What a Yawn!!

After more than 100 practice assessments, there are a few things that make me yawn. 

What color is it?

What shape is it?

How many are there?

Spending time on the calendar (even with toddlers!)

In Early Achievers, we are trying to move so much deeper than this.  We want to advance children’s learning, thinking and reasoning skills.

These very basic questions are so common, yet at such a basic level.  Yes, it’s good for children to know colors and shapes, and to be able to count.  It feels though, that providers are rarely going deeper than this.  Ask these questions on occasion, but spend more of your time going deeper.  How questions.  Why questions.  Get the children thinking, not just recalling.

Similarly, how important is it that children know the month and day of the week?  From my observation, they are usually just guessing, anyway.  Perhaps there are more valuable ways to spend a short group time than the calendar.   Maybe discuss something they will be doing later in the day and encourage them to plan it out – what will we need to get ready?  What are the steps we should take?  Brainstorming and planning are great thinking skills. 

Challenge yourself to go deeper.  How can you get children to think?