Home Hot Topics Articles Directors' Choice Awards About Us / Contact Us Activities & Curriculum Activities for Outcome-Based Learning Arts & Crafts Music for Learning Recommended Reading Sharing Boards: What Do YOU Think? NEWSlink Current National News Conference Calendar Topics In Early Childhood Education Art and Creativity in Early Childhood Education Job Sharing Board State Licensing Requirements Stay Connected! Each month we'll send you an email filled with articles and ideas for your classroom. Subscribe Now Date: 3/3/2007 6:57:00 AM Author: L.L. (Reiss26@aol.com) Subject: boys, boys, and more boys So many great ideas. I have an integrated(75% special needs/25%"typically developing), multiaged(youngest-3/oldest-will turn 6 in May)class with more boys than girls. I use a variety of techniques. I have had the older boys "teach" the younger children. I start by telling them I need some help and ask them if they would be able to show another child what to do. I always give them the chance to say "No", but I haven't had a child turn me down yet. We also have an "Acts of Kindness from the Heart" bulleting board. The class has been told I watch the children and whenever I see an act of kindness, I write it on a strip of paper. At the end of the day, I read from the strips of paper. Yes, there have been days when I only have a few strips of paper, but that's alright and I tell the children that. I always tell them "Thank you". We then take the strips and weave them together and place them on the bulletin board where all the children's pictures are posted. I can't take credit for this idea because I learned it at a recent workshop, but it's had great results. I have also made sure to stop activities that aren't working and move on to other activities, especially large motor activities. The children know the classroom rules, which they have written and re-written throughout the year, as well as knowing, they get three reminders, then the activity/area is over/closed. Praise, setup of the environment, and flexibility on my part help. There are those days when nothing works and then it's survival mode and one minute at a time. The day does end and tomorrow is a new day. Name: Email: Subject

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