And now, to round out our School Yard Days "jam session", here are Hazel and Frances! Next up, the moving stories and reflections of one of our dedicated volunteers, Rachel.
Hazel Nurse
07.10.14
Free Fun Days
With the current news concerning the possibility of schools opening late due to a lack of funds, my thoughts journeyed back to school yard days.
With a looming depression and no such thing as computer games, iphones and technical gaming devices, we still had fun.
Especially when our country was in a depression, we children played “Top Scotch” on the sidewalks of our rowhouses. But remember “Jumping Rope?” We were declared champions if we were able to jump “Double Dutch.” These activities along with “Roller Skating” were free of charge, with no batteries, no electricity needed. Have you ever played, “Simon Says?”
In those days, a late school opening would have been fun for all of us children.
Frances Bryce
7.10.2014
Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers is a program that helps parents of young children (0-5) to understand how important their role is as the child’s first teacher, and that they are always teaching.
The early childhood program includes daily reading to the child, which can be the beginning of a love for books and reading. It also informs the parents of stages of development when the child is ready to learn (example: the window of opportunity, the last time to learn a skill, such as learning a language). The parent educator encourages the parent to talk to the child while out walking, telling the child about the environment or whatever is interesting. The brain takes in all that the child is exposed to, positive or negative. The brain is the recorder for the child and there is no erase button.
The program teaches discipline that is different than punishment. Discipline, Teache-Training and then Correction —whereas punishment sometimes results in denigrating restriction and sometimes physical.
I worked as a Parent Educator for 10 years. The program that helps the parent with parenting skills creates a long heart-full love-full relationship for both the child and the parent.
The child begins the program for a successful learning career, and the parents gets tools that are useful in insuring a successful and happy child.
