Free play for children

On August 1, 1966, the day psychiatrist Stuart Brown started his assistant professorship at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, 25-year-old Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the University of Texas Tower on the Austin campus and shot 46 people. Whitman, an engineering student and a former U.S. Marine sharpshooter, was the last person anyone expected to go on a killing spree. After Brown was assigned as the state’s consulting psychiatrist to investigate the incident and later, when he interviewed 26 convicted Texas murderers for a small pilot study, he discovered that most of the killers, including Whitman, shared two things in common: they were from abusive families, and they never played as kids.

Brown did not know which factor was more important. But in the 42 years since, he has interviewed some 6,000 people about their childhoods, and his data suggest that a lack of opportunities for unstructured, imaginative play can keep children from growing into happy, well-adjusted adults. “Free play,” as scientists call it, is critical for becoming socially adept, coping with stressand building cognitive skills such as problem solving. Research into animal behavior confirms play’s benefits and establishes its evolutionary importance: ultimately, play may provide animals (including humans) with skills that will help them survive and reproduce.

This article is referred from 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-serious-need-for-play

Useful link related to this topic (free play)

http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v5n1/sandberg.html

   

Education: Music Therapy and Language

Written by Myra J. Staum, Ph.D., RMT-BC
Director and Professor of Music Therapy
Willamette University, Salem, Oregon

Music Therapy is the unique application of music to enhance personal lives by creating positive changes in human behavior. It is an allied health profession utilizing music as a tool to encourage development in social/ emotional, cognitive/learning, and perceptual-motor areas. Music Therapy has a wide variety of functions with the exceptional child, adolescent and adult in medical, institutional and educational settings. Music is effective because it is a nonverbal form of communication, it is a natural reinforcer, it is immediate in time and provides motivation for practicing nonmusical skills. Most importantly, it is a successful medium because almost everyone responds positively to at least some kind of music.

The training of a music therapist involves a full curriculum of music classes, along with selected courses in psychology, special education, and anatomy with specific core courses and field experiences in music therapy. Following coursework, students complete a six-month full time clinical internship and a written board certification exam. Registered, board certified professionals must then maintain continuing education credits or retake the exam to remain current in their practice.

Music Therapy is particularly useful with autistic children owing in part to the nonverbal, non threatening nature of the medium. Parallel music activities are designed to support the objectives of the child as observed by the therapist or as indicated by a parent, teacher or other professional. A music therapist might observe, for instance, the child's need to socially interact with others. Musical games like passing a ball back and forth to music or playing sticks and cymbals with another person might be used to foster this interaction. Eye contact might be encouraged with imitative clapping games near the eyes or with activities which focus attention on an instrument played near the face. Preferred music may be used contingently for a wide variety of cooperative social behaviors like sitting in a chair or staying with a group of other children in a circle.

Music Therapy is particularly effective in the development and remediation of speech. The severe deficit in communication observed among autistic children includes expressive speech which may be nonexistent or impersonal. Speech can range from complete mutism to grunts, cries, explosive shrieks, guttural sounds, and humming. There may be musically intoned vocalizations with some consonant-vowel combinations, a sophisticated babbling interspersed with vaguely recognizable word-like sounds, or a seemingly foreign sounding jargon. Higher level autistic speech may involve echolalia, delayed echolalia or pronominal reversal, while some children may progress to appropriate phrases, sentences, and longer sentences with non expressive or monotonic speech. Since autistic children are often mainstreamed into music classes in the public schools, a music teacher may experience the rewards of having an autistic child involved in music activities while assisting with language.

It has been noted time and again that autistic children evidence unusual sensitivities to music. Some have perfect pitch, while many have been noted to play instruments with exceptional musicality. Music therapists traditionally work with autistic children because of this unusual responsiveness which is adaptable to non-music goals Some children have unusual sensitivities only to certain sounds. One boy, after playing a xylophone bar, would spontaneously sing up the harmonic series from the fundamental pitch. Through careful structuring, syllable sounds were paired with his singing of the harmonics and the boy began incorporating consonant-vowel sounds into his vocal play. Soon simple 2-3 note tunes were played on the xylophone by the therapist who modeled more complex verbalizations, and the child gradually began imitating them.

