Monday, June 27, 2011

Classroom Games - Draw the Teacher, 3D Tic-Tac-Toe & More

Stand Up, Sit Down, Turn Around

This festival is a great game for shapes, angles and much more.

1) Draw different shapes on the table.

2) Point to each shape and say its name.

3) The students repeat the form of the name.

4) Say the name wrong for some forms.

5) When you say the wrong name of students must get up, sit down and turn on their desks as quickly as possible.

6) The page that this is the fastest gets the point.

7)Play up to when the class seems confident that the name of the forms.

If you have some slower guys just choose one person from each side of rock, paper, scissors to avoid embarrassing point for a student to slow, which is last to play every time. This is a great game for kids moving and to verify the conditions.

Draw Master

This is a fun game for younger students.

1) Draw two empty points on the board.

2) Ask students to answer twoQuestion.

Answer 2) and the students are on board, draw a body part.

3) The team with the most insane looking for teachers who wins the game.

4) I usually say, to draw that part of the body.

If you want to extend the game to make the students draw things such as earrings, beards, hats, t-shirt logos, etc. ..

3D Tic-Tac-Toe

This is a fun game where everyone brings revision.

1) Draw three empty tic-tac-toe board onBoard.

2) Divide the class into two teams.

3) Choose two students and ask them a question is.

4) Students answer the questions and then to the Board.

5) to select students with the help of his team, who put their X or O

6) The team with the most lines at the end of the game wins.

If you want to add more than extend the game tic-tac-toe boards.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Fun Online Math Games - Reinforce Core Standards for Kindergartners

As a mom and certified teacher, I see both sides of education. As I struggle to get my kids to do their homework, saying to myself "Does every parent go through this?" I wonder whether the worksheets sent home really help my children learn. As a teacher, I understand the importance of practice, reinforcement and the connection of school and home. It's a basic understanding whether you are a trained teacher or a parent that for meaningful learning to take place tasks need to be connected to the real world, but most of all they need to be FUN.

As a parent of a kindergartener we are working on counting and basic math concepts. Most pre-schoolers can count by rote to ten and then to twenty with help. My daughter is great at this, but I know she doesn't quite understand math conceptually yet, for example she can't picture the difference between 5 and 15 pennies. Furthermore, writing the numbers by hand with pencil and paper is a task all in itself. Fine motor skills are still being developed, and often 5 and 2 are written backwards. Per the Core Standards for Mathematics kindergarteners "should see addition and subtraction equations, and student writing of equations in kindergarten is encouraged, but it is not required" (pg. 9). Phew, good thing, because I know this would become another mother-daughter battle!

So, I ask myself, how can I encourage my daughter, or as a teacher my students, to see these addition and subtraction equations while making it fun, connecting it to the real world, building confidence, and most of all, be easy to implement without triggering the homework battle syndrome?

The answer...computers, specifically online math games. Kindergarteners are capable of maneuvering on simple websites. It's fun, it's real world because they get to use Mommy or Daddy's computer, just like Mommy or Daddy, and they do not have to struggle with handwriting. As a parent, it frees up some time to do a few chores. Teachers with smart boards in the classroom can bookmark certain pages and use online math games during small group or whole group activity periods in a variety of ways.

As an educator we can feel good that this is just one of many brain based learning strategies that improves the processing of information from short to long term memory. Most of all as a parent, we will see our kids having fun learning, while secretly smiling knowing that they are increasing their confidence and abilities with math, counting and equations. However, most importantly, we have avoided at least one less homework battle.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Online Educational Learning Games for Kids - Fun Way of Tutoring for Parents and Children

Online games are no longer limited to racing cars and computers are no longer used only for emailing and chatting. Online educational games for kids are becoming a popular way to teach kids about alphabets, number and words and other information.

Advantages of Online Educational Learning Games

Online educational learning games is an effective way with endless options for teaching kids of all age groups, children are also able to operate it without much assistance. Parents find it easier to teach kids through these programs, who become familiar with operating the computer.

Kids have fun learning phonetics, spellings and even a new language. Children are not willing to learn math tables or difficult words at school. They find it fun to sit in front of a Computer and learn languages and solve mathematical problems. In this age of computers, computers are becoming an important part of the child's daily curriculum with parents opting to teach these kids new things each day with the help of online educational games.

Computer games are also known to improve the motor skills in children. In addition, the level of these games can be adjusted according to the level and learning ability of the kids. The makers of these games keep the kid's interest in mind while designing them so that their interest is maintained. Another advantage of these games is that you can find free online games and do not have to invest in these expensive products.

There is unlimited knowledge available on the net, waiting to be tapped. There are so many interesting games available on the internet that the children are sure to find new games where they are through playing with the older ones.

