Thursday, December 28, 2017

Child Psychology Tips To Ensure a Better Future for Your Children


Bringing up a child is not an easy task for many parents as there are a lot of external factors that influence their physical, mental and emotional health. A child is exposed to a world of difficulties during its formative years. With the knowledge of child psychology, one can bring up their child the best. Renowned child psychologist Justin Urbas has some key tips that any parent or teacher can follow. Have a look - 

Key Child Psychology Tips for Parents and Teachers to Follow


1. Encourage them to express - Parents must encourage their children to express their thoughts and desires without hesitation or fear. A child should not feel the need to suppress his/her ideas within themselves. Parents, teachers and other adults should all help children come out of their shell. 

2. Understand them better - Understanding children is the key to good parenting and taking decisions that positively impact the lives of children. Parents must invest time and effort into understanding the likes and dislikes of their child. Attention must be paid to how the child reacts to certain social situations or other stimuli. Better understanding leads to a close bond between children and parents. 

3. Spend more time - It is quite simple actually. Both parents need to spend ample time with their children, in order for the little ones not to feel neglected. A child that does feel neglected and has no one close to share experiences with, can grow up to be overtly introverted. It is a harsh fact that many parents are just running around fulfilling their professional responsibilities today. Still, they should actively try to find time for the children. 

4. Do not slap on burdens - Realistically speaking, it is not wrong to set some expected goals for your child. Whether it’s academics or sports or creativity, a child who gains inspiration through effort can succeed. But many parents do the mistake of pressurizing their children too much. This has heavy negative impacts on their mental and emotional health. Try to be a little more considerate and appreciate the efforts of your child. 

5. Know that they react differently - Parents and teachers are wrong to expect the same kinds of responses from children, as they do from adults. That is because the brain chemistry of a child and how he/she processes information are quite different. The sooner you understand this, the better it is for your child. Observe exactly how their reactions tend to vary in different circumstances. 

6. Be their biggest ally - It is a sad truth that many children feel that their parents are quite rigid and strict, and even overbearing. This should not be the case at all. Sure, you are free to correct your child for transgressions. But remember to also be their biggest friend at all times. Recognize that they need your support at home, to be the strongest version of themselves. 

These are some very simple child psychology tips that can make a world of difference in the lives of your children. After all, the wellbeing of a child is the primary concern of his or her parents. 

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Importance of Understanding Child Psychology for Improving Children’s Lives


Raising a child takes the dedication and love of parents along with a lot of understanding. Child psychology deals with the subject of understanding the mind and thoughts of children, with the aim of improving their lives. Getting a basic understanding of children’s psychology is crucial for all modern parents as the little ones now face a more competitive world. Renowned psychologist David Justin Urbas has some child psychology based tips that anyone can implement to raise their child better. 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Some Integral Child Psychology Tips That Can Help You Out.


Raising a healthy child takes a lot of care and dedication on part of parents and teachers. Maintaining the physical, mental and emotional health of children is vital in helping them grow into responsible adults one day. The subject of child psychology aims to address the inner workings of a child’s mind. Psychology tips can also be implemented by parents in order to ensure better futures for your children. Child psychologist David Justin Urbas has some valuable tips which anyone can follow. Let us have a look :

Psychology Tips To Know Your Child Better


Keep a keen eye on them - Any parent should be a keen observer of their children, their actions and their reactions. You can learn a lot more about your child this way. Take heed of their mannerisms, emotional responses, and expressions. Parents can also observe how their children react to certain situations and stimuli. Accordingly, you can modify your behavior towards them.

Look for signs of distress - Do you find your child becoming particularly uncomfortable in any situations? Is he/she unusually nervous around other elders or children? These might be issues with their comfort zones, and such issues need to be overcome. With patient encouragement and care, you can help your child face such situations and come on top of them.  

Be available for them - A common scenario that many parents across the world face today is not being able to give enough of their time and attention to the children. This can have adverse effects on the psychology of a child, who may feel alone, neglected and rejected. So, as much as you can, be available to your children. Give them the love, attention and care they deserve and they will be happier. 

