Pre-School, Special Education Music, Movement Songs and Workshops

How the Child Thinks and How the Child Reacts

2010-02-09T16:50:00Z

Remember, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I put childest ways behind me."

Do you remember your childhood days? What were they like? Then you talked and thought like a child. What were they like? Now as an adult and experienced, you still have to talk and think on a child's way of thinking in order to teach and share. It's not an easy job! When we react to children through our experiences in life and the children react back with their experiences that they have had up to that moment, some times conflict and problems occur.

Let's talk about "patience."

Webster's Dictionary states: "having or showing the capacity for endurance: bearing annoyance and pain and without complanint, anger or the like." Do children have this kind of patience? Can they have endurance? Do they bear annoyance and do it without showing anger or complaint? Do children have patience in their talking, thinking, and reasoning?

How many times have we heard preschoolers express exactly how to use words to express their feelings? They tell it like it is! Children's emotions are an everyday feeling found in all early childhood settings. It challenges you as teachers to be committed to be more effective and constructive in guiding our children. This is why children in early childhood settings can feel and express anger but not understand it. Their ability to regulate expressions is linked to an understanding of the emotion and the child's ability to reflect on that emotion is somewhat limited.

Children need guidance from teachers and parents in understanding and then managing their feelings. Remember, children are children and do not understand their emotions at such an early age.

Patience from the teacher's standpoint must create an environment of compassion and respect. When you're patient with children, it's just as though you are saying, "I respect how you feel because I respect you. I want you to be happy and independent because I love you and want the best for you. I want to help you find your own happiness, so I'm going to slow down and take time to clamly assist you.

When you remind yourself that at the end of the day, all of the important things will still be accomplished (showing love being the most important of all), then you can stop rushing, complaining, and start enjoying the ride during the ups and downs of life with the children you teach.

I wonder what happens when we lose our patience? Then how do we find patence? Till next time!

Math Games for Children Under 5

2010-01-19T16:45:00Z

A few examples of fun educational math games for children under 5:

Ball Arithmetic-Using fingers to add and count like 2 + 1 = 3 and then the answer is given by bouncing the ball for the answer.

It Adds Up-By having a starting line for 2 children, the teacher shows a math flash card like 3+1, the children race to the other side of the room to write the answer on the white board or chalk board. The first correct answer wins.

Shapes Around the Room-The teacher selects a child to find a shape in the room like find something that has a square or a circle.

Bean Bag Math-Using flash cards to add or subtract, the child answers by using a bean bag to give the answer by dropping the bean bag on the correct number on the floor.

Measurement Activities-have children line-up left to right according to their height or according to the first letter of their names or with their birthdays or with their shoe size. The fun list goes on and on.

Remember, with infants and toddlers, it is important to create trusting relationships that allow children to be ready and willing to explore. Supporting math development looks different to them. Be ready to join in on their curiosity and notice their interests, encourage exploration, and create play opportunities to highlight math concepts.

2010 In-Service Schedule

2010-01-19T16:31:00Z

The following inservices have been approved by Miami-Dade College Child Care Training Department:

Location: Greater Bethel Baptist Church Child Care Center
                   17025 NW 22nd Avenue
                    Miami, FL 33055
School Contact: 305-623-9246
Topic 1: Math and Science for Chldren Under 5
Certificate Hours: 5
Date: February 20th-9:00am
Cost: $20.00 per Staff

Topic 2: Keeping Kids Safe from Harm (Sex Predators and Other Dangers)
Certificate Hours: 5
Date: April 24th-9:00am
Cost: $20.00 per staff

"We Learn By Doing" children CD's and Teacher Activity Booklets are available at all workshops!

