The Speckled Bees: A Celebration of Childhood

Continuing our month on classroom subjects, we are discussing a point of early education that I feel often gets overlooked as a independent center, separate from other subjects- Dramatic play

We will explore the various subject matters dramatic play is consistently incorporated into, the definition of 'dramatic play', and our personal experiences in teaching dramatic play in the classroom

We will touch on Susan Hillyards SPICE theory of classroom dramatic play integration, offer ideas to begin a physical dramatic play center, and touch on the importance of PLAY itself!

For a special bonus, tune in as we discuss the ins and outs of modern MIMING! How does this wordless play incorporate into our episode? You'll have to listen and find out...

References and Resources 

• https://blog.schoolspecialty.com/5-ideas-dramatic-play-early-childhood/
• https://www.pennfoster.edu/blog/2016/december/benefits-of-dramatic-play-in-ece#:~:text=Dramatic%20play%20is%20a%20type,to%20tackle%20real%20life%20situations.
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340264873_Influence_of_dramatic_play_in_the_development_of_playfulness_in_early_childhood
• https://children.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Importance-of-Play-article.pdf
• https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/what-dramatic-play-and-how-does-it-support-literacy-development-preschool/
• https://www.onestopenglish.com/stories-and-poems/teaching-young-learners-how-to-use-dramatic-play-in-the-classroom/556619.article
• https://empoweredparents.co/stages-of-pretend-play/
• https://www.worldmime.org/en/

We are so excited to be back!!! We've missed our weekly discussions on childhood! We come in hot talking about curriculum areas and decided to cover a tricky one: MATH.

The bulk of this episode follows NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) position statement on Early Childhood Mathematics: Promoting Good Beginnings which is a joint position statement of (NAEYC) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)

We talk about how to approach math skills and attitudes, cover math milestones, and give lots of ideas on how to incorporate math! What would you add to the list?

• Tangrams, mirrors, stencils, compasses, beads
• Rulers, calculators, clocks
• Board and card games, dice
• Cutting
• Blocks
• Cooking/Eating
• Music (patterns and symmetry, fractions
• Open-ended questions and Math Talk (https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/math-talk-infants-and-toddlers)

Books:

• A Very Hungry Caterpillar Eric Carle
• One Earth by Eileen Spinelli illustrated by Rogério Coelho
• Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
• Mac Barnett Shape Series Illustrated by Jon Klassen (Triangle, Square, Circle)
• Perfect Square by Michael Hall

References and Resources:

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/math-talk-infants-and-toddlers

https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/position-statements/psmath.pdf

http://www.ccs.fau.edu/hbbl3/wp-content/uploads/publications/KelsoFuchs2016_mobileconjugate.pdf

https://www.understood.org/articles/en/math-skills-what-to-expect-at-different-ages

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/practiceguide/18

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/practiceguide/early_math_pg_111313.pdf

http://www.floridaearlylearning.com/Content/Uploads/floridaearlylearning.com/files/5%20Evidence-Based%20Recommendations%20for%20Teaching%20Math%20to%20Young%20Children.pdf

https://inventorsoftomorrow.com/2018/02/26/math-development/

https://www.pbs.org/parents/learn-grow/all-ages/math

Goals, resolutions, and ‘fresh starts’ are words we use to welcome the symbolic new year on a bright note. How can we translate these ideas for children to start their own new year with a fresh face? We talk about the goals we have, how to set up successful goals (we review SMART goals, of course), and the benefits of goal setting for children. Don't forget that goal setting IS MUCH HARDER WITH YOUNGER CHILDREN. Therefore, it takes a lot of modeling, conversation, and teamwork to create a positive and successful experience.

We are taking a little break during January, so we will meet up with y'all again in February, 2022!

