Executive Functions are the skills we use to analyze a task, break them down into smaller steps and follow the steps till we get the task done. These cognitive skills help us to manage our time effectively, learn facts, understand what we read, solve problems and help us to organize our thoughts. Though these skills are present from an early age, they can be taught and built up explicitly. It works if we start first by underlining our child’s strengths-good memory, clear focus, interest in activities, flexible, reflective, etc. Once we know these we can look at building the skills the child does not have.
Some strategies for the development of Executive Functioning
Organization- We can teach them how to develop and organize systems and routines. Collaborate with your child and show them the advantages of using organizers, calendars, flow charts, checklists, etc. Follow through with the one that works best for you and your child. Create consequences or rules to remind them of the agreed-upon plan, if they are unable to follow the same.
Plan/Prioritize- Help children learn the process of planning, they should learn to identify their goals and understand ways to achieve them. Break down tasks into smaller parts and guide them to focus on one part at a time. You could use leading questions such as-’How, Why, When, What, Where which would help them think about the tasks some more.
Time Management- Post routines in the form of graphics or checklists, this will help the child get consistency and structure. These will help your child understand time management as well as responsibility.
Control Emotions- Always maintain a positive attitude and relationship, one that is open and respectful. When parents stay connected and invite children in problem-solving or decision-making, it works effectively to teach the children how to deal with situations.
Flexibility- Support flexible thinking, focus on solutions and not on the problem. Discuss with and help your child see the different approaches to solve a problem. Encourage them to be flexible in their actions which helps to fix problems.
Skill- Building- It’s important for children to have skills that can be effective in problem-solving situations- naming the problem, brainstorming, self-management, reasoning to name a few. Encourage them to take responsibility and teach them the value of these skills
Persistence- Goal-driven perseverance can be an opportunity for success. Encourage their efforts and constantly show them the cause-effect relationship. They understand that their actions can have different effects and perseverance is an important value to follow.
Executive function skills are malleable in Early Childhood. They help in establishing positive relationships with others as they contribute to every person’s behavior.
Many researchers over the years have studied the brain of bilingual and multilingual children and they have found that these children have greater cognitive development than children who speak only one language. These differences give several advantages to children who speak more than one language.
Boosts Brain Power- The brain develops more densely giving it an advantage with skills and abilities for the children. Many findings have suggested that the structure of the brain is altered by the experience of acquiring a second language, especially in the early years.
Better Problem-solving abilities– Children who speak more than one language learn to negotiate and find different approaches to solve a problem. The children have the ability to think non-verbally as well as abstractly.
Develop an ear for languages- Children who learn a second language in their early years develop the correct pronunciation and fluency. They are native language speakers of the language learned and have a better command over the same.
Higher academic achievement– Studies have shown that children who speak more than one language from childhood have a comparatively higher academic score in other domains as well. It also helps them in their later years when high school and college require all students to learn a second language
Increased Empathy- Bilingual children find it easier to understand different perspectives- they are better at ‘putting themselves in the shoes of others. They have an increased ability to understand how their peers feel and show higher levels of empathy.
Promotes international-mindedness- Children have the opportunity to become more culturally aware and better understand and appreciate cultural differences. It allows them to be more open-minded to different ways of thinking and understanding.
In our increasingly diverse society, people from different cultures and communities must have the tools to communicate effectively with each other. A world in which different cultures and languages are appreciated and understood is a better world for all.
Personal, social and emotional development is the basis of every child’s development. It helps children develop a positive attitude about themselves and towards others. This in turn enables them to interact effectively with others.
Building self-confidence and self-awareness are some of the prime requirements in the development of children. Once they are confident to express themselves, to try new things, they will be more confident to speak, interact, and try to explore more and become risk-takers and lifelong learners.
Children begin to grow as communicators and talk about their feelings, behavior and begin to understand consequences. This growth is all part of their all-round development which aids in making them secure and stable in society.
They start playing cooperatively, learn to take turns, share and consciously start making efforts to maintain relationships. They begin to build social interactions, show sensitivity to other’s needs and feelings, and start forming positive relationships with children and adults.
At school, it is important, we make preschoolers feel secure in the setting. The mixed-age activities available to the children in a Montessori classroom are designed to allow children to build on their social interactions. When children work in this way, they increase their level of independence and realize how their actions benefit others. The learner profile and approaches to learning are important aspects of the IB curriculum that support the well-being and overall development of children. More on the learner profile can be found at www.ibo.org.
