematical skill, and specialized careers usually involve advanced mathematical knowledge.
5. Mathematical training is important because it develops a student’s ability to think logically and precisely.
6. When Abraham Lincoln wanted to sharpen his general reasoning skills at age 40, he did so by working through Euclid’s Elements. A successful thinker must be able to structure and organize his ideas, and bring order to his mind. Mastery of math develops this mental capacity in students.
7. A proper math education gives an individual the capacity to approach all areas of his thought and life with rigor and discipline.

Easy sock puppets – teach them to dust!

It’s not easy to get kids invested in keeping the house clean. Get them started early with an easy task like dusting by introducing them to these fun dust-eating sock puppets.





Materials:

• Old socks
• Various buttons
• Needle and thread
• Glue (optional)
• Markers and pencils
• Yarn (optional)
• Felt, cloth and other

Here, we’re making our sock into a puppy. But you can use a variation of these instructions to make a kitten or other animal, girl or boy, or any other character your child will cling to. Use your imagination and don’t feel boxed in by the supplies we used. If it can be glued on, sewed on or in any way permanently affixed, do it!


Step 1: Get the right fit

Fit the sock on your child’s hand so it forms a “mouth,” using her thumb as the bottom jaw. Remove it, being careful not to ruin the “mold” you’ve made (use a pencil to make marks if you need to).




Step 2: Get prepared

Sew a small tack on either side of the mouth to hold it in place. If possible, keep it on the bottom of the puppet’s mouth so it won’t show (especially if you have to use a thread that doesn’t match your sock).

Fit the sock back on your child’s hand and use a pencil or marker to dot where the eyes, nose, ears, hair or tongue should go.





For the puppy, we cut the bottom few inches off the matching sock, ironed it flat, then cut it down the crease to make floppy puppy ears (with the right color fabric, different placement on the “head” and a different nose, you can also use this to make an elephant). We also grabbed an old baby sock with pink in it and cut out a small tongue-shape.



If you’re making a little girl or boy, wrap some yarn in the right hair color around four fingers several times and tie it in the middle with more yarn to create a figure eight. You can sew it on, then give your sock baby a haircut later.

Step 3: Sew it down

If it’s easier for you, before sewing you can use glue to affix buttons where the eyes, nose, ears and tongue go. You can also use the glue to affix any other features. Allow it to dry thoroughly, then sew on the items you glued (if you use only glue, it might melt or disintegrate in the wash). Depending on what type of sock or fabric you used, you may need to edge parts like the ears.

**Tip: We recommend using plain paper or mounting glue (as long as it dries clear). Fabric glue is meant to hold fabric and will be too hard to sew through. You should also use a good-quality, stiff needle if you opt for glue — any kind of glue can make the fabric stiffer (don’t forget your thimble!).




Step 4: Get those kiddos dusting!

Give your kids their special dust buddies and let them get started. These toys live on dust, so the more they make them eat, the healthier their new friend will be.

If your kids are younger, you should probably encourage them to stay away from sensitive electronics. Tell them to stick to baseboards, furniture, nonbreakable lamps and shelves.

Reading Tips Pre-K-1st Grade

By Jenks Public Schools

Read early and read often.The early years are critical to developing a lifelong love of reading. It's never too early to begin reading to your child!

Read together every day.
Read to your child every day. Make this a warm and loving time when the two of you can cuddle close.

Give everything a name.
Build your child's vocabulary by talking about interesting words and objects. For example, "Look at that airplane! Those are the wings of the plane. Why do you think they are called wings?"

Say how much you enjoy reading.
Tell your child how much you enjoy reading with him or her. Talk about "story time" as the favorite part of your day.

Read with fun in your voice.
Read to your child with humor and expression. Use different voices. Ham it up!

Be interactive.
Discuss what's happening in the book, point out things on the page, and ask questions.

Read it again and again.
Go ahead and read your child's favorite book for the 100th time!

Talk about writing, too.
Mention to your child how we read from left to right and how words are separated by spaces.

Point out print everywhere.
Talk about the written words you see in the world around you. Ask your child to find a new word on each outing.

Talk to your child.
Ask your child to talk about his day at school. Encourage him to explain something they did, or a game he played during recess.

Say silly tongue twisters.
Sing songs, read rhyming books, and say silly tongue twisters. These help kids become sensitive to the sounds in words.

Read it and experience it.
Connect what your child reads with what happens in life. If reading a book about animals, relate it to your last trip to the zoo.

Use your child's name.
Point out the link between letters and sounds. Say, "John, the word jump begins with the same sound as your name. John, jump. And they both begin with the same letter, J."

Play with puppets.
Play language games with puppets. Have the puppet say, "My name is Mark. I like words that rhyme with my name. Does park rhyme with Mark? Does ball rhyme with Mark?"

Trace and say letters.
Have your child use a finger to trace a letter while saying the letter's sound. Do this on paper, in sand, or on a plate of sugar.

