Poetry in Early Childhood Education

Creating poetry in preschool means to focus the students on a specific task. During this process preschoolers develop a sense of what it means to put words and lines together to make a poem, assisting individually the children in writing poetry strengthens their vocabulary, memory, senses and tunes their ear. Writing poetry gives to the teacher information about a child's vocabulary, ease of speech, sense of rhythm and understanding of the concept and the assignment.

But furthermore if our pupils are to young for writing their own poems the better way to learn poetry is listening to it. If we want, as a teacher or parents, that our children keep more interested about this kind of literature we must to approach them with interesting and funny resources. When I used to study English literature our professor brought us this video, I will never forget it because the listened poetry is a good manner to introduce our children into the poetry world. I hope you will enjoy this video how I done.

Music in preschoolers

The musical education is quite important for preschoolers because we develop their sense of rhythm, the coordinated movement and their sensibility to music and the sounds. With this new blog input we want to share with you some crafts about the music subject. A good teacher has to know to do anything, for that reason this article will show you how to make musical instruments for your preschool class (also you can use this ideas for Primary classes). ¡Here we go!

Tambourine

2 paper plates
glue
hole punch                                                
string
jingle bells
crayons

Glue two paper plates together, facing each other. Using a hole punch, make holes around the plates and tie jingle bells to the holes with a string. Decorate the tambourine with crayons.

Horn

Paper towel roll

Waxed paper

Rubber band

Pen

Cover one end of the paper tower roll with waxed paper, secure it with a rubber band. Punch a row of holes along one side of the roll with the tip of a pen.

Cymbals

Two matching pot covers
A ribbon

Tie the ribbon on yarn around the handles of the pot covers. To play, strike together.

How can we do an educational project for preschool?

This is an important question for nowadays teachers, because it's important to know what we're going to teach in class but it's more outstanding how we're going to learn it. For that reason the educational projects exist, the most important factor that will allow us to develop the unit of work in class is  the students motivation.

If the students are motivated we would teach better, on this projects we must have their attention and cause interest on what we're working in class. Another important clue is the unit theme, the children could participate on this decision because at least they are who have to learn it. If they're happy about the theme that we're going to work in class they will be more likely to knowledge and participate activily during the activities all along the project. As we know as teachers, when a child learns with fun and useful resources remembers better what he/she is learning.

The kind of materials it's also important, use the appropriate resources will give us bettered results, Our project has to have different types of activities and these have to involve the most basic competences as possible. If we can work with the biggest part of these competences more globalized will be our unit, at least it's the most important thing in education. A globalized work allows you (as a teacher) evaluate and teach in a lot of experiencies and abilities which the child will need it on hi/her adult life.

A child who enjoys with his/her learning process is a happy child, the teachers must pay attention to this clues: motivation, interest and useful activities, if we as teachers can make a good an interesting project with the last factors make sure that our work will be the best. So let's go to program beautiful projects which our students can enjoy and also us as teachers can learn more about them too.

How can I know if my children are in a good preschool class?

This question is very common among the parents. If your child is between the ages of 3 and 6 and attends a kindergarten center or in a preschooler site pay attention to this article and ascertain if your child is in a good classroom. We want to provide you some advices that you can continue performance at home.

1. They spent the most of their time playing with other children or interacting with another material, so we don't must expect that the children stay in a seat for a long time.
2. Children make a lot of activites along the day. For that reason, as a parents or as a teacher, we should bring they interesting resources according to their ages like: puzzles, words games, a magnetic blackboard...all the games which develop some abilities on children.
3. Thef often work in small groups, in pairs or in a whole groups it depends on the teacher's methodology. Because of it's good that they don't spend their time with the same classmates.
4. The classroom is decorated with children's original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and stories dictated by children to teachers.
5. Children learn everything on everyday experiences, if we provide them meaningful activities and approach to the natural world they could learn better.
6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Worksheets are used little if at all, because of the knowledge is measured by quality not by quantity.
7. Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Teachers recognize that children's different background and experiences mean that they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.

Have fun with the food!

The last day we talked about the importance of a balanced diet in children, today we would to continue with this theme and share with you some easy-peasy recipes to do at home (sure that children could help us). If we (as teacher, parents...) have fun with the food, preparing it, our children will do the same. 