BOOK LIST:
Dreams Come True, All They Need Is You by Mike Dooley

Salt in his shoes by Deloris Jordan

The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Pett

LINKS:
book: https://www.amazon.com/UnSelfie-Empathetic-Succeed-All-About-Me-World/dp/1501110071

https://www.familyeducation.com/life/new-years-resolutions/top-10-new-years-resolutions-families

https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/style/how-to-teach-kids-perseverance-goal-setting/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-silverman-guest-column-st-0211-20180208-story.html

The greatest gift you can afford your child this holiday season is the gift of therapeutic services. Join us this December in discussing speech and language services with Kim Hiday, owner and therapist at Mclean Speech and Language of Mclean, Virginia. Mrs. Hiday addresses common questions such as best times to seek speech and language services, how future SLPs can pursue a path in speech and language, and charities involved in SLP services that can benefit from your involvement

We explore the paths Mrs Hiday took towards becoming a speech pathologist- from work in Operation Smile oversees, to over ten years of honing her skills in the public school systems

Kim Hiday explores the ways in which speech effects many courses of child  development- from reading and writing abilities, to social aptitude. Listen to our conversation today, and consider how services can affect your child's development 

Mclean Speech and Language Services http://mcleanspeech.com/
Explanation of Cleft palette https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/cleft-palate.html
Donate to https://www.operationsmile.org/
Check out Cameron's Chocolates https://every1canwork.com/collections
Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/speckeledbees)

Baby, it's cold outside! Why do we prioritize outdoor play even when temperatures drop? There are so many reasons, and we try to cover a few in this episode. It boosts your immune system and helps children retain brown fat, offers amazing sensorimotor experiences, and gives opportunities to study STEM. We even talk about how babies take naps outside in freezing temperatures in Finland.

After discussing the benefits, Lucy provides tips for parents and teachers to navigate cold weather with children. She talks us through fabrics and clothing options, different fun activities, and how to take the first step!

Tag us in your cold weather play pictures and videos!

Resources:

https://www.scarymommy.com/need-recess-wet-cold-weather/?fbclid=IwAR34jBBzHzWqVTHPb5aaM1CYMjLpnmpPltOmtpSzsAsic4VAqvoES1elwbw

http://rainorshinemamma.com/why-scandinavians-leave-their-babies-out-in-the-cold/?fbclid=IwAR0rRwLXix0NEgcmRP3eZHgbEvbV6DbsMCG5dpvtJo6TwJrP-KR1ZvuQakE

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151016-the-real-reason-germs-spread-in-the-winter

https://rhythmsofplay.com/20-ways-to-play-in-the-rain/

https://www.redtedart.com/snow-day-activities-outdoors/

****TW: We talk a small bit about abuse and consent in this episode****

It's the first week of December and the second day of Advent- YAY! This holiday season, I wanted to address the spirit of this season- the season of giving! As our young children develop into empathetic and kind humans, we want to aid this process along by providing them the tools to approach the world in a generous manner. Spencer gives us a fascinating history of our giving holidays then gives us some awesome tips! The key elements to teach themes of charity, empathy, and giving to our children is to model the behavior, talk about it often, and openly encourage it.

Books :

• The Giving Tree
• Strega Nona's Harvest
• Pass it On
• Have you filled a Bucket Today?
• Rainbow Fish
• Hats of Faith
• The Invisible Boy 

Links, lists, and References
We have SO much awesome content this episode that we couldn't fit it all on the show notes! Go check out our Google doc for all of the clicks and lists!

Since this is coming out on Thanksgiving Day for those in the USA, we wanted to talk about the importance of gratitude and for what this year we are personally grateful! We then announce that Speckled Bee merchandise is right around the corner, woohoo! Lastly, we announce that we will be taking a short break during the month of January.

Happy Holidays! We are so grateful for you!

Gratitude Study:
https://wanderersway.com/blogs/wanderers-way/the-science-behind-gratitude-journaling

Holidays tend to be food-centric anyways, but they are extra heavy during this time of year. You hear a lot of conversations about food, nutrition, and weight. We thought now would be the perfect time to discuss how to approach nutrition with our children in a productive way! For this conversation, I invited Mary Becerra,  a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, to come talk with me! Mary is all around just a really cool person and she has so many great ideas and resources to help us out as teachers and parents!

