Good books are the warehouses of ideas.

H.G. Wells

kydzilicious!!!

When your child creates using the Froebel Gifts, they are actually learning. Here are some tips on using the Froebel Gifts to help your child learn.

Gift 3

..... every gift matters ....

(most tips in next Sunday postings)

拼一拼 拼出聪明小脑袋

“拼图”是一种大人与小孩都能玩的游戏，它可以启发智能及帮助其养成解决事情的能力，但是妈咪在选择拼图的时候，一定要注意材质和安全性，以免小朋友刮到手而受伤。

　　玩拼图有助于手眼协调

　

玩拼图有益于孩子的哪些发展呢？首府托儿所所长谢宜静说，对于孩子的精细动作、手眼协调、逻辑观念等都有帮助，他将好处归纳为以下几点：

1. 训练小朋友了解“部分”与“全部”的关系─可以让孩子知道许多的“部分”能拼凑出一个“全部”，以及“一个全部”是由“许多部分”所组成的。

2. 培养小朋友平面组合的概念─积木是立体的组合，而拼图是一种平面组合的概念，在局限的2D范围里拼出一个物品，一个合于逻辑的东西。

3. 培养小朋友学会顺序／秩序／逻辑的意义─许多小朋友在一开始接触多片的拼图时，自然就知道要从边缘开始拼，这就是学习顺序、秩序及逻辑的意义，并且从观察与判断中学习分类，他得观察范例上的正确拼法，才能拼出正确答案。　

4. 增进小朋友操作及手眼协调能力─拼图需要小朋友耐心的操作，以及手眼协调能力，只要一不协调就不能将色块放在正确的位置，但一开始不会的小朋友，只要多练习几次自然就会了。

5. 培养小朋友的观察力，培养耐心、专注力─通常拼图都是由日常生活中拼起，所以小朋友要熟悉身边的事物，才能按照逻辑拼出正确的图形，除此之外，还可以培养孩子的耐心及专注力，让他可以坐得住的做一件事。

6. 学习解决问题的方法及策略─玩拼图能学习推理思考能力，因为小朋友会经由尝试不同的选择，到决定正确的一片放下去，也就是经过假设、判断到选择的过程，让他学习运用逻辑来解决问题的方法。

7. 提高孩子的挫折忍受度及耐力─孩子在玩拼图的过程中难免会有拼错的时候，这时他们会感到挫折，表达不想玩的意愿，但是大人可以从旁协助他们，帮他们度过难关。

8. 从混乱／破坏重建中获得肯定，同时建立对自我的信心─当孩子完成拼图时，容易让他感受到成就感，这是提高孩子兴趣很重要的元素，也是日后让他独立完成拼图的自信心来源。

　　选对拼图孩子才有兴趣

　　

专家提醒家长，选择拼图给孩子玩的时候可以把握以下几点原则：

1. 切勿只在乎片数─选择拼图时必须难易轮流交替，不要以为愈多片的会让孩子感觉愈有趣，因为轻松容易的拼图可以让孩子增加成就感，而较难的拼图能让孩子培养耐心、增加观察力。

2. 图案的种类要注意─拼图的难易度除了片数之外，种类也是很重要，通常卡通、线条色块分明者比较好拼，单色或色彩渐层不易分类或区分的就比较困难了。

3. 不要高估孩子的能力─有些家长因为看孩子拼得很好，就觉得孩子的能力很强，于是选择跳了好几级的拼图给孩子，这时孩子可能会因为无法完成而产生很大的挫折感，甚至会很久都不愿意碰拼图，虽然适度的挫折可以提高孩子的受挫度，但过大却会让他失去信心和兴趣，所以家长千万不要高估了孩子的能力喔！

4. 不要急于告诉孩子正确的位置或技巧─在引导孩子玩拼图时，等待是很重要的，让孩子自己去发觉一些有用的拼图技巧，比直接告诉他更好，孩子的反应在这时就会显现出来，而不会让他一直在等你提醒要如何拼。

"Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear." -- Nelson Mandela

Only when the child is able to identify its own centre

with the centre of the universe does education really begin.
Maria Montessori (1870 - 1952)
Source: The Great Work: Our Way into the Future, Page: 16

读万卷书，行万里路. ——刘彝

图片说明:明 董其昌《白羽扇赋》卷

Rick: Here's looking at you, kid.

