Cultural Competence for Children

Diversity is indeed one of the most beautiful aspects of our society. However, it does come with great responsibility to be shared by all. The majority of us, as adults, live and work with people from all walks of life. Our children are no exception. Not only do they need to be aware of all the different cultures, races, and beliefs of the world around them, but it is also necessary to teach them the importance of respecting these differences and recognizing the beauty that such diversity creates.

Parents are often a bit hesitant to talk with their children about such a touchy subject. Children are very impressionable and tend to take what trusted adults say at face value. Parents who have not been trained or advised in cultural competence themselves may feel uncomfortable facilitating such an important conversation. Here are a few tips and strategies that can be followed in provided the proper atmosphere and information for the occasion.

Do not be afraid to talk openly and honestly with your child about racial and cultural differences. Children are not totally oblivious to the fact that there are people around them who may or may not share their own physical characteristics. Anyone who has spent time witnessing the curiosity of child knows that questions will arise. Questions that will require a delicate answer. Treating the subject as if it is too taboo to discuss will only open the door for misconceptions. This in itself can lead to prejudices.

Be prepared to lead by example. Children are constantly watching our reactions and mirroring what they see. As parents, it is important to be very mindful in recognizing and pointing out generalizations and stereotypes that exist even in our own thinking. It is all too easy to continue a certain pattern of thinking when we have not sought opportunities to broaden our own minds. Seek some avenues of obtaining a higher level of cultural competence as an adult. Many agencies and institutions offer training in cultural competence, but learning does not have to be formal. There is a wealth of valid information available on cultural and racial differences on the web and at your local library.

Look for teachable moments. Introduce cultural differences to your child in a way that sparks their interest and attention. Teach them that learning and experiencing other cultures can be fun and exciting. It is not hard to find cultural activities that are open to the public throughout the year. Attending cultural festivals and parades are great opportunities to answer your child's questions in a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere.

Finally, and most importantly, keep the lines of communication open. Continue to stay connected with your child on the topic of cultural and racial differences. As children become older and more aware of prejudices and stereotypes, they tend to become more hesitant about expressing their thoughts and feelings on the subject. Provide a safe environment where these thoughts can be discussed openly and lovingly. This will give you the opportunity to guide them as they develop their own sense of self and identity as well as a respect and appreciation for that of others.

It is important, however, to note that there is not just one prescription for helping your child to appreciate the cultural differences around them. The key is to keep an open mind when seeking opportunities to teach children about cultural acceptance as well as opportunities to practice what they have learned.

Encourage Your Children To Read

Having textbooks and a list of academic reading requirements can take the fun out of reading for many school age children. For them, reading is not fun anymore. Parents who want to instill the love for reading on their children may be alarmed at this turn of events.

The simplest solution is to be involved with the children's homework the moment they start going to school. The can make it a point to know about the books they bring from school and go through it together. By supervising children's homework, parents will easily notice if there is a problem and often what is causing it.

Stuttering when reading aloud, reading very slowly, and a low level of reading comprehension could be reasons why they don't like reading anymore. If these won't get nipped in the bud, they could lead to more school issues later on.

When reading with their children, parents can ask questions about what they just read in order to improve on reading comprehension. However, the questions should be stated in a way that the children won't be hesitant to give their answers. The questions could be about the actions of the characters in the story or what the child feels after reading the story. When they feel no pressure in giving the right answer, children will answer freely.

Having different kinds of reading material in the house will also help. Newspapers, magazines, essays, fiction, biographies, and other books should be in place that is accessible to children if they want to read them. If they gravitate towards comics, let them read those. Don't force them to read the classics if they want Twilight. When they get older, they will look for meatier and more substantial stuff on their own.

Most important of all is that children learn from example. Parents should be avid readers themselves. This is in fact the easiest way to show to children that one can and should read for pleasure.

Spend Your Time with Your Children to Go on Vacation

Spending quality recreational time with your children is very important to their health, well being and sense of worth. In order to develop properly, children need fun time and diversion. Isn't it true that when you reminisce about some of the happiest times you spent with your family when you were a child, you especially remember and are very fond of game nights? Your children will have similar special memories when they are adults if you take the time now to play a game with them and show them how much you value their company.

