A fascinating in depth look into real life experiences of second language learning in educational settings, Immersion style!
"Four Kids. Four Languages. One city. One World.
At a time when 31 states have passed “English Only” laws, four pioneering families put their children in public schools where, from the first day of kindergarten, their teachers speak mostly in a foreign language.
Speaking in Tongues follows four diverse kids on a journey to become bilingual. This charming story will challenge you to rethink the skills that Americans need to succeed in the 21st century."
Lets keep the conversation going! I will be posting additional links to vidoes from Speaking in Tongues.
Take a peak at the trailer.
http://vimeo.com/6073529
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
PRIDE
Spanish tips to try at home!
Each month at Pine Village we email tips for parents to use to help support bilingualism at home! Here is an example!
We will be posting our tips every week or 2 so stay tuned for great ways to help your children become bilingual!!
Quisiera = I would like
If you are looking for a simple phrase to help you start forming sentences in Spanish, try using the word QUISIERA (pronounced KEE –SEE- AIR –AH) which means, “I would like…”
Here are some examples to get you started!
English | Spanish |
I would like water. | Quisiera agua. |
I would like a hug. | Quisiera un abrazo. |
I would like to dance. | Quisiera bailar. |
I would like an apple. | Quisiera una manzana. |
I would like the blue one. | Quisiera el azul. |
I would like a spoon please. | Quisiera una cuchara por favor. |
I would like to practice more Spanish please! | Quisiera practicar mas español por favor! |
Don’t forget to add POR FAVOR at the end and you’ve got a full sentence in
SPANISH!!
SPANISH!!
Have fun playing with verbs and nouns and encourage a conversation with your child by asking them what THEY would like too! (i.e. QUISIERAS un abrazo? = Would you like a hug?)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
NY TIMES Article from May 2011 Supports Bilingualism!
We are always so happy to find articles that support what we so strongly believe in! When we find an article in the NYT we are especially proud. We know what we do here at Pine Village is true and valuable and will stand the test of time. We only wish there was a way to scream it to the world! We meet people each and every week who come to us wishing they had found us sooner! It used to be our little joke, that we kept our schools a secret. Now its time to spread the word about Pine Village and the benefits of Bilingualism and Biculturalism in our children. Pine Village provides a unique opportunity for children to experience culture and language in an environment that supports individualized early education. We believe every child should have this opportunity!
Help us spread the word about PVP!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31conversation.html?_r=1&src=recg
Help us spread the word about PVP!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31conversation.html?_r=1&src=recg
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Positive Discipline
Difficult behavior in children is one of the most common challenges parents and educators face. A positive approach on how to handle these difficult times can turn a situation from an obstacle into an opportunity. Our methodology behind positive discipline is based on the belief that each child is unique. The key element in helping children develop to the fullest of their capabilities lies in discovering who they are. When we have knowledge of who the child is, what their personality is, then it is up to us as adults and educators to gather and implement the tools we need to help the child grow and learn. It is important to try to see behavior without judgment. There is no good or bad, just the journey and the opportunities for learning that come with it. There is never a need to "change" who a child is. There is just simply a need to know who that individual child is and do what we can to help them achieve their true potential.
The first step in helping children manage difficult behavior is to understand where a behavior is coming from. If you look at aggression as an example of challenging behavior, the first step in the process would be to ask: What is the aggression really about? What is the child trying to communicate and how can we help them find a better way? What purpose is this behavior serving? It might be that the "aggressive" behavior is the only way this child knows how to get what they need. The behavior is essentially assertive in nature, albeit socially unacceptable. We can now look at the trait in a different light and see it as "assertive" as opposed to "aggressive." The goal then becomes to try and help the child find a socially acceptable way of expression.
Discipline should always be implemented with the goal of promoting and teaching positive behavior while diminishing and channeling negative behavior. Techniques for positive discipline need to be consistent, reasonable and appropriate in their application and should be based on the needs of that child, at that moment. Through experience, we have found it invaluable to involve children in the process from the very start. When children give their input for rules, procedures, and even consequences, they are more succesful in understanding and managing the emotions around difficult situations. Phrasing guidance in a positive manner and depicting it in both words and pictures allows children to more easily interpret what is being asked of them. These rules are the basis for a positive experience for all children.Our program is designed to allow the children to move freely around the classroom with limited teacher interference. Each classroom is child centered and a safe environment where children can explore and learn independently in order to give children as many opportunities to lead the process as possible. The goal is always to praise positive behavior and help re-direct negative behavior. As adults, it is up to us to guide children as they verbalize feelings and release tensions in a safe and socially acceptable manner.
Once positive discipline is seen as a way to teach a child, rather than to correct a child, the whole process of dealing with challenging behavior becomes re framed as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. At Pine Village, we have developed a checklist for practicing positive discipline. It is a guide to the process and uses questions we can ask ourselves in the role of the adult and facilitator. The checklist can be used by educators, parents, and any care giver who wants a positive approach to behavior management. Below are the questions outlined on the checklist.
1) Have I stepped back to try to understand WHY this happened? (Is the child tired, sick, or hungry? What happened right before? Is this normal for THIS child? Are there any special needs for this child?)
