CHALK TALK: preparing your child for kindergarten, part 2 - following directions

As discussed in the previous blog, a preschooler’s ability to actively listen and carry out instructions is one of the key indicators that the student is ready to progress to kindergarten. While it’s not uncommon for preschoolers to occasionally struggle with carrying out instructions, here are some great tips to prepare your child: 

• Use Keywords - If you find you’re having to repeat instructions, try using just one or two words to direct your child. Instead of saying “Please take your plate to the sink when you’re done,” try saying “Plate to the sink” in an encouraging tone when your child has almost finished eating. You may find that a one-word reminder will get your child’s attention quicker than repeating directions over and over. 
• Helping Hands - Ask your child for help in the kitchen or while doing other light chores. Giving your child simple directions about making a sandwich or sorting laundry will help foster confidence and knowledge, as well as encourage him or her to follow directions. It’s advisable to give your child no more than three steps to complete a task. 
• Treasure Hunt - Ask you child to retrieve specific items from around the house such as a yellow sponge or two blue shoes. The child will have to concentrate on the task for at least a minute, encouraging him or her to focus. For an added challenge, create a small obstacle course that your child must complete before bringing the item to you. This might include running three circles around the tree, hopping over the garden hose, then somersaulting. If you have more than one child, this treasure hunt can be turned into a fun race!

Helping your child learn to follow directions will help ensure a rewarding classroom experience. Following directions directly correlates with fostering independence. Once a child has mastered a set of directions, they can be trusted to complete the task on their own. This builds self-reliance and self-confidence, both of which are important as children grow and develop. Visit Fairmont’s Early Childhood Education Pinterest board for more great ideas and tips!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

 Image Contributed by Everyday Life

SNACKTIME – ensure a happy and safe summer by keeping your child hydrated with H2O

Children do not cool down as efficiently as adults, so it is important that they drink lots of water. Taking a few simple precautions will help protect children and allow them to enjoy a safe and fun summer!

Preventing Dehydration – How frequently should children drink fluids? How much is enough?

The best way to prevent dehydration is to make sure children drink plenty of water at all times. They should consume more fluids than they lose. During continuous physical activity, a child can lose up to a half-liter of fluid per hour. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that an 88-pound child should drink about five ounces (or two kid-size gulps) of water every 20 minutes as well. Children and teens weighing about 132 pounds should drink nine ounces of water. Drinking extra water before organized sports or other strenuous activities is highly recommended.

Hydration Habits for Good Health

• Schedule beverage breaks every 20 minutes during any physical activity, especially in hot weather. If possible, take all hydration breaks in a shady spot.
• Pack frozen water bottles in a cooler to keep other bottles of water cool.
• When choosing drinks for kids, avoid soda and other drinks that have caffeine, which contributes to water loss in the body. Again, water is the preferred choice for hydration.
• Sports drinks should be limited to athletic competitions to replace electrolytes.
• If your young child refuses to drink water, offer a high water content fruit such as watermelon or a frozen treat such as popsicles.
• Remember that thirst is not a good early sign of dehydration. By the time a child feels thirsty, he or she may already be dehydrated.
  
  

Good hydration habits are as important as good eating habits. Encouraging frequent beverage breaks and choosing liquids wisely will help protect against dehydration.

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Submitted by Leslie Kay-Getzinger, MS RD

Regional Dietitian for Nutrition Management Services Company
Image Contributed by Pacificsprings.com.au

FRIDAY FOLDER: june 12

Weekly Highlights:

 Swim Day with North Tustin

 Swim Day with Historic Anaheim

Swim Day with Anaheim Hills

With the first week of summer camp completed, campers had a great time swimming, dressing up in surfer attire, and playing together during the beach party hosted by the Anaheim Hills campus! Next week campers will enjoy a whole host of new activities such as surfboard canvas art, tie-dye camp shirts, and a Friday field trip to the Camelot Theme Park in Anaheim! 

Visit the Fairmont Summer Programs' Facebook page or Fairmont Flickr for more summer photos!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

CHALK TALK: helping your child prepare for kindergarten, part 1 - developing good listening skills

How will you know when your child is ready for kindergarten? What skills are essential for succeeding in the classroom? This six-part series will help prepare your preschool student for kindergarten. Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for the rewarding road to elementary school!

