Archive for April, 2009
Christmas Stories are always fascinating, but we hardly try to find out why we have so many stories on Christmas. Elizabeth Harrison’s “Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe” or “A Christmas Star” by Katherine Pyle gives some of the religious flavor of Christmas.
What the stories are actually about? These are not always religious. The mystical power of mistletoe has its origin in the legend of Goddess Frigga and her son Balder. The story unfolds a very important Christian theme, the theme of love and well being of all. One cannot really label the connection as “pagan” as the spirit is highly Christian but the Goddess was a mythical persona..
There are fabulous stories relating the birth of Christ which attract the children most. Mario and Pablo, the two poor brothers and sisters decided to decorate the bed of the baby Jesus with weeds as they could not afford expensive gifts for Him. The miracle happened when the weeds turn out to be red star shaped flowers. The legend really does not have the name of the flower in it. The name comes from another story. Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first ambassador to Mexico bought the red star shaped flower to U.S. Thus we get the name from this person. The legend is a fine blending of a myth and a reality.
The legend of candy cone is highly interesting and secular in spirit. One can trace back its origin in Cologne Cathedra where children were not paying attention to choirmaster on a particular day. The choirmaster gave them long, white sugar candy stick in order to keep them quiet. He knew that giving out chocolates and candies in the church was sacrilegious and so he gave them the shapes of shepherd’s cane who went to worship the Christ on the day He was born. Here comes the religious significance of the candy cones. Now the white and red J-shaped candies get always associated with Christmas and the Christian religion as ‘J’ stands for “Jesus”.
Many stories evolve round the helping spirit of Christmas. The little migrating birds got shelter from spruce, pine and juniper tree in the midst of frost and snow. The Frost King punished willow, oak and bird trees for their selfish attitude and rewarded the kind trees with green leaves for the whole year and this is the legend of Evergreen Trees.
The Christmas spirit is best felt in the legend on nutcracker. It is about the girl Clara and her magical mysterious nutcracker. There is a fight with the Evil and ultimately the Nutcracker Prince takes her to the magic land, the land of hope, beauty and fancy. The ballet of Alexander Drumas Pere has a positive ending in tune with the Christmas spirit- Clara wakes up on Christmas Day and finds herself surrounded by her family. It is the time to be with your closed ones.
Mostly the stories have child characters. Dickens’s A , Christmas Carols carry the secular spirit of a festival and ‘Toinette and the Elves’ by Susan Coolidge give us fascinating stories on the event. Some are directly related to the birth of Jesus and some were never a part of the event but later on some religious significance has been added to them to make them apt for the Christmas spirit.. So, what was once sacrilegious now it is a part of the religious custom to have candy cones on Christmas. The stories are perhaps the best tools to convey in a simple language what Christmas stands for . Birth of Christ is just an event and the legends are there to explain why Christ was bought in this world of sin. Hence, fight with Evil and vanity is a common theme for most of the stories.
The stories are quite interesting with the essence of mystery, magic, miracle and fancy that they definitely have an universal appeal. They are basically good stories with real characters fighting their bad luck and ultimately meeting their good fortune. The readers get the satisfaction as poetic justice is always done .The world has been divided into black and white or evil and good. There is no modern gray characters and so less complex and easy to understand. Thus they are perfect Children Stories till date. Why do we really believe all these? Perhaps it is because of the satisfaction we get when the evils are punished or we get the hope of meeting the dream world of Clara in the nutcracker legend. Even if we fail to give a new world to the children we can at least give them Oliver Miller’s “Christmas in the Alley”.
Sean Carter
http://www.articlesbase.com/homeschooling-articles/christmas-stories-what-makes-them-so-popular-53028.html
Christmas Stories are always fascinating, but we hardly try to find out why we have so many stories on Christmas. Elizabeth Harrison’s “Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe” or “A Christmas Star” by Katherine Pyle gives some of the religious flavor of Christmas.