Call 305-625-2128 to arrange a workshop at your center or E-mail @ williamjaniak@att.net

2010 List of Workshops

2009-11-10T14:47:00Z

                                                           “WE LEARN BY DOING” Trainings
                                                                 WILLIAM C. JANIAK, MS, RMT
                                                Activity Specialist Consultant, Children’s Artist, Keynote Speaker
                                                               44 Years of Professional Consulting
                                                        19131 NW 39th Court Miami, Florida 33055
                                                        Phone: (305) 625-2128 FAX: (305) 474-8136
                                                                   E-mail: williamjaniak@att.net
                                               Website: www.welearnbydoing.com and http://blog.musicwithbill.com/

                                                                    2009 TITLE OF TRAININGS
Music/Games/Movement:
1. Music-Time Activities
2. Basic Music and Movement
3. Leisure Time Activities
4. Rainy Day Games
5. More Rainy Day Games
  6. Indoor Games for All Occasions
  7. Motor Skill Activities
  8. Strictly Parachutes
9. Fun and Fitness Activities
10. More Fun and Fitness Activities
11. Songs for Every Holiday
12. Language and Listening Activities
13. A to Z with Toddler Activities
14. Team Building Games for Children
15. More Indoor and Outdoor Games for Children
16. Easy Games for Preschoolers
17. The Connection with Emergent Literacy: The Arts of Music, Dance, Drawings, and Stories

Generic:
1. Cultural Diversity in the Schoolplace
2. Domestic Family Violence Awareness
3. Stress in the Schools
4. It's about Time! (Time Management)
5. Beginning Basic American Sign Language
6. Handling Negative Emotions
  7. Stop! Let's Interact! (16 ways to interact with children)
  8. Stop! Let’s Interact! Part II (must take Part I first)
9. Inclusion-Addressing Special Needs
10. Fire and Safety Awareness
11. Violence Awareness in the Schoolplace
12. Nurturing Literacy in the Young Child
13. Early Literacy for the Young Child 0-3
14. Emergent Literacy for 3-5
15. Safety Training: Fear, Violence, and Weapons of Mass Destruction Awareness
16. Ethical Thinking in Our Schools
17. Child Abuse Awareness
18. Understanding Difficult Children, People, and Ourselves
19. Understanding the Infants and Toddlers Worlds
20. Nutrition for the Young Child
21. Anxieties and Fears in Children
22. Understanding Children’s Anger, Bullying, and Self-Esteem
23. Discipline Awareness for the Young Child
24. Americans with Disabilities Act in Compliance with Child Care Centers
NEW 25.  Math and Science for Children Under 5,
NEW 26. Keeping Kids Safe from Harm (Sex Predators and Other Dangers)
NEW 27. How the Child Thinks and How the Teacher Reacts
NEW The Growing Concern about Autism and Asparger Syndrone in Children at School

Supervision:
1. Basic Skills of Communicating with Staff
2. Communication Awareness for Supervisors
3. Basic Skills of Supervising Staff
  4. Evaluating Your Leadership Skills
5. Motivating Awareness
6. Ethical Thinking for Leaders
7. Delegating and Coaching Awareness
8. Sexual Harassment Awareness for Supervisors
9. Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness
10. Time Management for Supervisors!
11. Handling Stress for Supervisors
12. Difficult People Awareness for Supervisors ...

"X" Marks the Spot and Pong Roll Activities

2009-11-03T15:29:00Z

"X" Marks the Spot Relay reinforces eye/feet coordination and team work.

Procedure: Two teams are selected with masking tape make an "X" on the floor for each team. Have a starting line at the teacher's signal "go," the team leaders run to the "X," step on it with one foot and then with the other foot, and race back to tag the next team member. This continues until all the team members competed.

Pong Roll develops quickness and overall fitness.

Procedure: One child rolls a ping pong ball towards a wall. The other child is standing next to the other child and as soon as it is rolled, the child standing runs and tries to beat the ping pong ball to the wall.

More Game Ideas Found in this Activity Booklet #BJ08-Icebreaker Games for Chldren at www.welearnbydoing.com website.
...

Early Childhood Coalition Conference of Alachua County, Gainesville Florida on 9-12-09

2009-09-15T16:55:00Z

It was a pleasure and exciting to present "The Magic of Music" and "Rainy Day Games" for the Early Childhood Coalition Conference of Alachua County in Gainesville, Florida on September 12, 2009. I thank them for their hospitality and fun participation with all the energetic activities.

