Books
and they are always the windows through which the soul peeps out.
I have always been an ardent reader through years as I possess a
wonderful Library - Shelves with books on Parenting and Child
Care, Fiction & Romance, Management, Children's Books, Spiritual,
Cooking, Art & Beauty, Health & Fitness, Music, War & Political
...Endless reading and it's always an ocean of knowledge.
"Children who formed the habit of reading at
Swagat Children Library are never alone" quips a student's
mother whose son stepped to Swagat world and is now a business
man. Books have remained his constant companion while travelling
too, she says.
Reading workshop
every Saturday is a routine at
Swagat Children Library
. During this time,
students are reading self-selected books independently. However,
guided, they choose the books from library and it is important to
make sure that the same is “just right” level based selection.
While students are reading their books, I am conferring with
individual students, conducting guided reading groups or strategy
lessons, facilitating project ideas, etc. For this reason, it is
important that I have clear routines and procedures in place to
keep my independent readers on task and truly engaged in their
reading.
Keeping Book logs is
encouraged where students must record ALL Books they read
throughout the year in their Reader’s Log. This reflect on their
own reading habits, set monthly reading goals, and also helps to
assess their reading progress.
Well, my fix
routines of reading books landed me up to amazon books and I
started reviewing all books that I have read and can recommend to
others. You can find my Amazon Reviews
Page on Kidsfreesouls and for now, here is the new page of
Kid Book Recommendations.
Every week, I plan
to present a book recommendation+review and apart from kid books,
I also plan to add books from other categories too. Slow but
steady, its always winning a race. If you are a teacher or a
parent, help kids to make Reviews Project and encourage them to
read books/stories and write reviews to add to the project. An
example is Shrill's Blog with Story Board.
Even send across
to kidsfreesouls to place on Kids Reviews Blog (coming soon).
- ilaxi patel
Editor, Kidsfreesouls.com
Author of Guardian of Angels: A practical guide to Joyful Parenting
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Managing
a good classroom is always the pride of a teacher. If ever a good
class turns nasty, the reason could be mis-managing the class
children! It often happens that the mainstream schooling comes
with discipline - the rules and regulations. Yet, the class is
with roars and uproars when the teacher fails to maintain the
silence. Children often giggle and find the freedom to find
pleasures in small little things. Their imagination soar to
heights especially when they have to attend busy sessions of study
in classroom. A spark triggers from a child and the fire catches
with the whole lot which we all know, becomes unmanageable.
For an extra
curricular English cum Library class that
I run, it turned to be more disciplined with sort of casual
attendance, fun and yet much more productive, constructive and
informative class sessions. Call it an
English Language & overall Development class, the students
registered for a weekly session round the year. Rules had to be
framed for regular attendance, dues charged for tearing the
library books and even punishment given in a creative way. A total
reference class where children entered came with references and
enrolled for the year. A figure reached 80 students per session
with varied ages from 5 to 15 years. Managing the
good class was a challenge. More, achieve
the desired result from the students.
Well, how could we
do it? Back to memory lane, my experience can chart the simple
management of self - as a Teacher, it
needed a lot of planning and worksheets.
As a parent or a teacher, maybe these tips might help to manage
children. Call it an Instructional strategy or a Practical
strategy, the grown up children of Swagat still look back to
remember the wonderful days spent at Swagat.
Their memories call in for reunion as
I see them commenting in FB. And, I wonder, passage of years
have sweeped away the waves from reading to tech age with gadgets
- ipods-tv-video games and Internet. Reading is completely on the
back seat!
Managing bigger
classrooms is not an easy task as often parents blame the
teachers. Vice versa. Teachers find parents responsible for
spoiling the child. Today's children are more stressed and more
unmanageable than yester years.
Kidsfreesouls
tips might help some way:
Tips to Manage a
good classroom:
(parents can follow too)
1.
Compulsory reading
for 30 minutes (minimum 20). No talking, no flicking eyes, no
getting up for anything - not even for asking a hard word. When
all are reading including you, its herd mentality. Result: Hyper
child settles for a routine habit of reading. For Schools, it
could be one class esp. for reading with exchange of read reviews.
2.
Engage them with
active participation.
