Kleuterklanke Volume 38nr2_13

Volume 38 no/nr 2 - October/Oktober 2013

School Readiness for Infants and Toddlers?

Really?

Beware the Deadly Sins of Parenting Wiskunde en Musiek

What Your Staff Members Want You to Know!

Volume 38 no/nr 2 - October / Oktober 2013

2 From The Committee / Bestuursbrief 4 Your Questions / Vra Gerus 6 Postbox / Posbus

Ring-Ting Daycare Centre

- On The Cover / Voorblad storie 14 School Readiness for Infants and Toddlers?

Really?

20 Beware the Deadly Sins of Parenting 22 Wiskunde en Musiek - Articles / Artikels 8 Koppie-Slim versus Lyfie-Slim 12 The Art Of Storytelling 24 Vaardighede in die Klaskamer en op die Speelgrond 26 iPads in Pre-School 28 Nal’ibali 46 Knitted Ball

20 - School Readiness for Infants and Toddlers? Really?

32 Management / Bestuur - Baking / Bak & Brou 44 Pattern Pizza - Did You Know?/Werd Om Te Weet 34 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week - Theme Thoughts / Tematyd 38 Patterns Around Us

20 - Beware the Deadly Sins of Parenting

- Health / Gesondheid 48 Prevent Burns 50 Parent Poster / Ouerplakkaat 52 News From Our Schools / Skolenuus

Editorial Team / Redaksie Cherry Stephen Marthie Stoltz Louisa Burger Graphic Design / Grafiese Ontwerp Aliza Smit Design & Layout / Ontwerp & Uitleg Project Design Printing / Drukwerk Spektrum Advertising / Reklame Lize Bredell Uitgewers / Publishers VVOS/AECYC Distribution / Verspreiding VVOS/AECYC Affiliation / Affiliasies VVOS/AECYC Contact Us / Kontak Ons Tel: 012 664 5313 Fax: 012 664 0457 E-mail: vvosinfo@tiscali.co.za www.vvos.co.za

56 Reading Corner / Ons Boekhoekie 58 Seminar / Seminaar 60 AECYC - Affiliation Form

24 - Wiskunde en Musiek

Opinionsexpressed expressedin inthis thismagazine magazinedo donot not Opinions necessarilyreflect reflectthose thoseof ofthe theEditorial EditorialTeam Team necessarily orthe theAECYC AECYCCommittee.

Committee.The TheEditorial EditorialTeam Team or reservesthe theright rightto toamend amendor orreject rejectany anyeditorial editorial reserves matteror orphotographs photographssubmitted submittedfor forpublication. publication. matter Acceptanceof ofadvertising advertisingdoes doesnot notrepresent representthe the Acceptance AECYC’sendorsement endorsementof ofany anyproduct productor orservice, service, AECYC’s norisisthe theAECYC AECYCresponsible responsiblefor forrepresentations representations nor madeby byadvertisers. advertisers. made Geenaanspreeklikheid aanspreeklikheidword wordaanvaar aanvaarvir virenige enige Geen geding wat uit hierdie publikasie mag spruit nie. geding wat uit hierdie publikasie mag spruit nie.

• Increased children access to ECD • Support for non-centrebased ECD programme • Improved nutritional value • Improved cognitive development through curriculum implementation in partnership with GDE • ECD meal distribution – (‘n belangrike ding waarop hulle fokus is om ‘n spyskaart deur ‘n dieetkundige op te stel en uit te gee aan ECD sentrums.)

• ECD mapping and verification of registered and unregistered facilities • National ECD audit: 4 November - 6 December 2013 – (Landswye oudit gaan deur die Departement gedoen word insluitend Gauteng)

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ie jaar 2013 is feitlik op sy rug en dit laat my terugdink aan ‘n jaar vol gebeure en opwinding!

Om een hiervan te noem, is die nuus dat alle kleuterskole en persone betrokke by kinders moet registreer of herregistreer. Dit was sommer ‘n groot kopseer en onsekerheid maar ek vertrou dat alle kleuterskole, na ons gesprekvoering te Fleur Laerskool met Me. Marinda Oosthuizen van die Departement Maatskaplike Dienste, Gauteng, en Mnr. Casper Keulder van Community Disaster Risk Management, Gauteng, nou baie meer verstaanbaar is, en dat hierdie registrasieproses sommer al ver gevorder het by ons skole.

Onthou dat alle volledige registrasie

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dokumente, soos verlang, op 1 April 2015 by bogenoemde kantoor van Me. Marinda Oosthuizen ingedien moet wees. Die VVOS kantoor verleen nog steeds hulp aan skole waar nodig. Ons doen graag‘n beroep op skole om so spoedig moontlik met hierdie registrasieproses te begin om te voldoen aan die voorgeskrewe vereistes.

Social Development Gauteng Province het op 8, 9 en 10 Oktober 2013 ‘n Provincial Early Childhood Development Workshop gehad waarby die volgende sake ter sprake gekom het en ook breedvoerig bespreek is: • Increased registrations of unregistered facilities

Met hierdie belangrike sake en al die ander werk wat ons doen, mag elkeen van ons weer besin waarmee ons besig is nl. dat dit God se kinders is. Onthou ons nog die teks: Matteus 19:14 Maar Jesus het gesê: “Laat staan die kindertjies en moet hulle nie verhinder om na My te kom nie, want die koninkryk van hemel is juis vir mense soos hulle.”

Mag julle sukses beleef met al die verrigtinge wat nog moet plaasvind by jul skole. Mag 2013 se herrinneringe by jul bly met opgewondenheid en 2014 ‘n droom van ‘n nuwe begin wees, vol vreugde, voorspoed en seën. Mag jul ‘n vreugdevolle feesgety in die teenwoordigheid van ons Hemelse Vader beleef en ‘n voorspoedige 2014 binne gaan met nuwe krag!

Ek laat julle nou met die volgende verhaal wat ek onlangs by ‘n seminaar gehoor het. Met toestemming van die spreker deel ek dit met julle.

Marthie Stoltz www.photoxpress.com

The Little Boy

by Helen Buckley

O

nce a little boy went to school.

He was quite a little boy And it was quite a big school.

But when the little boy Found that he could go to his room By walking right in from the door outside He was happy; And the school did not seem Quite so big any more.

One morning When the little boy had been in school a while, The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture.”

“Good!” thought the little boy.

He liked to make all kinds; Lions and tigers, Chickens and cows, Trains and boats; And he took out his box of crayons And began to draw.

But the teacher said, “Wait!”

“It is not time to begin!”

And she waited until everyone looked ready.

“Now,” said the teacher, “We are going to make flowers.”

“Good!” thought the little boy.

He liked to make beautiful ones With his pink and orange and blue crayons.

But the teacher said “Wait!

And I will show you how.”

And it was red, with a green stem.

“There,” said the teacher, “Now you may begin.”

On another day When the little boy had opened The door from the outside all by himself, The teacher said: “Today we are going to make something with clay.”

But the teacher said, “Wait!

It is not time to begin!”

And she waited until everyone looked ready.

“Now,” said the teacher, “We are going to make a dish.”

“Good!” thought the little boy, He liked to make dishes.

And he began to make some That were all shapes and sizes.

But theteachersaid “Wait!

And I will show you how.”

And she showed everyone how to make One deep dish.

“There,” said the teacher, “Now you may begin.”

The little boy looked at the teacher’s dish; Then he looked at his own.

He liked his better than the teacher’s But he did not say this.

He just rolled his clay into a big ball again And made a dish like the teacher’s.

It was a deep dish.

He had to go up some big steps And walk down a long hall To get to his room.

And the very first day He was there, The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture.”

“Good!” thought the little boy.

And he waited for the teacher To tell what to do.

But the teacher didn’t say anything.

She just walked around the room.

When she came to the little boy She asked, “Don’t you want to make a picture?”

“Yes,” said the little boy.

“What are we going to make?”

“I don’t know until you make it,” said the teacher.

“How shall I make it?” asked the little boy.

“Why, any way you like,” said the teacher.

“And any colour?” asked the little boy.

“Any colour,” said the teacher.

“If everyone made the same picture, And used the same colours, How would I know who made what, And which was which?”

“I don’t know,” said the little boy.

And he began to make a red flower with a green stem

And pretty soon The little boy learned to wait, And to watch And to make things just like the teacher.

And pretty soon He didn’t make things of his own any more.

Then it happened That the little boy and his family Moved to another house, In another city, And the little boy Had to go to another school.

This school was even bigger Than the other one.

And there was no door from the outside Into his room.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

The little boy looked at his teacher’s flower Then he looked at his own flower.

He liked his flower better than the teacher’s But he did not say this.

He just turned his paper over, And made a flower like the teacher’s.

It was red, with a green stem.

“Good!” thought the little boy; He liked clay.

He could make all kinds of things with clay: Snakes and snowmen, Elephants and mice, Cars and trucks And he began to pull and pinch His ball of clay.

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Q A

This is my first year of teaching and it took me a long time to get the children into a routine. Next year I am determined that things will go more smoothly! How should I go about establishing rules in the classroom for my four-year-old group?

In Education Management in Early Childhood Development (Editors C Meier and P Marais), it is advised that “teaching rules and procedures should focus on the following: Describing and demonstrating the desired behaviour. Be specific, for example: stay in your seat; listen when someone else is speaking. Present complex procedures in a step-by-step manner.

Rehearsal. Provide learners with opportunities to practise the desired behaviours, which will help them to learn. You will also be able to determine whether they understand and can correctly follow the procedure.

Feedback. Tell the learners whether they followed the procedure correctly or not. Make suggestions for how they can improve and offer praise when appropriate.”

Discuss situations and possible rules with the children and let them help to make up the rules for their group.

Think about how you would put the above into practice when making the following rules for a four-year-old group, as suggested in the above book: Listen when someone else is speaking Throw your rubbish in the bin.

Wash your hands after using the bathroom.

Pack the puzzle back into its box after you have completed it.

V A

Daar word baie klem gelê op assessering in kleuteronderwys maar ek is baie onseker oor die doel en die belangrikheid van assessering. Waarom doen ons assessering?

Assessering is een van die moeilikste take wat ‘n opvoeder moet uitvoer en omdat dit so moelik is, word dit dikwels verkeerd gedoen of heeltemal geignoreer. Volgens ‘n kleinkindontwikkeling spesialis kan assessering nie oppervlakkig of lukraak gedoen word nie. Ten einde betekenisvolle assessering uit te voer, moet die opvoeder duidelikheid hê oor die doel en metodes van assessering. Die hoofredes vir assessering in kleinkind onderwys is om onderrig te beplan en te verbeter, om hulp en leiding aan ouers te verskaf en om die kind se onwikkelingsvlak te bepaal.

Om ‘n kind te assesseer moet die onderwyseres inligting oor ‘n kind hê. As opvoeder gebruik jy dan die inligting om meer responsiewe en effektiewe onderwys te beplan, om die kind te leer ken en om die kind in sy of haar ontwikkeling te help. Die assessering van kinders gee ons insig in die redes waarom kinders foute maak of probleme met sekere vaardighede ondervind – ons vind daarom nie net uit wat hulle reg of verkeerd doen nie. Hierdie inligting wat uit deurlopende evaluering versamel, verskaf ‘n grondslag vir effektiewe onderwys. U is in staat om die gehalte en uitkomste van die onderwyspoging te assesseer.

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Vryspel vorm deel uit van die dagprogram wat kleuters volg. Ek weet dit is belangrik dat kinders buite speel en nie heeldag in die klaskamer moet deurbring nie maar ek is onseker oor wat vryspel werklik is. Kan u ‘n verduideliking gee?

A

A

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‘n Tyd gelede het ‘n hoof van ‘n skool genoem dat hulle skool hul eie verf maak instede daarvan om verf aan te koop.

Weet julle van hierdie tuisgemaakte verf en het julle moontlik ‘n resep daarvoor? Verf is tans ‘n baie duur item om aan te koop en skole kan groot koste besparing op die begroting hierdeur meebring.

Probeer gerus hierdie een:

Geen kook verf resep

2 koppies koekmeel 1 koppie water 1 koppie skottelgoedseep Meng bestanddele in ‘n bak tot al die klonte weg is.

Verdeel.

Voeg voedselkleursel by.

V A

Hier is ook ‘n bonus resep op jou vraag:

Ysverf

Halwe hoeveelheid Maizena Halwe hoeveelheid of dalk bietjie meer water Voedselkleursel Skottelgoedseep Meng en vries in ysbakkies

Kan ek as juffrou uit ‘n kind se tekeninge aflei of iets hom pla? Wat doen ek in ‘n geval waar ek deur sy kunswerkies vermoed dat iets makeer?

Alhoewel ‘n kind se kunswerk meestal ‘n weerspieëling is van wat in sy lewe aangaan, moet ‘n mens steeds versigtig wees om afleidings uit sy prente te maak. Elkeen se interpretasie van ‘n prent is verskillend. Wat jy daarin lees en wat die kind daarmee bedoel het, kan baie moontlik verskillend wees. Indien jy iets opmerk wat jou bekommerd maak, vra hom uit oor wat hy geteken het, wie almal in sy prentjie is, die rede vir sy keuse van kleurgebruik, waarom sekere persone of voorwerpe groter of kleiner as ander is. As jy steeds bekommerd is oor sy emosies, wees versigtig om te oorreageer en bespreek dit rustig October 2013 Learning Years 5 met die ouers.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Vryspel vorm die kern van die dagprogram en daar moet twee tydblokke van ten minste een uur elk daagliks hieraan afgestaan word.

