Candy Fairy Theory

November 5, 2010 By 7 Comments

Children have been coming to preschool this week telling me about the Candy Fairy. This is someone who they give all their Halloween Candy to, and in return they receive a toy for their donation. It struck me as this new trend is on the scene, what are we teaching ? Is it a good alternative, or are we not giving children to chance to be immersed in their obsession for candy?

To me the goal of control is self control, which I know it not an easy behavior to learn. Children need small lessons in learning how to master the desires we all have for pleasure in life. As a child to be able to go to someones house, say a few words while dressed up in a costume, and recieve free candy is like a dream come true. With  a bucket full of sugar you are given the chance as a parent to teach how to have the candy and moderate the amount that is eaten. If a gift is given to deter us from all of our obsessions does that negate to lesson of self control, taking away the chance for a learning experience? Or are we just all to fearful of what will happen if children eat too much candy.

My concern is that we are taking away from the children the opportunity not only to indulge but to regulate. Life is about continual regulation. Don’t eat too much, don’t watch too much, don’t do anything too much. So how do we teach this for the moments when we are not there to be the Candy Fairy?

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Halloween and Preschoolers: Keep it light

October 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

As our children get old enough to enjoy more activities we need to be mindful of what is developmentally appropriate for them to experience. Here at La Canada Preschool, we have set up some Halloween decorations in a well lit room to create a preschool haunted house. If a child seems apprehensive, we do not make them come into our classroom where you will find a skeleton, a witch and some scary props. Yet as we have left the room decorated for the week we are seeing children slowly approaching this room full of make believe.

It is important the we stress the make believe of Halloween and demystify the scary images that can be frightening for young children. It seems that if Halloween is introduced slowly with caution not to frighten children, they are able to process this holiday that seems to be more of our culture every season.

Fears for children are normal and healthy. Think of the book, “There’s a nightmare in my Closet”. When we read this story a t circle time the children are glued and begin talking about how monsters are not real. If we can look at Halloween as a time to address fears as normal and part of our emotional make up, our preschoolers can enjoy this time and learn to keep it light during these dark days of Halloween…

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Pre School Starts Tuesday September 7

August 26, 2010 By 2 Comments

Pre School starts at La Canada Preschool on Tuesday September 7 at 9:00 a.m. for the morning students and 12:30 p.m. for the Pre-K class. Please drop your child off in front of the school where we will greet them and help them settle, then park and come to the front lawn of the preschool for our Orientation Meeting. Here you will get to meet the other parents and get any questions answered you might have.

 If you child attends MWF morning they will begin Wednesday September 8. Please come in for your orientation on thier first day. The orientation lasts about forty five minutes, after which we ask you to return at 12:00 noon for pick up in the morning and 3:30 p.m. for the Pre-K.

We will have lunch bunch for the morning available the first day of school. Lunch Bunch for the morning children is from 12:00 p..m. until 2:00 p.m. and we charge $10.00 an hour. Pre-K Lunch Bunch is from 12:00 noon till 12:30 p.m. and we charge $5.00.

The staff and I are looking forward to seeing your children soon:)

Filed Under: All School, AM Pre Schoo, Back to School, First Day, Notes From Debbie

Kids say the Darndest Things: Happy Father’s Day

June 16, 2010 By 3 Comments

At preschool we love to do dictations with the children. This is a process where we ask the children to tell us about something, them we write it down verbatim, and then read it back to the child, which promotes literacy.

This week we have been asking the children about their dads on honor of Father’s Day, and the adage seems to be true that kids say the darndest things:

My Daddy was born in the ocean. He swimmed and fell on the rocks.

My Dad was born in Bakersfield. He played a game called staring at the floor. It’s a good game.

My Daddy kisses Mommy.

My Daddy met my Mommy at my house.

Daddy and Mommy met at the hospitol cause her sick. Just married, no date.

Daddy was born in Las Vegas. He got stiches. He met Mommy when she was working down the street.

Daddy married Mommy at Chuck E Cheese.

Happy Fathers day:)

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What to look for in a Preschool: The 4 E’s

June 13, 2010 By 1 Comment

When looking for a private preschool the choices can be confusing. There are different philosophies of early childhood education, with many time schedules, tuition costs, and fees. Here is what you need to consider when looking for a preschool we will call the Four E’s.

Energy: what is the energy of the school say? Are there lots of rules, is it quiet or loud, does it feel open or closed?Spend a few minutes observing the feelings you get.

Education: What is the education of the staff, as well as the director of the preschool? Some directors have a Masters degree while some have taken as few as 12 units in early childhood education.

