Ms. Brown’s Living Classroom

Happy New Year, dear readers!

I am back to the substitute-teacher cycle in 2009.  With the extra time, I hope to stir a few pots that have been on the back-burner.  (For example, updating my blog.)

Another goal for the new year is to be active in the extracurricular life of some of my home base schools.  One project I’ve been pondering was inspired by the idea of Peripatetics.  Aristotle allegedly had the habit of walking while lecturing.  I’d like to be a member of the school of walking and talking.  Good for the 2009 fitness routine…

For guidance on how to conduct a philosophical conversation with children, I’ll read the book Can Stones Be Happy? by Kristina Calvert. *hopefully I’ll be successful in finding it translated from the German: Können Steine glücklich sein?   Also on my reading list is a book by Gareth B. Matthews, called Dialogues with Children (Harvard University Press, 1984).

http://www.goethe.de/ges/phi/thm/deb/en3436444.htm

Can a Floor Dream? Questions for a Children’s Philosopher

“How does a frog know it’s a frog? What does it really mean when I say, ‘I am’? Do time machines exist?” Questions about children’s questions, all of them presented and answered in Kristina Calvert’s book, Können Steine glücklich sein? (i.e. can stones be happy?)” She has been philosophizing with children thjroughout Germany for many years.In the book by the children’s philosopher Kristina Calvert, children can find many interesting questions and relevant stories. Such as the one about the young girl who was given many birthday presents. So many, that her father gave away half of them. A few days later, when he tried to look something up in his multi-volume lexicon, he found that six of the twelve volumes were missing. His daughter had given them to a homeless person as a donation. Was she within her rights to do so? Did her father have the right to give away her things? The little philosophers discuss as long as they need to find answers to questions of principle such as: Why do two people not have the same rights? The answers can be very different, and that is a good thing, in this philosopher’s view, since she seeks with her book to animate children to reflect and to provide them with the necessary tools to do so, to present claims, arguments and rules in debate and philosophy to them, and above all to encourage them to experiment with thinking themselves. Kristina Calvert’s book is a wonderfully exciting read for school-age children, and also for their parents. Even better: for both together, because in this way they learn to understand each other’s horizon of thought and therefore each other – and maybe even the world. And that is what philosophy is about, after all.

I’ve been busy thinking up engaging french-as-a-second-language activities.  The recent brainstorm was a convergence of 2 ideas:

the AIM language programs identification of the most frequently used french words

+plus+

my love of fridge poetry.

et voila!

a possible class warm-up activity.

Teams compete to come up with sentences,

earning garlands for achievement in the following categories:

1.  wit

2.  rhymes

3.  reference to the vocabulary du jour

4.  number of syllables in the sentence

5.  inclusion of the “mot magique du jour”

Being a person whose religion is more aligned with Earth Day than Christmas, my blog tribute to Earth Day will be to collect a wee library of books promoting nature and ecology with elementary aged students. 

Earth Day Birthday:  Sharing nature with children.  by Patti Schnetzler

Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs
by Patricia Lauber & Darlene McCampbell
An exploration of how the food chain works right through the peanut butter and jelly sandwich you might have had for lunch. The book also explores how human activity, such as overhunting Pacific sea otters, effects the rest of the chain.

Earth Book for Kids: Activities to Help Heal the Environment
by Linda Schwartz
Filled with ideas for arts and crafts projects, experiments, and experiences that encourage children to enjoy and heal the environment, this book covers acid rain, endangered wildlife, pesticides, energy, recycling, pollution, landfills, rain forests, water conservation, and related topics.

Dr. Art’s Guide to Planet Earth: For Earthlings Ages 12 to 120
by A. Sussman
Presents easy-to-understand principles that explain how the Earth works and what we can do to restore the planet, globally and locally.

Recycle: A Handbook for Kids
by Gail Gibbons
A nonfiction picture book introduction to how glass, paper, aluminum, and plastic are recycled. Pen and wash illustrations accompany the text which takes readers step-by-step through the recycling process.

City Green
by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
Marcy and Miss Rosa start a campaign to clean up an empty lot and turn it into a community garden.

Cactus Hotel
by Brenda Guiberson
In words and pictures fascinating to even the youngest child, the desert world is brought to life in this poetic story about the life–and death–of a giant saguaro cactus. Full color throughout.

