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The following links reveal some important facts about childhood.
| Building
Children's Self Esteem |
| One of our primary goals for children is for them
to develop a good self-image and self-esteem. Self-esteem
and self-image are very closely related to each other.
Self-image refers to an individual's idea of who he
is. His feelings of self-esteem result from his reaction
to what he judges himself to be and to his anticipation
of being accepted or rejected. Without a good sense
of self, it is difficult for children to be effective
learners. Children need to feel that they are worthy
of love and that they can make a worthwhile contribution
to the world and to people around them. Each child is
unique and needs to know that he/she is appreciated
just as he/she is. The children entrusted in our care
should daily have the opportunity to bask in our love,
admiration and respect for them. If we provide an enviornment
of warmth and acceptance for our children, they will
strive to perform at their full potential. It is crucial
that we help children feel comfortable with themselves,
their families, and their cultures. As we treat each
child with respect, so will they learn respect for themselves
and for others. |
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| 10
Simple Things That Can Boost Your Child's Brain Power |
- INTERACTION - Spend time watching me and responding
to my cues. It tells me I'm important and special
to you.
- LOVING TOUCH - Cradle me, hold me. Give me lots
of hugs. It keeps me calm and comforts me, and gives
me courage to move on.
- STABLE RELATIONSHIP - I need someone special to
be there when I call. When I look around and see
you I know I can go far.
- SAFE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT - Plug the outlets,
block the stairs. Keep lead away for sure! Make
a safe, special place so I am free to explore.
- SELF-ESTEEM - I can do it, yes I can, if you tell
me so. Pay attention, give me praise and watch me
go, go, go!
- QUALITY CHILD CARE - When you're gone I need to
be with people you can trust to help me grow and
teach me new, exciting stuff.
- COMMUNICATION - I may not talk, but don't be fooled,
I understand a lot. Our little conversations mean
to very much!
- PLAY - Play is fun, play is work, it's how I
learn the ropes. When we play together you help
me more than you know.
- MUSIC - 1, 2, 3 sing to me and make up silly tunes.
Music is special time that's fun to share with you.
- READING - Read to me, show me books with lots
of pretty pictures. Write my stories out in words
I'll love to read forever.
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| The
Amazing Infant Brain |
There
is a very important time in a child's life, beginning
at birth, when he should be living in an enriched environment
-- visual, auditory, language and so on -- because that
lays the foundation for development later in life. (Thorsten
Wiesel, Nobel Prize recipient for discoveries on the
importance of sensory experience to brain development.)
Babies
are born with billions of brain cells, many more than
they have at age three and nearly twice as many as they
have as adults. During the first months of life, connections
between these cells, called synapses, multiply rapidly
to 1,000 trillion, forming the structures that allow
learning to occur. (Rochelle Sharpe, The Wall Street
Journal, 1995)
The
number of connections could easily go up or down by
25 percent or more, depending upon whether a child grows
up in an enriched environment. (Ron Kotulak, cited in
"Unlocking the Mind," Chicago Tribune, 1993)
Research
findings from the behavioral sciences to biology and
neurology now leaves no doubt that the first three years
of life are crucial. The brain grows most rapidly then
and becomes hard-wired into an organ of thinking. The
foundations for lifelong learning are laid. And children
learn to trust and begin to acquire the self-confidence
that encourages them to keep learning. (Joan Beck, Chicago
Tribune, August 27, 1995)
Negative
experiences can have lasting effects, scientists say,
because they can alter the organization of the brain.
Children raised in poor environment can display cognitive
deficits by 18 months that may be irreversible. (Rochelle
Sharp, Wall Street Journal, 1995)
Research
shows that infants' sensory experiences and social interactions
with supportive adults advance their cognitive abilities.
(Bornstein & Tamis-LeMonda, 1989, cited in Day Care
and Early Education, Summer, 1994)
Based
on extensive research conducted with children as young
as six weeks of age, some scientists believe that the
quality of the environment and the kind of experiences
children have may affect brain structure and functioning
so profoundly that they may not be correctable after
age 5. (Research of William Greenough, neuroscientist,
The University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, and
Craig Ramey, psychologist/educator, The University of
Alabama, cited in "Unlocking the Mind," by
Ron Kotulak, Chicago Tribune, 1993) |
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| Other
Facts About Early Childhood |
Most
brain development occurs before the age of four, starting
before birth and accelerating immediately after, establishing
the foundation on which all future learning depends.
The
infant brain is developmentally marvel, absorbing information
from the world around it to rapidly form the trillions
of mental connections, or synapses, that allow learning
to occur.
Studies
suggest that a child's ability to learn can increase
or decrease by 25% or more, depending on whether he
or she grows up in a stimulating environment.
If
we feed the hungry infant brain good things (attention,
caring, reading and stability), it grows strong and
pliable, feed it "junk food" (neglect, abuse,
instability and isolation), and a child's learning capacity
is stunted, perhaps irreversibly.
More
than half of mothers with children under age six are
now in the workforce. Unfortunately, only nine percent
of children are in "quality" programs where
they are growing and learning and are considered "good"
by a recent study; at least 35 percent of children's
programs are actually considered "bad."
Then
we speak of quality, we're talking about settings that
offer a steady diet of nurturing care and stimulation.
Well-trained teachers and caregivers, supportive and
varied activities, high levels of parent involvement,
reliable health, safety and nutrition, are the quality
indicators.
Quality
early childhood care and education are linked to reduced
school dropout rates, reduced teen pregnancy rates,
reduced unemployment and enhanced lifetime earnings,
along with lower rates of crime and delinquency. |
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