3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV

Issue #226, 5th November 2024

Children rise to the expectations of the adults in the environment. Whether it is negative or positive. Whether you are a parent or an educator, ask yourself these questions.

• Do I automatically assume they’ll struggle with certain subjects/tasks, or do I believe they can develop skills with effort?
• When they face challenges, do I think “they can’t do it” or “they’re not ready yet”?
• Do I catch myself using limiting language like “you’re not good at this” versus “you’re still learning”?
• How do I react when they make mistakes – with disappointment/frustration or as learning opportunities?
• Do I find myself comparing them unfavorably to others, or do I focus on their individual progress?
• Am I more likely to point out their errors or celebrate their efforts?
• When I think about their future, do I have preset limitations in mind or see open possibilities?
• Do I make assumptions about what they “can’t” do based on past experiences?
• Am I projecting my own fears or unfulfilled aspirations onto them?
• What words do I consistently use when describing them to others?
• Do I share more negative stories or positive ones about their behavior/achievements?
• How often do I express confidence in their abilities versus doubt?
• Do I rush to help because I don’t think they can handle it, or do I give them space to try?
• Am I more focused on protecting them from failure or encouraging them to take appropriate risks?
• Do I find myself using phrases like “be careful” more often than “give it a try”?

This is a free newsletter. If you like my content, please subscribe by entering your email ID here.

Three images of the week

Two Thoughts of the Week

“No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I’m not talking about the kids. Their behavior is always normal.”
― Bill Cosby

“Children do not experience our intentions, no matter how heartfelt. They experience what we manifest in tone and behavior.”
― Gordon Neufeld, Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers

One Video of the Week

There is an epidemic of school suspensions in the U.S. and the downstream consequences are severe. Adults suspend students, and while that may sound obvious, Rosemarie Allen realized that the problem might be the solution. When dealing with the difficult behaviors of children, what if we turned our focus inward? Dr. Rosemarie Allen works passionately to ensure that children have access to high-quality early childhood programs that are developmentally and culturally appropriate. She teaches classes at Metro State University focused on raising teachers’ awareness of the impact equity, privilege, and power can have in the classroom. Dr. Allen serves as an intern on the Early Childhood Task Force with President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative and is a respected keynote speaker on culturally responsive practices and cultural competence.

Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week

Reading Strategies

For any reading activity to succeed, kids need to understand and remember what they read and that’s not necessarily a slam dunk. Literature circles are an important tool for our understanding of how reading-as-thinking is happening at a pretty early stage, and educators do show kids the specific cognitive moves that skilled readers use to crack tough texts. We should always explain to our students that smart readers:

Visualize: They make mental pictures or sensory images as they read.

Connect: They connect the text to their own experience to events in the world to other readings.

Question: they actively wonder, surface uncertainties and interrogate the text, the author or the characters.

Infer: They predict, hypothesize, interpret and draw conclusions.

Evaluate: They determine relative importance, make judgements and develop critiques.

Analyze: They notice elements of the author’s craft: text structures, language, style, theme, point of view.

Recall: They can retell, summarize and remember information.

Self-monitor: They can recognize and act upon uncertainty as they read; adjusting, troubleshooting, fixing up their understanding.

Keep Reading!

Meenu Gera

Consulting home and school librarian and reading guide.

Career assessment, guidance and placement strategies:

Megha is currently studying in grade 10 under the CBSE curriculum. She aspires to pursue medicine but is unsure if this is the right career path for her. Additionally, she is contemplating whether to complete her senior schooling in India or Dubai. Her parents are considering a switch from the national curriculum to the state curriculum if she stays in India, allowing her to focus on NEET exam preparation. Both Megha and her parents are feeling uncertain about her career direction, the choice of curriculum, and the study destination, leading to significant confusion. 

The career expert at Fermata addressed each concern, outlining the pros and cons to help them gain clarity. For the career uncertainty, the recommended starting point was a career assessment. Regarding the curriculum, the expert explained the benefits of each curriculum in alignment with the NEET preparation. The decision about where Megha will study for her senior school will be finalized once her career direction is clearer, as this will help define her academic path. 

At Fermata, the experts use a highly customized approach within a defined structure to meet the unique needs of each student. 

Case study provided by: Team Fermata, www.fermataco.com

And Finally…

From the archives – issue#002

Many of you have been asking for the earlier editions of this news letter, am very happy to note that you are enjoying the content served here. So, I with every new issue I am putting out a news letter from the archives here, starting from the very first one. Enjoy and subscribe.

3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms Niv