tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75361966700562940042024-03-13T13:45:05.510-07:00empower kids for lifeA collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life. “I believe education is the process of living and not a preparation for future living”. John Dewey Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-31442651091100324692020-04-09T21:01:00.001-07:002020-04-09T21:15:36.350-07:00 It's ok to say NO!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Je8gdBNa-iQ/Xo_vfCIKgDI/AAAAAAAAAaw/EQPdzbG-ORURPdji8WBBowACkaJCoyeJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/it%2527s%2Bok%2Bto%2Bsay%2Bno.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Je8gdBNa-iQ/Xo_vfCIKgDI/AAAAAAAAAaw/EQPdzbG-ORURPdji8WBBowACkaJCoyeJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/it%2527s%2Bok%2Bto%2Bsay%2Bno.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
These days saying NO can be easy.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No, we can’t go to the park. It’s closed. </div>
<div>
No, we can’t go eat at your favorite restaurant. It’s closed. </div>
<div>
No, we can’t go to your friends house, we are not having playdates for now. </div>
<div>
No, you can’t use toilet paper to make a mummy custom right now. It’s hard to find toilet paper in the market sometimes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Other times it’s really hard.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No, I can’t play with you right now today is a workday at home. I can play when I am done. </div>
<div>
No, I can’t start this new project now because I am taking care of a little child at home on top of my part-time job. </div>
<div>
No, I have to take this call. Can you pitch in and stay with our daughter for an hour?</div>
<div>
No, I can’t have lunch with everyone because I need to catch up on work. </div>
<div>
No, you can’t hit me when you are frustrated. I am going to help you. </div>
<div>
No, I can’t go on an online shopping spree because I am making less money. </div>
<div>
No, you can’t eat all the pirate booty in the pantry. Take one bag and save some for tomorrow. </div>
<div>
No, I have to get lunch ready. You can help me if you want to and after lunch we can play. </div>
<div>
No, I need to take a shower right now. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sometimes it’s necessary. It is necessary for your mental health and those around you. We are not striving for balance, we are striving for sanity. Saying NO is not painless or guiltless. The faces of disappointment will be hard to take in. You tears will heal you. We are all facing hard decisions. It’s ok to say NO!<br />
<br />
____<br />
<br />
En estos días decir NO es fácil.<br />
<br />
No, no podemos ir al parque. Está cerrado.<br />
No, no podemos ir a comer a tu restaurante favorito. Está cerrado.<br />
No, no podemos ir a la casa de tus amigos.<br />
No, no puedes usar papel higiénico para disfrazarte de momia. No hay papel higiénico en el mercado.<br />
<br />
Otras veces es realmente difícil.<br />
<br />
No, no puedo jugar contigo ahora. Es un día de trabajo en casa. Jugamos cuando termine.<br />
No, no puedo comenzar este nuevo proyecto ahora porque estoy cuidando a un niño pequeño en casa además de mi trabajo actual.<br />
No, tengo que contestar esta llamada. Quédate con nuestra hija una hora por favor.<br />
No, no puedo almorzar juntos porque necesito ponerme al día con el trabajo.<br />
No, no puedes golpearme cuando estás frustrado. Voy a ayudarte.<br />
No, no puedo irme de compras en línea porque estoy ganando menos dinero.<br />
No, no puedes comer todas las papitas de la despensa. Comete una y guarda otras para mañana.<br />
No, tengo que preparar el desayuno. Puedes ayudarme si quieres y después de comer podemos jugar.<br />
No, necesito bañarme ahora.<br />
<br />
No es fácil pero a veces es necesario. Es necesario para la salud mental y para la de los que nos rodean. No estamos buscando equilibrio, estamos buscando cordura. Decir NO no es dolor y puede generar culpa. Las caras de decepción serán difíciles de asimilar. Tus lágrimas te sanarán. Todos enfrentamos decisiones difíciles. ¡Está bien decir NO!</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-7869421270684713082020-03-27T22:27:00.001-07:002020-04-09T21:03:04.546-07:00Why are we home all day? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-biwr8wBXR30/Xn7frybmfdI/AAAAAAAAAaA/F4hRBaGsVOovby6qhdi_aAlQe25fzaxMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/por%2Bque%2Bestamos%2Ben%2Bcasa.001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-biwr8wBXR30/Xn7frybmfdI/AAAAAAAAAaA/F4hRBaGsVOovby6qhdi_aAlQe25fzaxMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/por%2Bque%2Bestamos%2Ben%2Bcasa.001.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>DAY 1</b></div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: School is closed. We are going to stay home for a few days. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: No! I want to go out! </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: Our days are going to be different for while. We are going to have workdays at home and weekends (play/relax) days at home. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: I went to go out now!</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: I feel the same way! I wish we could go right now. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>DAY 3</b></div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4year old: Let’s go to the park or have a play date. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: The park is closed, too. Everything is closed. We are all staying home for now. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: why? </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: Do you want to know why? Germs can make people ill sometimes. The doctors discovered there is a jumpy germ that likes to jump on different things and places. Grown ups were not being that good at washing their hands like kids do. They weren’t coughing on their elbows either so this jumpy germ went to too many places. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: Nahhh! You made that up. It’s not true. (I can totally relate)</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: It is. The doctors found it. It’s called Coronavirus. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: HA HA HA. You just made up that name. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: I know. It sounds silly! But that is the name the doctors gave it. To make this jumpy germ go away doctors asked people to help. So everyone helping the doctors staying home until it goes away. When it goes away, we will be able to go back to school, restaurants, the park and have play dates again. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: Where is the jumpy germ?</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: that is the tricky part. We can’t see it. Only doctors can. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>DAY 5 (walking around the block)</b></div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: You can’t see germs, right? </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: No, we can’t. They are invisible. Only doctors and scientists can see them on a microscope. It is a special machine they have. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year old: Are they here?</div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Mom: No. they might be in things people touch a lot, or in places where there is a lot of people. That is why people are staying a little far away from each other until the jumpy germ goes away. You can still wave, say hi, smile to people. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>DAY 6</b></div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
4 year-old: I am going bring in the box from outside. </div>
<div>
.</div>
<div>
Me: I know you like to do that, but I am going to do it until the jumpy germ goes away just in case. I will give you another box you can help me carry in the kitchen.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am sure as the days go by, more questions will arise. When I talk to him, I try to stay grounded and he feels my confidence. I am not telling it as a story but as a serious answer to his question. Thank you @askthechildwhisperer for sharing tools that round up my explanation. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When we come back to places one day, I want him to be careful about germs but knows they are a normal part of life. He will be able to hug his friends and family at ease. He understands physical distancing is needed right now but we can be social in many different ways.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div>
