Parent Emails

Monday, Monday....
It's always a bit hard for me to get out of bed in the gray morning hours and go up to my computer. But this week, I'm starting with a smile on my face, reading some positive emails parents sent us last week. Just 4 lessons into the school year, I'm delighted that our families are delighted!

Yesterday, Maia told my mom “suave” when she was working on a project with her. So awesome, she’s thinking in Spanish!! -- mom of 5yr old

Joshua is having so much fun -- he's decided that Monday is his favorite day because of Spanish!! -- mom of 7yr old

[The instructor] is so warm and amazing with the kids. You have a wonderful program and I've been so impressed with how these classes are run. -- mom of 7 yr old

Makes the Monday rev-up a little easier with some good fuel in the tank!

Kara

Caminando, caminando, caminando - PARA!

Today, I taught a group of 10 K-3rd graders at Opal School. This is an active, eager group of children and today was class #4.

As we finished class and walked down the hall to the space where parents pick up the students, Eliza spontaneously started saying "Caminando, caminando, caminando..." (This means "walking, walking, walking" and is part of a game we've played at every class -- a kind of Follow the Leader type game.).

I was thrilled! Within seconds, all the other children were chiming in, "Caminando, caminando...." Suddenly, Jackson called out "¡Paren!" (Stop!) and all the children stopped in their tracks. They continued like this for a good way to our pick-up spot... Caminando, caminando, ¡Paren!.... Caminando, caminando, ¡Paren! Until Tyler, again de la nada (out of nowhere) calls out, "¡Marchando!" and the whole group starts marching and saying "Marchando, marchando, marchando...." in unison.

Then, as they were picked up by ones or in twos, they screamed goodbyes to each other (with an almost alarming amount of enthusiasm!) "¡ADIOS!" and "Adios Danny! Adios Jazlie!"

It was exactly what we hope for as teachers: concrete "proof" that the children find our activities intrinsically motivating, AND that these activities also help us achieve our ultimate goals:

1) Have fun & foster motivation (this game IS fun!)
2) Build confidence (whether its participating as a group member or taking lead)
3) Speak Spanish (especially outside of the class setting!)

It made my day!
Kara

Establishing a Tantrum Routine

Tantrums are inevitable. There's no way around it. They are a part of the developmental process, and something most children must go through in order to grow. I used to work in a great preschool years back. I started my career in the 2 year old room. WOW. WOW. Yeah, multiple tantrums with multiple children... daily. It wasn't always a constant, but only by developing some understanding of the process AND developing a coping strategy for myself, did I make it through without being completely exhausted or losing my sanity!

It seems that once a child starts in on a tantrum, she is stuck in a downward spiral and cannot pull herself out... as if her body physically craves the continuation of this emotional extreme. Thus she continues to spiral. It's important to remember that while the initial start of a tantrum appears intentional ("throwing a fit" because she doesn't get her way), most children are really experiencing what I call a "developmental" tantrum. They are trying to balance their growing sense of independence with their emotions, and still learning how to temper or regulate their reactions and self-soothe.

There are many approaches to coping with tantrums, this is simply my 2 cents. My hope is that you find some nuggets that stick with you and make your life a bit easier.

I suggest creating a tantrum ROUTINE. Just like a bedtime routine, bath routine, any other routine you have. In establishing a routine, you help your child predict the pattern, which helps her work through her tantrums more quickly, with less severity.

Step #1: Take care of YOURSELF FIRST.

Those emotions are SO overwhelming for both your child and you! Figure out what you need to do to ground yourself and keep calm. Maybe tell him -- while he's taking one of those stuttering breaths -- "I need to calm down too. I'll be in the other room if you need me." Then leave him there (as long as he's safe) and go and take some deep breaths!

This models appropriate behavior for him, AND it's important he knows you are not ignoring him. Knowing you are available when he eventually is able to accept your help, is important.

Step # 2: RELOCATE if necessary

I might say:
"I see you are so frustrated and need to cry. But it's too noisy for the living room. Let's go to your room."
or
"I see your frustrated, but throwing things is dangerous. Let's go to your room (or wherever you find best)."

It's okay if it seems he's not listening. He'll at least know your not ignoring him.

Do your best to remain CALM. When I stopped wishing tantrums wouldn't happen, and accepted them as inevitable, I was able to keep my emotions more neutral and keep a clearer head. We're more or less successful on given days, given our own stress and emotional reserves, but you do your best!

Take him to his room (or wherever you choose). You may have to carry him - even kicking and screaming - until your routine becomes established. When you get to his room, you might say "I want to help you feel better - can I give you a hug?" He may or may not let you.

If he does, hold him until you sense he's basically got himself under control. Then say something to address the situation like, "Gosh, those tantrums can be scary for me. Are they scary for you?... I'm so glad it's all over. That hug really seemed to help.... I'm so glad it's all done now because we still have time to brush the dog/go for a walk/etc." If he's not ready to receive a hug, move on to Step # 3.