What the stories are actually about? These are not always religious. The mystical power of mistletoe has its origin in the legend of Goddess Frigga and her son Balder. The story unfolds a very important Christian theme, the theme of love and well being of all. One cannot really label the connection as “pagan” as the spirit is highly Christian but the Goddess was a mythical persona..
There are fabulous stories relating the birth of Christ which attract the children most. Mario and Pablo, the two poor brothers and sisters decided to decorate the bed of the baby Jesus with weeds as they could not afford expensive gifts for Him. The miracle happened when the weeds turn out to be red star shaped flowers. The legend really does not have the name of the flower in it. The name comes from another story. Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first ambassador to Mexico bought the red star shaped flower to U.S. Thus we get the name from this person. The legend is a fine blending of a myth and a reality.
The legend of candy cone is highly interesting and secular in spirit. One can trace back its origin in Cologne Cathedra where children were not paying attention to choirmaster on a particular day. The choirmaster gave them long, white sugar candy stick in order to keep them quiet. He knew that giving out chocolates and candies in the church was sacrilegious and so he gave them the shapes of shepherd’s cane who went to worship the Christ on the day He was born. Here comes the religious significance of the candy cones. Now the white and red J-shaped candies get always associated with Christmas and the Christian religion as ‘J’ stands for “Jesus”.
Many stories evolve round the helping spirit of Christmas. The little migrating birds got shelter from spruce, pine and juniper tree in the midst of frost and snow. The Frost King punished willow, oak and bird trees for their selfish attitude and rewarded the kind trees with green leaves for the whole year and this is the legend of Evergreen Trees.
The Christmas spirit is best felt in the legend on nutcracker. It is about the girl Clara and her magical mysterious nutcracker. There is a fight with the Evil and ultimately the Nutcracker Prince takes her to the magic land, the land of hope, beauty and fancy. The ballet of Alexander Drumas Pere has a positive ending in tune with the Christmas spirit- Clara wakes up on Christmas Day and finds herself surrounded by her family. It is the time to be with your closed ones.
Mostly the stories have child characters. Dickens’s A , Christmas Carols carry the secular spirit of a festival and ‘Toinette and the Elves’ by Susan Coolidge give us fascinating stories on the event. Some are directly related to the birth of Jesus and some were never a part of the event but later on some religious significance has been added to them to make them apt for the Christmas spirit.. So, what was once sacrilegious now it is a part of the religious custom to have candy cones on Christmas. The stories are perhaps the best tools to convey in a simple language what Christmas stands for . Birth of Christ is just an event and the legends are there to explain why Christ was bought in this world of sin. Hence, fight with Evil and vanity is a common theme for most of the stories.
The stories are quite interesting with the essence of mystery, magic, miracle and fancy that they definitely have an universal appeal. They are basically good stories with real characters fighting their bad luck and ultimately meeting their good fortune. The readers get the satisfaction as poetic justice is always done .The world has been divided into black and white or evil and good. There is no modern gray characters and so less complex and easy to understand. Thus they are perfect Children Stories till date. Why do we really believe all these? Perhaps it is because of the satisfaction we get when the evils are punished or we get the hope of meeting the dream world of Clara in the nutcracker legend. Even if we fail to give a new world to the children we can at least give them Oliver Miller’s “Christmas in the Alley”.
Sean Carter
http://www.articlesbase.com/homeschooling-articles/christmas-stories-what-makes-them-so-popular-53028.html
What developmentally appropriate education is and why it’s important. … developmentally appropriate Early Childhood Education preschool kindergarten
Duration : 0:1:23
I would like to know what is the best Early Childhood Education method/type/approach,based on your experience. There are so many such as Shichida, Glen Doman, Thematic, Montesorri, 'natural' ie Vital Years, phonics ie Smart Reader,etc.But I can only afford to enrol her for one type only. Which is value for money? Pls don't answer parental coaching without any method.
My daughter attended Montessori for 3 years. We LOVED it.
The quality depends on the individual school, but it's a wonderful way of teaching and learning.
