Children of the Net Generation

     Children today are technologically oriented. They are the net generation,and their growth, development, and learning are intimately tied to large doses of television,videos,electronic games,and computers in the home and shopping centers. Today, more and more students have laptop and handheld computers that easily carry back and forth between home and school. Technology is growing part of the world of young children.It has a great deal to offer, and there is much that young children can learn via technology in all domains-cognitive, social, emotional, and linguistic. Software is designed for children as young as nine months; it’s often referred as lapware because children are held in their parents’ laps to use it, and it is intended to be used by parents and children together.

     You will find many software programs for the very young such as the Reader Rabbit Playtime.it is a game that allows children to explore colors, shapes ,songs, animals….Moreover, as a future teacher ,I think I should integrate technology in my program. Integrating technology into educational curriculum provides students with additional tools to enhance their learning .I think technology in the classroom can help students become capable users, information seekers, problem solvers and decision makers. But the question is how to integrate technology into your instructional activities? Here are some examples:

1-In kindergarten, students can use multimedia software to create a slide show that demonstrates their knowledge of any subject. The students may choose pictures from a gallery to match the sound that the teacher assigns and then creates a slide show either as a group or individual project. Children save the slide show as a podcast to post to the teacher’s website.

2-Second grade students can use a digital video camera to record their participation in a science class. The children can also save the video to classroom computers for later review.

3- I can make use of the interactive SMART board which is one of the most valuable teaching and learning tools in the early childhood classroom.

4-Using iPods in the classroom can   help students to increase fluency with English language learners…

5-Student Response Systems , also known as Classroom Performance Systems, and clickers are an ideal way to get students actively involved in their learning!

     At last, preparing students to participate in the digital world is an important educational goal. Finding ways to achieve this goal is the challenge of all educators. Children  , teachers, and schools all over the country are in different stages of using technology to facilitate and support teaching and learning.

Images taken from :http://www.ecdl.org/media/young-digital-natives1.jpg                                               https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m3Q9vSib1ScA25j9qJzIZXyPn_Sjo3jNFNESdlilFoyidSPvyFN55mRhAz8uDKFHlAp_YLKsshQ60GIZGt5_Rwnifv4lAbCr89WjsS4MRVKxdzqOXDamtPIWNGuOH0mpufzmBMqeiZY/s1600/netgeneration.jpghttp://fall11-eng-02.wikispaces.com/file/view/Net_Generation.jpg/267891844/Net_Generation.jpg

Read To Succeed

Developing a love of the written word can begin in early childhood years. ECE students who are read to are much more likely to read earlier, understand concepts better, and be faster learners than babies who do not have the chance to experience books.

Choosing a variety of well written, colorful, and entertaining stories from some of the best children’s books ever will help develop a love of reading and a love of learning in your students .

Here are 10 best children’s books:

The Giving Tree: By Shel Silverstein

Goodnight Moon:  By Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd,

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs: By Judy and Ron Barrett

The Very Hungry Caterpillar: Eric Carle

Pat the Bunny:By Dorothy Kunhardt

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?: By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle.

Once Upon a Potty: By Alona Frankel

The Red Book: By David Wiesner,

The Runaway Bunny: By Margaret Wise Brown

Amazing Grace: By  Mary Hoffman

http://childrensbooksguide.com/

Principles of the Montessori Method

                                                    

Maria Montessori – A Pioneer in Education

Principles of the Montessori Approach:Designed to support the natural development of children in a well-prepared environment.

Respect for the Child:

n  cornerstone upon which all principles rest

n  help children do things independently

n  children learn through choices

The Absorbent Mind:

n  children are receptive and capable of learning

n  children learn unconsciously by taking in information directly from the environment

n  what children learn depends greatly on their teachers, experiences, and environments

Sensitive Periods:

n  children are more susceptible to certain behaviors and can learn specific skills more easily

n  encompass a relatively brief time period

n  teachers must learn to recognize and detect them, and then capitalize on them

n  sequence and timing varies for each child    

Prepared Environment:

n  a place that encourages children’s independence

n  learning materials and experiences are  available in an orderly format

n  children are free to explore materials of their own choosing

Auto-Education:

n  children are capable of teaching themselves if appropriate materials and activities are provided

n  actively involved children exercise freedom of choice in the prepared environment

The Teacher’s Role:

n  make children the center of learning

n  encourage children to learn

n  observe children

n  prepare the learning environment

n  respect each child

n  introduce learning materials

Montessori’s Basic Areas of Child Involvement

Practical life or motor education:

n  care of the person

n  care of the environment

n  social relations

n  analysis and control of movement

Sensory materials for training the senses:

n  control of error

n  isolation of a single quality

n  active involvement

n  attractiveness

Academic materials for writing, reading, and mathematics:

n  reading is an outgrowth of writing

n  manipulatives that teach such as:

                   geometric forms and colored pencils

                   sandpaper letters

                   movable alphabet

                   command cards

All these are taught according to a prescribed procedure. 

Montessori Education

http://www.fms.org/curriculum/EducationalPhilosophy.html

http://www.montessori-ami.org/montessori/approach.htm

http://www.arborviewmontessori.com/montessori-education/early-childhood-education.html

http://www.absorbentminds.co.uk/acatalog/What_is_Montessori_.html

It is all about fostering creativity, isn't it? Einstein was right! Generation knows little of. They only use their visual perception and less creativity. I think Fairy Tales allows one to use her/his imagination.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-02-23/parenting/29810073_1_creativity-stories-child

Are you an ECE teacher?Here are  5  websites for you:


http://www.teachpreschool.org/

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/ect/

http://mindsonmusic.kindermusik.com/

http://www.nea.org/

http://arc.missouri.edu/

I hope they were useful...JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

I believe as a future teacher, I should create a supportive , challenging and respectful environments for my students. That is to say:

1-Supportive Environments:

n  Time for interaction with children, encourage them and help them

n  Developmentally based curricula

2-Challenging Environments:

n  Ensuring active involvement

n  Laying the foundation for school readiness

n  Providing materials and activities

n  THE CAREGIVERS!!

3-Respectful Environments:

n  listening., observing, being aware of children’s verbal and nonverbal communications

n  Culturally appropriate practices

For more info:
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ProfPrepStandards09.pdf

http://www.devstu.org/research-articles-and-papers-the-role-of-supportive-school-environments-in-promoting-academic-success