<b><i>The jumpy germ might be jumping around right now, but one day it will be us and children who will be! </i></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
#empowerkidsforlife #explaincoronavirustochildren # hardconversationswithchildren #keepcalm #wearehelpers #consciouswords #mindfulness</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-91971936330677359022019-06-06T18:16:00.001-07:002019-06-09T22:37:03.329-07:00Siblings Rivalry: When the baby becomes a toddler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zgDI8pqF9ss/XPm49a308JI/AAAAAAAAAW0/jFnJ6T2kxb47wJE35rK0enoppbVrt_JnACLcBGAs/s1600/AdobeStock_207176100.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zgDI8pqF9ss/XPm49a308JI/AAAAAAAAAW0/jFnJ6T2kxb47wJE35rK0enoppbVrt_JnACLcBGAs/s400/AdobeStock_207176100.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My son (will be 6 in July) has been showing strange behaviors. He has been peeing on the carpet ON PURPOSE when he gets angry lately and that could be because I didn’t let him watch TV more than what he should. I know most of his anxiety is because of jealousy to his younger sister who is 2 now. When he hits his sister and we ask him to go to his room. He does that, too. Yesterday he did it because he wanted to play with me and I wasn’t available because I was talking a s</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hower.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I try to stay calm and firm as much as I can. We try to have special time with him but it’s very hard with his attitude!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel a big disconnect between us since my daughter was born. No matter how hard I try, he usually doesn’t want to go anywhere with me. Most of the time he tells me he hates me, which really hurts. For a special time, we go to his favorite places like Santa Monica pier, CPK or Pinkberry together.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know he is doing all these to get attention but we do give him all the attention we can. I have been getting help from different child psychologists. Going to lectures and etc. He is in such power struggle with me and nothing works! <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Since his sister is now two and starting to have her own opinions and wishes expressed more, their relationship is changing. I am sure your relationship with her is changing too. She is not a baby or a toddler that can be easily redirected anymore. Now, he needs to negotiate with her and probably after a day of doing this at school with peers he is exhausted and has no patience for her. He doesn’t know how to handle this new tiny person in his space. He is not supposed to. This is where you come in.</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">1) Your role is now mediator instead of only caregiver. </span></b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">You need to show your son that you have his back and understand his point of view. The more he feels you are on his side, the easier will be for him to be more flexible with his sister. We tend to demand a lot from big brothers. Try to find the reason why he is hitting his sister and solve that first. Only until you understand the root cause of the problem, you will understand what is the skill that he is lacking and it’s causing the hitting. Then, you can deal with the hitting saying: " If you are frustrated and she is not listening to you, come get me. I will help. It is not ok to hit her". This will help him with stopping before hitting and move away from the situation. This may not happen right away so, at first, try to be nearby when you think a difficult situation is coming. </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">2) Connect at home:</span></b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">It sounds that you are having a special time with him outside the house, which is great. But, I think you should try to find moments to connect at home. I call them rituals instead of routines. I know it is difficult with 2 children, but they don't have to be long to be special. Write a special note that he can take to school in his pocket or have a special notebook just for the two of you to make drawings and write notes to each other. Maybe, </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;">when</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">his sister is busy playing approach him. Give him a kiss and your</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;">undivided</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">attention even if it is only for one minute. Sit with him to watch a movie or just be nearby. Don't label it or highlight it. The more defiant children are, the more important it is to connect with them. Even though is hard, we are the adults in the relationship. It might take a while to set this in place but take your time to find something that works for you. </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">3) Highlight natural consequences and give him new strategies he can use instead of punishing him. </span></b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> About peeing on the floor, have a conversation when he is calm and say to him: "I have noticed you've been peeing on the floor when you are angry and we have had less time to play together because we have to clean the carpet afterward." Wait for his response. Later on, you can say: "It is hard when I am mad too. When I am frustrated I scream but I am going to try to change that and instead I am going to take 5 deep breaths and pause. (Sometimes I call it "blow the birthday candles" and you use your hand to blow one finger at the time). Would you like to try it with me? It might help us get more time together." He might not use it right away and in the heat of the moment might be forgotten. He might not want to use it but keep referring to it. "Take a deep breath, let's figure it out". Stay firm on your limits no matter how angry he is. Accept all feelings that come with this. I know it is hard to see it that way but difficult situations are opportunities for connection as well. </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">If you catch him before peeing, tell him to go to the bathroom or take him saying: "You can be mad but pee goes in the toilet. Go to the bathroom please."</span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">When you are not there to catch it beforehand, I would say "Oh no. You were really mad that I couldn't play with you while I was taking a shower. I really wanted to spend some time playing with you but now we have to clean the rug instead". Make a plan to play or read later in the day if he is asking for it. Look for him later and make sure you follow through on the plan and remind him if he forgets. This is how you build trust that even when things don’t happen right away, you are serious about what you say. </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">4)</span></b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Accept all feelings and don't take it personally (this is a hard one, I know!) </b>Hearing your child tell you that he hates you is one of the most painful things in the world. When children say "I hate you", they really mean I didn't like what you did or said, I am mad!. With their peers you might hear "I don't want to be your friend anymore" or "You can't come to my birthday party." Focus on what triggered the response and make a plan for next time. You can respond with: "I get it. You really wanted to watch another show on TV and it is time for dinner. You can watch it tomorrow afternoon". Then move on to the kitchen confidently. If he doesn’t follow you, come back and help him move to the table gently. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">5)</span></b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Allow time for transitions and inform the plan beforehand.</b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"> </span></b><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">Try to have transitions when he has completed what he is doing. For example: "After you finish the puzzle we are going to have a snack". If that is not possible get a 5-minute warning and tell him when he can keep working on it. Especially with TV, transitions are hard. Let him know he can watch one episode or one movie and then you will turn it off. Talk to him before turning it on. Once they are watching they are not listening to you. I usually save screen time before dinner or a snack so there is a clear transition to move towards. