Preshool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World by Angela C. Santomero
For the past month, my Teaching Tip Tuesday posts have been directly inspired by the wisdom in this book. First, we looked at how we can use scaffolding to help our students reach new heights. Then, we looked at a script that can help us resolve conflicts at home and in the classroom. We followed that up with a lesson on helping build and expand vocabulary, and one more about helping kids develop a positive inner monologue. If you missed any of that, please click on the links below to read each article.
1) Helping Kids Swing to New Heights
2) The 4 Easy Steps to Resolve Conflict (That Every Teacher and Parent Should Know)
3) 4 Reasons to Use Enriching Vocabulary in Your Daily Communication
4) Helping Kids Craft Positive Inner-Monolgues
Today, I wanted to share a quote from the book about the benefits of leading by example.
“At the end of the day, we want our kids to talk with us, be respectful of us and the world around them, grow up to be in healthy and happy relationships, and succeed in the world in whatever they want to do. The simplest way in which we, as parents, caregivers, teachers, and anyone around children can accomplish this is to lead by example. We need to talk to children with empathy and care. We need to get down on their level and be playful. We need to talk to them with open, honest, and smart words. If we’re stressed out, we need to admit it. We need to choose media that models respectful communication in all of these ways. Because, when we do all these things, we will be creating children who will be respectful themselves, and in turn, continue to want to open up to us, express their feelings, talk with us, and talk respectfully to us, as they grow up so we can help guide them along the way.”
This is a powerful book. Santomero shows how she created a curriculum in all of the television shows she created. She uses Blue’s Clues as the main example, and she writes great tips for parents, caregivers, and teachers on every single page.
I highly recommend reading it. I might even have another tip to share with you next week.