Since autistic children sometimes sing when they may not speak, music therapists and music educators can work systematically on speech through vocal music activities. In the music classroom, songs with simple words, repetitive phrases, and even repetitive nonsense syllables can assist the autistic child's language. Meaningful word phrases and songs presented with visual and tactile cues can facilitate this process even further. One six-year old echolalic child was taught speech by having the therapist/teacher sing simple question/answer phrases set to a familiar melody with full rhythmic and harmonic accompaniment The child held the objects while singing:

Do you eat an apple? Yes, yes.
Do you eat an apple? Yes, yes.
Do you eat an apple? Yes, yes.
Yes, yes, yes.

and

Do you eat a pencil? No, no.
Do you eat a pencil? No, no.
Do you eat a pencil? No, no.
No, no, no.

Another autistic child learned noun and action verb phrases . A large doll was manipulated by the therapist/teacher and a song presented:

This is a doll.
This is a doll.
The doll is jumping.
The doll is jumping.
This is a doll.
This is a doll.

Later, words were substituted for walking, sitting, sleeping, etc. In these songs, the bold words were faded out gradually by the therapist/teacher. Since each phrase was repeated, the child could use his echolalic imitation to respond accurately. When the music was eliminated completely, the child was able to verbalize the entire sentence in response to the questions, "What is this?" and "What is the doll doing?"

Other autistic children have learned entire meaningful responses when both questions and answers were incorporated into a song. The following phrases were sung with one child to the approximate tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and words were faded out gradually in backward progression. While attention to environmental sounds was the primary focus for this child, the song structure assisted her in responding in a full, grammatically correct sentence:

Listen, listen, what do you hear? (sound played on tape)
I hear an ambulance.

(I hear a baby cry.)
(I hear my mother calling, etc.)

Autistic children have also made enormous strides in eliminating their monotonic speech by singing songs composed to match the rhythm, stress, flow and inflection of the sentence followed by a gradual fading of the musical cues. Parents and teachers alike can assist the child in remembering these prosodic features of speech by prompting the child with the song.

While composing specialized songs is time consuming for the teacher with a classroom full of other children, it should be remembered that the repertoire of elementary songs are generally repetitive in nature. Even in higher level elementary vocal method books, repetition of simple phrases is common. While the words in such books may not seem critical for the autistic child's survival at the moment, simply increasing the capacity to put words together is a vitally important beginning for these children.

For those teachers whose time is limited to large groups, almost all singing experiences are invaluable to the autistic child when songs are presented slowly, clearly, and with careful focusing of the child's attention to the ongoing activity. To hear an autistic child leave a class quietly singing a song with all the words is a pleasant occurrence. To hear the same child attempt to use these words in conversation outside of the music class is to have made a very special contribution to the language potential of this child.

For more information about music therapy, contact the National Association for Music Therapy, 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 930, Silver Spring, MD 20910, U.S.A.

Music: A Natural Connection to Children's Growth and Development

What do grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, places of worship, shopping malls, and automated phone systems have in common? It's music. When you're out and about, almost wherever you go, you will hear some sort of music. It affects how you feel, helps you to relax, or makes you want to move and dance.
Music is a part of life in every country and every culture. Music is used as part of our celebrations, holidays, religious or worship experiences, as well as for pure entertainment. Although no one can quite explain the reason why music has such an important role in our every day lives, it does. Music inspires, soothes, excites, and bonds people of all ages and from all walks of life.
When a baby is born, somehow we know to cradle and sing to him or simply hum a melody while rocking him to sleep. What is a natural instinct for parents to surround their new infant with music and song is also a natural way to start building the brain's connections to growth and learning. Music affects and works on all levels of development: social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth.

Music and Social Interaction

Music is a natural connection tool. It brings people together and helps them interact with one another. It is part of many social events. How many parties, weddings, or receptions have you attended that didn't have music?
The same sort of connection can happen between you and your child. Play music and you'll see children respond. Children will sway, swing, move, bang out a rhythm on a table, and bob their heads. Music is an easy way for parents to relate to their children. When an infant hears you sing to them, you are connecting with them, and they are connecting to you. It doesn't matter what the song is, just sing. It is making a difference.