During school time, we encourage the following and recommend parents to reiterate the same;-
The human being is a united whole, but this unity has to be built up and formed by active experiences in the real world, to which it is led by the laws of nature.” –Dr Maria Montessori
The minute a child enters Preschool parents start worrying about the academic gains that the child should make. “When will Aaryan start writing?”, Does Ann know all the letters of the alphabet?” “Can Vikram count from 1-100?” and a host of such concerns that teachers hear every day. While we agree, early education creates an important foundation for academic skills, many parents would be surprised to know that social skills are actually far more predictive of adult outcomes than early academics. So, while many parents and schools may feel the pressure to cut back on the play and social interaction in order to get more ‘hard skill’ instruction time, in reality, it’s those ‘soft skills’ that actually indicate long-term success
A few competencies that we could foster in children are as below
Playing well with others- The importance of play is a well-known fact by now among all parents. It is an important catalyst for development in the early years. It is through play that children learn to negotiate, take turns, experiment and a host of many such skills. Structured activities like- dance classes, football practice or music and movement classes have their own value, the importance of engaging in unstructured play (supervised but not instructed by adults) can never be undermined.
Problem-Solving- Parents and supervising adults are always tempted to leap in, at first sight, the minute they see the first signs of a fight among toddlers. It’s because we immediately want to make everything right for our children. We are able to solve every problem because we are so good at it, and we got that way only because we have had so much practice at problem-solving! So, the next time you see your child in a situation, invite them to take part in the problem-solving process. Discuss the situation with them, brainstorm solutions and try theirs rather than your solution. Give them opportunities to experience their abilities and intervene only when necessary.
Label and recognize their feelings- Children who can empathize, perceive feelings and emotions are always at an advantage when getting along with others. You can hone and foster these skills in children by calling attention to the different emotions. Recognizing them, naming them and talking about the same can go a long way. Reading books and telling stories about emotions also help in developing an understanding of the same.
Being Helpful- This means that the children need to look beyond themselves and recognize the feelings of others. By noticing and complimenting your child when you notice helpful behaviors encourages and motivates them to do more of the same. Give your child simple opportunities to help within the family, role model helpful actions in front of them and encourage others around your child to showcase helpful behavior constantly.
Though competition and the fast-paced society of today gives one an impression that a child needs to be advanced academically as soon as possible, the reality of the 21st century is the development of ‘soft skills’ is what will serve the children better in the future- So simple processes of playing, engaging with others, interacting and building relationships should be in focus.
Experts believe that reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do for your child.
Here are some ideas to help build literacy skills while keeping it fun for your child and you.
Read Everyday- Try to read with your child every day at least for 15 minutes. Bedtime usually is an ideal time to read together. You could read to them in any language, it’s the love of reading that we are building on.
Cuddle, hold your child- Sit with your child on your lap or cuddle on the bed, let your child hold the book or help you turn the pages.
Voice Modulation- Read with fun in your voice, use your face, body and voice to make reading fun. Use different voices for different characters and settings.
Stop when needed- If your child loses interest or has trouble paying attention, just put the book away and don’t force them to read with you. Stop the reading and do something else that your child might enjoy at that time. You can read again the next day or a little later in the day.
Look at the pictures– Point to the pictures on each page and talk about them, they could describe the pictures and build on their vocabulary.
Show them words- As you read, run your fingers along the bottom of the words, Soon your child will realize that ‘print conveys meaning’, they will see words are read and not pictures.
Tell them how you enjoyed reading- Say how much this time means to you and it’s the favorite part of your day. Make them feel the joy of ‘story time’.
Fill your house with books- Surround your child with books, try to have as many books as you can for your child as well as for other members of the family. Pick up books from second-hand stores, garage sales or library book sales.
Let your child choose- Let your child pick out his or her own book for the nightly reading time. Make it fun and follow their interest, it’s one way to keep them connected to what is being read
Make books and reading special- Do things that will make books and reading special. Do activities that are related to stories, use books as rewards or surprises.
Show them all the parts of the book- The cover, illustrations, author and even the page numbers. Show them how we read from left to right and top to bottom. Show them the spaces between each word as well. Teach them book handling skills from an early age.
Make it interactive- Ask your child questions related to the story, discuss what’s happening, ask them to predict what will happen next or change the ending if they would like a twist in the story. Encourage them to ask you questions during the story, make connections to the story and your child’s life.
Read it again!- Your child may want to hear the story over and over again…and that’s great it shows you how much they love the book….repeat the books as often as your child asks, soon you can ask them to narrate the story by looking at the pictures. They can pretend to be ‘reading it to you’.
Encourage them- If they show interest in a particular topic or like a book of an author you can encourage them by getting more books on the same subject or by the author they liked, this will keep their interests in books soaring.
Take turns- Once they learn to read, you can take turns reading the pages of the books or the days.