Environment: It has been said that environment dictates behavior. Are children allowed lots of freedom, are they moving freely though a relaxed setting, are there lots of materials? Observe the environment quietly for a few minutes.

Eyes: look in the eyes of the children. Are they engaged, connected and communicating?

Energy, education, environment and eyes of the children. That is a good place to start:)

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Teacher Appreciation Week=true validation

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and the true validation that our staff is feeling is a gift to behold. Today we had a beautiful luncheon, where parents not only brought in food but came in to watch the children so that the teachers could eat together. We have had flowers and chocolates, along with homemade cards by the children that put Hallmark to shame.

When we feel this type of outreach from the parents we serve, educators are inspired and rejuvenated. It reaffirms why we come to out little school every morning. Suddenly the work is more meaningful and again we are reminded why we are valued. None of my teachers make enough money for the work they do, yet when we feel the love of the parents it lets us know why we choose this profession; because it is more than just a job. It is an extension of the families we work with, and a collaboration in child development with the parents at the helm and the teachers as partners.

Thank you to everyone who reaches out and thanks a teacher. It sustains us.

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Parenting 101 Classes at LCP

March 27, 2010 By 1 Comment

I will be teaching a class we call Parenting 101 at La Canada Preschool for six Wednesdays beginning April 14 through May 19th from 7-8:30 p.m.

Our goal is to provide a safe and informative place where parents can share their concerns about parenting. We will share strategies for parents to use in order to develop the social and self management skills their child needs to capable and copable in our world. Topics we would like to explore are communication in the family, routines, and cooperation, as well as topics that emerge from the group.

We ask that you commit to six classes in order to build a connnective learning enviroment. The cost is $150.oo. Please contact us at : lacanadapreschool@gmail.com

Take some time for yourself to explore parenting in a supportive enviroment.

Debbie Bacino Director La Canada Preschool

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Learning through Play

March 12, 2010 By 1 Comment

Everyday that I sit in the yard at La Canada Preschool I believe that our children are learning best by playing and following their own curiosities, by solving real problems such as how to balance a stack of blocks or how to negotiate to have a turn holding the hose. Children need to feel it to learn it, they need to interact to feel they belong and they need to feel accepted for who they are.

When children can paint freely they are learning to develop their imagination, eye to hand coordination, relationships to space and size, and concepts of symmetry.

When we play with play dough we learn to see shape against the background of a table, which is a pre-reading skill. We see negative shapes when we use cookie cutters in the play dough, and the amount of substance remains the same even when the shape changes.

When we draw with crayons we are learning to hold a drawing implement, exercise creativity, that my ideas have value as well as concepts of color, size and shape.

Make time to play at home. Pretend you are a waiter in a restaurant and serve your child from a play menu, pretend you are the patient and your child can be the doctor, and just sit on the floor and see what happens.

Maybe if we all played a little more the world when be a better place. When was the last time you played?

Filed Under: All School, AM Pre Schoo, Notes From Debbie, Pre - K Tagged With: , , ,

The Importance of Dads, Grandpas, Friends and Neighbors

March 8, 2010 By 3 Comments

Everywhere I look I see amazing men with children. Dads who take the time to teach their children songs, grandpas who bring their grandchildren to preschool, as well as male friends and neighbors who take an interest in children.

This past Saturday we had Donuts with Daddy Day at the preschool. It was touching to watch men who were able to get down on the floor and build Legos with their child. There was the grandpa who came to be a part of his granddaughters day. A neighbor came to support the two boys who lived next door as thier Dad had to be at work.

Gloria Steinen once said, “Most American children suffer too much mother and too little father.” There, someone said it. As an educator and a mom I must concur. What is best for children I believe is to be influenced by men as well as woman.

Men teach our children that it is okay to be strong, to say how we feel and to be loving.

We need to encourage and nurture the men who love children. They have become so rare in the busy world we live in.

I want to thank every man who made the time to be at La Canada Preschool for our special day, for turning off thier cell phones and being present with their child. When the children came to school today they spoke about how much fun it was to have Daddy with them, how fum it was to play with Daddy, and how much they liked the donuts:)

Keep loving these men, giving them praise for being the fathers they are, or the grandpas they are, or the friends they are. Children need these amazing men more they we know.

Filed Under: All School, AM Pre Schoo, Notes From Debbie, Pre - K Tagged With: ,

October 28 and 29 Picture Day

October 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment

LCP 2008 pics 029

Remember Picture Days are Wednesday October 28 for the Morning Students and Thursday October 29 for the Morning Students and the Pre-K Students. We will not be having an messy art or play these days, so feel free to send your child to school in their finest clothes. In fact we all dress up on Picture Days, even the teachers.

Filed Under: All School Tagged With: ,
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