Our Blog

Art- No Models Please!

Bloom Preschool — Tue, 29 May 2012 02:42:29 +0000

As you may already know, we do not believe in creating models for children. Today, a local colleague shared a great post on why it's important for us to allow children to use their OWN creativity in art. Please read this great piece Why Not Draw For a Child by Janet Lansbury.

Lunch Ideas!

Bloom Preschool — Fri, 25 May 2012 21:22:15 +0000

In our program, we provide snacks comprised of a fruit of vegetable along with a 100% whole wheat bread that we've baked ourselves (e.g. blueberry muffins, cheese bread, biscuits, applesauce bread). However, we require that parents pack a lunch for their children. The reasons for this are simple:

-we simply can not afford to feed 16 children as well/healthful as what the parents are able to provide

-we do not want our teachers' energy/attention/time to be spent on preparing the food...we want them to be able to focus on the children

Sometimes I receive comments from parents who feel stuck in a rut with packing lunches. So, when I ran across the ideas (thanks to pinterest), I simply had to share!

Easy Lunchboxes Photo Gallery

School Lunch Roundup

Another Lunch

Play-based Education

Bloom Preschool — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:02:13 +0000

I think sometimes we are fooled into thinking that play-based education is new, strange, and understood by few.

Teacher Tom has done it again, showing us how the concept of learning through play is something that many have valued throughout the ages in his post The Seriousness of Play!

Ask Your Child, "How Was That?"

Bloom Preschool — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:31:02 +0000

Our responses to the conversation our children bring can truly provide them the space and direction to be critically thinking humans or limit them to follow responses they've been taught. I'd prefer the former! I'd rather our children gain the confidence in their own ability to handle social interactions than just follow an adult's instruction.

Today I read a post that walks us through how we can support our children conversationally in evaluating their own social experiences. Blogger "Parenting From Scratch" writes a post To Help Kids Process Emotions, Ask, "How Was That?". Please read it.

Thanks Michelle, at Busy Bee Preschool for sharing this today!

Alternatives to empty praise

Bloom Preschool — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:04:57 +0000

This morning I was catching up on some readings I've been saving for a while. I was absolutely THRILLED to read Teacher Tom's blog post that gave clear, specific alternatives of ways we can respond to children rather than the rather instinctive "good job".

This is KEY for our families, as we have explained that we avoid such praise and ask that our parents do as well. Please read his post Seven Things To Say Instead of "Good Job!"

On Potty Training

Bloom Preschool — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:38:52 +0000

A major topic of concern for many parents is potty training. I try to encourage parents that potty training is something we need to handle with each child and each family individually.

One of the trends that seems to have been growing and I am getting more and more questions about lately is potty training at the infant/toddler age. I am very cautious of this. I agree that children are plenty intelligent. I agree that many children are "capable". My concern is that not every child is READY! :)

I've read a great piece in Huffington Post entitled A Doctor Responds: Don't Potty Train Your Baby. It's a good read...check it out!

On the role of a teacher

Bloom Preschool — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:17:44 +0000

"I have this" is another lovely blog post written by Teacher Tom.

I agree with him on his beliefs on what the definition of a teacher is. Our role is truly to facilitate...not direct. Our job is not to show how things are done, but rather to provide experiences that allow children to determine how to do things.

Like Teacher Tom said, when children leave our program they "head off into a world of schools in which teachers are mandated to teach them a certain core curriculum of specific, standardized knowledge and skills organized grade-by-grade, year-by-year, much of which is conveyed by direct instruction." I wish it weren't so...I wish they could all be sent off to experience-based settings. However, I believe that we are sending very strong, capable children into those direct-approach settings because of the foundation we provide them: the foundation of confidence in their own ability to explore and problem solve.

Therefore, I wish even more that ALL children were given such a foundation! What a solid base they could have on which to grow and learn throughout their lives!

Play Outdoors

Bloom Preschool — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:46:35 +0000

A lovely little blog I enjoy following posted this great little piece "Outdoor Play Is Not a Waste of Time."

You will not find pink princess toys here!

Bloom Preschool — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:49:42 +0000

I just read this article, and must say that I can not agree more. Needless to say, the toys and materials you will find in our school are quite gender neutral and support femenine and masculine play. No pink and princessey here!

If you are parent to a little girl, read the article.

If you KNOW someone who is a little girl, read the article!

If you know someone who WAS a little girl, read the article!

Here is another link to the article, in case you have missed the first link I gave at the top!

I have not yet read Peggy Orenstein's book, but I am going to need to do so! You can find more about Peggy here.

Beyond sink or float

Bloom Preschool — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:45:13 +0000

The children in our school explore the properties of water and the properties of "things" in the water frequently.

They've moved quite a bit beyond evaluating whether things will "sink or float".

However, one day, as they were trying to find something to carry their animals and vehicles as a boat, I observed a first in our school. After some discussion and some experimentation with various blocks that float, they decided to try...

...paper!

And it worked...

...briefly...

...but not for long!

So, they crumpled up the paper...

After trying one more time, they moved on! I wonder when I will observe this experiment repeated.