Extending Groups

Did you go to a traditional school, public, or private school? Does it make a difference? The statistics say yes, it does! Students who were enrolled in extended year programs found in some private and public schools were found to have scores that were higher on average in Math by 6 points, in Reading higher by 4 points and in General Knowledge, by 8 points!

Children learn by what they see, and by how well their imagination is stimulated to help them form creative thinking that leads to problem solving. They can think better when their environment is consistantly giving them learning experiences and chances to put what they've learned into practice.

Children learn not in a straight line, but more like a web, where they start in the middle and make connections as they move out. They learn that some things change and some things stay the same.

Even if you did not recieve a stellar education you can go back and learn things for yourself to expand your knowledge where you want to. Even if your home, neighborhood and cultural environment did not lead to you finding and reaching goals, it's never too late to go back and pinpoint your childhood dreams, set a goal and work towards it. You can teach your own children, as every interaction that you have with them can be an opportunity to expand their knowledge and critical thinking. We all have the ability to expand our horizons. We just have to take that first step and do it.

Until next blog!

Love, Angelia

Explaining

Children often need explanations for things, and we as adults are no different. We all have questions. Children have ALOT of questions! Questions about things that happened in school and every other aspect of their lives! Questions about going places seem to be a big one for them. "How long will we be there?" "What will we do there?", etc. Answering these questions honestly is always the best policy. It reassures them, and keeps you from having to hear the same question over and over again. Children who are prepared for what's likely going to happen are less anxious, and that goes for us adults, too! Our days are full of unknowns so it's nice to get an explanation when we can!

As children we worry that visits will be boring and unpleasant even. Kindergarten is a major stressor if children have no idea of what to expect. Our lives all have certain areas where we know most likely what's going to happen, and then there are gray areas where we hope for the best. Each day, though scheduled with familiar tasks and activities, is a new and different one. Each class in school is an opportunity for learning, and we know that explanations of what's expected of us will be given. The same goes true for job duties. If you haven't read the poem, "Everything That I Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten" it's a really good one, and you should look it up! It's all about simple explanations for how to live your life. Life has lots of teachers for us with varying explanations about everything. Spring gives us a new outlook every year, even though, every year, it comes. Our life is our ultimate classroom and it's our job to look for the explanations that matter to us.

Routine helps us feel secure and gives us an explanation of what's expected of us that day. Our homes can be much more organized by routine. Giving children a routine helps them learn time management, and also helps them feel more secure. Schools use routine to get the most out of student's time there, and to ease transitions from one subject to the next. Time management helps us all know when it's time to do a certain thing, and when to move on to the next thing. We eat breakfast in the morning, dinner in the evening etc. Routine can become boring it it's not fulfilling us in some way, but it also can make us feel secure that everything is fine. Children especially thrive in routine. Scheduling household chores etc. can let you find time to squeeze it all in. We learn from the routine. We all need to feel secure. If we learn from the explanations we find, and organize our lives into a routine, even though it may need to be a flexible one, we can make the most of the time we have here.

We don't get an explanation for everything in our lives. We don't know exactly what's going to happen all of the time. If we explain everything we can to our children, they have less stress, and a bigger knowledge base. If we learn all we can about a situation, or place, or person, instead of just diving in head first, we will have a reasonable explanation of what to expect from them.

Be your best butterfly!

Love, Angelia
www.worksofheart.bravehost.com
amsc363@cs.com

Understanding and Empathy

We should always be there for our children. They have fears just like we do. They have concerns just like we do. They have problems just like we do. They each have a unique point of view, just like we do. We should take all of these things seriously, and help our children to deal with them. Parents are the first line of defense for upsetting situations in life. If we teach them how to deal with them when they are young, then they will be more able to do so for themselves when they are older. Teaching THEM how to do it is important, because if YOU solve all of their problems for them, then they will only learn how to be dependant on you to solve life's problems for them. Problems are going to happen. Each child is different, and therefore reacts to things differently, so what may have not been a problem for one child, can be a big one for another. We all have our own "issues", and knowing what your child's are can help you know when you should step in for a life 101 lesson, and when to let them brainstorm for themselves. Embarrassment can be a big problem for kids. They aren't ready yet to let words go and they internalize each mean or embarrassing thing said and done to them. When they come to you with incidences that cause them embarrassment it's important for you as the parent to help build their self esteem back up and remind them that some kids can be mean, and that they are a wonderful, unique individual to not let others define them for their percieved short comings, whether they actually are a problem or not. That will help them navigate our emotional minefields later in life. A child's issues are as important as an adults. Especially to them. Being "just a kid" doesn't make things hurt any less, but actually more, because they are emotionally immature and can't deal with upsets as easily as an adult can. Anything important enough for someone to be upset about, is important. If we use our understanding to help them see things from a bigger perspective, that will help show them that, someday, they will be as able to think things out as you can, and will give them confidence that they will be o.k. in the adult world, not left behind by the mean perceptions that others are spouting at them now. Children's perspective you must understand is alot more big, scary and powerful. If you can remember how it felt to be little and everything was so big and you didn't understand alot of things and you felt powerless, then you can empathize with your children and help them cope with their fears and feelings of inadequacy. We should all show concern for a child's problem so that they know that they are important to us. Remembering how you felt as a child, and having knowledge of who your child is and how they think will help you be able to help them come up with strategies for dealing with their problems in a constructive manner which will build their self esteem, confidence and a positive outlook on life.

Until next blog!

Love, Angelia
www.worksofheart.bravehost.com