Cup Stacking is a growing sport.
School-agers love it!
Check out this amazing video and start a stacking craze in your site.
To learn more about speed stacking click here.
To see how cup stacking is linked to the NAA standards click here.
Tips for Managing Active School-Agers.
1. Always have a plan for the day, but be flexible, allowing for changes depending on interest.
2. Have various activities planned that children can take turns doing, in order to minimize wait time.
3. Get the children’s input of what they want to do, and what they have to do (like HW)
4. Set limits and boundaries. Be consistent, predictable, prompt. Keeping it plain and simple eliminates arguments.
5. Give the child a space to cool off, re-group or let out steam.
6. Give smaller specific tasks instead of large tasks.
7. Always encourage physical activities.
8. Prepare for free time giving children appropriate choices.
9. Establish a routine that the children can count on.
10. Look for and appreciate each child’s individuality.
Resource:
Half A Childhood:Quality Programs for Out-of-School Hours by Bender, Flatter &Sorentino, 2005.
***p. 238 Half-a Childhood
Neither babies nor baby sitters.
2. Have various activities planned that children can take turns doing, in order to minimize wait time.
3. Get the children’s input of what they want to do, and what they have to do (like HW)
4. Set limits and boundaries. Be consistent, predictable, prompt. Keeping it plain and simple eliminates arguments.
5. Give the child a space to cool off, re-group or let out steam.
6. Give smaller specific tasks instead of large tasks.
7. Always encourage physical activities.
8. Prepare for free time giving children appropriate choices.
9. Establish a routine that the children can count on.
10. Look for and appreciate each child’s individuality.
Resource:
Half A Childhood:Quality Programs for Out-of-School Hours by Bender, Flatter &Sorentino, 2005.
***p. 238 Half-a Childhood
Neither babies nor baby sitters.
Question of the Day: Boss or Bossy
Question:
"I have a lot of rowdy children in my after-school program and I would like my staff to be able to manage them. How can the staff make sure that the children know that they (the staff) are the boss?"
Answer:
There is a difference between being "Bossy" and being "The Boss."
Being bossy is authoritarian-and is counterproductive to having a pleasant, congenial atmosphere that will enhance a child's development.
Being the boss means using authoritative strategies.
Authoritative strategies show a friendly, positive commitment to the children combined with clear, firm rules and explanations. An authoritative staff provides structure and control while taking the children's wishes and point of view into consideration.
(Clarice Feagin, Elements of a Quality After-School Program)
The Chefs say:
The difference between being authoritarian and
using authoritative strategies:
Telling a child not to knock down someone else's blocks "because I said so" is authoritarian.
An authoritative strategy would be to:
-Ask a child
"how would you feel if your blocks were knocked down without your permission?"
-Come up with an action plan to satisfy a child's desire to build and tear down.
"Its fun to tear down stuff, isn't it."
"What if you take turns building and knocking down? "
"Or what if the two of you see how many blocks it will take to knock this structure down?"
-Have a consistent consequence for someone that has not learned to respect others' creations.
"Jill, come sit over here and lets see how many blocks it will take for Jack to knock that down"
To see how using authoritarian strategies is linked to the NAA standards click here.
*Please feel free to post your own questions and/or answers in the comment section.
We welcome all comments or suggestions.
"I have a lot of rowdy children in my after-school program and I would like my staff to be able to manage them. How can the staff make sure that the children know that they (the staff) are the boss?"
Answer:
There is a difference between being "Bossy" and being "The Boss."
Being bossy is authoritarian-and is counterproductive to having a pleasant, congenial atmosphere that will enhance a child's development.
Being the boss means using authoritative strategies.
Authoritative strategies show a friendly, positive commitment to the children combined with clear, firm rules and explanations. An authoritative staff provides structure and control while taking the children's wishes and point of view into consideration.
(Clarice Feagin, Elements of a Quality After-School Program)
The Chefs say:
The difference between being authoritarian and
using authoritative strategies:
Telling a child not to knock down someone else's blocks "because I said so" is authoritarian.
An authoritative strategy would be to:
-Ask a child
"how would you feel if your blocks were knocked down without your permission?"
-Come up with an action plan to satisfy a child's desire to build and tear down.
"Its fun to tear down stuff, isn't it."
"What if you take turns building and knocking down? "
"Or what if the two of you see how many blocks it will take to knock this structure down?"
-Have a consistent consequence for someone that has not learned to respect others' creations.
"Jill, come sit over here and lets see how many blocks it will take for Jack to knock that down"
To see how using authoritarian strategies is linked to the NAA standards click here.
*Please feel free to post your own questions and/or answers in the comment section.
We welcome all comments or suggestions.
"You'll Never Catch Me on Stage"
"No, not me." She said that she would never get up on stage in front of people.
As an 11 year old, Jen was pretty adamant about that.
Her shyness was precluding her from joining her friends as they participated in the annual variety show.
She reminded me of myself.
I remembered what it felt like to be that age and I recalled my own battles with stage fright.
I decided to help her conquer this fear by giving her a purpose to be on stage.
I asked her to be one of the pole handlers in an ethnic dance called Tinikling.
I told her I needed someone dependable.
Someone who would not drop the poles nor catch a child's ankle with it.
At first she resisted, but she agreed to help with the practices.
Pretty soon Jen was the best pole handler.
She knew that she was important to the success of the dance number.
Finally she agreed to do it on stage, on the condition that she would have her back to the audience.
I agreed, but only if she promised to take a bow before and after the dance.
And she did.
I have had the chance to bump into Jen as a young woman today.
She told me that that experience was one of the biggest achievements of her young life--and it helped arm her with the confidence she needed to manage large groups of children at a local Boys and Girls Club.
Jen is now a senior in college doing her student teaching and I have no doubt will be an excellent teacher for years to come.
by Chesca S.
To see how this story is linked to the NAA standards, click here.
*We welcome your own heart warming stories about your work with children.
As an 11 year old, Jen was pretty adamant about that.
Her shyness was precluding her from joining her friends as they participated in the annual variety show.
She reminded me of myself.
I remembered what it felt like to be that age and I recalled my own battles with stage fright.
I decided to help her conquer this fear by giving her a purpose to be on stage.
I asked her to be one of the pole handlers in an ethnic dance called Tinikling.
I told her I needed someone dependable.
Someone who would not drop the poles nor catch a child's ankle with it.
At first she resisted, but she agreed to help with the practices.
Pretty soon Jen was the best pole handler.
She knew that she was important to the success of the dance number.
Finally she agreed to do it on stage, on the condition that she would have her back to the audience.
I agreed, but only if she promised to take a bow before and after the dance.
And she did.
I have had the chance to bump into Jen as a young woman today.
She told me that that experience was one of the biggest achievements of her young life--and it helped arm her with the confidence she needed to manage large groups of children at a local Boys and Girls Club.
Jen is now a senior in college doing her student teaching and I have no doubt will be an excellent teacher for years to come.
by Chesca S.
To see how this story is linked to the NAA standards, click here.
*We welcome your own heart warming stories about your work with children.
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