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 14.5pt;">While a new sibling disrupts an only child’s world when they are born, when they become a toddler/preschooler they not only have to share their parents but also the environment around them. They will both grow in this new state of being and learn from one another. The more you can support them in talking to each other and find solutions together, the more skilled they will become in negotiating with one another. This might seem time-consuming but see this time with them as an investment for the future. This is the first time they are going through this process and so are you. </span><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "tahoma"; font-size: 15.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-36546436981642773992019-05-30T15:15:00.000-07:002019-06-06T18:22:38.693-07:00Transitions to Kindergarten: Big feelings before moving on!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vhf2EjImixE/XPBSRx1eXLI/AAAAAAAAAWc/YGEAiOdWAA8ksOgHwLmRJFtSnEi6mYEIQCLcBGAs/s1600/AdobeStock_204037470.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vhf2EjImixE/XPBSRx1eXLI/AAAAAAAAAWc/YGEAiOdWAA8ksOgHwLmRJFtSnEi6mYEIQCLcBGAs/s400/AdobeStock_204037470.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My son (will be 6 in July) has been showing strange behaviors like peeing on the carpet when he is angry. I think he has high anxiety; he eats his nails and chews on everything so hard. His anger and anxiety are much more extreme lately over the last month. He always had a habit of putting EVERYTHING in his mouth. He started to bite his nails right after his sister was born for a year. He stopped after a year with a reward system and he started again recently. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No problem at all at school, he is moving to Kindergarten in the fall. He is nice and kind to others and rational. He is respectful to his teachers and listens. He is very popular and everybody wants to play with him. He is extremely talented in sports and plays all day long. He is super energetic and active. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>I know he is doing all these to get attention but we do give him all the attention we can. I have been getting help from different child psychologists, g</i><i>oing to lectures and etc. Nothing works!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is usually the time of the year when children transitioning from pre-k to K start worrying about the transition and this might be the reason for his anxiety and why he is sowing these behaviors. The end of the year is approaching; teachers are probably talking more about it. He knows a big change is coming. He is anxious about it (the same way he was when her sister was born). Since he is very popular and everybody wants to play with him, the idea of going to a new school where he doesn't know anybody can be scary. It's like going to a party where you don't know anybody. He just can’t verbalize it yet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, it is not uncommon for children to let it all out at home after a long day at school of keeping it together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It is hard I know. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How you can support him:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1) Talk to him and tell him you have noticed that sometimes when he is nervous he is biting his nails so you got him a special box with some things that can help at those moments. That way he can start to recognize it and have a different outlet for it. I call it a relaxation box: Fill a box with relaxing activities chosen by him and create a relaxation center somewhere in your home. You might include music, coloring books, fidget toys, a mini sandbox, clay, books, and stuffed animals. If you notice him biting his nails you can tell him, "You are biting your nails, let's use the box so your nails don't hurt afterward" (this way you are giving him an internal motivation not to bite his nails and giving him a healthy outlet for his feelings).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2) Tell him when he is calm that whenever he feels worried he can tell you about it. If you are not around he can make a picture and give it to you. Later when you have the time you can sit with him and write about it, if he feels like it. Just ask questions and instead of telling him not to worry try to say: "I know that can be worrisome sometimes". You want to create a space where he can share anything with you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3) Share stories of situations when you went to school for the first time or did not know anybody at a place. Share how asking for people's names or sitting next to somebody helped you make a friend. Books are also a great resource:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://copingskillsforkids.com/blog/9-books-to-help-kids-deal-with-anger">https://copingskillsforkids.com/blog/9-books-to-help-kids-deal-with-anger</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4) A couple of weeks before starting kindergarten, ask him if he has any questions about his new school; if he hasn’t brought it up before. More than getting him excited about the new school, your role is to support him in the process. If he doesn't have anything to say about it you can tell him that the new school will have things that are similar to his preschool and others that will be different. The teacher will be there to help him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is the mom’s response after a few weeks of our consultation. While not everything was solved in a week what I enjoyed the most was seeing how this mom's perspective changed. By doing that, she found new ways to support his son not only in difficult situations but throughout his day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I used some of your strategies and I think things are much better. He still bites his nails. I was just thinking about everything that’s going on in our lives. He has a lot more anxiety and stress than just transition to kindergarten. We are actively looking to buy a new house and talk about different options at home.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He will go to our home school but that could change if we move and that discussion comes up every time we put an offer on a house or we see a house we like. I can’t even get him excited about our home school now because we might move. Also, we won’t keep our current nanny whom he is very close to if we move and he knows that. So all these unknowns are adding to his anxiety. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Since we realized that, we decided not to talk about houses or schools too much in front of him. Also, I’m taking it very easy on his eating habits, which has been always an issue with him. He is a very picky and difficult eater. I’m starting to take it very easy on him knowing everything else that’s going on in his life right now. So I think doing these 2 things have helped him calm down a little as well as the tools you gave me to use. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I asked him about nail-biting and he said he is not doing that because he is stressed but I think he is just saying that! <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thanks for all your help!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></i> </div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we align our thoughts, our words and our actions everything starts falling into place, even when you don't see results right away. Change takes time and comes with different kinds of feelings. Take a deep breath. You have everything you need to handle this situation! </div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-63618885805901640392018-10-15T15:39:00.001-07:002019-06-24T11:21:22.145-07:00I miss you! 5 ways to support your toddler or child when you have to travel without them<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9qItvBW9g8A/XREUXv6Ns7I/AAAAAAAAAXU/K9AeWWkI5g496dE_jYzw0NrC8D5hRS6MQCLcBGAs/s1600/AdobeStock_99535086.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9qItvBW9g8A/XREUXv6Ns7I/AAAAAAAAAXU/K9AeWWkI5g496dE_jYzw0NrC8D5hRS6MQCLcBGAs/s400/AdobeStock_99535086.