Child, Youth, and Family Studies at UFV

A great opportunity for students!

Such an honour for our ECE Dual Credit course and the collaboration with Stó:lō Nation and the A:lmélháwtxw Early Education Centre. This has been highlighted as an Indigenous Top Ten News article!

UFV, Stó:lō Nation partner to give dual-credit ECE students learning opportunities – Academica Group The University of the Fraser Valley has partnered with the Stó:lō Nation to let high school students in a dual-credit early childhood education course experience what working in an early childhood education (ECE) setting is like. A:lmélháwtxw Early Education Centre childcare supervisor Monique B...

Check out this financial opportunity for post-secondary students!

We are pleased to announce the Lisa Huus Bursary is now open for applications until May 31.

The Lisa Huus Fund provides financial assistance to youth living with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education and is supported by personal donations and fundraising activities, including a transformational legacy gift from Margaret Smith.

Learn more and apply here https://islandkidsfirst.com/lisa-huus-bursary/

Thank you to Little Warriors for the Preventing Childhood Sexual Abuse! 70 students are learning to prevent and act around childhood sexual abuse. Thank you to Micheal Collins of Tipping Point Consulting & Counselling for facilitating our knowledge.

As we navigate the world of technology, it's important to reflect on the impact it has on our well-being, both positive and negative. What do you see as the effects of technology use for you and your children? 💻

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Who is running up the slide today?! 🛝

WHY WE SHOULD LET OUR KIDS CLIMB UP THE SLIDE

Why climbing the slide is just as important as sliding down for learning and physical development. It's important to remember to encourage this activity only when other kids are not going down the slide to ensure safety.

Once you've "taught" children how to use something (even accidentally), I notice these things happen:

-they start to believe there is a "right" way to play with the toy
-they fall into a pattern of only wanting to play with it the "right" way
-if the "right" way is tricky, they may want you to do it over and over while they just watch
-only if the toy sticks around for ages, and if you get lucky, will they be as likely to begin to freely experiment with the toy again and learn new ways to use it
-they may instead just get bored of the toy after doing it the "right" way a few times.

Remember, you can always move from less interference to more interference. After they've experimented for a long while, you can always jump in and show them some other way to play. But you can't take back modeling once you've provided it.

Many of us jump in immediately because we don't know how else to interact with our child as they play, which is why I provide these questions. If your first instinct is to want to start directing the play, pause and take a breath. Ask yourself questions instead of asking your child questions. What do you observe? What rules are they following? See if you can understand their mind, get into their logic! What trials are they trying? Why has this caught their interest?

[Image description: A close-up of a child's hands playing with an abacus is the faded image in the background. Over top of it are words that read, "When you feel yourself wanting to tell a child the 'right' way to use a toy, pause. See if, first, you can quietly observe & understand what they are exploring. What internal rules are they following? what trial-and-errors are they conducting? What are they learning -- without needing to be 'taught'?"

It also has my watermark on it, . End description.]

"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think." -- Margaret Mead

Cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, one of the most famous anthropologists in the world for much of the 20th century, was born on this day in 1901. She is credited with popularizing the field of anthropology and introducing the public to the value of studying other cultures to gain insight into the human experience.

After receiving her Master's degree at Columbia University in 1924, Mead traveled to Samoa, an island nation in Polynesia, to conduct field studies focusing on the role of adolescent girls in Samoan society. Her observations of peoples in the South Pacific led her to be the first anthropologist to use a cross-cultural perspective in analyzing human development. Though it generated some controversy, her research became the basis of her famous book, "Coming of Age in Samoa," which became a bestseller for many years. Mead also served as the curator of ethnology at the American Museum of Natural History for much of her career, focusing her research on studying child-rearing, personality, and culture.

Mead gave scientific foundations to the beginning of the women’s movement, showing that gender roles are also a cultural construct rather than dictated solely by biology. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously, at which point she was described as “Intrepid, independent, plain spoken, fearless, she remains a model for the young and a teacher from whom all may learn."

