Posts

Proximal Praise

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Proximal praise is a strategy that we use a lot at school!  If there is a student that is not following a certain school rule, we simply praise a student that is.  Most of the time when the student not complying hears another student get attention for complying they will follow the rule in order to get attention as well.  For example, if a class is lining up but Student A is still at the table refusing to line up a teacher might say to Student B: “Student B, I like how you are standing in line ready to walk in the hallway.”  Then Student A will get in line.  If you have multiple children at home, this can be a useful tool to use.  If one of your children is cleaning up the toys and the other one is not, praise the child that is following the direction instead of correcting the child that is not listening.  If mealtime is a struggle and one child is eating their food but another child is not, praise the child that is eating the vegetables or meat inste...
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Creating the perfect environment to improve behavior

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Welcome to another school year!  Each month we will post a new topic on our blog. At open house we handed out PBS Parent Packets.  Some of you might be thinking, what is PBS?  PBS is short for Positive Behavior Support.  We have been implementing PBS in our building for 10 school years.  PBS is a proactive approach to systematically teaching and responding to behavior in a positive and consistent way and providing support and interventions as needed.  This is a 3 tiered model.  This year for our blog topics, we are going to dive into Tier 1- our universals and give you tips on how you can incorporate some of this at home.  The first tip of the year is the quote (there is a visual below): “The goal of Positive Behavior Support is not “perfect children”. Rather the goal should be creating the perfect environment for enhancing their growth.”- Randy Sprick. For example, in a classroom setting if there is a book shelf right next to the circle time rug ...
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OT Summer Fun

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See the links below for some summer fun OT activities that you can work on at home!  Have a great summer! June OT Calendar July OT Calendar
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All Abilities Awareness

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  Preschool is the perfect age to start teaching kids about inclusion.   Attending preschool at Don Earl is a great start since we are an inclusive program.   We all have different abilities and we need to learn to all work together.   Not all disabilities are visible, that is why it is important to teach children to treat everyone they meet with respect and kindness.   Teaching kids about different disabilities also goes hand in hand with teaching them about empathy.   Below are some links with more information on inclusion.   We are fortunate to have an all abilities playground here in Jefferson County, so if you are looking for a park to take your child to this spring or summer check out Kade’s Playground in Herculaneum.     There are also opportunities for camps and sports for children of all abilities.   Check out TASK: https://www.taskstl.org/ and DASA: https://dasasports.org/ for more information.     https://www.n...
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Dental Hygiene

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 Dental hygiene is very important, especially at our little learners’ age! How we take care of our pearly whites can affect how we speak, smile, eat and show emotion. Not taking care of our teeth can cost a pretty penny! There are a few steps to follow when beginning to take care of our teeth. -Children should be brushing their teeth twice a day, with a pea sized drop of toothpaste. -Children should rinse and spit once they are finished. -When nearing the age of 5 they should be brushing for 2 minutes. -Children should see a dentist beginning at the age of 4. -Ask your dentist to use teeth sealants when necessary. Avoid eating sugary foods and drinks. -Children under the age of 6 need a parent to watch them as they brush. Teaching our children to take ownership of their dental hygiene sets them up for their future. Smile big!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCio_xVlgQ0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcNAhUqH9U0&t=46s
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Peace, Kindness, & Dreams- Teach your children about Martin Luther King Jr.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia.   His father and grandfather were both pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Martin Luther Jr. was a Baptist minister.  From a very young age, King Jr. watched his father stand up against segregation and many forms of racism and discrimination, which had a very big influence on the future civil rights leader. Martin Luther King Jr’s father, told him that even though he must live in an unjust society, he will never accept it. Kids should be familiar with the concept of civil rights, which are the basic rights every person has in society.   Standing up to someone might be interpreted as arguing, revolting or even reacting violently.  Make sure to tell your child that you can be powerful and successful and do it by remaining nonviolent and peaceful. Martin Luther thought going to school was the most important way to learn essential skills and serves as a foundation on which our core values a...
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Media Use

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Screen Time  A common question heard among parents is how much screen time should a preschooler have in a day? On average a preschooler should only have one hour a day of screen time, this includes Ipads/tablets, smart phones, television, computer screens, etc. It is so important to limit the time spent on screens to enhance your child’s play and social skills. When allowing your child their daily screen time, be sure you know what they are playing or viewing. If they are watching something new or ask for a new game, take a few minutes to view it first before they watch the show or play the game. There are a lot of inappropriate shows and games that preschoolers are exposed to that come across at first glance as child friendly. For example, Huggy Wuggy and Poppy Playtime. Just hearing the name of those shows one might assume they are appropriate for young children, however they are not. If your child is watching YouTube videos, make sure they are on YouTube Kids, however know...
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