Their brains are different -  The way in which a child would react to a particular stimulus or situation is quite different than that of an average adult. This is a fact that many parents fail to realize initially, and that is why misunderstandings arise. You really do have to be more patient with children, and leave some room for them to express themselves. 

Do not overburden them - Children do need to start studying and go to school, and do well in their academics. But at the same time, they should not feel overburdened by the pressures of academics. Having enough time for fun and amusement is quite vital for these growing brains. So please do not pile upon your burden of expectations until they are at a better, more mature age. 

Converse with them deeply - It is your responsibility as a parent to have meaningful and interesting conversations with your child. Ask them anything really, like how school is going, their playground friends, favorite dishes and more. Children’s communication skills improve at school and also at home. They will appreciate your efforts and gain better confidence to face the eventual challenges in life.

Keeping these psychology tips in mind can help you raise them better. You can always consult with an experienced child psychologist for qualified advice.

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Early Childhood Education.

In 2016, educators, lawmakers and researchers put a lot of time and effort into analyzing the true importance of early childhood education (ECE). Studies have concluded that, when done right, ECE provides lasting benefits to all students—although the impact is even greater among low-income students.     

With the world of education constantly adapting to the changing times, it can be difficult to keep up with the trends that make ECE so effective. Whether you have children in preschool or you are working in the field, we compiled three trending topics to help keep you in the loop on the current and future trajectory of ECE.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Seven Tips to Help Parents Educate Kids at Home.

Homeschooling is not for every family. But every parent is a home educator. As a long-time homeschooler, now with a teen, I’ve learned a lot about learning, my child and myself. Here are some tips to help any family teach kids while at home. 

Friday, September 8, 2017

Simple Steps To Achieve Better Results from Child Education.

A child gaining admission into a reputed school is definitely a positive. But that is just one step in the right direction. Expert education consultant David Justin Urbas has some tips for improving your child’s education.

Monday, August 7, 2017

The Importance of Child Education Which Parents Must Realize

The education of children during their formative years is of utmost importance as it directly affects their future. This is something that parents need to understand and act upon. Simply choosing a good school for enrolling children is just a small step. Proper and fruitful education is a process that involves a lot of effort and decision making on the child’s part. Renowned education consultant David Justin Urbas has many years of experience in helping parents make the right choices for their children’s education. Let us look at some of his views about the education of children. 

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Tips for Child Education Every Parent Can Follow

Child education is by no means child’s play, as many parents are realizing now. It takes a lot of hard work on the part of the students, teachers and parents alike. The quality of education and how well students cope with it, are determining factors to their success. Moreover, even children’s education is a considerable cost for parents.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Epic Classroom Blogging with Elementary Students

Today Rayna Freedman @rlfreedm has a student classroom blog that will completely blow you away! Rayna is full-scale using blogging to teach writing. These fifth graders are writing and sharing fifteen or more blog posts a week and it shows. In today’s show, Rayna teaches us how she does it. Wow! Impressive!

In today’s show, we’ll discuss:


  1. Topics students choose
  2. Her blogging work flow
  3. Rayna’s favorite tools (all free!)
  4. Image citations and photography
  5. Rayna’s approach to digital equity and inclusion

Monday, March 20, 2017

David Justin Urbas - The First Step In Teaching Students To Think For Themselves

The first step in helping students think for themselves just might be to help them see who they are and where they are.

If we truly want students to adapt their thinking, design their thinking, and diverge their thinking, it (the thinking) has to start and stop somewhere.

Generally, this means beginning with the learning target a teacher establishes and ending with an evaluation of how the student “did.” But thinking has nothing to do with content. Thinking is a strategy to learn content, but they are otherwise distinct. This process, then, is about thought and learning rather than content and mastery.

Examining A Self-Directed Learning Framework

In 2013, we created a framework to guide students in self-directed learning. The idea was/is for each student to truly think for themselves. There are two theories that underpin this concept of students being able to create and navigate their own learning pathways:

More at: http://www.teachthought.com/learning/self-directed-learning/teaching-students-to-think-for-themselves/

Sunday, March 12, 2017

MAKING A COMMUNICATION CONNECTION WITH YOUR PRESCHOOLER

Do you want to have interesting conversations and communicate openly with your teenager? Here’s a secret: Developing a strong communication connection with your child begins by learning the best ways to communicate with your preschool-age child.

