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Springboro Preschool Discovery Blog
Mary Binning: Posted on Monday, January 30, 2012 12:33 PM
Came across a good article by Carolyn Tomlin at www.earlychildhoodnews.com. Below is a section that I wanted to share with you. Thought this part of the article gave some good tips for how to work with your kids at home. Mental/Intellectual Readiness Statistics report that a large percentage of what children learn is acquired before five years of age. When parents ask, “What can I do to help my child adjust to school?” the answer is to encourage early preparation. Here are just a few things you can do at home to foster a love of learning in your child. - Storytelling can and should be a part of every day. This stimulates reading aloud and storytelling. A study by Dorothy Alison and J. Allen Watson (1994) showed that the earlier parents begin reading aloud to their children, the higher the children’s emergent reading levels are at the end of kindergarten. In another study, psychologist Robert Thorndike (1975) found that children who have been read aloud to from an early age become the best readers.
- Talk to your child. Then listen. High Scope Educational Research Foundation suggests setting up a “planning period” each day. During this time, talk to your child about what he intends to do. Suggest plans for the morning, afternoon, or bedtime. Plans could include: How do you plan to paint a picture? What will you need? What book would you like to read at bedtime? This type of conversation takes active listening on both sides. Refrain from asking your child “closed” questions that require a one-word answer. Phrase statements or questions so that the child must think about the answer before responding.
- Choose challenging activities. If an activity appears too easy, the child becomes bored. If too difficult, the child loses interest.
- Set aside time each afternoon to discuss your child’s day. Get involved in homework, even if it’s listening to a kindergartner count to 10, name rhyming words, or spell her name. Parents who encourage self-discipline and responsibility keep in touch with their child’s school or child care. It’s one of the best ways to ensure your child remains stimulated, mentally and intellectually.
- Foster Independence. A study by Robert J. Havighurst (1972) shows that specific types of behavior are required if individuals deal successfully with challenges and problems. He defines these as “developmental tasks.” Achieving personal independence becomes a task for the school-age child. Of course, it’s a slow process, which begins in early childhood and continues into adolescence and possibly adulthood. As a parent, it’s important to give your child the opportunity to try new things and to be supportive when she’s not successful on the first try.
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