I'm Best

It is always a challenge to find the right balance, between helping a child feel good about him or herself and having him or her feel better than others. Two books that broach this topic are I’m the Best by Lucy Cousins and I’m Number One by Michael Rosen and Bob Graham. While both books send the same message, I‘m the Best is less wordy and more to the point. We all want children to feel good out themselves, but not at the expense of others. It seems there is always one child in a class who feels a little too empowered or becomes a little too bossy. Point out to the bossy child that you like that they share their ideas and organize play, but that they also need to listen to others ideas. Plan some cooperative games and place some cooperative toys in the classroom. You could have children make cooperative pictures or draw each other with child. Try having the children give each other compliments and make books about all the good things about every child in the room. Having a class full of children with positive self-esteem is something I wish for all of us.

I love reading new children's books! You can find a book on just about any topic. Bernice recently shared a few that would be appropriate for parents to read to their children. You might want to recommend the first book to anyone expecting a child. "There's Going To Be a Baby" by John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury would help children understand what it means when they are told a new baby is on the way. The book takes the older child's perspective and answers some of the many questions that come up. I especially like that as the mom talks about what the baby might do in the future, the child imagines how a baby might look as a doctor or an artist. The real value is the the way the book addresses the feelings a child might have, but ends on a positive note. Reading and rereading the book will help children with the long wait and help them look forward to being a big brother or sister.

"Growing Strong" by Christina Goodlings and Masumi Furukawa is a book to help children learn about taking care of themselves. The book is divided into short sections which discuss everything from being healthy and fit to accepting ones self. Hearing these messages at a young age help children develop good health habits which will start them off right for a healthy lifestyle. It is never too soon to teach your child how to take care of him or herself and don't forget children will learn best by watching what adults do.

Saving Money

I was very pleased to see the new book, Just Saving My Money by Mercer Mayer. Bernice, at the Franklin County Library System, sent me the book for this blog. At first, you may wonder what a book about money has to do with social emotional skills but saving money is the ability to delay gratification. It has to do with impulse control and we all know how important that can be. As pleased as I was about the social- emotional aspect, I was excited to find an age appropriate book which addresses PA Early Learning Standard 6.5 -Work and Earnings. I haven't found too many that are appropriate for preschool children, but this one fits the bill.

There are many ways to use this book in the classroom. Some teachers like to give reward points, tokens, or hearts to the class for good behavior. This book would be perfect for a discussion of what kind of reward the children would like to have when they reach the goal or target. It would also go along with a class saving pennies for a community project. Your class might want to save their pennies to donate book to the local library, buy a gift for the cafeteria workers, or the residents of a local nursing home. Of course, you could just use the book to teach about money and banks. Even though children will only to able to have a beginning understanding, a field trip to a local bank could be a good learning experience. With ATMs and direct deposits, many children may never have been inside a bank.