Early childhood education teachers have observed six main skill sets that are common in children who have successfully transitioned to kindergarten. The first of these is the ability to be a good listener. Good listening skills are vital, and children who have developed this skill are more apt to follow directions, interact respectfully with adults and peers, and contribute to a positive learning environment. The good news is that listening is a skill that can be developed over time. Here are some activities to do at home:

• Play games such as “Simon Says,” “Red Light, Green Light,” and “I Spy” to help your child focus on listening and responding appropriately.
• Interactive reading will encourage critical thinking and gauge how much information your child is retaining. While reading aloud, pause and ask questions such as “What do you think will happen next?” or “Do you think that was a good idea?”
• Sit quietly outside with your child to identify sounds. This is a great way to teach children to be still and concentrate in order to listen properly.   

Another key to creating a good listener is by setting a positive example. Demonstrating active listening while your child talks will model what their response should be when adults or peers are speaking. Using proper eye contact, body language, and voice tone while conversing will help your child understand how to engage properly in a social setting.  

Incorporating games that encourage children to react with words or actions will help them develop a sense of what it means to be an active listener and encourage appropriate behavior in the classroom. Tune in next Monday to learn some handy tips for teaching your child to follow directions!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Sharon Skelton

A to Z: in support of the student athlete

In the pursuit of academic success, children sometimes need a break from the classroom and an opportunity to release pent-up energy. While academic success is no small feat, students who participate in at least one extracurricular physical activity are proven to reap more benefits than those who do not exercise regularly.

Engaging in sports activities each week helps improve students’ focus on school work, as well as help them lead happier, healthier lives. Here are four reasons why students should be involved in structured, after-school physical activities.

1. Academic Performance - Studies show that students involved in athletic programs maintain a higher GPA and achieve higher test scores. SPARKpe.org provides a list of recent studies proving the correlation between academic success and physical fitness.
2. Fitness Habits - Sports help students develop coordination and teaches them how to care for their bodies through proper stretching and the development of fundamental mechanics. Participating in athletics at an early age instills physical fitness habits that carry over into adulthood, helping to avoid health problems.
3. Mental and Emotional Benefits - Athletics have great physical benefits, but also help children to improve mentally and emotionally. While the body exercises, the brain releases endorphines. From a biological standpoint alone, students who are physically active are happier and have a constructive outlet through which to relieve stress.
4. Development of Specific Skills - Through athletics, students are able to accumulate a whole host of skills and abilities. Leadership, teamwork, confidence, and self-reliance are the big character focuses. Critical thinking is developed on the playing field as athletes need to quickly solve problems created by their opponents. Time management, a skill necessary in adulthood, is also brought into play as children learn to balance their time between schoolwork, sports, and family life.

Even if your child is not interested in team sports, there are plenty of less intense, solitary options. Activities such as swimming, gymnastics, track, martial arts, yoga, and golf provide physical benefits and allow students to engage in an extracurricular activity where they can advance at their own pace.

For more student athlete information, as well as great drills and exercises, visit the Fairmont Pinterest board Student Athletes!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Image by Popsugar

FRIDAY FOLDER: may 29

Highlights of the Week

Studying since February for their competition on May 2nd, the Anaheim Hills 6th Grade Pentathlon Team was thrilled to learn that they had placed 1st overall in the 2015 6th Grade Orange County Pentathlon! The team also earned 2nd place in the Super Quiz Relay and amassed 30 individual medals in all subjects including science, history, math, and literature!

Congratulations to the North Tustin MVP athletes Sofia R. (Soccer), Karishma R. (Volleyball), Nadia A. (Basketball), James K. (Golf), Ryan H. (Basketball), and Andrew L. (Football & Soccer)!

Historic Anaheim students close the 2014-2015 performing arts season with concerts featuring songs such as "Shake it Off," "Ode to Joy," "Shoo Fly," and the Pink Panther theme.

