Dec 28, 2011

Children's Educational Books Are Also Very Important

Many of us love to read. It can be fiction or non fiction. And the stories we read can vary widely and tell of fantastic voyages or adventures. But the importance of educational books should never be taken for granted. They form a vital way for most of us to gain a great deal more knowledge and understanding than we might otherwise gain. Let’s discuss this further.

Educational books need not necessarily be dull or boring. Children read educational books all the time but they are written in a way which is interesting and exciting. The book may teach children how to count or use arithmetic functions. But it may do so while crafting an interesting story about two children who must add up a group of numbers to accomplish an important task.

There are educational books on all kinds of topics and they are written in many different languages. These educational books can be written for a broad range of ages and interests.

And educational books can be obtained from many sources. The most important place is probably a school or university. They use educational books regularly.

These kinds of books are also extensively stored and used at libraries. You can probably gain access to all these books for free if you register with the library. It is a wonderful opportunity to expand your knowledge whenever you wish.

Educational books are also available for sale from virtually any local bookstore. They can also be sold on the major online booksellers like Amazon. You can search their catalog and find a very wide variety of topics to suit the interest of yourself and just about anyone else you might know.

So don’t think that educational books are only about school or learning. They do teach the reader something new. But many of them do so in an interesting and entertaining manner. Check out some options today.

Dec 23, 2011

Math And Games–Some Examples

It can often be difficult to teach math concepts to students quickly and effectively. Many students simply have a hard time understanding and applying many of these concepts. However the use of math and games allows many more students to better understand math concepts and apply them to current situations very effectively. Here are some examples.

Educators learned a long time ago that students usually find it much easier to understand math concepts through the use of games. There are a wide variety of games designed to help student to master all kinds of math concepts.
These games help the students to better understand different math concepts. There are games which are appropriate for preschool right up through college level. The advent of the Internet has also enabled many more effective math games to be developed and used.

For simple problems, games are available which assist women in their counting. They can review the questions, think about the answers and then receive immediate response and feedback. This type of real time feedback has proven invaluable in helping to teach the concepts and then providing strong reinforcement for successful learning.

If you search the Internet under math games, you’ll find many great choices. There are some outstanding online stores which specialize in educational toys and games. Many of these sources operate on the Internet and have strong resources when it comes to trained personnel and strong customer support.

The online math games are very well designed and can help capture and excitement of learning. Along with online resources, there are also some outstanding choices in local businesses which specialize in educational games and toys. Look through your online or offline yellow pages and then check into the available resources.

Dec 22, 2011

Education in Emergencies

In emergency situations where there are no schools or where children face difficult circumstances such as full-time work, discrimination, or displacement due to conflict or natural disaster, ChildFund offers and supports non-formal educational opportunities in Child Centered Spaces. ChildFund’s Child Centered Spaces serve as safe havens where children can play and begin healing from the wounds of war, violence, and natural disasters. In northern Afghanistan, for example, these spaces have offered many children who had never gone to school a first opportunity to learn to read and write until government schools could open.
Examples of ChildFund's Educational Efforts

Boarding schools for Massai girls to encourage education instead of early marriage in Kenya.
Literacy courses for out-of-school youth and adults.

Formal and non-formal Living Values education.
After-school tutorial and mentoring assistance to children and youth.
Building schools, classrooms, and skills training centers for youth with no access to primary or post-primary education.

Peace-building schools and educational programs in conflict or post-conflict areas.
Establishing Child Centered Spaces in areas affected by war or natural disaster.
Providing Accelerated Primary Education for ex-combatants, children, and youth affected by war.
Skills training to help youth prepare for entry-level jobs in computers, carpentry, tailoring, secretarial, auto mechanics, and other job fields.

Direct assistance to children in need through high school scholarships and the provision of school supplies and school fees.
Promoting youth leadership and participation in community transformation processes.
Teacher training.

