Resources for Early Childhood Education

Not enough people know that nestled in the back of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development in Kingston, Georgetown was a nursery school teacher's paradise. We were so impressed with what we saw that we could not resist paying a visit and sharing what we discovered with everyone.

The resource area had been developed by Mrs Florence Sukhdeo, National Curriculum and Materials Advisor who worked for BEAMS. Mrs Sukhdeo had a wealth of experience as a teacher, teacher trainer, university lecturer and advisor. The room was full of resources which were within the capabilities of any teacher to make and which, she was proud to say, she had either made herself or had commissioned from one of her many students all over the world that she had taught over her impressive years of service.

"I make and display the resources so that when a teacher sees them, she will immediately know what they are for and be able to make them herself." But, they were not classic home made resources that look home made. They were produced from all kinds of materials that were readily available in teachers' homes and which were often thrown away. With an emphasis on colour, shape, size and potential for the teaching of spatial awareness, Mrs Sukhdeo selected her odds and ends and turned them into practical learning resources which would serve well in the classroom for many generations of children. One of her successes were the big books she produced which highlighted cultural practices in Guyana whilst at the same time teaching children the basics of reading. Some of these were printed by Guyana Book Foundation with support from two Canadian based organisations CODE and CIDA as well as others from the BEAMS Programme (Basic Education Access and Management Support).

She had an eye for detail and was keen that teachers would replicate what they saw in their own classrooms. We wanted to show her talents to a greater audience through http://www.ncerdleaders.com/. Mrs Sukhdeo was passionate about nursery children and was keen to ensure that all had a standard of education equal to the best. She didn't want to see nursery classrooms cluttered with display and resources just to decorate the room but felt that they should be true learning aids appropriate to the age, development and maturity of the children. Displays needed to be changed regularly and link with what is being taught at a particular time.

In Guyana, nursery education consists of the following:

Year One - Age 3.9 - 4.9 years

Year Two - Age 4.9 - 5.9 years

Children then graduate to primary school where they are "infants" in Grades One and Two.

Of course, all of the materials displayed, suitably adapted, are appropriate also for the older age range. A positive and rich learning environment is essential at all levels from nursery to secondary. A science classroom in a secondary school needs to look like science is fun and enjoyable just as much as a primary classroom needs to motivate the children teaching them that learning is not only fun but a critical life skill.

Mrs Sukhdeo, who sadly has passed away now, we applaud you for your tenacity and your ability to share your wealth of experience, passing on your valuable knowledge to a new generation of teachers.

You can view all of the resources in Mrs Sukhdeo's room by clicking on the picture below. When you have the pictures in front of you, you can make them larger by using the slide bar at the top.

Early Years Education

"From bottle tops to big books and bunnies to benabs,

Mrs Sukhdeo had it all!"

If you would like to find out more about classroom display in a previous article,

Click Here

Motivating Children and Teachers

There are all sorts of things that motivate adults. They range from good salaries to favourable working conditions and promotion prospects to job satisfaction. But we all know that some of these are not easily provided. However, one of the biggest motivators is reward for a "job well done". It doesn't have to be a major ceremony in front of all one's colleagues but simply a word in a teacher's ear about something that they have done well, showing that you recognise it and appreciate him / her for doing it.

Some schools have been successful in rewarding teachers in a more formal way. For example, in one school, there are competitions for "Teacher of the Month", "Best Classroom" and even "Most improved punctuality and attendance" In this school, teachers strive to achieve those rewards which are presented each month in front of their colleagues. Another school presents them (not the attendance and punctuality ones) in assembly in front of the whole school and this also helps to motivate the children.

It doesn't have to cost money either. Just a simple certificate or even a letter will suffice showing how you feel about the work the member of staff is doing. These are easily made on a word processor if you have access to one. Think how you feel when somebody tells you that you have done well. Why not try it and let us know how you got on by making a comment from below?

It works even more so with children. But, stickers are expensive and not readily available in Guyana. So why not make some of your own? True, you will need access to a printer and a photocopier but it's worth the effort even if you are in an internet cafe reading this. It will only cost a few dollars and can be used again and again.

Children will work hard for a small reward and especially something they can stick in their books and show their parents. So, we're going to give you a headstart. We've prepared a few simple ones for you to download. They use Microsoft Word so they can be changed or edited as you wish. They are there for ideas. Also the children can colour them in to make them attractive.

Another idea is to have small posters with wording such as "Star of the Week", "Best Attender", "Best Punctuality" These are placed on the classroom wall and each week the name of a child is stuck onto it temporarily and replaced the next week. You can also do it as inter-class and whole school competitions.

So, why not use your imagination and create some of the resources for yourself to motivate your children. Here are some examples of what you might make.

Small Posters ............

Star of the Week Poster

Best Punctuality

Best Attender

Mini Certificates ..............

Well Done

Today's Best Worker

Star of the Week

I tried my best

Has worked well

Great Work

And small certificates...........

General Merit Certificate

If you find it was a successful strategy, just let us know by completing the comments below.

Success Quotes

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

Keep steadily before you the fact that all true success depends at last upon yourself.

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

A failure is a man who has blundered, but is not able to cash in on the experience.

The greatest results in life are usually attained by simple means and the exercise of ordinary qualities. These may for the most part be summed in these two: common-sense and perseverance.

Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving.

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is:Try to please everybody.

Success does not consist in never making blunders, but in never making the same one a second time.

The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.

Success is the good fortune that comes from aspiration, desperation, perspiration and inspiration.

If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.

Impatience never commanded success.

The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do, well.

To climb steep hills requires a slow pace at first.

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value.

The man who makes a success of an important venture never wails for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a great lot of grit; but the man that succeeds has both. Anyone can fail. The public admires the man who has enough confidence in himself to take a chance. These chances are the main things after all. The man who tries to succeed must expect to be criticized. Nothing important was ever done but the greater number consulted previously doubted the possibility. Success is the accomplishment of that which most people think can't be done.

And one quote just for fun.....

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a fool about it.