Once the reading is
over, ask, ask and ask - Pick individual child especially one you
don't find concentrating and tell him to narrate a story. Go easy
and encourage others to speak in-between which normally teachers
don't allow. The best will speak without letting down the
ones who can't narrate.
3.
Laugh, chat and
engage them
in activities they like. 'You're bored' attitude has to shake off.
Let them draw, color, write in scrap book or even talk to each
other. Debates are too much fun and learning too. There is always
a creative approach that works wonders.
4.
Writing instructions
on the board and make them copy. Often it ends up that slow
learners learn to concentrate and write faster. Pointing on the
board takes less time than repeating and even paying attention to
children.
5.
Stop Comparisons.
Often
teachers and parents make mistakes and knowingly-unknowingly,
compare a child with another. If you ever need to compare, explain
to the child where he lacks than the other and where he need to
improve. Vice versa. However, do not be abusive in approach.
Children
are often found to be interacting, 'Teacher told me you're good in
narrating but teacher told me, my hand writing is good'
6.
Learn to
stop saying No.
A big No is rebel. Children never like to listen this word when
they have set up their minds. Divert them with wits and use word
power. 'Sure, we'll play the games next time and if you want to
play the games today, next session is sure got to be serious
reading.' And, follow this.
7.
Stop the Power
game.
Children often abhor 'power' and the slightest mistake you make to
show your power, you are in to face fierce ego and arrogance.
However, to discipline children, you need to apply tactics. Power
struggles often end up united children against you.
8.
Don't lose patience.
Patience is the key to win hearts. Take a deep breadth, calm down
and attend nasty kids. Say nice and be nice - you have nice smiles
coming back to you. This will help to explain your say.
9.
Be easy.
Do not force as it never brings any results. Take time and
eventually, your goal is seen through as to what you want the
child to achieve.
10.
Let music flow free
in classroom.
Teach a dance step or two. Children love happy singing and merry
dancing - ever and always.
11.
Enjoy story sessions.
Tell stories. Listen to their stories. You can share their travel
experiences, how they liked the picnic and summer tours or how
they enjoyed dining out on a sunday. They even love to tell their
game or tv cartoon watching experiences. Sharing is caring and
coming closer.
10.
Let there be
faith.
Let there be confession writing. Let there be resolutions writing.
Let there be 'Thank You' note writing - These simple things stir
the children and fill their emotional minds with love and
gratitude.
I learnt my mistakes
and learnt it hard way sometimes. When children rebelled, when
they created havoc with their screams and especially when they ran
all around the library class and played 'fire in the mountain' -
it sure was 'fire in the library' but its smiles as they were
happy and had the best of the childhood I can give to them:-)
Do share your
classroom experiences so that I can still improve on the ones
where I lag behind. The reference class
do have a steady flow of few children that still keep coming to
Swagat every week.
Past article
-
How to Discipline Kids |
Brat Kids!
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27th
January 1832 was the day when Charles Lutwidge Dodgson - (pen name
Lewis Caroll) was born. A British
Author, well known for her children's Literature was also a
distinguished mathematician and logician who wrote several
mathematical treatises as well as fiction and poetry, Lewis
Carroll is best known as the creator of the classic children's
novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Often wonder
why do I specifically celebrate birthdays of Literature profiles?
The reason is Projects in classrooms.
Once we had a random session of knowing
Authors and Poets. In came the idea to go for
Literature Projects. Children have an
option to select one
Literature profile they like best and
jot down their bio, pieces and pictures. They even ended up making
collage work with their best language phrases and poetic rhymes.
Five in a group, their project turned to be quite unique with a
sharing and reading each other's work.
- Read more:
Alice in Wonderland : Literature Projects
Robert Burns,
or Rabbie as he was known, was the son of a farmer, born in Alloway,a village on the River
Doon, Ayrshire, in the southwest of Scotland on January 25, 1759.
He is famous for his poetry and his songs, some of which
are: Auld Lang Syne; Comin Thro the
Rye; Sweet Afton; Scots Wha Hae; Green Grow the Rashes; and A
Red, Red, Rose which are all songs as well. His song 'Auld Lang syne - a new
year song - In scottish dialect means 'old long since, or days gone by. Burns had heard an old man sing
the song and he wrote down the words and Burns has been given the credit for writing the
song. Listen to his song and find profile in
Literature - Enjoy.