Early Childhood Education : Research into Practice – With Booklet” />
The textbook, “Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education : Research into Practice – With Booklet”, by Prior, available in Paperback. Published by: Cengage Learning. Edition: 07. ISBN10: 1418050717. ISBN13: 9781418050719. Ships directly from the vendor. Not a marketplace or backordered item. Our used books are hand inspected and in very good condition.
What developmentally appropriate education is and why it’s important. … developmentally appropriate Early Childhood Education preschool kindergarten
Duration : 0:1:23
The modern day busy parent tries to compensate for his or her lack of time for his or her children by investing a great deal on education. Thus, it is not a surprise how many of such parents move mountains just to provide their kids entertaining products that not only encourage play, but also instill discovery and learning.
Makers of toys worldwide recognize this growing trend and are, consequently, coming up with new and improved lines of children’s educational toys and games almost every month. What was once limited only to specialty toy and game shops, educational toys and games are now a staple in every children’s oriented stores around the world, even at general mass retailers, like Wal-Mart and K-Mart.
Statistics show that the sales of toys and games have declined over the years. However, Educational Toys have been on the rise, as more parents opt to purchase products that would give them the most value for their money, as compared to, say, buying Bratz dolls and Hot Wheels.
The record for educational toys was broken in the Holiday season of the year 2000, when toy maker LeapFrog’s LeapPad Learning System electronic reading toy became the bestselling children’s game of the time, helping the company boost its sales by a whopping 120 per cent!
LeapFrog’s success paved the way for other major and small toy makers to come up with educational toys of their own. Jakks Pacific, under its Child Guidance brand, released its own line of children’s educational toys and games following a deal with Baby Genius. Hasbro released its Baby Einstein line and unveiled its preschool units, namely the Baby Einstein Company and Playskool. These new toys encouraged children to dabble in art, music, different foreign and local languages, and even poetry.
The strong demand for educational toys and games for children has urged major retailers, like Toys “R” Us, to allocate shelves upon shelves for these kinds of toys. And because more and more households are transforming into two-income families, it is likely that the demand will grow further as parents seek products that would try to fill their absence during their children’s formative learning years.
With the rise in demand, it won’t be a surprise when the price tag that comes with these educational toys and games will also decrease as the years pass. Right now, these kinds of toys are still a little expensive (though it hasn’t stopped most parents from buying them). In the future, due to the overwhelming interest, educational toys and games will be accessible to everyone.
Low Jeremy
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/educational-toys-how-they-evolved-106818.html
A career in early childhood education can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling for anyone. Early childhood education is the approach of teaching children between birth and the age of six or seven. The focus of education during this period is holistic, focusing on physical development, cognitive skills, emotional growth, and social developments.
In order to teach children professionally, a degree in early childhood education is required. Potential early childhood educators can get their degrees from accredited colleges or universities, or even through distance education or Internet education. An early childhood education online degree is just as valid as that received through a non-virtual educational institute.
If someone is thinking about becoming an early childhood educator, he or she can learn more about what the job involves by reading about early childhood education online. If this career choice appeals to the individual, the next step is to choose an educational institute from which to receive a degree. Depending on the individual, going to an actual college or university may be a better choice than pursuing an online education.
The Internet serves as a wonderful resource for communication, entertainment, and education. Because it is so widely used, it only makes sense that the Internet would eventually become a common venue for receiving educational degrees. However, because elearning is so convenient and economical, there is room for fraud, as with many Internet based endeavors.
When thinking about pursuing an online college degree, one should always confirm the legitimacy, accreditation, and validity of the Internet educational institute. Many online degree programs are offered through accredited universities and colleges, however there are many others that are not valid at all. More and more online Bachelor degree programs are being ousted as diploma mills.
Once the student confirms that the online educational institute is valid, the student can safely pursue his or her education online without worry. E-learning is a very economical and convenient way of receiving a college degree. Students save money on dormitory and travel expenses when they engage in online education.
Earning a degree in Early Childhood Education online is the first step to obtaining a long and fulfilling career in childhood education. Educators touch the lives of many people. When it starts as soon as early childhood, the rewards to the teacher could never be better. Starting this journey with an online college degree one could be influencing young students in just a few years.