Hymes sê hieroor dat vryspel “vry” is omdat die kind kies wat hy of sy wil doen, hoe hulle dit doen, hoe lank hulle dit doen en met wie hulle dit doen. Vryspel is “spel” omdat die aktiwiteit die kind diep binnein plesier gee. Vryspel is egter ook leer, en wanneer die leer ophou, is iets verkeerd en is dit tyd om ‘n verandering te maak.

Vryspel tydblokke is daardie tye in die dagprogram wanneer die kinders ‘n vrye keuse het oor speelaktiwiteite wat die opvoeder beplan en voorberei het en vir hulle aanbied. Hulle kan hierdie aktiwiteite teen hulle eie tempo en volgens hulle eie belangstellings, behoeftes en vermoëns ondersoek.

Volgens ‘n kleinkindontwikkeling spesialis moet kinders tydens vryspelsessies ‘n groot verskeidenheid speelgeleenthede hê. Vryspel bied hulle die geleentheid om te kan kies uit baie moontlikhede, maar dit beteken nie dat hulle vry is van die standaarde van aanvaarbare gedrag, wat hulle ten alle tye moet handhaaf nie. Die ideale aanbieding van vryspel is wanneer die kinders kan kies of hulle in die speelkamer of buite wil speel. Dit is dikwels nie prakties moontlik nie, omdat opvoeders dan binne en buite moet toesig hou.

Personeeltekorte of probleme met die ontwerp van die skoolgebou maak dit dan dalk nie moontlik nie. As die kinders eers binne en dan buite speel, moet die opvoeders toesien dat daar in albei areas baie verskillende speelgeleenthede is.

www.photoxpress.com

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www.photoxpress.com

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

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October 2013 Learning Years

Koppie-Slim versus Lyfie-Slim Maroli Visser

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m te dink dat daar steeds mense is wat glo dat ‘n kind wat arbeidsterapie moet ontvang die agteros in die klas is. Dié stigmatisering beperk die potensiaal van ontwikkeling vir alle kinders: arbeidsterapeute se fokus is nie net die stimulering van “Slim Koppies” nie, maar ook van “Slim Lyfies”.

Motoriese vaardighede (beweging) word as ‘n belangrike aspek van skoolgereedheid beskou; tog word dit afgeskeep en selfs as ‘n “bysaak” in skole hanteer. In my vorige artikel het ek reeds genoem dat die klem al vroeër en vroeër geplaas word op die ontwikkeling van die kognitiewe-perseptuele vaardighede van die kind (en met reg, want die huidige skolastiese eise is myns

insiens ver bo die vuurmaakplek van die meeste energieke sesjariges). Voldoende sensoriese en motoriese ontwikkeling is egter die noodsaaklikste fondasie van alle ander leerervarings. Daardie fondasie behoort diep in die kleuterskool gegrawe te word. Hoe dieper, hoe beter!

word. Hiervoor kan sand, gras, verf, modder, skeerroom (noem maar op) gebruik word.

Verder is dit belangrik dat die term “Posturele Stabiliteit” verstaan word. Dit verwys na die vermoë om die skouers, romp en heupe in ‘n stabiele posisie te hou terwyl ander ledemate afsonderlik gebruik word. Voldoende stabiliteit in die skouerspiere het ‘n direkte invloed op fyn motoriese ontwikkeling en vaardighede. Net so het voldoende stabiliteit in die heupspiere ‘n direkte invloed op die ontwikkeling van balansvaardighede.

Hier volg ‘n reeks maklike en gebruikersvriendelike aktiwiteite wat daagliks in die klaskamer (of buitekant) gedoen behoort te word om die skouergordelarea te versterk en sal help met die korreksie van postuur.

Hierdie oefeninge is toepaslik vir kleuters van Graad RR tot en met laerskoolkinders. Hoewel dit nie op die oog af lyk soos voorskriftelike oefeninge nie, sal dit uiteindelik bydra tot verbetering in teken- en skrifvaardighede. Met ‘n sterker lyfie sal grof motoriese aktiwiteite ook kinderspeletjies raak. Slimmer Koppies én Slimmer Lyfies!

Voldoende sensoriese en motoriese ontwikkeling is egter die noodsaaklikste fondasie van alle ander leerervarings.

Maroli Visser is ‘n Arbeidsterapeut van Pierre van Ryneveld in Centurion.

Sy kan gekontak word by 082 308 5263 of marolibez@ hotmail.com Kunstenaar: Yolandi Ferreira, Laerskool Helderkruin, Roodepoort

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Hou dus ‘n ogie oor die “Slimkoppies” wat nie aan grofmotoriese aktiwiteite wil deelneem nie. Dit gebeur dikwels dat hulle selfvertroue verswak soos hulle ouer word, konsentrasie probleme toeneem en werkspoed afneem.

Wat kan ons doen om ons kinders se lyfies “slimmer” te maak in ‘n tegnologies-gedrewe wêreld?

Oefen die spiere! Kinders klim nie meer kaalvoet boom nie – ‘n boom se stam is tog growwer as ‘n gladde klimraam. Maak dus seker dat ‘n kind se sintuie saam met bewegingsaktiwiteite gestimuleer

os ‘n reguit Lê stokstyf so jou t ‘n maatjie stokkie. Laa oet m ie ie stokk bene optel. D stokstyf bly.

Een maatjie moet in ‘n bondeltjie soos ‘n eier sit. Die ander maat moet hom vashou terwyl die eerste maat probeer uitbreek.

Sit regop en hou jou bene vas. Rol agtertoe en weer terug; kyk of jy dit kan om jou boot te laat omval.

By jonger kleuters en kinders met onvoldoende heupstabiliteit, moet eerder aan die knieë as aan die enkels vasgehou word ten einde te voorkom dat die kind se heupe heen en weer wieg.

doen sonder

Lê op die mat, maak jou lyfie soos ‘n potlood en rol heen en weer (regs na links en links na regs).

“Wipper” is met plat hand

per” op vingerpunte.

October 2013 Learning Years

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Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

e en “Spinnekop-wip

‘n Ander variasie daarvan is dat die kind die muur stoot en dan terugval, maar iemand moet hom elke keer terugstamp.

Voldoende stabiliteit in die skouerspiere het ‘n direkte invloed op fyn motoriese ontwikkeling en vaardighede.

Die kind kan vorentoe, agtertoe en kante toe loop. ‘n Bal kan ook vanuit hierdie posisie tussen kinders rondgeskop word.

Ek hoop dat elkeen wat hierdie artikel lees, bemagtig sal voel om van hierdie aktiwiteite in die klaskamer te gebruik of selfs aan te pas en ouliker te maak. Geniet dit!

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Oh, Wow!

Look how we’ve grown!

This is the first time in 37 years that Kleuterklanke/Learning Years has been printed in colour!

Enjoy!

Children learn faster with only a few books Repetition helps toddlers to learn new words

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October 2013 Learning Years

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

ndrew Levy, in the UK Daily Mail, reported recently on a study done by Dr Jessica Horst, of the University of Sussex’s WORD Lab. The research is expected to appear in the journal Frontiers of Developmental Psychology later this year.

Visiting the children three times in a week at their homes, Dr Horst devised an experiment to check how quickly three-year-olds could recognise and recall six new words.

One group heard the same story three times each time and another was read three different stories. All had the same number of new words which appeared the same number of times.

When researchers returned a week later, they found the children who heard the same story over and over had typically learned 3.6 of the new words.

Those that were exposed to a variety of stories remembered only 2.6.

It was also noted that the ‘repetition’ group learned at a faster rate than those in the ‘variety’ group.

These findings back previous studies done by Dr Horst on the benefits of repetition and familiarity. The findings suggest that it is not necessary for parents to spend a fortune on huge book collections; on the contrary, a small selection of favourites will achieve far more.

Previous studies have found parents spend just 49 minutes doing things with their children each day. One in three don’t read to their children before putting them to bed at night. Yet 30 minutes of one-on-one literacy sessions can improve reading age by nearly two years in less than five months.

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The Art Of Storytelling Dúlinda Pieters

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e’re all storytellers and naturally use storytelling in one form or another every day – talking to neighbours, sharing secrets or gossip or recalling something dramatic, exciting or traumatic from our day. Sometimes we do it in an entertaining, or dramatic, or impressive way.

Children love stories! Sharing stories is an essential part of their development, for sheer enjoyment and not only for the launch pad offered into reading and writing. Stories tell us so much about the world we live in and the people and animals we share it with. Story time is an exciting time for children as they settle down in an expectant mood, ready to have their imaginations stimulated.

all ages enjoy stories and children love to listen to them.

Storytelling can take the form of reading stories aloud to them or just telling a story from memory. It is becoming a lost art today as many parents find very little time to spend with children as the hustle and bustle of life makes demands on the adults.

Stories offer a launch pad into reading and writing.

Storytelling Storytelling is an art that has mental, social and educational benefits for children. People of 12 Kleuterklanke

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What makes the difference?

Adding feeling or emotion when storytelling is probably the most important

factor. How do we do it? Generally we remember the feeling of the event or imagine what our characters might be feeling and then adjust our ‘delivery’ accordingly.

Dúlinda Pieters obtained her BA (Drama) degree in 1995 at the University of Pretoria and has experience in many fields of drama. She founded her own business, EnterActive Productions and her well known Sunny Show Puppet Theatre has been entertaining children for many years.

How do we adjust our delivery? tone of voice loud/soft voice rhythm facial expression body language movement hand gestures Refining your skills as a storyteller Refining your skills is a matter of gathering feedback, trying different things and practising. People aren’t born with a ‘gift’ for storytelling. We learn the skills just as we acquire any other art form.

character. Most people fondly recall their favorite childhood story.

Adding feeling or emotion when storytelling is probably the most important factor.

HOW TO TELL A STORY • Take the story as close to them as you can.

• Keep it brief and simple, especially for younger children. Pare down to the heart of the story.

• Stimulate their senses so they feel, smell, touch, listen and see vivid pictures.

• Describe the characters and settings and help them sympathise with the character’s feelings.

• Aim your story at the younger ones when telling to an audience of mixed ages!

Whether you are telling a story to a classroom of students, a group of children at a library or just a bedtime story to your own children, you are helping to build their interest in books and their grasp of language. Stories allow children to use their imagination to enter worlds or lives not their own. Along the way, they also learn about narrative, characters, events, conflict resolution and even absorb values which help to shape their morals and

It’s not just about the story but HOW the story is told that matters most!

It’s that emotional connection we have with the end product.

It’s the Magic behind the memorable moments that leave such lasting impressions.

It’s about the art and science of the experience.

Creating experiences worth coming back to!

Great stories are all around us.

In order to truly innovate, we must first have understanding.

Discover, design, develop, deploy.

It’s about discovering the story.

All good stories have an intimate connection with the lead character.

SONNEKAS POPPEKAS / SUNNY SHOW PUPPET THEATRE EnterActive Productions

October 2013 Learning Years

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Our stories are education on an ice-cream…

Theatre is a powerful tool that can enhance any subject or situation in life. We created Puppets for Pipsqueaks, Jolly Juniors and Serious Seniors to teach children important life skills in a creative, interactive and fun way. Our Awkward Adult category includes theatre shows, party entertainment and many more. Our Bullying is Bad theme is a must-have at every educational institution!

Puppetry breaks down racial, social and political barriers and stereotypes because it represents the “neutral” aspect of being human, exaggerating its “larger than life” issues. The puppet can deliver a strong message in a light-hearted manner without offending or frightening the audience. Puppets easily transcend barriers of space and time and can facilitate the learning of skills.

Puppetry relies on entertainment to inform and educate.

If you take children to the theatre, not only will they experience empathy and learn how to handle conflict, they might also laugh uproariously, or come home singing about science, or want to know more about history or spend all dinner time discussing music.

They might start on the road to becoming future patrons of the arts.

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Developmentally Appropriate

School Readiness for Infants and Toddlers?

Really? Yes, Really!

Sandra Petersen

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f it is true that “new discoveries in neuroscience suggest that school readiness interventions might come too late if they start after the child is three years old” (Lally 2010, 1), then the infant/toddler field must claim the concept of school readiness. The brain’s foundation for all later learning is created in the first three years of life.

As many researchers, practitioners, and policy makers have defined it, school readiness implies that by the time children enter kindergarten, they have achieved a level of

In infancy, foundations are set for later learning in each area of development – the language, motor, cognitive, and social-emotional domains.

How is it that some brains develop so able to learn and others do not? Well, early experiences matter (Hawley 2000). From good prenatal health care and nutrition through developmentally appropriate early experiences in relationships and in exploration, the young brain should be forming as a learner.

Genes hold the initial plan for the development of the brain’s circuitry (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child 2007).

If the expectant mother supplies ample nutrients and a healthy hormonal environment, the prenatal brain creates the 100 billion neurons, or brain cells, that make up the newborn brain (Shore 1997). The brain stem and spinal cord establish much of their circuitry before birth, allowing the newborn to breathe, move, and use the senses. In the months before and after birth, an “exuberant period”, the brain creates as many as two trillion connections, or synapses, per second between neurons (Hawley 2000), each capturing a moment of learning.

