September 3rd, 2010 by El Ed Mom
It’s back to school time! In honor of Heidi and Megan going back to school we are giving away a set of our books! Feel free to share this great news!
Leave a comment (including your email address) to be entered to win! We will ship globally to a winner! This contest ends September 30th!
August 19th, 2010 by El Ed Mom
Now that summer is ending, many of us are thinking about the upcoming school year and how to create an atmosphere of success for our children. Regardless of age, a blank notebook, a fresh backpack, new pencils, pens, markers, and/or crayons should be joyful and yet, for many children, it elicits feelings of insecurity and fear of failure. It is up to us, as parents and educators, to make certain that our kids are emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically ready to meet new challenges. Children need guidance, time, and reminders in order to successfully transition from the more carefree days of summer to the more rigorous routines of the school year. Proper manners should be reinforced, kindness acknowledged, reading, listening, and practicing skills encouraged and healthy eating and sleeping patterns enforced. Since children mimic our attitudes and behaviors, it is critical to speak in positive ways about the school year, teachers, school, and curriculum. It is also important to set realistic expectations so that your child/children can tackle their new experiences and challenges with self confidence and with the knowledge that you will be both their cheerleader and confidant. Please note that I am not encouraging parents to make excuses for or to complete assignments for children, but rather, am advocating an environment of open dialogue, where discussions focus on both positive and negative emotions, behaviors, and experiences.
Creating a solid foundation is critical to buildings constructed from brick and mortar as well as those more gentle structures made up of feelings, ideas, and knowledge. Let’s work together towards building a foundation that supports a love for learning, a respect for self and others, and a dedication to excellence, diligence, and empathy.
I wish everyone a successful and lovely school year!!
Magical Educating!
Donna Mavrides
Magical Moments
www.magicalms.com
July 29th, 2010 by El Ed Mom
What a fabulous review from Amanda at www.MultiplesAndMore.blogspot.com for the “Let’s Get Ready” series of books!
And guess what? YOU can win a set of them! Just click on the image above and follow the instructions for the giveaway. Hope you win!
July 22nd, 2010 by El Ed Mom
Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! & Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!
Applauded and approved by parents, kids and educators for ages 2-8, these award-winning, state-approved books are perfect to get kids ready for Kindergarten and First Grade!
Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!
Teachers at home and in schools love it! It’s not a storybook or a workbook; it’s a book that covers the curriculum: the alphabet and numbers in and out of sequence, left and right, shapes, colors, high frequency words, positional words, opposites, rhyming, let’s read a story and so much more. It’s all in one engaging book illustrated with Mrs. Good, the teacher and six adorable Cedar Valley Kids that you simply read to children to learn.
Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!
Follow along with Ms. Best and six new Cedar Valley Kids and Yodie the Coyote who makes learning vowels and consonants, vowel sounds, compound words, contractions, the solar system, counting money, measuring, fractions, adding and subtracting and more exciting for everyone!
To learn more visit these mom-created, 100% made in USA books, visit: www.cedarvalleypublishing.com
Prize: 1 set of books: Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten! & Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!
Sponsor: Cedar Valley Publishing
# of Winners: 1
Start/End Dates: 7/14/2010 – 9/30/2010
December 2nd, 2009 by El Ed Mom
In first grade, your child will have to interact with his classroom teacher as well as art, music, and physical education teachers. The school day will become longer. He’ll eat at school and go to and from school with limited assistance. He’ll also have some homework assignments. Find out what else your child will learn this year.
October 1st, 2009 by El Ed Mom
Children need to play. This observation might seem obvious, but lately, it is my rallying cry. It has to be. There is so much discussion among parents and educators about the relative benefits of academic versus developmentally appropriate preschools, and as testing rules the day, proponents of the academic model seem to be gaining ground.
But I am a parent, and I have been a preschool teacher for more than twenty years, and my experience and training tell me one thing loud and clear.
Children need to play.
They need to build with blocks, role-play with dolls and cooking tools, assemble tracks for trains, dabble in paint, jump up and down, ride tricycles, smush playdough, dig in sand, splash in water. They need to negotiate with ladders, slides, and each other. Take turns. Dress up. Cook.
September 24th, 2009 by El Ed Mom
The physical education games that are described in this article can be played at the beginning of gym class as part of a warm exercise, during the period wholly or partially devoted to games or physical education activities or at the end of class as part of cool down exercises.
In addition to the obvious benefits of providing good exercise, combating obesity and developing motor skills, the other skills that I wanted my students to demonstrate when they play these games are co-operation, sportsmanship and enjoyment.
Here are 6 examples of physical education games that my students and I enjoyed.
September 21st, 2009 by El Ed Mom
When you need to have a substitute teacher take over your classroom duties, it’s important to do your best to make the guest teacher feel comfortable and confident with your students and the curriculum. By following this checklist, you can maximize the chances of your substitute teacher being able to handle your duties with ease and fluidity.
Checklist for Preparing to Host a Substitute Teacher
Create a designated section on your desk so that the substitute can easily find your notes, lessons, and materials.
Print out your daily schedule with any special notes applicable to the days in question.
August 6th, 2009 by El Ed Mom
As an author and publisher, I am shocked by the number of books that say they are for “early reading” and yet are not using the appropriate “early reading” vocabulary or any of the Dolch site words by age group. I love Dr. Seuss books!! They are fun and engaging and full of repetition and rhyming patterns, but they are hard to use as an early reading book. WHY? Because word association doesn’t work with Dr. Seuss; he uses silly off-the-wall rhymes that don’t add up in a child’s head. They would not automatically put together green eggs and ham, unless they already knew the book and the rhyme.
Top tips for helping kids learn to read:
Smiles – Stacey
Stacey Kannenberg
“Ready To Learn Mom”
July 30th, 2009 by El Ed Mom
Christina Lemmey is a parent of two who thinks elementary school isn’t all that elementary–especially for parents. In fact she believes there’s much more to know beyond just what is being taught to your child in class. Understanding how your child learns in this environment, interacts with new peers, deals with social influences and fits within the whole education system is also important and can be overwhelming even for the most prepared and dedicated parent. That’s why Christina created a resource for parents aptly called “Wonder Years Radio”