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Leaving your child behind is hard, especially when you are traveling far away. When parents of 19-month-old asked for ideas to support him while they were gone on a trip without him, this was my response:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">1. <b>Accept all the feelings</b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Accept the feelings that come with the process from both sides (I have been dealing with this process myself as I transition my son into preschool). Being apart from each other is hard because you love each other and that shows healthy attachment. This article is helpful for the person staying home with him to support him in this process and specific words to use when feelings arise: <a href="https://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/07/i-miss-you-and-thats-ok-toddlers-and-separation/">https://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/07/i-miss-you-and-thats-ok-toddlers-and-separation/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">2. <b>Create Family Book</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Create a family book or print pictures that the child can have available to look, pick up and hold at any time. Especially in the morning, at bedtime or times when parents are part of his routine. Write a short letter and leave it with the book saying you are on a trip, you will be back in a few days and you love him. Write a note for each day if you feel like it. The caregiver and the child can read it together. Making drawings or writing letters (for older children) to be read when the parents are back from the trip can be cathartic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">3. <b>Communicate the Plan</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Young children do not have a sense of time yet. Tell him the day before what the plan is going to be and who will stay with him during that time. At 19 months he is young and he will not respond but he will know what to expect. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">4. <b>FaceTime or not FaceTime?</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> I think it is ok to FaceTime. Not a million times ;). He might be distracted or not want to talk (which is common at this age) but he will know you called. And if he is sad after the call the person staying with him can remind him you are on a trip, you will be back in a couple of days and offer the family book if he needs it. You can decide the frequency of the calls depending on how he reacts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">5. <b>How long would you be gone? </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Sometimes having a physical way to know when you will be back can be helpful (example: having 13 blocks on a shelf removing one each day, stickers on a calendar), but at 19 months he might be too young for this one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"></span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Children are resilient and capable to deal with change even though it might be uncomfortable at times. We all struggle with it, both children and adults, but finding healthy ways of supporting the process will empower everyone involved. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Safe travels!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-87964270822668292992018-03-22T15:22:00.001-07:002018-03-22T15:22:18.255-07:00Bows and Arrows: Parents and Children<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SvRWmiQms_4/WrQsTqLHBWI/AAAAAAAAATg/eBFbgOl3laofYXOVtEdCLIIUt6rc3p9VwCLcBGAs/s1600/Bow%2BArrow%2BParents%2BChildren%2BKahlil%2BGibran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="660" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SvRWmiQms_4/WrQsTqLHBWI/AAAAAAAAATg/eBFbgOl3laofYXOVtEdCLIIUt6rc3p9VwCLcBGAs/s400/Bow%2BArrow%2BParents%2BChildren%2BKahlil%2BGibran.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">On Children by Kahlil Gibran</span><br />
<br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Your children are not your children.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">They come through you but not from you,</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">You may give them your love but not your thoughts.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">For they have their own thoughts.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">You may house their bodies but not their souls,</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">For even as He loves the arrow that flies,</span><br style="color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 14.666666984558105px;">so He loves also the bow that is stable.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-48969887686603205212017-03-20T15:15:00.000-07:002017-06-19T15:31:38.087-07:00Sharing Ideas, Sharing KnowledgeNowadays everyone wants to be a blogger. I, on the other hand, never wanted to be one. It happened by accident when I was studying Early Childhood Education at UCLA and my final assignment for a class was creating a Teacher Book. It was meant to be a collection of the most valuable resources and information for my teaching career. As I started putting it together, I realized this wasn't meant to stay on my hard drive or in my teacher's inbox. It was meant to be shared. That's how this blog was born.<br />
<br />
I had a similar feeling after my son was born and the strategies I used as a teacher made my life easier at home. For that reason, I decided to put together a workshop for parents. I know parenting is hard. I know you want to read the books and the articles but the life of a parent is a busy one. Here is the information in case you are interested and want to take two hours out of your busy day to get valuable strategies for your parenting journey.<br />
<br />
To sign up go to <a href="https://conscious-words.eventbrite.com/">https://conscious-words.eventbrite.com</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://consciouswords.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank"></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://conscious-words.eventbrite.com/"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-vCYTlGQDA/WUhQaa5B4RI/AAAAAAAAAKg/pQg2k5i6sqY1K7p_EZBFvYjMqN1PghT9ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-06-19%2Bat%2B3.15.07%2BPM.png" width="360" /></a><br />
<br />
See you there!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-27258175116510056972016-01-30T11:14:00.001-08:002017-06-19T15:32:08.979-07:00Lead by ExamplePeople say babies only cry, sleep and poop. But if you intentionally observe them you notice they are really busy. They discover the world and they are immersed in a very intense social study. They watch the light coming through the blinds. They delight looking at the leafs in the tree moved by the wind. They learn by example, it is proven. Our brains are powered by mirror neurons.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helveticaneue" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helveticaneue" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">"A </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Roboto-Regular, HelveticaNeue, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">mirror</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helveticaneue" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. Thus, the neuron "</span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Roboto-Regular, HelveticaNeue, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">mirrors</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: , "helveticaneue" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">" the behavior of the other, as though the observer</span>."<br />
<br />
They watch us make faces. They listen to us talking to strangers and they watch us using out phones and computers...all day. I've heard many people say children are born tech savvy in this generation. My theory is they are born in a world with tech-savvy parents and adults, that is why they are so skilled at it.<br />
<br />
If you want your kids to spend more time off the screen start yourself. It's easier said than done.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "georgia"; font-size: 16px;">"Whether a child is 8 months old or 2 or 7, we need to teach children how to process things, make transitions, comfort themselves, deal with feelings and shift gears. We are becoming more and more reliant on computers, whether it’s a game or book, to function for kids in that way. "</span><br />
<br />