The most important thing to remember is that reading should be an enjoyable experience. Create positive experiences and memories with books, this will ensure a lifelong love for reading.
Do you always let your child win? Even if you think it’s the right thing to do, letting them win may give them a sense of false success. Your child would probably realize that very soon that you are trying to ‘be nice’, however, you will be surprised to see that your child wants the very challenge you are actually trying to avoid giving him.
This may feel strange, but letting your child win all the time actually prevents them from growing. It is important for a child to find out that sometimes they will succeed and sometimes they may not. Learning to lose is something that children can learn in the Early years and knowing how to accept both results is a valuable life lesson. We let our children win all the time for fear of hurting their self-esteem, we don’t wish for them to feel bad about something. But we should work with them to show them how they can improve and work on themselves in order to succeed and win.
When a child ‘learns to lose’ they gain the skills of overcoming barriers, dealing with conflict and problems and being prepared for the unexpected. They learn to rise and work harder to achieve what they are capable of rather than us making it easy and non-challenging for them. You definitely can give the child an advantage in any game you play as you both need to be on the same level, so competition is equal for your child. The difficulty level also needs to be age-appropriate to make it fair for your child to have the right opportunity to either win or lose.
Another great life skill one can teach children when they ‘learn to lose’ is to actually enjoy the process, the playing, the thrill they get during the entire session rather than just focussing on the outcome. Teach them to enjoy the experience and not so much the result. Children learn integrity and not to fall apart when they lose, they can learn to control their anger as they grow older and acknowledge the victory of others. It teaches them not to look at it as a failure but as an opportunity to improve, mature and grow as needed. They are able to tolerate frustrations more easily and emerge strong from defeat.
The application of this can be seen in real life, often things don’t go as expected and adults are unable to cope with that. A child who has learned to lose, sees errors, finds opportunities and grabs every chance they get to change things that are not going so well.
Almost all of us love pets, in fact, animals, in general, are a favorite with adults as well as children. Once children know how to love and respect animals, teaching them respect for others and the environment becomes easier.
The benefits and advantages of being around animals are many, here are a few of them:
Friendship- Children need companionship, and if they have a pet around they can be a great friend
to the child. They play together, share mealtimes, and even go to bed together, sometimes
snuggling up on the same bed. Children also talk to animals the way they don’t (can’t) talk to
people. They have a constant companion with them all the time and rarely get lonely.
Social and Emotional wellbeing- Animals are not always what we want them to be, they show
different sides to them which we may not be prepared for. Learning to handle these teaches a
child-patience and self-control. Children learn how to be soft yet firm, careful and considerate and
learn that being patient can have a better effect than hitting, yelling, or throwing a tantrum. Bonding
with animals helps children develop close relationships, they learn to understand feelings,
compassion and empathy.
Therapeutic- Animals have been found to be incredibly effective in helping children cope with
anxiety and stress. The presence of an animal around provides children with a sense of
responsibility and fosters leadership. Pets are extremely calming and a great source of joy for all
children, more so in the cases of troubled children or children with special needs.
Sense of Responsibility- Once a toddler is old enough to walk around and communicate they are old
enough to start contributing to taking care of the pet. They can refill the water bowl, or brush their
coat. They also learn to share their toys, space, treats and parental attention and time especially if
the child does not have a sibling. Children imbibe kindness and will share without being asked or
told to do so.
Lessons on life- Animals provide lessons on life children learn that other beings have needs as
well, birth, death, stages and phases of life and the different emotions attached to each phase, all
become easier for a child to understand when they learn it through the presence of animals.
Animals should be a part of children’s lives. It’s a good thing because there are some truly amazing
benefits as we have seen. Animals large or small love, teach, delight and offer a special
companionship. The earlier they start interacting with animals the more they will learn to love,
respect and be kind to animals.
Having children and animals as friends around the house will be a constant source of smiles,
laughter and stories that will brighten up each day!!!!
As we are well aware maximum learning for a person happens between the ages of 0-6, it is at this age that children acquire almost all the skills needed to be successful later in life. It is these first years that shape a child’s future, most significant brain development happens at this time, hence sufficient stimulation must be given to children so they can have positive progress in all their learnings, as well as physical and mental health.
What better way can there be for children to learn than play?
Play is what allows children to build on their creativity, imagination, physical and social skills. It is through play that children interact and understand the world around them. Play helps children to learn how to negotiate, discuss, understand, resolve conflicts, and build resilience.
