Oh Boy!

Spring has sprung here in Cleveland! With that said, I am up to my ears in school. I have planned about 87 lesson plans this semester. I have read journals about what is developmentally appropriate for children this 4-8 years. I have written papers on ADHD, full day kindergarten, children from low incomes in schools, No Child Left Behind, a project approach classroom and constructivist approaches to teaching. I love being in the classroom but I cannot stand the useless garbage I am faced with sometimes. I want to be in a class of wonderful and brilliant 8 year olds. 8 is a great age for so many reasons....How ever I thought I would share some of what I have learned about all school aged children. Maybe it will prove that I DO in fact know what I am talking about...And that all this schooling is maybe paying off. Maybe it will also make me feel better about doing schoolwork 35 hours a week on top of being a mom, working, planning church lessons, gymnastics, cooking, cleaning and life.....YIKES....hope someone likes this:) Have a great day

5 year olds:

Physical and motor skills milestones for a 5-year-old may include:
Skipping, jumping, and skating with good balance
Maintaining balance while standing on one foot with eyes closed
Tying own shoelaces
Showing increased skill with simple tools and writing utensils

Dress and undress easily
Cut out shapes using scissors

Tell date of birth.

Can recite address (and SHOULD!)

Uses a fork and knife well

Cuts on a line with scissors

Sensory and cognitive milestones include:
Increasing vocabulary to over 3000-5000 words

Understands about 13,000 (meaning that they can correctly use 3-5 thousand words in language but can understand 13 thous.)
Identifying coins
Properly naming the primary colors and possibly many more
Decreasing aggressive behavior
Outgrowing earlier childhood fears
Questioning others, including parents
Strongly identifying with the parent of the same sex

Likes to argue and reason

Understands that books are read from left to right, top to bottom (I don't think people realize that this is EXTREMELY important in development!)

Invents games with simple rules

Can take turns and share, but doesn't always want to

Expresses anger and jealousy physically

Begins to have a very basic understanding of right and wrong

Sleeps 10-11 hours at night

Ways to encourage a 5-year-old's development may include:
Providing the necessary space for physical activity
Instructing the child to participate in -- and learn the rules of -- sporting activities
Encouraging the child to play with other children, which helps develop social skills
Playing creatively with the child
Visiting local areas of interest
READING TOGETHER!!! ( Dr. Suess book's are especially important. They include almost all of the neccesary steps needed to read fluently)

I think that ultimately, we need to realize that children are just that. I think that as parents, we expect our children to act a certain way or we expect them to do more than they actually can (sit for long periods of time, be nice to other children, not talk back). Children are not mini adults. Tommorow I will post them for 6 year olds.....Are you ready?