Music and Emotional Development

Music is associated with our earliest memories, and experiences throughout our lives. It definitely has an emotional impact. Think of a song or piece of music that stirs up strong emotions every time you hear it. Almost no one is unaffected by its power on our moods.
Music has the ability to comfort and soothe children. Children will often sing to themselves as a way to self-soothe. You can use music to help calm your baby, or get your toddler to relax for naptime. If your preschooler is sleepy in the morning or sad, you can sing a song or play music that is cheery and makes them want to jump around and get moving.

Music and Physical Development

You can't dance without music, right? Well, you can, but music makes it much more fun. Music and movement naturally go together. Children most naturally respond to music by moving and being active with it. Music helps children learn about rhythm, timing, orientation, and coordination. You can use music to get children marching, jumping, and hopping, or during any kind of physical activity.
In addition to being fun for children, The "Hokey Pokey" dance, line dancing, square dancing and all group dances help children learn: their body parts (put your right foot in, raise your hands), sense of direction (turning around, going left and right, moving back and forth), or rhythm patterns (tapping to the beat).

Music and Cognitive Development

Toddlers and preschoolers love rhymes and songs. Not only do they enjoy them, but they help children learn about numbers, letters, and sounds ("ABC song", "This Old Man"). As children's brains are developing at their fastest when they are very young, with 80 percent of brain development occurring by age 3, and 90 percent by age 5, music helps with making connections in the brain.
Although there is some controversy on exactly how much music affects children's learning abilities, it is known that music is linked to improved math, memory and reading skills. When children are creative and make up their own rhymes and songs, they are also building their knowledge of words and sounds. They are building the connections in the brain. It doesn't matter what kind of music they hear or create, all music matters.

Incorporate Music into Learning Activities

When you are interested, you will learn. Children enjoy music. Incorporating music into activities at home and in child care can help make learning enjoyable and therefore easier for children.
Many child care programs already know that music is a great way to help children prepare for transitions from one activity to another. For example, there's the "Clean Up" song that can be sung to tell children to clean up behind themselves, put their toys away. You can have a song for brushing your teeth or taking a bath that children will associate with that activity. Children love routine and making songs or music part of routines makes activities and learning fun.
Child care programs can ask children to bring in and share their favorite instruments and let the entire group play as a 'band'. Homemade instruments can be made as well, using pots, pans, lids, maracas made out of cups and beans.
For older children, you might consider letting them learn to play a musical instrument. Playing in a band or orchestra helps children with social and emotional development. Learning an instrument like the recorder or violin helps with hand-eye coordination. Reading music helps children think differently. Most schools have programs where children can experiment with different instruments for a low cost.
Children love to hear themselves. Record your child singing and play it back for her. Or with a group of children, record each child singing a part of a song and play it back and have the children figure out who is singing which part. This will help improve their listening skills.
Music is an important part of the human experience. It is also a very creative medium. It allows for children to be able to express themselves in their own unique ways as well as contribute to their overall development. Find ways to expand how you use music with your children at home and in child care. There is no better way to learn and have fun at the same time.

Further reading : http://ccaapps.childcareaware.org/en/subscriptions/dailyparent/volume.php?id=46
http://childdevelopmentblog.info/music-is-important-part-of-child-development/
    

