You Make a Difference Everyday

"You make a difference everyday. You matter. Your life is important," said Dr. Jane Goodall on Bill Moyer's Journal yesterday. Over the years , she has inspired hundreds of "Roots and Shoots Groups" around the world. She encourages young people to do some small thing to help wildlife. She says her belief that every person can and does make a difference in life around them is central to the success of these many groups of young people, and their impact on their local ecosystem.
One group in western United States saw that they could encourage a dried up river to flow again by planting trees on its banks, removing blockages, and reintroduced plants for the fish that had inhabited the stream. Now it is a thriving home for large members of that fish species.
She observes the "peace of the forest" in her years of living in natural settings in Africa where she quietly "encompasses a vague feeling of the universe." She feels that modern humankind has suffered a "disconnect between their intellect and the wisdom of the heart". That disconnect has contributed greatly to the ecological collapse wherein over 7000 species of animals are in danger of extinction now. Though something similar has apparently happened 5 times before in our planets history, she said it is coming on much more rapidly this time due to unwise decisions of continuing depletion of habitats even after seeing dire consequences to animal life.
Dr Goodall has written a book Hope for Animals and their World that is currently available and would make a good read for anyone interested in our planet..
I appreciate her years of expertise and wonderful awareness. Let me quote 2 verses of a poem that Bill Moyer read of hers called..................................... "The Old Wisdom": (by Dr. Jane Goodall)

When the night wind makes pine trees creak,
and pale clouds glide across the dark sky.
Go out, my child, go out and seek
your soul, the eternal I....
Yes. my child, go out into the world. Walk slow
and silent comprehending all, and by and by
Your soul, the universe, will know
itself, the eternal I.

Enjoy and take inspiration from her mention of those she calls "Keepers of the Planet" such as Dan Merton of New Zealand, whose efforts brought the Black Robin back from near extinction. Dr. Jane is firm in her belief that if we "Never give Up" we can make a difference in life around us. She has discovered a secret to "Unlock Your Personal Power".
Read her book Hope for Animals and their World and give it as a gift to many. Also read parts of it to your children as part of your daily reading time together.

Millions of CNN Fans Vote For Teen Education Hero

We give thanks for millions of CNN fans who voted to support Efren Penaflorida as Hero of The Year. This remarkable Filapeno young man has formed www.dynamicteencompany.org with several other teens to create learning carts that they physically push to the many homeless children who live in garbage dumps in the Philippines.
They have one cart for literacy, one cart for games, one cart for computer. When these remarkable teens who managed to get some educational help from a mentor, roll their carts into the dump area, hundreds of little children pour out excitedly.
Efren Penaflorida's comment about education was aimed at "all the children of the world" :
"Embrace learning. Love it, for it will embrace you and love you back, and shall enable you to change your world."

The teens teach what they have learned. Theirs is a power we all have, to share what we know with others. Young Efren winner of the grand prize $100,000 as CNN Hero of the Year 2009, said, "There are many heroes throughout the world of different colors, shapes and sizes. Each person has a hero within. All they have to do is search their hearts and change their world. You are the change that you dream, as I am the change that I dream"
I would add the Efren has learned the secret of "Unlock Your Personal Power".

I celebrate and give thanks for all the CNN heroes and all the CNN fans who recognized the exceptionally clear and bright shining light of Hero Efren Penaflorida. He is a good role model for us all.

Where Do You Put Your Money: Facts or Fiction??

The past weekend, "we the people" spent over $142,000,000 on fiction , while the factually needy go begging. A grant website for children's organizations received over 3,000 requests for real life children's needs from nonprofits who are not getting enough funding from "we the people". You might say this is to be expected in these hard financial times. I would have agreed, until my favorite talk show hosts pointed out that "we the people" found an enormous amount of cash to belch out at the movie theaters in just one weekend: $142,000,000. Those zeros stand for something, an enormous escapism from real life needs.

My hat's off to the website trying to award money to real children's needs, but how derailed are "we the people" from these issues? I understand that this movie was aimed at the immature adolescents and that part in all the many older adults who also laid down the cash to see the young hunks rescue the love-sick skinny girl with great eyes. I understand the longing for romance and adventure in times when its even hard to find a job at a fast food restaurant.

