The Pica Perspective

Why Letting Children Fail Is Critical to Success: http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=35&Itemid=65

Early childhood professionals: What topics would you like to have explored on BAM Radio? What issues do you feel are most pressing? Let me know!

It's TOADY time again...

...and all I can say is OMG.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Reclaiming Childhood from Corporate Marketers

Back by popular demand: CCFC's 2nd annual TOADY AWARDS.  Last year, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Barbie took home the top prize.  Who will win this year's dreaded TOADY?  It's up to you!  Click here to cast your vote.

In February, the Toy Industry Association of America presented their annual TOTY (Toy Of The Year) Awards.  Now, in recognition of the industry that has led the way in commercializing childhood, we have selected five nominees for the TOADY (Toys Oppressive And Destructive to Young Children) Award for the worst toy of the year.  

Here, from among the thousands of toys that promote violence and/or precocious sexuality and/or push branded entertainment and electronic wizardry at the expense of children's play, are the five exceptional finalists:

• A website celebrating lechery, violence, and animal cruelty...and is marketed to preschoolers.
• A portable device that turns the whole world into a screen.
• A violent toy doubling as an ad for Mature-rated videogames.
• A $2,500 toy introducing preschoolers to the soul-crushing monotony of office work.
• And Barbie's back - with a toy that has to be seen to be believed.

Who are these nominees?  Find out and cast your ballot at: http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/actions/toady2010.html.  Voting is open until May 10.  All voters can enter a drawing to win their choice of one of four decidedly unTOADYish toys.  So vote today - and let your friends and family know about the TOADYs.

Could worksheets be good? Listen to what a panel of experts has to say @ http://tinyurl.com/ydjgbmq !

NAEYC's parent site

Below is a press release from the National Association for the Education of Young Children:

NAEYC offers new website, tips for parents searching for quality child care
Newly redesigned RightChoiceforKids.org gives parents a one-stop shop for information about high-quality early childhood education

(Washington, D.C.) – The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is very excited to announce the launch of a newly redesigned website specifically made for parents and families. The new rightchoiceforkids.org should be every parent’s first stop when beginning their search for quality child care for their young child from birth through 5 years old. The new rightchoiceforkids.org offers families tips on finding quality child care, allows for easy search for NAEYC-Accredited programs in your area, provides parent-focused articles and videos, and other great resources!

Rightchoiceforkids.org first launched in 2006 as a way to help parents look for NAEYC-Accredited programs – the mark of quality in early childhood education. But looking for a high-quality program can be challenging with all the choices available to parents. Rightchoiceforkids.org helps communicate that the best way to guarantee a program’s quality is by looking for the NAEYC Torch – a symbol of NAEYC Accreditation. NAEYC-Accredited programs are required to meet 10 early childhood program standards and demonstrate compliance with more than 400 specific criteria, which were created using the latest research and developmentally appropriate practices in the field.

“High-quality early childhood education is a critical component to a child’s success in school and life,” said Mark R. Ginsberg, executive director of NAEYC. “For years parents have asked us what early childhood program would be best for their child and rightchoiceforkids.org helps answer that question."

In addition to looking for NAEYC-Accredited programs, parents can also use the following checklist of tips when visiting programs for the first time:

1. A good program will always provide parents an opportunity to visit, stay awhile, and get a good sense of the environment.
2. Parents should ask about and observe group sizes and the number of teaching staff in each classroom. NAEYC recommends no more than 8 babies or 12 toddlers with at least 2 teaching staff. For preschoolers, group size should not exceed 20 children with at least 2 teaching staff always present.
3. Play, including dramatic play and blocks and active play outdoors, should be integrated into classroom topics of study. Play not only supports children’s intellectual development; it is also very important for the physical development of children.
4. Programs should promote the health and nutrition of children.
5. Children in the program should be engaged with one another and their teachers. Listen and watch for a happy buzz of activity—neither too quiet nor too loud.
6. Teachers should use positive speech and be loving and responsive to a child.
7. A good program should be able to adapt to the needs of each individual child without ignoring the whole group.
8. Teaching staff should be qualified academically.
9. Parents should ask about teacher turnover. A high-quality program will have well-compensated and well-trained staff to ensure retention.
10. Programs should have a strong connection with the families of each child and the community, as well.

Parents should also think about what they see based on what they know about their child. Are the teachers treating children in ways that will be comfortable to their child? Are the materials and activities likely to be of interest and to be challenging but achievable to their child? Is the program interested in what is important to the parent and willing to work with the family to give a child the high-quality experiences he or she deserves?

