by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
Near the end of the movie “The Wizard of Oz”, the wizard reveals the balloon by which he intends to take Dorothy back to Kansas. He says, “I, your Wizard par ardua ad alta, am about to embark upon a hazardous and technically unexplainable journey into the...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
Sometimes, we tell stories with children to help them work through problems. The scene: The park. An older child grabbed your child’s toy and it broke. He gave it back and left the park. You were too far away to intervene. Your child, A, was very...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
When children are able to choose their own activity, it often brings them joy. Sometimes they look very happy, laughing, squealing, shouting, and the like. Sometimes, they get fully engaged with what they are doing and they may not look joyful. When adults are fully...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Uncategorized
Today is September 1. For most education oriented folks, the school year either started already or is about to start. Jews are thinking of the Jewish New Year which starts later in the month. So many starts. I have started with a new webhost and I’ve been figuring out...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Children and families
Is your child excited about going back after having been away from the program for a long time? Is the child somewhat fearful? Is the child wondering if the people will remember her, if her friends will be there, if her teacher/s will be the same, if they will still...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Teaching and Learning
When you look online or in stores for toys for young children, many toys are offered for lots of money where they make noises, have lights, music, and other such things. None of them are necessary. Empty plastic containers, with and without lids and empty boxes are...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Play
Play is an overused word that means much to early childhood educators and very little to many other adults. They often think of children “wasting” time with play. It is during independent exploration that children discover and learn so very much. I challenge all who...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Children and families
This week, we’ve changed the clocks and everybody’s body clock will take about a week to get used to the new time. Adults and children find this week difficult. On top of this, we have an emotional election going on and most adults are concerned, whatever...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Teaching and Learning
You don’t need a book to tell stories. Story telling happens in all cultures, and has been going on far longer than the written word. Any time you describe something that happened already, you are telling the story of what happened. The more you do...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Teaching and Learning
Someone asked how to introduce loose parts in an early childhood center where the teachers were not familiar with them. It would have been better to introduce the idea at a staff meeting first. But it’s too late for that now. So I suggested what I did when...
by Ellen Cogan | Oct 26, 2023 | Teaching and Learning
Most often, children who make things, especially pictures, collages, block or rock or other structures, have no idea before-hand about a finished product. They just make things. Sometimes, after they are finished, they look at it and notice it looks like...
