ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚: ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 &; 𝕎𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖…𝕃𝕀𝕋𝔼ℝ𝔸ℂ𝕐 𝔽𝕆ℝ 𝕃𝕀𝔽𝔼!

ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟙

Teach a Child to Read in 1 Easy Step! JK Just READ with them!
ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚

Read & Write: Literacy for Life!
ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟛

5 Developmental Domains to teach LITERACY!
ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟜

Play is the Work of the Child – LITERACY

This week represents the 1 year anniversary of our last week of pre-Covid craziness time.

I vividly remember the splash of green going up across my school with St. Patricks day decorations, the preparation for impending spring, & a faint fear in the back of our minds of craziness happening “far away from us, at least”.

Little did we know – nothing would ever be the same.

Well … here we are! At a crossroads of sorts. Do we continue to wait for the days of old to return- or do we settle in with acceptance into our new realities?

I can speak only for myself- & out of observation of what I see going on around me in my personal, professional, & family communities. I see many still in limbo – waiting for better school options, safer guidelines, higher vaccination rates. But what I also see quite metaphorically in my mind is the ticking clock.

**If you are a think10fold subscriber- you know we have previously dissected the concept of CRITICAL LEARNING PERIODS.**

These are times/stages in a child’s development where they are most apt to master certain skills- many of these skills being crucial foundational building block elements for subsequent skill mastery.

That clock I mentioned?…

…well – it’s ticking on our children’s educational foundations.

On the ways we know how to prepare our students for school & for professional success later on. In a major societal sense we have lost sight of our own ability to create impact on our educational trajectory. As our methods, policies & procedures of the past have proved fruitless- or in the least outdated, unsafe in the current climate, & generally ineffective in comparison to other countries educational systems- the time is now to stand up & take control.

So think forward + envision greatness!

We know that we have control over our thoughts. I see the crumbling of our outdated system of education as a positive swing in the world of Childcare. For too long we have avoided true change by questioning practices but never having the courage, backing, funding, or support to bring about actual, let alone radical, change.

However- change is no longer an option…Change is our recipe for survival.

So- those who can approach this new era of education with an attitude of reflection, with a spirit of unity, & with a mindset of possibility will be able to take control of their own destinies- & therefore help shape the lives of the children around them. We have an opportunity to facilitate the change we all wish to see.

Sit back & take the ride- or stand up & take control. The choice is yours…& remember- change starts in your own mind. Do not get overwhelmed with the overarching educational impacts I allude to. You can make a huge impact one child at a time.

What does this have to do with Reading & Writing?

Let’s circle back to thIs week’s topic at hand – LITERACY! Oxford Dictionary defines literacy as “the ability to read & write” & alternately – as “competence or knowledge in a specific area.”

Literacy is a part of every person’s life. Our days are filled with the need for communication (which requires literacy), the need to work together with others as a team (which requires literacy), & the need to navigate through our communities for work, to get food & drink, & to find shelter (which- you guess it! … requires literacy!) You reading this blog right now requires literacy!

The need for a thoughtful approach to the integration of literacy from a young age is crucial for a strong literate foundation for children. As we already discussed- our educational system is upside down right now as it works to reinvent itself to meet new needs. But there is one constant that remains. The importance of reading & writing.

In order to enlighten and educate a next generation of movers & shakers, of go getters & visionaries- we start with literacy.

3 Simple Tips for Developing Meaningful Literacy in Children