Dec 18, 2011

The Children's Education In Family

The difficult art of educating the child belongs primarily to the family, which although today is in great danger, is supported by God through the special grace which the married ones receive by the sacrament of marriage. Every year, millions of men and women soar in the service to become parents and for this aren’t required exams or degrees. However ‘one of the most challenging and difficult tasks in life is to take a child, a small creature, totally helpless and to assume full responsibility for its growth’ so that it becomes a self-controlled person, a useful member to the family, to church and society.
Because education is the art of human training of tomorrow, parents cannot be human’s of the past, anchored in formulas, but must go with their children, to adapt the steps with them, ‘to let themselves free to continue as soon as they are capable of this’. They have the duty to form the conscience in their child, the character, will, to build their critical personality to be able to freely choose what’s good, to be responsible and opened with generously in serving.
The most effective method of education is to do ourselves what we teach others. The great secret is that education is not just words, advice, command, but for example, environment, climate of affection and search and development of simple reports, immediate and loving. The great moment in education is childhood, during which are specific: the trust time, forming of the vocational skills, happy-free time, the time in which indelible memories fix in mind, the time in which they assimilate the family traditions.
To create a climate of a serene family, it takes patience, love, gentleness, goodness and endless sacrifice. There are still parents who adopt in children’s education two wrong attitudes:
- The first is the ‘too high tolerance ‘because they do not want to be authoritative, understanding that education means ‘not to impose, not conditioned, not to limit’’;
- The second attitude is the ‘repression’ manifested by: rough relationships between parents and children, punishments applied the rule violation, the application of the ‘intransigent and systematic.

Dec 14, 2011

Early Childhood Education Background

The first eight years of a child’s life establish the foundation upon which the child grows and develops. Because these first years are an especially critical time in the growth of the child, ChildFund offers a variety of programs to ensure proper growth and development. These programs recognize the importance of investing early in children’s development as a means to build social equity and give disadvantaged families a better chance of breaking out of the cycle of poverty. Effective programs in Early Child Development (ECD) also increase the likelihood that other programs, such as basic education and health services, will be successful.
ChildFund-supported ECD programs focus on strengthening the synergies among children’s health, nutrition, protection, stimulation, psychosocial support, and age-appropriate play and learning opportunities.
In conjunction with ChildFund programs on maternal-child health and nutrition, environmental sanitation, adult education and income generation, ECD programs contribute to building the capacity of families, communities, and other stakeholders to create an environment where young children can grow and develop their potential.
Ensuring School Readiness through ECD
ChildFund’s ECD programs help children make a successful transition to primary school by building school readiness skills. ChildFund has always tracked the physical growth of children in communities where it works. In addition to monitoring weight and height, ChildFund has developed a culturally sensitive, universal monitoring scale that measures a child’s developmental progress in critical areas of child development including:
Social and emotional skills
Cognitive abilities
Gross motor skills
Fine motor skills
Communication and language ability
By monitoring a variety of developmental milestones, CHILDFUND can take advantage of critical opportunities to detect and correct developmental delays as early as possible in a child’s life.
ChildFund’s Principal ECD Interventions
Along with basic education, ECD is a cornerstone of ChildFund's work and a key element in ChildFund’s approach to building social equity. Around 11 percent of ChildFund’s investments go towards Early Child Development programs.
ChildFund promotes ECD through the following program interventions:
Advocacy at the local, district, regional, national, and international levels – Achieved through awareness-building efforts, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns, newspaper and electronic discussion groups, organizing constituent groups, and conferences;
Capacity building at the local, district, regional, and national levels – Training those involved in providing education services, establishing ECD centers, enhancing parents’ skills, and training the staff of community-based organizations (CBOs);
Service Delivery – Providing services such as training and follow-up coaching for parents or caregivers; health, nutrition, early stimulation, and psychosocial support for children; and the training of facilitators and teachers;
Knowledge building – Using participatory studies such as action planning, focus groups on topics such as indigenous knowledge and practices, applied research and evaluation, and the publication of papers, to expand CHILDFUND’s understanding of issues related to ECD.

