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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
We had an exciting and very busy December. The enthusiasm of the staff, children, and parents made the month fly by. We hope each of you had a safe and happy holiday season. We wish to express a special thank you to all families here at EFC for making the holiday season so special for us. The gift cards, treats, and holiday greeting cards are very thoughtful
THANK YOU TO NATALIE AND AL MAJERKO
We would like to offer a special "Thank You" to Natalie Majerko for organizing the holiday gift card fund for the teachers. It has been a long tradition for the staff and is greatly appreciated!
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FROSTY THE SNOWMAN'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
You are invited to Frosty the Snowman's Birthday Party on Wednesday, January 24. We will have snack in the classrooms at 3:30pm and the Magic Show by Robert and Lynn Halbrook will begin at 4:00pm.
Parents are welcome to join their child(ren) for this fun celebration
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UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS
CLASSIC GYMNASTICS:
We will be heading to Classic Gymnastics in Chanhassen on
Wednesday, January 17
with the bus leaving at 9:30 am. The cost per child is $9.00 and parent volunteers are welcome. Please be watching for a waiver to be signed before this field trip. Children will be "working out" barefoot in the gym-please send kiddos in "gymnastic" clothing - no dresses please.
MN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
:
February's field trip will be at the MN Children's Museum in St. Paul, MN. The bus will leave at 9:00 am and return after lunch. (We will be eating a picnic lunch at the museum.) The field trip will be on
Thursday, February 8
and parent volunteers are welcome to attend. We are excited to see the newly remodeled museum!
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SNOW EMERGENCIES
If Especially for Children cannot open due to inclement weather or other emergency conditions, the centers closing will be announced on WCCO radio in the morning. If conditions during the day (weather or emergency) make it necessary to close before our regularly scheduled time, we will need to reach each of you at your work places. If at any time you are aware of changes that should be made on your child's emergency card, please request a new set of cards. This also includes changes with your emergency contacts and authorized to pick up persons.
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JANUARY TUITION INFO
Your new tuition rates are in effect January 1. Make sure to watch for your 2017 tax statement which will be distributed as well. We will be emailing as well as distributing a paper copy toward the end of January.
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STAR WELLNESS:
INDOOR WINTER ACTIVITIES
PAPER PLATE ICE SKATING
These are such fun ideas to get children moving indoors on chilly winter days! All you need is a couple of paper plates to make skating work - it can be done on
either hard or carpeted floors.
CARDBOARD SKIS WITH DUCT TAPE
Save your cardboard-decorate and make duct take foot holders. You can make the ski length as long as you wish. It is a great time to get "ready" for the 2018 Winter Olympics!
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THE "E" IN STEAM -
THE VALUE OF TINKERING
The U.S. has become a nation of "non-tinkerers" and it has harmed the way we live and work. In a poll of 1,000 U.S. adults, nearly 6 in 10 said they had never made or built a toy. The majority said they avoid doing household repairs themselves. The problem is that tinkering is the process that leads to discovery and innovation - brainstorming with your hands. We want to encourage tinkering in our children!
A further concern is that girls are encouraged to tinker even less often than are boys; and when it comes to higher education, women are vastly underrepresented in many STEM fields. Though male and female students perform equally well in mathematics and science on standardized tests in high school, by the time they reach college, disparities begin to emerge. Women receive only 17.9% of computer science degrees, 19.3% of engineering degrees, 39% of physical science degrees, and 43.1% of mathematics degrees. (National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators, 2016.)
For the past decade, there has been a concerted effort to change this. Many of you have heard of STEM curriculum, which has been changed to STEAM:
Science
Technology
Engineering
Art
Math
Schools across the nation are creating STEAM curriculums. Early Childhood Education has long been focused on hands-on learning. On a daily basis, children are given opportunities to experiment in science, art, and math. In recent years at Especially for Children, we are consciously working to give children more experiences in tinkering, which develops skills needed for both engineering and technology. We want our students to be prepared for the challenges of the future.
We let children touch things, make things, and solve problems on their own. We know that by allowing children time to tinker and struggle with answering questions, we are showing them that we have high expectations for them. We pose age-appropriate challenges and then send the message, "I know you can get it if I give you the chance."
At home, you can help your child understand the value of hands-on skills. Let them see you handle a necessary household repair or tackle a hobby for pleasure. Show them your pride when you fix or create something.
Let them help you when you are tinkering. Have a set of tools your child can "use" when you are repairing a faucet or tightening a loose screw. Even a set of plastic tools will help your son or daughter understand the concept of taking things apart and putting them back together again.
Over the New Year's weekend, we will be with all of our grandchildren. I think I will throw in my suitcase some items that encourage tinkering. I hope your 2018 is wonderful - tinkering times with your child may provide some special joy!
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TWIN CITIES
FAMILY EVENTS
1/23-3/18 The Wiz, Children's Theatre Company, Mpls
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After the busyness of the holiday season, it can be a transition for both parents and children to get back to the regular routine. As parents, we may need to re-establish certain boundaries and expectations that were eased over the last month. But this can be challenging work, and according to child development expert Dr. David Walsh, many of us fall into some common pitfalls when it comes to limits and consequences.
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