I am sure we will have Mary back on at some point since there is SO much to talk about! We cover the division of responsibility, Baby Led Weaning, struggles with feeding young children, and tips to overcome those. Mary teaches about a child's innate ability to control energy intake and listen to fullness cues and she gives some awesome ways to promote a healthy relationship with food in children.

Mary also gives specific examples (and shares some resources!) of what children can eat at what stages; of ways to include extra nutrients in foods for children with allergies, aversions, and specialized diets; and of nutritious and inexpensive snack options.

Since Mary is also a bomb mom who balances work and family, we end our discussion by talking about following your passions and achieving goals while being a parent. She gives some advice and some encouragement to young parents.

Resources:
If you have any questions, Mary is a wealth of knowledge! Reach at to her on Instagram @mcbecerra

Eatright.org

kidseatincolor.com (Instagram: @kidseatincolor)

Shannon Tripp: https://hoo.be/shantripp

my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9693-feeding-your-baby-the-first-year

cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/when-to-introduce-solid-foods.html

Studies regarding children’s innate ability to regulate food intake:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16376632/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4798905/

Did you have a secret hideout when you were a kid? 

November is the time of that we seek out warmth, comfort, and security. It's the perfect time to build secret hide-outs with children! Creating secret forts, dens, hideouts, and playhouses isn’t just any random kind of play. Studying shelters gives the children an opportunity to explore the ideas of protection, safety, and structure. 

We can find so much wonderful inspiration for these projects by familiarizing ourselves with our local tribes! For our project, we looked at the Doeg/Dogue Tribe and worked to build Yi-hakans (stick structures covered with woven mats). We then collaborated to make a sculpture inspired by western Native American houses called Wickiups. The children picked grass and dug dirt to add to water and then mixed it up to make a clay to build up on the stick structure. 

There are many benefits to making and playing in forts. Many of them overlap with previous subjects (go back to E1: Messy Play, E2: Risky Play, E8: Real Tools and Woodworking), but children need repetition to strengthen those neural pathways. It  encourages independence and confidence, problem solving skills, literacy skills, social skills, motor skills, and a love of the outdoors. We provide a list of ways to encourage this type of play in your homes and in your classrooms.

Don't forget to Leave Your Leaves this year!!

Picture Book List:
Shelter by Celine Claire
Once I was Very Scared by Chandra Ghosh Ippen
A House is a House For Me by Mary Ann Hoberman, Betty Fraser

Chapter Books:
Magic Tree House Books by Mary Pope Osborne
Bridge to Terabithia  by Katherine Paterson
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Egypt Game by  Zilpha Keatley Snyder

https://native-land.ca/

https://www.nwf.org/Home/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2019/09-25-19-Leave-the-Leaves

https://www.paulaspencerscott.com/single-post/kids-forts

https://phillywaldorf.com/building-forts-minds-importance-child-built-space/

https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Houses_in_Early_Virginia_Indian_Society

https://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/10-2-Article4-role-playing-childrens-literature.pdf

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Z_vc7769QPludzCXU33MmkKOdQcLeX3f/view?usp=sharing

https://books.google.com/books?id=Lmg142dU3wQC&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=wickiups+covered+in+mud&source=bl&ots=X2FNNj3O9Z&sig=ACfU3U0UWV40XGBnyXFC-RGPMhyHlNWQag&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNmrGlrcDqAhXumHIEHa4LDLAQ6AEwFHoECAsQAQ#v=onepage&q=wickiups%20covered%20in%20mud&f=false

"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

*Trigger warning! Marked as explicit because we talk about sexual assault (minutes 7:30 to 10:30) in discussing Chuck Close.
November is National Native American Heritage Month! One way we can honor and celebrate Indigenous and other minority cultures is by better acquainted with artisans from these communities.  Our resident atelierista, Spencer, discusses some amazing artists who are relatable to children.

