Developmental Insights for Teachers and Parents
Faith, Love and Hope in the Classroom and Beyond
By diligently reading, re-reading and contemplating two lesser-known lectures by
Steiner, and by placing these in the light of the Pedagogical Law, I believe we
can find the four essential steps in education. These two lectures have helped
me immensely in my striving to be a better teacher: to plan a better lesson
rhythm and to hunt down my mistakes when a lesson hasn’t…
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Classroom Exercises to Support Learning Capacities and Readiness
The following exercises and activities are highly recommended as part of a
primary grades teacher’s repertoire of ways to help every child be ready to do his or her best, every
day. Experience has shown that students who receive these activities are able
to move ahead more solidly. Benefits of these exercises -- if done regularly
and with the indicated rhythm -- include:
• Foundations for literacy - developmental capacities for all aspects of
language.
• Foundations for numeracy - the math/logical and spatial intelligences in
motion.
• Readiness for deskwork - enhancing focus and attention. Setting the stage for
harmonious receptivity to new material.
• Bodily/kinesthetic and spatial integration.
• Strengthening the will.
The hierarchy of readiness for learning: what kind of help is needed?
Whatever the signs that more help is needed, our role as adults is to
thoughtfully and carefully decide what kind of individual attention is needed. —> Read more
16 keys to developmental movement needs
A developmental assessment is not a measure of skills or a test of abilities;
rather, we look at the interrelated areas of development that represent a
child's capacities or readiness for learning. —> Read more
Working with the 12 senses
Here is a lens on human development that shines new light on how parents and
teachers can contribute to the healthy growth of children. —> Read more
Strengthening the four lower senses
All who work with children today see that they are changing in ways that concern
and even alarm us. In the preschool and kindergarten classes, we often see
tired children, thin and pale... —> Read more
The values of play; rough and tumble play
(Book review) In the light of continuing growth of “attention deficit” and “hyperactivity” diagnoses, one of the most important topics in this book is rough and tumble
play as a necessary developmental activity, perhaps especially for boys. —> Read more
Waking up to learning with copper rod exercises
Copper rod exercises can support academic progress of grade school children,
including physiology that supports writing and reading; direction, rhythm and
sequencing (related to math); and more! —> Read more
24 movement standards for Third Grade
Working with the dimensions of intelligence
Multiple Intelligences theory - a more rounded picture of the human being... and
a ‘reason’ to be sure a school provides plenty of movement! —> Read more
Speaking with the Young Child – an article by Stephen Spitalny
As parents and teachers of young children, we need to be as conscious as
possible in our speech and language with our children. Particularly with
children through kindergarten age, the content and quality of our speech
affects physical and intellectual development. What we say and how we say it
can be either a support to healthy development or a hindrance.
The most important developmental task for the young child is the growth of her
physical body. A newborn baby has immature, “unfinished” internal organs. Its liver, heart, kidneys and brain must be properly formed in
the first seven years…
At what age are children ready to begin First Grade?
What signs should a teacher look for to indicate school readiness? What should
be done if a child has been placed in first grade too soon? —> Read more
The teening of childhood
It should be clear that the pose the media has in mind for children - cool,
tough, and sophisticated independence - is that of the teenager. The media's
efforts to encourage children to identify with the independent and impulsive
consumer teen - efforts that began tentatively, with Barbie -have now gone into
overdrive... —> Read more
A recipe for academic success
The purpose of this list is not to test anyone’s “degree of good-parent-ness” but only to summarize the many good ideas that are scattered over a wide number
of books and lectures. —> Read more