As I heard Arne Duncan Education Secretary on our president's cabinet proclaim clearly that "we the people" are in an educational crisis with 1,200,000 high school kids dropping out every year, the plot thickened. During brief CNN coverage, Arne said every year over 30% of our teens drop out of high school, and are therefore " condemned to poverty and social failure".
Was it the good students, the 70% who stay in school who went in droves to see the vampires/ werewolf movie? Where did these teens get the money? How did so many parents have enough money for allowances to add up to $142,000,000 in a few days time? I thought teens were having a hard time finding work. I thought parents were having a hard time keeping a job.

Apparently there is more discretionary money out there in the pockets of America than we are being told. Then it is a question of where we put our money. Parents want to give a special treat to their good kids and fork over the cash. I suspect many parents and other adults got pulled into the curious fantasy world whirlwind as well.

Bottom Line : "We the people" have choices.
Challenge: instead of paying to see this same fantasy movie a second time, if "we the people" would take that same $10 (or a matching $10 if you must go to the movie) and give it to a needy Headstart for poverty level children, State-Funded Pre-Kindergarten for low income, Healthy Family for first time at-risk families, Infant & Toddler Connection for families of children with special needs, or even our group, Literacy for Tykes, who serves all the above groups, much real life need could be relieved . Many real life children could have brighter futures. "We the people" could turn around the ever-growing dropout rate within 15 years.

There is a Middle Path in Parenting

There is a middle path in parenting, nurturing, caring, and interest in who your child is.
Recently Karen Nemeth, EdM brought to my attention via twitter that parents are paying big money for tutors for their pre kindergartners, to help them ace the test to get into gifted level kindergarten in NYC. I realize the overcrowded population levels in that Metro Island brings out a competitor attitude, but tutors for K entrance placement is extreme. It speaks more about distortion of parental values than anything I have heard in recent years. I understand that many parents get over-zealous , trying to push their "Little Me"s into ever greater achievements. The stats show at least 20% of birth to 5 yr parents have gone way beyond encouraging their child into gathering feathers for their own caps.
On the other extreme, about 50% of birth to 5 Yr parents all not even reading to their children, no books in the home suitable for children at all. Some of these parents are very high tech people that think books at outdated. Others of these parents are not confident as educating their child and hope that when their children hit Kindergarten they will get all they need at school. Others are too preoccupied with working for basic necessities, or their own personal dramas to notice. Some just don't understand how important they are to their early child.

I suggest there is a middle path that perhaps 30% of parents are successfully navigating. They are happy to take some time , reading with their child (even just 20 minutes a day). They know their child develops most of his or her lifelong learning skills capacity by age 3yrs. They know that everyday experiences shared and talked about with their little one, open up and shape their child's view of life, love and learning. They actually find that time spent in reading together, and other activities is a great enjoyable dynamic in their own lives.
I'm asking those who have not known about this middle path to take a look. If you are not confident about how to share a children's picture book with your early child look at amazon.com listing of my book Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures, with step-by-step guidelines to do just that, as well as beautiful art work by Delia Bowman Wach.
If you would like a copy of my free guidelines "Enjoy Books With Children" email me at info@LiteracyForTykes.com .
If you are over-fixated on your own golden child, relax and send a little of those dollars to www.LiteracyForTykes.com to benefit the underprivileged children to keep from being at-risk-to fail.
The main thing is enjoy the wonderful opportunity you have to share whatever time you have each day with the most important persons in your life, your early children.

Where is the Light of Learning

Where is the light of learning
By which mankind survives?
We can have the light of learning
When we touch each other's lives.

With simple acts of sharing
Keep learning ties well knit;
And give our time in caring
To keep each lamp well lit.

Where is the light of learning
By which mankind survives?
We can have the light of learning
When we touch each other's lives.