What would your children enjoy doing with you and what would you enjoy doing with your children? Would it be playing ball, cycling, swimming or maybe just spending time playing a board game. Those are especially fun. Choose the right games based on the age and preferences of your children and you will soon be laughing and having fun with them. Some of the most enjoyable board games I've played when I was a child were Chinese checkers, Chutes & Ladders, Checkers, Connect Four, Sorry, Monopoly and Scrabble. I have the fondest memories of playing Scrabble because that was the only game my father joined along in. That's right, it is especially important to choose games the entire family will enjoy.

So parents, please take the time now to show your children that you value and love them by spending quality recreational time with them. You can also feel good in knowing that this time spent with them is not only good for their souls, but it adds the extra benefit of education for your child if you choose your game wisely.

Suitable Kids Playing Activities

In the age of the Internet and electronic gaming, it is getting tougher and tougher to get your kids to even set foot outside unless it's to catch the bus for school. Weekends are usually spent watching movies or playing Halo on the Xbox instead of using their brains on building a tree house or even just reading something that doesn't involve their homework.

In simpler times just a decade or two ago, kids would play with toys that would actually stimulate their minds and make them think a little bit while they were having fun. Toys like Legos and Magformers really did used to inspire my creativity when I was a little boy and I think kids these days are missing out on the constructive nature of these toys. Even race tracks and remote controlled cars that were very popular just ten years ago would at least make you assemble the track and let you do it in multiple ways. They even encouraged you to race your car outside. All they do now is go on their Facebook page and talk about mindless things by the time they are ten years old. And the Internet is a dangerous place now where inappropriate content is just an accidental click away.

It would be a nice change if parents started buying their kids toys from a few years ago. Companies like Playmobil with their intricate figurines really did inspire imagination. We would make up scenarios when we were kids instead of having them displayed for us on a video game. It can be dangerous for parents to let their kids do whatever they want because they will never develop the necessary skills to move forward. Their underdeveloped brains will have a harder time grasping harder concepts because we let them rot their brains out during the early years.

Parents do have it harder these days since both parents are usually expected to work in order to bring in more money to buy things like televisions and video games. This concept is actually working in reverse as it's harming the next generation of Americans. So it would be a good idea to buy some toys like Magnatiles that help the constructive nature of the brain so it can do some daily exorcises too. Maybe small pieces of colorful plastic that stick to each other can make a comeback.

Summer Camps for Girls

The world seen through the eyes of today's kids is one of technology, computers, video games, and television. Left behind are the wonders of the outdoors and the educational activities that go along with experiencing it. Traditional summer camps for girls have retained their popularity over the years because they provide a break in this routine and an invitation for young women to get to know the natural world around them.

The majority of girls today are growing up in the city or the suburbs, with limited access to raw natural settings. For some girls, summer camp may be a rare opportunity to experience the outdoors for an extended period of time. Seeing flora, fauna and wildlife in its natural habitat is an experience that can't be had in the local zoo. Learning how to respect nature, as well as identify various species, is an accomplishment that can be a source of pride for young women.

Time in nature can help girls gain a new sense of connection to the environment. From a new perspective, it's easier to see the negative effects that pollution, littering, and excessive energy consumption can have on the world.

Camp is also a great way to counteract the sedentary tendencies that many of today's children develop, and a method of fostering interest in outdoor activities and other "fun" ways to get exercise that can carry over into the rest of the year. Activities like fishing, trail hiking, bird-watching, horseback riding, swimming, boating, and water skiing abound. In addition, some camps may go beyond traditional offerings to include skill-based learning in cooking, photography, and visual or performing arts.

Socially speaking, girls benefit in countless ways through these experiences. New friendships forged in this environment are special because of shared summer camp adventures in the outdoors. Girls who may be having difficulty with other children at school or in their neighborhoods may enjoy having a fresh opportunity to make friends amidst the solidarity of fellow campers.