The foundations of learning In infancy, foundations are set for later learning in each area of development – the language, motor, cognitive, and social-emotional domains. In language, the infant “computes” or maps out the patterns of sounds in her home language (Meltzoff et al. 2009) while babbling and practising producing sounds for communication.

In motor development, the infant moves from reflex responses to being able to balance, resist gravity, and Sandra Petersen, MA, of ZERO move. Cognitively, TO THREE, has been in the early in the first two childhood education field for years, infants and over 40 years. She and Donna Wittmer have coauthored three toddlers master early childhood text books: Infant concepts about and Toddler Development and cause and effect, Responsive Program Planning, object permanence, Endless Opportunities for Infant and Toddler Curriculum, and (with using tools, and Margaret Puckett) The Young Child: understanding Development from Prebirth through spatial relationships

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

development that makes it likely they will successfully adapt to the challenges of formal schooling (Ladd 2005).

School readiness refers to “children possessing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for success in school and later learning in life” (Head Start 2012, 1). For infants and toddlers, school readiness means supporting and protecting the developing brain in such a way that the brain creates a strong physical foundation for learning. This well-constructed organ, the brain, can be curious, pay attention, remember earlier experiences, gather information, problem-solve, and persist through frustration. In other words, this brain has the foundation needed for lifelong learning.

Building a Brain

Age Eight.

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and number relations. Most important, in the socialemotional domain, infants and toddlers are developing a sense of what it is to be human, to be in relationships with others, to express and understand emotions, and to behave toward others in ways that match the values, beliefs,

Adults help infants and toddlers learn how to solve problems by allowing them time to find a solution, through trial and error or by using information from earlier experiences.

and behaviour of their own culture (Wittmer & Petersen 2009). Each of these skills must be established in infancy to achieve proficiency throughout life in the four domains.

However, there are also skills that cross all domains.

These are the ways we use our brains for learning throughout our lives, often called foundations of learning or approaches to learning. Effective, engaged learners are curious, focus attention, remember earlier experiences, gather information, solve problems, and persist even when they are frustrated by a difficult task. These skills, learned in infancy through relationships with responsive, invested adults, are the foundation for later skills and learning.

Curiosity Infants are born with a strong desire to explore and learn. Their intrinsic motivations include curiosity and exploration, self-efficacy, competence, and mastery, which are recognised as biologically based (Papoušek 2011). Adults can encourage curiosity in infants in two developmentally appropriate ways: • Create home and caregiving environments where an adult doesn’t need to say “No!” Instead, the adult offers a safe setting and encouragement, such as “Hey, buddy, you’re crawling everywhere. You’re finding things all over the place!” In early care and education programmes, such an environment has a small group of children, a low child-to-teacher ratio, and furniture, toys, and materials arranged so they are readily available to children, with a clear eye to safety. An environment like this mostly requires supporting, rather than getting in the way of, children’s natural curiosity.

• Share the wonder and joy of discovery through your relationship with the infant or toddler. For example, say, “That little ball squeaks every time you squeeze it,” looking into the infant’s eyes and laughing with delight that matches his. When your words and expressions mirror a child’s feelings, you add depth to each experience.

Attention Infants are born reacting to their body’s experiences of hunger, discomfort, fatigue, and cold. As infants slowly develop the ability to manage, or regulate, their reactions, they have increasingly longer periods of being alert and paying attention. Self-regulation is a necessary skill for learning. Adults can use developmentally appropriate practices to help infants and toddlers manage their reactions by • tending to their physical needs promptly, with a caring attitude, and using words to describe the situation, 16 Kleuterklanke

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•

such as “You’re so tired, Little One. I’m going to help you fall asleep. Let’s rock and I’ll sing a lullaby.” and paying attention, with the infant or toddler, to what she is doing and finds interesting. An adult can extend a young child’s attention by adding an interesting new element to the moment: “Oh, you’ve added another block, and another block, and even more! Is there something you could do with these little animals and those blocks?”

Memory Infants as young as 3 months can reproduce an action up to two weeks after seeing it, if they have enough opportunities to practise (Rovee-Collier & Cuevas 2009).

Memory allows infants to see their world as a predictable place and to store information so that they can build a more complex understanding of the world. Adults help infants develop memory by behaving in predictable ways themselves.

When adults use similar actions, emotional tones, and expressions throughout the day’s repeated routines, an infant can create memories – and expectations. Returning toys, books, and clothing to specified areas helps toddlers develop memories. Seemingly endless repetitions of a story, song, or game are another way infants and toddlers build memories and store knowledge. On a child’s second visit to the art table, an adult might say, “You want to use playdough again? You played with it before lunch today and many times yesterday. Playdough must be your favourite thing! Where do we keep the playdough?” By talking about things that have happened earlier in the day, adults not only enrich the infants’ or toddlers’ day but also strengthen their ability to remember.

Information gathering

Problem solving Infants and toddlers encounter many confusing problems during their days. Fitting stacking cups together, sitting down after pulling up to stand, and getting food from the plate to the mouth on a spoon are just a few of the developmentally appropriate challenges they must figure out throughout the day.

Adults help infants and toddlers learn how to solve problems by allowing them time to find a solution, through trial and error or by using information from earlier experiences. When a child does need help, the adult offers just enough assistance for the child to take the next step.

Persistence through frustration During the third year of life, most toddlers can regulate their feelings enough to continue working through an age-appropriate challenge such as finishing a three-piece puzzle or climbing a small structure. Adults support 3-yearolds in managing this control by helping them regulate their reactions, starting in early

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Infants gather information about the world by using both observation and their senses to try new ways to use materials (Meltzoff 2007; Pinkham & Jaswal 2011).

Infants and toddlers are learning about everything all at once, and they use every skill in all domains to capture the information in “anything new, unexpected, or informative” (Gopnik 2009). This information is stored in the brain’s circuitry, to be used for building increasingly complex concepts such as developing stories in pretend play.

Adults teach young

children by accepting their strong feelings, giving children their attention, interacting with them, and keeping them safe while allowing them to explore. One developmentally appropriate practice is the use of meaningful language to describe feelings, actions, and objects. For example, when adults use words to describe activities, they encourage children to deepen their learning experience: “That’s a big hole you’re digging. You’re working hard! You’re using the shovel and the pail.” Infants and toddlers need opportunities to explore on their own and during interactions with a caring adult.

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infancy: “You can do it! Come on, you’re almost here.”

Young infants need comforting when they are tired or hungry, mobile infants need encouragement when they fall, and toddlers and 2s need help negotiating with friends and navigating a world full of new experiences.

In summary For young children, a well-constructed brain, able to use a variety of learning skills, depends on genetic makeup, the environment, and most important, the children’s relationships with adults who are attentive to them, care deeply about them, and support them through the massive amount of learning that occurs in the first three years of life. The infant/toddler field owns the concept of school readiness because we are devoted to having the enduring, nurturing relationships with young children that help create the healthy brain. We further support learning by implementing developmentally appropriate practice through experiences, interactions, and environments.

Curiosity about people, words, numbers, and how the world works makes primary grade students ready to succeed in learning. Primary teachers highly value children’s ability to pay attention to their projects and the teacher’s directions. Memory helps children build on knowledge they already have in order to understand

more complex concepts and engage in elaborate play.

Having problem-solving skills helps in learning academic skills and concepts and is very important for settling differences when children have conflicts. Finally, the

The infant/toddler field owns the concept of school readiness because we are devoted to having the enduring, nurturing relationships with young children that help create the healthy brain. ability to continue work on a problem or a project when it becomes frustrating is vital in elementary and secondary school – everyone has had a salt map that crumbles or an impossible math problem. We can support the development of children who maintain the wonder and skills for learning throughout their lives.

References Gopnik, A. 2009. “Your Baby Is Smarter Than You Think.” New York Times, August 15. www.nytimes. com/2009/08/16/opinion/16gopnik.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1.

Hawley, T., with M. Gunnar. 2000. Starting Smart: How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: ZERO TO THREE; Chicago: The Ounce of Prevention Fund. http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/startingsmart.pdf?docID=2422.

Head Start. 2012. “Head Start Approach to School Readiness.” http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/sr/approach/pdf/ OHSApproach-to-sr-complete.pdf.

Ladd, G.W. 2005. “School Readiness: Preparing Children for the Transition from Preschool to Grade School – Comments on Love and Raikes, Zill and Resnick, and Early.” Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. www.child-encyclopedia. com/documents/LaddANGxp-Comments.pdf.

Lally, J.R. 2010. “School Readiness Begins in Infancy.” Phi Delta Kappan. 92 (3): 17–21.

Meltzoff, A.N. 2007. “Infants’ Causal Learning: Intervention, Observation, Imitation.” In Causal Learning: Psychology, Philosophy, and Computation, eds. A. Gopnik & L. Schulz, 37–47. New York: Oxford University Press.

Meltzoff, A.N., P.K. Kuhl, J. Movellan, & T.J. Sejnowski. 2009. “Foundations for a New Science of Learning.” Science 325 (5938): 284–88.

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. 2007. “The Timing and Quality of Early Experiences Combine to Shape Brain Architecture: Working Paper No. 5.” www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Papoušek, M. 2011. “Resilience, Strengths, and Regulatory Capacities: Hidden Resources in Developmental Disorders of Infant Mental Health.” Infant Mental Health Journal 32 (1): 29–46.

Pinkham, A.M., & V.K. Jaswal. 2011. “Watch and Learn? Infants Privilege Efficiency over Pedagogy during Imitative Learning.” Infancy 16 (5): 535–44.

Rovee-Collier, C., & K. Cuevas. 2009. “Multiple Memory Systems Are Unnecessary to Account for Infant Memory Development: An Ecological Model.” Developmental Psychology 45 (1): 160–74.

Shore, R. 1997. Rethinking the Brain: New Insights into Early Development. New York: Families and Work Institute.

Wittmer, D.S., & S.H. Petersen. 2009. Infant and Toddler Development and Responsive Program Planning: A Relationship-Based Approach. 2nd ed. Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

This article originally appeared in the September 2012 issue of Young Children, the journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). It is reprinted here with permission from NAEYC. Personal review copies may be created, but any other use requires written permission from NAEYC. Send requests to lbaker@naeyc.org

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Judith Ancer

A neurotic drive for your child to achieve excellence can lead a compliant child to a life of misery

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am not talking about the actions of psychopaths and paedophiles or sadists and Scientologists, but those of us ordinary, well-intentioned parents who sometimes just get it wrong.

There’s lots of advice about how to parent effectively, but it’s necessary to confront what makes us ineffective, or worse still, damaging to our children.

You should have heard of the Seven Deadly Sins and you may know of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Well, here’s my small contribution — this one’s for the list lovers.

Modern research draws attention to the correlation between humour and resilience.

Exceeding simple jealousy, envy is the desire to “outdo and undo”. All parents feel it at one time or another. Comparisons are made around an infant’s milestones and behaviours (many of which have little to do with one’s parenting).

Parents often feel competitive with each other — there is societal and family pressure to be the best parent and raise the best child. But envy is a destructive and spoiling emotion, detracting from our capacity to enjoy our children for who they are.

Parents most susceptible to envy are those concerned about how others may judge them.

Any regular readers of my columns will know that I’m no fan of perfectionism. It is a curse and has its roots in a yearning for a fantasy of control, success and affirmation.

A neurotic drive for your child to achieve excellence can lead a compliant child to a life of misery in which everything is tainted by imperfection, whereas a child with a stronger personality is bound to resort to fighting or fleeing you.

The sloth or laziness I’m focusing on is not about slumping in front of the TV after work or serving hot dogs for supper (again) instead of a wholesome home-cooked meal. I completely understand how utterly exhausting life and parenting are.

I am a strong proponent of frequent naps, holidays and periods of indolence. The type of sloth I am worried about is emotional apathy, a refusal to be actively engaged in your child’s life. In particular, I think about parents who are highly successful and driven individuals with high expectations of, but low engagement with, their children’s lives. To thrive, children need engaged and interested adults around them.

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Early philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle saw humour as a statement of superiority over others’ flaws, but modern research draws attention to the correlation between humour and resilience. It seems that a child who grows up in a home filled with pleasure and play is better equipped to face the serious issues of the world.

Humour also oils the wheels of verbal intercourse and allows you to address difficult issues in manageable ways. Laughter reduces stress and encourages healthy feelings of connection among family members.

When we blame others, we wrap ourselves in a cloak and insulate ourselves from being responsible.

But self-blame is also a problem. We are both cause and effect — a poisonous state of being from which there appears to be no escape. “It’s all my fault!” or “I’ll never learn maths, I’m too stupid!” we might hear our child say. Perhaps your child is prone to this or has developed these thought processes in the home. Excessive parental guilt about all the shoulda-woulda-couldas simply paralyses parents and renders us ineffective.

The parents I find most challenging to work with are those who rigidly insist how it should be done, because “That’s always how it has been done” or “That’s what I believe to be right, no matter what other evidence there is to the contrary”.

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to raising children.

Setting up of predictable routines and rules, although useful in the everyday structuring of a family’s life, can become problematic when they are rigidly adhered to. As parents, we have to be able to go with the flow when necessary. By being adaptable, we model to our children a thoughtful approach to the way we live our lives.