Here is the full article about screen time recently published in the Washington Post<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/08/06/parents-are-the-ones-who-need-limits-on-screen-time/">https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2014/08/06/parents-are-the-ones-who-need-limits-on-screen-time/</a><br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-27122083649828658322015-12-10T19:12:00.002-08:002017-06-19T15:32:36.361-07:00Kinds of Thinkers<br />
I love finding articles that are relevant to the business world, the classroom and/or life at home. Even though we often regard these worlds as different and separate, they are more alike than we think. Working with small groups of children - ages 2 to 5 - I often found the conversations resembled those in the boardroom or business meetings I used to attend in my past life in the corporate world or as a business consultant. Leadership is about understanding ideas and group dynamics. Whether you are a manager, a teacher or a parent; understanding how others think is an important tool to relate and work with others.<br />
In the same way that the theory of <a href="http://howardgardner.com/multiple-intelligences/" target="_blank">Multiple Intelligences</a> developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner helps us understand a child strengths and weaknesses; this article by <a href="https://hbr.org/search?term=mark+bonchek" target="_blank">Mark Bonchek </a>and <a href="https://hbr.org/search?term=elisa+steele" target="_blank">Elisa Steele</a> at the <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/11/what-kind-of-thinker-are-you" target="_blank">Harvard Business Review</a> website helps us identify what type of thinkers children might be. Understanding how others thinking is similar or different from ours empowers us to collaborate more successfully with children or adults.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "guardian"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "guardian"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "guardian"; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bmw-n9SHwMQ/Vmo9dI2z6UI/AAAAAAAAAEw/RXDifdOaRS8/s1600/W151111_BONCHEK_WHATSYOUR-700x415.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bmw-n9SHwMQ/Vmo9dI2z6UI/AAAAAAAAAEw/RXDifdOaRS8/s400/W151111_BONCHEK_WHATSYOUR-700x415.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "guardian"; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "guardian"; font-size: 16px;">"For example, on the big picture or macro orientation:</span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: Guardian; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.8; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px 0px 2rem 1.1rem; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Explorer</span> thinking is about generating creative ideas.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Planner</span> thinking is about designing effective systems.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Energizer</span> thinking is about mobilizing people into action.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Connector</span> thinking is about building and strengthening relationships.</li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: Guardian; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; margin-bottom: 2rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizespeed;">
Across the micro or detail orientation:</div>
<ul style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: Guardian; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.8; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px 0px 2rem 1.1rem; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Expert</span> thinking is about achieving objectivity and insight.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Optimizer</span> thinking is about improving productivity and efficiency.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Producer</span> thinking is about achieving completion and momentum.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Coach</span> thinking is about cultivating people and potential.</li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: Guardian; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; margin-bottom: 2rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizespeed;">
When you know your thinking style, you know what naturally energizes you, why certain types of problems are challenging or boring, and what you can do to improve in areas that are important to reaching your goals."</div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: Guardian; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.9; margin-bottom: 2rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizespeed;">
For the full article visit <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/11/what-kind-of-thinker-are-you">https://hbr.org/2015/11/what-kind-of-thinker-are-you</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-75271077279768607312015-11-04T22:39:00.003-08:002017-06-19T15:33:15.705-07:00Back to Basics: Don't forget to be human. Great advice for teachers and parents...and non-parents!<br />
<br />
"To be a caring person, though, an educator must first be a person. Many of us are inclined instead to hide behind the mannerisms of a constantly competent, smoothly controlling, crisply authoritative Teacher… To do so is to play a role, and even if the script calls for nurturance, this is not the same as being fully human with children. A real person sometimes gets flustered or distracted or tired, says things without thinking and later regrets them, maintains interests outside of teaching and doesn't mind discussing them. Also, a real person avoids distancing maneuvers such as referring to him or herself in the third person (as in: “Mr. Kohn has a special surprise for you today, boys and girls”).<br />
<br />
Here, again, what initially looks like a common sense prescription reveals itself as challenging and even controversial. To be a person in front of kids is to be vulnerable, and vulnerability is not an easy posture for adults who themselves had to strike a self-protective pose when they were growing up. Moreover, to reach out to children and develop genuine, warm relationships with them may compromise one's ability to control them. Much of what is wrong with our schools can be traced back to the fact that when these two objectives clash, connection frequently gives way to control."<br />
<br />
Alfie Kohn<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-62187134921677343992013-05-10T18:36:00.000-07:002013-05-10T18:58:00.665-07:00Starting points when interacting with children: Challenging but rewarding work"....What I’ve come to understand is that the most important work I do to see a child in positive ways is within me. I must continually work to transform my own view of children’s behaviors, see their points of view, and strive to uncover how what I am seeing reveal s the children’s deep desire, eagerness, and capacity for relationships. There is no more important or rewarding work than this."<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deb Courtis</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px;">"Seeing Children’s Eagerness for Relationships</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://www.childcareexchange.com/catalog/product/exchange-essentials-observing-children-pt.2/4902010/" style="color: #990000; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Exchange Essential: Observing Children - Part II</a></strong>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444;">"</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T1YkhMJAV-o/UY2ffeI5KNI/AAAAAAAAADM/u7ha4ifYYx4/s1600/photo-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T1YkhMJAV-o/UY2ffeI5KNI/AAAAAAAAADM/u7ha4ifYYx4/s400/photo-5.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 10px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 10px; color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<blockquote type="cite">
<div alink="#990000" bgcolor="#f4f4f4" link="#000066" text="#000000" vlink="#666666">
<center>