In addition, this outdoor experience can give a sense of independence and self-reliance, increasing young women's confidence and self-worth as she interacts with peers, learns and grows while spending time away from her family. This can serve to help prepare her for going away to college someday. The opportunity for personal growth is tremendous.

Memories of camp are varied and treasured. Thoughts of hiking, swimming and singing songs around a crackling campfire while roasting marshmallows for s'mores with new-found friends will likely stay with a girl throughout her life. Many friendships that begin here become lifelong as well.

It's only natural that parents who remember their own adventures at summer camp would desire the same for their daughters. Parents who may not have had such an experience as youngsters can still see the physical, emotional, mental and social benefits their daughters can reap. However, parents should be aware that often, the girl they send to a traditional summer camp in the great outdoors will return a young woman, more self-reliant, confident and knowledgeable about her world than ever before.

Help Children to Eliminate Their Worries when Moving to New School

Moving from nursery to Primary School, or even Primary to Secondary can be a big change for children. It can be daunting to meet new people and have to make new friends.

Let's all try and make the process easier for everyone involved:

Plan: If you a parent make sure that your child has the right uniform and books - there's nothing more embarrassing than them going to school only to have some kind of unwanted attention drawn to them. Also, don't forget to get up early! If you are a teacher: organise some games and activities for your new class. Be dynamic - children are interested in different things, so try and think of options for a wide audience e.g - think of activities that are good for both boys and girls.

Communicate: Parents, talk to your children about their worries and feelings about moving schools - no matter how old they are- do not just ignore it. They may have anxieties and concerns and if you don't ask them, this may harm their confidence. Teachers, use induction day as an opportunity to sniff out the personalities in your new class and tailor your communication choice to the type of individual. For example, more confident students may be best to be communicated with in front of others. Shier students may need a little more individual attention.

Excite: If you are a parent, be positive. Use positive statements to talk about their day - even if they may be in a strange mood. E.g - "I bet you are excited about going to a new school" as opposed to "You're not nervous are you...?" Teachers, inform your class of all of the fantastic opportunities available to your students. As before, make these comments as varied as possible as to target everyone. Inform them of broad opportunities and more specific, individual ones that might light up a few eyes in the shier pupils.

Encourage: Parents, think of ways to motivate your child. This may be letting them know you will cook them their favourite dinner for when they return or some kind of reward for the weekend, so they can be thinking of something happy that happens in the near future rather than worrying about your first day. Teachers, steer clear of competitive sports. Games are a great way to get a team atmosphere going but why not try something like movement, where there is no "right or wrong" way of doing it, so that everyone will be starting school from an even playing field?

Relax: Parents, incorporate some relaxation into your child's day - a bit of chill out time in the evening could be a lovely way to finish the day after all of the excitement experienced. Teachers, after lunch or in between subjects, try some relaxing breathing exercises so that the children can ground themselves and control their emotions half way through the day.

Science Projects for Elementary Students

Developing science skills can be best achieved with the help of various projects. The projects can be undertaken with respect to various kinds of science subjects in a wonderful manner. Many people out there have been benefited to the availability of sources that will guide them to complete their projects in a wonderful manner. One of the best field that can be chosen as a project topic is to provide consensus to promote greener environment.

This can be achieved in an easy and wonderful manner. You can choose various kinds of ecological topics such as fuel cells, solar energy, wind power and many more to highlight the importance of green energy that will be renewable source of energy. There are various kinds of elementary science fair projects that can be established in a successful manner listed below.

Fuel cell projects

Nowadays, there is a greater level of urge among students to pay more attention on projects that will be making environment greener. One of the best elementary project that can be undertaken to emphasize these importance is through fuel cell projects. You will be able to trap energy that is being emitted from sun in a great manner. These fuel cells that are made up of silicon material can be used in various kinds of building to power home in a wonderful manner. This source will also be of good use in saving good amount of money that is being paid for electricity charges.

Selecting the best science fair projects

In order to generate more level of attraction towards your project, it will be much more beneficial if you are able to select a project category that will be having great level of prospects for development. It should also be of good use in making ecology more balanced and reduce the dependency on products that cause great level of pollution. Thus the projects that are selected on above backgrounds will be of great use.