I've noticed that kids love to be complimented on what they wear or what they do. Some of them though just don't know how to take it. Here is an article from our guest blogger Dr. Rick.
Teach Kids How to Accept a Compliment
by rbavaria
For the past couple of posts, we’ve been concentrating on teaching kids certain crucial social skills, talents that will serve them well as they learn to make friends, as they’re in school, and as they work as adults.
First we discussed teaching kids how to apologize. Then, how to accept an apology . Followed by how to give a compliment . And today, how to accept a compliment. Seems lots of kids don’t know how to respond when someone says, “Nice job at the concert, Elijah!” or “What a pretty sweater, Bethany.”
A blank stare, mute shoe-gazing, or ignoring nice comments just won’t cut it.
When they learn to compliment they’re learning to recognize the talents of others, to appreciate their friends and classmates, and to think of other people besides themselves. When others give them a compliment, it’s useful and respectful to acknowledge it.
So, in the spirit of arming our kids with the simple know-how of making it through a day with confidence and maybe even a little poise, here are a half dozen or so suggestions that can help.
1. Recognize a compliment. When someone says something nice, it’s good to see it as the little gift it is. And since we’ve already taught them to say thank-you when they receive a gift, it’s perfectly natural to expect the same words now.
2. Start early. Teach kids to say a simple thank-you when they receive the gift of a compliment. For shy kids, just those two words are perfectly acceptable. As they gain more confidence, a few more words will be easier. “Thank you. I worked hard on practicing my clarinet.” Or, “Thank you, my mom gave me this sweater for Christmas. It’s one of my favorites.”
3. Be a role model. Let kids see you graciously acknowledging compliments. This doesn’t have to be a big production, just a natural part of daily living. When they see you doing this with ease and simple words, they’ll get the hang of it.
4. Make eye contact. This is a hard skill for some kids to learn, but it usually gets easier as they get older. Especially if it’s your expectation. Tell them to look someone in the eye when they’re talking to them – it shows respect and interest.
5. Smile. We smile when we get gifts, right? So, smile when someone’s said something nice to us. It shows that we’re grateful and we appreciate the other person’s thoughtfulness. For especially bashful children, at the very least a charming, shy smile will do for the time being. Shy kids want confidence-building skills.
6. Be sincere. You don’t have to fall all over yourself with flowery words, but the words should show sincerity. That’s why a smile and a thank-you are just right. They show you mean it.
7. See the innocence. Some people, let’s admit it, are suspicious of compliments. Some of us can’t help but wonder what that other person has up his sleeve. Why’s he being so nice? Kids are too young to be cynical. Don’t teach them suspicion.
Just like teaching kids how to give compliments, accepting them doesn’t have to be a big deal. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Expressing our admiration to others and saying thank you to those who do it for us are just common, daily courtesies that show our friends and classmates that we care for and respect them. Just regular life skills that smooth the way in a complicated world. It’s that simple.
Sylvan Learning Directors and teachers from Flemington, New Jersey dish on the latest educational trends and what you can do to help your child achieve academic success!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Reading with Kids
This week's article from our guest Dr. Rick talks about the importance of Reading with your kids. I also find that kids like reading with a Kindle, Book Nook, or some other form of technology.
A Dozen Ways to Keep Reading with Kids
by rbavaria
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the importance of parents’ being involved in their children’s learning . I referred to a recent study that confirmed what we parents and teachers already know – that kids do better when we’re actively involved in their learning, when we read with them, when we show a lively interest in their school activities, and when we talk with them daily about interesting topics.
Parents matter.
And parents who encourage reading matter most. It’s the fundamental skill, remember?
We’ve discussed reading many, many times in the Dr. Rick Blog. (Type “reading” in the search field at the right and you’ll find past blog postings.) Now’s as good a time as any, as the new year gets underway, to reinforce our commitment to reading with our kids.
So, here are twelve reminders of ways to encourage our kids to keep up their reading. Few things we do for our kids are as valuable.
