Harvest Time

<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4909/1412/1600/Oxcart%20Man.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4909/1412/200/Oxcart%20Man.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br />Fall is a beautiful time of year. I was discussing with my children's literature classes this week the book, "The Oxcart Man," by Donald Hall. Sometimes adults don't see the beauty in this simplistic picture book. I have always thought that one of the most intriguing aspects of this book is that it starts at the end. The story begins with harvest time and then takes us throughout the following year so that we observe the family preparing for that important harvest time. I think this analogy is very much like helping children learn basic skills. We know what harvest time should look like (the child competently performing necessary skills) and we need to go through the process to really understand how to make harvest time occur for every child. There are no shortcuts, just a step by step acquisition of skills to prepare for the harvest.

Harvest Time

Fall is a beautiful time of year. I was discussing with my children's literature classes this week the book, "The Oxcart Man,...

Read more »

Dots

<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4909/1412/1600/P1010001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4909/1412/200/P1010001.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a><br />If you haven't had the opportunity to read the picture book, "The Dot," by Paul Reynolds, you need to do so. It makes me think of how we try to yank kids up to where we want them to function. Since we know that children progress developmentally, it makes much more sense to start where the child is functioning and provide support from that point. Adults can forget how difficult it is to learn a new skill, especially without good background knowledge and understanding the "why" of what needs to be done. Good teachers and parents provide support at every developmental stage and always remember to also provide the "why" for learning the skill. Then the child can sign his/her name (see "The Dot" to understand this last sentence)!

Dots

If you haven't had the opportunity to read the picture book, "The Dot," by Paul Reynolds, you need to do so. It makes me thin...

Read more »