Kevin Pederson
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/online-programs-in-early-childhood-education-140583.html
In an editorial several years ago, I described a tree house in the backyard of a local restaurant. I wrote, “The entire structure has been pieced together from recycled lumber, much of which still bears the paint, logos or posters of the original walls from whence it came. The generous platform is ringed by a sturdy fence that includes branches of the tree itself, random two-by-fours, wooden signs, and even a pair of moose antlers. The ‘house’ is more of a lean-to, tall enough for kids (but not adults) to stand up inside, with a screened door and two screened windows positioned so occupants can easily spy on the diners below or out over the adjacent parking lot. A green padded bench that looks like it had once belonged in a diner adequately furnishes the space. Underneath the tree house hangs a rope swing, from which kids can fling themselves into a thick layer of hay on the grass.”
Fast forward to this summer. The restaurant revamped their backyard, including the tree house. The railing now consists of uniform boards about three inches apart. The house is reached not by a ladder and trapdoor, but via a bona fide staircase. The screen door is gone, the windows are covered in glass, and several of the tree’s branches have been pruned back to discourage climbing. But the worst part, according to my 10-year-old, is that the rope swing has disappeared. Matthew declared the whole structure “boring.” In today’s world, kids have far less freedom than in previous generations. Their lives are more controlled-sometimes because of parents’ fears of an increasingly dangerous society, but often because we’ve somehow come to believe that to grow into successful adults, children’s activities must be channeled, scheduled and programmed from infancy.
Danger comes in many forms, from a stranger encountered on the way to school (who may be a neighbor out walking his dog, but you never know), to free time not filled with “enriching” activities. But, in my opinion, kids need a little danger in their lives. They need to test their boundaries, to learn how to climb a ladder and squeeze through a trapdoor. They need to hurl themselves into a pile of hay and learn it’s best not to land on your face. If grown-ups clean up their world too much, kids will never learn how to push themselves. They’ll never have the satisfaction of trying things that are a little scary, a little off their parents’ radar, and accomplishing something that belongs just to them.
One of the few places kids can still push their limits is with books. It’s possible to step outside your safe life with a story, or try new ideas on for size. But many adults want to clean up their kids’ reading choices as well. I know parents who abhor Barbara Park’s perennially popular Junie B. Jones chapter books because the spirited Junie isn’t a good role model, or won’t read Winnie the Pooh because Christopher Robin can’t spell very well. I also know a lot of authors who are afraid to write books that are slightly subversive because they worry editors won’t publish them. But for every parent who insists on only “safe” reading for their child (and it’s every parent’s right to do so), there are at least two parents who believe it’s okay for kids to wade into the danger zone through fiction. I’m not advocating murder mysteries for preschoolers here, just books that might be considered slightly uncivilized, or more entertaining than educational. Let’s look at some popular examples:
When I first saw Walter, the Farting Dog by William Kozwinkle and Glenn Murray, illustrated by Audrey Colman (a picture book whose plot needs no explanation), I was worried that children’s publishing might be sinking a little too low. But as it started winning awards and spawning sequels, I changed my opinion. Let’s face it: farting makes kids laugh. And if your child finds this book hysterical, you should be glad. In order to get the joke, kids need to know that noisy bodily functions are considered impolite. Laughing about them is one of the perks of childhood. Don’t worry, they’ll outgrow it.
A picture book coming out this December that’s already creating a buzz is 17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Anymore by Jenny Offill, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. The heroine utters such statements as “I had an idea to staple my brother’s hair to his pillow. I am not allowed to use the stapler anymore.” She also glues her brother’s bunny slippers to the floor, and shows Joey Whipple her underpants. Both big No’s. This ingenious story should satisfy two camps of parents; those who want kids to see consequences for inappropriate behavior, and those who don’t mind letting their kids live vicariously through a curious, mischievous character. A pop-up book due out later this month from three publishing powerhouses-Maurice Sendak, Arthur Yorinks and Matthew Reinhart-lets young children face the monsters hiding in their closets and come out on top. In Mommy?, a young boy wanders into a haunted house looking for his mother and encounters creatures like a goblin, a mummy, and Frankenstein. Instead of running scared, the boy pulls pranks on each monster, deflating their power and showing how humor conquers fear every time.