1. Remember, it’s our job. It’s our job as parents and teachers to get our kids interested in reading early. Before they even go to school. Kids who come to school from homes where reading is valued and encouraged, where adults read to kids, where books and magazines are present, and where conversation is free and relaxed arrive with a tremendous leg up over kids who don’t.
2. Make the library a special place. Kids love going to the library. The more they go, the more grown-up they feel, especially if they have their own library cards. Give them some guidance, but also give them plenty of opportunity to make their own choices.
3. Go online for ideas. There are lots of websites for kids’ book choices. ReadKiddoRead is excellent. Oprah Winfrey is, unsurprisingly and beneficially in the act with her Kids Reading List – Oprah. And Book Adventure is a veteran, happily motivating kids to read for over a decade.
4. D.E.A.R. Drop Everything and Read is a national reading motivation program that encourages exactly what its name says. I’ve seen it in action in schools all over the U.S. When kids are cheered on to read what they find interesting, they respond.
5. Be a role model. Show kids that reading is an important part of your life, too. Let them see you reading often. For information, for directions to do something, or for the pure enjoyment.
6. Support reading. When your school or local library has a children’s reading activity, show your support. Let the folks at school know that you’re a reading advocate and that you expect your kids to be doing lots of interesting, informative, and fun reading.
7. Read aloud. Kids love to have you read to them . They also love to show off their reading skills by reading for you. Take advantage of their enthusiasm.
8. Do seasonal reading. Read about favorite sports during their seasons. Read about religious holidays at their proper times. Read about historical events during anniversaries. Read about popular, new movie releases at their premieres. Don’t forget about summer reading when school’s out.
9. Reward reading. Have reasonable and easy rewards for meeting reading goals. Finished the first chapter book? The long brain stretcher? The fourth book by a favorite author? Go out for a special treat, just the two of you, without siblings. Make it a special time.
10. Read as a family. It’s so easy to schedule family reading night. Take a half-hour – or longer if you want – and everyone brings a favorite book. Read favorite parts aloud. Serve chocolate chip cookies. Enjoy one another’s company.
11. Tell about your favorites. Spend some time telling kids about your favorite childhood books. You’ll be surprised at how interested they’ll be. They may even want to see what those Hardy Boys are up to if you make it compelling enough.
12. Read the book. Watch the movie. Few things make kids feel more “superior” than comparing and contrasting a movie to the book it’s based upon. “That’s not the way it was in the book!” Let them explain the differences, talk about why a director made those changes, and then talk about which version they preferred.
It’s really not difficult to instill a love of reading and, therefore, learning if we start early enough, if we’re good role models, and if we support lots of reading choices. Kids will amaze themselves at how much they discover about the world and about themselves. And they’ll find their school reading (and other language arts like writing, speaking, and listening) becoming stronger, too.
Everyone wins!
A Dozen Ways to Keep Reading with Kids
by rbavaria
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the importance of parents’ being involved in their children’s learning . I referred to a recent study that confirmed what we parents and teachers already know – that kids do better when we’re actively involved in their learning, when we read with them, when we show a lively interest in their school activities, and when we talk with them daily about interesting topics.
Parents matter.
And parents who encourage reading matter most. It’s the fundamental skill, remember?
We’ve discussed reading many, many times in the Dr. Rick Blog. (Type “reading” in the search field at the right and you’ll find past blog postings.) Now’s as good a time as any, as the new year gets underway, to reinforce our commitment to reading with our kids.
So, here are twelve reminders of ways to encourage our kids to keep up their reading. Few things we do for our kids are as valuable.
1. Remember, it’s our job. It’s our job as parents and teachers to get our kids interested in reading early. Before they even go to school. Kids who come to school from homes where reading is valued and encouraged, where adults read to kids, where books and magazines are present, and where conversation is free and relaxed arrive with a tremendous leg up over kids who don’t.
2. Make the library a special place. Kids love going to the library. The more they go, the more grown-up they feel, especially if they have their own library cards. Give them some guidance, but also give them plenty of opportunity to make their own choices.
3. Go online for ideas. There are lots of websites for kids’ book choices. ReadKiddoRead is excellent. Oprah Winfrey is, unsurprisingly and beneficially in the act with her Kids Reading List – Oprah. And Book Adventure is a veteran, happily motivating kids to read for over a decade.