</center>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-20771333106167170292013-02-25T22:39:00.001-08:002013-02-25T22:42:13.099-08:00The Problem Finders: Design Thinking for Genuine Epic-Scale Problem-Based Learning by Ewan Mcintosh<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">Another ICOT 2013 keynote speaker worth seeing. Ewan McIntosh explains the process many creative professionals use and explains how this can be used to create dynamic and deeper thinking that will better equip students for their future. Being passionate about ways the business community and the education system can be integrated I had to share this. I love the idea of the importance of creating problem finders, not only problem solvers!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f4950; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;">To watch the talk go to </span></span><a href="http://www.edtalks.org/video/problem-finders#.USxXcERcAUA.blogger">The problem finders | EDtalks</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-53777761611062863262013-02-25T22:07:00.001-08:002013-02-25T22:41:31.822-08:00Forty years of teaching thinking - revolution, evolution and what next? | EDtalks<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f4950; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;">An interesting talk from David Perkins at the International Conference on Thinking ( ICOT 2013). From past to future. Glad to be part of this movement!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f4950; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f4950; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;">"40 YEARS OF TEACHING THINKING -Revolution, Evolution, and What NextToday, national and international educational frameworks commonly include a range of thinking skills, often as part of 21st century skills or competencies. Although policy probably promises more than practice delivers, teaching thinking in some form has become a presence in many classrooms. All this began with revolutionary zeal in the thinking skills movement of the 1970s and 80s, including the first ICOT in 1982. Over the decades, skepticism about teaching thinking emerged from IQ advocates (‘people can’t get smarter’), the back-to-basics movement (‘no time for frills like thinking’), and the notion of situated learning (‘good thinking requires saturation in a discipline’). Meanwhile, both research and practical classroom experience have deepened our ideas about what thinking skills are, whether and how they can be taught, and what place they might take amidst competing educational agendas. I along with many colleagues have been involved throughout. This overview follows the journey of findings and changes in practice that have led us to today, and then looks to the decades ahead." From icot2013.core-ed.org</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f4950; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f4950; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19px;">To watch the talk go to </span><a href="http://edtalks.org/video/forty-years-teaching-thinking-revolution-evolution-and-what-next#.USxRA8h2L-G.blogger">Forty years of teaching thinking - revolution, evolution and what next? | EDtalks</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-4802782114203594832012-09-25T19:33:00.001-07:002012-09-25T19:35:51.616-07:00The wholehearted parenting manifesto by Brene Brown<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wrVhdO094qA/UGJpKvbvbYI/AAAAAAAAAC0/cotnBo9E39k/s1600/DaringGreatly-ParentingManifesto-dark-forWEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wrVhdO094qA/UGJpKvbvbYI/AAAAAAAAAC0/cotnBo9E39k/s1600/DaringGreatly-ParentingManifesto-dark-forWEB.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-42711045344755359352012-09-23T12:54:00.000-07:002012-09-23T12:54:18.220-07:00Social Constructivism vs. Personal Constructivism"Some see social constructivist perspectives as putting the teacher back in the picture, in contrast to the personal constructivist position, which many felt was writing the teacher out of the learning process. A social constructivist view focuses on the teacher interacting with their class, whereas a purely personal constructivist view focuses on what is happening in individual students' minds. A personal constructivist view suggested personalised learning programs based on probing students' prior conceptions—a very difficult project for a teacher."<br />
<br />
<br />
The Art of Teaching Primary Science<br />
By: Vaille Dawson; Grady Venville<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-51540101952949838192012-09-05T21:26:00.001-07:002012-09-07T17:16:29.223-07:00Teach Leadership: Maximize the return of the experienceThe article <a href="http://sn121w.snt121.mail.live.com/default.aspx#!/mail/InboxLight.aspx?n=1162553027!n=1850574368&fid=1&fav=1&mid=8acc2b67-f773-11e1-a3ca-00215ad85762&fv=1" target="_blank">Who can teach leadership?</a> by the HBR published last week states that we learn to lead through the experience of leading and following. It is a great read where Gianpiero Petriglieri shares his experience as a professor of a leadership course for business professionals.<br />
<br />
In a recent study "Jennifer Petriglieri, Jack Wood and Gianpiero Petriglieri found that working with professionals who espoused different perspectives and values helped managers question, and learn more deeply from, their own experience — building the personal foundations required to lead mindfully, effectively and responsibly. Whatever qualifications and work history a teacher (or a coach) may have, then, matters less than their ability to help you maximize your return on experience. Will your course, your teachers, your classmates, help you approach, examine and draw meaningful lessons from your experience past and present? Will they take your experience seriously without taking your conclusions literally? Will they challenge you to take a second look at things you usually take for granted, or rush over? Will they provoke you to articulate, broaden or revise the views you have of yourself, leading, and the world? Will you be open and committed to that work? These are the questions you should ask anytime you're enlisting someone to help you become a better leader."<br />
<br />
Again, these are great practices to learn when you are getting an MBA. But, I am grateful to work at a preschool based on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_constructivism" target="_blank">social costructivism</a> that supports the learning of many of these practices at an early age. How would the world look like if we lead and follow from a young age? If we reflect of our own teaching/parenting and we focus our daily interactions on giving children different perspectives instead of the correct answer? If we challenge them to take a second look at things that we take for granted or rush to teach because that is what they are supposed to be learning right now? Let's maximize the return on the experience on a day to day basis. Let's teach leadership.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-34111366079698879532012-09-03T12:15:00.000-07:002012-09-03T12:16:18.532-07:00Teaching and learning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2UDu_WoiNg/UEUBQgTsLnI/AAAAAAAAACk/41fxKQLkYJ4/s1600/309228_434368456605065_1139635466_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2UDu_WoiNg/UEUBQgTsLnI/AAAAAAAAACk/41fxKQLkYJ4/s400/309228_434368456605065_1139635466_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-55569942278853988062012-08-28T19:45:00.002-07:002012-09-05T23:25:51.388-07:00Basic Skills: Pushed down curriculum in preschools vs. pushed up curriculum in business schools<div>
For several years, early childhood experts have been promoting developmentally appropriate practices in response to the “escalated” or “pushed-down” curriculum. What is the pushed-down curriculum? In short, Preschool classes and kindergartens have begun to look more like traditional 1st grade classes were young children are expected to sit quietly while they listen a whole-class instruction filling in worksheets. Even though it is not developmentally appropriate, some parents favor this change with the idea to give their children a "head start" in life based on the belief that faster is better, at least academically speaking. “We worship speed,” says Jim Uphoff, a professor of education at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. “That's an integral part of our beliefs.” </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But, what are the consequences of this nonsense race? The consequences are that the skills that were once taught in preschool, or the early years of life, are now being "pushed-up" to business school curriculums or executive training with the labels of leadership, strategy, negotiation and innovation. Lets see some examples from the latest issues of the Harvard Business Review; a magazine known as the "source of the best new ideas for people creating, leading, and transforming business":<br />
<br />
