Canterbury Earthquake Aftermath

Hi everybody. More of a personal message today. To be honest, I'm struggling for words to write in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake which struck a week ago. When you witness the terrible scenes that are so readily available on TV and the various news websites, you struggle for the words to actually make sense of what you are feeling and indeed seeing. It certainly puts life in perspective...and is a stark reminder as to what is really important in life. A reminder that family, friends and relationships are what life is really about.

The day it happened, we called up a few photos of damaged buildings on the NZ Herald website but it wasn't until I got home that the full scale of things became apparent. The next day, most of the children in my class were recounting scenes seen on T.V. Because of technology, images can be screened into our homes within seconds of it happening. They recounted the damage, the miraculous tales of survival, the lives lost and a whole host of other facts related to what they had seen or heard.

I see that with so many images appearing on a daily basis, New Zealand Clinical Psychologist and author on parenting Nigel Latta, made reference to the point of limiting children's exposure to the scenes (especially young children). This is to prevent children having nightmares and becoming too scared. I have to agree. It is really important to monitor what our children are seeing.

Children have a natural resilience to events like this to some degree. However when bombarded with endless images of destruction, despair and in some tragic cases, death, that resilience can be broken and can leave a lasting impression. Children prone to worry and stress, or who have other things going on in their lives, can become affected by what they are seeing to the point that they worry and can't stop thinking about it. I'm sure there are many children in Canterbury who have seen it first hand where this is the case. And it's not just the earthquake...monitor as best you can the movies or DVDs your children watch, the games they play on the computer (Internet and bought/downloaded games) and the magazines and books they read. Many children are viewing material that is completely beyond the level that they should be exposed too at such a young age. You only have to ease drop into many of the conversations that go on before or after school to know what they are reading or seeing. And you only have to watch their behaviour at school to see that sometimes this affects their thinking and behaviour.

You can read the small NZ Herald article from Nigel Latta here or click through to his website

After asking a few children how we could help before school and generating some discussion, I walked away to do some prep for the day. When I came back, I was immensely proud of what I saw. A group of 6-7 children were busy brainstorming everything they could do to help. Their conversation became louder and louder as the ideas kept coming and soon the group grew to become more of a large mass than a small group. So it got me thinking...what could children learn from such a tragic event?

Firstly, I believe that even from a young age, that they can learn about what is really important in life. It's not money, or toys, or sport or anything else. As I said above, it's about family, about friends, about relationships, about life. Many will pick up on this fact through the images they see. For others, a discussion about how caring for one another is far more important than any wordly possession, that can be destroyed in the blink of an eye. My own father-in-law and family lost much of what they own...but I'm just glad they are alive and safe and not hurt physically in any way.

Secondly, they can learn the importance of being prepared. While we couldn't predict the earthquake, its magnitude or its impact, we can be as prepared as possible. In the aftermath of Tuesday's events we spent the next few days in class discussing earthquakes, their effects, what to do if one struck and how to prepare an emergency kit. There were many questions that popped up during this discussion and this brought home the fact that children think about these things. Some will think very deeply and become very concerned. So we can prepare ourselves by knowing what to do and having a kit ready. I did a quick survey and only nine families out of 31 had an emergency survival kit ready to go. It is now something that has become a priority in my household even after the stark warning of the first earthquake in September. Create an emergency plan and talk with your children about what to do.

You can check out New Zealand Civil Defence information here. In particular read up on Emergency Survival Kits and Plans I will be sending home the Emergency Household Checklist available as a PDF on the Survival Kit page as a reminder for parents to prepare.

And thirdly, they can learn strategies for dealing with grief. Situations like this are exactly why we teach a Change, Loss and Grief programme. We are all affected by the images and we all need ways of dealing with what we are trying to make sense of. For some it will be talking with other people. For others, it will be sport, or art, or music, or writing in a journal. Children are no different. They need to be checked on, to make sure they are actually dealing with it in a positive fashion. They need to be reminded that there are different ways of responding to the event. A reminder of prior learning in this area and you will be surprised at what they have learnt in this area.