Overall parents should feel comfortable in an early education setting. Chances are if a parent does not feel comfortable, neither will the child. It is also important for parents to understand that NAEYC-Accredited programs will not only meet a child where he or she is, but will also present challenges to improve that child’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

For more information about how parents can find the best child care or preschool program, visit www.rightchoiceforkids.org or call NAEYC toll-free at 800-424-2460.

Should schools ban cookies? Healthy decision or dangerous precadent? What do you think? http://tinyurl.com/3xdmc4a .

Child- or teacher-directed learning? What's the difference? Does it matter? Listen to the experts @ http://tinyurl.com/ydjgbmq !

Get ready for National PE & Sport Week

Move Every Body, Every Day, Every Way: Take Part in National Physical Education and Sport Week May 1-7

The National Association for Sport & Physical Education (NASPE) has all new activity ideas each day during the week as well as two new contests this year with prizes from Speed Stacks!

One contest involves designing a Physical Activity Calendar for NASPE's Teacher Toolbox and the other is an essay writing contest called "What Physical Education Means to Me." View the complete contest guidelines.

The week culminates with a multi-school "flash mob" dance. Students, school staff, parents, community members and administrators can all be involved! Check out the steps to the dance.

Available Soon! Get Your G.A.M.E. (Get Active, Move and Exercise) On fitness package developed by Sony Pictures in partnership with NASPE, and tied to the upcoming movie The Karate Kid in movie theaters on June 11.

Get Your G.A.M.E. On can help your students get their 60 minutes a day and strengthen their bodies and minds. It’s also another great way to be active during National Physical Education and Sport Week!

Get Your G.A.M.E. On resources will be available later this month – watch the NASPE Web site!

Mind in the making

Following is a letter from Ellen Galinsky of the Families and Work Institute. If you do nothing else, be sure to watch the "marshmallow test" on YouTube!

_______________

After eight years of research, I am very excited to tell you that Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs will be published on April 20^th. In addition, the Mind in the Making Vook (video book with about 50 videos) is now available at http://vook.com/ and the three volumes (for your computer, iPhone or iPad) can be ordered at the links below:

• Volume One

• Volume Two

• Volume Three

I am also thrilled to tell you that the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric is scheduled to air a special preview of Mind in the Making on April 20^th. We invite you to tune in and then visit the website after April 20th to see additional footage and experiments!)

With New Screen Concepts, we have interviewed and filmed more than 85 eminent child development researchers and neuroscientists who opened their labs to us, enabling us to share their research as it was being conducted.

Here is one example of the more than 50 videos we have created: the “Marshmallow Test” conducted by Dr. Walter Mischel of Columbia University and his colleagues.

What was your reaction when you saw the Marshmallow Test? If your reaction was like many others, you will understand why we are so committed to sharing Mind in the Making.

I set out on this eight-year journey to reconcile two images. One was the image that came from an Ask the Children study I was developing on youth (children from the third through the twelfth grades) and learning. I found that far too many children were turned off by learning. Their faces were flat and expressionless when they talked about learning.

The other image was of young children who are unstoppable learners. They want to see, taste, touch, and master everything. Their eyes are sparkling and bright. So my goal was to find out what we can do to keep that fire in children’s eyes burning brightly.

From FWI’s workforce and workplace research, I know that there is a gap between the skills needed for today’s and tomorrow’s worlds and the skills children learn. From child development research, I could also see that certain skills have the most powerful short-term and long-term effects on children’s development. And these became the focus of my inquiry, determining which skills have the most positive effects on children now and in the future. Ultimately, I identified seven skills, which I call life skills because of their powerful potential to help children thrive socially, emotionally, and intellectually. These are a different set of skills than others have proposed. They include such skills as focus, perspective taking and taking on challenges.

I am convinced that we will not be able to address the skills gap and the achievement gap in this country without including life skills.  It is also clear that these skills help adults thrive too!

Although we feel that the release of the book and Vook are milestone events that we are celebrating, we feel even more strongly that April 20^th is the launch of the next phase of our work.  We are creating a wide array of multimedia materials for families, teachers and the general public. I invite you to join us at this stage of our journey by:

• Sharing what you do to promote these skills on our website—we will collect and share these ideas; and
• Creating a book or a Vook club to read, see, and discuss these ideas.

I am happy to discuss these ideas with you online (please visit us at www.mindinthemaking.org.) If you would like to plan an in-person presentation and discussion in your company or community, please contact shuang@familiesandwork.org.

I am deeply grateful to the funders who made this journey possible, to the many researchers who shared their work with us, and to all of you for your interest and support over the years.

I look forward to the next stage of this journey with you!

Best,

Ellen Galinsky, President

Families and Work Institute

from Time Magazine: How Not to Raise a Bully: The Early Roots of Empathy @ http://tinyurl.com/y7r4nbm .