Child brain development

Understanding Brain Development in Young Children A child's first words. Grasping a spoon. Babies turning their head in recognition of a mother's voice. What do these things have in common? All of them are examples of a young child's developmental "steps" forward. Perhaps no aspect of child development is so miraculous and transformative as the development of a child's brain. Brain development allows a child to develop the abilities to crawl, speak, eat, laugh and walk. Healthy development of a child's brain is built on the small moments that parents and caregivers experience as they interact with a child. Think of some recent memories when you have watched a baby or toddler. • As a mother feeds her child, she gazes lovingly into his eyes. • A father talks gently to his daughter as she snuggles on his lap and he reads her a book. • A caregiver sings a child to sleep. These everyday moments, these simple loving encounters, provide essential nourishment.     What Do We Know About Brain Development? As scientists learn more about how the human brain develops, many of our ideas about the brain are being challenged. We are learning that some old ideas actually were myths that are being replaced with new facts and understanding. Consider the following examples: Brain Development - Myth or Fact? Myth  At birth the brain is fully developed, just like one's heart or stomach. Fact - Most of the brain's cells are formed before birth, but most of the connections among cells are made during infancy and early childhood. Myth  The brain's development depends entirely on the genes with which you are born. Fact - Early experience and interaction with the environment are most critical in a child's brain development. Myth   A toddler's brain is less active than the brain of a college student. Fact - A 3-year-old toddler's brain is twice as active as an adult's brain. Myth   Talking to a baby is not important because he or she can't understand what you are saying. Fact - Talking to young children establishes foundations for learning language during early critical periods when learning is easiest for a child. Myth   Children need special help and specific educational toys to develop their brainpower. Fact - What children need most is loving care and new experiences, not special attention or costly toys. Talking, singing, playing and reading are some of the key activities that build a child's brain.     How the Brain Develops A number of factors influence early brain development. These important factors include genetics, food and nutrition, responsiveness of parents, daily experiences, physical activity and love. In particular, parents should be aware of the importance of furnishing a healthy and nutritious diet, giving love and nurturing, providing interesting and varied everyday experiences, and giving children positive and sensitive feedback. In the past, some scientists thought the brain's development was determined genetically and brain growth followed a biologically predetermined path. Now we know that early experiences impact the development of the brain and influence the specific way in which the circuits (or pathways) of the brain become "wired." A baby's brain is a work in progress. The outside world shapes its development through experiences that a child's senses — vision, hearing, smell, touch and taste — absorb. For example: • The scent of the mother's skin (smell) • The father's voice (hearing) • Seeing a face or brightly colored toy (vision) • The feel of a hand gently caressing (touch) • Drinking milk (taste) Experiences that the five senses take in help build the connections that guide brain development. Early experiences have a decisive impact on the actual architecture of the brain. Recent equipment and technological advances have allowed scientists to see the brain working. What scientists have found is that the brain continues to form after birth based on experiences. An infant's mind is primed for learning, but it needs early experiences to wire the neural circuits of the brain that facilitate learning. Imagine that a child's brain is like a house that has just been built. The walls are up, the doors are hung. Then you go to the store and buy electrical wiring, switches, a fuse box and other electrical supplies. You bring these supplies to the new house and set them on the floor. Will they work? Probably not. You first must string the wiring and hook up all of the connections. This is quite similar to the way our brains are formed. We are born with as many nerve cells as stars in the Milky Way galaxy. But these cells have not yet established a pattern of wiring between them — they haven't made their connections. What the brain has done is to lay out circuits that are its best guess about what is required for vision, language, etc. Now the sensory experiences must take this rough blueprint and progressively refine it. Circuits are made into patterns that enable newborn infants to perceive their mother's touch, their father's voice and other aspects of their environment. Normal sensory experiences direct brain cells to their location and reinforce the connections between brain cells. We are born with more than 100 billion brain cells or neurons; we will not grow more. That's about 10 times the number of stars in the entire Milky Way, and about 20 times the number of people on the planet. Neurons are the functioning core of the brain. Each cell body is about one-hundredth the size of the period at the end of this sentence. A neuron has branches ordendrites emerging from the cell body. These dendrites pick up chemical signals across a synapse and the impulse travels the length of the axon. Each axon branch has a sac containing neurotransmitters at its tip. The electrical impulse causes the release of the neurotransmitters, which, in turn, stimulates or inhibits neighboring dendrites, like an on-off switch. These connections are miracles of the human body. But to understand their power, you have to multiply this miracle by trillions. A single cell can connect with as many as 15,000 other cells. This incredibly complex network of connections that results often is referred to as the brain's "circuitry" or "wiring." Experience shapes the way circuits are made in the brain. A