Feb 16, 2011
Teaching Children About Art
I love the idea that there are no fix rules towards teaching children art. There is flexibility in its learning approaches. Through my eight years, I have noticed that children fall into five basic categories. This does not imply that the children express their view through one vessel. They don’t. They are simply stronger in their preferred vessel. The corresponding learning approaches can be used to play out their strength.
Those who love to draw, they tend to lean towards comics and manga etc. Their minds are filled with endless stories they are waiting to share.
Those who love to color, they tend to lean towards still-life composition better and water-colour paintings.
Those who love to paint, they tend to lean towards strong strokes and vibrant colours. Most time, they prefer not to draw rather they paint with a lot of improvisation for they pick forms and details through light and shadow.
Those who love to work with their hands, they create three-dimensional pieces from clay, wire, fabric and paper. Examples of end products would be a pot, a free from sculpture, a doll or an origami ornament.
Those who love to snap images, they tend to have a stronger eye for details and they pick up little things we (including myself) often miss.
For any child who is learning art, I strongly encourage him or her to learn to how paint first. The reasons are simple, besides being the easiest / fun medium to acquire a skill, painting improves
Hand-eye coordination: filling in shapes or direction of strokes.
Dexterity: application of weight and pressure to paint brush.
Judgement: paint and water ration at the tip of the brush.
Accepting and overcoming mistakes made on top of problem-solving are two plus points that are critical in art. Painting greatly reduces the need to erase, and this in turn, increases the child’s confidence and the I-can-do-it spirit. When a child realises his mistake, he could paint over the area after the surface of the paper is dried.
Case Study: Using Paint to Create a Composition
Philip, aged 6, loves anything and everything about the ocean. He has a wealth of ideas and has a great eye for colour. His drawing was done fairly well for he was able to capture the shape and essence of the story he wants to convey. Each time he starts to fill in his colours, the composition would end up with dots, splashes or strokes of colours. There were two reasons why his works often turned out the way it did.
The scale of his drawings were small. It did not provide enough surface area for colours.
The lines within his drawing were not connected well. This mean that when he started to fill in the colours, he was not always able to associate to the subject.
To improve his pieces, we started to have him create his art on a larger piece of paper. We taped two sheets of drawing paper together. The fun part was when we taped the shorter sides together, we created a long or tall composition. This fueled his ideas even more!
Next, we provided him with a range of colours, always keeping black as the last shade to apply. We gave him a size ‘2′ round-tip paint brush and a size ‘4′ flat-tip paint brush. He would fill or stack shapes of colours. There will also be prompts, reminding him to connect the lines drawn. This proved to be helpful as slowly but surely, he began to understand the concept of time management and the nature of paint. He would wait for the surface to dry before applying another shade or he will consecutively paint two-three colours to create some form of texture.
To ensure the skill set will be applied throughout, we alternate two-three paintings or colouring project with one drawing project. A timeframe was set for each project. This meant he was able to return to work on the project for up to three sessions.
Contributed by Teacher Ranae’s Art Workshop
Feb 10, 2011
Teaching Baby Discipline
Teaching Baby Discipline
When is it time to start teaching your baby right from wrong?
Your baby is mobile, or nearly so! That’s exciting, but it’s also the beginning of a whole new level of trouble when it comes to making mischief. Hey, your baby isn’t deliberately trying to make messes, or risk his life and limbs (and yours…and the cat’s). He’s simply finding new ways and new opportunities to explore his environment (a sure sign of intelligence and security). While he once stayed put on his blanket, playing with his toys, he can now make his way into more dangerous territory. So what’s on the agenda these days, Mom? A baby-proofing upgrade and your first chance at teaching discipline.
Why Teach Discipline to a Baby?
At about ten months, your baby’s memory improves, making him more receptive to new learning. So where your choruses of “No!” and “Hot!” and “Dangerous!” once went in one cute little ear and out the other, he can now begin to recall your words, actions, and tone of voice from one day to the next. Introducing discipline at this stage helps you start to teach lessons about right versus wrong, caring and respect for others, self-control, and safety. True, these are pretty big concepts, and helping your baby learn them will take years, but that’s all part of growing up.
Dos and Don’ts of Teaching Discipline
Or, the rules for making rules:
Do tell and show your baby how much you love him. Remember, you’re correcting his behaviors, not him. Model politeness and respect (with him and everyone else!).
