Education

What are the benefits of using Montessori materials?

May 21, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Montessori education became very popular during the past few years. A child’s intellectual development will influence who he will become as an adult. It is highly important to promote high self-esteem, positive relationships with other people, value systems and so on. Today, traditional education does not cover such things because it is based on transmitting and recreating blocks of information. Traditional education tends to focus more on the theoretical part of learning rather than the practical one. Thus, personality and preferences are formed in the very same mold, which will later lead to transforming children in similar adults, with almost the same preferences and ideals. This is the main difference between Montessori and traditional education. In the case of Montessori, children are given more freedom. The journey to becoming an adult is complex and attention must be paid to the entire process of developing both mentally and spiritually.

Montessori education offers children ideal environments for each stage development they are in. Using specific Montessori supplies allows children to act according to their personality and choose what seems attractive for them only. Children are not forced to engage themselves in activities they do not enjoy. Montessori education encourages reaching the maximum potential of every child, letting them use each side of their personality with the sole purpose of intellectually developing themselves. When talking about traditional education, the activity is mostly directed by a teacher. As for Montessori, activity is not guided, but independent. This way, kids have the opportunity to discover everything all by themselves, by using Montessori toys.

Each aspect that’s included in the educational curriculum used in Montessori is somehow encouraging creativity and analytical thinking. Children will choose the activities they are attracted to because of the skills they possess. Compared to traditional education, Montessori allows forming groups of differently aged children. They can choose any activity available, regardless of their age and develop their skills at their own pace. The materials used in Montessori are colorful and eye-catching, making children want to try them. Puzzles, toys that include geometrical shapes, logic games – these are all Montessori materials that boost the independence of a child’s thinking. There is no need for a professor to correct the children, as they are learning by themselves, looking for solutions until they finally manage to find them.

Because kids are interacting with the surroundings, including both the materials used and the other participants, individually developing social and intellectual skills is natural, and not forced, as in the case of traditional learning. Through self-motivation and self-correction, children become more aware of their freedom, of their capabilities and their sensorial input-output. Breaking complicating learning into these small steps used in Montessori education helps the child gain confidence. There is no concept of right and wrong, being replaced by trial and error. The freedom of how much time kids choose to spend for one task, the attention they offer to certain details and the state of deep concentration they experience are results of the possibility to choose for themselves.

Author Bio:

Rana Tarakji is an entrepreneur and a contributing writer at One SEO, a digital marketing agency, who lives in Beirut, Lebanon. Rana Tarakji is passionate about digital marketing, startups, helping entrepreneurs grow, and empowering them to live their dreams. She has worked as a marketer, a technology co-founder and business developer, and a writer.

How to Instill the Love of Reading in Your Child

January 22, 2018 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

When does your child read? A) Every single day – he just loves learning and letting his imagination run free, B) Read? He uses his books to reach the TV dial or C) When I make him, come hell or Lambchops Play-along!

If your answer is ‘A,’ congratulations: Your child will grow pup with initiative, creativity, and knowledge needed in today’s competitive world. If your answer is ‘B,’ welcome to the club; many other mothers get the urge to throw the TV and computer games out the window. And if your answer is ‘C’ – well, it is a step in the right direction. Sort of.

Here are six ways on how to instill the love of reading in your child:

1. Get together with other mothers. Some kids, even if they grow to like books, might eventually abandon them because their friends want to play, or they cannot keep up with the neighborhood discussions on Barbie. Organize some reading group, or at least encourage other parents to fix their own children’s reading habits. Then you can throw back an argument your child has used for most of his life: “other kids are doing it.”

2. Don’t make reading a chore or a punishment. It is easy to tell a hyperactive or underachieving child to “Keep quiet for half an hour and just read a book.” Or “Your grades are low because you do not read enough…from now on I want you to keep books and not to play!” But this will give negative reading connotations that no amount of Brothers Grimm can erase. Separate the situation from the solution. If you do want your child to sit still, tell him to go his room, where books will be waiting for his quiet enjoyment. Or if his grades are low, limit his play, then at another time; gently explain to him how reading can help him in his studies. Books then become the friend, not the enemy, and friendship is the first step to love.

3. Do not criticize his reading. So what if he reads slowly, or if he reads the same books over and over again? The important thing is that he is reading, and if he needs correction, be sure to sandwich it with lots of his effort. “Son, I’m proud that you’re reading a lot, and writing stories of your own too! But don’t write on the books, okay?! Here, I bought you a nice notebook. If you want to write after reading, you can put it here so everyone can read your beautiful stories.”