-
Robert Burns and the new year song Auld Lang Syne
Cartoon Doll Emporium (CDE) is an online playland that
has the largest and best collection of dress up games online. In
addition to its collection of dolls, CDE also features arcade games,
picture galleries, contests, a forum, and one of the most unique
social communities online called MyCDE. Make new friends, create an
avatar, earn virtual money, adopt a baby or pet, blog, form clubs, and
much, much more. Free to Join and Have Fun.
In Resources
- Read more
Creative sundays, better mondays!
On January 12, a
7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. As Haiti devastation take its toll, our hearts cry
for a million of people affected by the massive earthquake. The nation
has faced the fury of nature. And, its unfathomable on how much
people could endure. The immediate response for a ray of hope for many
and I hope relief continues in the aftermath of this catastrophic
happenning.
Google has taken the initiative
to date $ 1 Million to help organizations provide relife. You can
Join Google
mission to help disaster victims rebuild their lives and their
communities.
Haiti provides
a new test for the Obama Government and as it
denies occupying Haiti, Doctors
fear of disease risk. Check for more on
You Tube videos
Citizen Tube for Haiti devastation.
Well,
Osho once said
Man has the capacity, the intelligence, the freedom to explore and if you have explored
the nature properly than you have come home. Nature is your Home. Nature affects
every dimension of our lives but than whoever build the Heavens must be looking down upon
the Earth and must be thinking Gosh! What a mess I have made! this
reviving the memories of Noah to feel the Ups and downs are just another part
of Life, anyway!
The memories liven up of
Gujarat
Earthquake on 26th January 2001. Fear gripped aftermath when children
shuddered to think of the calamity. My class kids spoke with grief and
were frightened to narrate the incidents they saw in real or viewed on
television. Each child was hyper and aggressively narrated with sparks
of fear gripping them frenzy. During such times, as teachers and
parents, I feel this is a priority to help them
Freeze the Fobia.
Resources:
- For Education Purpose and Projects in
classroom on Earthquake
-
You Tube videos
Citizen Tube
Here are some tips to help the
kids recover from fear Phobia:
1.
Think Positive
- Explain to the child why
Earthquakes or any other natural calamity occur. Provide information.
2.
Stop Anxiety phobia, Fear Phobia
- Panic is on
rise in kids. Hang on to sessions of reading, projects or singing.
Relaxation techniques break the panic. Turn anxiety to energy.
3.
Talk, talk and talk
- Reassure kids that you are
safe. Hold the hand often or pat on their shoulder. Share feelings and
talk soft and sound.
4.
Do not force -
Children may want to opt from
going to school. May not concentrate. Be easy and do not force them.
Let them naturally adjust to situation
5.
Pray and Sing
- Praying together does
wonders. Singing together lightens hearts. Kids are found to be more
emotional and have the faith. While they pray, their soft minds are
calm and cool. Like for singing sessions, they are more happier than
ever and free from world's worries. Let these sessions be a routine.
A good diet, adequate sleep and relation exercise is
best recommended during calamity times. Hobbies can be pursued. Let
not fear be a stumbling block and like rumours, the fear would pass on
infection to minds of others too. Shrugg off blues and help children
to see a bright sun - absolutely with positive signals.
Parents are too
busy to provide valuable time for their children.
According to a
survey of 1,000 parents in Britain, 25% of British boys
have some difficulties learning to speak, and 5% experience
significant trouble. The corresponding figures for girls are 13% and 2%.
While most children spoke their first word between 10 and 11
months, more girls than boys — 34% against 27 % — did so before
they reached nine months. Some 4% of children had not said their
first word by the age of three. Jean Gross, an educational
psychologist, said some of the problems could be put down to a
lack of face-to-face conversations with parents.
A grave situation
persist all over as parents are too much involved in their own
lifestyle spheres, children have diverted to overloaded
Television viewing, games and internet. Communication gap has
widened. Kids struggle to talk and find loss of words to
communicate. Their minds race on different planes as they sort
for activities, engrossed in their own space. Parents keep busy
to strive livelihood and when with kids, sort for own household
chores and their own television programs. Result is, kids often
join watching television programs not suited for them!