Why communication interactions with kids are so important, even for their brain development

Apple Magazine and the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative website feature cutting edge brain research, which validates that back-and-forth, continuous communication interactions or turns are beneficial for children. If you want kids to progress faster with their speech, language and communication skills, give them lots of opportunities to take uninterrupted, back-and-forth communication turns with you.

More at: http://www.calgaryschild.com/education/toddler-preschool/2053-taking-turns-making-a-communication-connection-with-your-preschooler

Friday, March 10, 2017

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Monday, March 6, 2017

David Justin Urbas - READING AROUND THE HOME

There are many ways you can promote reading with your children other than through books. While books are of course a wonderful resource, your home also provides a variety of additional reading material.

Kitchen

If you have pre-readers and beginning readers, put magnetic letters on your refrigerator door. Put them at your child’s level and create sentences. Ask your child to write the shopping list with the letters.

Leave large cereal boxes on the table and watch your child engage with the words and colorful graphics. Ask them to ‘find’ certain elements, letters and words.

Ask your child to dictate or write down the steps to make, for example, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then together, try and make the sandwich using those exact directions.

Show your children how recipes work, and have them help read the instructions and gather ingredients and utensils.

More at: http://www.calgaryschild.com/education/toddler-preschool/2047-reading-around-the-home

Friday, March 3, 2017

David Justin Urbas - PLAYSCHOOL IS MORE THAN JUST FUN!

Daycare and preschool present enormous benefits for your child. “Both offer kids experiences they might not get at home, such as exposure to a larger social environment that can help them learn how to get along well with others,” says Cathy Keller, the director of a preschool and infant care centre. Who knew that 18 month olds could have friends? When kids go to daycare and preschool, their schedule tends to fill up with play-dates and birthday parties. Developmentally, kids who’ve done at least a year of preschool are more ready to jump into the learning environment of Kindergarten too.

“Preschool is an environment in which kids have the opportunity to use language in many different ways with others who are at the same developmental age,” says Jennifer Kurumada Chuang, the owner of a multi-grade childcare centre and preschool. But, overall, preschool helps young, naturally-egocentric kids learn how to exist with others in a classroom. “Preschoolers learn how to take turns, follow directions, pick up after themselves, stand in line, sit in a circle, raise their hand, use their words to express themselves instead of physically acting out and talk when it’s appropriate,” says Kurumada Chuang. “If they master those social skills in preschool, they’re ready to learn in Kindergarten.”

More at: http://www.calgaryschild.com/education/toddler-preschool/2105-playschool-is-more-than-just-fun

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

David Justin Urba - IS YOUR CHILD TOO WIGGLY TO READ?

Sitting still and listening to a story is a developmental skill that can be nurtured over time. Sometimes young children are just too full of energy to sit still and pay attention to a book. They’re like a basket full of puppies needing to wiggle, run and play. How will you ever instill a love of reading into your wiggly toddler or preschooler? Never fear. There are ways to give your child the freedom to work out the wiggles and still leave time for some snuggly reading time.

Here are 10 strategies that just might work for your little wiggler:

1. Be sure your child gets adequate active playtime before choosing to read. Children will be much more likely to manage quiet reading time if they’ve ‘used up their wiggles’ in vigorous play.

2. Choose naptime or bedtime as primary reading times. Your child is already sleepy and ready for cuddly quiet time. Some parents find that reading during bath time works well.

More at: http://www.calgaryschild.com/education/toddler-preschool/2183-is-your-child-too-wiggly-to-read-10-strategies-that-just-might-work-for-your-little-wiggler

Monday, February 27, 2017

David Justin Urbas - ALL EARS? NINE GAMES TO TUNE UP LISTENING SKILLS

Ever notice how your kids tune you out just when you need them to listen to you the most? While listening is critical in communication, this skill is one of the most difficult to master and the least taught. From toddlers to teens, make learning to listen fun by playing games that will help your kids tune in.