4. D.E.A.R. Drop Everything and Read is a national reading motivation program that encourages exactly what its name says. I’ve seen it in action in schools all over the U.S. When kids are cheered on to read what they find interesting, they respond.
5. Be a role model. Show kids that reading is an important part of your life, too. Let them see you reading often. For information, for directions to do something, or for the pure enjoyment.
6. Support reading. When your school or local library has a children’s reading activity, show your support. Let the folks at school know that you’re a reading advocate and that you expect your kids to be doing lots of interesting, informative, and fun reading.
7. Read aloud. Kids love to have you read to them . They also love to show off their reading skills by reading for you. Take advantage of their enthusiasm.
8. Do seasonal reading. Read about favorite sports during their seasons. Read about religious holidays at their proper times. Read about historical events during anniversaries. Read about popular, new movie releases at their premieres. Don’t forget about summer reading when school’s out.
9. Reward reading. Have reasonable and easy rewards for meeting reading goals. Finished the first chapter book? The long brain stretcher? The fourth book by a favorite author? Go out for a special treat, just the two of you, without siblings. Make it a special time.
10. Read as a family. It’s so easy to schedule family reading night. Take a half-hour – or longer if you want – and everyone brings a favorite book. Read favorite parts aloud. Serve chocolate chip cookies. Enjoy one another’s company.
11. Tell about your favorites. Spend some time telling kids about your favorite childhood books. You’ll be surprised at how interested they’ll be. They may even want to see what those Hardy Boys are up to if you make it compelling enough.
12. Read the book. Watch the movie. Few things make kids feel more “superior” than comparing and contrasting a movie to the book it’s based upon. “That’s not the way it was in the book!” Let them explain the differences, talk about why a director made those changes, and then talk about which version they preferred.
It’s really not difficult to instill a love of reading and, therefore, learning if we start early enough, if we’re good role models, and if we support lots of reading choices. Kids will amaze themselves at how much they discover about the world and about themselves. And they’ll find their school reading (and other language arts like writing, speaking, and listening) becoming stronger, too.
Everyone wins!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Having fun with Building
Here is an article by our guest blogger Dr. Rick. I know that we love to watch children play but did you know how much they are learning when they build...
Kids Learn About Building
by rbavaria
I stayed after school the other day at the invitation of some pretty excited kids who were eager – that’s putting it mildly – to show me their creations in the Engineering Club, or as the kids call it, the “Lego Club.”
They had forts, flying fighter planes, houses, small cities, fire stations, rockets, even a school playground. They were in various stages of completion and resemblance to their intended outcomes, but, my goodness, were these kids having fun! They were all talking at once, each thrusting a project my way or pulling me toward one, each explaining his or her work. I had to plead happily, “One at a time! I’ll get to them all.”
It was another example, as if we needed one, that hands-on, involved, and interesting learning really gets kids moving.
I’ve written before about kids building stuff. Building blocks, Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, magnetic construction sets, K’Nex toys, Crazy Strawz, and Erector Sets are just a few of the popular and useful toys for those kids who enjoy indulging their creativity.
As I watched these youngsters excitedly create, my teacher-brain noticed things I’d never share with the kids for fear of having them think that what they were doing was actually good for them, educational even.
But I’ll share my thoughts with you.
1. They were solving problems. Each project presented unexpected challenges. Not enough construction pieces. Not planned well enough. Too hastily done. (“Haste makes waste,” I can hear my old man saying years ago.) The kids had to solve their predicaments.
2. They were exercising their creativity. “What if we could make it shoot X-rays!” “What if we could have a moat with alligators!” “What about a pole the fire fighters could slide down!” And they’re off and running, feeding off one another’s creative ideas.
3. They were following directions. They listened to their more skilled buddies who shared their experiences and techniques. “No, Alex, try it this way.”
4. They were working in teams. No one assigned the kids to teams; they just naturally formed partnerships and groups that met everyone’s needs. They were learning the power of shared strengths and goals.