2) Can I change the environment to support the child? (Switching areas, making the space bigger, providing more or different materials?)
3) What is my body language saying? (Am I relaxed, do they sense my stress, am I at their level?)
4) How is my tone of voice? (Is it low and firm or am raised and authoritative?)
5) Am I using the word "no" at all? (How can I phrase it in a positive way? For example instead of saying "No hitting" can I say "Gentle hands"?)
6) What is the teachable moment in this situation? (What is the behavior serving? How can I support self-regulation, problem solving, communication skills etc...)
7) How can I involve the child or children in the solution?
8) What technique or techniques can I try? (Does the consequence make sense for the behavior?)
The first step in helping children manage difficult behavior is to understand where a behavior is coming from. If you look at aggression as an example of challenging behavior, the first step in the process would be to ask: What is the aggression really about? What is the child trying to communicate and how can we help them find a better way? What purpose is this behavior serving? It might be that the "aggressive" behavior is the only way this child knows how to get what they need. The behavior is essentially assertive in nature, albeit socially unacceptable. We can now look at the trait in a different light and see it as "assertive" as opposed to "aggressive." The goal then becomes to try and help the child find a socially acceptable way of expression.
Discipline should always be implemented with the goal of promoting and teaching positive behavior while diminishing and channeling negative behavior. Techniques for positive discipline need to be consistent, reasonable and appropriate in their application and should be based on the needs of that child, at that moment. Through experience, we have found it invaluable to involve children in the process from the very start. When children give their input for rules, procedures, and even consequences, they are more succesful in understanding and managing the emotions around difficult situations. Phrasing guidance in a positive manner and depicting it in both words and pictures allows children to more easily interpret what is being asked of them. These rules are the basis for a positive experience for all children.Our program is designed to allow the children to move freely around the classroom with limited teacher interference. Each classroom is child centered and a safe environment where children can explore and learn independently in order to give children as many opportunities to lead the process as possible. The goal is always to praise positive behavior and help re-direct negative behavior. As adults, it is up to us to guide children as they verbalize feelings and release tensions in a safe and socially acceptable manner.
Once positive discipline is seen as a way to teach a child, rather than to correct a child, the whole process of dealing with challenging behavior becomes re framed as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. At Pine Village, we have developed a checklist for practicing positive discipline. It is a guide to the process and uses questions we can ask ourselves in the role of the adult and facilitator. The checklist can be used by educators, parents, and any care giver who wants a positive approach to behavior management. Below are the questions outlined on the checklist.
1) Have I stepped back to try to understand WHY this happened? (Is the child tired, sick, or hungry? What happened right before? Is this normal for THIS child? Are there any special needs for this child?)
2) Can I change the environment to support the child? (Switching areas, making the space bigger, providing more or different materials?)
3) What is my body language saying? (Am I relaxed, do they sense my stress, am I at their level?)
4) How is my tone of voice? (Is it low and firm or am raised and authoritative?)
5) Am I using the word "no" at all? (How can I phrase it in a positive way? For example instead of saying "No hitting" can I say "Gentle hands"?)
6) What is the teachable moment in this situation? (What is the behavior serving? How can I support self-regulation, problem solving, communication skills etc...)
7) How can I involve the child or children in the solution?
8) What technique or techniques can I try? (Does the consequence make sense for the behavior?)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Hola and Welcome to our Blog!
Bienvenidos! Thank you for reading our blog. We hope you come by frequently and feel free to post and connect with us! We are Pine Village Preschool, a Spanish Immersion Preschool for children ages 15month - 6yrs. We are based in Boston, MA and we have been immersing children in Spanish for 10 years! Pine Village helps working parents jumpstart their child’s world language proficiency and Kindergarten readiness, and we strengthen families and communities through multicultural awareness and global citizenship.
We hope to use this blog not only to share information and resources for parents and educators raising bilingual/multilingual children, but also to discuss issues of early childhood, preschool, and raising children in general. In addition, we hope to touch on subjects such as women owned business, growing our business, linking to other like minded folk in our communities. We hope to be a link for parents and educators and all folks who believe as we do, that exposure to a second or third (or 4th, 5th 6th...) language early in our lives has a multitude of advantages.
Our website is www.mybilingualpreschool.com
Please visit us often and feel free to ask us questions!
One of our favorite people is Naomi Steiner, M.D. She has written the book "7 Steps To Raising a Bilingual Child", and she has been a large contributor to our mission and strategies. Her website and BLOG is: http://www.drnaomisteiner.com/
We hope to use this blog not only to share information and resources for parents and educators raising bilingual/multilingual children, but also to discuss issues of early childhood, preschool, and raising children in general. In addition, we hope to touch on subjects such as women owned business, growing our business, linking to other like minded folk in our communities. We hope to be a link for parents and educators and all folks who believe as we do, that exposure to a second or third (or 4th, 5th 6th...) language early in our lives has a multitude of advantages.
Our website is www.mybilingualpreschool.com
Please visit us often and feel free to ask us questions!
One of our favorite people is Naomi Steiner, M.D. She has written the book "7 Steps To Raising a Bilingual Child", and she has been a large contributor to our mission and strategies. Her website and BLOG is: http://www.drnaomisteiner.com/
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