An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.”
DR. MARIA MONTESSORI
Even though I’ve worked in preschool classrooms and after school programs for over a decade, I have never thought this deeply about how children learn best. Thinking past the curriculum and the philosophy of most education programs, I was brought deeper into what this all meant. These questions came to me after my visit to Westside Montessori Academy which is when I began to fully appreciate the benefits our children receive from a Montessori education.
Written by Lorrie Holmes
Can kids develop their artistic skills through Creative Play? Does this include developing skills in music, songwriting, creative writing, drama and dance through play? Here are six ways to show you that they can! It’s certainly what I experienced during my years spent leading creating arts classes with children from ages 3 to 12. In fact, the more creative freedom that’s given, the more focused children are on developing a skill or completing a project to the best of their ability.
What better way to start your Spring lesson planning than with the tried and true book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which continues to expand into a whole collection of titles you can use to plan a fun Spring Classroom Theme around!
This story, written and illustrated by the infamous Eric Carle, was a must use every spring in my own preschool lesson planning! The original story offers such unique artwork in a style that is Eric Carle’s alone, and pulls the children into the fun activity of going through all of the days of the week as this very hungry caterpillar munches and crunches his way through a whole lot of food choices, some healthy and some sneaky!
Interviewed by Lorrie Holmes
As Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget, once stated, “Knowledge is a consequence of experience.”
There is a lot of truth to this statement and as education continues to evolve, Project-Based Learning (PBL) has become more recognized. In fact, many schools have actually taken on a Project Based Learning Model in offering their students the opportunity to apply many of their core learnings to these projects as part of their curriculum.
Today we are sharing an interview I recently conducted for BC Parent Newsmagazine on two leaders in our education community on project based education – Paul Romani, Director of Pear Tree School and Owen Hann, V.P. of Operations for Steamoji – about what Project Based Learning means to them and their students, how they go about offering such emergent programs, and what they feel the benefits are for the students who engage in these programs.
Written by Kathy Eugster, MA
We are learning from the fields of neuroscience and child-development how important it is for parents to play with their kids. That children need many positive, face-to-face interactions with attentive, sensitive, and responsive parents or caregivers for healthy brain and nervous system development. Play activities between parent and child are excellent ways to provide these necessary interactions to children.
Parent-child play offers unique benefits to children over children’s peer play or independent play because parents are older and wiser and can support their child’s development in a variety of different ways. Many research studies have found that play between a parent and child is one of the best ways to strengthen the parent-child relationship.
Written by Lorrie Holmes – story originally published in BC Parent!
We have recently spoken with three child development experts who all agree that children learn best through play. Beginning with renowned counsellor, scientist and storyteller, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, along with early childhood education college instructors, Candiss Brown and Nika Jibrael – according to all three, play is where it all begins.
BC PARENT: Why is play so important to the development of young children?
DR. MACNAMARA: The research on the science of play finds there are three key areas it serves when it comes to a child’s development. Play is central to overall brain integration, with motor and sensory systems networking with language and emotional centres. In play, a child’s sense of agency is enhanced as they explore and make sense of their world, developing as a separate self in the process. The discovery of personal preferences, wants, wishes and desires is based upon this type of examination of the world, up close and personal.
The first thing that struck me when I entered through the front doors of Asland Academy in Vancouver West, was the combination of warmth and organization. The structure of an early learning academy was definitely there though it was offered in a way that was inviting to the children, and myself. When I was first introduced to this Reggio-inspired preschool academy, I was quite surprised to learn that it was run out of a home – especially after having a conversation with School Manager, Natalie Qiu, who was very professional when sharing their philosophy and curriculum. In fact, I was so intrigued that I decided to go pay her a visit in person.
Approaching the front door, I was greeted by a cute little lion and asked Natalie about it. She asked me if I had ever read The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe. I noticed the twinkle in Natalie’s eye as she patiently waited for my reply. Of course, Aslan The Lion! Natalie smiled and nodded. “That’s right”, she added.
by Lorrie Holmes
GIVE AN INJURED, SICK OR ORPHANED MARINE MAMMAL A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY WITH A SYMBOLIC ADOPTION.
I had so much fun creating this story for BC Parent Newsmagazine and am happy to share it with all of you here at Kids News & Reviews. Be sure to also check out our past story about the Vancouver Aquarium written by one of our Kids Who Write!
Internationally renowned for it’s groundbreaking stranded marine mammal medical program, the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) responds to over 300 marine mammal emergencies annually and runs Canada’s only dedicated marine mammal hospital facility. Over the 60 years in operation, VAMMR has successfully rescued and rehabilitated over 3000 marine mammals.
Are you looking for a fun playlist of songs to use in your classroom this Valentine’s Day? I am so excited to introduce you a very special two-part song that I used in my own classes. One version of this song starts with babies and the second part grows into the concepts for toddlers and preschoolers to practice. Next, I’ve included a list of five song recommendations that I used time and again in my own music classes.