Moving from Village to Our Time

Happy New Year!  If you are like me, having a child close to the Our Time age but not quite 18 months when Kindermusik classes begin and unsure which class to sign up for, you are a bit confused.  When my son was 16 months old, I could see that he was ready for the next step because he was able to walk so well, talking and seemed like he would be too much in a Village class.  I was right.  After reading the following and talking to his teacher, we decided that it was the best move for him.  It is hard for an educator sometimes to make this judgement call especially if they don’t know your child and it is hard for you to decide which  class to take thinking that you will be in there with a bunch of babies if your baby is close to the right age.  Also, I think parents are always ready to move on to the next level for everything.  They seem to think they have to push their child thinking this will make them smarter. 

Here is a write up that I found on a fellow Kindermusik teachers’ website so that you can try to decide for yourself.  I feel that a child in between 16-20 months is when it is toughest to place in class.  I have so many 16 year olds that are so different developmentally. Below are some guidelines for figuring out which class.  Please never feel that you need to move your child up just because you think he/she is so advanced for his age etc.  (I hear this a lot!) In fact, I have parents that are almost sad when they move because the Village class is so different than the Our time class.  Please look carefully at this and decide for your self.  Some day, our registration form will include ages up to 20 months for babies in Village classes.

Moving from Village to Our Time
Children ready for this next level show many of the following characteristics:Physical

• Improved walking skills, feet are together,  knees flexible (vs. the “just walker” who has a wide-based, legs apart gate with locked knees)

• Is beginning to imitate/explore a variety of traveling movements—run, jump, leap

Cognitive

• Reliably points to correctly identified body parts

• Can follow two-step direction

• Understands what “one” means (vs. a handful)

• Is learning to use toys and objects in symbolic ways (moving beyond just enjoyment of sensory properties)

• Can interact in a directed activity

• Is able to shift attention with transition

• Connects to an activity; initiates a play sequence

• Reliably responds to own name (refers to self  by name in secure environments)

Emotional

• Uses gestures and language to deal with frustration (as opposed to just crying or whining)

• Sustains interest and attention in activity for several minutes (Note: not wanting to give something up, such as bells or sticks, can be a sign of maturation)

Language

• Can express wants and needs symbolically (gestures, words)

• Has vocabulary of 20 words; receptive language is still stronger than expressive

• Reads with caregiver cooperatively. Child will select book, sit, relate to the story and interact

Social

• Is interested in what other children are doing

• Is capable of distal communication (i.e. following verbal instructions from farther away)

Musical

• Moves to the music, perhaps to a steady beat

Summer classes for cool summer fun!

There’s a big long train called the Allee Allee O! and boy are we having fun.  Do you know the ASL sign for Lion?  How about the one for Monkey?  This is one of my favorite summer camps because it gives me a chance to show the children ASL words for the animals.  Some are getting it, some are just enjoying watching.  That’s ok.  If you look through this ASL browser, you can look up many common words for ASL. 

One other thing about summer camps is the ability for parents to come to the classes that they are able to make.  It is hard for me to guess when they will be on vacation.  So far, the attendance is fine.  The children are having fun. Hopefully the parents are too.

The Zoo train unit is so much fun and the most fun part of it, is pretending.  Last week we pretended to be lions, moving on the grass and then sleeping.  This week we danced and pretended to be zebras and giraffes. Imitation is the first stage of pretend play.  As imitation evolves it  becomes more imaginitative.  The complexity of pretend play can be seen  when the child re-examines life experiences by adding or changing the happening.  Benefits of pretend include:

Vocabulary develeopment, social skill development, differentiation between reality and fantasy, and emotional support.

 Classes are being held this fall in Athens, Catskill and Greenville and beginning very soon, I will be taking registrations online with my new and improved website!

Keep cool.  Check back soon.

Summer classes for cool summer fun!

There’s a big long train called the Allee Allee O! and boy are we having fun.  Do you know the ASL sign for Lion?  How about the one for Monkey?  This is one of my favorite summer camps because it gives me a chance to show the children ASL words for the animals.  Some are getting it, some are just enjoying watching.  That’s ok.  If you look through this ASL browser, you can look up many common words for ASL.  One other thing about summer camps is the ability for parents to come to the classes that they are able to make.  It is hard for me to guess when they will be on vacation.  So far, the attendance is fine.  The children are having fun. Hopefully the parents are too. The Zoo train unit is so much fun and the most fun part of it, is pretending. 

Last week we pretended to be lions, moving on the grass and then sleeping.  This week we danced and pretended to be zebras and giraffes. Imitation is the first stage of pretend play.  As imitation evolves it  becomes more imaginitative.  The complexity of pretend play can be seen  when the child re-examines life experiences by adding or changing the happening.  Benefits of pretend include: Vocabulary develeopment, social skill development, differentiation between reality and fantasy, and emotional support.  Classes are being held this fall in Athens, Catskill and Greenville and beginning very soon, I will be taking registrations online with my new and improved website! Keep cool.  Check back soon.