If he throws toys across his room, bangs his head, or does otherwise dangerous things to himself or others, you have to make a call - seeing what's happening in the moment and knowing your child's reactions - whether to

a) hold him firmly while quietly saying " I don't want you or me to get hurt so I'm holding you. When your body is safe/not throwing things/banging on the floor, it will be safe to let go. Maybe then we brush the dog together." It may appear he's not hearing you at all, but with persistence, your talking & touch will likely help pull him out of his cycle and help him re-center.

or

b) move on to step #3.

Step #3: REASSURE & SEPARATE

Say "I want to help you feel better - can I give you a hug?" He may or may not let you. If not, say something like: "I'll be in the kitchen. Let's brush the dog together (or whatever he likes) when you're all done crying."

Step #4: REPEAT Step #3

Pop your head in every 5-8 minutes to repeat the "I want to help you feel better - can I give you a hug? I'll be in the kitchen. Let's brush the dog together when you're all done crying." You may have to repeat this a number of times before your child is able to receive a hug (or whatever you think is most appropriate). However, with time and repetition, the hope is that your child will be able to find comfort in the predictability of the pattern and thus be able to shorten the process and/or skip steps to get to the end.

I wouldn't worry about a hug or brushing the dog seeming like a "reward" for misbehavior. Kids feel terrible when stuck in a tantrum too. Time together afterwards gives you a chance to reconnect on a 'good' level and give words to what you both were feeling: "Wow, that was a tough one wasn't it?!!" or "I'm so happy you're all done crying because we still have time to brush the dog!" Or "That was a little scary, huh? I feel so much better now."

Establishing a routine can take a lot of effort up front and it demands stamina on your part. But armed with a consistent plan, you may find yourself feeling more in control, empowered, and better able to work through your emotions as well!

Okay, so that was like -- 89 cents instead of 2 cents. But hopefully it will resonate with you or another mom.

Any thoughts, comments, or things that you've done that have worked for you? Post them here -- we'll be sure other families get the word!

Kara

New babies in the PELP family!

As many of you know, we "lost" 2 of our Spanish Language in Play teachers this summer. Both Lauren and Nina become mothers, giving birth to Lucy & Jude. Here are a few pictures of the adorable moms before AND their beautiful newborns.
Aren't they so sweet?!!

Nina on left, Lauren on right

Nina & Matthew's son Jude Marley Horn:
Born June 9th
8 lbs, 1 oz.
















Lauren & Dustin's girl Lucy Fitzgerald Weaver:
Born August 11th
7 lbs, 12 oz

VIDEO: Guatemala campers play marimbas

Sarah & I had such a marvelous time during our Pasaporte a Guatemala summer camp. More than half of our campers were Guatemalan-born & adopted by American families, and we thus heard lots of interesting stories about moms (birth moms & life moms), kinds of families (rich/poor, big/small, single moms/same sex partnerships/moms&dads), and the state of affairs for Guatemalan people today and several years ago.

I especially loved that as Guatemalan campers shared their true life experiences, our non-Guatemalan campers did the same... Sharing what they knew about their own births or of being a baby, etc. A whole lot of common ground being established while appreciating the differences. These kids were exceptional listeners and question-askers, I must say!

These children were really earnest, eager, and friendly. They were kind to each other. Helped each other complete projects. Took turns with weaving boards. Goofed around and made each other laugh. They were all interesting, fun, and good-hearted.

We had a weeklong afternoon art project: making marimbas. The kids sanded all of their pieces, painted them, and put them together over the course of 4 days to create their own instruments. It was so so so fun! The kids put a lot of work into them and enjoyed playing (ahem... some boys' 'playing' techniques may have looked and sounded more like 'banging-until-their-keys-fall-off-when-the-teacher-isn't-looking', but all in the name of fun, eh?!). Here, they tap gently away, to a traditional Guatemalan folk song about a milkman. Just a very sweet moment.

VIDEO: Preschoolers Spanish Camp - active reading

So, I'm back with another video! Here you get a quick little view of how eager these 3-5 yr olds are to participate in active reading (in Spanish!).

This is a traditional Panamanian folk tale ("Conejito" - Little Bunny) that we read during our Spanish Immersion camp last week. Aside from participating in group reading, some children would "read" this book to each other, retelling it with key phrases in Spanish included!

I love my job =)
kara

Cutest Video Ever - campers singing "El Tambor de Alegria" Panamanian folk song

I know... I'm a little out of control with the videos... But just look at this brief video of the kids singing a Panamanian folk song!

Lorena - one of our great teachers this past school year & who lived in Panama while working for Peace Corps - came to sing some songs on our last day.¡Gracias Lorena!

VIDEO: Snack @ Spanish Immersion Camp

So, I just have to say that it's the 3rd day of our 6-9yr old Spanish Immersion Camp, and I am just amazed by these children! We've got a variety of levels and experience in this small camp, and they are all speaking so much Spanish I can barely stand it!