Write it down.
Have paper and pencils available for your child to use for writing. Working together, write a sentence or two about something special. Encourage her to use the letters and sounds she's learning about in school.

Play sound games.
Practice blending sounds into words. Ask "Can you guess what this word is? m - o - p." Hold each sound longer than normal.

Read it again and again.
Go ahead and read your child's favorite book for the 100th time! As you read, pause and ask your child about what is going on in the book.

Talk about letters and sounds.
Help your child learn the names of the letters and the sounds the letters make. Turn it into a game! "I'm thinking of a letter and it makes the sound mmmmmm."

Tips for Parents of First Graders

Give your child lots of opportunities to read aloud. Inspire your young reader to practice every day! 

Don't leave home without it.
Bring along a book or magazine any time your child has to wait, such as at a doctor's office. Always try to fit in reading!

Once is not enough.
Encourage your child to re-read favorite books and poems. Re-reading helps kids read more quickly and accurately.

Dig deeper into the story.
Ask your child questions about the story you've just read. Say something like, "Why do you think Clifford did that?"

Take control of the television.
It's difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Encourage reading as a free-time activity.

Be patient.
When your child is trying to sound out an unfamiliar word, give him or her time to do so. Remind to child to look closely at the first letter or letters of the word.

Pick books that are at the right level.
Help your child pick books that are not too difficult. The aim is to give your child lots of successful reading experiences.

Play word games.
Have your child sound out the word as you change it from mat to fat to sat; from sat to sag to sap; and from sap to sip.

I read to you, you read to me.
Take turns reading aloud at bedtime. Kids enjoy this special time with their parents.

Gently correct your young reader.
When your child makes a mistake, gently point out the letters he or she overlooked or read incorrectly. Many beginning readers will guess wildly at a word based on its first letter.

Talk, talk, talk!
Talk with your child every day about school and things going on around the house. Sprinkle some interesting words into the conversation, and build on words you've talked about in the past.

Write, write, write!
Ask your child to help you write out the grocery list, a thank you note to Grandma, or to keep a journal of special things that happen at home. When writing, encourage your child to use the letter and sound patterns he is learning at school.

Encouraging child independence

When toddlers and young preschoolers start in Montessori, parents are often amazed at the sudden spurt in independence and skill their children display.

If your child is starting in a Montessori toddler or preschool program, and you want to witness this incredible development in your own child, it helps if you are able to prepare your home environment in ways that support your child’s new skills and desire to be independent.

Here are some ideas to consider:

1. Provide simple storage spots for belongings right inside the front door.  A small rug to place shoes or a basket to put them into and some hooks to hang jackets are a great start.  This can help your child get out of the house and back in more independently, and maybe prevent some meltdowns!  A little stool to sit on helps, as well.

2. Make your kitchen accessible to your child.  Find a low shelf or drawer to store cups, placemats, and utensils within your child’s reach.  Buy glass cups and inexpensive ceramic plates (IKEA is great!) that you don’t mind getting broken.  Invite your child to set his own place at the table.  A bigger step stool, or a learning tower can be a great help to little people who want to join you in the fun cooking activities at counter height.  And, of course, when it comes time to sit down and eat, encourage your child to feed himself:  Even young toddlers can eat finger-foods on their own, and start using a spoon; this is what they do in their Montessori classrooms, too.

3. Organize and simplify the play area.  Fewer toys, displayed on open shelves, are preferable over lots of toys in boxes that the children can’t see.

4. Small chairs and tables facilitate independent snack time and organized playtime.  Provide some buckets, sponges, rags, and child-sized brooms, and your child can even clean up after himself.

5. Facilitate getting dressed independently.  Low open shelves, low racks, a mirror and a bench with brush or comb can enable even 2- or 3-year-olds to begin to dress independently, especially if you pre-select an outfit the night before, or lay out two simple choices for a younger child.

6. Consider a floor or other low bed.  Some Montessori parents never have cribs; instead, they baby-proof an entire room and let even infants sleep on a floor bed.  While this may not work for every parent, a low bed or a twin mattress on the floor can be a great step up after a crib, instead of a toddler bed.

7. Make books accessible and create cozy reading areas.  The more that books are all over your house, the easier it is for your child to grab a book instead of asking for your iPhone or the TV when you are not available to play.

To see growth in your child’s independence, it’s not necessary to reorganize your entire house (who has the time and energy for that?!).  Just pick one or two ideas and make little changes over time.  You might think your child is too young to take advantage of these kinds of opportunities for independence—but once she starts school, you might be just as surprised and thrilled as the LePort Montessori parents who wrote the Facebook posts above! 

Thanks to Bernadette, a LePort parent of three children, ages infant to preschool, for inviting us into her house to take many of these beautiful pictures!

Related Posts

• Transitioning to Montessori: Independence (Part 1 of 5)
• What's the big deal with independence in Montessori preschool?
• The Dual Purpose of Montessori Preschool Practical Life Activities