When denial extends to not acknowledging or dealing with a persistent truth, it is damaging.

Judith Ancer is a Johannesburg-based clinical psychologist. This article was first published in the Sunday Times, 24 March 2013, and is reproduced by kind permission of the author.

More of Judith’s columns can also be seen on her blog (judithancer.wordpress.com)

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

A little denial is undoubtedly a good thing — we need to be able to put aside some of the horrors and worries of human existence just to get through some days. But when denial extends to not acknowledging or dealing with a persistent truth, it is damaging. Whether it’s a parent’s denial of the extent of their problematic behaviour (addicts, in particular, have a special gift for denial), or denial of the extent of a child’s problems, a refusal to look difficulties head-on and tackle them leads to long-term distress and damage.

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&

Musiek

Wiskunde

3 – 5 jariges Elrika van der Merwe

L

“

istening to and making music form strong connections in the brain. These are the same connections that are used to solve math problems.”* Wetenskaplikes ondersoek al baie jare die konneksie tussen musiek en wiskunde en die resultate wys dat musiek ‘n uitstekende voorbereiding is vir latere sukses in wiskunde.

Dit is nie net luister na musiek wat die kind se brein voorberei nie, maar veral musiek maak. Kleuterjare is die ideale tyd om musiek en beweging te gebruik om wiskunde konsepte te ontdek. Ritme bestaan uit patrone, die vergelyking van hoë en lae intervalle is mates en om in ‘n wals 1-2-3 uit te tel is getalle.

Elrika van der Merwe het ‘n Meestersgraad in Musiekopvoedkunde behaal aan die Universiteit van Pretoria.

Sy het haar Internasionale Kindermusik lisensie in 2002 gekry, omdat sy ‘n passie vir kleuters en musiek het. Elrika wen al vanaf 2009 die Maestro prys van Kindermusik Internasionaal as een van die grootste studios in Suid-Afrika, asook vir haar liefdadigheidswerk.

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Patrone Alles om ons gebeur in sekere volgordes en vorm patrone. Dag volg nag, na etenstyd kom slaaptyd, teëls in die kombuis vorm ‘n patroon van wit, blou, wit, blou ensovoorts.

Kinders snap gou hierdie basiese patrone om hulle en sodra ‘n kind die reël verstaan agter patrone, begin hul dit self bou en selfs voorspel.

Patrone in musiek Net soos patrone voorkom in fisiese objekte, kom dit ook voor in klank en beweging. Wiskundige kenners verduidelik dat musiek ‘n fantastiese medium is om meer gevorderde wiskunde konsepte te verstaan en dat deur met ritmes te werk, die kind help om die patrone in musiek te verstaan. Musiek is gevul met patrone van herhalende verse tot komplekse ritmes.

Kleuterjare is die ideale tyd om musiek en beweging te gebruik om wiskunde konsepte te ontdek.

Ontwikkelingsmylpale Kleuters verstaan patrone as hul die volgende kan doen: • Patrone kan naboots van beweging (klap, stamp, klap, stamp).

• Speelgoedkarre kan pak in ‘n eenvoudige lynpatroon (rooi, swart, rooi, swart).

• ‘n Bestaande patroon uit te brei van gekleurde blokkies bv. rooi en blou by te voeg by ‘n patroon van rooi, rooi, blou, rooi, rooi, blou.

• Skep of boots ‘n patroon van klank na. (skud skud tik, skud skud tik) • Volgorde van gebeure verstaan wanneer juffrou

sê, “Ons gaan eers hande was, dan eet en dan partytjie hou.”

Musiekaktiwiteite wat die verstaan van patrone kan verbeter by kleuters Eggo patrone Begin met eenvoudige ritme eggos soos (klap stamp klap stamp). Wys ritme vir kinders en hul moet dit naboots.

Sodra hul die eenvoudiges regkry, maak moeiliker patrone soos (klap klap stamp spring, klap klap stamp spring). ‘n Stilte kan selfs ook ingesit word (spring wag

Gee verskillende kinders beurt om die leier te wees en ‘n patroon uit te dink. klap klap).

Laat die kinders hul eie liggaamsperkussie patrone maak. Gee verskillende kinders beurt om die leier te wees en ‘n patroon uit te dink. Die patroon kan dan herhalend gebruik word saam met musiek.

Liggamsperkussie is enige geluid wat deur middel van die liggaam gemaak word.

vorms, byvoorbeeld twee driehoeke en twee sirkels. Sing die liedjie en pak vir hul die patroon uit met die vorms van links na regs. Laat hul dan self probeer.

Nog voorbeelde: Skoert Vlieg – Lollos – A B A B A Wielie Walie medley – Elizabeth Fourie Saamsingliedjies – A B A C A D A B A Patrone in klassieke musiek Luister na kort klassieke stukke en kies een vooraf wat duidelike herhalende patrone het byvoorbeeld Russian Dance, Nutcracker Suite van Tchaikovsky. Kies dan kleure, vorms of voorwerpe om die vorm mee uit te pak.

Hierdie stuk het ook ‘n basiese A B A vorm; die dele is net langer as in ‘n kinderliedjie.

Nog voorbeelde wat u kan gebruik is: Elephant, Carnival of the Animals, Camille Saint-Saëns ABA Aquarium, Carnival of the Animals, Camille Saint-Saëns ABABC Musiek het die vermoë om wiskundige aktiwiteite meer genotvol te maak en laat die kind toe om aktief deel te neem. Musiek is kinders se eerste ondervinding met patrone en omdat dit ‘n baie sosiale, natuurlike en ontwikkelingsgeskikte medium is, kan selfs die jonger kinders betrek word by basiese wiskunde aktiwiteite.

Patrone in kinderliedjies Meeste kinderliedjies bestaan uit ‘n vers en refrein of A B A vorm. Kinders kan hierdie vorm in musiek leer uitken deur vorms op kleure te pak bv. Rooi, geel, rooi vir ‘n liedjie in A B A vorm soos “Twinkle twinkle little star”.

A - Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are B - Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

A - Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

Gee vir elke kind ‘n paar van twee verskillende Bronne Bennett, H. G. (2008). Discovering Mathematics through Music.

Edelson, R.J., & Johnson, G. 2003. Music Makes Math Meaningful. Childhood Education Habermeyer, S. (1999). Good Music, Brighter Children. * Sawyers, K. & Hutson-Brandhagen, J. (2004). Music and Math: How do we make the connection for preschoolers? In Child Care Information Exchange, July/August 2004.

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Vaardighede in die klaskamer en op die speelgrond Wietske Boon

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nderrig gaan oor meer as om net inligting en kennis aan kinders oordra.

Dit vra ook versorging, omgee en om hulle te leer onderskei tussen reg en verkeerd, sosiale vaardighede en vaardighede om die basiese dag-totdag takies te kan verrig. Onderwysers moet met die ouers hande vat om vir kinders ‘n standvastige basis te stel.

Hier is ‘n paar vaardighede wat kinders moet aanleer:

Stop

Sosiale vaardighede

Reeds van die baba jare af is kinders in verhoudings betrokke.

Wietske Boon – Spelterapeut.

Hulle moet leer om vir ander BSocSci Hons Psych – UP; MDIAC respek te hê en dat verhoudings Play Therapy – Unisa uit “gee” en “neem” bestaan.

Jong kinders veral, is geneig www.childtherapist.co.za om maats seer te maak omdat wietske@childtherapist.co.za hulle nog nie hul frustrasies verbaal kan kommunikeer nie. ‘n Kind moet daarop gewys word dat jy nie sy gedrag goedkeur nie en dat daar alternatiewe is om frustrasie te kommunikeer. Later jare moet kinders leer hoe om mooi met maats te praat, nie lelike opmerkings te maak nie en om mededeelsaam te wees. Kinders moet leer om konflik positief te hanteer, teleurstellings met maats te oorkom en op hul regte te staan.

Dink

Wenke

• Skep denkbeeldige konflik situasies en los dit op deur die gebruik van poppekas karakters. Hou dit kort, eenvoudig en humoristies.

• Gee die kinders die geleentheid om soortgelyke situasies deur rollespel op te los.

• Maak tyd vir fisiese aktiwiteite soos bal skop, om van onnodige energie en frustrasie ontslae te raak eerder as om maats seer te maak.

• Vereis van hulle om ‘dankie’ en ‘asseblief’ te sê. Komplimenteer goeie sosiale gedrag: “dankie dat jy so mooi vra” of “dankie dat jy Tobie so mooi gehelp het.”

Kinders moet leer dat verhoudings uit “gee” en “neem” bestaan.

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Doen

• Gee die kinders geleentheid om aan die einde van elke dag vir mekaar komplimente te gee, byvoorbeeld: “Sam het vandag vir juffrou geluister” of “Caitlin het my vandag gehelp toe ek gesukkel het.” Waar nodig, gee komplimente, sodat elke kind iets het om oor trots te voel.

Gee die kinders geleentheid om aan die einde van elke dag vir mekaar komplimente te gee.

Kommunikasie vaardighede

Kommunikasie is veel meer as ‘n kind wat kan sê wat hy dink en voel. Dit is ook die vermoë om gemaklik met homself te kan wees, te luister wanneer iemand anders praat, om met selfvertroue op te tree en selfgeldend te wees wanneer die situasie dit vereis.

Wenke

• Gesels met die kinders en vra hul opinie oor die week se tema.

• Doen ekstra moeite met die stil kind, sodat hy ook ‘n beurt kry om aan aktiwiteite deel te neem.

• Vir die wat sukkel om hul emosies te verwoord, help hulle deur die gebruik van emosie gesiggies.

Vra hom soos watter gesiggie hy voel, wat ons die emosie noem en wat hom so laat voel.

• Speel telefoontjie sodat hulle kan leer om te luister en ‘n boodskap korrek oor te dra. Laat die kinders in ‘n kring sit en fluister ‘n kort boodskap in een kind se oor; hy moet dit in die volgende een se oor fluister, totdat die boodskap weer by jou uitkom.

• Staan die slagoffer van afknouerigheid by om selfgeldend te wees en vir die oortreder te sê dat hy nie hou van wat die kind doen nie. Leer hulle om ‘NEE!’ te sê.

Verantwoordelikheid

Die kind wat geleer het om verantwoordelik op te tree leer ook selfstandigheid en onafhanklikheid. Die onverantwoordelike kind moet besef dat sy gedrag gevolge gaan hê en moet die gevolge aanvaar. Dit is dus belangrik dat die skool ‘n praktiese dissipline sisteem in plek het.

Wenke

Basiese take en vaardighede

Die aanleer van basiese vaardighede soos om sy eie bord te gaan bêre en sy speelgoed op te ruim wanneer hy klaar gespeel het, is nie net handig vir jouself nie, maar dit leer ook die kind selfvertroue, sosiale vaardighede en verantwoordelikheid.

Wenke

• Kinders leer deur foute te maak en te sien hoe ander mense optree en in sekere situasies reageer; wees dus ‘n goeie rolmodel. Kinders moet soms sien dat volwassenes ook foute kan maak en dit weer kan regstel deur bv daaroor te lag of om verskoning te vra.

• Gebruik humor (sonder om die kind te verneder) om die aanleer van nuwe vaardighede prettig te maak.

• Die ouers moet die kind geduldig help met takies wat hy nog nie kan bemeester nie; so leer hy op ‘n lekker manier.

• Prys die kind wat ‘n nuwe taak bemeester het; dit motiveer hom om ‘n nuwe vaardigheid aan te leer.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

• Maak ‘n stoplig (rooi, oranje en groen) en leer hulle om te stop, dink en dan as dit soos die regte keuse lyk, te doen.

• Gee die groter kind ouderdomsgepaste verantwoordelikhede en ‘n geleentheid om homself te bewys en prys hom wanneer hy dit suksesvol voltooi .

• Neem deel aan ‘n gemeenskapsprojek, waar die

kinders ‘n bydrae kan lewer om minder bevoorregte kinders te help.

• Laat die kinders deelneem aan ‘n herwinningsprojek waar hulle byvoorbeeld blikkies en bottels skool toe bring vir herwinning.

Teken hul bydraes op ‘n kaart aan sodat hulle hul bydrae kan sien.

Die leerproses kan prettig wees. Soms is dit nodig om uit die boks te dink en nuwe tegnieke uit te toets. Kies ‘n vaardigheid per maand of kwartaal en verbeter so hul vaardighede.

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?

iPads in Pre-School A cautionary tale!

Margot van Ryneveld

I

weep for our children if this is the wave of the future – given daily access to their personal iPads for some aspect it could very easily become a tsunami with destructive of their pre-primary learning. consequences not yet even imagined.