To learn more about Mead's classic works, check out "Coming of Age in Samoa" (https://amzn.to/3PObJ3r), "Male and Female" (https://amzn.to/3j59iNr), and "Letters from the Field" (https://amzn.to/3WlZSLO)

For those interested in exploring the controversy around Mead's research, there is a definitive analysis which concludes that the critiques against her were unfounded and misleading -- "The Trashing of Margaret Mead: Anatomy of an Anthropological Controversy" at http://amzn.to/2hQ2vWX

To introduce kids to 14 pioneering women from around the world, we highly recommend "Shaking Things Up" for ages 5 to 9 (https://www.amightygirl.com/shaking-things-up) -- and for slightly older readers, 8 and up, check out "Herstory: 50 Women and Girls Who Shook the World" (https://www.amightygirl.com/herstory)

For two inspiring books for young readers filled with practical advice on how to make change on issues they care about, we recommend "Start Now! You Can Make a Difference!" for ages 7 to 11 (https://www.amightygirl.com/start-now) and "It's Your World! Get Informed, Get Inspired, & Get Going!" for ages 10 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/it-s-your-world)

To inspire children and teens with more true stories of girls and women who fought for positive change throughout history, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364

Amazing opportunity!

Block play!

Children who engage in block play are not just constructing towers; they are building the very foundations of their future success. It is so simple, but has profound effects. Science has shown us that play is beneficial for the development of children’s brains in many ways.

🧱Aides in spatial reasoning
As they experiment with different arrangements, sizes, and shapes, children hone their spatial reasoning skills. Understanding how objects fit together and visualizing structures helps lay the foundation for concepts like geometry and architecture. A study by Yvonne Caldera and her colleagues observed the construction activities of 51 preschoolers and discovered a pattern. The kids who showed more interest in construction, and built more complex structures, performed better on a standardized test of spatial intelligence (Caldera et al 1999).

🧱Refines motor skills and hand-eye coordination
The physical act of handling blocks, whether large or small, refines fine motor skills. As children grasp, stack, and manipulate blocks, they enhance their hand-eye coordination and dexterity. These skills are crucial for later tasks ranging from buttoning shirts to writing with a pencil. Block play provides a hands-on way for children to develop the muscles and control necessary for intricate movements.

🧱Builds cognitive flexibility
Block play nurtures problem-solving abilities. When children encounter challenges while constructing structures, they engage in critical thinking to overcome obstacles. They learn to anticipate potential issues, adjust their approach, and experiment with different strategies. This process of trial and error nurtures a growth mindset—an essential mindset for lifelong learning and success.

🧱Boosts language skills
Block play sets the stage for language and communication development. When children engage in collaborative block building, they naturally engage in conversations. They negotiate, share ideas, and work together to bring their creations to fruition. This interaction nurtures vocabulary expansion, expressive communication, and active listening skills. The process of describing their designs and explaining their choices to others sharpens verbal communication abilities, an essential tool for effective interpersonal relationships.

🧱Creates creativity
Block play is a canvas for creativity. The freedom to construct unique structures from a handful of blocks encourages the imagination to flourish. Children become architects of their own miniature worlds-crafting cities, castles, and abstract sculptures. This creative expression not only fuels artistic thinking, but also instills a sense of pride and accomplishment. As children bring their imaginative visions to life, they develop confidence in their abilities to transform ideas into tangible realities.

🧱Makes room for social competence
Block play offers a sense of autonomy. Children have control over the blocks they choose and how they arrange them. This autonomy fosters a sense of agency and empowerment, contributing to healthy self-esteem and a positive self-concept.

🧱Strengthens engineering skills
Block play serves as a foundation for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. The skills acquired during block play—critical thinking, problem-solving, spatial reasoning—form the bedrock of STEM disciplines. As children progress through their education, these skills become crucial for tackling complex scientific and technological challenges.

🧱This is why blocks rock for little ones and big ones alike! 🧱

Reference: http://parentingscience.com/toy-blocks/?fbclid=IwAR2POaHTpiQd-ogwwc3h9PSHQCWVNrXdV1JkkAvzfwsmT-JA3Ajq4fSi_ck

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✨ We have started launching courses for Neuro Academy! You can access courses here: https://academy.neuroecosystem.com/

Students! This is a great way to get a free ticket and see an amazing conference! You will learn so much and connect with amazing people!

URGENT! (Oct 19-22) needs volunteers both online and in person. Please email [email protected] to access the schedule - at least 4 hrs = free ticket! Roles:
Support presenters, elder, exhibitors, mealtimes
Zoom support
Active listeners
Registration, sales
+ more link in bio for more conference information!