The Ability to Read

A small exert from the great Toddler Times, a valid point I felt earnt the re-post.

"The Ability to Read

There are programs and gadgets and even educational curriculum that promise to teach your toddler to read. While they explain how, others ask: why? Why should a toddler learn to read? Some do, but it's not a necessity and your illiterate toddler is not falling behind. What's important: books everywhere and someone to read them"

There is some much pressure on pre-schoolers to read & write that many youngster can't cope with the structure and attention required of them by teachers. I have seen first hand, forcing a disinterested 3yo to trace their name by "guiding" their hand while the look the other way is in no way productive. In fact in Europe -who don't start school intill 6or7- are constantly beating us in education figures, so lets let up on the pressures for our little ones. How about better childcare options from the government (in Europe nursery is heavily subsidised) so that parents can still work without putting their little tots into that school uniform.

Blizzard at Sandy Hook

Paper snowflakes from all over USA and the world have been sent to Sandy Hook for staff to convert the new building into a winter wonderland for students when they start the spring term on January 14th. A blizzard of support came in following the request last month, and over 100,000 of paper snowflakes were posted to Newtown.

"We know that each snowflake represents the emotional outreach of the person making it," a message posted Jan. 1 on the Connecticut Parent-Teacher-Student-Association State Office's website reads. "We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from around not just the country but the world. At this time, we have enough beautiful snowflakes to blanket the community of Newtown. Therefore, with regret we must close the snowflake project to further donations."

I suspect that even though the project is closed that many still sent their snowflakes anyway! Will post again on Monday when news of the kids return to school surfaces - I can't wait to see what it will look like and how the students will react to this amazing out reach from the children of the world.