Other activities that are available on the internet include online coloring games. This is also a constructive way that children can use to pass their leisure time and according to experts reflects the emotions of these children.

Another advantage is that the kids can lay in the comfort of their home and do have to be tutored elsewhere. Also, kids who are fond of playing on the computer can spend their time learning educational material instead on video games that teach violence.

Parents have to keep an eye on their kids and make sure that they do not spend time on the computer playing games that could be harmful for them. It is essential to direct the kids to educational sites that have beneficial games and are known to help the progress of these children.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Help! My son has not been screened for eligibility for special education and found? Now what to do!

Your child with special education staff has checked and were told that they are entitled to benefits? Your doctor knows that your child has autism, but the school has determined that a screening and found that your child has autism, so was not eligible? In this article are shown, and as entitled to special education related services.

School districts need to do something in the U.S., that is, to find a child. What themeans that school districts are required to detect, identify and assess those who have a disability. This requirement is included in the Persons with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and 300.111 (a) (i). Many school districts use screening tools as a basis for the fulfillment of their obligations to find the child.

But screening is not the same as proof of eligibility for special education. Once the school district is someone who may have a disability, throughScreening process must be evaluated to determine if they are entitled, according to the idea and the child find requirements.

The evaluation should be complete and all areas of suspected disability, which is required by IDEA. Some of these areas may need speech / language, occupational therapy needs, mobility impairments, learning disorders of central auditory processing, needs, social / emotional and behavioral, functional requirements, and sensory processing disordernot only academic difficulties.

So, if your child is screened and the thought of a disability, your child must be a full assessment to be completed to determine if they are eligible for special education and related services. Accept no screening test as a privilege!

IDEA states that two things must occur in order to be eligible:

1 You must have a disability

2 They have special needs.

Many school districts are able to explain that the childDisability must affect the education there, but the idea was reauthorized in 2004, was taken! You must have a disability and needs special needs (not only academic needs, as discussed above).

The notion of counting unique educational needs in the broadest sense: the law: BS vs. Seattle School District No1 (9 th Circuit 1996). . . academic, social, health, emotional, communicative, physical and professional needs

Once thetesting is complete, a meeting between you and your eligible education staff special district in its place. Do not go alone, try a different parent or a lawyer who has specific training. The eligibility of the conference is a most important conferences in special education.

During the meeting eligibility if the child is found eligible for special education curriculum develops individual support. If youare not, ask for an independent educational evaluation at public expense, because with the evaluation of school districts (and / or interpretation) do not agree.

Many school districts find children for special education programs, even if they have a disability and have special needs. The difficulty begins with their interpretation of the test. The test results can be extremely low, but we interpret it as OK, and then findthe child is not eligible.

You have to defend, because their parents are upon you! Good luck in this difficult process, but it will be worth it!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Traditional Wooden Toys For Education and Child Development

Children are learning even before they are born. Every event or experience they have is educational which is why it is important for them to have access to play facilities and toys that will make a positive contribution to their ongoing learning.

Play activities contribute towards a child's educational development in many ways including:

Psycho-motor skills development: hand to eye coordination, dexterity
Language development
Communication skills
Cognitive skills: (concentration, perception, memory and logical thinking)
Creative thinking and problem solving
Personality development

Modern Toys

Today's toy shops are full of the latest whizzy electronic toys. Many are advertised as being educational but are really little more than attention grabbing noise making devices. Tests have shown that humans are predisposed to pay attention to rapidly changing events and loud or unusual sounds. Many modern toys exploit these predispositions with loud, noise-making flashing toys that will grab the attention of any youngster. While toys like theses may be amusing many actually provide limited educational value.

The right educational toys will be stimulating and fun to play with rather than simply another form of entertainment. And the right educational toy for a baby is obviously a lot different to the educational toy that will stimulate a 10 year old.

Babies and Infants

Babies and infants need things to look at, to touch, to shake, to taste, to rattle and to roll. Varied colours, varied textures, varied sounds and varied behaviours will all provide immense enjoyment and stimulation to an infant and they will be learning whilst having fun.

Toddlers in the 1 to 2 year age range are getting to grips with language and associations with the physical world. They like to stack things, build things up and then knock them down again. They will often find the packaging more interesting than the item that was packed!

The baby walker is a well known traditional toy that is loved by toddlers, helping them to take their first wobbly steps. Equipped with a cargo of assorted bricks that allow the child to stack and build and knock down while encouraging their creativity.

As they grow toddlers begin to copy and emulate the adults and older children around them. They will enjoy dressing up, role play and imaginative fantasy games that will see them adopting personas such as a fireman, postman, nurse or doctor. They will also derive enjoyment from problem solving, puzzle games, building kits and creative craft work.

