OCT 6/7 Pre-School in effect

While seeing potential in ones own child may seem intrinsic to most parents, sometimes the waters get muddied. In my case the strong, frequent tantrums thrown by my child have been about as close to mud as you can get.

luckily, one of the many attributes to co-op pre-school is that you must interact with every child....thus bringing you out of your parental vacuum. This week in the Dramatic play room I had the opportunity to interact with many kids, both boys and girls. While applying my "positive perspective" I didn't see a kid who doesn't want to share, but a kid who is determined to keep what he believes is his. Rather than whining I heard a a child being expressive. This changed my whole attitude in trouble shooting but also in being able to engage the children in play. I tell you guys, this positive perspective is gold!

"seeing the attributes" in some children is easy, in others takes some creative thinking. But they all have something to teach us. As for my child's mud (tantrums) I try to see them as strong determination for what she wants...hey, at least it keeps my blood from boiling when I'm in the thick of it ;-)

OCT 6/7 Pygmalion effect

During our recent class meeting Teacher Linda gave us, as parents and as teachers, homework; Think of someone who inspired you as a child and become that person to the children. Looking back I was fortunate enough to attend some wonderful boarding schools with many excellent teachers but only a handful of them resonated with me. In trying to narrow down what attributes made them "stick" an impression on me (as a very difficult/obstinate student..thus the attendance to said boarding schools) i was reminded of a study I read recently about the Pygmalion effect. In short a teacher was told that five of his students (chosen randomly for the study) had scored exceptionally on their aptitude test. He was to treat them the same as all the other students and that the information was purely for his knowledge. At the end of the school year the 5 randomly selected students:

• scored 10 points higher on the final test.
• learned tasks in half the time.
• where selected by their peers as the most desirable to work with.
• and had a higher attendance rate.

What was the reason for this? Although the teacher swore he treated them the same he had held that positive vision of them in his mind. Holding a positive vision makes one smile more, give more positive feeedback, listen better, be more expressive and offer more interesteing and chalaging opportunities.

So, bringing this long winded post back around, someone who is inspirational is someone who sees potential in you. They may not say "I see your potential" but if they truly see in you potential and treat you as such it becomes a self fulfilled prophecy. My goal this week is to see the potential (positive perspective) in every child and treat them like they have something amazing to give each day.

Stay tuned for this thought process in action as i apply it to the petri dish we call pre-school.

Sept 29/30 SEEING THE SPIRIT

Penelope has always been a spirited child (read difficult), even in utero. As a baby she could never be put down or set in any swing/rocker/bouncy chair. I would watch as other mothers quietly pushed their cooing baby in a stroller as mine writhed and screamed if put in anything other than my arms.

The past few months have been a true test of both myself and Kyle's strength as parents and adults. Her high energy is not an issue as much as it is an amplifier to her intensity, persistence and inability to adapt to change. These personality traits have created in her the perfect storm. Emotional hurricanes that show form in constant and intense tantrums. Some mornings by 8:30am I'm already frazzled to the point of pulling my hair out.

This week at pre-school I dropped her off for the first day, and left like pulling off a band-aide. quick and definite. She has attached herself to another mother which gives me security to know she will be o.k. I am interested to see how over time her social skills, without me there, will develop. Both with other kids as well as other adults. Hopefully the tantrums will not surface once she becomes more comfortable with her peers.

On Friday, the day i stay at pre-school with her, I made a point of going to each room with her. Attempting to expose her to the art of "change of direction" to improve her slow-to-adapt-to-change nature.  
Being a parent is a wild ride! Even if your kid is more like a summer breeze than a class 5 hurricane ;-)    

Development and Learning Journal - Penelope's School dayz

Penelope is strong willed, passionate, intense, and driven...she will make a great leader, but is one hell of a kid to parent!

It's her first week of (pre) school and I already see an improvement in her communication. It's as if by hearing/seeing how the other children use language has helped her bridge the gap between adults use of words as communication and toddlers. On a broader spectrum at home, this has helped lessen the severity of tantrums. Tantrums that in the last few months have dominated our days, regardless of activities, sleep patterns, or any other external sources. She is an intense, passionate child and the frustration of not being understood is discouraging to her.

As a parent we are constantly amazed by our children and their achievements, even the small ones. While playing with a water pump today the children learned to pull the level up and push down to make the water come out the faucet. I assumed that it was too advanced (although rudimentary) for her, but she grasped the concept immediately and was able to pump to get the desired results!