Weekly Newsletters

Anaheim Hills Campus

North Tustin Campus

Historic Anaheim Campus

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

A to Z the secret sauce of summer camp

It’s no secret that children benefit in many ways from participating in summer camp programs. They develop leadership and teamwork skills, develop friendships, and explore new interests. But what is the "secret sauce" of summer camp? What makes camp such a rewarding and memorable experience?

At Fairmont, we value simple moments, such as a camper beaming with pride after learning how to tie his/her shoes for the first time with the help of a counselor. We look forward to the looks of amazement when campers discover something new in science and the sounds of laughter and excitement that fills the bus on the way to our Friday field trips.  These moments are magical and memory-making for children.

We also appreciate this Top 5 list of the "Unique Powers of Camp" compiled by educator/author Michael Brandwein. He explains how summer camp provides these benefits: 

1. Camp leads the way in using the best methods to help children learn and grow. For almost 150 years, camps have been the leader in using the number one secret to teaching: children learn most from doing. 
2. Camp communities remove the typical pressures from school and support children in a positive atmosphere that cherishes effort and persistence. One fast way to explain the incredible power of camping is in two words: "no grades." 
3. Camp offers distinctive value in preparing children for future success. Camp creates communities where kids make daily decisions about activities and learn how to get along with others. 
4. Camp offers an unequaled variety of opportunities to develop well-rounded children. Camps cut like a laser through the negative expectations and beliefs that can stick to children and hold them back. 
5. Camp combats youth isolation by offering positive and accepting communities. Camp is all about belonging to a group that respects and values each member. 

What makes camp special for you? While that definition might be slightly different for each person, the "superpower" of summer camp is undeniable. Visit Fairmont Summer Programs today to learn more about the exciting opportunities that await your child!

Contributed by Doug Fleischli, Fairmont Private Schools

BOOK REPORT: five summer must-reads for young adults

During the school year, students perpetually read and analyze a variety of texts. Summer provides a great opportunity for students to deviate from the required reading list and engage in books of their own choosing. To establish a love of reading, students should be encouraged to explore their own literary tastes and preferences. Check out these renowned bestsellers for summer reading inspiration!

Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

Lewis Carroll’s adventure story, riddled with nonsense and confusion, begins with a young girl’s daydream of tumbling down a rabbit hole into a magical land of talking animals, wild tea parties, and disproportionate limbs. Alice tries to make sense of  Wonderland and the characters she meets, but the more she tries to solve their riddles, the more frustrated she becomes. Alice in Wonderland captures the essence of growing up and the confusion young people face while transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

The Aviary, Kathleen O’Dell

The Aviary follows a Victorian girl named Clara who has been cloistered away in a crumbling mansion. Clara soon discovers that there’s more than meets the eye to the mansion and the pet birds living in the aviary outside her window. When a new neighbor moves in across the street, Clara becomes intrigued with life outside and begins investigating the strange  happenings around the mansion.

The Invisible Man, H.G. Wells

Written by a student of science, The Invisible Man delights budding science fiction readers with scenes of great chases, escapes, and trickery only capable by an invisible man. An overarching theme of isolation follows the character of Griffin as he creates an invisibility elixir and becomes forever concealed. However, Griffin soon discovers that life as an invisible person is not as simple as it appears. Disasters ensue, leaving the invisible man on the run, isolating himself even further.  

Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls

The classic tale of boy and boy’s best friend, Where the Red Fern Grows reveals the resilience and determination of one young man as he achieves his dream of raising competitive coonhounds in the Ozark Mountains. Meshed with triumph and heartbreak, Billy’s adventures with his young pups display the friendship and grit of which young people are capable.

The Princess Bride, William Goldman

What do you get when you mix a beautiful princess, a friendly giant, a penniless farmhand, and a revenge-driven swashbuckler? Adventure and intrigue are the result, making The Princess Bride an excellent novel for any fantasy reader. The story follows two lovers, Buttercup and Westley, who are separated by fate but brought back together with the aid of several heroic, and sometimes comedic, characters. Sword fighting, castle-storming, true love, magic, and more; William Goldman’s epic adventure contains something for everyone.

Visit the Fairmont Pinterest board Literary Genius for more young adult reading recommendations!

Contributed by Rebecca Stokes, Fairmont Private Schools

Images by Wikipedia, Goodreads, The Collector's Library