In this input we offer many breakfast recipes, you can change whatever ingredient you want because a recipe, at the end, is a personal work. We decided to write about breakfast recipes because it's the most important dish of the day, our children must eat at breakfast: grain, proteins, bread, vegetables, serving of fruit, milk and its derivatives.

Also we have discussed about the importance of chidren's participation in the kitchen, they could help us to cut some fruit with plastic knifes or put into different containers the aliments which we have prepared before. ¡Here are the recipes, enjoy it!

English-Muffin Egg Pizzas

Serves: 4        Preparation: 5 minutes.      Cooking: 15 minutes.

Ingredients:                                                                       

4 English muffins.                                                              

4 tomato slices.                                                                  

4 boiled eggs.                                                                       

4 slices of grated mozzarella.                                               

Oregano.                                                                               

Olive oil.

Salt.

Instructions:

Boil 4 eggs.

Toast the English muffins.

Cut the tomato and mozzarella slices.
Add salt, oregano and olive oil.
Broil 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Bagel and Cream Cheese with Tomato and Cucumber.

                               Serves: 4        Preparation: 10 minutes.      Cooking: 10 minutes.

Ingredients:                                                                     

2 Bagels, split in half.                                                           

1/2 Cream cheese cup (about 4 ounces)                            
1 small cucumber.                                                                    

1/2 tomato, cut into wedges.                                            

Instructions:

Toast the bagels.
Spread the bagels with the cream cheese.
Cut the cucumber into slices.
Cut the tomato into 4 wedges.

Farina with Apricots and Almonds.

                                Serves: 2        Preparation: 5 minutes.      Cooking: 5 minutes.

Ingredients:                                                                          

2  cups of milk.                                                                        

1/3 cup farina (such as Cream of Wheat; not instant)        
1 tablespoon of brown sugar.                                              
1/4 cup of chopped dried apricots.                                          

2 tablespoon chopped roasted almonds.                                 

Salt.   

Instructions:
Bring the milk and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Boil it in a saucepan, whisk in the farina. 

Reduce heat and simmer 2 or 3 minutes.
Spoon into bowls.
Top with sugar, almonds and apricots.

The importance of a balanced diet in preschoolers

Do you want your child to eat healthy foods, but do you know which nutrients are necessary and in what amounts? Here is a quick overview of nutrition for kids.

Nowadays the childhood obesity is a common problem in children, because of the fast food and another fatty meals. For that reason is so important créate a balanced diet for the smallest kids and maintain these healthy habits that will stay with them all the life.

A little child needs the same nutrients as an adult, they must eat daily a lot of vegetables, fruits and grain (five portions a day). Also are important the proteins for make them stronger, we could find this nutrient on fish or meat.

The advantages of a healthy nourishment are good physical and mental development, also a balanced diet make us happy, prevent diseases and protect our immune system. Furthermore the good meals make us healthy people, if you eat the correct dishes in reasonable amounts your body could assimilate better the nutrients and you will become into a healthful person.

If you would feed your child you couldn't bring them fatty meals, soda or sugary foods. Traditional plates are the best choice against the fast food; that doesn't mean that let them eat some sweets or ice cream occasionally but these aliments couldn't be the base of their diet.

A good method for make enjoy the children with the balanced meals is the cook. If they prepare the meals with their parents or another relative they would be more conscious about the food what they are going to eat, prepare the dishes is an excellent manner to make them informed about what they eat.

Below this article we can find a Schedule with the most important aliments in a preschoolers diet and the reasonable quantities for babies and little boys or girls. Enjoy it and remember we are what we eat, keep healthy and your life would be better. If you have questions about nutrition for kids or specific concerns about your child's diet, talk to your child's doctor or a registered dietitian.

Halloween is coming!

It's true Halloween is coming and it's a good opportunity to learn English with our children. In early childhood education we could improve their vocabulary related to this festivity with songs, tales and many craftworks. Because at these ages we couldn't teach them grammar, for that reason the teachears have to bring their students funny and useful resources to enhance their spelling of the words related to Halloween.

An example is this nursery rhyme called "Five little monsters" which is the same song as "Five little monkeys" but remaked for Halloween party.