5. They were doing math. They were counting, measuring, adding, and subtracting. “I have sixty-seven blocks. Can I make this fort two feet high?”
6. They were indulging their inquisitiveness. Curiosity is an amazing thing to watch. We adults learn to keep our “helpful” suggestions to ourselves and just watch their little brains working.
7. They were enjoying friendly competition. Those natural-forming teams just as naturally started friendly competition with their classmates. “We can make our fort bigger than yours! Feast your eyes on this look-out tower!” (“Feast your eyes.” I love it.)
8. They were expanding their interests. Even if they don’t realize it yet, they’re fostering an interest in science, technology, engineering, math (yes, STEM), architecture, and aeronautics, among others.
9. They were expanding their skills. They were learning about organizing, planning, patterns, proportions, design, measurement, and working together.
10. They were having a ball. Nothing makes the heart of a parent or teacher happier than seeing kids learning and enjoying themselves at the same time. It’s pretty darn cool when it happens.
There’s something for us adults to learn, too. Despite all the planning of lessons and experiences, despite all the field trips and interactive worksheets, despite all the pedagogy and family advice we read, there’s nothing like kids taking their learning and fun into their own hands and showing us how it’s done!
Kids Learn About Building
by rbavaria
I stayed after school the other day at the invitation of some pretty excited kids who were eager – that’s putting it mildly – to show me their creations in the Engineering Club, or as the kids call it, the “Lego Club.”
They had forts, flying fighter planes, houses, small cities, fire stations, rockets, even a school playground. They were in various stages of completion and resemblance to their intended outcomes, but, my goodness, were these kids having fun! They were all talking at once, each thrusting a project my way or pulling me toward one, each explaining his or her work. I had to plead happily, “One at a time! I’ll get to them all.”
It was another example, as if we needed one, that hands-on, involved, and interesting learning really gets kids moving.
I’ve written before about kids building stuff. Building blocks, Legos, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, magnetic construction sets, K’Nex toys, Crazy Strawz, and Erector Sets are just a few of the popular and useful toys for those kids who enjoy indulging their creativity.
As I watched these youngsters excitedly create, my teacher-brain noticed things I’d never share with the kids for fear of having them think that what they were doing was actually good for them, educational even.
But I’ll share my thoughts with you.
1. They were solving problems. Each project presented unexpected challenges. Not enough construction pieces. Not planned well enough. Too hastily done. (“Haste makes waste,” I can hear my old man saying years ago.) The kids had to solve their predicaments.
2. They were exercising their creativity. “What if we could make it shoot X-rays!” “What if we could have a moat with alligators!” “What about a pole the fire fighters could slide down!” And they’re off and running, feeding off one another’s creative ideas.
3. They were following directions. They listened to their more skilled buddies who shared their experiences and techniques. “No, Alex, try it this way.”
4. They were working in teams. No one assigned the kids to teams; they just naturally formed partnerships and groups that met everyone’s needs. They were learning the power of shared strengths and goals.
5. They were doing math. They were counting, measuring, adding, and subtracting. “I have sixty-seven blocks. Can I make this fort two feet high?”
6. They were indulging their inquisitiveness. Curiosity is an amazing thing to watch. We adults learn to keep our “helpful” suggestions to ourselves and just watch their little brains working.
7. They were enjoying friendly competition. Those natural-forming teams just as naturally started friendly competition with their classmates. “We can make our fort bigger than yours! Feast your eyes on this look-out tower!” (“Feast your eyes.” I love it.)
8. They were expanding their interests. Even if they don’t realize it yet, they’re fostering an interest in science, technology, engineering, math (yes, STEM), architecture, and aeronautics, among others.
9. They were expanding their skills. They were learning about organizing, planning, patterns, proportions, design, measurement, and working together.
10. They were having a ball. Nothing makes the heart of a parent or teacher happier than seeing kids learning and enjoying themselves at the same time. It’s pretty darn cool when it happens.
There’s something for us adults to learn, too. Despite all the planning of lessons and experiences, despite all the field trips and interactive worksheets, despite all the pedagogy and family advice we read, there’s nothing like kids taking their learning and fun into their own hands and showing us how it’s done!
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