4. Cultivate a general interest in learning. You have taught your child to love reading; now you have to teach him to take the initiative. Organize nature trips, collect bugs or flowers, or just place him in any situation that will expose him to new things. Now that his senses are stimulated, he will naturally turn to what suggestions number 1-9 have drilled into him day after day. “Hey, didn’t I read a book on that some time ago? I think I’ll look it up again when I get home.”

5. Make books available. Rarely does a child plan to read a book. It is spontaneous, like everything else he does, a hungriness that springs on a sleepy Saturday afternoon or after a wonderful discovery in the garden. So do not keep the encyclopedia set behind a locked glass case, or the fairy tale books on a shelf too high for him to reach. And most importantly, do not cripple him with the fear that he might “ruin the book.” Books are to be read, and if the pages get a little crumpled, then they are beautiful books indeed. Haven’t you read The Velveteen Rabbit?

6. Set him free. After you have instilled the love of reading in him, let him explore its realm for himself. You have given him the most beautiful gift possible, but he will never be able to know this until he discovers this on his adventuring own. If he likes Sherlock Holmes, well and good. If he prefers Ghosts and Goblins, then step back and let them be. After all, your child is A) reading every single day – he just loves to learn and allowing his imagination run free!

Author Bio: Sohail is a content marketer and a blogger, currently he is associated with Smiletutor.sg an online tuition agency in Singapore. His hobbies include writing, reading books, traveling and gardening.

The Pros and Cons of a Private College Consultant

March 19, 2015 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Getting into college can be tough these days. According to IvyWise, college acceptance rates in 2014 fell to an all-time low of 5.07% meaning colleges are very selective in who they admit. The competition is fierce. So fierce, in fact, parents are flocking to private college consultants to help their children get admitted to their dream school. If your kids are in high school and college is becoming an ever-increasing household discussion, here are a few pros and cons to consider before hiring a private college counselor:

The Pros

Help Make the Best College Match for Your Child

Going to college is an investment that you want to ensure will provide a lifelong return. Sadly, many students fail to see that return. The National Student Clearinghouse found that of those who began college in 2008 planning to earn a degree in 6 years, only 55 percent succeeded. That could be a result of a myriad of issues including financial and academic struggles to depression and loneliness. A private college consultant can help fit your child’s personality, desires and passions to the best institution possible giving them a better chance of graduating. Whether your son or daughter is musically inclined, has interests in science or is tech savvy, a counselor can potentially find the perfect school for them.

Creating a Plan for Success

You can hire a private college consultant in your child’s junior year in high school to create a solid plan for success. They can offer tips on extracurricular activities to get involved in, how to seek out teacher recommendations and advice on general academics and standardized tests (they even can tutor your child for the ACT/SAT). As with many things in life, instead of just winging the college admissions process, having a well-organized and thought-out plan from a professional will give your child an advantage when it comes to highly selective schools.

Filling a Void

Because of tight budgets, high school counselors are often overwhelmed with astronomical student to counselor ratios. The American School Counselor Association sites Wyoming and Vermont as the only two states having the recommended 1:250 ratio. In order to give your child adequate help in the college admissions process, investing in a private college counselor can be a wise move. Instead of trying to squeeze an appointment with an overworked high school counselor, they’ll have a dedicated private counselor who can provide tips, offer resources and be your child’s guide till the day they enroll in college.

The Cons

It Can be Pricey

Hiring a dedicated counselor can put you back $40,000 on top of the actual expenses associated with college. Many urban high schools which lack a decent student to counselor ratio have families that simply cannot afford that price. If you haven’t built-up a 529 plan that covers a majority of college expenses, then finances can be a factor on whether or not your child finishes college in the first place. It might be better to put all your financial resources into their educational costs and focus on seeking all the federal financial aid they can receive.

You Might Not Need One

Before committing to a private counselor, evaluate whether or not you need one. You have many options when it comes to receiving aid for the college admissions process that include online resources, high school counselors (as long as the ratios are decent) and college websites themselves. Instead of digging yourself deeper financially into a service you might not need, taking advantage of the free help available might be all that’s necessary.

It’s Possible You’re being Lied Too

The private college consultant field is unregulated meaning there are no standards to abide by for those who wish to consult. Anyone can claim to have the best experience in college admissions and charge an exorbitant fee for their services and not exactly be telling the truth. No matter how convincing they may be, it’s a good idea to research an individual consultant before writing the check.

Some Helpful Resources

If you do decide to take the plunge and hire a consultant, some organizations to look into include the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP). Otherwise, do your due diligence with researching and asking important questions before hiring a counselor.