As a “cute” example of the power of this device we I was recently invited to attend a workshop entitled were shown a YouTube clip of a toddler sliding her “iPads in Preschools”. I decided to go along with an open finger through an iPad book and then being presented mind to see what was on offer and to decide whether or with a three-dimensional “real” magazine which she then not there was a place for this technology in a pre-primary attempted to view by sliding her finger across the cover school environment. From the outset we, as attendees, page. This elicited several naïve responses of, “Aw cute!” were bombarded with clever marketing and “technoor “Look at her – she’s trying to use it like an iPad” from speak” from a local school that has taken on board this attendees. I, however, saw it as a tragic indictment of all technology and they now wish to declare that this is that is potentially bad with introducing two-dimensional the way of the future for technology in a key phase pre-primary learners to be of development where relevant and ready for the the greatest and most 21st century. They made critical aspects of brain one feel that without it, development take place. your learners were missing Bear in mind that from out on educational best the moment of conception practice! Even homework until the beginning of and child assessment must Grade R, children’s brains be uploaded to the iPad develop more rapidly than on a daily basis – gone at any other phase of their are personal interactions lives. Born with brains that with our parents in the are only 25% developed, pre-school. A notepad and the human’s brain pen that cost a few rand development is heavily are clearly not effective enough to send dependent on what children experience Margot van Ryneveld, BA, B in their environments, demonstrating a note home! We must now invest in a Ed(Ed Mngmnt) piece of technology that costs thousands the critical nature of early exposure HDE(JP/PP), Dip Comp of rand to be “relevant”. to quality learning opportunities. If is Headmistress of the I was deeply concerned to learn that children are given appropriate ‘learningStepping Stones children as young as two years old are through-play’ opportunities in a threePre-Primary School in issued with their own iPads on enrolment dimensional, concrete operational Johannesburg. and that all children in the school are manner on a consistent basis, many of

I saw it as a tragic indictment of all that is potentially bad with introducing two-dimensional technology in a key phase of development where the greatest and most critical aspects of brain development take place.

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the financial implications for parents whose disposable income is already stretched, to the impact on the children’s language development and the erosion of existing language skills. From the reduction of social interaction to total social isolation as children interact one-on-one with a device rather than with each other.

Then there is the very real threat of “addiction” that iPad games generate, as children seek instant gratification and many games develop a false sense of hope. They start to believe that there is always an instant reward for meeting a basic expectation. Also when children sit for extended

Would you allow a graduate lawyer to design military helicopters – just because he has a degree? periods of time and play with iPads, there is a decrease in the level of physical activity which is a critical component of pre-school development and could lead to challenges in a number of areas, and could lead to obesity in the very young. These aspects all need to be explored thoroughly.

Our children live in a three-dimensional world – let them learn to live in it through three-dimensional experiences every day, in a range of ways. There is plenty of time in the 12 years of formal schooling to come to grips with modern technology and all it implies.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

them will be uniquely able to acquire rapidly the early language, mathematical, artistic, and physical abilities that will serve them well in their later learning. By the time children reach their fifth birthdays, their brains are 90% grown. All the more reason to ensure that your child is placed in a good school with degreed ECD specialist teachers from an early age.

It is not sufficient to say you have varsity graduates running your schools. You need to ask if their area of specialisation is Early Childhood Development. If not, ask why not? Would you allow a graduate lawyer to design military helicopters – just because he has a degree? No, of course not! So why then would you let any varsity graduate other than an ECD specialist teach your preschool child? We need to ensure that graduate educators who have specialised in this key phase of education are the only ones allowed to fulfil this critical educational role. Do you want to entrust 90% of your child’s critical learning opportunities to under-skilled or inappropriately skilled facilitators who are marketing some or other gimmick or newfangled curriculum that could in fact do more harm than good?

As a cautionary note: we should all remember the consequence of offering Thalidomide to pregnant mothers suffering morning sickness before adequate trials were conducted. Thalidomide certainly stopped their morning sickness but it also stunted the growth of limbs in the developing foetuses. How can we be placing untested technology in the hands of children as young as two when iPads have only been around for two years and there are no longitudinal studies currently available to show the impact of these devices on our precious children’s developing, highly malleable brains? I may be “old school” when it comes to my views but I would much rather turn to tried-and-tested approaches that do have long-term, provable results before I will ever experiment with methodologies that may, and very well could, have a negative impact in the future, with dire consequences.

We should all be asking critical questions about the early introduction of this type of technology now before it’s too late. Even a cursory search on the internet shows that there are things that we need to be concerned about, even in these early days of iPad exposure and none of these issues was even touched on by the workshop presenter. I believe she was significantly remiss in this regard. Inasmuch as cigarette packages carry a warning, the LAP schools’ marketing brochures should carry a warning re the fact that they are exposing your children to untested approaches and new technology and parents who allow this do so at a potential risk to their children’s brain development.

We need to carefully consider an extensive range of areas that could be and often are affected, ranging from

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N

al’ibali (isiXhosa for “here’s the story”) is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading.

Children who are immersed in great and well-told stories – and in languages they understand – become inspired and are motivated to learn to read for themselves.

Such personally rewarding learning is a recipe for successful literacy development.

Nal’ibali is driven by PRAESA (the Project for the Study of Alternative Education), Times Media and a growing number of partners. Through sustained mentoring and collaboration with communities, reading clubs, literacy organisations and volunteers of

Nal’ibali is helping to root a culture of literacy into the fabric of everyday life in South Africa. all ages, as well as a vibrant media campaign, Nal’ibali is helping to root a culture of literacy into the fabric of everyday life in South Africa.

Vision: A literate society that uses writing and reading in meaningful ways and where children and adults enjoy stories and books together as part of daily life.

Mission: To create the conditions across South Africa 28 Kleuterklanke

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that inspire and sustain reading-for-enjoyment practices in a variety of settings.

Goals: • To create a general awareness of the critical link between reading for enjoyment and educational achievement through mass media and face-to-face engagement • To inform and guide individuals and organisations on how to use reading for enjoyment for children’s literacy development • To initiate, support and help sustain reading clubs as a literacy promotion strategy • To supply and connect people in South Africa with a range of appropriate material for children in all South African languages

on Wednesdays

B

To find out where you can access supplements in these provinces or to become a supplement distribution partner, please email supplements@ nalibali.org B Times Media, in partnership with PRAESA and SA PEN, also publish weekly columns and personal accounts by writers, literacy experts and wellloved personalities speaking to the value of reading and stories. These appear in The Times, The Sowetan, The Herald and the Daily Dispatch, and can be read online.

Nal’ibali airs children’s stories in nine official languages three times a week on SABC public radio stations.

Media platforms & reading materials Print media: Bilingual newspaper supplements In collaboration with Times Media, weekly bilingual Nal’ibali reading-for-enjoyment newspaper supplements are produced and circulated through insertion into newspapers and direct distribution to schools, reading clubs, literacy programmes and NGOs. From June 2012 to June 2013, close to 10 million reading-for-enjoyment supplements were delivered across four provinces. In addition, 28 707 issues were delivered and donated directly to schools, reading clubs and literacy NGOs and programmes in these provinces each week. The supplements are filled with stories, literacy activities, reading and reading club tips and support articles.

Online, mobile and social media Nal’ibali’s digital media platforms offer a growing collection of story and book ideas, reading tips and information as well as competitions and downloadable stories in a range of South African languages tailored for local audiences and reading clubs that are mushrooming across the country.

Radio is still the most accessible medium for both urban and rural citizens.

Find them on the Nal’ibali website: www.nalibali.org; the Nal’ibali mobi site: www.nalibali.mobi; the Nal’ibali Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/nalibaliSA; the Nal’ibali Twitter feed: @nalibaliSA and on Mxit.

Nal’ibali supplements can be found in the following newspaper titles during term times: • Eastern Cape: The Dispatch (English and isiXhosa) on Tuesdays • Eastern Cape: The Herald (English and isiXhosa) on Thursdays • KwaZulu-Natal: The Sowetan (English and isiZulu) on Wednesdays • Gauteng: The Sowetan (English and isiZulu) on Wednesdays • Free State: The Sowetan (English and Sesotho) on Wednesdays • Western Cape: The Times (English and isiXhosa) October 2013 Learning Years

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Nal’ibali Radio In partnership with SABC Education, Nal’ibali airs children’s stories in nine official languages three times a week on SABC public radio stations. Children’s radio stories are important for literacy development because oral storytelling, apart from being entertaining, provides children with the richness of language and concepts they need for successful learning. Radio is important for Nal’ibali because it offers the perfect platform to interact, engage, inform and effectively educate listeners in their first languages. Radio is still the most accessible medium for both urban and rural citizens, and with more than 28 million adults listening to these stations weekly, it can therefore assist in making change happen more quickly.

Nal’ibali radio stories can be heard on the following stations: • Phalaphala FM: (Venda) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 14.35 – 14.45 • Ligwalagwala FM: (Swati) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 09.10 – 09.20 • Ikwekwezi FM: (Ndebele) Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 09.45 – 09.55 • UmhloboWenene FM: (isiXhosa) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 09.30 – 09.40 • Ukhozi FM: (isiZulu) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 9.20 – 9.30 • X-K FM: (Afrikaans) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 9.00 – 9.15 • SA FM: (English) Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 13.50 – 14.00 • Motsweding FM: (Tswana) Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 09.22 – 09.33 • Lesedi FM: (Sotho) Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 9.45 – 10.00 If you have missed a story, go to the Nal’ibali mobisite (www.nalibali.mobi) where you can download the stories in the “Downloads” section.

Development, production and provision of reading materials Reading and writing meaningfully, and for enjoyment, requires regular supplies of storybooks and other reading materials in appropriate languages, as well as writing materials. In partnership with Biblionef, willing donors and publishers, book packs

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are being distributed to the Nal’ibali demonstration reading club sites.

PRAESA is also working with the Little Hands Trust and publishers to create and translate relevant, good-quality reading materials for children in African languages as well as English, to help ensure that sufficient stimulating books are available. Some of

We know that simply donating books does not necessarily give rise to reading and writing. these can be accessed in the website’s multilingual stories section.

Training workshops A dedicated group of literacy specialists works with partners in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to train and support literacy organisations, community members, reading club coordinators and volunteers through specially-designed workshops. These workshops are done in collaboration

with Times Media to inspire the start up and running of effective reading clubs as well as to provide participants with tools and materials relating to storytelling, reading and writing to incorporate into existing reading clubs or other current programmes.

Research programme One of the major challenges in Africa for reading promotion organisations and for understanding literacy development is the lack of evidence about how to make book-related programmes work. Though book donation and the use of books are known to be crucial for literacy, we also know that simply donating books does not necessarily give rise to reading and writing.

Over time PRAESA will monitor, research and document the growth of demonstration sites in collaboration with partner organisations. This research programme seeks to build up rich descriptions of various aspects of each demonstration site over a period of time to contribute to

a wider understanding of how reading practices develop in communities, and the significance of this for biliteracy learning among children.

Join the Nal’ibali Network By signing up with the Nal’ibali network you are showing your support for using the power of stories to inspire children to want to read and write. You will also receive a monthly eNewsletter and stand the chance to receive other great benefits.

For those wanting to get reading, storytelling or wanting to set up their own reading clubs, they can visit the Nal’ibali website: www.nalibali.org ; the Nal’ibali mobi site: www.nalibali.mobi; the Nal’ibali Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/nalibaliSA; and the Nal’ibali Twitter feed: @nalibaliSA. Or email info@nalibali.org for further information.

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Management / Bestuur

What Every Employee Wants You to Know The Pre-Primary school has been referred to by one author as “a human relationships laboratory”. The small nursery schools of bygone years, with four or six teachers and two cleaners, have been supplanted by much bigger and more complex organisations today, demanding greater management skills from Principals or Supervisors. Do you know how your teachers, aftercare staff, cleaners, cooks, gardeners, bookkeepers and others feel about their place in your school?

T

he things they don’t say and why they matter Have you ever wondered exactly what your employees are thinking? In the workplace, the employee– employer relationship is complex, to say the least. But understanding where your people are coming from may help you to know how to better manage them and build relationships with them. So take a few moments to enjoy this sneak peek into the mind of the typical employee to find out what they really want you to know but may never say.

When people think they are out of the loop on what’s happening at work, negativity grows.

“I need help.”

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Asking for help is difficult no matter who you are. And even the most accomplished employees probably have some area where they need help. The problem many managers face is that learning when and where your employees need help takes time, patience and effort. But it’s important to be perceptive to the places where your people need your guidance. After all, part of the role of the boss is to equip people to do their jobs best, not just to

serve as a casual observer. So take a few days to engage with your team. Note the projects they get stuck on, and don’t be afraid to ask them if they need help, so you can find constructive ways to offer your guidance.

The most effective leaders realise that they are never successful alone.

“I can handle the truth.”

The fear of not knowing is one of the worst feelings an employee can have. When people think they are out of the loop on what’s happening at work, negativity grows.

Gossip can start, teams can crumble and productivity can plummet. It’s important to communicate openly with employees, both in times of change and in times of stability. Creating a culture of communication within your team will not only combat the negatives that a conversation void can create, it can also establish trust, camaraderie and innovation.

“I can change.”

It’s never easy, for employers or their employees, to deal with corporate or individual change. But that doesn’t make change impossible. In fact you might be surprised how open your team is to it, when open communication is involved in the change process. Whether you need to help one employee understand the need for change personally or if you are faced with equipping an entire team to deal with a difficult transition, don’t assume people aren’t willing to do what it takes to evolve. Learn to build and lean on the resilience of your people and trust their ability to handle change when it’s necessary.

“You can’t do it alone.”

Trust is one of the most important yet complex parts of the work relationship, probably because the trust must be both earned and exercised, often simultaneously. Each and every day your employees, whether they are new recruits eager to prove their mettle or experienced workers who want to show they can adapt and evolve in today’s work environment, deeply desire your trust. So set the standard for both giving and receiving trust by finding ways to demonstrate confidence in the knowledge, skills and instincts your team members portray.

