Helping My Child Read and Write

                                                                   

You are your child’s first and most important teacher. When you help your

child learn to read, write, and think critically, you are opening the door to the

rich world of learning.

For your child, learning to read can begin with listening to you reading stories

and newspaper articles aloud. Before long, your child will show interest in

reading stories and other materials on his or her own. It is very important to

talk about the ideas in a book or magazine, to ask questions that encourage

your child to think, and to let your child talk to you about his or her responses

to what has been read.

Your child can learn how to read and write more easily with your help. With

regular practice, he or she will develop fluency in both reading and writing. At

the same time, your child will also learn to think critically about the stories or

informational materials that he or she reads.

Families can incorporate literacy activities anywhere – developing literacy is

not just what children do while at school. It is important that you look for

opportunities for your child to learn wherever you are and whenever you can.

Literacy is part of every day in some way, no matter what you are doing or

where you are. Literacy skills are used in all kinds of situations – for example,

when reading food labels, when talking with other children on the soccer

field, when discussing a movie with the family, or when writing lists to be

posted on the refrigerator.

It’s important for you to encourage your child and to show that you have

confidence in him or her. Avoid comparing your child’s performance with

that of other children. Remember that learning to read and write does not

take place all at once. Also, learning to read and write is not always easy, and

children need to know that everyone learns at different rates. Children learn

to read and write over time with lots of practice and with support from parents

and teachers.

Enjoy,

Ms. Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Coordinator

Discovery School

FRIENDSHIP IN THE PRESCHOOL YEARS

                                                              

At age three or four years, your child might be very skilled at interacting with peers, especially if they have siblings close to their own age. But even if they had little experience getting along with other children, that doesn’t automatically, place them at a disadvantage. A child who is a beginner with peers can catch on quickly, while some old hands might need to unlearn behaviors (such as toy snatching) that worked in a previous setting, but not anymore.

In addition to his past experiences, a child’s temperament plays a big role in how easily he gets along with other people. A moderately active, outgoing, cheerful child often has a relatively easy time. A child with high energy and strong impulses often has more negative early relationships until he develops some measure of self-control. A cautious child might spend lots of time observing from a distance, until he’s more comfortable in a given setting. Even then, he might choose to have one or two friends, rather than several. It takes parents who know their children well, and teachers who can work with a range of different children, to make the preschool experience positive for every child.

Friends are vital to early childhood children’s healthy development. Research has found that children who lack friends can suffer from emotional and mental difficulties later in life. Friendships provide children with more than just fun playmates. Friendships help children develop emotionally and morally. In interacting with friends, children learn a lot of social skills, such as how to communicate, cooperate, and solve problems. They practice controlling their emotions and responding to the emotions of others. They develop the ability to think through and negotiate different situations that arise in their relationships. Having friends even affects children’s school performance. Children tend to have better attitudes about school and learning when they have friends to share it with.

Enjoy,

Ms. Nora Sierra

Early Childhood Coordinator