Hello again everybody. Brett C here. I have been thinking a lot this week about goals and failing to achieve them. I know I'm not offering a ground breaking idea when I say that failing can be a learning opportunity for children (even very young children), but I think as teachers and especially parents, we forget that. I would like to tell a story that is a reminder that the only time we truly fail is when we stop trying.The day program for children of disabilities I was working at... read more
Kids are by nature exuberant, curious and very in-the-moment with their actions. When we did the CAEYC show in San Diego this year, quite a few schools mentioned they had trouble with the kids digging up or trampling the plants in their gardens. One of the schools participating in Bloomers! Schoolyard this summer had to replant their know + grow Garden due to the same issue. Part of the magic of Bloomers! is teaching kids that all plants and trees are alive... that we should... read more
Hello, my name is Brett C. and welcome to my first blog post for Bloomers Island! When Cynthia Wylie asked me if I was interested in becoming a guest blogger on the Sage Advice Blog I jumped at the Opportunity! To explain why I was so excited to become part of this community of educators I have to tell you a little about my history. I have worked with special needs children for over fifteen years both as a residential counselor and running an after school program for children with... read more
I wanted a fun and colorful way to recognize the children in my class for their good behavior and acts of kindness. I needed something that was individualized and that the parents would be able to see when they came to pick-up their child in the evening.So I came up with gumball machines and gumballs. I used dot paints filled with watercolor paint and made several colored dots on white construction paper. Once the water colored gumballs dried I covered it with contact paper,... read more
In keeping with my self-imposed editorial calendar, I wrote a blog post over a month ago - Spending Quality Time With Your Bloomers. But something didn't seem quite right with it. I took a few weeks to think it over and did a million other things in the meantime (including my videoblog, "Don't Count Your Chickens") and then it hit me: this isn't just about spending quality time with your kids, it's about spending outdoor quality time with your kids, because that's what... read more
Sage Advice is....
The Bloomers! blog for grownups. Whether you're a family member, educator, or friend, join us in the wonderful ways to explore the splendors of nature with children. An early appreciation for nature allows our young ones to grow up with a healthy regard for themselves and their surroundings.
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