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Fidget Toys
October 20, 2015
Sometimes we need a bridge and sometimes we are the bridge. No one I know has escaped troubled waters, rough seas and challenging, scary days. There are times in our lives when we could use a little help, and other times when we are given the chance to be that help for someone else. It really doesn’t matter where you are right now. What matters is that you remember we are stronger together, and taking a hand is just as important as offering one.
-Paul Boynton, Author of Begin with Yes
-Paul Boynton, Author of Begin with Yes
"Four-year-old Julie arrives at school at the same time every morning. The victim of a mother who abused drugs while in utero, Julie is a child forgotten. Her foster mother gives little regard to Julie's personal hygiene, so Julie comes to school each day un-bathed and unkempt. Her clothes are worn and tattered. Her nose is runny. Her hair is always greasy. And her skin is dry and cracked, evidenced by her ashy arms and elbows....
"It's no wonder the other children in Julie's class are turned off by her. Julie can be very impulsive, and when she displays tantrum behaviors that are aggressive in nature, it's best to stay out of her way. She hits, kicks, screams, and bites when she can't have what she wants, and she can be very possessive of classroom toys. During structured activities (such as circle time), she displays disruptive behaviors by running around the room, or worse, running out of the room. Her communication skills are limited, and as a result of her inability to express her wants, needs, thoughts or ideas, she'll aggressively strike anyone who's within arm's reach, as a means of getting her point across."
In his article "Julie's Story," which is included in the Exchange Essential: Crafting an Inclusive Curriculum, Craig Gibson describes a variety of strategies he proposed to Julie's Head Start teachers to help her participate in activities including:
"Fidget Toys: When sitting for structured activities, many children simply don't know what to do with their hands. They may be observed fidgeting with the rug, or might even put their hands on the child sitting next to them.... Instead of disrupting the flow of your circle time routine, try giving the child a fidget toy. Fidget toys may include manipulatives such as small cars, Koosh balls; a straw, clay, a rubber duck; or another toy of their choosing...."
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Exchange Essentials are the perfect platform for staff development and training that deliver the essential, critical information staff and students need. 42 titles are available for immediate download.
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Enter code bogoEE when prompted to receive your discount. Offer limited to four free items per person. |
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Sale ends October 21, 2015 at 11:59 pm PDT.
May not be combined with any other offer. |
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Comments (4)
Displaying All 4 CommentsUnited States
Thanks for playing into the stereotype of a neglectful foster parent, as if this were the norm. Why was it even necessary to place this fictional child in foster care if you're going to make it just as bad as the birth home? And Lori above is correct - this child needs far more help than any classroom teacher can provide and even then will never overcome all the damage done.
Franklin, MA, United States
I'm not sure that having children sit still during a circle time is a reasonable expectation and really depends upon the age and developmental level of the child.
Tri-County RVTHS
Franklin, Massachusetts, United States
I worry about this. Who says they need to sit as preschoolers? Who says circle time is mandatory for preschool aged children? If they were moving and doing, instead of being asked to sit, they may not need fidget toys.
Pennsylvania, United States
I admit, I have only read the short synopsis of Julie's life from the excerpt but it seems that Julie needs much more than a fidget toy at Circle Time. Julie is crying for help. She needs the true intervention of caring adults--one on one. This is a perfect example of adults trying to bend the child into our neat and tidy plans instead of creating a plan for the child. Curriculum is a word that does not sit well with me in the preschool world.
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