An excellent read (or listen) from NPR (National Public Radio) on the importance of non-academic skills for students and the current "name game" debate. I have heard many terms for these "skills" and one in recent favor seems to be referring to this key area as executive skills.
When we began looking for preschools for our two daughters twelve years ago, my husband and I didn't take our search too seriously. And, to be honest, I was looking at preschool as a way for me to have a few hours of time away from our twin toddlers to recharge.
I wish the New York Times article linked to below had existed back then, as the author does an excellent job articulating the importance of early child education and play.
I now tour preschools on a regular basis for and with my clients and continue to be impressed with the strength of these programs and the committed teachers and support staff. I find that more and more schools are incorporating play-based learning into their curriculum, whether it is a small at-home program or in a larger school setting.
I have yet to assist a family with outdoor preschool, but find the concept very interesting and look forward to following this "new to Seattle" development. Check out the link below for an NPR story on the concept.
I have a good friend that was an American expat in Norway and one of the things that caught her off guard was the amount of time her preschool children spent outside - rain, shine, snow or wind. Being outside was a big part of their preschool day and they quickly adjusted to bundling up to eat their lunch in the wooded area on school grounds - snow or no snow. To say the least, she didn't join them for lunch too often! Kids adjust quickly - parents, it seems, sometimes take a little longer.
I also thought it worth sharing this recent article from "The Seattle Times" about an outdoor preschool program setting up at the Seattle Arboretum - June 15, 2015
The young author of a recent Wall Street Journal article (link below) shows us what an international move looks like through the eyes of an elementary school age child. As parents, our plates are full with all the logistics of a move and it is easy to forget the little things that might seem like big things to your children - missing old friends, worrying about making new friends, limited knowledge of the new city or country, new food (I'd skip the durian, too) and saying goodbye to their bedroom and in many cases a lot more of their "stuff."
I will always remember my daughter, Grace, making a poster-sized sign and taping it on her bedroom door the day our Seattle area house went on the market - "This house is not for sale - GO AWAY!" I have come to understand that home is where we are as a family, and with five moves within the Seattle area and 2 in Asia under our belt in the past five years, I think my children now agree.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-272B-762
The article linked to below may be a bit cheeky, but within the humor is a lot of good advice for high school students and parents. It was originally published in "The Seattle Times" in 2008 and continues to make the rounds to parents and students each school year.