And we can learn from our children themselves. They have a natural and infectious energy to want to help. Their first thought in my class was to give. And so we will be, on Red and Black day this Friday. Then they began thinking...making cards to send down, donations of food and supplies, making posters to put around the community to highlight the need to give and the more musically inclined wanted to practise and record a song which could then be sold to raise money. Now that blows me away. Children see solutions, they very rarely focus on all the potential problems or things that get in the way. There are no roadblocks - if only we could master the way they pitch in, solve problems and think as 'high as the sky'. Let's capture their infectious joy to help and pitch in and do everything we can for the people of Canterbury.

Maths - Basic Facts

Mathematics Has Changed
One of the most frequent comments I hear each year from parents is that the teaching of Maths and the skills taught today are completely different from when they were at school. I could not agree more. I remember sitting at my desk as a ten year old, struggling with long division, wondering whether I would ever use it at anytime in my life. I decided on a firm "no". How wrong I was. Fourteen years later when undertaking my teacher training, I hesitated when asked to take the lesson on long division. I have since only used it on one more occasion That's not to say long division doesn't have a place anymore, but the skills taught, the way they are taught and the knowledge required to be successful in Maths have changed dramatically.

There is one aspect that has not changed however - basic facts.

What Are Basic Facts?
Basic facts are the facts required to ensure number problems such as 123 + 567 and 23 x 7 can be carried out either mentally or on paper. If we take a much smaller problem like 43 + 45, there are some key aspects of knowledge required in order to carry out this problem successfully. Firstly, a child would need to know the basic fact 3 + 5 = 8. They will also need to know 4 + 4 = 8 (or more accurately 40 + 40 = 80). Without this knowledge, there is no way they will be able to be successful at solving this problem. This basic fact knowledge, combined with a knowledge of place value, will allow them to calculate the answer accurately.

Why Are They Important?
There are 4 sets of basic facts - those involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These sets of facts underpin all of the Mathematics we do in the classroom. Today I watched several children struggle to add a series of measurements. The students were required to measure the edges of a shape to find the perimeter. Whilst measuring was accurate, the students struggled to add the lengths because of a poor basic facts knowledge. The end result - out came the calculator. (There is a lesson in this as well...when things get too hard, make them easier so you can still be successful).
So yes...the basic facts underpin much of the Maths we do today; both as children and adults. Without a thorough knowledge of them you will struggle to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Without a thorough knowledge of them children will struggle to perform even the most basic of calculations. And without this knowledge in place, children will struggle to develop the mental strategies taught in New Zealand primary and intermediate schools. Whenever I have been faced with children who struggle with Maths in the classroom, or in after school tutoring sessions, the first thing I will check is their basic facts knowledge and recall. Usually when a sustained effort in learning these is applied, progress begins to be made, and often at a rapid rate.

How Can I Teach Them At Home?

Many children will develop a knowledge of these facts through simple exposure to them and through memorisation. If you have a child with an excellent memory, learning them will take very little time. Five to ten minutes a day learning and practising them with your child will be all it takes to start or continue developing the required knowledge.

However some children will require a lot more work for these facts to become memorised and placed into their long term memories. Here are some ideas that will help you to help your child memorise and learn their facts.

