Seeds for Success helps to start our revolution

At Wiggle Giggle Learn we are tickled pink to have been chosen as a potential finalist for the Seeds for Success: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs grant given by Yahoo and Carolyn Kepcher’s new firm – FWM. We learned so much about what we stand for as a company and where we will go in the future. It means a lot to have a billion dollar company and a million dollar mind (Carolyn K.) say your business has what it takes to be successful.

We look forward to spreading our mission and creating social reform in early education. Education matters to everyone – whether you have children or not – you either employ or are employed by others expecting 21st century skills in today’s workforce. You want to work with educated minds who think creatively, independently and responsibly. Join us today at www.wigglegigglelearn.com to make a difference in the education of our youngest minds!

The root of literacy… vocabulary!

Ask any teacher or educational researcher what the best predictor of learning to read is and they will tell you – a child’s knowledge of vocabulary.  Your child’s receptive vocabulary is the mental storehouse of words he recognizes when listening to others speak.  His expressive vocabulary is the bank of words he can say, read and write with accuracy. 

 

Expressive and receptive vocabulary growth involves skills in four interrelated areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The greatest opportunity to build strong language and vocabulary skills is in the first five years of life. Your baby’s brain is primed for acquiring language. Early education is the key!  To accelerate your little one’s vocabulary and literacy development:

 

1. Talk with your child
2. As he grows older, engage him in conversations
3. Read aloud to him every day
4. Teach him songs and rhymes
5. Introduce new words through our Words of the day (www.wigglegigglelearn.com) or infant/toddler flashcards

Fortunately, it is not hard to provide rich opportunities your little one needs to acquire language and the building blocks of literacy. It does, however, require being intentional about what you do every day, all day. The building blocks for language and literacy include experiences that will enable him to acquire vocabulary and language, hear the different sounds and rhythms of language, enjoy books and stories, and explore writing. As I always say, the more time and energy you devote to proactive parenting and teaching in the early years… the less reactive measures (tutoring, discipline, etc…) you will face in the later years.

 

 

 

 

Math and Science advancement: Our ticket to global greatness

In August, President Bush signed into a law the Competitiveness Bill to Aid Math and Science, which pushes for improved teacher recruitment and training to bolster math and science education through the use of federal grants.  Education experts, business leaders and government officials rallied behind the passage of this bill to initiate a significant impact on the future employability of American graduates in the high-tech industries of our new global society.

 

However according to a new study (“Important, But Not for Me: Parents and Students in Kansas and Missouri Talk About Math, Science and Technology Education.”) that heightened concern over math and science competency levels has not reached parents and students as the results show they are apparently satisfied with a less-rigorous level of instruction in those subjects.  “What we found when we looked at the views of parents and students was much, much less urgency,” said Jean Johnson, an executive vice president and the director of education insights at Public Agenda.

 

The survey of about 2,600 students and parents found that, overall, only 25 percent of parents think their children should be studying more math and science, and 70 percent think things “are fine as they are now.  Minority parents were less satisfied with the math and science education their children received but overall parents believed math and science education is rigorous because the lessons today are more challenging than 25 years ago.  Sixty-nine percent of parents said math is harder today, while 51 percent said science is harder than when they were in school.

 

The good news from the study… both parents and students do believe that basic math and science is critically important with over seventy percent saying algebra is essential.  Eighty-five percent of students surveyed said they believe they can learn math and science if they spend the time and see the relevance to life and work.

 

As an early childhood teacher I know we have a big challenge ahead to educate parents as to why increased instructional levels and abilities in math and science is an urgent need.  I also know that early education is the key!  Every student must have good roots in math and science exploration and learning from birth.  Children should be taught to love math and science, not to fear it!  Parents must guide their children, from early childhood to understand strong knowledge in the areas of science or math can lead them into high-tech companies in a wide variety of industries in the future.  We must begin supporting our new generation of companies with a qualified workforce that begins in the early years.

 

How to manage your parenting stress

In light of April being Child Abuse Prevention Month, I wanted to share some tips to help you keep your cool in the most stressful moments of parenting.  Parenting is a joy, but many times it can also be very stressful.  

Why should you manage your stress?

• Because you will be able to enjoy your children more
• Because your children learn to deal with their stress from watching how you manage stressful moments
• Because it will improve your overall mood and health
• Because you can!

So how do you manage your stress level relative to your children?

• Learn to use a technique I call, “Smell the Roses” – First, breath in deep as if you are smelling roses from a garden and then exhale big as if you are blowing out birthday candles.  This visual and tactile strategy is a great one to teach your children for times they feel like “exploding,” too!
• Learn to say “no” to events and tasks that increase your stress and anxiety about time because your children need lots of time or they will begin to push your “hot buttons.”
• Remember your child’s age and ability – children don’t have the ability to use reasoning skills proficiently until well into age six or beyond.  You can’t reason with a toddler or preschooler, but you can model the behaviors you want to see and they will come back to you like a mirror image.
• Be positive – this alone will bring you and everyone around you peace and harmony.
• When you have nothing nice to say, leave the room… smell the roses…reenter the room when everyone is calm and talk about how you both felt during the “invasion” of the “ooglies” in your heads.  Let your children know that “ooglies” get in your head sometimes too and cause you to make bad choices.  Talk about how you can know they are there and get rid of them.  When we feel the “ooglies” coming… maybe we can use deep breathing or close our eyes to make them go away.  Make sure it is a visual prompt so your child will know that the “ooglies” are getting in your head and you must stop them from causing you to make bad choices by doing whatever your defined ritual is and your child will begin using this strategy and self-regulating better as well.

Early education is the key: Parents are the first teachers, not toys

Childhood experts agree the best toys for children are simple playthings such as balls, blocks and hand held objects that a child can play with over and over in new ways.  However, by contrast, today’s American children get an average of 70 new toys a year.  Many parents feel guilty about what they are unable to provide their children due to work obligations and other time commitments.  This oftentimes leads to an innocent response by parents to “buy happiness” for their child through toys, because toys make children happy– right?  Learning to say no to the parenting consumer culture should make parents feel all the wiser while they figure out ways to tune in to their child’s development that are less costly in the future.  

Experts agree a child’s parents are the favorite toy in the early years.  Parents must invest time early or they will pay the hefty price later with tutoring fees, lack of respect from their own children and quite possibly abuse of drugs and alcohol.  Children will find comfort, attention and acceptance somewhere as it is a natural need for all human beings.  Things don’t make one happy but relationships do!  One day your children will be grateful for what you didn’t give them — and what you did for them instead.

Today’s toys tell the child what to do and then the toy responds in a very specific way.  When I was growing up, I was able to play with my Barbie dolls while using my imagination.  Today’s Barbie’s each have a specific purpose such as, hair salon, beach girl, etc…  What happened to buying one Barbie and a few outfits to have imaginary play?  Today’s toys take all of the fun out of thinking critically, problem solving and using one’s imagination.  Early education is the key!  Toys alone don’t educate even if they are marketed as learning toys.  Parents teach – join the revolution to develop your child’s love for learning at Wiggle Giggle Learn.