Eclectic Explorations of Educational and Experiential Frontiers Through Writing
As a stay-at home Mom, I’ve recently been thinking on the best ways to support my youngest son’s cognitive and social development at home, particularly because of his recent diagnosis of Autism. With the help of a recent mentor, I am shaping a framework to use in support of his development that draws from a … Continue reading Colors, Context and Cognition: Introducing My Son to Learning the Concept of Sequence
From since being a crawling baby, Keith loves visiting his Godparents’ house. Specifically, he loves their kitchen. Wide floor area, slightly secluded from the rest of the house, it has become his favorite place to play. Whenever we visit, he launches straight for the kitchen, raids the bottom corner cabinet, pulling out a tub of … Continue reading Cookie Cutters on the Floor: Learning Vocabulary and Pronounciation through Objects Around the Home
At ages 3 and 2, Keith and Maceo, respectively, have little patience for workbooks and sitting down for long lengths of time as a means to “practice” literacy skills. So at this stage, to grow their vocabulary, build skill in strategic thinking, and support their practice of various ways of learning, … Continue reading Literacy Learning in the Kitchen: Building Vocabulary, Practicing Procedural Thinking, and Learning to Tell Time
An inquiry board helps our son to formulate and formalize creating questions and seeking answers. It’s also become a means through which we build a community invested in investigating both our interests and world. Kids ask a lot of questions. From the abstract to concrete, their mind is always turning and … Continue reading How to Find the Answer: A Crayon, an Inquiry Board, and a Pre-Schooler’s Journey
Have a variety of books and materials that are immediately accessible for children to touch. Use them as a means to ignite inquiry and spark dialogue. Kids are tactile. Having an array of resources within hands’ reach sparks their curiosity and instigates exploration, spawning the beginnings of inquiry and dialogue. So I have … Continue reading Using Texts to Kindle Reading and Relationships
As a mom of two toddler boys, I am trying to balance rearing them as both citizens of a global community, as well instill within them the knowledge and skills needed to interface with it. I constantly find myself vacillating between supporting their learning and understanding of how to interact with and treat others, … Continue reading Literacy as Social Action: A Familial Practice (An Introduction)
A fondness for reading, properly directed, must be an education in itself. –Jane Austen Readers have been a part of my life since birth. I cannot remember a time when I was not around someone reading a newspaper, analyzing the Bible and taking notes, or curling up with a good book simply for … Continue reading Building a Home Library: An Autobiographical and Intergenerational Bridge
In this article, Carla Cherry shares her personal and professional evolution, divulging how she helps students actualize their humanity and academic success. It’s an intimate look into the makings of an English/Language Arts teacher, and the difference she is trying to make in students’ lives within the NYC educational system. Fundamental to her familial fabric … Continue reading Strength, Courage and Wisdom: The Makings of an Urban Teacher
tanya manning-yarde, phd 