-song/poem copyright 2008 Nancy J. Cloyd

Tips: Early Child Literacy & Language Development - Part Three

Literacy and language development is , when all goes well, a building process. What is learned on day can be built upon possibly as soon a the next day.
After the fourth birthday, favorite books are a great place to go one step futher than before. Continue pointing at the printed words as you say them. Four year olds start getting the idea that you are reading the print. Once you see that awareness you can even mention how "m" sounds, and other specific letter sounds.
It's good to start with the beginning sounds like "C" "Cat", "T" "Teddy", "B" Bear". Children are very proud of catching on to new "secrets" about favorite books.

Also discuss color names when reading a book, dressing your child, or looking at a television show together. "Big Bird is yellow"; "Grover is blue"; "The Teddy Bear is brown". Kindergarten teachers evaluate your child as to whether they can identify the 8 colors in the basic crayon box to determine readiness.

When it's time to put away the toys, help your child. She or he will do much better knowing the order you think things should go in. Remember the mimicking tendency is still the best way a child learns. Model exactly where you like things to go. Talk about why certain things go in a certain order. If your child has a strong preference about a particular favorite item, discuss it. Listen and if you can live with his or her idea, compromise. They do love to feel you are listening, and that their opinion counts for something. Of course , you are the boss, but hopefully a benevolent dictator. (Red Flag:autistic children may line up everything compulsively.)

When talking with your four year old, be sure to introduce new words that are relevant to your child. "Be well rested" can go along with "Then you'll have lots of energy". You might chose a new book that has a few new words or discuss a favorite book using a few additional words that are new. If your child is not yet in a classroom setting, get a book about being in kindergarten.

Putting away groceries is a great time to introduce categorizing to your child. "Put all the cans in here". This age is also a good time to give 2 simple directions at a time like: "Put your jacket on the chair and then put all the cans in this cupboard". Of course the cupboard would have to be within the child's reach.
Following 2 simple directions is one of the things that kindergarten screening looks at to see if your child is ready.

Board games are a great way to help your child get used to following simple directions.

Tips: Early Child Literacy & Language Development - Part Two

Literacy and language development is unique to each child. These tips are general guidelines. Some children will proceed at different rates than others. Some will reverse this pattern or do it differently. Others who have not been exposed to the opportunities we outlined in our tips for birth through three years old, may still need those experiences before they can progress onto the stages we outline today. Literacy and language development is a growth process, in which the early building blocks need to come before the later building blocks. When in doubt start with the early ideas and activities mentioned in yesterdays blog and see if your child responds well to those. If they are very easy, build upon them with today's ideas and tips for children .
After their third birthday, talking to your child about the events of the day is important. We do not suggest an inquisition style, so questions that can be simply answered yes or no are not the point. Since the idea is to stimulate your child's use of language, ask him or her leading questions, like what did you like best in that book?
Reading books together is still an important part of your day, or evening. The together time spent lap reading, or "right-next-to" reading, continues to offer the close cuddling that nurtures your child in a reading situation. This gives positive feelings about the world of books that will carry with your child for a lifetime. If your child has a favorite book or two, see how much more he or she is able to relate to the pictures and possibly tell you the names and make the sounds and tell you the simple sentences from memory. This would be a good time for you to point to the printed words as you say them. This gives your three year old a clue that the print has something to do with the sounds(words)you make as well as the pictures they describe.
At this stage, children often like to pretend that they are cooking, exercising, making houses out of blocks, or boxes. Using assorted large colored squares of cloth, they can pretend to be in various costumes like, you or the mailman, the doctor, someone in fancy clothes.
Since your child is attempting to speak more words everyday,encourage them to pronounce their words more clearly. You can lovingly say "Mommy's having a hard time hearing your words. Can you say that again, please?"
Enjoy your child. He or she is unfolding in their own special way. This is a tender age and the ideal time to share enthusiasm for life, and experiencing new things each day, as well as continuing favorite things, books, activities.
Tomorrow we'll continue with "After their fourth birthday..."

Tips: Early Child Literacy & Language Development

Tips for early child literacy and language development vary by your child's age and stage. Some children are consistenet or 'typical' developers; others start somewhat typically, but can alter their course by age 2 years or so. See www.firstsigns.org for in depth discussion of the need to observe for reversals of language and communication development.
These tips are helpful for typical (and several variations on typical) development.

