Later today, you can expect the third installment in my series on hunting for a preschool, where I will be covering schools influenced by the municipal preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. What follows here is a poem by Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of the Reggio Emilia schools:
No way. The hundred is there.
The child
is made of one hundred.
The child has
a hundred languages
a hundred hands
a hundred thoughts
a hundred ways of thinking
of playing, of speaking.
A hundred always a hundred
ways of listening
of marveling of loving
a hundred joys
for singing and understanding
a hundred worlds
to discover
a hundred worlds to invent
a hundred worlds
to dream.
The child has
a hundred languages
(and a hundred hundred hundred more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
The school and the culture
separate the head from the body.
They tell the child:
to think without hands
to do without head
to listen and not to speak
to understand without joy
to love and to marvel
only at Easter and at Christmas.
They tell the child:
to discover the world already there
and of the hundred
they steal ninety-nine.
They tell the child:
that work and play
reality and fantasy
science and imagination
sky and earth
reason and dream
are things
that do not belong together.
And they tell the child
that the hundred is not there.
The child says:
No way. The hundred is there.
~Loris Malaguzzi
(translated by Lella Gandini)
In the photo: Little fox mask from Abigail Brown
Whether you have a stack of books lined up that you haven’t quite gotten around to, or you are looking for a great new book to curl up with, why not join me in making a Spring Reading List? Katrina of Callapidder Days has begun the Spring Reading Thing 2009 – simply make a list of the books you would like to read between now and June 20th, write a blog post containing your list and link up at this post. I’ve had fun this morning reading other people’s lists, and even found a new book to add to my own (thanks, Holly!). As the mountains of books are consumed, folks will begin posting reviews here.
Here Are My Spring Reads:
1. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
by Barbara Kingsolver – This one has been sitting on my shelf for months, and now is a great time to start because it happens to be this month’s pick for Simple Mom’s online book club.
2. Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression
by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
3. Housekeeping: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson
4. Murder in the Latin Quarter
by Cara Black – Can I tell you how excited I am that a new Cara Black book is out? I am totally obsessed with this mystery series set in Paris and its hip heroine, Aimee Leduc.
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – No, I have never read it!
6. Any Persephone Book – I would love to treat myself to one of these little forgotten classics.
Photo © Laura Gaskill
Lovingly handmade dolls and toys for the little ones, nature-inspired art, and a few little treats for you and your home fill today’s Etsy finds. Enjoy!
Wood and lace – This sweet little hook from Coquelicot is made from (naturally) fallen trees; Gorgeously smooth hand-turned maple bowl from Urban Turn; The “lace” in this necklace by Fox & Clover is actually hand painted on recycled glass; I am in love with this set of heirloom vegetable seeds packaged in tiny glass apothecary vials from Seed Circle Heirlooms.
These dolls from Simpli Jessi obviously have so much love and care put into them: from their clothing and accessories (love those stitched-on glasses!) to the little story that comes with each and every one, these dolls are oozing personality. Clockwise from the top left: Juan enjoys fishing and teaches salsa dancing, Francoise rides a little green scooter and likes jam and toast, Louise plays a mean air guitar, and Elona is a math whiz and special agent.
A fresh, crisp and sunny Spring day – that’s what I think of when I look at this happy little group of items! I could see using this hand-carved Beet Stamp from Whimsy By Jess to make your own Spring party invites, or to make a little set of thank you notes; The minty green Mrs Cow Tote from Strand redesign is made from recycled fabrics and comes in both child and adult sizes; Nature Collection Print from Geninne’s Art Store; Sweet little Tea Love Mug Cozy from KnitStorm.
Marew! I love the faces on the little Herringbone Kitties and Lion Kitty, both from Penguin & Fish; Beautifully crafted natural oak Rolling Sheep toy from Tactile Baby; Kitty Egg Crayons from Kitty Baby Love are ergonomically shaped for little hands, and do double-duty as wee toys.
As I am in the process of shifting gears in my career, I have been thinking a lot about what it means, on a personal level, to be successful. There is a very narrow definition of success in the culture at large that mostly has to do with making boatloads of money and getting recognition in the media. But who does that definition of success serve? Not a whole lot of us, that’s who! And while I would be as stoked as the next girl to be pulling in a fat paycheck, in the meantime I want to be happy with where I am and what I can accomplish right now. I propose that we redefine success, on our own terms.
Owl by enna
So my question for you is this: How do you define success in your life? Has your definition of success changed over the years? If you have children, what do you hope for them in their lives? How would you feel if your teenage son told you, “Hey, mom, I’ve been thinking, and this whole college thing? Really not for me. I just want to give surfing lessons and knit punk rock tea cozies.” In other words, do you have your heart set on a certain path for your child? Do you feel that your definition of success was influenced by your parents? Let’s discuss.
Both as a reading teacher and later, as a preschool teacher, much of my work has involved reading stories aloud to kids. Over the years, just as all teachers do, I have developed my favorite tricks and techniques for keeping wee audiences engaged. When you read with your child, you are laying the foundation for a love of language and literature, as well as building critical thinking skills, creativity, and imagination. Here are my top 10 tips:
“Beehive Bears” by Oh My Cavalier!
1. Take a little extra time choosing books - If you are having trouble finding good books, try your local children’s librarian or children’s literature sites like The Well-Read Child for reviews and recommendations.
2. Always preview a book before reading it to your child – you don’t want to be stopped in your tracks midway through a story by a too-violent illustration or a theme you do not approve of!
3. Start by reading the title and looking at the cover with your child, then ask her to predict what the story will be about. This can be a very simple, “Hm, The Runaway Bunny. What do you think this is about?”
4. Review what you’ve read so far: If you are in the midst of reading a longer story or a chapter book (any book read in more than one sitting), take a few minutes to ask your child to remember what happened last time before diving in. I have gotten through some very long chapter books with preschoolers by using this technique.
5. Express emotion: If something scary is about to happen, let’s say the character is about to enter a bear cave, you can gasp and say “Oh, no!” Get into it. Show some enthusiasm!
“Honey” by Oh My Cavalier!
6. Do voices for characters. This is something I think many grown-ups are wary of, but there’s no need to be shy! Just do your best; children are easily amused. If you are not sure how a character should sound, you can ask your child – this can lead to some amusing conversations 
7. Take time-outs to answer questions. There’s no need to plow straight through a story.
8. Make predictions: During a natural pause in the story, take a moment to ask your child “What do you think will happen now?” This keeps children engaged and flexes those reading-comprehension muscles.
9. If you are reading a long story, stop right at the exciting part. This is a no-fail way to keep up your child’s enthusiasm for the story!
10. Have your child do a tell-back: When you are finished (or at any natural breaking point), ask your child to tell you what happened in the story (or what’s happened so far). This is an excellent way to boost reading comprehension – it works for adults, too!
And just because the story is over doesn’t mean it has to end! If your child loves a particular book, why not try acting it out? This can be as simple as “You be the caterpillar, and I’ll be all the stuff the caterpillar eats” – or as elaborate as you want, drawing in siblings and friends, making props, costumes, and the whole nine yards. You can also extend the story by drawing or painting, or by imagining what would happen after the book ends.
What works for you? Add your thoughts in the comments section