It is also noted,
some parents are over ambitious who tend to fulfill their own
aspirations through their off springs. Parents motivate kids
towards selecting activities of interest as they dream to see
their kids scale to be a celebrity. Be it sports, music or arts,
too much of ambition leads to frustration when failures come
their way. Ultimately, incidents like
child suicide,
depression or
attitude traits/inferior complex takes place. And,
Kids Stress-Parent Stress!
If a parent fails to devote time in
child development,
consequences lead not only to communication gaps but
frustrations and depressed mood swings.
‘Has the child been
taught or rather motivated to develop self esteem, discipline,
respect, self control or the methods providing opportunities for
development schedules?’ The question reflects to 'Childhood
Assessment' - a measured expression of child's abilities.
Children can
blossom and bloom with unconditional love and tremendous support
of parents. Some small yet big tips might help to be with kids
and for kids, Kidsfreesouls way of
course:
A smile takes to miles and
speaks volumes! Open lines of communication start with a smile.
Be friendly.
Let children know they
are always welcome for conversation even if they enter your
privacy room. Some kids shy off and feel they are unwanted.
Welcome them, be with them, show willingness always instead of
waving off.
Be an advocate for early
education. Help them to learn, share and grow.
Provide opportunities to
be happy. Have them display their work like arts, music or
projects. Show interest and even call for children sessions with
these activities with their friends. This will inspire and help
them learn from each other.
Share family photos
together. Click pictures while kids are engaged in activities.
Note down the description of the activity to enjoy viewing later
on.
Singing sessions together
bring closeness. Play singing games. Provide song words which
will also build child's vocabulary.
Make a list of age
appropriate books and gift them at occasions like birthdays,
Christmas, etc. Help them to read and write reviews too. Go for
'Book Picnics' - organize reading sessions with selected books
for them and enjoying fun-frolic outdoors.
Make quality time.
Plan effective family meetings, once a week routine of icecreams
together, shopping together, singing together or reading books
together. Telling stories before sleep or just being together
and sharing routines. End of bed time stories and this is one
major difference that made in kids lives. Imaginations run dry.
We don't need to change our life but make sure the time we spend
with our kids is special. Let parenting be an opportunity to be
happy, be content and enjoy life with loved ones.
Acquire the secrets of the
Magic of
Thinking Big . The mind is its own place
and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven. Thoughts rule the world and
amazingly perspective minds echo There is nothing either good or bad except that
thinking makes it so As quoted in Upanishad You are what your deep, driving
desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your
deed is, so is your destiny. Its the every action that generates a force of energy and when we
choose actions that bring happiness and success to others, this creates our destiny.
Whatever will be, will be Acquire the Magic of Thinking Big and let the
sun shine on you.
Kids Freesouls
wishes all readers
‘Farewell 2009 & Welcome 2010’
Make Resolutions and keep
them firm. Listen to New Year Song - Keep the faith.
I Believe!
I believe for every drop of rain that falls, A flower grows...
I believeI believe A candle glows....
I believeI believe For anyone who goes astray,
Someone will come to show the way.I Believe, I believe.
I believe That above the storm, The smallest prayer will still
be heard,
I believeI believe That someone in the great somewhere, Hears
every word...
I believeEvery time I hear a new born baby cry, or touch a leaf
or see the sky,Then I know why.....I believe.
Like every
Christmas, I attended the midnight mass at
St. Xavier's Parish
with a beautiful memory of the services and the singing of the
carols and ever loving 'Silent Night...Holy Night' - It has been
translated into
many
versions 193+ versions of Silent Night in 130 languages
including the German version "Stille Nacht" (Find
Here).
Christmas time
and it's time to be Spiritual and spread love, faith, peace
around.
I find so amazing is, the holy silence
as the sermons are being read at the church. There is a
spiritual feel in the air as the baby Jesus is born and
everything is so different that makes one believe in a super
power 'God'.