Humphrey Bogart (1899 - 1957)
Source: As Rick Blaine in Casablanca, 1942

KYDZ AT PLAY.

RING AROUND A ROSIE - CHICAGO - 1941

Happy Father's Day

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.

Sigmund Freud

When your child creates using the Froebel Gifts, they are actually learning. Here are some tips on using the Froebel Gifts to help your child learn.

Gift 3

.... every gift matters ...

(most tips in next Sunday postings)

非学无以广才，非志无以成学

——诸葛亮

图片说明:明 王铎《草书诗卷》

PLAY. BE SEEN IN IT.

Children playing on the roof of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel - NYC 1919

The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.

Plato

The best smell is bread;

the best savor, salt;

the best love, that of children.

George Herbert (1593 - 1633)

TEMPER TANTRUMS

GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS:

Temper tantrums are usually more a problem at home than at school. The causes can be varied but usually include the following:

1. Inconsistent means of discipline or control by adults.

2. The child may have found that temper tantrum is a very profitable means of getting his or her own way.

3. Conflicting standards between parents or parents and grandparents,etc. If adults disagree, these conflicting standards can not only cause confusion on what is the proper behavior but also increase frustration and tempermental outbursts.

4. Prolonged periods of illness, especially during very early childhood years where the child has received a disproportionate amount of attention and has been very used to getting his or her own way.

5. Overcritical, harsh, or nagging parents. This can build resentment in the child who may take his or her anger out at one or both parents.

6. Overindulgence. Parents who tend to give in to little tantrums to avoid conflict or upsetting the child may be inadvertently discouraging the development of the child's ability to learn to control his or her impulses and behavior. This can lead to even more severe temper tantrums which the child exhibits in an attempt to get his or her own way.

7. Imitation by the child of observed adult outbursts of temper. Children often model their behavior and style of expressing their emotions by modeling parental behavior.

In treatment the child needs to learn to re-learn how to handleand express their emotions in a socially positive way. Usually it isgood to help the child understand that there is no bad feeling or wrong feeling, there is only wrong behavior and they need to explore ways that are okay for them to express their anger. In addition, the child must learn that a temper tantrum never results in a victory. It is also often helpful to work with the child's parents and to determine which of the causes listed above may have contributed to the condition and to remove them. In addition, the parents and adults should never talk to or reason with the child during an emotional outburst. The reasoning should be done sometime after the tantrum is over and the child has had time to cool off. In addition, it is helpful to not make any reference directly to the tantrum. The tantrum itself should not bring attention, rather praise or encouragement should be given for the desirable behavior when it happens.

In addition, the parents themselves much provide an example of calm and considerate behavior. When it becomes necessary to remove the child during a temper tantrum because of danger to himself or others, it should be done without any lectures and in a very calm, firm manner without comment. Giving the child the option of going to their room until they cool off is often an effective technique at helping them regain composure. There should be no time limit placed on the child being in the room. The child should simply be told that when they can calm down and regain control of themselves they will be allowed to discuss the issues with their parents. Tantrums usually quickly subside without an audience.

什么是阅读障碍

阅读障碍是指智力正常或超常，但在阅读成绩上落后的现象。究竟落后到什么程度才算是阅读障碍呢？一般是以阅读成绩落后于一到两个年级的分数作为标准，这也就是说，诊断阅读障碍是以标准化的阅读测验测试儿童，发现儿童在平均成绩上低于其他同龄儿童，只达到低年级儿童的平均水平。