Dec 11, 2011

Plan Your Child’s Eduction

You can argue that how can you plan something in easy steps as every family is in different financial situation but the fact is that you have to plan one day or another so why not start now!
– Keep The Education Plan In Your Name: If you can keep the plan in your name that would be an asset when you apply for the financial aid. Many financial institutions usually put huge financial requirements which aren’t possible for your child to fulfill. So, choose wisely and keep the plan in your name or in the name of your wife (insurer).
– Choose College Plan Wisely: There are different plans to follow, choose the one which suits you best. There are certain ifs’ and buts’ on saving for college plans, so better inquire about the best plan which suits your needs. Also investigate the plan and inquire about how they invest money to help it grow. Be sure to get the details of the plan you have opted for.
– Estimate How Much You Can Contribute To Your Child’s College: Get zeroed on the contribution and estimate how much you would be eligible to pay when your child starts his/her college. Before your final decision, give it a careful thought considering your family income. Moreover, always estimate the amount you would easily pay before opting a plan.
– Invest In Tax Free Plans: This is an asset when you opt for the educational saving plan that gives you a head start. If the money you are paying is also earning your tax benefits that’s best for you and your family. There are many plans which help families to save for college because anyone can open one, and the money invested grows tax-free and can also be withdrawn without being taxed.
– Determine A Tuition Program: Prepaid tuition plans are college saving plans that are guaranteed to increase in value at the same rate as college tuition. So by purchasing the equivalent of a year’s worth of tuition today, you ensure that in 15 years your investment will still be worth a year’s worth of tuition at the current rate.
– Compare Different Plans: Comparing different plans will help you in determining the best and suitable plan for your child. This will also help you in understanding the current market standing of that particular plan.

Dec 7, 2011

Why Early Childhood Education So Important

Early childhood education is usually referred to the learning process that takes place in a child from his/her birth to when he/she starts school and this varies in different countries till the ages of two to five to eight. In early days, a child started his/her education at home, but nowadays, both parents being working, children are being sent at times to the care of a guardian of sorts or being sent to pre schools to be taught skills which would help them grow later.
These early years are the most critical ones when foundations are laid for future development. Research has shown that formation of later behaviour and values are developed during this time and neglect can lead to defects in the child which may not be rectified later. Early child education plays one of the most important roles as they help in the social, emotional and mental development of a child. A child at that time hasn't yet realised his/her identity and should therefore be brought up in an environment that allows him/her to grow freely without any restraints and inhibitions and explore his/her interests.
These five to eight years are the years of informal learning whereby a child automatically learns with the help of games, songs, dance and by listening to stories. Though, with the passing of time, this learning process is being changed and is now becoming much more orderly and structured, yet the basic factor of learning through play remains the same.
Mental and physical abilities grow at an incredibly fast rate at this period and so it is crucial that a child receives proper nurturing. Play with the help of adults help a child to learn responsibility, social skills, values and ethics. It should be kept in mind that social values and behavioural patterns once learnt at this stage cannot be easily changed later and hence care should be taken. A little older child now starts learning individuality as well as cooperation and begins to think and reason in a proper manner, again the medium being play. Play also helps them to learn to express themselves in a better way and hence leads to emotional and social development.

Dec 4, 2011

Start Teaching Your Children Early

Many people worry that they are not being proactive in their child's development in order to increase their brainpower. You have to take active part in your child's development and education so that they are better capable of handling any problems that might come up in the future. The more prepared and experienced your children get the better off they will be because they will know what to do and how to react to any situation if they are geared up.
Developing your child's mind at a very young age may be one of the best things that you can do in order to help them prepared for the future. If you're going to be helping your child out and set them up for the future, the best thing you can do is start off early with many different mind exercises such as shape recognition when they are six months or older. Here are a few other suggestions you might want to take into consideration when you're trying to advance your child's mind at a very young age.
Like it was mentioned before, you want to be able to start teaching your children around or earlier than six months so that they can get more information into their brain. At this age, the brain is like a sponge. A sponge absorbs all the water it can until it cannot hold many more. The brain at this age is just like that because it wants to absorb all the information that it can receive and then some. The only difference is that a human brain has almost no limits, especially when trained at an early age.
Teaching your children shape recognition and even some other colours at this age will give them the upper hand when they are one year or older. Once there are around one year old you can start teaching them more on the letters of the alphabet and how to start connecting the letters into sounds. Kids should be introduced to books as early as possible - even when they cannot read.
By the age of two you'll be able to start teaching your children how to read and write if they do not know how you that already have do. Starting them off by learning their letters and how each letter sounds will give them a great advantage when it is time for them to star reading because they will know all the sounds of each letter.
You'll be surprised on how fast they will learn and comprehend what they are reading just by doing these few simple techniques that will help advance them with their learning development. There are many other programs that you can find on the Internet that will do the same thing but why spend money when you can do it for free. Most of the good things in life are free and the best things are those that the parents give their children with love and understanding so that they can be fulfilled and happy adults.