The Art of Control. Executive function — our ability to remember and use what we know, defeat our unproductive impulses, and switch gears and adjust to new demands — is increasingly understood as a key element not just of learning but of lifelong success. Researchers at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University describe executive function as an air traffic control system for the mind — helping us manage streams of information, revise plans, stay organized, filter out distractions, cope with stress, and make healthy decisions.
Children learn these skills first from their parents, through reliable routines, meaningful and responsive interactions, and play that focuses attention and stirs the beginnings of self-control. Key Person & Attachment - Early Years Matters. The Key Person Children thrive from a base of loving and secure relationships. This is normally provided by a child’s parents but it can also be provided by a key person. How Are Happiness and Learning Connected?
As teachers, we also know that when students' affective filters or defenses are sky high, fight or flight responses will be modus operandi. Save the Last Word for Me. Whole Child Development Is Undervalued. The question is how to make such an approach both systemic and sustainable. Whole Person Socio-emotional, physical, creative, and cognitive capacities are deeply intertwined and equally important in ensuring a child's wellbeing, learning, and growth.
(That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone studying or supporting children's learning.) Nobel laureate James Heckman, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, has shown that the non-cognitive skills emerging in early childhood are among the strongest predictors of adult outcomes. Public Media for Northern CA. Can Free Play Prevent Depression and Anxiety In Kids? Don't Expect Toddlers To Behave Consistently — They Literally Can't. One day, when my oldest daughter was not quite 2, she wouldn’t sit still to let me change her diaper.
Squirrelly and writhing, she made a game out of staying half naked. She wasn’t fussing about it or anything — in fact, she was giggling maniacally. The problem was that we were running late. Nothing I did seemed to faze her. I tried distracting her with a toy. One theory all teachers with disruptive children should know about. Imagine a classroom where children are unable to wait their turn or stay focused on their work.
They are easily distracted, cannot remember basic instructions or hold enough information in their head to solve problems – skills teachers rely on in order to teach successfully. These behavioural issues are all examples of problems that can arise from attachment issues – based on the relationship between children and their main caregiver. Attachment theory is now one of the world’s most well-researched theories about human development. A 19-Year Study Reveals Kindergarten Students With These 2 Skills Are Twice as Likely to Obtain a College Degree (and They Have Nothing to Do With Reading) The Key to Effective Classroom Management. It’s a daunting but all-too-common sight for many teachers: A classroom full of rowdy students who are unable to focus on the lesson. Classroom management techniques may get things back on track, but valuable time has already been lost. Many experienced teachers know that making meaningful connections with students is one of the most effective ways to prevent disruptions in the first place, and a new study set out to assess this approach.
In classrooms where teachers used a series of techniques centered around establishing, maintaining, and restoring relationships, academic engagement increased by 33 percent and disruptive behavior decreased by 75 percent—making the time students spent in the classroom more worthwhile and productive. “Strong teacher-student relationships have long been considered a foundational aspect of a positive school experience,” explains Clayton Cook, the lead author of the study and a professor at the University of Minnesota. Relationship reflection form. 21 of the Best Early Years Books for International Friendship Day. We know that skills like empathy aren’t fully developed until later in a child’s life, which is why there are so many stories on friendship and how to treat people aimed at Early Years.
International Friendship Day, then, is a great opportunity to share some of these amazing books with your children. It does, however, fall on Sunday 30 July. So celebrating on the day itself is going to be difficult, doubly so for Reception classes who are on summer holidays. Here are our picks for some top tales that touch on various aspects of friendship that kids will love. 1 | Bubble Trouble Tom Percival (Bloomsbury, paperback, £6.99) Reuben and Felix are best friends, whose favourite thing in the world to do is to blow bubbles. Review: Bubble Trouble. 2 | Little Puppy Lost Holly Webb (Little Tiger Press, paperback, £6.99)
This ‘Kindness Curriculum’ Is Free And Should Be Used In Every Classroom. Imagine living in a world that valued kindness enough to teach it along with academics. Educators would teach kids to manage their emotions in addition to standard curriculum such as math and science. Sounds pretty amazing, doesn’t it? Well, the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has created a free “kindness curriculum” for kids, designed to do just that. It’s a mindfulness-based curriculum for preschoolers that will bring kindness into the classroom. “Faced with mental and physical health challenges at a global scale, we conduct rigorous scientific research to bring new insights and tools aimed at improving the wellbeing of people of all backgrounds and ages,” states the Center’s mission statement. Does my toddler have a short attention span because she won’t sit still for a story?
A: It is perfectly normal for toddlers to not sit still very long—period.
Surprisingly Simple Techniques for Challenging Behaviour - Kathy Brodie Early Years Training. I often get asked about children’s behaviour. It is a massive topic, with many facets. However, I would always start from the perspective that all behaviour, good or unacceptable, is a form of communication. It is how we, as practitioners and adults, respond to that communication that makes all the difference. The Webster Stratton method is a well known and widely used behaviour management strategy. Serve and Return. How to get dressed: teaching your child. Why your child needs to learn how to get dressed.
Pre-birth to Three: Observation, Assessment and Planning. Assessment for learning. Observation, Assessment and Planning - Early Years Matters. The EYFS Profile summarises and describes children’s attainment at the end of the EYFS.
How to teach children English using illustrated storybooks. What makes illustrated storybooks such a good resource for teaching young learners of English? The British Council’s Gail Ellis, co-author of a storytelling handbook for primary English language teachers, explains. Short stories for kids.