By putting yourself in your employees’ shoes, you can diagnose all sorts of behaviours, attitudes and issues in the workplace. Chances are that it wasn’t long ago that you had many of these thoughts yourself. So take some time to reflect on your personal journey into leadership. What were the fears, thoughts and questions you had along the way?

Trust is one of the most important yet complex parts of the work relationship.

If you’re really not sure what is going on in the minds of your team members, don’t forget that you can always just ask them. As a leader in today’s workforce, its part of your job to build relationships with your employees and having a conversation is a great place to start. By understanding the thoughts of those you lead, you can begin to define a positive, exciting reality for each member of your team, building a legacy you can be proud of too.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

The most effective leaders realise that they are never successful alone. And the savviest teams understand that their role is not just to complete tasks and projects – it’s to work together to support each other. As a workforce leader you may often face the urge to bear your burdens alone. But in the end all this will create is stress, frustration and too much work. It may also have your team wondering exactly what you are doing all day long. So find ways to build your team into a group that truly leans on each other – regardless of title or position.

Remember that as a leader you’re part of the team too.

“You can trust me.”

This article first appeared in the Pretoria News Workplace and is reproduced by kind permission of Express Employment Professionals, Pretoria.

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INTERNATIONAL LEAD POISONING PREVENTION WEEK 20 – 26 OCTOBER 2013 Lead is a heavy metal, which is widely used in South African modern society but has toxic effects that can affect the health of the community. Children are especially at high risk of exposure because of their elevated rates of development, ingestion and metabolism.

High levels of lead in children and unborn children result in effects such as anaemia, abnormal growth of organs, lowered IQ, hyperactivity, violent and aggressive behaviour and hearing and learning difficulties at school. Extremely high levels can even result in permanent muscle paralysis, brain damage, coma and death.

The sources of lead are plumbing, computers, cellular phones, electrical appliances, jewellery, cables, protective clothing, food grown in leaded soil, construction materials and fishing weights.

Due to the growing global concern about lead exposure, particularly in children, and to increase awareness of childhood lead poisoning prevention, the World Health Organization has announced 20 to 26 October 2013, to be International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action. The Theme for the campaign is: “Eliminate lead paint”. The Slogan is: “Lead free kids for a healthy future”.

Despite the continued presence of lead in the environment, lead poisoning is entirely preventable.

“LEAD FREE CHILDREN FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE”

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To protect children from lead poisoning as a parent and child care provider, do the following: • Children should wash their hands before eating, after playing, especially in dusty areas and before bedtime.

• Keep children’s fingernails short.

• Give and enable children to eat healthy, balanced meal and not skip meals.

• Give and enable children to eat calcium enriched foodstuffs e.g. green vegetables, yoghurt, milk, cheese, and nuts especially almonds, etc.

• Give and enable children to eat iron enriched foodstuffs e.g. eggs, red meat, chicken, liver, fish, cereal, beans, lentils, dark green vegetables, etc.

• Give and enable children to eat zinc enriched foodstuffs e.g. red meat, liver, fish, eggs, chicken, cheese, milk, peanut butter, etc.

• Do not allow children to chew nails, suck fingers or put non food objects in the mouth.

• Do not burn painted wood because it may contain lead.

• Do not allow children to play with old batteries and construction materials.

• Toys that children may put in their mouths should be washed often.

• Keep areas where children are accommodated clean and free from dust.

• Use damp cloths and mops to remove dust from floors and surfaces.

• Use unleaded petrol.

• Paint wall surfaces with a lead free paint.

• Paint playground equipment with a lead free paint.

The key messages to raise awareness are: • Eliminate lead in decorative paint for a lead free South African community.

• Spread the word on preventative measures against lead exposure and save a child and the nation.

• Are you at risk of lead poisoning? Take action.

• Is your child at risk of lead poisoning? Take action.

For more information on lead poisoning contact: National Department of Health, Environmental Health Directorate - 012 3958781/9626/8748/8523 The Medical Research Council of South Africa - 011 274 6060 Tygerberg Poison Information Centre - 021 931 6129 Red Cross Memorial Hospital Poison Information Centre - 021 658 5111 Bloemfontein Poison Information Centre - 082 491 0160

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The School Kitchen / Skoolkombuis Delicious recipes to cater for large numbers of children

“Troepie” Cookies (Makes about 112 cookies)

Ingredients 5 cups flour 4 cups coconut 3 cups oats 1 cup bran 3 cups sugar 500g margarine or butter 4 eggs 10 ml vanilla essence 50 ml syrup 20 ml baking powder 15 ml bicarbonate of soda 4 cups Rice Krispies Salt

Method

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Heat oven to 160º Cream margarine and sugar Add eggs and vanilla Mix bicarb with warm syrup. Add to mixture Add dry ingredients Lastly add the Rice Krispies. Mix gently Roll into balls. (Do not flatten) Bake 15-20 minutes Leave to cool and store in airtight container

Batter for chicken Pie (Enough for 40 portions)

Ingredients 560 g cake flour 30 ml baking powder 10 ml salt 280 g margarine 480 ml water 45 g skim milk powder

Method

1.

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Heat oven to 200º Sieve together flour, baking powder and salt Rub margarine into dry mixture until mixture resembles moist bread crumbs Mix skim milk powder and water Add liquid to dry mixture and mix to form a batter Pour a thin layer over the hot, prepared chicken Bake until golden brown

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e m ents October 2013 Learning Years

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Patterns Around Us What is a pattern?

A pattern is only a pattern if it is repeated twice.

The easiest pattern is an AB, AB pattern. Two colours or objects are arranged in a pattern; e.g. red, blue, red, blue, red, blue. Or car, block, car, block, car, block.

More complex patterns include ABC, ABC; AABB,AABB; AAB,AAB; ABB, ABB; and ABCD,ABCD. Problem solving skills are needed and developed when working with patterns and these early experiences are essential to the development of sound mathematical foundations. Patterns can be based on geometric attributes (shapes), relational attributes (sequence, function), physical attributes (colour, length, number), or affective attributes (like, dislike). Patterning helps children to develop a sense of ordering, sequencing, numbering and counting.

When the children have finished creating patterns, let them “read” them out aloud. This establishes the rhythm of patterns and allows the child to see if his arrangement is actually a pattern.

We find patterns all around us. They are on the clothes we wear, in the room around us, in nature outside and in the routines we follow in the pre-school.

Some places we might see patterns around us (Provide vocabulary and let children “read” pattern, e.g. Window – Frame, block, block: Frame, block, block.)

Tiles on floor Tiles on wall Windows Burglar bars Fences Gates Curtains Painted tyres outdoors Stepping stones, e.g. short, short, tall Bricks

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Necklace or bracelet Clothes. Stripes, prints, plaids and shapes are often repeated.

Soles of shoes Wrapping paper Gift bags Crockery In Nature: on animals like tigers, zebras and tortoises

Patterns in routine Pattern of the year – spring, summer, autumn, winter Snack time/lunch time: Wash hands, Set table, Say grace, Eat, Clear table.

Daily programme: Arrive, Free play, Art, Snack time, Free play, Music, Free play, Story.

Language and literacy Introduce pattern words – circle, square, triangle, rectangle, hexagon, spiral, coil, twist and curl.

Pattern of one to many One necklace – many beads One book – many pages One toothbrush – many bristles One pincushion – many pins One box – many matches One mouth – many teeth One purse – many coins

Read Elmer, the Patchwork Elephant, by David McKee. Read Mama Mabena’s magic by Dianne Hofmeyr. Mama Mabena paints patterns on her house and Mtazi and Ndeleti make new colours from the paint. The illustrations reflect the painting of Ndebele houses as well as patterns in the beadwork they wear. This story could motivate the children to decorate their own cardboard houses.

Numeracy

October 2013 Learning Years

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Many mathematical concepts are based on patterning. In pre-school we begin to identify and create patterns and lay the foundation for life-long mathematical skills.

All the activities on these pages involve sorting, comparing, classifying, counting, seriation and sequencing and add to the development of emerging number sense.

39

Movement Let children create their own movement patterns, e.g.

• Step, jump: step, jump. AB, AB. • Step, jump, clap; step, jump, clap. ABC, ABC. • Step, step, jump, jump: Step, step, jump, jump. AABB, AABB. • Sit, stand, turn, kick; Sit, stand, turn, kick. ABCD, ABCD. Let children repeat movement patterns in a group and chant the words as they do them. They love to do this when moving from one room to another, or on the move out to the playground.

Children each have a ball. Bounce, catch, bounce, catch, bounce, catch.

Play Follow My Leader. One child stands in front of group and does three different actions in sequence. The rest of the group then follows the child’s actions and repeats them.

Creative activities/Art Necklace Provide hollow noodles which have been dipped in different colours of food colouring and dried. Children thread them onto a string in a pattern to make a necklace. Let them lay out some of the coloured noodles on the table first to make sure they have the concept of a colour pattern, e.g. red, yellow, blue; red, yellow, blue.

OR use waste material to make a necklace – polystyrene chips, bottle tops, short lengths of plastic straws, etc.

Frame Cut the centre out of a piece of cardboard, A4 size, leaving a “frame” which children can use to frame one of their pictures later in the week. One “frame” for each child. Place cut-out shapes in flat containers in the centre of the table so that children can choose shapes to stick onto the frame to make a pattern. Make an X at the top left-hand corner to show children where to paste the first shape. They must continue the pattern all the way around the frame to decorate it. E.g. circle, square, triangle; circle, square, triangle. Note that it is a difficult concept to continue the pattern around the corners, so be sure to discuss this.

Drum Provide for each child a large coffee tin and paper cut to the correct size to fit round coffee tin.

Place in centre of table containers with a choice of four shapes for decorating paper, e.g. circle, square, triangle, cross.

Discuss with children how many shapes they will use in their pattern to decorate the drum.

Children choose shapes themselves. Encourage working from left to right. Encourage them to try out a pattern first without glue, before finally gluing it.

When the pattern on the paper is complete, the child can glue the paper around the coffee tin to make his drum.

The drum can then be used to beat out sound patterns during a music activity.

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Headband Children create a three-dimensional pattern on a cardboard headband for their heads. Use waste material and also have paint available.

Rubber stamps Children love to use rubber stamps to make patterns on paper. Emphasise left – right direction when discussing the activity.

Draw and colour Children draw their own animal/fish/butterfly/snake and draw patterns on fur, skin, scales, etc.

Starch painting Enjoy free starch painting and finish activity by making patterns in the starch paint using a cardboard comb or other implement (or continue with fingers).

Leave to dry.

Playdough Roll different size balls or shapes and arrange them into a pattern, e.g. small, small, big: small, small, big.

Perception Teacher works with a few children at a time. Lay out a pattern on the table or on the floor, e.g.

Hand spare items to children and let them continue pattern across the table or floor. The longer they make it, the more fun it is.

Have them close their eyes and remove a few items. Ask them to identify what is missing and replace it.

Show children a pattern and ask them to make one “just like it”, e.g. with wooden beads on a string.

Use pegs in a pegboard and lay out a pattern for the child to copy.

Ask children to name the next object needed in the pattern:

▲■●♥▲■●♥▲■●...

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

1234512...4512345...

This find-the-next-one activity naturally leads to continuing or extending the pattern.

Echo clapping Skip counting or one loud, one soft Children make patterns with 2 colours – horizontal (linear), vertical, diagonal October 2013 Learning Years

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Outdoor Play Suggest children rake sand flat and then make a long line of pattern in the sand, e.g. hand, knee, foot, elbow.

Or plant blocks in the sand, e.g. short, short, tall.

Sources: Faber, R & CJS van Staden. The Year Before School – a Year of Learning. 1997. van Staden, CJS. The Reception Year. Emergent Mathematics. UNISA Study Guide 1996.

Early Years. Patterns. Child Education April 1997. www.education.com

Do you regularly evaluate your teaching methods and lessons and change them if necessary?

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.”

Albert Einstein.

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Music See article Musiek en Wiskunde on page 22.

Clap hands and make up a pattern using body percussion, e.g. clap, stamp, click: clap, stamp, click. Children take turns to make up their own body percussion patterns for the others to repeat.