　　在现代社会，阅读能力是一项极为重要的能力，因为几乎所有的现代信息都要通过阅读来获取，尽管计算机已经十分普及，但计算机并不能代替人的阅读，相反，它更有赖于阅读。

　　阅读是一个十分复杂的过程，因为阅读几乎涉及了所有的心理功能。有人把阅读比做弹钢琴，意思是说，阅读需要多种心理功能的协调，就像弹钢琴要种种心理功能的合作一样。在阅读过程中，我们首先需要发挥视知觉的作用，视知觉的分辨与记忆，都需参与进来。其次，阅读需要对声音的辨别与记忆，阅读是一个对所看到的字的声音的反应过程，只有熟练的读者，才能进入默读。通过将字形、字音和字义的联结，我们获得对字词的理解。几乎所有的文字都是音、形、义的联合，缺少其中的某一个环节，人对字词的认知与学习就会出现困难。

　　人类很早就有了语言，通过声音和手势，人们彼此沟通和理解。但文字却是很晚才出现的，最古老的文字也只有几千年的历史。更何况阅读的普及是近几百年的事情。当资本主义制度发展起来之后，随着报纸和书籍的普及，阅读才成为人类的必不可少的一种能力。

　　过去很长一段时间，人们对儿童的教育并不注重阅读能力，因为只有很少的一部分人靠读书谋生，也只能有很少的人才能靠读书谋生，所以，不用阅读，儿童长大以后也能适应社会，只要有强壮的体能和其他的技能就足以生存。

　　而在现代社会，阅读成为适应社会的必不可少的功能，如果不能阅读，一个人很难在现代社会中，找到一个如意的工作。

阅读如此复杂，又如此重要，难怪心理学和教育学都重视语言和阅读的学习。而与此并不协调的是，有许多人具有阅读障碍，这些人看上去与其他人没有什么两样，谈吐举止都很得体，但就是一提到阅读就像换了一个人似的。有一个电视台的编导，很有幽默感，也很勤奋，对电视的编导很有水平，可就是阅读速度极慢。他说，最痛苦的事情就是不能像其他人一样快速阅读，他很想看书，也需要看书，但一看书，只能在辨认字形上花时间，而这样妨碍了他对文字内容的理解。他因此没上大学，他知道他这样的人很难竞争过阅读能力正常的人。他只是凭借着对形象思维的超群才能当上一名编导。像这样具有阅读障碍的人真是不尽其数，据统计，大约占到儿童的5%。长期以来存在这种阅读障碍的人得不到人们的理解，尤其是在儿童时期，这样的儿童常常被家长当作是爱玩的孩子，学习不专心或懒惰的孩子，他们不仅得不到大人的理解，反而蒙受着不公正的批评。久而久之，这些孩子变得自卑和自弃，自认为无论如何努力，就是在学习上赶不上别人。许多具有阅读障碍的人成绩为差生，一生事业无成。

那么具有阅读障碍的儿童都有哪些学习上的困难呢？

　　1. 认字与记字困难重重，刚学过的字，就忘记；
　　2. 听写成绩很差；
　　3. 朗读时增字与减字；
　　4. 朗读时不按字阅读，而是随意按照自己的想法阅读；
　　5. 错别字连篇，写字经常多一画或少一笔；
　　6. 阅读速度慢；
　　7. 逐字阅读或以手指协助；
　　8. 说作文可以，但写作文过于简单，内容枯燥；
　　9. 经常搞混形近的字，如把视与祝弄混；
　　10. 经常搞混音近的字；
　　11. 学习拼音困难，经常把Q看成O；
　　12. 经常颠倒字的偏旁部首。

　　上述阅读困难涉及的心理能力很复杂，既有视知觉方面的问题，也有听知觉方面的问题，也有音和形轩换的问题，还有对字义的理解的问题。

When your child creates using the Froebel Gifts, they are actually learning. Here are some tips on using the Froebel Gifts to help your child learn.

Gift 3

... every gift matters ...

(more tips in next Sunday postings)

One test of the correctness of educational procedure

is the happiness of the child.

-– Maria Montessori

PLAY. NEVER OUT OF STYLE.

CHILDREN PLAYING MARBLES, 1970.