Georgia O’Keeffe - Her sweeping imagery of nature and bright colors are very enjoyable for kids.
- “My name is Georgia” 

Frida Kahlo - She is one of the best artists to introduce children to ideas of portraiture.
- “The Story of Frida Kahlo”

Jean Michel Basquiat - His use of bright colors and sketch-like drawings are appealing to children.
- “Life Doesn't Frighten Me”

Yayoi Kusama - She is an extraordinary artist who uses polka dots. She is perfect to bring up this time of year because of her use of pumpkins and gourds!
- http://yayoi-kusama.jp/e/information/

Maria Tallchief - America's first prima ballerina was a Native American woman!
- “Tallchief: America's Prima Ballerina”
- Video

Vashti Harrison - She is an author/illustrator with a cartoonish style who depicts young black children taking on the world.
Hair Love Book
Hair Love Video

Isamu Noguchi - A Japanese-American artist known for his sculpture, public artworks, stage sets, and several mass-produced lamps and furniture pieces.

What do you think of us making this a monthly minisode?

Resources:
The map of Indigenous People - https://native-land.ca/
https://www.ncai.org/initiatives/native-american-heritage-month
https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2019/may/21/museum-art-collections-study-very-male-very-white
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/native-american-art-hasnt-changed-museums-have/
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/museums-and-historical-spaces-disrespect-native-american-history
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/5-native-american-artists-you-should-know/hwICZEKk3E5BJw
https://ruthmillington.co.uk/important-black-visual-artists/
https://www.vmfa.museum/about/rumors-of-war/
https://ruthmillington.co.uk/women-in-art-11-female-artists-to-know-past-to-present/
"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"The light is everywhere,  but to “see it”, paradoxically, it must be turned on in the mind”
- Loris Malaguzzi

We were inspired by the Jack-o'-lantern for this week's episode. The extreme sensory experience of the lighted up pumpkin really sets the tone for the Halloween season. That launched us into a discussion on light focused holidays! We go through Halloween, The Autumn Festival (yum, moon cakes!), Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, Iemanja, Christmas, Lunar New Year, Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, and Saint Lucia Day. Light seems to be a universal way to bring emotion, tradition, and symbolism into holidays. We hope we were able to convey the respect we have for the different cultures we talked about.

We then talk about using light and shadow play as a really impactful tool. In fact, it is considered one of the Hundred Languages of Children in the Reggio Emilia inspired curriculum. It is an important  way children explore, communicate, and learn about the world. It hits socioemotional by adding warmth, addressing sensory overload, and providing a platform to have conversations about fear; cognitive by letting children see things in a “new light”, introducing perspective and paradigms, promoting sense of self, and body awareness; STEM through introducing the scientific method and introducing shapes, density, color, size, and length; language by introducing new vocabulary like transparent, translucent, opaque, shadow, diffusing, transmitting, reflection, and patterns; and community by talking about routines, cultures, and traditions.

We also made a list of ways to bring light and shadow play into classrooms and homes:
1. Light Tables, Flashlights, Candles, battery operated tea lights, and string lights
2. Sidewalk shadow tracing
3. Build a Shadow Theater
4. Shadow Tag
5. Shadow Dancing, Glow Light Dance Party
6. Study Lights in Holidays

Spencer goes through an amazing project she oversaw as the atelierista where the children put on a whole light show inspired by artists: https://www.thecompassschool.com/locations/manassas/?keyword=the%20compass%20school%20manassas&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8eOLBhC1ARIsAOzx5cEeX_qCX6eW4vXXX8MrgSLcpRGRtZD_LWTcGI1sXmCHYp8Ddka3_G8aAuMoEALw_wcB
The bottom of that page shows some gorgeous pictures of it!

How do you use lights in your holiday celebrations? Do you use lanterns, candles, fireworks, twinkle lights? Did we miss any holidays that you think should be on the list?