Addition and Subtraction

• Learn all the basic facts combinations with answers up to 20 e.g. 4 + 5 = 9, 7 + 9 = 16
• Learn addition and subtraction facts at the same time - the Families of Facts e.g. learn 5 + 7 =12, 7 + 5 =12, 12 - 7 = 5 and 12 - 5 =7 at the same time by writing out the Family of Facts over and over again (route is best).
• Aim for knowledge then speed
• Once these have been mastered, help them to see patterns e.g. if 7 + 9 =16 then 70 + 90 = 160

Multiplication and Division

• Learn the 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x and 10x tables first
• Once these are mastered, learn the 6x, 7x, 8x, 9x, 11x and 12x tables
• Learn multiplication and division facts at the same time - the Families of Facts e.g. learn 6 x 9 = 54, 9 x 6 = 54, 54 / 6 = 9, 54 / 9 = 6 at the same time by writing out the Family of Facts over and over again (route is best)
• Aim for accuracy and speed
• Once again, when these have been mastered help them to see patterns e.g. if 6 x 9 = 54 then 60 x 90 = 540

Once the facts are memorised, you can then aim for speed of recall.

Please note that there is a difference between learning the facts and practising them. Learning involves memorising the facts. A great way to do this is by simply writing the Family of Facts (see above) out over and over again! Get your child to write the facts out and say them out aloud as they do. Facts are more likely to be memorised if a child is able to see the fact, hear the fact and write the fact out at the same time (this caters for visual, auditory and kinesthetic styles of learning). Practising the facts involves recalling the facts in computer games, using flash cards, worksheets etc (where they are only recalling the facts, not actually learning them).

Use a variety of methods to help them learn the facts but again...they will be learnt much faster if they can be seen, heard and written in some way.

If you need any more information on this, please feel free to see me in class.

Start As You Mean To Go On

Starting the School Year
One of the most important things you can do for your child is to start them from a great footing right from day one of school. By "starting as you mean to go on" you will help to impart a range of skills and attitudes that will serve your child well for the rest of the year. By forming good habits at this time of the year, you are more likely to be able to support your child and help them develop into independent, motivated and happy learners. The skills and attitudes they form will not only be useful this year, but will be with them for life - how great is that!

In eleven years of teaching, I have been able to see what makes a difference at the beginning of the school year and what doesn't. Here are my top five ideas for starting the school year, that as a teacher, are completely invaluable. I recommend them whole-heartedly and believe that they will help your child tremendously.

1. Get To Know Your Child's Teacher
Perhaps the most important tip of all is to get to know your child's teacher. The link between home and school is vital and is hugely under-utilised as a difference-maker in children's learning. It can go a long way to ensuring children can receive support if needed, extension if appropriate or, just as important, valuable information on their social and personal development. The first couple of weeks at school are vital to a teacher in sizing up where children lie on the academic, social and personal development scales. At the time of writing, we have now been back at school one day. In 6 hours of school (less if you take out the breaks), I have now begun to see and assess children's writing levels, how they interact with other children in the class, their confidence at sharing ideas within the class or taking risks with work, and general personality traits. These opinions continue to be formed throughout the whole year and serve to make up aspects of the various assessments we do.
At any point in time, your child's teacher will be able to tell you where their strengths and weaknesses lie, what they struggle with, how they interact socially and most importantly, how you can help them at home. Make a point of coming into school during the first week and introducing yourself to your child's teacher. Then make a point of speaking them on a regular basis about how they are doing and ways you can support their learning at home. Parents who take the time to come into class on a regular basis and see how their child is doing have access to a wealth of information and can then spend tailored time at home helping them where it is needed most, whether it be support or extension. They can also keep track of how they are doing generally in the class. I have often found that when I have children who have difficulty concentrating in the class, keeping in regular contact with their parents goes a long way to helping them focus!
Of course email is fine if you cannot make it in or time is short, as are phone calls but as a teacher there is nothing like a friendly face to face chat.