1. Sing together. Toddlers and preschoolers love to sing and imitate movements that go along with songs.

“Any opportunity for songs and fingerplays promotes working on listening skills,” says Debra Burnett, Ph.D., an assistant professor and speech-language pathologist. “After they know the song, play with language by changing the lyrics or adding new original verses.”

Try it with songs like The Itsy-Bitsy Spider; If All the Raindrops (and Snowflakes); Wheels on the Bus; and Ten Little Ducks.

More at: http://www.calgaryschild.com/education/toddler-preschool/2290-all-ears-nine-games-to-tune-up-listening-skills

Sunday, February 19, 2017

How to make study interesting to kids? Know from David Justin Urbas

Every parent dreams that kids will excel in education. To ensure it, parents usually put the maximum stress on sending kids to the best school. However, just admitting children to school is not enough for improving their performance for study. Rather you have to make the subjects interesting to them for getting the best results. Here, David Justin Urbas, has shared few tips on how to make kids interested in studying.

Play educative games with them:

There are many ways which can enhance the power to think logically among kids. Educative games are one of those. Games like Chess and Scrabble can be two great choices for this purpose. Besides being funny, these games develop kids brain at tender age and improve the IQ.

Let them to attend educational events:

Different educational events continue to occur throughout the year. By attending such events kids can meet with students of other schools. In friendly set up, they can interact easily with others. As in such programs, kids can showcase their talents and it motivates them to perform better in future.

Giving them small rewards:

Encouraging kids for their well performance is also necessary for getting better results from them in future also. Giving them small rewards can be an easy way for them. Whenever they perform well in school, give small rewards such as story books. This along with encouraging them, will help to grow the reading habits also.

Keep them updated about current affairs:

Though you are focusing on education of kids, keep them updated on what is happening surrounding the world. Even if your kids are too small, tell them in form of short stories. After these sessions, you can ask them small questions on current affairs. It will make the sessions more interesting to kids and they will be more attentive.

Monday, February 13, 2017

4 techniques from David Justin Urbas to help kids in homework effectively

Helping kids in their homework can be a tiring job for parents. Often kids do not find interest in their daily study schedule and thus, retaining their attention at the time of studying becomes very difficult. Here are some easy tricks from David Justin Urbas. Follow this while helping kids in their study to get better outcomes.

Turn off the TV and audio devices: There may be thousand reasons that attract kids, but- studies say that kids get distracted the most due to use of TV and other audio devices. Thus,
Before helping kids in studying, you have to remove these sources of distraction from them. During the entire period, when your kids are studying or doing homework, make sure that the TV remains off.

Put restrictions on phone usage: Phone is another thing that restrict kids especially teens from studying attentively. When help children in their home work, put restriction on use of phones also. It will also be an effective technique to make your kids attentive in studying.

Be regular: maintaining a fixed schedule help kids to develop a habit of studying. Make a routine in advance which your kids will follow throughout the year. If your kid returns home from school early, try to finish all the homeworks before supper.

Organize the homework assignments: Missing assignment is a common mistake that almost every kid does. To avoid these situations, you can make a large calendar mentioning all the tasks your child need to do. While finishing assignments, make sure that kids have followed this schedule. Even if the kids are too young, then also let them to take part in the process, so that they can learn how to organize tasks.

Taking notes on classes is a crucial skill which your kids need to develop. Apart from helping in homeworks, teach your kids how to take notes for getting better results.

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Monday, January 23, 2017

David Justin Urbas - You are So Much More Than Just a Score

Dear Students,

Much has been made about the state of our educational system these days…and the news hasn’t been good. We’re not keeping up with other countries. We’re lagging in our adoption of technology, and we haven’t mastered the math and science concepts necessary to win the nauseating, never-ending Race To Nowhere.

To solve this, policy-makers have decided that testing is necessary to monitor not only your progress, but that of your teachers and administrators, too.

They are partly right.