Lance Mann is a blogger and owner of the site EasyScholarshipsNow.com which offers lists of scholarships by category, all easy, in addition to other helpful frugal tips for students in college.

3 Reasons Working Moms Need an MBA

November 24, 2014 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

There are plenty of obstacles that prevent working mothers from starting their MBA, let alone completing it. It’s because of these pre-conceived notions that many women who strive to improve their career options won’t begin to look at their opportunities. How can one complete an advanced degree all while trying to balance work, family, and life obligations?

Although it may sound difficult, obtaining an MBA online, no GMAT required, from an accredited online school like Marylhurst University is easy. It creates options that allow working mothers to focus on what’s most important in life: their families. For those considering taking the plunge, here are the top three reasons working mums should consider obtaining their MBA today.

An MBA Shatters the Glass Ceiling

The executive suite in any corporation can look more like an old country club instead of a progressive, forward-thinking company. Think about it. How many executives at any company are women? Having the initials “MBA” beside a title can break that barrier between being an employee and being a leader, opening up major career growth opportunities. Plus, the MBA process can teach many critical leadership skills such as negotiations and defending marketplace ideas.

Increase Your Career Opportunities

The “Great Recession” put everyone on guard of what would be coming next. And recent studies suggest that while employers are hiring, wages for mid-level professionals aren’t growing. Having an MBA is an investment in one’s self: it is an expression to an employer that a professional has dedicated themselves to constant education about their trade and understanding what success looks like at a high level. Even if the economy turns negative again, mothers with advanced degrees will have greater opportunities through experience and education. This allows continued career growth and more job opportunities.

Focus on What Matters Most: Family

At the end of the day, family matters most. That’s not a bad thing. Instead of struggling to balance both, many MBA graduates find that they have a greater work-life balance than those who may not. It’s true that MBA positions come with increased responsibility, but these positions come with a certain amount of flexibility as well. This allows working mums to be there for their family when they need, instead of being forced to precariously juggle both family and work. Getting an MBA is not just an investment in one’s self, it’s also an investment in family security and stability that will pay dividends in the years to come. Besides, nobody remembers what happened at work, but they will remember the time spent with family.

No matter what reason a working mum has for pursuing an MBA: career stability, promotion opportunities, or spending more time with family, there is no wrong reason to start an advanced degree today. With online accredited programs becoming more available, the MBA is becoming accessible with a minor time commitment, and is critical to future success across priorities.

Image via Flickr by Brett Farmiloe

Important Life Skills your Child Should Learn

December 2, 2013 by Painter Mommy Leave a Comment

Every day is full of learning when you’re a child; the speed at which they develop is overwhelming, with the learning of new words, skills and tricks an almost daily thing. From the first baby months to their progression through toddlerhood and onto childhood, your child will learn an incredible amount of things while developing skills that will last them throughout their lives. Here are four important life skills, and how you can encourage the development of them, that they should learn early so that they continue to grow into well-rounded individuals.

Independence

It’s obvious that a newborn baby will need you pretty much around-the-clock. Feeding, sleeping, changing and soothing are just some of the things that they’ll need you to help with, but in time, they will learn a few little tricks that will help to boost their independence. From settling themselves off to sleep to not waking up in the middle of the night for milk that they don’t need, they will learn self-discipline and independence in no time.

As they grow up and move through childhood, you can encourage this self-discipline to progress by teaching them the value of money, asking them to do chores and expecting them to do their homework when it’s set. Praise and rewards are big motivators, so make sure you keep up your end of the bargain.

Social Skills

It’s imperative that a child develops some form of social skills before and during their time at school. Without these skills, they’ll struggle to make friends and create bonds that will last.

Encourage the development of social skills by organising play dates for them; invite a friend and their child over for a brew, so that your child can mingle and play. Provide them with social toys that will aid interaction and role play, such as the Imaginext Castle playset and plenty of figures for them to pretend play with. This will help them to learn to share and take turns while boosting their imagination and creativity.

Problem Solving

Babies and toddlers will learn to problem solve fairly quickly, realising the essence of cause and effect in no time. As they grow, encourage them to make their own decisions while providing a positive environment in which they can grow and feel happy about having their own opinions.

Control of Emotions

This will come with time, with inevitable tantrums along the way. Kids learn to control their emotions in their own time, but you can help by providing reassurance and positivity while using methods such as time-out to help calm them down.

While there are plenty of other skills that your children can, and should, learn during the early stages of development, these four are some of the most essential if you want to nurture a happy, healthy and well-rounded child.