The carols were just filled with joyous expressions and as we
sang along, every moment filled my life with radiance of peace
and joy. This year, there seemed to be more presence of non
christians and the christmas festival is being celebrated by
everyone, whatever the faith. (find
my note of last year) O Holy night by Celine Dion sung with spiritual zeal
touched my heart to see the presentation with the Lord's world
in its vivid picturesque scenes.
Well, like I
say, "Faith is a light that dispels ignorance and darkness
around. Faith is the hope that keeps you surfing on the waves on
a sea of storms. Faith is love. Faith is grabbing the magical
moments in life. Faith is deciding, daring, challenging and
striving to reach the goals. Faith in whom we believe is
intimacy & commitment to fulfill service towards mankind. Faith
is trusting in tomorrow and dreaming God’s dream of a beautiful
world with love, peace and joy to humanity."
May this
Christmas radiate your life with god's light - love, peace and
happiness.
Click to
find the Christmas pages and listen to
Celine Dion 'O Holy Night' to fill your heart with hope and joy
at the end of the year 2009.
Merry Christmas:-)
Osho,
born on 11th December and this is the
holy month to be meditative. Osho said,
"If one can learn how to listen rightly, one has learned the deepest
secret of meditation."
The essential function of the Osho talks is to provide an easily accessible way of
learning this art of listening. An opportunity to experience, "silence with no
effort," the key to bringing sharpened awareness to your daily life.
And, this is all we need when we almost speak endlessly and
teach our children the way to learn but sometimes, forget to
listen - not only listen to them but listen to our own heart.
Well,
Here is an earlier note on Change4Life due to obesity. This
UK Govt.Survey was carried on 260,000 people. The Survery was to
tackle soaring rates of Obesity by promoting healthy eating and
exercise. The results showed nearly three-quarters (72%) of
children did not take part in the recommended hour of daily
activity outside school. Its latest poll also found 45% of
youngsters watched TV or played non-active video games before
school. Only 22% did something active after their evening meal.
Kids are often on a rising level to obesity - junk food is the
root cause. However, surveys reveal that most of the children
are leading a happy go lucky lifestyle with no sports, no real
outdoor games. Reading or Exercise is almost on the back seat.
Sports and Yoga classes is just for fun as parents force them to
engage in an activity. Talk about Indoor activities and its
boring noons with computer games and cartoon watching. As such,
they lack concentration, confidence and even face attitude
complex. Yoga is the remedy and can be followed at home with
family - in open space and at own free time.
For Children, grab a copy of the book 'Yoga
for Children by Swati and Rajiv Chanchani. Each Yoga posture is
explained through photographs, drawings, stories and detailed
instructions with important do's and don'ts and benefits of each pose.
Meant for parents and teachers, the book comprise specific guidelines to
practice Yoga creatively, enjoyably and safely. And for adults, I always
recommend Yoga by Richard Hittleman. I happened to follow the 28
day Exercise Plan
of this book of Yoga by Richard
Hittleman and sure, it hit high to shoot all five stars in
my fav list. If a work out plan for 20-30 minutes per day is
followed with this book, it sure is an accomplishment to good
frame of mind, body and soul.
There's a
light at the end of the dark tunnel and that's the Aids
epidemic. Bring Aids out of the darkness and spread awareness -
Stop to Think, Stop Aids, spread awareness - Beware, Be aware
and break the darkness cycle of poverty and disease. Share your
light.
Light to Unite
- Kidsfreesouls lights the 49,384th candle to stop Aids, a
Bristol-Myers Squibb Initiative in co-operation with the
National Aids Fund.
Millions of
children, adolescents and young people in the path of the
pandemic are at risk and in need of protection. AIDS is
redefining the very meaning of childhood for millions, depriving
children of many of their human rights – of the care, love and
affection of their parents; of their teachers and other role
models; of education and options for the future; of protection
against exploitation and abuse.
The world must act now, urgently and decisively, to ensure that
the next generation of children is AIDS-free.
Here's a
pdf on Talking to Young People About HIV and AIDS - a
handbook for Parents and Caregivers. As parents and teachers, it
is our moral duty to guide children to the right path so that
they may not bump on curvy roads to hell.
Click
here
on how you can help to support Aids campaigns.
Click to Help turn Twitter and Facebook 'RED'
-
Earlier note on Aids