The article <a href="http://hbr.org/2012/06/leadership-is-a-conversation/ar/1?cm_mmc=email-_-newsletter-_-cant_miss_update-_-hbrcm062012&referral=01087&utm_source=newsletter_cant_miss_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hbrcm062012" target="_blank">Leadership is a conversation</a> (June 2012) states "Smart leaders today, we have found, engage with employees in a way that resembles an ordinary person-to-person conversation more than it does a series of commands from on high. Furthermore, they initiate practices and foster cultural norms that instill a conversational sensibility throughout their organizations." This model is a complete opposite of what is modeled for children in the educational setting. Traditional teachers give to children "a series of commands from on high" and rearly foster conversations that go beyond having the right answer. Maybe that's why the art of conversation is now one of the most important topics in business schools and executive coaching programs. Go figure.<br />
<br />
Also in June, the article <a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/06/let_your_ideas_go.html?cm_mmc=email-_-newsletter-_-innovation-_-innovation071712&referral=00207&utm_source=newsletter_innovation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=innovation071712" target="_blank">Let your Ideas go</a> was published. The premise is that an idea can only evolve being held with an open hand, that's how ideas grow bigger. The key is "openness, [which] changes everything when used. Openness is a stance — to share with, to collaborate, to distribute power to many. Openness is powerful, even catalytic. On a personal level, it not only allows us to share, but to co-create with speed. On an organizational level, it allows for more than collaboration, it enables communities. At a societal level, it is more than distributing power, and allowing for the shift from what is to what will be. It also allow for shared responsibility." Does the educational competitive model, focused on academics and having the right answer first, supports openness? Not really. So, How do we teach and practice openness? By being open to others' ideas and by sharing ours. By listening to children's ideas and co-creating instead of competing with them. By showing the value and the possibilities of letting ideas go. Openness is an attitude and attitudes are developed over time. From my point of view, better start young.<br />
<br />
Finally at the end of July, the article <a href="http://How leaders become self aware" target="_blank">How leaders become self aware</a> was published finding that "there is one quality that trumps all, evident in virtually every great entrepreneur, manager, and leader. That quality is self-awareness. The best thing leaders can [do] to improve their effectiveness is to become more aware of what motivates them and their decision-making." How can you know what motivates you when the expectations growing up are good grades on every subject in order to move to the next grade? Most of the goals or challenges during childhood are extrinsically motivated rather than intrinsically. Decisions are made by adults and informed to children expecting blindness obidience. It is not surprising that the majority of high school graduates have no idea which profession to pursue in a world they hardly know. It is sad that self-awarness has become a rare quality that we start reading about and developing later in life.<br />
<br />
Today's world is fast paced and often called the social era demanding more than ever the art of conversation, openness and self-awareness. Today, they might be a luxury. In the next decade, they will be basic skills needed from early on. In the past, information was power. Nowadays information is available for anyone. Critical thinking and consciousness will lead the way in the next century, if not this one. Isn't it time for the educational system and our teaching/parenting practices to catch up? I think so. Let’s stop pushing curriculums up and down and act today. No matter what world you live in, preschool or the boardroom, let's focus on what's important.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-23064120020917885142012-08-20T17:12:00.000-07:002012-08-20T17:13:11.185-07:00More on the topic of respect <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Love without respect is dangerous; it can crush the other person, sometimes literally. To respect is to understand that the other person is not you, not an extension of you, not a reflection of you, not your toy, not your pet, not your product. In a relationship of respect, your task is to understand the other person as a unique individual and learn how to mesh your needs with his or hers and help that person achieve what he or she wants to achieve. Your task is not to control the other person or try to change him or her in a direction that you desire but he or she does not. I think this applies as much to parent-child relationships as to husband-wife relationships." Peter Gray</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">From the article:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>In Relationships, Respect May Be Even More Crucial than Love</b></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201208/in-relationships-respect-may-be-even-more-crucial-love">http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/freedom-learn/201208/in-relationships-respect-may-be-even-more-crucial-love</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-9354138815884879842012-08-13T08:56:00.002-07:002012-08-13T08:56:57.645-07:00Respect<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UOX4XLPZFW0/UCkjc_-eYFI/AAAAAAAAACU/lsZpFvH5RSw/s1600/Respect+Children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UOX4XLPZFW0/UCkjc_-eYFI/AAAAAAAAACU/lsZpFvH5RSw/s320/Respect+Children.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-36144931994197121692012-08-10T13:33:00.002-07:002012-08-10T13:34:21.854-07:00Inner voice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gh5fNqhUMyE/UCVvqtq0LBI/AAAAAAAAACE/qY-QVCAiIQg/s1600/Inner+voice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gh5fNqhUMyE/UCVvqtq0LBI/AAAAAAAAACE/qY-QVCAiIQg/s320/Inner+voice.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Enough said!<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-4061070529013084892012-08-10T00:53:00.002-07:002017-04-04T09:09:45.009-07:00To trust or not to trust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eX-_wYyaAGE/WNL8kbpCFgI/AAAAAAAAAII/2sWNZsGez9IXRZjI8PJG5WNKa77tGOx-ACLcB/s1600/IMG_3776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eX-_wYyaAGE/WNL8kbpCFgI/AAAAAAAAAII/2sWNZsGez9IXRZjI8PJG5WNKa77tGOx-ACLcB/s400/IMG_3776.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Most humans have a natural disposition to trust and to judge trustworthiness that can be traced to the neurobiological structure and activity of a human brain. However, on a day to day basis, it's not that simple. This disposition is not always there. Why? Because every experience you've had feeds into this decision process of trusting or not trusting someone in a given situation. Yes, trust is a decision. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How do we decide then to trust or not to trust children? What part does our past experiences play in that decision process? How often do our fears interfere in trusting children and allowing them to trust themselves? I say, all the time; more than it should. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Do we see children as trustworthy individuals or helpless beings that need to be rescued? How do we expect them to trust their own instincts if we don't let them test them? The way we perceive children is reflected in everyday moments such as a visit to the local park. This great article from the blog Core Parenting explains how a mother decides to trust her children by letting them climb at their own pace and regulate their own bodies allowing them to try something new and to set their own limits. "Success doesn’t always mean making it to the top." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Don't miss it, It's a great read.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://coreparentingpdx.com/2012/trust-me-trust-you/" target="_blank">http://coreparentingpdx.com/2012/trust-me-trust-you/</a> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trust is a universal topic. It is relevant to children, mothers, businessmen, and leaders of all paths of life. The more I work in the world of early childhood education the more I find how similar it is to the business world, a world I vastly explored </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">as marketing and business consultant </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">in my past life (as I like to call it). People are often surprised when they hear this idea. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is believed that the world of children is so different from the "real" world, and it isn't. It is the same reality seen from a different perspective. Let see an example. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />How do organizations build trust? There are many approaches and theories that have been written. Here is an excerpt from an article from <a href="http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/08/how-to-build-a-corporate-culture-of-trust.html" target="_blank">Inc Magazine</a> about the topic:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">"So how can you implement a strategy to build a trust culture in your workplace? It's ideal if it starts at the top of an organization, but that's not always necessary..., but the simplest approach is a three-tiered commitment to a few core trust principles:</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 22px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 22px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Capability trust</b>, or allowing people to make decisions, involving them in discussions, and trusting that their opinions and input will be useful.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 22px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Contractual trust</b>, or being consistent in terms of keeping agreements and managing expectations.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 22px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Communication trust</b>, or sharing information, providing constructive feedback and speaking with good purpose about people.</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />As noted American writer and journalist Ernest Hemingway famously said, "the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." If your trust is abandoned, then you know the answer, but until then, give them the benefit of your trust."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now tell me, which part doesn't apply to adult-children relationships? Surprised? Let's continue. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another article, <a href="http://humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/a/trust_rules.htm" target="_blank">Trust Rules</a>, summarizes Dr. Duane C. Tway, Jr. dissertation,<i> A Construct of Trust. </i>Tway proposes and interesting concept: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">The Three Constructs of Trust.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Tway defines trust as, "the state of readiness for unguarded interaction with someone or something." He developed a model of trust that includes three components. He calls trust a construct because it is "constructed" of these three components: "the capacity for trusting, the perception of competence, and the perception of intentions."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thinking about trust as made up of the interaction and existence of these three components makes trust easier to understand. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The capacity for trusting</b> means that your total life experiences have developed your current capacity and willingness to risk trusting others.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The perception of competence</b> is made up of your perception of your ability and the ability of others with whom you <i>work</i> to perform competently at whatever is needed in your current situation. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The perception of intentions</b>, as defined by Tway, is your perception that the actions, words, direction, mission, or decisions are motivated by mutually-serving rather than self-serving motives."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From my point of view, the core principles and the three constructs of trust are as applicable in the workplace as they are in family life or any adult-children relationship. Am I capable to trust a children climbing in the park? </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">Can<b> </b>I trust them? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 22px;">Do I perceive them as competent in measuring their own limits and their ability to manage their own bodies? How do I perceive their actions and intentions? Am I making a decision based on safety or excessive protection and untrustworthiness due to my own fears or a non related past experience or belief? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These core trust principles and constructs allow us to perform a reality check. They are a tool to monitor our thoughts and fears and allow us to make a clear judgement of any situation when making the decision to trust or not to trust, in a business setting or at the park. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Even though I wrote this post a few years ago it is still relevant. If you want to here more about trust and other important principles of parenting sign up for a 2 hour workshop on <a href="https://consciouswords.eventbrite.com/">https://consciouswords.eventbrite.com</a></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "georgia" , "arial" , "verdana";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-18854485103446008102012-07-12T13:38:00.000-07:002012-07-19T14:17:44.901-07:00How do we regulate our emotions?I recently finished the book "How we decide" by Jonah Lehrer. I highly recommend it. He talks about the importance to use the different parts of the brain for different types of decisions, and to do this, we need to think harder (and smarter) about how we think. Here is an interesting quote, an interesting strategy for developing emotional intelligence both in children and adults.<br />
<br />
"How do we regulate our emotions? The answer is surprisingly simple: by thinking about them. The prefrontal cortex allows each of us to contemplate his or her own mind, a talent psychologists call metacognition. We know when we are angry; every emotional state comes with self awareness attached, so that an individual can try to figure out why he is feeling what he is feeling. "<br />
<br />
Jonah Lehrer, How We Decide<br />
<a href="http://www.jonahlehrer.com/books/how-we-decide/" target="_blank">http://www.jonahlehrer.com/books/how-we-decide/</a><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-51222205537138456822012-07-10T10:05:00.000-07:002012-07-10T10:05:55.292-07:00"Metaphor and Metacognition: the mind when pushed to invention"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is a TedEX talk by the director of my school. I feel very proud and honored to spend my days having meaningful conversations with children fostering creativity, critical thinking and awareness about life. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4ymzIdDMDvM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"Alise is the founder and director of Evergreen Community School in Santa Monica, California. Her work with children over the last 30 years sheds light on not only how children think, but also explores the ways in which the thinking of children generates, illuminates, and inspires dialogue and creativity in adults. Recognizing children as vital contributors to culture, Alise shares how children's unfettered perceptions have the power to jump-start the adult mind with refreshing and novel points of view." </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7536196670056294004.post-26266674808515479702012-05-22T20:55:00.001-07:002012-07-19T14:13:27.602-07:00Rethinking the culture of punishment<div>
"Children don't learn right from wrong by being punished, any more than they learn red from blue by being punished. Kids learn by us showing them red--and showing them kindness, responsibility, generosity, honesty, compassion, and all the other things we want them to learn, in action."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
~ Dr. Laura Markham</div>
<div>
<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.empowerkidsforlife.blogspot.com
A collection of ideas, resources, information and more for parents, educators or anybody interested in reading about education and life.</div>Cristina Barvohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10772811833139920818noreply@blogger.com0