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Dulinda Pieters

012 361 7337

082 467 7434

dulinda@enteractive.co.za

Flutterbees Costume Hire

Danita

012 804 5252

083 273 3674

info@flutterbees.co.za

Galileo books

Monica

012 654 2779

082 920 8605

admin@galileobooks.co.za

Geppetto’s World

Marthie Radley

083 459 7199

071 609 5855

marthie@gworld.co.za

Lyceum

Dr Andrew Moffa

011 712 2085

011 781 3372 012 361 9253

janine@daybydayecd.co.za 079 324 9531

slimwitjassies@gmail.com

082 824 1593

marlese@edutoys.co.za

082 562 4323

elizabeth@efmusiek.co.za rene@emaliquidhealth.co.za

andrew.moffat@lyceum.co.za

Ontrack Supplies (Timberjoy) Pieter Aucamp 012 654 0185 Organisation for Paediatric Support Karen van Zijl / Wietske in South Africa (OPSSA) Boon Parrot Products 086 126 2737

082 350 3936

info@timberjoy.co.za

084 011 8883

karen@opssa.org.za

Pfizer

Lizelle Crick

082 678 3853

lizelle.Crick@pfizer.com

Private Toymaker Pretoria

Sonja Alberts

012 803 3696

084 270 4466

proussou2@telkomsa.net

Reading Matters

Adriaan Smit

011 496 3322

084 944 5477

adriaans@read.co.za

Ria Hyman

Ria Hyman

012 548 1017

082 342 4651

grobler4@telkomsa.net

Ribbens Office National

Pierre Ribbens

021 980 9200

SA Toy Trade

Yvonne Stoker

012 253 0486

082 494 6228

y.stoker@vodamail.co.za

Soekie Krog

Francisca Roux

012 259 3860

082 905 8879

soekiekr@lantic.net

Sonja Herholdt

Sonja Herholdt

011 787 1984

083 659 3307

info@sonjaherholdt.co.za

Stocor

John Stokes

084 673 2661

info@stocor.co.za

Tiro Moshosho

Evada van der Merwe Adeline Feiling/ Sue Gouws

073 251 7143 076 250 9588 (Sue)

bookings@tiro-m.co.za

pierrer@officenational.co.za

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Tsadeka Verspreiders

012 567 1977 079 921 8463 (A)

sales@parrot.co.za

tsadekadis@gmail.com October 2013 Learning Years

43

Baking / Bak & Brou

Gr R Children work 6 at a time at one table. They wash hands as the first step of the baking activity.

Apparatus laid out at each of 6 places on table: 6 aprons 6 breadboards 6 knives Arranged in centre of table so all children can reach easily: 3 bowls soft margarine 3 bowls cooked tomato, with spoon 3 bowls grated cheese 3 bowls of each – vienna circles, pineapple pieces, green pepper pieces, small onion rings.

Discuss activity with children. They will • take a slice of bread and spread it with margarine • take one level spoon of tomato and spread it on the bread • choose 3 of the 4 items to make a repeated pattern on their pizza • sprinkle one spoon of grated cheese over their pizza • place the finished pizza on a baking tray with their name so that teacher can bake it in the oven • When everyone’s pizza is made and baked, enjoy it for snack or lunch.

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? 3 Piet Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

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Knitted ball

T

he little ball is about the size of an orange. It is made in two parts using odds and ends of wool. The balls are soft, light and safe to use.

You will need: • • • • •

46 Kleuterklanke

wool leftovers (double knit) toy stuffing 4 x double ended knitting needles (3mm) tapestry needle scissors

Oktober 2013

Pattern: Cast on 65 stitches. Separate onto 3 needles and join into the round. Continue as follows.

1. Rounds 1-4: k – 2. Round 5: [k11, k2tog] x 5 (60) 3. Rounds 6-7: k – 4. Round 8: [k10, k2tog] x 5 (55) 5. Rounds 9-10: k – 6. Round 11: [k9, k2tog] x 5 (50) 7. Rounds 12: k – 8. Round 13: [k8, k2tog] x 5 (45) 9. Round 14: [k7, k2tog] x 5 (40) 10. Rounds 15: k – 11. Round 16: [k6, k2tog] x 5 (35) 12. Round 17: [k5, k2tog] x 5 (30) 13. Rounds 18: k – 14. Round 19: [k4, k2tog] x 5 (25) 15. Round 20: [k3, k2tog] x 5 (20) 16. Round 21: [k2, k2tog] x 5 (15) 17. Rounds 22: k – 18. Round 23: [k1, k2tog] x 5 (10) 19. Rounds 24: k – Thread wool through remaining stitches and pull tight.

Pick up 65 stitches from the cast-on edge. Work rounds 1-24 a second time to complete the sphere.

Fill the ball with toy stuffing, thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

Sew in the loose ends to finish.

For variation: Experiment with whatever needles and wool you have lying around to make a variety of balls.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Source www.oddknit.com

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Health / Gesondheid

Prevent Burns W

hat is a burn accident to you? Just another newspaper headline? A child can be healthy and laughing, full of vigour and an hour later be wheeled into the hospital a physical and psychological wreck for life. It could be your child … tomorrow. One mistake, one careless moment … might mean a LIFELONG ordeal for your child. Year after year burn accidents claim their death toll amongst the children of South Africa. Year after year thousands of children are admitted to hospitals, suffering severe burn injuries. The majority of burns occur in and around the home.

The answer: Prevention • Protect your children especially when they are small. Give them the supervision their age requires.

• Teach children the hazards of fires and burns and teach them to avoid foreseeable dangers.

• Set a good example. Children learn from the example set by adults around them. Do you always set a “safe” example?

• Take care not to imperil your child through your own carelessness. Awareness, caution and knowledge are what everybody needs to prevent burn accidents.

• Make safety part of your daily life by observing the simple rules given in this article and prevent burn accidents.

• Keep matches, candles and lighters out of reach. Matches have heads but no brains. Use yours! Matches present a real challenge to a child’s natural inquisitiveness, with tragic results in many cases.

• NEVER leave a child alone in a room with an open fire, burning candle or lamp. Such glowing objects are fascinating to a young child. They might also start a fire.

• WRONG: A dangling tablecloth, an exciting discovery. What a hot and disastrous surprise he’ll get. Use table mats instead.

• WRONG: Hot liquids or food placed near the edge of a table can scar for life. Always put them in the centre of the table.

• Always turn saucepan handles towards the back of the stove. Teach children to stand well away; hot fat or oil causes severe burns. Put baby a safe distance away when preparing hot meals. Never pass hot food over his head.

• Never extinguish a fat or oil fire with water. Don’t panic. Quickly switch off the stove and cover the pan with a lid, plate or wet cloth. Never use a broken or leaking paraffin or gas stove.

• Always put cold water into the bath first. Never leave small children unattended in a bathroom. They may turn on a hot top before they know how to turn it off. Ignore the telephone or doorbell.

• Smokers, be careful. Never smoke in bed. Bedding can catch alight and start a fire which can claim the lives of your most precious possessions, your children.

• Never pour inflammable liquids onto the fire especially when children are about. They like to imitate adults, in this case with disastrous results.

• Keep spray cans away from any source of heat. Serious burns can be caused by the explosion. Never throw empty cans into a fire.

• Barbecue fires should be put out with water. Hot sand burns. Badly burnt feet are no holiday treat. Children should never play around any fire places.

• Never overload power points. This can lead to a fire. Do not run electrical wires under carpets. Hidden wear and tear is dangerous.

• Keep electrical cords short and out of reach. Never allow children to play with power points or electrical equipment.

Repair faulty plugs and frayed cords immediately.

• Never leave children alone in a car, disused or new. Get rid of that old car in the back yard. A slight ignition could set the car ablaze in seconds. Never keep matches in the glove box.

• Teach children not to play with fire or matches. Make sure they understand that matches are not toys and fires can burn. Teach them to stay away from anything that can burn: heaters, fires, barbecues, lighted candles and irons.

• Remember, the sun can burn too. Hats and sunscreen creams are helpful, but exposure to the sun should be limited.

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Some other points to remember • Clothes burn and so do children!

• Loose-fitting sleepwear near the stove, fireplace or heater presents a fire risk. Pyjamas are safer than nighties.

• Choose your children’s clothing carefully. Natural and heavy fabrics will ignite and burn more slowly than lightweight, sheer or synthetic fabrics.

• Don’t carry a lighted gas heater around. Never move or fill a paraffin heater or stove when alight. Fires start more quickly than you think.

• Do not hang clothes over a heater to dry. They may begin to burn when you are not around. Never dry clothes too close to open fires • Never go to sleep with a burning heater, candle, lamp or fire.

• Keep portable stoves out of reach of children, and away from curtains.

• Never pull out the tank of a paraffin fridge while the flame is burning. To extinguish, blow only from the top of the funnel.

• Never use flammable solvent for dry cleaning. Keep all flammable liquids away from flames. No smoking!

• Set the thermostat on your water cylinder to a lower, safe level.

• People prone to epileptic seizures should keep away from open fires as the flickering flames might precipitate an attack. It is easy to fall into the fire.

• Toddlers are easily attracted by colourful teabag labels and pull the string. Use tagless ones instead.

• Supervise and instruct older children on the correct use of matches. Explain uses and dangers. Simply forbidding them may tempt them to experiment.

Emergency action Teach a child to drop and roll on the floor if his clothing catches alight and to crawl on the floor to escape from thick smoke.

Emergency treatment Minor burns Run cold water over burn until pain disappears.

Deep white burns Do not apply any agents to burnt areas. Cover with dry, clean sheet, seek medical aid immediately.

Chemical Burns to Skin Wash under fast-flowing water. For the burnt child the treatment is as severe as the injury.

It is cheaper, less painful and more satisfying to prevent burns than to treat them.

Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

Reproduced with kind permission from CAPFSA (The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa) www.childsafe.org.za

October 2013 Learning Years

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50 Kleuterklanke

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SAVF RING-TING DAYCARE CENTRE Sunnyside, Pretoria The school with a heartbeat!

W

at ‘n voorreg om die geleentheid te kry om so ietsie van ons kleuterskool met julle te kan deel!

GESKIEDENIS SAVF Ring-Ting was eers ‘n woonhuis wat aan ‘n egpaar behoort het in die vroeë 1900’s. Die vrou het na die afsterwe van haar eggenoot die huis aan die Stadsraad van Pretoria geskenk in 1965, met die voorwaarde dat die perseel vir opvoedkundige doeleindes gebruik moes word.

In 1968 teken die SAVF ‘n huurkontrak met die Stadsraad en kry SAVF Ring-Ting Kleuterskool sy ontstaan. Later van tyd is daar ‘n Baba Sentrum en ‘n gebou wat tans die twee Graad R-klasse huisves bygebring.

SAVF Ring-Ting Dagsorgsentrum is een van die fasiliteite van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vrouefederasie.

HUIDIGLIK SAVF Ring-Ting is geleë in die hartjie van Sunnyside.

Tans is SAVF RingTing Dagsorgsentrum die opvoedkundige tuiste van 263 kleuters tussen die ouderdom drie maande tot ses jaar. Ons onderrig-taal is hoofsaaklik Engels. Ons personeel bestaan uit 31 lede wat wissel van onderwyseresse tot algemene werkers. Ons het 12 klasse wat elk oor ‘n onderwyseres en ‘n assistent beskik.

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Ons is as ‘n NPO-organisasie geregistreer en is daarom baie afhanklik van skenkings en donasies van die gemeenskap. Ons poog ook om van tyd tot tyd fondsinsamelings te hou. Ons kry geen hulp van die Staat nie. A.g.v die skool se finansiële situasie is daar meestal van die tyd weinig of geen fondse beskikbaar om die nodige speelgoed, opvoedkundige materiale en skryfbehoeftes aan te koop nie.

DIE KLEUTERS Baie van ons kleuters kom uit moeilike huislike omstandighede. Sunnyside is bekend vir dwelmmisbruik, prostitusie en armoede en dit is die werklikhede waarmee ons kleuters op ‘n daaglikse basis te doen kry. Baie van ons mammas is enkel-ma’s wat items op die straathoeke verkoop net om in die nodige daaglikse behoeftes te voorsien. Baie van ons kinders bly in enkel-woonstelle en is deel van uitgebreide gesinne. Die kinders het weinig of geen ruimte om te speel nie, en van stimulasie is daar geen sprake nie.

Daarom poog ons by SAVF Ring-Ting om vir hierdie kinders hulle veilige hawe te wees waar hulle sommer net kan kind wees en vergeet van die wrede werklikhede buite die skool. Die kinders beskik oor weinig of soms geen speelgoed by die huis nie, en daarom is dit wonderlik om te sien hoe hulle kinderlike kreatiwiteit uitborrel wanneer hulle by die skool is.

DIE PERSONEEL Baie van die personeel wat tans nog by die skool is, kan al spog met ‘n dienstydperk van 12 jaar en meer.

Die personeel funksioneer in moeilike omstandighede omdat daar nie altyd die nodige fondse is om in al die klasse se opvoedkundige behoeftes te voorsien nie.

Maar dit is juis hier waar die nood leer bid – want die onderwyseresse word gelei om kreatief te dink en te werk.

Prentjies uit tydskrifte word legkaarte, leë koffieblikke word musiek instrumente vir die skoolkonsert. Geverfde skoendose word houers waarin kryte gebêre word. Hier is spanwerk en deursettingsvermoë die fondament van elke personeellid se dagtaak. Passie vir die kleuter is deel van elkeen se mondering. SAVF Ring-Ting het ‘n groep personeel waarop enige hoof beslis trots kan wees.

die paashaas tydens Paasfees, ‘n Kersfeespartytjie, die vier van Moedersdag en Vadersdag maak alles deel uit van ons aktiwiteite deur die jaar. Ons vier ook ons land se spesiale dae soos Erfenisdag en Jeugdag. Ons spog ook graag aan die einde van die jaar met ons kinders se talente tydens ons eind-jaar konsert. Tydens Mnr Mandela se siekte in die Hart Hospitaal was ons bevoorreg om besoek te gaan aflê en ons beterskapwense aan hom oor te dra.

ONS LEUSE, ONS LOGO Ons leuse is “The School with a heartbeat”. En dit is beslis wat SAVF Ring-Ting is – ons wil ons kinders ‘n rede en leiding gee om bo hulle daaglikse omstandighede uit te styg en te vlieg om groot hoogtes te kan bereik. Ons kinders moet glo die lewe het ‘n polsslag.

