Professor Sharon

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In appreciation

July 10th, 2009 · Musings

Fireworks at Poet Seat Tower

Fireworks at Poet Seat Tower

of the country I live in  — Happy Birthday a few days late to the USA.   And in appreciation of the daughter and hubbie who fixed my site up when someone was unkind and made a mess of it…. thus the late posting!

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Undies and global warming

July 2nd, 2009 · Musings, travel

or is it climate change?  I blame my lack of underwear today on whatever you want to call it.

It’s a sound piece of advice in my family to own three weeks of underwear – with this in mind (or drawer) — no matter the state of the rest of your clothes (given you hang a few items to blow in the breeze off of a hanger), you can always feel ready for your day with a little soap, water, washcloth and a pair of clean undies.

Well, I follow that advice and still I found myself having to resort to an emergency old pair hiding in the way back of the drawer: where were my 21 pairs?  In the attic still drying three days after having been hung up.  Why?  Because it’s been raining in western Massachusetts for the last three weeks.

Due to climate change, and to do my part, I have sworn off the use of my dryer.  Up until now, this has worked.  Sunny days a few days of the week and the laundry goes out in the backyard on the line between garage and tree.  Create 4 weeks of rain, 1 of them living out of a suitcase in california, hang that laundry indoors while the air creates mold on the cedar shingles outdoors and clothes – including underwear – is taking 3 – 4 days to dry properly.

Tomorrow I wear a damp pair.   I hope that the globe appreciates it.

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Book Ramblings: Me, You, Us: Social-Emotional Learning in Preschool

June 29th, 2009 · Books, Children, Musings

     Me, You, Us: Social-Emotional Learning in Preschool written by Ann S. Epstien, PhD with a foreword by Lillian G. Katz – published by HighScope and NAEYC

“….children progress from a focus on themselves (me), to an awareness of others (you), to the formation of reciprocal relatinoships (us.) (p 13)”

This book does a really thorough, and easily read coverage of this really important topic.  The author speaks to the value of this development in young children in today’s culture where academic knowledge seems to rule all.  It is research based and addresses national standards.  Each chapter begins with a definition, moves on to the recent research and thinking on the subject and ends with quite doable teacher strategies and practices.  Each chapter contains a couple of sideboxes summarizing the points for quick reference for teachers, or even groups of practitioners who wish to use it as a source of study.

The only bone I would pick is that I strongly think that the last chapter should be one of the first.  Chapter 14 : Preparing Ourselves to be Role Models is a really important chapter.  It speaks strongly to research showing that nurturing behaviors observed in teachers is actually a small small part of what we do when we interact with children: more of our time is spent managing the children, engaging in routine tasked or teaching in adult-centers ways.  She goes on to cover the importance of examining our own beliefs and levels of social and emotional capacities.

This is a valuable read.  I would suggest that you read it with a buddy.  I think that if the whole teaching team in a classroom were to focus on the ideas in this text, it would really be evidenced in the children in the classroom.

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California Here I come…

June 12th, 2009 · Musings

Well, actually, here I am!  Yesterday we flew to California  — San Bernadino area – to visit family.  We drove to New Hampshire on Wednesday night to fly out of Manchester Airport with our daughter and granddaughter.  A long, but thank goodness, uneventful day.  Our two and a half year old granddaughter is quite an excellent traveler.  Today she’s quite tired, and as a result, quite grumpy, but very entitled!

We came with the purpose of visiting my mother who turns 83 next week.  She’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and so much family conversation and some difficult and important decisions have to be made.  The real challenge for me is that my mother would like me to believe that she’s well; and I would like to honor that and treat her with dignity; and yet how do I broach some of the decisions  that need to be made : maybe not possible.  But for today, it was a delight to watch her play with her great-granddaughter.

Life is, indeed, bittersweet.

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Accidents Happen – Take action for children’s health care

June 10th, 2009 · Children

Please check out Children’s defense fund new video about this vital matter and write your legislators!  Take action please!

In a country where many live large lifes of wealth and comfort, too many of our children and their families cannot afford decent health care.   If you aren’t ashamed of this, you should be.

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