In your child's first year: read a simple picture book to them daily; be sure to cuddle and lap-read since loving touch is so important for thriving; when animals appear in the book teach your baby to make the animal sounds; while making eye contact, imitate the sounds that your baby makes; talk describing what you're doing to your baby if you are within visual range of each other; play peek-a-boo and other games involving your baby's senses; if your baby does not seem to respond to you, have their hearing checked.

Babies love to mimic sounds and their sense of language is encouraged when you mimic their sounds. All of this interaction is only possible if their hearing and vision are functioning properly. When in doubt, have it checked out.

After their first birthday: naming objects in their day and naming objects represented as pictures in their books is important. They start to get it when you consistently call an object by the same name. Pointing at their nose, ears, mouth etc, and pointing to your same body parts is important. Also extend that by pointing at all the noses, ears and mouths represented in picture books. They are able to begin understanding the meaning of the sounds you consistently repeat through the day. Help them point to picture parts you are describing and they will start pointing themselves, as you read the same books to them each day. They thrive on repetition.
At this point, its a good time to give your child one simple direction at a time."Show me your nose" -or- "Look at Mommy".

After their second birthday: They will begin to pick up on the idea of simple sentences you say frequently and consistently; favorite books with simple sentences become something they repeat; they start to understand that words (sounds) can be strung together, for specific meanings. "The cat is big"."Touch your nose", "I'll change your diaper now." "Food is coming." Gradually they get the meanings and learn to say the words at the appropriate times. "The ball is big"
Labeling things in their everyday life is helpful, when you say the label each time. They still may be relying on verbal cues, more than the actual printed letters, but this starts a process of print recognition. Labeling pictures of loved ones, and saying the names is helpful. Remember they love to hear you sing simple songs.
Tomorrow we talk about after their third and fourth birthdays.

Visual Literacy

Literacy is awareness that leads to reading and writing skills.
Visual Literacy is the beginning stage of becoming literate.Infants and toddlers completely depend on adults and older reading children for clues along the literacy journey. They learn especially well from someone they trust.

Toddlers learn that pictures are symbols for real life objects.
Flat images as in picture books are ideal for toddlers to learn about symbols.The adult care giver or parent reading the pictures to a toddler gives him or her clues as to what the image represents. Thus the toddler learns that the pictures are symbols for real life objects.Later they can understand that some images are representing imaginary objects.

Toddlers learn that certain sounds go with certain pictures (symbols).Written words are not significant to toddlers.
They hear the sounds you say and gradually learn that certain sounds or words are said in association with certain pictures.They think you are reading the pictures. Print means nothing to them initially. Only later do they understand, the sounds you make are associated with print.

Toddlers learn that books are different from other objects.They learn books are not toys; we don’t build towers with them.They learn that books are not food; we don’t eat them.By regularly reading with toddlers they learn that books are for reading.They also learn how to handle a book by your example. You are modeling to them all the clues they need to navigate the world of books: proper care of books, how to turn the page; read them from front to back.Eventually as they can relate to print they see how you read from left to right.
For a book that pursues this topic in greater detail see: Young Children and Picture Books, Mary Renck Jalongo, published by NAEYC.

