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We Grow Brains!
May 12, 2008
I want to write, but more than that, I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart.
-Anne Frank
The latest issue of Exchange (May 2008, www.ChildCareExchange.com) features an inspiring article, "We Grow Brains!" in which three professors from the University of Memphis talk about the very important work that goes on in early childhood programs. The article is filled with ideas on how teachers can promote brain development. Here are some examples from their "Ten Steps to Grow Better Brains:"

  • Become an exceptional ‘kid watcher.’ Learn to effectively observe children so that we know what their developmental needs/levels are. Understand that young children change on a daily basis. Carefully plan to match their changing needs with the environment and activities we are providing.
  • Create visually appealing environments with toys and equipment that are easily accessible by children, and then let them freely, and safely explore all aspects of that environment. Actively promote their experiential learning.
  • Respect children as individuals by allowing for flexibility while aligning their schedule and activities for the day taking into consideration each child’s unique temperament, initiative, interest, and previous experiences.
  • Talk with children constantly, listen to them, and demonstrate appropriate facial expressions and active body language to extend their knowledge of all types of communication.
  • Read to children as often as possible and incorporate the stories and rhythm of nursery rhymes to help infants and toddlers develop an interest in and appreciation of the beauty of language.




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Coggols Cognitive Connectors to advance number and letter skills. Designed to fit a variety of levels, Coggols game like structure provides children with many opportunities for fun and success as they learn and practice essential pre-reading, pre-writing and early number skills.


Comments (1)

Displaying 1 Comment
Maneka Poole · May 12, 2008
Headstart
Saginaw, MI, United States


I enjoyed reading the comments to, the challenges in childcare. However, I believe the main challenge in chilcare is a lack of sensitivity, comprehension, and passion. Majority of people work in these area and loose their passion for the real purpose they came to childcare because what most teachers fail to realize is that not only are you there to care for the children needs but you are also there to learn from other staff, children, and the parents also. A lot of teachers in the childcare field have the education but lack the true experience. True experience promotes sensitivity and genuine care not so much credentials. If you put a person in a classroom with children who have experienced abuse as a child, suffering from alcoholism as a teenager/ adult then all of a sudden the person becomes free from those things. They would be more effective and sensitive to others real need versus a person who's parents sent them to school to get a degree in teaching. Give me a person with wisdom because of experience any day over a person with just the credentials or degree to be a teacher. A degree or credentials just gives a person more vocabulary and a little more knowledge. You can't truly comprehend the issues that are within children and others from just credentials or a degree because the real problems are "WITHIN" but sometimes manifested. One cannot truly learn how to be a good listener and an effective communicator by going to school getting credentials or a degree, they must have experienced some disturbing things throughout their life and have defeated those things within themselves.



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