Last week, I attended a lecture at the University of King’s College on the subject of making the poor dangerous by facilitating a university-level dialogue on the humanities.  The Clemente Society has an international reputation for doing this very thing.  The Halifax Branch is alive and well.  Here’s a tidbit from “Tidings,” the King’s newsletter:

http://www.ukings.ca/kings_3917_8407.html

“The first reason is because it frees us from prejudices,” says Dr. Curran. “Prejudice, in the proper sense, at the origin of the whole idea, is opinion that you have received from others in an undigested form…opinions which we have absorbed without ever examining their roots. By understanding that we need to examine things according to doubt, we’re freeing ourselves from received opinion which governs our lives–I mean, it makes us free. I don’t see what could be more practical than that.”

“I’ve got a better world-perspective, I think,” says Shepherd. “Just a sense of history. Where things come from. How things fit together.”

“And it’s history that leads to everything else,” adds Andy Tyers, “Philosophy, customs, wars.”

Well, it’s now April.  This week, several rambunctious students led me to google, “How to make children listen.”  (Ha ha!  Seriously…!) 

I clicked “I feel lucky” and got some good vibes from “Doctor Sears.”

This is from:  www.askdrsears.com

25 WAYS TO TALK SO YOUR CHILDREN WILL LISTEN

A major part of discipline is learning how to talk with children. The way you talk to your child teaches him how to talk to others. Here are some talking tips we have learned with our children:

1. Connect before you direct

Before giving your child directions, squat to your child’s eye level and engage your child in eye-to-eye contact to get his attention. Teach him how to focus: “Mary, I need your eyes.” “Billy, I need your ears.” Offer the same body language when listening to the child. Be sure not to make your eye contact so intense that your child perceives it as controlling rather than connecting.

2. Address the child

Open your request with the child’s name, “Lauren, will you please…”

3. Stay brief

We use the one-sentence rule: Put the main directive in the opening sentence. The longer you ramble, the more likely your child is to become parent-deaf. Too much talking is a very common mistake when dialoging about an issue. It gives the child the feeling that you’re not quite sure what it is you want to say. If she can keep you talking she can get you sidetracked.

4. Stay simple

Use short sentences with one-syllable words. Listen to how kids communicate with each other and take note. When your child shows that glazed, disinterested look, you are no longer being understood.

5. Ask your child to repeat the request back to you

If he can’t, it’s too long or too complicated.

6. Make an offer the child can’t refuse

You can reason with a two or three-year-old, especially to avoid power struggles. “Get dressed so you can go outside and play.” Offer a reason for your request that is to the child’s advantage, and one that is difficult to refuse. This gives her a reason to move out of her power position and do what you want her to do.

7. Be positive

Instead of “no running,” try: “Inside we walk, outside you may run.”

8. Begin your directives with “I want.”

Instead of “Get down,” say “I want you to get down.” Instead of “Let Becky have a turn,” say “I want you to let Becky have a turn now.” This works well with children who want to please but don’t like being ordered. By saying “I want,” you give a reason for compliance rather than just an order.

9. “When…then.”

“When you get your teeth brushed, then we’ll begin the story.” “When your work is finished, then you can watch TV.” “When,” which implies that you expect obedience, works better than “if,” which suggests that the child has a choice when you don’t mean to give him one.

10. Legs first, mouth second

Instead of hollering, “Turn off the TV, it’s time for dinner!” walk into the room where your child is watching TV, join in with your child’s interests for a few minutes, and then, during a commercial break, have your child turn off the TV. Going to your child conveys you’re serious about your request; otherwise children interpret this as a mere preference.

11. Give choices

“Do you want to put your pajamas on or brush your teeth first?” “Red shirt or blue one?”

12. Speak developmentally correctly

The younger the child, the shorter and simpler your directives should be. Consider your child’s level of understanding. For example, a common error parents make is asking a three-year- old, “Why did you do that?” Most adults can’t always answer that question about their behavior. Try instead, “Let’s talk about what you did.”

13. Speak socially correctly

Even a two-year-old can learn “please.” Expect your child to be polite. Children shouldn’t feel manners are optional. Speak to your children the way you want them to speak to you.

14. Speak psychologically correctly

Threats and judgmental openers are likely to put the child on the defensive. “You” messages make a child clam up. “I” messages are non-accusing. Instead of “You’d better do this…” or “You must…,” try “I would like….” or “I am so pleased when you…” Instead of “You need to clear the table,” say “I need you to clear the table.” Don’t ask a leading question when a negative answer is not an option. “Will you please pick up your coat?” Just say, “Pick up your coat, please.”