Many Ways to Help Early Child Development

Many are putting forth good effort and information to help in the early child development crisis. Since researchers trying to discover the root cause of the high percentage of High School Dropouts have traced it all back to early child development, many organizations are putting a major effort into meeting those early needs. Pre-School for everyone is an interesting approach, though not currently economically feasible. Most children do not attend pre-school at this time. For every child in Headstart for poverty level and State funded Pre-k for low income there are probably 8 children who are not in any organized day care setting.
One grass roots attempt to better the picture is admirable Home Schooling that can start at whatever age the parent chooses, certainly by age 4 years. There are many sources of well-thought-out resources for moms and dads who are committed to providing a great education at home. Also there are organizations dedicated to offering better information to home-based day care providers, as well as center based ones. These groups, such as NAEYC provide regular training and resource information to those who seek to better what they are offering .
Still we see high % of children entering Kindergarten without the most essential building blocks of literacy and school readiness. In an effort to reach some of these children, SECA has made available a series of age appropriate books through pediatricians that are freely given to parents on well baby (child) check-ups, benefit- ting the segment of families who seek regular medical consultation.
Another issue, that is receiving some attention recently, is that various of the well established early child educational organizations do not have the resources they need to do all they would like. Leaders of many such groups have said they would love to have a book to give to every parent of every child so they could read to their child in the home. Most agree that parent/ child lap reading is the most effective way to compliment what they can do in a group setting. Most will also say that there are no books in the homes of the families they serve. Most will go on to make clear that the parents they serve do not read to the children at home.
This is where Literacy for Tykes came into the early child literacy crisis. Leaders we asked knew exactly how many families they served that could benefit from a children's picture book. When they saw award-winning Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures they thought the step-by-step parent guidelines were perfect for encouraging their parents. No funding available inspired me to give up my rights to author's royalties and form a nonprofit organization with several other educators and concerned professionals.Now as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, our plea for tax-deductible donations goes out to all who will listen. We have received a one-time grant from Target that got our first Phase of Early Child Literacy Partnership with several organizations on our long list going. We have just scratched the surface of the need , even just in our portion of our state of Virginia. Blooming where we are planted , we hope to serve the largely rural area of Heartland Virginia, counties clustered around organizational centers in Farmville, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg. The statistics from other states indicate this early child literacy crisis is nationwide. We will do what we can for as many as possible as funds allow.
Next week I will write about a new way that without directly donating you can all help us get a grant.

What About USA Kids Without Books?

What is it like for a 5-year-old child to enter kindergarten with no familiarity with books, flat images or literacy? What if that child cannot even follow simple 2-part directions? What if color names had never been mentioned to this child?
They would feel like they don't belong. They would feel dumb compared to the other children. They would suffer the same "classroom battering" reported to occur with learning disabled children. As a matter of fact, they could be defined as learning disabled because of social circumstances.
Researchers could go to their homes and find no books suitable for young children. The researchers would find that their parents were so busy keeping food on the table and a roof over their heads that they never even thought about reading to their child. Many parents might say they were never read to when they were children. Others might say that they don't feel qualified to teach their own child, so they didn't try. Another might just be too into his own despair as unemployed; or an overburdened single mom trying to do it all by herself.
In these situations, the children never feel they can make it at school. They never catch up with the more literate agemates. They drop out of high school. Jobs require High School Diplomas. they will be more likely to become outlaw entrepreneurs, or unwed teenage moms needing financial aid to exist.
No one wants these outcomes for their own child or anyone else s child. Yet over 50% of entering Kindergarteners in USA today are in this at-risk-to-fail category. See tomorrow's blog for an effort to help.

Help Your Child Feel Worthwhile

"Worth while" means "worth" your "while", your time spent (as in "stay a while").
You can help your child feel worthwhile, worth your time.
It only takes spending time focused on the needs of your child.
Through meeting their basic physical and emotional needs, a positive attachment has formed between you. Its like an energetic umbilical cord through which all feeding occurs, including direct learning of who they are to you.
In your busy day, I ask you to simply set aside a few moments: find a quiet spot with few distractions; hold your child or take their hand lovingly; make eye contact. This lets them know you really are interested in them. You really are wanting to be with them. You really are spending time focused on them.
This focused attention is a lovely place in which you can share and learn more about each other. Give your child a chance to let you know what's on their minds. (I use a plural choice of words because I am addressing many parents, however this is meant to be a time for you and only one of your children at a time, if you happen to have several.) It may last only briefly, but the energetic interchange will stay with you both forever, as a building of greater positive awareness of each other.
This same idea can be a fruitful and positive dynamic in any relationship, especially parent /child. Try it.