remarkable increase in synapses occurs during the first year of life. The brain develops a functional architecture through the development of these synapses or connections. For example, if a parent repeatedly calls a child a certain name, then connections will form that allow the child to recognize that name over time as referring to him and he will learn to respond. From birth, the brain rapidly is creating these connections that form our habits, thoughts, consciousness, memories and mind. By the time a child is 3 years old, a baby's brain has formed about 1,000 trillion connections — about twice as many as adults have. A baby's brain is superdense and will stay that way throughout the first decade of life. Beginning at about age 11, a child's brain gets rid of extra connections in a process calling "pruning," gradually making order out of a thick tangle of "wires." The remaining "wiring" is more powerful and efficient. The increase in synaptic density in a child's brain can be seen in Figure 2. The interactions that parents assist with in a child's environment are what spur the growth and pattern of these connections in the brain. As the synapses in a child's brain are strengthened through repeated experiences, connections and pathways are formed that structure the way a child learns. If a pathway is not used, it's eliminated based on the "use it or lose it" principle. Things you do a single time, either good or bad, are somewhat less likely to have an effect on brain development. When a connection is used repeatedly in the early years, it becomes permanent. For example, when adults repeat words and phrases as they talk to babies, babies learn to understand speech and strengthen the language connections in the brain. Figure 1. Neurons and connections     Figure 2. Synaptic density in the human brain     Construction of the Brain We have explored how the brain develops at the cellular level with neurons and connections. Understanding the different parts of the brain as a whole and how it functions and develops also is useful. The brain grows in sequential fashion, from bottom to top, or from the least complex part (brain stem) to the more complex area (cortex). If you draw a line from the forehead to the chin and open the brain for a side view, you would see the brain as it is shown in Figure 3. Figure 3.Brain: side view The basic elements of the human brain include the following: 1. The brainstem is at the base of the skull and it controls most basic life activities, including blood pressure and body temperature. 2. The midbrain is at the top of the brainstem and it controls motor activity, appetite and sleep. 3. The cerebellum is behind the brainstem and it coordinates movement and balance. 4. The limbic system is in the central part of the brain and it controls emotions, attachment and memory. 5. The cortex is the top layer of the brain and is about the depth of two dimes placed on top of each other. The cortex is the "executive branch" of the brain that regulates decision-making and controls thinking, reasoning and language. The cerebral cortex contains 80 percent of the neurons in the brain. Because it is the least developed part of the brain at birth and keeps developing until adolescence and even beyond, the cortex is more sensitive to experiences than other parts of the brain. Construction of the brain is somewhat like the construction of a house. A house is built from the foundation up and different parts of the structure have different functions. Also, like the brain, once the architecture is in place, you can continue learning and "add on" or "decorate." But, if you have to move a wall or add a window, it is more difficult and expensive than if you had done it earlier in the building process.     Critical Periods of Brain Development Brain development proceeds in waves, with different parts of the brain becoming active "construction sites" at different times. The brain's ability to respond to experience presents exciting opportunities for a child's development. Learning continues throughout life. However, "prime times" or "windows of opportunity" exist when the brain is a kind of "supersponge," absorbing new information more easily than at other times and developing in major leaps. While this is true especially in the first three years of life, it continues throughout early childhood and adolescence. For example, young children learn the grammar and meaning of their native language with only simple exposure. While learning later is possible, it usually is slower and more difficult. Some improvement in most skills is possible throughout life. However, providing children with the best opportunity for learning and growth during the periods when their minds are most ready to absorb new information is important. Visual and auditory development The "prime time" for visual and auditory development, or a child's capacity for learning to see and hear, is from birth to between 4 and 5 years old. The development of these sensory capacities is very important for allowing children, especially babies, to perceive and interact with the world around them. During the first few months, especially, babies need to see shapes, colors, objects at varying distances and movement for the brain to learn how to see. Babies also need exposure to a variety of sounds so their brain can learn to process that information and allow for responsiveness by hearing something. Language development The "prime time" for language development and learning to talk is from birth to 10 years of age. Children are learning language during this entire period. However, the "prime time" for language learning is the first few years of life. Children need to hear you constantly talk, sing and read to them during these early years. Respond to their babbling and language efforts. Children vary in their language development during these first years, so parents should allow for some variation in children's abilities at different ages. They should encourage language development, be patient and seek assistance from a qualified professional if concerns arise about a child's progress in this area. Physical and motor development The "prime time" for physical and motor development in children is from birth to 12 years of age. Children become