At our NAEYC presentation a couple of weeks ago in Dallas, an attendee raised her hand and asked, “What do I do when a parent worries that her child is ‘just playing’?” It didn’t quite come out of left field, as we were discussing math opportunities in the context of play, but I could tell […]
I’ll never forget the first time I overheard a parent asking her child’s first grade teacher how she was planning to differentiate instruction for her child. The teacher later told me that many parents were beginning to expect differentiated instruction for their children. This was in a public school with over 30 children in each […]
My second son Louie attended the most wonderful little preschool when he was 4 years old. It was nurturing, warm, and inviting. Each and every part of the program was thoughtfully planned and executed. It was a joy. This week I received the above card from them. According to the card: “Our curriculum goal for […]
Last week I attended a very interesting presentation at the Thompson Center, hosted by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs out of the University of Illinois. The speaker, Dr. Daryl Greenfield from the University of Miami, presented his research on science education and school readiness. One of his assertions is that teachers of young […]
You all know how much I love children’s books. Many of these come from my favorites. Some are new to me. All are good. Check it out. 20 Quotes From Children’s Books Every Adult Should Know
Last week, three of the Math at Home folks (including me) went to Dallas for the NAEYC Annual Conference and Expo. We spoke on Wednesday to a wonderful and receptive audience of about 45 attendees. We began by detailing the history of the Math at Home project and spent a little bit of time presenting […]
Math at Home’s Dr. Kathleen Sheridan sent me this link last week. It will take you to a pretty cool website called “Bedtime Math”. Founded by parents, this not-for-profit organization is funded by private donors who simply want to increase math opportunities for young children in school and at home. This is not unlike the […]
Take a look at this list of things you can say to children that are affirming, positive, and inspirational. Take a break from… “I love it” “Great job” “Good Work” “I need you to…” “I want you to…”
A couple of years ago, when we explored apples and one of our Thursday Themes, we took a stab at figuring out the circumferences using string. You can also use string to figure out how tall your pumpkins are. Have children hold string next to their pumpkins from the top of their stems to the […]
Last Friday I had the pleasure of visiting my friend B’s kindergarten class in San Francisco, California. I met her teachers and her friends. I saw the class toys and books. B introduced me to the class frogs, birds, and fish. I watched her dance with her friends and then get ready to go on […]