If you graduate from high school, and you’re not able to read, write, and understand math concepts capably, then we have utterly failed you. You deserve to go to school in a safe place where you can grow and learn. Schools need to be accountable, so that when you cross the stage in cap and gown, the diploma you grasp really, truly means something. It should be a symbol that you have met the standards set for you, and a testimony to the dedication of your teachers (and parents!) who guided you through the process.

More at: https://katiewetherbee.com/2014/05/01/you-are-so-much-more-than-just-a-score/

Friday, January 20, 2017

David Justin Urbas - PLAYTIME UNPLUGGED

It’s no secret that today’s fast-paced lifestyle leaves many of us feeling as if we’re running on a never-ending treadmill. We’re pressured to over-schedule, overdo, and overspend. It takes a conscious effort to simplify and allow time for quiet and reflection in our adult lives. No wonder our children mirror our overly-busy lives, often to their emotional detriment. Their days may be too full of scheduled activities to allow time for healthy, unstructured play, and play is the childhood equivalent of work; it needs to happen. There’s power in your child’s unstructured, unplugged, creative play.

Plugged or unplugged

There’s good news. When given a quiet, unplugged environment, children will enter into creative play. They’ll use the props around them: household items, open-ended toys, art supplies, etc., and they’ll pretend something. Like adults, children need space in which to create. They need permission to move from an ‘entertain me’ attitude to a ‘let’s see what I can do on my own’ attitude. While screen activities can be healthy and educational, it’s a wise parent who is proactive in providing their children regular quiet times for creative play.

More at: http://www.calgaryschild.com/education/toddler-preschool/2291-playtime-unplugged-the-power-of-creative-play

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Why are Dutch children the world’s happiest?


Following UNICEF’s (2013) report of children’s wellbeing indicators for the world’s richest nations placed the Netherlands at the top of the list, a new book by two immigrant mothers explores what it is about growing up the Dutch way that is so good for their children. An extract from the book was published in the Telegraph and, here, the US blogsite ModaCity reflects on what lessons can be drawn from the Dutch experience

This past weekend, as if the universe knew we were longing for our days in the Netherlands, a story popped into our newsfeed touting that Dutch children are the happiest in the world. The article – an excerpt from a book ( published this week – looks at the lived experiences of two ex-pat mothers (one American and one British) raising families in the Netherlands, relating them to a 2013 study conducted by UNICEF that found Dutch kids topped the list for overall well-being when compared to the world’s 29 wealthiest countries.

More at: http://www.childinthecity.eu/2017/01/12/why-are-dutch-children-the-worlds-happiest/

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

David Justin Urbas - Educational Consultant Warns of College Spin

So I’m here on the campus of my alma mater, Dartmouth College. I’m here for a reunion and it’s been a fun, nostalgia-filled weekend, and I always enjoy coming up here. And one of the things I like to do when I come here, too, is to connect with some of the students that I’ve counseled in the past. This morning I had coffee with, she’s a freshman and she’s a tour guide here on campus. And we got to talking about being a tour guide and how all that works, and we were also talking about the fraternity system, so I was asking her, “So what is the admissions saying to students when they’re coming on campus and want to know about the fraternity system and how many students are really a part of it?” And the party line statistic is 50%. Now, that’s accurate, but a little misleading, perhaps. Because that makes it seems like the statistic is much lower than the number, which is 68% of eligible students are in the Greek system. So 2/3 of students.

The reason there’s a difference between these two statistics is because freshmen are not allowed to be in the Greek system. You rush in your second or sophomore year. So it’s true that if you take the entire student body, you have only 50% of students that are in the system. But then when sophomore year happens, 2/3 of your cohort is going to be rushing for the Greek system. So it’s one of those things where it’s like where are they bending the truth? Are they bending the truth? No, they’re not, they’re stating a fact, but they’re also giving you a statistic that is perhaps going to make Dartmouth a little bit more palatable to you if you’re thinking the fraternity system may be not what you want, or if you’re worried about it, they want to make it seem less of a force in the social life on campus. It’s a force, there’s no getting around it that the Greek system is a very strong aspect of social life on campus.

More at: http://www.continyou.org.uk/educational-consultant-warns-of-college-spin/