How Children Think and How the Teacher Reacts

2009-09-06T14:49:00Z

This a new training "How the Child Thinks and How the Teacher Reacts" to the key characterististics and emotions of a child's patience, love, anger, rudeness, self-seeking, and being proud versus how the teacher reacts to these emotions. It looks at the alarming statistics and describes 3 emotional components needed and defines patience in children and patience in the teacher. It shows the differences between child's boasting and lying and envy and jealousy. It adds 8 reasons why children might lie and gives tips for teaching honesty and knowing the difference between "good proud" and "bad proud."

Contact Bill for more information, scheduling, and fees.
williamjaniak@att.net ...

Volleyball Balloon Game

2009-08-06T14:18:00Z

1. Volleyball Balloon Games

Two chairs are placed about ten feet from each other and a string is tied from one chair to the

other. Boys are on one side of the string and girls on the other side. The boys cannot use their arms or hands as they are placed behind their backs but the girls can use their arms and hands.

The object is to hit the balloon over the string and not let the balloon touch the ground. It is a point for the other team when the balloon hits the ground. Three points wins the game.

2. Balloon Relay Race

This activity works well in an opened area. Two teams are selected (not more than 6 per team)

The object of this game is to bat the balloon from one side of the room and back to the other side.

(It is difficult sometimes to move the balloon forward because the air blows the balloons in different directions.) Once the first child makes it back towards the second child, the second child in line, too, must complete the task until all six members of the team have finished this competition race.

These are just 2 ideas found in "We Learn By Doing Activities" booklet (BJ01) on www.welearnbydoing.com website. Check out the website to see other booklets.

...

Anxiety in Children

2009-07-10T18:29:00Z

Anxiety is defined as “apprehension without apparent cause.” Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” It usually happens when there is no immediate threat to a person’s safety or well being, but the threat feels real. Anxiety makes a person want to escape the situation – fast. The heart beats quickly, the body might begin to perspire, and “butterflies” in the stomach soon follow. However, a little bit of anxiety can actually help people stay alert and focused.

Having fears or anxieties about certain things can also be helpful because it makes kids behave in a safe way. For example: a child with a fear of fire would avoid playing with matches.

The nature of anxieties and fears change as children grow and develop:

· Babies experience stranger anxiety, clinging to parents when confronted by people they don’t recognize.

· Toddlers around 10 to 18 months experience separation anxiety, becoming emotionally distressed when one or both parents leave.

· Children ages 4 through 6 have anxiety about things that are not based in reality such as fears of monsters and ghosts.

· Children ages 7 through 12 often have fears that reflect real circulstances that may happen to them, such as bodily injury and natural disaster.

As a child grows, one fear may disappear or replace another. For example: a child who could not sleep with the light off at age 5 may enjoy a ghost story at a slumber party years later. And some fears may extend only to one particular kind of stimulus. In other words, a child may want to pet a lion at the zoo but would not dream of going near the neighbor’s dog.

Some signs that a child may be anxious about something may include:

· becoming clingy, impulsive, or distracted

· nervous movements, such as temporary twitches

· problems getting to sleep and/or staying asleep longer than usual

· sweaty hands

· accelerated heart rate and breathing

· nausea

· headaches

· stomachaches

Apart from these signs, parents can usually tell when their child is feeling excessively uneasy about something. Lending a sympathetic ear is always helpful, and sometimes just talking about the fear can help the child move beyond it.

"X" Marks the Spot Relay

2009-05-14T15:47:00Z

Two teams are selected with each team using masking tape making an "X" on the floor. Having a starting line and at the "go" signal by the teacher, the first team member from each team races to the "X," steps on the "X" with one foot, steps on the "X" with the other foot, and races back to tag the next team member who repeats the procedure until all team members have completed the relay. This helps reinforce eye/feet coordination and teamwork.

Check out the www.welearnbydoing.com website and check out the activity booklets for teachers. ...