Don’t be too strict or rigid. If you set your standards too high, it’s hard for your little one to feel like he can succeed and to develop the self-control he needs to behave even when out of your sight.
But …Do be strict enough. Setting limits that are fair helps him feel loved and protected. If you’re overly permissive, he may get the sense that you don’t care what he does.Don’t let down your guard about safety. You might be teaching your baby that the stove is hot or the stairs are steep, but don’t count on him to avoid temptation.
Do take personality into account. Some babies require a firm tone of voice, while others respond better to a gentler one. Still others must be physically removed from a dangerous area before they get the message. And circumstances (a new sitter or an erupting tooth) matter too when it comes to getting your message across.
Don’t shame or criticize. Your baby isn’t trying to be cruel to the cat by pulling her tail; he’s just curious about what will happen when he does. Calling him a “bad boy” doesn’t help him learn to be kinder to kitty and can crush his developing self-confidence.
Do be consistent. Telling your baby not to climb up on a chair one day, then letting him do it the next is confusing. So is saying “don’t touch” without following up if (when!) he ignores your request. It takes a lot of patience and repetition to teach compliance.
Don’t always say no. A constant chorus of “no, no, no!” strips the word of its power, fast. Choose your battles; safety (of people and things) is most important. Try distractions and alternatives whenever you can (“This knife is too sharp for you, but you can stir with this big spoon”). Turn “don’ts” into “dos”: “This is how we pet a cat” instead of “Don’t pull Fluffy’s tail!”
Do catch him being good. Praise him for offering a toy to a peer or for “helping” you with a chore. Accentuating the positive is truly powerful!
Feb 1, 2011
Baby Brain Food
During the first year of life, your child's brain grows rapidly.
The brain and nervous system continue to develop until about the age of three - and it's important to make sure your baby gets the nourishment he needs to develop to his fullest potential.
What your baby eats has a very profound impact in his brain development - and it is important that you, as a parent, are vigilant in ensuring that he gets enough of certain critical nutrients during his early years.
Breast milk really is best for your baby.
Breast milk has all the nutrients your baby needs - in just the right amounts. Other doctors go so far as to proclaim it as the ultimate brain food, citing studies that that show children who are breast-fed have as much as an 8-point IQ advantage compared to kids who are formula-fed. In addition to being a great resource of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and essential fats, breast milk also supplies your child with growth factors necessary for proper development.
It also has antibodies from your body which will help your baby's natural defenses against certain types of illnesses. A baby who is sick less often is better able to learn. Breast milk provides everything most babies need to build a healthy brain and grow properly for the first six to twelve months of life.
Give your child the smart kinds of fat.
Researchers found that higher levels of the fatty acids DHA and ARA help the development of the visual system in babies. These fatty acids also speed up transmission in the neurons, making for a faster brain. DHA is an omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid that makes up fully 25 percent of the total fat found in the brain. It's not produced by the body in significant amounts, but it can be obtained through food or supplements. Another important fatty acid for brain development is ARA (arachidonic acid.) ARA is the principal omega-6 fatty acid in the brain. Like DHA, ARA is essential for brain development and vision. It also plays an important role in immune function, blood clotting, and other important functions. Nursing mothers should take a supplement to make sure DHA and ARA levels are high, and once you introduce whole foods into your child's diet, encourage them to eat ARA and DHA-fortified food such as whole-grain products, eggs and cereal.
Your baby's food should be pumping iron.
Iron is essential for babies to produce hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying part of red blood cells). Too little can cause anemia, which can cause tiredness and lack of energy. Without adequate supplies of iron, your baby will form fewer neural connections, resulting in both mental and motor impairments. Deficiencies in this mineral also affect learning, memory and attention.
Be extra-vigilant about making sure that your baby's diet includes enough iron-rich food, along with the vitamin C to absorb them. After six months, a breast-fed baby should be given iron supplements in the form of ferrous sulfate or infant vitamin drops with iron. If your baby is around 4-6 months, you can add iron-enriched cereal to your baby's diet.
Iodine isn't only for cuts and grazes.
Iodine is a crucial nutrient in the synthesis of certain hormones which regulate metabolism, growth and brain development, and nursing mothers should especially be aware of their iodine intake. It's quite difficult to get enough iodine from food alone, so it's recommended that you take a daily supplement and enhance your diet with iodine-enriched food such as sea vegetables.