30/01/2021
33 Reasons to Choose a Play-Based Preschool, Not an Academic One
Parents in the US are enthralled with academic preschools, buying into the belief that earlier is better. However, research shows that play is how kids learn best. It enhances their imaginations, promotes exploration, increases vocabulary, and builds social skills.
18/08/2020
Clare says
“My son spent his 2nd ECCE year here and had an incredible time. The small group number and a child-led approach matched his needs. The focus on outdoor play was a particularly special feature, like a mini forest-school! Sinéad and Liz were so attentive to each child and he very happily went to school each day. He grew so much in confidence in such a short space of time A whole year later, he still talks about how much he misses his time there.”
15/08/2020
I can not take credit for this post, but is a great post worth sharing:
Back to school this year is ideal for NO ONE.
Not for teachers.
Not for parents.
Hybrid is not ideal.
Virtual is not ideal.
Face-to-face in the midst of a pandemic is not ideal.
For every kid who is anxious to get back to the classroom there is another who has anxiety about returning.
For every parent who wonders,
“How am I going to manage this?”
There is a teacher wondering,
“How am I going to manage this?”
Often, a person wears both titles.
For every kindergarten parent who is sad that this is how their child will begin their education, there is a parent of a senior who is bummed that this is how their child will end theirs.
For every person angry about their child having to wear a mask, there is a person who is petrified their immune compromised family member will get ill.
Life has thrown us a huge curve ball.
A plot twist if you will.
It will not be easy.
We will be challenged.
We will get frustrated.
I hope we rise to the occasion.
I hope we help one another.
We will all need help.
I hope we treat each other with grace.
We will all need grace.
I hope we realize that at the end of the day, our kids need us to be the light.
Set the tone.
See the good.
Take a really unfortunate situation and do our best to make it okay.
For them.
For us.💕
(Adopted from a mom in MA) [Via Mikey Flynn]
[Edited to add photo, source unknown, which I think really resonates with this post]
04/08/2020
ECCE place now available for September 2020 due to cancellation. Contact us now for details.
21/07/2019
33 Reasons Why Parents Should Choose a Play-Based Preschool, Not an Academic One
Parents in the United States are enthralled with academic preschools, buying into the belief that earlier is better. However, research shows that play is how kids learn best. It enhances their imaginations, promotes exploration, increases vocabulary, and builds social skills.
15/07/2019
I'm a mom who investigates drownings. Here are 10 water safety tips.
A mother who investigates drownings is raising awareness with her viral tips on water safety.
12/07/2019
https://lincprogramme.ie/blog/creating-an-inclusive-environment-for-children-with-allergies
Creating an Inclusive Environment for Children with Allergies | Leadership for Inclusion, LINC Programme
Creating an Inclusive Environment for Children with Allergies In this week’s LINC blog, current LINC student Sinéad Gaffney, recounts her own personal experience as a parent of a child with allergies and suggests ways in which early learning and care settings can support inclusive practice around...
06/07/2019
Social Skills Versus Academic Skills - Why the conflict?
Social Skills Versus Academic Skills - Why the conflict?: The vital role of play and how play develops social skills in the early years, and the important foundation these lay for future academic learning.
12/06/2019
https://www.morningfuture.com/en/article/2019/04/26/empathy-happiness-school-denmark/601/
Empathy? In Denmark they’re learning it in school
A compulsory subject of study which is taught an hour a week in the “Klassens tid”, where students learn to help their classmates and compete only with themselves