2. Get Into Good Habits Early
It is vitally important for the rest of the school year that you get into good habits as early as possible with your child. Bad habits are hard to break; we can all attest to the bad habits that may have cropped up our own lives from time to time (that T.V. needs to be turned off!).
Get your child into regular habits for getting up in the morning, getting to school on time, a regular home learning slot after school each day, responsibility for organising books and equipment for the next day, a set bedtime...the list goes on. They say that it only takes 21 days to form a habit. In school days, that's only a month's worth of habit forming hard work to be put in. You will then be able to reap the benefits for another 11 months of the year and if the habits are formed strong enough, the rest of their schooling life. This is even more important if your child has not become independent in managing themselves. Now is the perfect time to be forming these good habits. Your child is likely to have been out of a regular routine throughout the holidays and will need some easing back into school life. As a teacher of Year 6 children, the habits formed by Year 6's are even more important due to the increased level of independence both this year and in their next schooling year in intermediate.
Nowhere is this more important than in children managing their belongings and equipment, a regular bedtime (a good night's sleep goes a long way in learning) and in a regular home learning routine.

3. Eat Well
School requires concentration. And that's just on the teacher's part! Children need a healthy diet to ensure they are able to concentrate and learn at the required level. We have all probably watched the sugar rush after giving children a soft drink, lollipop or other sugary food or food loaded with colourings. I have seen children in my classes unable to concentrate because of a poor diet. The bottom line of this (and I make no excuses for saying this), is that they do not learn at the level they are capable of. In fact each one of them has had enormous potential but because of poor diet, are behind their peers. Give your child a balanced diet of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and you go along way in helping them just being able to focus in class!

Parents of boys - make sure your boys have enough to eat. During Year 6 many boys will begin to hit the onset of puberty and will therefore find they have a growing, changing body. It is always fascinating to see how much my students have grown when they come back from each of the term holiday breaks. One thing I have observed, and it doesn't seem to matter what age they are, is that boys are hungry beasts! A pantry of food can be devoured in absolute no time. Trust me - my own mum has been on the end of this! Many boys will gobble their lunches at morning tea time with little left for lunchtime. After a full hour of running round at lunchtime, many boys are left tired, lethargic and more interested in a nap than work. Make sure your boys have enough food to last them the whole day. Talk to them about whether the amount of food in their lunchbox is adequate and also about making sure they balance out what they are eating to help them have enough energy for learning. As a general rule, carbs are great for energy and protein should be the brain food in their diet. Make sure they get enough of this. For more on this see the parents page on my website www.brenanderson.wikispaces.com

4. Be Organised and Prepared
Teach your child to be organised and prepared right from day one of school. It can be as simple as preparing them by making sure they have the right equipment for the next school day. Do they need their togs? Do they need their home learning or spelling book? Once again, get them into good habits and they will have them for life. They should be preparing their bags for the next day the night before, or in the morning of school. Teach them to write reminder notes in a notebook or on a chart for what they need to bring. I have seen the most disorganised children become organised through various forms of diary systems. And yes...it took hard work, but they got there. Many of the most successful children in my classes over the years have been the most organised, independent and prepared. By teaching them to think ahead about the resources they might need, you are building skills that will help them through future studies or jobs. Make it a regular routine with them to go through what they need for the next day or the next week.
And a note to you...if you are continually disorganised or running late yourself, I bet your child is too. The new school year is a great way to work on as well as helping your child master this important lifelong skill. And during very busy and stressful periods, teach them that life can sometimes get like that and maintaining a schedule can sometimes be the difference maker.

5. Make It Fun
Watch a group of children and what do you see? Fun. It seems to be the universal characteristic with children of all nationalities. Children know how to party, it's a fact! They love fun. Whatever you do with your child with their learning, make it fun. Not only will they want to do it, they will learn to love it. This applies especially to their home learning. Try and include elements of fun in it and the organisation and habits will come. Include an element of fun and they will form good habits more easily. You can check out fun home learning activities by going to my web page (address above) and seeing the games and activities listed under the Kids Home Learning page.

So that's my top five tips for beginning the school year. Start the school year in a positive, constructive way and you will find your child will grow academically, socially and in their own personality. Most importantly...they will be happy.

If you would like any questions answered related to children's learning please email me or join this blog and I'll do my best to answer them.