Ons nuwe logo is hierdie jaar ontwerp en bekend gestel. Die twee kleuters bou aan ‘n legkaart wat ‘n hart simboliseer – die kleuters bou dus aan hulle toekoms met hartklop vir die lewe wat voorlê.

WAT IS OP ONS KALENDER? Ons poog om soveel moontlik spesiale geleenthede vir die kinders te skep. ‘n Besoek van

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KLEINE CAREL Akasia, Pretoria Jeane Olivier

E

k het die skool so 15 jaar terug oorgeneem en begin opbou. Ek het met 64 kinders begin en met baie liefde en geduld is daar nou 160 kindertjies. Die skool is my hele lewe en my alles draai daarom.

Ek het vyf kinders, 10 klein kinders en twee agter kleinkinders wat my oefening gegee het om te besef dat wat ‘n kind regtig nodig het is baie, baie liefde en aandag. n Drukkie as hul by die skool instap help die traantjies om op te droog en sommer gougou is hul tussen maatjies en gelukkig.

My hoof doel is om al die kinders met liefde te leer en om te sorg dat hul op skool sonder enige probleme sal presteer. Die kinders wat al die kleuterskool verlaat het kom gereeld kuier en kom gee vir my ‘n afskrif van hul rapporte met trots.

Ek het die wonderlikste personeel wat elke dag hul deel doen om die kinders gelukkig te hou en met baie liefde te leer wat hul moet weet.

Daar is kinders tussen die ouderdom van twee maande en ses jaar. Hulle geniet buite aktiwiteite soos Swem, Model, Ballet, Ballroom en Rekenaars sowel as SEEMAS wiskunde klasse.

Ons skool het nog elke jaar die gees beker gewen met die Gala en ook die mees positiewe skool tussen 24 kleuterskole.

Ballroom het met die SA kampioenskappe met 20 Goud, twee silwer en drie brons medaljes weggestap.

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Wipe that smile off its face!

A

study was conducted recently by Dr Christoph Bartneck at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand on 3 655 Lego figures produced between 1975 and 2010. His study considered the range of facial expressions across various Lego sets, now often including themes such as Star Wars and Harry Potter.

The scientist found that the classic yellow smiling face, developed in 1978, was increasingly being supplemented by angry, surprised, scared and enigmatic expressions. The number of happy faces on Lego figures has been decreasing since the 1990s and the number of angry faces has increased, giving rise to concerns amongst researchers about a possible negative impact on children.

Dr Bartneck is quoted as saying: “It is our impression that the themes have been increasingly based on conflicts. Often a good force is struggling with a bad one. The number of new faces that the Lego company introduces every year is increasing steadily. Lego started producing a greater variety of faces in the 1990s. Happiness and anger seem to be the most frequent emotional expressions.”

Among the latest batch of 628 expressions, the survey found that about half (324) could be described as happy, while 192 were angry, 49 sad and 28 disgusted.

A spokesman for Lego said that child psychiatrists, parents and teachers were consulted on the development of every toy and that toys were also tested on a range of children. He said that research conducted for the company found that children, especially boys, enjoyed playing out conflicts between characters.

So gone, it seems, are the days of smiling doctors helping happy patients, cheerful petrol jockeys filling tanks and grinning teachers in a classroom of smiling children in Legoland.

Source: www.theguardian.com The Times 13 June 2013

Imagine.....

A

uthor Brian Blessed, in his book The Turquoise Mountain, describing playing with his friends during the war years in South Yorkshire, England: Photos: http://www.photoxpress.com

“We would crawl up the embankment, all choking, dying of thirst in the sweltering heat of the Sahara, or gasp, exhaling our last breath, frozen in the snows as Scott of the Antarctic. Our games were as unending as they were inventive. We had no toys – we simply shaped our hands into what we were pretending to play with. We could only dream of having a six-shooter like Hopalong Cassidy.”

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Geletterdheid in die Grondslagfase - Tweede Uitgawe 2013 Skrywers: I Joubert (Redakteur), M Bester, E Meyer, R Evans Uitgewer: Van Schaik Formaat: Sagteband, 315 bladsye ISBN: 9780627029479 Also available in English (Literacy in the Foundation Phase) Die student wat tans haar praktiese onderwys by my doen, was nog nie eers gebore nie , toe plak ek al sterretjies op my graad eens se voorkoppies. Ek is mos nou al ‘n ou hand om die graad eens te onderrig, of so het ek gedink tot ek Dr Ina Joubert se boek Geletterdheid in die Grondslagfase begin lees het. Ek het weer soos ‘n student gevoel en hoe verder ek gelees het, hoe meer het ek begin onderstreep, omkring en notas maak.

Om die inhoud van die boek simbolies op te som, dink ek aan ‘n BOOM. Die STAM van die boom is die hoofstuk oor Onderrig- en Leerstrategieë. Hier deel die skrywers met ons praktiese idees, wenke en planne vir kreatiewe onderrig in Geletterdheid. Ek was dadelik geïnspireerd om ‘n paar veranderinge in van my lesse aan te bring en dit met voorstelle van funksionele hulpmiddels in die praktyk toe te pas. Die CD-Rom met die graad 1 handskriftipe wat by die boek ingesluit is, is ‘n bonus!

Die TAKKE bestaan uit al die verskillende Taalvaardighede waarmee ons die leerders moet toerus.

Met die boek op haar lessenaar kan enige Grondslagfase onderwyseres veilig voel om met behulp van kennis en metodiek die vaardighede aan te leer en vas te lê.

Die Fase-oorsig vanaf graad R tot graad 3 wat ook hierby ingesluit is, is waardevolle afbakening van elke

vaardigheid se leerinhoud.

Spraak-, arbeids- en remediërende terapeute sal ook van dié boom se koelte kan geniet.

Die VRUGTE van die boom is vir ons ‘n aanduiding hoe gesond en gelukkig ons boom is. Dit meet ons aan die assessering van ons leerders, wat ook baie volledig by elke aspek van taalvaardigheid omskryf word.

Praktiese raad en kennis van die boek is gegrond op wetenskaplike navorsing en agtergrond. Dit is die WORTELS wat die boom geanker hou en waaruit die praktyk ontwikkel en groei.

Ek wil vir Dr Ina Joubert en haar medeskrywers bedank en gelukwens met ‘n boek wat ongetwyfeld van groot waarde sal wees vir elkeen wat met jong leerdertjies werk.

Ansie Montgomery Departementshoof Grondslagfase Laerskool Pretoria-Oos

Literacy in the Foundation Phase - Second Edition 2013 I was offered the opportunity to read this book and I hope my opinion will be valuable as I provide this review.

The book is user friendly. All the language aspects mentioned are clearly outlined. It is suitable for reading and application by novice and experienced educators.

The book enables experienced educators to refine their knowledge in terms of teaching literacy in the Foundation Phase. It is indeed a great idea to introduce phonics by using the learners’ initials as a starting point. It serves as a firm foundation to build on their letter identification skills.

You are also commended for mentioning the developmental stages of writing and emphasising fine motor skills development. Examples are given of tools and methods to be used in developing these skills.

Furthermore, it is mentioned that a learner who is ready to start with reading and writing needs to be able to draw a picture which has all the body features. I need to agree on 56 Kleuterklanke

Oktober 2013

the fact that children who draw strange stick figures are not ready to read and write.

The contents of the book are CAPS compliant as it addresses the requirements stated in the language curriculum policy documents.

Furthermore, assessment of the different levels of learning is highlighted, thus encouraging high-order thinking. In short you emphasised the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy when it comes to assessing learners.

In conclusion, this book is an excellent tool for educators who teach literacy in the Foundation Phase. The book has theoretical and application value with its many useful

examples. I would personally recommend Literacy in the Foundation Phase to any educator who may need to increase her knowledge and skill in planning and presenting effective literacy lessons.

Lindi Ngobeni (Mrs) Head of Dept, Foundation Phase Sunnyside Primary School Good Music, Brighter Children Simple and Practical Ideas to Help Transform Your Child’s Life through the Power of Music Author: Sharlene Habermeyer Publisher: Prima Lifestyles; First Edition (August 4, 1999) Format: Paperback, 368 pages ISBN–10: 076152150X ISBN–13: 978-0761521501 Recent scientific studies at some of the most respected universities in the world indicate that children introduced to classical music at a young age read earlier and perform better on achievement tests. Respected educator Sharlene Habermeyer provides a simple, step-by-step programme that any parent can follow. You’ll discover how introducing children to good music can accelerate language development, improve math and science skills, enhance physical education, strengthen memory and reading retention and benefit children with learning disabilities.

There is good, practical advice for parents and teachers

alike as well as for advocates of any area of the arts.

It covers both the importance of music for babies and young children as well as how the lack of study in the arts is adversely affecting creativity in the business world.

Specific recommendations for music, books, videos and internet sites are also given.

For those new to the realm of classical music, there’s an enormous resource list of classical pieces broken down by age appropriateness, composer, and subject matter.

Source: www.amazon.com

The Name of the Tree is Bojabi Author: Piet Grobler Illustrator: Dianne Hofmeyr Publisher: Human & Rousseau Format: Hardcover, 32 pages ISBN: 9780798159753 The animals are so, so hungry. Then they see a beautiful tree, covered in ripe fruit smelling of sweetest mangoes, fat as melons, juicy as pomegranates . . .

But wrapped around the tree is the largest python they have ever seen. And Python will only let the animals eat of the fruit if they can tell him the name of the tree. What could it be?

Only the King of the Jungle knows, and he is far, far away.

This is a story for children (and adults) who enjoy nonsense names and rhymes. The

repetitive element reinforces the idea of a story being a journey.

When the author tells the story, she plays an African thumb piano (mbira) and uses percussion to add to the sense of rhythm.

The power of the story lies in a little tortoise who offers the other animals hope. There is a great sense of triumph in the end.

Source: www.kalahari.com

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Seminar / Seminaar Goeie dag, u is ingeskakel by Diereland TV – Diereland se enigste TV. En ek, Haas Das, gaan voort met die nuus: Dulinda Pieters

T

he 70th anniversary of the AECYC was an event to remember! On 24 August 2013 at UNISA’s ZK Matthews Hall, members of the VVOS gathered to join in the celebrations by way of a funfilled, entertaining, educational and enjoyable programme! From the proud moment when Tiro opened with the National Anthem and Lettie Slabbert’s warm, welcoming speech, to the end of Gavin Keller’s riveting presentation, everybody was spellbound.

Nicolene du Preez en Roelene Lemmer had a wonderful discussion with Haas Das and Bennie Boekwurm about Toeka tot Nou – which took the audience on a journey through the history of the VVOS from the very beginning to today.

Sonja Heroldt and Woefer entertained us with an exciting song which kept everyone on their feet and dancing!

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The Art of Storytelling workshop with Dúlinda Pieters from EnterActive Productions was a wonderful way to invite the audience into the world of storytelling via puppets, voice and acting. Everybody participated in this workshop and the sock-puppets they had brought along were donated to Olievenhoutbosch ECD Forum.

Elizabeth Fourie had us singing and jiving.

The amazing Dr Raché Rutherford, co-founder of the Creativity Foundation of South Africa, taught us that creative people can perform miracles!

Mr Gavin Keller, Principal, Teacher and Education Consultant, showed us why it is impossible to motivate everyone the same way. He led us to discover our own and our team’s motivational DNA and what effect feedback has on motivation levels.

Ek, Haas Das, groet u vanuit die Nuuskas. Tot volgende keer.

Die dag was fantasties gewees en die mense was gelukkig en tevrede. Die VVOS sal nog lank bly voortleef – wat ‘n voorreg om deel te kon wees van hierdie wonderlike dag!

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AECYC AFFILIATION FORM 2014 Affiliation fee R495.00 per school Student fee R165.00 Tertiary Institutions, Libraries, Staff Members and Parents of an affiliated school: R135 for two editions of Kleuterklanke/LearningYears Magazine for 2014 Please mark: Application for: School; Staff member/parent of affiliated school; Student STUDENTS: Please provide institution and student number Name of School AECYC registration number of school (if applicable) Name of Owner/ Principal

Number of years school is in operation Name of contact person Physical Address Postal address Tel Cell E-mail

Postal Code

VVOS – AFFILIASIEVORM 2014 Affiliasie fooi R495 per skool.

Studente fooi R165 Tersiëre Instansies, Biblioteke, Personeel en Ouers by ‘n geaffilieerde skool: R135 vir twee uitgawes van Kleuterklanke/Learning Years Tydskrif vir 2014 Merk asb: Aansoek vir: Skool; Personeellid/Ouer van ge-affilieerde skool; Student STUDENTE: Verskaf asb. instelling van onderrig asook studente nommer Naam van Skool VVOS registrasie nommer van skool (indien van toepassing) Naam van eienaar/ hoof Aantal jare dat die skool bedryf word Naam van kontak persoon Fisiese adres Posadres Poskode Tel Selfoon E-pos Please post your affiliation cheque, made out to AECYC (VVOS) to the above address, or pay via internet transfer or a bank deposit.

Pos asseblief u tjek, uitgemaak aan die VVOS aan die bostaande adres of betaal per internet of bankdeposito.

Name of account holder: Vereniging vir Voorskoolse Opvoeding en Sorg (VVOS)

Bank: ABSA Centurion. Branch Code: 630 445. Account number: 4053 351 955