Executive function and self-regulation skills allow us to be successful learners, which, in the early years, is crucial! "
Providing the support that children need to build these skills at
home, in early care and education programs, and in other settings they
experience regularly is one of society’s most important
responsibilities. Growth-promoting environments provide children
with “scaffolding” that helps them practice necessary skills before they
must perform them alone. Adults can facilitate the development of a
child’s executive function skills by establishing routines, modeling
social behavior, and creating and maintaining supportive, reliable
relationships. It is also important for children to exercise their
developing skills through activities that foster creative play and
social connection, teach them how to cope with stress, involve vigorous
exercise, and over time, provide opportunities for directing their own
actions with decreasing adult supervision."
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/executive-function/
(Harvard education video defining self regulation in children....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efCq_vHUMqs)
In our PreK classroom, we work to develop and practice executive function skills with the children throughout our teaching day; can we wait calmly? can we take a turn? do we use our words? can we sit and listen to a story? cooperate in a group activity? what kind of choices do we make in play? Every day is different, and each day has its challenges, but we celebrate the stepping stones of developing self regulation skills with positive words and attention.
This week I noted that there were a few activities that absolutely tied into the concept of developing our executive functioning skills- cooking with children, for example! We enjoy cooking with the children; we establish some rules for cooking which include calm hands and voices, listening ears, and taking turns. The children quickly learn that everyone gets a turn (finely orchestrated by the teachers!) and that there might be some taste tests and lovely spices to smell along the way. In other words, their calm attention reaps multiple rewards!
Our gerbil, Oreo, is a lovely reminder to children that self control can be rewarding. We set him out in his ball, observe him for a bit, and then we get a turn holding him; self control and calm waiting were all that were needed to have a turn holding "Oreo."
There are other activities that help us to practice self control; "freeze dance" when we have to stop dancing when the music stops, "red light green light," a game which requires following directions, and again stopping and going on command, and finally "Simon says," which requires listening and following directions for success in the game.
We also enjoy watching Cookie Monster navigate the world of self-control- "ME WANT IT BUT ME WAIT!"
https://youtu.be/9PnbKL3wuH4 There are other youtube clips with Cookie Monster needing to wait; he has varying success, but the message to the children is that waiting has its rewards.
There has also been a migration to the journal table and to "writing"
practice by the children. Writing options are always available; we have a
writing table (for two) with all sorts of writing utensils and paper,
journal writing as a choice after lunch with scented markers, and the
markers, scissors, tape, stencils, and paper are out each morning.
Because the writing projects are a choice, the children joyfully
"choose" to spend their time in this fine motor, cognitive, and
social emotional activity.
Cooking with the PreK 4's is a lesson in patience for everyone, very hands on and involved, but rewarding as you can see by the focus and joy of the children's faces!
Cooking projects are very hands on!
A lovely writing project conducted by Erin. The children sat with her and told her what they were "thankful" for.
We haven't added any new words to our Spanish vocabulary list; rather, we are reinforcing words that we know already. The word for this day is "semilla" which means seed.
Until Next Time,
Michele