References:
https://childcareeducationexpo.co.uk/learning-from-the-reggio-approach-light-and-reflection/
https://www.cosa.k12.or.us/sites/default/files/materials/events/8_big_ideas_cosa_feb_2016.pdf
https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/christmas-around-the-world/traditions/holidays-of-light/
https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/ramadan3.htm
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_general_lunar.htm
 https://www.mass.edu/stem/documents/pr

What kind of masks can you think of? Masks have developed a whole different meaning over the last couple of years. Regardless how you feel about them, masks have become a normal part of our lives and children are fascinated by them. Spencer talks about how to bring joy and culture back into the subject. We discuss themes and the problems you run into when you try to force them into your curriculum, but how powerful it is when you find a topic that the children are interested in.

This was definitely the case with Ms. Spencer's art project study on masks! We talk about how the topic came about organically and how she ran with it. She introduced a different category of masks each week. They started out talking about masks used for celebrations like Venetian carnival masks, Dinayang masks, African Fatima masks, Junkanoo masks, Day of the Dead masks and facial paint, Dancing Devil masks of Venezuela, and Red Goblin masks of Japan. The children each made a masquerade mask.

Next, they talked about ritual and ceremonial masks like the  Egyptian priest masks and African ritual masks (which the children were inspired by for their own masks). For this topic, they talked a lot about symbolism and color theory. Then they moved on to performance masks. They talked about masks of Greek theater, THALIA, Japanese Kabuki masks, and Beijing opera masks (which were the project that the children made). They also talked a little bit of modern theater like The Lion King on Broadway and even Pinkfong Baby Shark with the little hats.

To transition into the last category, they talked about sports masks since they combine performance with protection. That got them ready to talk about how masks keep us safe. Spencer finishes up our discussion by taking us through some of the health and safety histories of masks. We talk about the surprising origins of the Plague Doctor masks and discuss how this is a great way to introduce hope to children as this is not the first epidemic in history. She showed the children the first firefighter helmet (The Nealy Smoke Mask) and the cowboy bandana. That led into the development of medical masks and even their role during the Spanish Flu. There are pictures from that time that almost look just like our society today. They ended the project by decorating their own reusable safety masks.

Don't forget to show us pictures of your favorite masks!

Resources:

Mask Presentation - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18WPcr0W_hk-lIf2-Z-_H90TrCvnyQsjcF_jILhQtmnE/edit?usp=sharing
The Color Game - https://color.method.ac/
African Masks - https://www.artyfactory.com/africanmasks/
History of Medical Masks - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7255306/

"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Tooth Fairy is on the Speckled Bees! Spencer interviewed the absolutely lovely Sara Chehreh - a dental student with quite a bit of experience working in pediatrics - all about how to care for our children's smiles! She clarifies the difference between a general dentist and a pediatric dentist. She covers the first visit to the dentist (Recommended by the AAPD to be when the first tooth appears or no later than his/her first birthday) and how to make sure it is a positive experience from the get-go. There are lots of options available, so find an office that makes you comfortable and meets your unique needs.

They discuss common difficulties with brushing and flossing for children. Sara gives some awesome tips to help out! She mentions using books and television characters to help with brushing teeth and going to the dentist.
Here is a list of the "Top Five Books to Teach Kids about Brushing Their Teeth"!
https://childrensdentalcentersf.com/five-books-about-brushing-teeth/

She also talks about how old they should be before brushing all on their own. It might be older than you think! On a similar note of long term effects, they discuss thumb sucking and falling asleep with a bottle in the mouth. 

Of course, we had to cover Halloween. As a candy lover herself, Sara goes through the science of WHY candy causes a problem and how you should navigate it without just throwing all the candy out. This also led to the origin story of how she joined the Tooth Fairy ranks!

Does your child believe there are monsters under the bed? Is encouraging the idea of Santa lying and manipulating your children? Lucy gets her nerd on this week as we discuss the development of magical thinking! We talk about different developmental theorists and theories. We zone in on Piaget's idea of the Preoperational stage of development from about 2-8 and different characteristics that contribute to the belief in magic and monsters.