Also we could make some craftworks in class with daily materials. You could find some useful links below about Halloween crafts, for Preschoolers or Primary pupils:

http://www.pinterest.com/christyprice75/preschool-halloween-crafts/

http://www.pinterest.com/jvanthul/halloween-crafts-ideas/

http://happyhooligans.ca/21-easy-halloween-crafts-toddler-will-love/

¿What did they have the best teachers that I have had?

Sometimes I think about my decision to become a teacher, the reason what I decided to study and finish the career as a childhood teacher.

I'm sure that the teachers that I've had along my education pathway inspired me to choose this beautiful profession. So I would like to start this English educational blog talking about the best teachers that I have had all this years and their abilities to become into authentic heroes inside the school.

When I was younger in the Primary School I admired my English teacher and at the High School my Maths teacher was a model for me. Also at the University I found good teachers who taught me the really mission of being a memorable professor. Everyone of us has at least one or more teachers in their lifes who leaves a great influence on their personality. The real teachers not only help the students with their studies but also mold their overall personality, put in their pupils their best efforts to teach them all they can only with the wish that their students do well on life.

A good teacher has to encourage the students in everything what they're doing in the life, not only at homework. Must listen them and care about their problems, help whenever they need it and teach not only about his/her subject furthermore about the life. If a teacher could change your mind into a bettered knowledge you would be lucky, because you had learned more about the life you'll be an authentic citizen.

That's the reason why I decided to be a teacher, a real teacher. I love my students and heard them about their lifes and problems, I laughed with them and taught more about great values for life. Finally I think that's the main idea about education, the knowledge makes you a clever person but also a good human with feelings and dreams.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Do you know what High Order Thinking means?

If you're an English teacher or another professional who teaches subjects in English you must read this article.

Higher Order Thinking (HOT) is related to metacognition, in other words, when our students understand what we're teaching and they are conscious about their knowledges HOT appears. As a teachers we have to help our children in order to improve their knowledges with games and useful activities. 

Benjamin Bloom creates in 1948 the Bloom's Taxonomy, this technique represents the meaning of HOT because studies the goals of the activities in class. Bloom's Taxonomy studies the three basic domains which are involved into learning: cognitive, affective and psychomotor domain. Into cognitive domain we found six skills: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Many years later another group of psychologists changed the original Bloom's Taxonomy into a bettered version, which includes another new part of Taxonomy: creation. It's important to evaluate our students' knowledge but also it's fundamental to apply the ability of creating something new about what they've learned.

The last two weeks we had been studying the Bloom's Taxonomy in class when the professor proposed us an activity. It consists on reply some questions related to Bloom's Taxonomy new version, about a recently film or a book what we have read recently or a movie that we have seen. These are my answers:

1. Remembering: Who was the main character? The main character was Snowhite and the seven dwarfs who helped her.
2. Understanding: What is the main idea of the story? The main idea is Snowhite represents youth beauty and kindness, for this her stepmother is jeaolus and tried to kill her with a poisoned apple for became into the most beautiful woman of the kingdom. 
3. Applying: What questions would you ask in an interview with the main character? What's your opinion about your stepmother?, What's your favorite dwarf?, Have you ever been killed with a poisoned apple?
4. Analyzing: How is this story related to your life? I'm a kind and generous person so other people was jealous of me and tried to I feel badly with myself.
5. Evaluating: What choice would you have made if you were in the story? I will create another poisoned apple and bring it to the evil queen.
   
6. Creating: How would you adapt the plot to create a different story? I wouldn't change the plot so I will change the characters and the magical object and adapt the story for nowadays.

Little Red Hen

Today I want to present you this book recomended for each students who are learning to read in English properly. The Little Red Hen is a traditional tale which the students could learn more about the own responsability and the fact of sharing with who helped us.

It's interesting to give more importance to the reading part of an exam, because the pupils' pronunciation is not well nowadays in the most of Spanish schools. This tale is recommended for fifth or sixth grade because the're more conscious about grammar and spelling. Furthermore the story has some activities at the end, these questions will be useful if the teachers wants to evaluate their children.

If we (as a teacher) would to adapt this tale or questions to low grades we could make vocabulary lists and group the words into categories (animals and food in this case) or create little dialogues above the story between the pupils, payin attention on the spelling of course.

To tell a story and read it in class is an useful resource for English teacher, our children will learn better if we'll able to combine the knowledge with funny games (if it's possible). The children and teenagers' literature it's a powerful tool which the teachers can approach their pupils to the awareness.