International schools across the world advocate almost all learning through play which could either be structured or unstructured. All play is considered ‘Meaningful’ and no matter what the children do during this meaningful time they always learn and gain. Meaningful play is one that drives the children and motivates them to explore the environment and the people around them. It is this play that gives children rich experiences that are created spontaneously in a risk-free environment. When play is child-driven and not adult controlled the children can build on decision-making skills as well as discover their interests and passions. If adults take charge then play might lose the benefits of developing creativity, leadership, and some of the social skills that we so look forward to developing in the children.
In an academic environment social, emotional as well as cognitive development are all addressed through play especially in an early year’s setting. Play helps children adjust and settle down to new environments, it enhances learning readiness, and most importantly helps in peer interactions and relationship building.
Simple fun games like shaking a rattle, playing hide & Seek or Peekaboo teaches children about communication, develops inquiring minds, and helps with problem-solving skills. Something as simple as knock down the blocks or water play can help build science and math concepts. Shapes, sinking and floating, balancing, counting, building blocks, and more are some of the enjoyable ways of teaching higher-order concepts.
Research has indicated that early experiences rich in language and literacy are important and essential for long-term academic effects- Language is an essential skill for daily communication; it is everywhere. The best way for preschoolers and toddlers to build on their language skills is through play.
Communicating, having conversations is a fantastic way to teach language, the minute children start talking about their favorite game and their favorite toys they get involved in the conversations and love to talk about the things they have created or done thereby adding to their vocabulary. Puzzles, alphabet matching games, flash-cards, story sequencing games and most importantly role-play with silly props and voice modulations are all stepping stones to great language building in a child. As they grow older children can explore fun drawings and writing activities to build on their creative writing skills clubbed with creativity, imagination, and thinking skills.
We as adults need to lay the strong foundation for formal education- play is a vital ingredient to that, the more we engage in playing, responding, and connecting with children through play the stronger the bonds and development will be seen.
As a parent the best excitement that you could feel would be when your child says- “Oh I love learning, I love Math, I love Reading” or even when you see them enjoying an exploration or the discovery that they have just made. Just seeing a child learn and grow step by step is joyful for every parent.
Learning academics, school report cards and mark sheets are only one sign that your child is on a learning journey, while that is important – what truly is exciting and thrilling is to see them go beyond the required syllabus- A new artwork, learning a new sport or maybe something they saw through the telescope for the first time , if we could sustain this joy throughout their lives we truly would have raised a lifelong learner
Unfortunately, some children lose this passion as they grow up. School becomes a place to achieve rather than learn, to compete rather than acquire. Getting their grades and scores takes precedence over the process and the joy of the learning journey. It therefore becomes important as parents that we look at how we could encourage preschoolers to be lifelong learners and inquirers
Start Early- Parents can build on the natural curiosity of children, encourage their questions, fuel their enthusiasm and look for potential learning opportunities. Share their wonder at every little thing they observe, it’s all so new to them!!!!
Role Model- Enjoy learning new things yourself, talk through with your child about all your new discoveries and any new skill you acquire as a grown-up, a new book you read or movie that you enjoyed.
Go beyond academics- Some learning cannot be measured by tests and exams – but encourage your kids to keep learning to be the best they can. Building character, building 21st century skills, relationships, all add to being a lifelong learner
Keep it Real- Let them make independent choices, encourage autonomy and resilience. Let them make mistakes and learn from it. Allow children to explore a variety of interests and choose to pursue those that they find relevant and exciting to themselves
Whether a child or an adult is pursuing personal interest and passions or chasing professional ambitions, lifelong learning can help both adults and children achieve personal fulfilment and satisfaction
It recognizes that humans have a natural desire to explore, grow, learn and always acts as a motivator to keep paying attention to ideas and goals that inspire us to seek out more.
Each one of us no matter how challenging it may seem can be encouraged to be lifelong learners- Exploring, Discovering, Seeking and Creating something along our journey called life!!!!
One of the most well-known phrases in the Montessori philosophy is “Help me do it myself”. I think that it’s so documented because it really summarizes the Montessori in its very essence. While Montessori schools are known for their learning methods, many people quickly discover the skills of independence are equally visible. Children in all Montessori classrooms are given the space and freedom to be independent learners.
Similarly, in the IB, it is always emphasized about providing the students with skills that allow them to think, act, and choose for themselves. In the PYP, such skills include gross/fine motor skills, organization, time management, safety, healthy lifestyle, codes of behaviour, and informed choices.
Self-managing learners are ready to make choices, persist, solve problems for themselves, access resources for their play ideas, and use social skills to urge others to assist them. Self-management skills require perceptive abilities such as planning, thinking, decision-making, problem-solving and managing attention.
Self-management skills are supported by:
The aim of self-management is for children to be self-regulated rather than parent or teacher-regulated, that is, to be able to determine the best course of action for themselves rather than following rules set by an adult