That said, you'll note in this video how ATTENTIVE the kids are. They enjoy hearing each others' Spanish, understanding it, and then using it! This comes from the children 100%... We have not prompted them to speak only Spanish or to speak one at a time in any way.

Maestra Sarah does a fabulous job of letting them know they're being understood by repeating their requests. She also asks children for further information: "¿Quieres una galleta o dos?" (Do you want one cracker or two?)... "¿Quieres uvas verdes o uvas moradas?" (Do you want green grapes or purple grapes?) Sooooo fun and so inspiring!!

Isn't it so exciting??!

Kara

YOU: Dad singing "hola-hola" with your son in New Seasons, ME: delighted!

So, my husband, Dominick, went in New Seasons NE 33rd on Wednesday or Thursday of this week, and came home practically breathless with excitement. He told me that by the soups and deli counter, he heard the Spanish Language in Play theme song:

Hola, hola
¿Cómo estás?
Bien, bien
Gracias.
(to hear this one, click here and scroll all the way to the bottom post)

Dominick turned to see a dad and his son having a quasi-raucus time singing together. Dad was asking his son "How does it go again?" and Son would sing again. Dad would sing, making "mistakes" and they would just crack up!

Dominick said it was hilarious and so adorable... and exciting - like hearing your own song on the radio!

I can't get enough of these tiny, tiny tidbits of what happens outside of class... Without your stories and comments, I wouldn't know what's happening out there!

Who was this dad and son? Was it YOU?? If not, do you have any story to share? These stories can make our day, helping us know we seem to be moving in the right direction with our kids =)

Thanks & VIDEO: Kids playing Tengo, Tengo

Well, this week & next mark the end of Spanish Language in Play classes for this school year, and I am so pleased and satisfied and proud of our students and teachers!


And I have a serious pang of that bittersweet feeling...


Joyful Noise CDCs were our very first preschools that we offered Spanish classes to, back in Fall 2006. This week, I said goodbye to children who have been in my classes since the beginning, starting when they were just 3 years old! Now, they are going off to Kindergarten or first grade! And they are so grown, and smart, and READY!

It's another of those "wow" moments that marks the passing of time. Three years we've been doing Spanish Language in Play. It is still a small endeavor compared to many, but has changed my entire life... Thanks to all of our amazingly supportive families.


And I'm just so grateful to our families. Amazing teachers. And wonderful, wonderful kids. Wishing "my" kids good luck, hugs, certificates, and the sweetest "I'll miss you" from Elsie just twists my heart up!


So GRACIAS for making this a super-fulfilling year for us, and helping us do what we love to do!


This video is of our Joyful Noise class playing "Color Escondido" (aka "Tengo, Tengo") -- a favorite of many kids! They are so independent in playing this game, it's great!!


Have a wonderful summer everyone!

ART HOP on Alberta! THIS Saturday May 19

Kara here!

So, one of "our" moms is a small business owner here in Portland. Perhaps you know her or her business: Grasshopper on Alberta?

I buy some of our best toys there and am on the mailing list. This came in today from Kara (her name is Kara too!). A great family fun opportunity!

Bring the family...its art hop on Saturday
11-6 on alberta st.
The street will be closed to traffic
There will be great food and music
The parade @ 3:00
grasshopper will have a sidewalk sale
And guess what it is going to be sunny

Hope to see you.

I'll be there with my niece, Mazli, wearing a bright orange sunglasses, so if we bump into each other, please say hi or introduce yourself!!

http://www.artonalberta.org/art_hop.html

Baby Sign... E's 'HAT'

Christina here!...

I want to share something that happened in our Series C class today (well, it was "today" when I wrote this post, but it's taken us a bit to get it up here!).

First of all, let me say that it is a fabulous class to teach because a) all of you families are amazingly fun to spend time with and b) all of the kiddos are signing. It's really powerful to be in a room full of signing babies!

Anyway... I noticed baby E (who is 14mos old) looking out the window towards the sidewalk. I couldn't see what she was looking at, but she signed HAT to me. When I mentioned it to her mom, she told me that baby E loves her bicycle helmet and refers to it as her HAT.

Baby E was peeking out the window at her mama's bike and her helmet and wanted to tell us about it! It sounds so simple, but is really so empowering & confidence-building for her to start a "conversation" and be understood. It's these moments that blow me away every time!

These little glimpses into what our kids are thinking are so fascinating!

Do you have your own story to share? We LOVE to hear them!

VIDEO: We have a blog!!

Soooo, Christina and have been talking about a blog for... well... a long time, let's just say. Finally we are here and excited to have a place where we can post some things we think you all might find interesting, and we're even more excited to see the comments, advice, and questions you all post.

So WELCOME! ¡BIENVENIDOS! Come on in, throw some words up here, and let's get started!

(Here's a video of some of our Spanish Language in Play campers singing our infamous HOLA-HOLA song: Hello, Hello, How are you? Fine, fine, thank you!)