FREEDOM TO LEARN: The roles of play and curiosity as foundations for learning

If anything makes Americans stand tall internationally it is creativity. “American ingenuity” is admired everywhere. We are not the richest country (at least not as measured by smallest percentage in poverty), nor the healthiest (far from it), nor the country whose kids score highest on standardized tests (despite our politicians’ misguided intentions to get us there), but we are the most inventive country. We are the great innovators, specialists in figuring out new ways of doing things and new things to do. Perhaps this derives from our frontier beginnings, or from our unique form of democracy with its emphasis on individual freedom and respect for nonconformity. In the business world as well as in academia and the arts and elsewhere, creativity is our number one asset. In a recent IBM poll, 1,500 CEOs acknowledged this when they identified creativity as the best predictor of future success.[1]

It is sobering, therefore, to read Kyung Hee Kim’s recent research report documenting a continuous decline in creativity among American schoolchildren over the last two or three decades.[2]

Why Preschool Shouldn’t Be Like School

Without a teacher present, children look for a much wider range of information and consider a greater range of options. Knowing what to expect from a teacher is a really good thing, of course: It lets you get the right answers more quickly than you would otherwise. Indeed, these studies show that 4-year-olds understand how teaching works and can learn from teachers. But there is an intrinsic trade-off between that kind of learning and the more wide-ranging learning that is so natural for young children. ..

If We Don’t Let Our Children Play, Who Will Be the Next Steve Jobs?

The forecast doesn’t look good. In an era of parental paranoia, lawsuit mania and testing frenzy, we are failing to inspire our children’s curiosity, creativity, and imagination. We are denying them opportunities to tinker, discover, and explore — in short, to play.

Teaching Writing to a Preschooler: How Not to Kill Their Fire.

“Linda!” Nandu puffed out in exasperation “I CAN’T write! I’m just 4!!”

I looked at her: “Nandu, do you know what writing is?”

PlaySchool for Big Kids?

Whoo-wee! PlaySchool for older kids! What will THAT look like?

Hiking, Collaborating on BIG plans, building, creating, exploring…….being free (like a kid should be….) (do you remmember those days? Wish you had them back? Why not provide that for Your child?)

Kindergarten through 2nd grade welcome!

Parenting Class Series: Echo Parenting Empathy- Lead Paradigm for Raising Children.

Have you ever been surprised at the level of frustration you’ve felt toward your child? Raising children is so difficult, yet most parents don’t get much support to build skills and techniques! This six session private course will help parents to learn a philosophy and practice of parenting that is based on empathy and compassion, yet is not permissive. Topics will include: The science of brain development, setting and holding limits, learning from our own childhoods, emotional intelligence, anger, self regulation and much more.

Taking A Step Back

We all know that our children are not reflections of us, but every once in a while we get tricked into that lie again! It sneaks in, and we spring into RE-action, rather than mindful response. That way of “reflective” thinking is a trap that often leads us to seek approval from the random parents around us. It can throw us into a tizzy of self-judgment: Oh my gosh my child is screaming….

The Knowing Garden Open Enrollment for 2012-2013 School Year!

We are pleased to announce that The Knowing Garden Open Enrollment for the 2012-13 school year will begin on Tuesday November 1, 2011
and will run through Friday, February 17, 2012. Enrollment for the 2011 year is on-going. We hope you will join one of our Parent Information Nights
which will be held in our classroom at St.Andrew’s Church in Redondo Beach.

Ready To Learn: Defining Kindergarten Readiness Once and For All!

Now: Everything you need to know to Get Your Child Ready for Kindergarten! Kindergarten readiness, a hot topic among politicians, is also a hot topic among parents. With this in mind, let’s look at how kindergarten readiness goes far beyond learning the ABC’s and starts way back in infancy. Here are some general indicators that early childhood educators agree show children are prepared to enter kindergarten…

THINGS THAT COME UP AT SCHOOL – a workshop on getting through homework with positive connections

The Knowing Garden, along with Melody Elder M.A. E.d. is hosting a Parenting
Workshop on Monday, Oct 17th. The subject is “Things That Come Up At School”
and it focuses on getting through lessons and homework with positive connections
as well as being the best advocate you can be for your student.

All families are welcome. Please click here for information and
registration: http://knowinggarden.org/parenting-workshop/

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