physically ready for different aspects of motor development at different times. Large motor skills, such as walking, tend to come before the refinement of fine motor skills, such as using a crayon. A child needs several years to develop the coordination skills to play catch with a ball easily, and even then refinement of such skills continues into a child's early adolescence. Parents should monitor a child's motor development but be patient since children vary in their rates of development. Emotional and social development The "prime time" for emotional and social development in children is birth to 12 years of age. Differing aspects of emotional and social development, which incorporate higher capacities, such as awareness of others, empathy and trust, are important at different times. For example, the real "prime time" for emotional attachment to be developed is from birth to 18 months, when a young child is forming attachments with critical caregivers. Such development provides the foundations for other aspects of emotional development that occur as children grow. Emotional intelligence is critical to life success. The part of the brain that regulates emotion, the amygdala, is shaped early on by experience and forms the brain's emotional wiring. Early nurturing is important to learning empathy, happiness, hopefulness and resiliency. Social development, which involves both self-awareness and a child's ability to interact with others, also occurs in stages. For example, sharing toys is something that a 2-year old's brain is not fully developed to do well, so this social ability is more common and positive with toddlers who are 3 or older. A parent's efforts to nurture and guide a child will assist in laying healthy foundations for social and emotional development.     Conclusion The development of a child's brain holds the key to the child's future. Although the "first years last forever" in terms of the rapid development of young children's brains, the actual first years of a child's life go by very quickly. So touch, talk, read, smile, sing, count and play with your children. It does more than make both of you feel good. It helps a child's brain develop and nourishes the child's potential for a lifetime.   This is referred from the link : http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs609w.htm   Recommended Resources Books Gopnik, A., Meltzoff, A.N., and Kuhl, P.K. (1999). The Scientist in the Crib: Minds, Brains, and How Children Learn. New York: William Morrow & Co. Inc. Babies as scientists — this book summarizes all kinds of amazing research findings with babies. Healy, J. (1994). Your Child's Growing Mind: A Practical Guide to Brain Development and Learning from Birth to Adolescence. New York: Doubleday. This easy-to-read book is full of practical suggestions for teaching and learning. Martin, E. (1988). Baby Games: The Joyful Guide to Child's Play from Birth to Three Years. Running Press Book Publishers. This fun book is full of activities, songs and ideas for parents of young children. Ramey, C.T. and Ramey, S.L. (1999). Right from Birth: Building Your Child's Foundation for Life. New York: Goddard Press Inc. By a leader in the field, this book sets forth seven essential factors to help children grow each day from birth to 18 months. Shore, R. (1997). Rethinking the Brain: New Insights into Early Development. New York: Families and Work Institute. This well-written and descriptive book is on key aspects of brain development in children and their importance for children and parents. Siegel, D. J. (1999). The Developing Mind. New York: Guilford Press. This provides profound and interesting insights on how the brain and biology influence who we are and how we develop as human beings.   Videos The First Years Last Forever. This video is available from the I Am Your Child Campaign, which the Reiner Foundation sponsors. For ordering information, visit the Web site (see below) or write to: I Am Your Child, PO Box 15605, Beverly Hills, CA 90209.   Web sites • The Better Brains for Babies publication series was done by faculty in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. The Web site is:www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs . • I Am Your Child is a national public awareness and engagement campaign, which the Reiner Foundation created, to help people understand the importance of new brain research and its implications for our children's lifelong healthy development. Information can be accessed on the Web site at www.iamyourchild.org . • The Wisconsin Council on Children and Families has educational resources that include Great Beginnings: The First Years Last Forever and the Brain Watchseries. Information can be accessed on the Web site at www.wccf.org . References Bales, Diane. (1998). Better Brains for Babies. Publication Nos. FACS 01-1, 01-2, 01-4, 01-6 and 01-7. College of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia. Bower, Don. (1998). Better Brains for Babies. Publication Nos. FACS 01-3 and 01-5. College of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia. I Am Your Child Campaign. (1999). Web site: www.iamyourchild.org . Beverly Hills, Calif. Gopnik, A., Meltzoff, A.N., and Kuhl, P.K. (1999). The Scientist in the Crib: Minds, Brains, and How Children Learn. New York: William Morrow & Co. Inc. Healy, J. (1994). Your Child's Growing Mind: A Practical Guide to Brain Development and Learning from Birth to Adolescence. New York: Doubleday. Jensen, Eric. (1998). Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Va. Shore, Rima. (1997). Rethinking the Brain: New Insights into Early Development. New York: Families and Work Institute. Siegel, D. J. (1999). The Developing Mind. New York: Guilford Press. Wisconsin Council on Children and Families. (January 1999). Brain Watch: The Facts About Baby's Brain. Web site: www.wccf.org . Just as their bodies need food to grow, science tells us that the experiences children have in their earliest years are equally necessary for growth of a healthy brain. Children's ability to recognize, think and interact with the world is dependent on the development of their brain. Science is beginning to unlock new understanding of brain development and how it occurs in young children. FS-609,  APRIL 2005