The toy castle is another traditional toy that many of us will remember from our own childhoods. Building the castle encourages all sorts of skills development including manual dexterity, language skills and creativity as the child imagines their castle occupied by knights and princesses, fighting off dragons and invaders.

Creative Play

From a very early age children will enjoy creating things by drawing, painting, gluing and colouring. As they grow their drive to create becomes ever more sophisticated. They will want to have a go at all sorts of creative play, from painting pictures to pottery. Luckily there are plenty of creativity toys from simple sets of crayons and colouring books to bead jewellery and flower gardens.

Don't be deceived by the hype and advertising of modern, supposedly educational toys. Many have limited educational value and are actually entertainment devices that provide little stimulation or opportunities for learning. There are many traditional toys that make ideal gifts and will provide a valuable educational experience for a growing child.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Math Games to Enhance Your Children's Learning

Many kids find math to be confusing and frustrating, but there are some ways to prevent this from happening. Introducing your kids to math while they are young can help them become familiar with numbers and it will help them understand them as well. One great way to introduce your children to math is to use the various math games that are available for purchase. These games are usually a great deal of fun and teach your kids that math can be exciting. When your children associate learning math with fun, no doubt they will do much better in their math classes at school.

There are many different educational math games that are available, such as card games and board games as well. No doubt you will quickly see that there are many great card games and board games that can help your child to improve their math skills. If your kids are just starting to learn about numbers and shapes, one great game to consider is GeoShapes. This games uses both Metric and English measuring systems, and strategy is part of the game too. No doubt your whole family will have a great time playing it.

Computer games can be another great way to help your kids learn and enjoy math. There are many math computer games that are great for kids, especially since so many kids are comfortable with using a computer and enjoy playing games on it. You can even find great math games for the computer that will allow your whole family to play. Some kids may have difficulty with math because of a short attention span, and using computer games is a great way to keep their attention while they learn math.

If your child learns in a more traditional way, there are many great books that teach more about math too. You can find excellent books for every level of math that will help you kids understand the concepts in a fun way. There are books on graphing, geometry, and other types of math too. Even though they are books, they do not have to be boring; in fact, many of these math books have Disney characters or other characters that your kids will recognize and love. Kids that love Disney characters will no doubt enjoy a math book that has their favorite character teaching them about math.

Even if your child has not entered school yet, there are great games available to introduce them to math. There are also educational math games available for kids of all ages in school as well. Math games are a great way to get your kids more comfortable with math. These games will also help them have fun with math, which will help them associate math with a great time. Math games are very entertaining, and no doubt you and your kids will have a great time when playing them.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

PBS Kids Games - Frequently Asked Questions

For those of you who are familiar with the educational shows that PBS puts out for both adults and children you will be pleased to know that there is an online site called PBS kids. This site offers educational PBS kids games and a whole lot more for your child. Here are some frequently asked questions about this site, that may help you decide if PBS kids games are right for you.

Is The Site Free?
The first question most parents asked is if the site is free. The answer to that question is both yes, and no. There are some free games and down loadable pages you can take advantage of but to get complete access to all the games and activities you need to register and pay a fee. The fee is around $10.00 a month or you can save $20.00 by registering for an entire year at just under $80.00. Keep in mind however, that most educational computer games you purchase in a store costs $50.00 per game and here you get over 50 educational games and many other activities as well.

Just What Do I Get For My Registration Fee?
You actually get a lot of value for your registration fee as you get complete access to all the activities on the PBS site. This includes both educational PBS kids games and arcade style PBS kids games. There is also down loadable color sheets and PBS television episodes to keep your child learning and entertained. PBS has even designed a way for parents to follow their children's progress so they know where they are at when it comes to educational skills.

Is There Any Way To Know If My Kids Are Going To Like The Site Before I Register?
With most people's finances today, no one wants to spend money for a site your child won't use. PBS kids games understand this and so they offer both a handful of free games and coloring sheets you can try as well as a trial period for the site itself. Taking advantage of both the free games and the trial period should give you a good idea whether or not your child likes the site, uses it and is actually benefiting from it before you lay down your hard earned money.

What Do Other Parents Say About PBS Kids Games
Most of the reviews on this site are good. Parents especially like that PBS allows preschoolers to watch an entire range of their favorite shows such as Barney, Sesame Street and Teletubbies. Keep in mind however, that while they have some math and reading skill development for slightly older children this site is primarily designed for toddlers, preschoolers and early elementary. This is not a bad thing it is just something that parents should be aware of.

Most parents do recommend that parents look over the site before presenting it to their child as there are some plugins that are necessary for your child to be able to fully use the site and parents may want to make sure the entire site is up and running before their child begins to use the site on a regular basis.

Why not take a few minutes and explore PBS kids games. You will find that this site is filled with lots of great activities that will help your child learn and have fun at the same time.