Parents: You are in Best Position to Show Your Child Books

Parents, you are in the best postion to share the world of books with your child, whether you feel qualified or not. You may say that you are not an educator, or, that you do not know how to teach your child to read.
Children learn what you do with them and around them. They copy cat everything you do , because they trust you with their lives, they want to be like you.
Here are some guidelines:
Quiet possible distractions (music, TV, Computer).
Sit with your child on your lap or right next to you.
Find a simple picture book (An example is Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures available amazon.com).
Read the pictures. Talk to your child about what you see in the picture, pointing to the parts, or helping your child to point to each part you name.
Use simple words they can mimic. Children love to mimic sounds. Name animals, make their sounds.
If you point at and name an ear in the picture, then point at and name your child's ear .
Mention color names. First they will mimic the sound, associate with the picture, and later they will be able to get the meaning.
It's a process. Get into it; Enjoy it.
This is all you need to do. Repeat this quiet book time together everyday for 20 minutes (or working up to those goals as much as possible) and your child will develop learning skills and be more confident when he gets into a classroom situation.
You can be refreshed by this break from your usual concerns, and your child will love this together time.

"Parents have Really Appreciated the Books"

I just received a letter from Infant & Toddler Connection's director. She stated that "The books have been wonderful and the parents have really appreciated them." Due to a one-time grant from Target, Literacy for Tykes was able to give ITC enough copies of Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures for about half of their caseload of families with children with special needs, ages birth to three years. I first dedicated the book to one of my grandsons who was at the stage when he could be introduced to the world of books. It is beautifully illustrated by Delia Bowman Wach. We purposefully only have one illustration that can be seen at a time to eliminate visual distractions. Each pair of pages are the picture on the right page and "Parent Points" on the left facing page. Step-by-step clear guidelines for sharing the characteristics of the picture with their child make it easy to do.
As author, I am very happy to hear that parents are enjoying the reading experience of this book. It can be shared daily . Kids love repetition. Working up to 20 minutes a day is a great way to help any young child build lifelong learning skills and confidence for the future, as well as a love of reading. The secret ingredient is the parents' enthusiasm.

Enjoy a Walk in Crunchy Autumn Leaves

Enjoy a walk in crunchy autumn leaves with your children. Take some colorful ones home and press them between two pieces of wax paper, or put them between 2 layers of clear contact paper, or just glue them to construction paper. You can also have fun tracing their shapes with a crayon. Then read about the crunch of Autumn leaves in one of several books at a quiet time before bed later on. Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures has a beautiful autumn leaf in it illustrated by Delia Bowman Wach. Lots of colors, and an interesting shape to finger trace with your child.
Enjoy exploring life together.

Great New Parent Role Models Sarah Michelle Gellar and FPJ

It has been worth the wait to see such a beautiful article about two new parents with great attitude. Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy to her fans) and her hubby of 7 years are featured by People Mag November 16 edition, now out on newsstands. Their precious baby Charlotte Grace has certainly come to a home full of love. "We have a lot of love here, and for me that's what family is all about,"says dad Freddie Prinze Jr.
Sarah Michelle Gellar says " We're just taking one day at a time...She's the greatest gift that anyone has ever given me, and I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to do right by her."
They have great commitment to their new baby and I am sure they will start reading to her now with little picture books and talk about the pictures to her. That is the first building block of early child literacy.

Cudos to People Mag : Celebs who read to their Early Child

Jessica Alba "I read everything to (toddler Honor) her". Ana Ortiz was given 40 books by America Ferrara baby gift for little Paloma. Both women "Are voracious readers: we're always exchanging books." America said, "we have to make her a reader like we are." One favorite is a story about a teddy bear Corduroy. "Read it-it's fabulous," said Ortiz. Alba especially likes Goodnight Moon to read to her toddler.
Literacy for Tykes is very glad to see People Magazine (Oct 5 Books Section) feature good role models for young parents. Most young parents know Jessica and Ana from their acting careers. All of us have personal power to communicate positive suggestions to others. Young parents can see that they can have enjoyable time reading with their young children. In this way they can greatly influence their child's literacy development, so that they become more confident by time they reach kindergarten.
Send for your copy of "Enjoy Books with Children" see www.Literacy For Tykes.com for instructions.