We list the benefits of magical thinking, dramatic play, and dress up and even talk about gun play and superhero play and give ideas to help redirect to help it be productive and to keep it evolving. We then go into a specific list of why it is important to have traditions and celebrate holidays.

We talk about how to encourage imaginative thinking and play including going along with their games and imagination (pick your battles and trust children), offering open-ended toys and dress up clothes, letting your children experience boredom (limit screen time), and reading to your child. We make a list of some great books about monsters and Halloween.

We end with talking about the transition out of the preoperational stage and what that means. This is when children really develop a conscience and start to develop empathy. That is why sharing is so hard before this, and is not developmentally appropriate to force.

What magical experience did you have as a child? What whimsy have you maintained into your adult life?

References:
https://theconversation.com/why-its-ok-for-kids-to-believe-in-santa-128170

https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_697103_en.html

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/ages-stages-how-children-use-magical-thinking/

https://www.simplypsychology.org/preoperational.html

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-lifespandevelopment/chapter/cognitive-development-2/

"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

**TRIGGER WARNING**
We marked this episode as explicit because we talk about abuse and use proper names for body parts.

This week, we start our holiday topics! We tackled a difficult subject as Spencer shares some important ideas to help keep children safe. Holidays are a break from routine and add some chaos into the mix, so accidents are more likely and it is easier to lose track of a child. Before things start to get too crazy, now is a great time to reflect on the safety plans that you have in place in your schools and homes.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited  Children (https://www.missingkids.org/HOME) was an amazing resource while coving this subject. They have tons of worksheets and activities to practice safe and preventative behavior. Go check them out and be sure to follow them on social media! 

Share your getting lost stories over on our instagram @thespeckledbees or on our facebook page!

"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

To continue our discussion about Getting Help for Young Children, we brought in Erin Williams-Stroh to talk about how it looks as the child grows. Erin is a super passionate Self Contained Autism Teacher for 2-5th grade students in PWCS. She has a Bachelors in Multidisciplinary Studies (Elementary Ed.)  and a Masters in Special Education from Marymount University.

We talk about how early intervention positively impacts children as they grow and about parent and family support for the child. We discuss how the teacher sets up the culture of acceptance in the classroom and peer acceptance plays a huge role in  a child's success. We talk about diagnosis, IEPs, and integration and inclusion and what these look like in classrooms.

Since Erin's specialty is Autism, we talk about its prevalence and the vastness of the spectrum. We even play a game to see how almost everyone falls on the spectrum in some way or another!

Erin also gave us her top favorite books for read-a-louds and discussions with children:

“Nathan’s Autism Spectrum Superpowers” by Lori Leigh Yarborough

“All My Stripes” by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer

“My Brother Charlie” by Holly Robinson Peete

“Uniquely Wired: A Story About Autism and Its Gifts” by Julia Cook

“The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin”

“Ethan's Story; My Life With Autism”

“Different Like Me: My Book of Autism Heroes”

“I See Things Differently: A First Look at Autism “

While your at it, go buy a fun pair of socks from John's Crazy Socks

Thank you for listening and thank you for being a part of our growing community!


"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As parents and teachers, we are often told what we CAN'T do for discipline, but aren't told so much what we CAN do. That is why we put together this basic list of techniques to handle challenging behavior. We can use these in order to gently support children in developing self-regulation and self-control. Some of the 'tools' we discuss are redirection, offering choices, emotion coaching (The FLIP-it method), appropriate consequences, and making things fun! We end with talking about the most important and powerful part of guidance: the relationship. Children need to know that we are there for them and love them no matter what. There are obviously whole books, blogs, and seminars on this subject, so we could not cover everything. Let us know what your go-to is!

