http://www.plusitbook.com/how-to-create-a-literacy-rich-home-part-1/ PLUS IT! Family Activities for Kids: Promote Learning, Family Literacy | Esther Jantzen Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:03:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.plusitbook.com/how-to-create-a-literacy-rich-home-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Esther Jantzen Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:10:33 +0000 http://plusitbook.com/?p=527#comment-35 YES, Anna. One thing I like to do is make up car-riding poems when the kids are in their car-seats the back. Sometimes they play along with me and add words or lines; other times it's like it's a bit agitating to them, and they say Stop! I've had to wonder about that. Maybe it's kind of like being tickled too long. YES, Anna. One thing I like to do is make up car-riding poems when the kids are in their car-seats the back. Sometimes they play along with me and add words or lines; other times it’s like it’s a bit agitating to them, and they say Stop! I’ve had to wonder about that. Maybe it’s kind of like being tickled too long.

]]> http://www.plusitbook.com/how-to-create-a-literacy-rich-home-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-34 anna friesen Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:35:38 +0000 http://plusitbook.com/?p=527#comment-34 A testimonial on the positive effects of making up rhymes,raps, and plays on words: I have found that saying things in rhyme, in a poetic form can grab and hold a child's attention and inspire awe and a sense of kinship. My experience was this: It was the end of the school year. My after school art class students knew the routine of beginning each class. I could feel they were a bit restless, and that I'd better find a way to grab their attention. (I was also tired of the same MO ) So I began to tell the story about the art and artist as a sort of rhyme/rap. At the end, the youngest, a kindergartner who tended to test the limits of classroom decorum and instructions, looked up at me and said, " I didn't understand all that you were saying." But from that point on she gave me her attention and more interaction than usual. It's as though some bond of trust had been formed - almost as though I could show that I like to play too. It showed me that doing a 'routine' activity a little differently can pique a child's curiosity and help them see things aren't exactly the way they imagined them to be, giving them the opportunity to respond in another way - and gave me a chance to practice spontaneous, creative 'drama'. A testimonial on the positive effects of making up rhymes,raps, and plays on words: I have found that saying things in rhyme, in a poetic form can grab and hold a child’s attention and inspire awe and a sense of kinship. My experience was this: It was the end of the school year. My after school art class students knew the routine of beginning each class. I could feel they were a bit restless, and that I’d better find a way to grab their attention. (I was also tired of the same MO ) So I began to tell the story about the art and artist as a sort of rhyme/rap. At the end, the youngest, a kindergartner who tended to test the limits of classroom decorum and instructions, looked up at me and said, ” I didn’t understand all that you were saying.” But from that point on she gave me her attention and more interaction than usual. It’s as though some bond of trust had been formed – almost as though I could show that I like to play too. It showed me that doing a ‘routine’ activity a little differently can pique a child’s curiosity and help them see things aren’t exactly the way they imagined them to be, giving them the opportunity to respond in another way – and gave me a chance to practice spontaneous, creative ‘drama’.

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