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Waldorf Education

Defining Waldorf
The Waldorf method that so intrigued Georgia was founded by a man named Dr. Rudolph Steiner in the early part of the twentieth century. He believed very strongly that education should not only engage the minds of children, but the bodies and spirits as well. These elements are not treated as separate; the Waldorf method is designed to educate all of them in concert.

"[Children] are 'sense' beings," says Waldorf teacher Steve Johnson. "They smell and see and taste a great deal and we try to appeal to that." That philosophy was enough to convince Georgia Klenn to enroll her son Zachary in a Waldorf school, where he's been learning from Steve Johnson for most of the past six years.

The Waldorf Classroom
When Zachary turned 4, Georgia started him in the Great Oaks School in Evanston, IL and started volunteering there herself. In his early childhood classroom, Zachary and the other children participated in activities aimed at making them comfortable in their own bodies. They baked bread, made soup, sang songs, tended a garden, danced, and played dress-up and make-believe. Zachary's teacher, Steve Johnson, says all these activities aren't merely play; they have a very specific purpose.

"What we try to do is keep the children's imaginations alive," Johnson says. "That means we don't push academics in early childhood. We have the children play and do things with their hands, like making bread and puppets rather than putting a child in front of a computer and giving them intellectual concepts."

The arts play a role in everyday life at a Waldorf school. Zachary learned to play the wooden flute along with his first grade class. A few years later, they moved onto the recorder, followed by the violin. They molded clay, drew pictures, learned French and German, and recited poetry. But perhaps the most important part of the Waldorf formula: all of these things were done with a heavy emphasis on teamwork and togetherness. "It's more like a family than a school," Georgia says. "How many people come to pick up their children at a traditional school and the child sees another parent and runs over and gives them a hug?"

The family-like atmosphere provides children the opportunity to learn without the pressures of competition. "Everything is so competitive in life," Georgia says. "They're going to have enough of that when they're adults. There's so much horrible stuff out there; they don't need to be [competing] when they're this young."

Georgia proudly says that atmosphere has helped Zachary blossom, and take on things he might not otherwise try. "He learned how to knit and crochet and needlepoint -- and these are boys! And they love it," she says. "They don't look at it like it's a feminine thing."

In the Waldorf education, children are not taught to read until second or third grade. When reading was introduced to Zachary's class, he began having trouble. The cause of his struggles was not apparent until he was diagnosed with dyslexia, a reading disorder marked by a tendency to scramble letters, words and sentences. But instead of alienating Zachary because of his learning disability, his classmates and teacher supported his efforts to read.

"[One day] Mr. Johnson ran into the office and said, 'Georgia! Zachary read an entire paragraph and didn't make a mistake! And he told me that all the other kids started clapping for him," Georgia says happily. "It gives me goose bumps. It just makes me want to cry."

Waldorf students remain with the same teacher from preschool through eighth grade. This allows the teacher to develop a close relationship with all the students, and ensures that students' abilities and difficulties will be understood from year to year. "They adore this man," Georgia says. "He's like a second parent to them."

Johnson, like all other Waldorf teachers, doesn't give his students grades or make them memorize facts in a textbook. "Other schools are so concerned about science or math or reading," he says. "It leaves the child nervous and unsatisfied."

To help students feel more at ease, a Waldorf school is "all natural" --literally. Nothing in the classroom is made of plastic, because it's not a natural substance. The children have wood stumps, they use beeswax crayons instead of Crayola, and other natural materials such as silk and wool. According to Johnson, the children's mental development benefits from the feel, sight and smell of natural materials.

Waldorf Criticisms
Like anything that strays from the norm, the Waldorf method has its share of criticisms. Aside from those who believe Waldorf children are not taught enough academics, there are the plain facts, interpreted differently by different people.