Resources:

FLIP-it
https://centerforresilientchildren.org/dcrc-shop/flip-it/

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
https://www.abebooks.com/Mrs-Piggle-Wiggle-Betty-MacDonald-Hilary-Knight/30651704558/bd?cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Trade-_-product_id=COM9780590413862USED-_-keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQjws4aKBhDPARIsAIWH0JW0QBYbdNiI_vVHOoTimNuUVNvIiLZMyAsydsmxV_eugdhgguq_AhgaAlMHEALw_wcB

SMALL BUSINESS SHOUT OUT:

Idle Hands Bread Company - Richmond, VA
https://www.idlehandsbreadcompany.com/

Music:

"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Spencer introduces us to important early drawing skills! We start by talking about the importance of planning and outlining first with a black marker or brush pen (linked below) and then go in to a break down the stages of drawing lines and symbols. We even go on a little tangent on gothic and gory art in teenage years and whether or not to be concerned.

We go into some useful phrases when talking to children about their art to encourage them instead of jumping to conclusions about what they made. We have a discussion on coloring pages and have mixed feelings. Let us know your opinion!

Lastly, Spencer provides a magical list of books you can use to introduce lines to children. They would be great for provocations!
 
Here are the products and books we talk about:

Tombow Pens
https://www.tombowusa.com/fudenosuke-brush-pen-4-pack.html
https://www.tombowusa.com/mono-drawing-pen-6-pack.html

Harold and the Purple Crayon
https://www.amazon.com/Harold-Purple-Crayon-Books/dp/0064430227

Lines that Wiggle
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lines-that-wiggle-candace-whitman/1014512911

The Line
https://www.amazon.com/Line-Paula-Bossio/dp/189478684X

Ish
https://www.amazon.com/Ish-Creatrilogy-Peter-H-Reynolds/dp/076362344X


In case you are as nerdy as us, here are a TON of resources to check out:

Black Line Drawings
http://www.thomasmuir.e-dunbarton.sch.uk/media/11945/black-line-drawing-info-for-parents.pdf

Outlines and Black Lines
https://www.blog.montessoriforeveryone.com/outlines-creativity.html

Drawing: Stages and Health
http://www.healthofchildren.com/D/Drawings.html#ixzz714rZ2tB0

What Children's Drawings Mean
https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1112653/childs-drawings-and-their-meanings/

Viktor Lowenfeld
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1319997

Rhoda Kellogg
https://childdevelopmentandart.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/rhoda-kellogg-theorist/

Waldorf Form
https://www.waldorfteacherresources.com/index.php?grade=1&page=formdrawing


"Wholesome" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Re-listening to this episode gave me chills because I am SO EXCITED to share such practical and important information with you! Lauren Barrick is one of the sweetest people I know and she is so knowledgeable and passionate! She is a mom as well as an early interventionist and is experienced on all sides of the equation.

What do you do if a child is behind typical developing peers? This can be overwhelming and so many of us parents and teachers don't even know where to begin, so we brought on Lauren to walk us through the process! We discuss what early intervention is and why  it is important.  We talk about what parents/teachers should looking for and what to do when a worry arises. She gives us some awesome resources that I will link below! We also talk about the stress of finding a quality early childhood program.

Lauren also lists some super great strategies to help aid in a child's development. We end with talking about the benefits of having people who think and look differently than us in our classrooms and homes.

Lauren Barrick
Instagram @lauren_barrick
Youtube: 2STEPS

Developmental Milestone
https://pathways.org/

Ages and Stages Questionnaires
https://agesandstagesresearch.com/en
Lauren sent me an awesome PDF with all of this information in it. Reach out to us over Instagram or Facebook if you'd like me to send it to you.

Google 'Infant and Toddler Early Intervention + your state' and that should give you the number to call!

Lucy leads our discussion this week in talking about different types and benefits of using real tools, the Zone of Proximal Development, the whole child, STEM, and even a little soapbox moment about circle time, haha! We had so much to say about this topic, so it ended up being a little longer than our normal episodes. Let us know your thoughts, and thank you for being a part of our community!