15. Write it

Reminders can evolve into nagging so easily, especially for preteens who feel being told things puts them in the slave category. Without saying a word you can communicate anything you need said. Talk with a pad and pencil. Leave humorous notes for your child. Then sit back and watch it happen.

16. Talk the child down

The louder your child yells, the softer you respond. Let your child ventilate while you interject timely comments: “I understand” or “Can I help?” Sometimes just having a caring listener available will wind down the tantrum. If you come in at his level, you have two tantrums to deal with. Be the adult for him.

17. Settle the listener

Before giving your directive, restore emotional equilibrium, otherwise you are wasting your time. Nothing sinks in when a child is an emotional wreck.

18. Replay your message

Toddlers need to be told a thousand times. Children under two have difficulty internalizing your directives. Most three- year-olds begin to internalize directives so that what you ask begins to sink in. Do less and less repeating as your child gets older. Preteens regard repetition as nagging.

19. Let your child complete the thought

Instead of “Don’t leave your mess piled up,” try: “Matthew, think of where you want to store your soccer stuff.” Letting the child fill in the blanks is more likely to create a lasting lesson.

20. Use rhyme rules.

“If you hit, you must sit.” Get your child to repeat them.

21. Give likable alternatives

You can’t go by yourself to the park; but you can play in the neighbor’s yard.

22. Give advance notice

“We are leaving soon. Say bye-bye to the toys, bye-bye to the girls…”

23. Open up a closed child

Carefully chosen phrases open up closed little minds and mouths. Stick to topics that you know your child gets excited about. Ask questions that require more than a yes or no. Stick to specifics. Instead of “Did you have a good day at school today?” try “What is the most fun thing you did today?”

24. Use “When you…I feel…because…”

When you run away from mommy in the store I feel worried because you might get lost.

25. Close the discussion

If a matter is really closed to discussion, say so. “I’m not changing my mind about this. Sorry.” You’ll save wear and tear on both you and your child. Reserve your “I mean business” tone of voice for when you do.

The Eleventh Hour:  A Curious Mystery, by Graeme Base (1989)

This book has come to me highly recommended as a book which promotes higher-order thinking, by a professor I recently heard speak on the subject of semiotics.  Don’t worry, I had to look it up, too…  It means ‘a linguistic-style study of signs and symbols.’

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The cover of The Eleventh Hour.

The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery (1989) is an illustrated children’s book by Graeme Base about an elephant who, on his eleventh birthday, wants to give his ten friends a feast. However, at the time they are to eat (11:00), they are startled to find that someone has already eaten all the food.

Base was inspired to write the book by reading Agatha Christie novels. He travelled to Kenya and Tanzania in 1987 observing animals in game parks and collecting ideas for the book. [1]

Written in rhyme, the book also includes some ciphers and codes for amateur cryptographers (for example, one page’s border consists of morse code while another page set in the ballroom contains musical clues as to which guest is guilty). The biggest and most noticeable clue lies at the end of the book, written in a transposition cipher:

MYXQBKDEVKDSYX! SD GKC SXNOON USVBYI DRO WYECO GRY CDYVO DRO POKCD. lED RO RKN ROVZ : YXO REXNBON KXN OVOFOX YP USVBYIC PEBBI BOVKDSFOC RSN DROWCOVFOC SX DRO RYECO KXN KBYEXN DRO QKBNOX KXN, KD OVOFOX WSXEDOC DY OVOFOX DROI KVV CMKWZOBON SXDY DRO LKXAEOD RKVV GSDR USVBYI KXN KDO EZ KW YP RYBKMO’C LOKEDSPEV PYYN. KXN XYG, TECD DY CRYG RYG MVOFOB IYE KBO, MKX IYE PSXN YXO REXNBON KXN OVOFOX WSMO RSNNOX SX DRO ZSMDEBOC? RKZZI REXDSXQ!

This page invites the reader to make some observations in the book, and deduce which animal stole the feast by looking through the book and gathering clues. Then, the reader is supposed to use the first letter of that animal’s name to decode the text. If the animals name started with M, then M=A, N=B, O=C, P=D, etc. The solution to the cypher confirms the answer to the puzzle and offers an additional challenge to the reader.

The final portion of the book contains the answers to all of the clues in the book (including the cypher), and how to solve them. These last pages are sealed together, as the reader is encouraged to try and solve the puzzles themselves first.

Each of the preceding pages contains smaller clues to the solution, but we won’t spoil it for you here.