Speaking of scary, if you haven’t read any of the enormously popular Series of Unfortunate Events middle grade novels by Lemony Snicket, do so. With titles like The Bad Beginning, The Miserable Mill, and The Penultimate Peril, and cautions from the author such as, “If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book,” these are clearly stories where adults dare not tread. But children brave enough to venture between the covers will find hilarious plots full of nail-biting twists. The intelligent Baudelaire orphans have unusual skills (Violet for inventing, Klaus for reading and researching, and baby Sunny for biting) that make them admirable heroes.
Lauren Myracle enters the private world of teen girl talk in her young adult novels TTYL and TTFN. The titles alone might raise some parents’ suspicions because unless they’re well-versed at IM (instant messaging), they won’t know what the abbreviations stand for. In fact, the entire novels consist of conversations between three high school girls written in emails, text-messaging and IM’s, using the standard computer shorthand that includes abbreviated spelling and quirky syntax. If you’re not an IMer yourself, you’ll find the books somewhat difficult to read. But you and I aren’t the target audience here. And though the format might keep adults from examining the books too closely, the plots are standard upper young adult fare-relationships, family trauma, peer pressure, even drugs and alcohol-handled in a believable manner that conveys growth of character by the end of each story.
As an author, if you’re inspired to delve into the slightly dangerous, dark or subversive corners of childhood with your books, feel free to do so. Don’t limit yourself to all that’s bright, safe and up to code. Allow kids places where they can wander away from their parents’ watchful eyes and have an adventure. If the adventure’s in a book, they’ll always come home safe and sound. And if you’re still not convinced, consider this: In the backyard of the restaurant, the tree house now sits empty. But the books I’ve described above are flying off the shelves.
This article excerpted from Children’s Book Insider, The Newsletter for Children’s Writers. More information at http://write4kids.com
Laura Backes
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/writing-childrens-books-take-chances-to-get-published-70603.html
There has always been a lucrative market for books for children. Parents will know that the bedtime story is an opportunity for parent and child to bond. For some reason, human beings need stories and children particularly need that parallel world. Fairy stories, as well as being entertaining, also served to teach good moral values in the child. Then, books for children tended to split into stories for boys and stories for girls. This demarcation line is more blurred today.
Boys have always tended to read adventure stories involving pirates, explorers, and soldiers. Girls were apt to read about ponies, finishing schools, and training to be a nurse. Occasionally in books for children, there would be a tomboy such as George in the Famous Five books. The past told of an idyllic world where children could safely play all day in the woods or on the river, unsupervised by interfering adults. In today’s books for children, the girls get stuck into dangerous situations as much as the boys. Take Hermione from the Harry Potter books, for instance.
The modern reader may think the classic books for children from yesteryear to be a little quaint, but that’s part of their charm. Reading them is similar to snuggling in front of an old black and white movie. It’s a comfort blanket. The world of Peter Pan and Wind In The Willows is reassuring.
Every so often, children’s fiction throws up a genius. Roald Dahl was one such man, when he wrote books for children, creating edgy stories in which few grown ups were to be trusted. There is more cynicism and less naivety in his books. The world sadly lost Roald Dahl, but there was another genius waiting around the corner, and her name was JK Rowling.
The Harry Potter books seem to appeal as much to boys and girls. Boys who had never expressed any interest in reading voluntarily now await the next Potter book impatiently. Some critics say there is no place for religion in the Potter world, and children should not be exposed to the dark arts of magic. Read any of the Potter books for children, and the child will learn about comradeship, loyalty and courage. Not bad values for any of us.
Publishers are desperately looking for the next success story in books for children. It could be someone being rejected right now. JK Rowling was turned down nine times before her first book was accepted.
Susan Atkinson
http://www.articlesbase.com/publishing-articles/books-for-children-53492.html