To begin with, Waldorf schools are usually very expensive. The vast majority of Waldorf schools are private, and some charge several thousand dollars a year in tuition. Because of the cost, Georgia Klenn isn't sure if she'll be able to afford to send her children on to a Waldorf high school. While some schools offer tuition discounts, many parents end up paying the full amount.

Also at issue is the fact that Waldorf teachers do not need a college degree in education to teach. They are not state certified, but are certified by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. To get that credential, they must complete three years learning to teach according to Rudolph Steiner's ideas.

Georgia Klenn says a degree in education doesn't necessarily mean much -- it's the quality of person that matters. And she feels Waldorf has brought high quality people into her son's life, forever affecting the person he is becoming. "He is so warm and open to people," she says. "I think he has a better appreciation and respect for life."

Article from : http://www.preschoolerstoday.com/resources/articles/preprepwaldorf.htm

        

How to select child care facility and key questions that a parent should ask

Quick Facts...

·                                 Know available options in your area.

·                                 Determine your needs: hours, days, transportation, location to work and home, cost, special attention, and type of care desired.

·                                 Begin the search for possible care options through friends, other parents, licensing agency, doctors' offices, resource and referral agencies, social services offices, newspapers, and community groups.

·                                 Inquire about facility licensing.

·                                 After selecting the child care arrangement of your choice, make periodic random visits to see if your child's needs are met.

Today more than ever, children spend a large number of their waking hours with adults other than their parents. A growing concern facing working parents is how to select the child-care arrangement that meets their needs and the needs of the child, and corresponds to their value system.
Child care choices are based on many factors: cost, convenience, quality and benefits to the child. The primary options for child care are in-home, day care homes and day care centers.
Start looking as far in advance as you can. Whether you are considering a child care center or care in someone else’s home- finding the right child care option can take time.
Making child-care arrangements is often time consuming and many centers and home have waiting lists. It is a good idea to make child-care arrangements three to six months in advance. Give yourself enough time to explore available options and weigh the advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunate errors can result from quick decisions with little investigation.
One of the most important considerations is to select a licensed day-care home or child-care center. Question potential providers about their license (if one is not posted), activities for children, daily schedule, menu selections, disciplinary practices, frequency of household visitors, nature of visits, personal habits (i.e. smoking, drinking), and drivers who transport children. In addition, ask how many children there are for each adult. The fewer the childeren for each adult, the better for your child. Babies an adult to child ratio of no more than 1:4 (one adult for 4 infants), while 4-year olds can do well with a ratio of 1:10 (one adult for 10 children).
Observe facilities for health and safety concerns that are important to you. Talk to present and past customers (parents). Find out if they are, or were, satisfied.
The time spent searching for and choosing arrangements will pay off in peace of mind to be experienced later. Regardless of the child care you decide on, remember to make sure the caregiver loves and enjoys children and understands how they learn and grow.

Key questions that a parent should ask are as follows:

1. Is the center state licensed?  Look for the license.
2. Have background checks been conducted on the staff
3. Have the staff received CPR training?
4. What are the emergency procedures regarding immediate care for child and parent contact? Is there a written manual.
5. What health and safety measures do they take?  Is the place child-proofed? Is the playground fenced in?  Are all hazardous materials out of reach of children?  Are windows and doors securely locked? Do members of the staff wash hands regularly?  Is the facility regularly inspected?
6. What is the staff turnover rate?
7. Who is the contact person for the center if you have a problem or question
8.  How do you communicate with parents?
9.  What is the philosophy of the center and its staff?
10.  What is the child-staff ratio?
11.  What is the age range of children?
12.  How many years do the children stay at the center?
13.  Is there supervision at all times including nap time?
14.  What activities are provided?
15.  What is the time for structured vs. unstructured play?
16.  Do they ever take children off-site?
17.  How do they handle diapering and toilet training?
18. How is feeding handled?
19. What are the fees for service?
20. How long has the center been in business?
21. Do stated fees cover all costs or will there be hidden charges?
22.  What is the payment policy?
23.  What are the policies if the child is sick?
24. How is vacation handled?
25. What is earliest for drop off and latest for pick up -- are schedules flexible?
26. Can parents drop in anytime?