SHOW AND TELL
Bring a thing of your dad’s.
Topic: Male Role Models
The specialness of men
The value is courage to help us deal with things that are scary, difficult, or painful.
For ecology, we’ll experiment with how living things use water, how things dissolve in water, and how things sink and float.
Outside we’ll play scoop ball and begin water play.
The songs we’ll be singing are Happy Talk, I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing, High Hopes, 76 Trombones, and Let There Be Peace on Earth.
Our art activities are Father’s Day card, puzzles, flag day, and family puppets.
Creative dramatics will be the story of Father’s Day, and what if we were one of the men we study (Superman is one of them).
For body development, we’ll work on strength with V sit ups, leg lifts, rocking horse, and deep knee bends. For motor development we’ll do postural response exercises with finding shapes, crab walk greeting, hopping, and walking a tightrope.
IT’S A GUY THING
This information came from a feature article in Newsweek magazine about current research into how males develop. In the wake of the feminist movement, even normal boy behavior has come to be considered pathological, and our male children are suffering for it. An abundance of physical energy and the urge to conquer – normal male characteristics that in an earlier age were essential to survival – have come to be reasons for disciplining our sons. The new research is showing that the traditional, unisex way of looking at child development is profoundly flawed. A study at Children’s Hospital in Boston found that boy babies are more emotionally expressive; girls are more reflective. This could indicate that girls are innately more able to control their emotions. Boys have higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which inhibits aggression and impulsivity.
Both sexes seem to have “crisis” points of development. Girls seem to hit their first one in the early teens. Boys seem to hit the first crisis point around the age of 5, with an outbreak of symptoms like bedwetting and separation anxiety. At that age, they don’t have the language or experience to articulate it fully, but the feelings are no less intense. Even as early as 4, boys are fully aware of masculine stereotypes and are negotiating their way in and around them. They will pull away from a goodbye kiss or a greeting hug to keep from looking like a sissy. The struggle between a desire and need for warmth on the one hand and a pull toward independence on the other can cause some real problems. When boys repress normal feelings because of social pressure, they’ve lost contact with the genuine nature of who they are and what they feel. Boys are in a silent crisis. The only time we notice it is when they pull a trigger. Researchers think that boys who are forced to shut down positive emotions are left with only one socially acceptable outlet – anger.
The demands placed on boys in the early years of schooling can increase their overall stress levels. Boys’ fine motor skills are usually considerably behind girls’. They often learn to read later. At the same time, they’re much more active – not the best combination for academic advancement. The things at which they excel – gross motor skills, visual and spatial skills, their exuberance – do not find a good reception in school. Some guidelines: channel your son’s energy into active sports, and watch for “teachable moments” to encourage qualities such as empathy and connectedness. Above all, enjoy them for the special, perfect people they are now.
On the Calendar
Water Play – Every Friday is water play day. All children should come dressed in their swimwear and have clothes to change in to when water play is over. All children must have shoes water moccasins or water friendly sandals work great.
Flag Day - Thursday, June 14, is Flag Day. It’s a wonderful reminder to review the meaning of this symbol of our country.
Fathers’ Day Breakfast – Mostly fathers have no idea of their importance in the lives of their children. Please calendar this special time to focus on your child for an hour on June 15, the Friday before Father’s Day. We’ll start breakfast by 7:30. You can plan to stay for a little while for playground and circle if you want. Most dads are gone by 9:30.
How Do We Teach Male Role Models? – In our politically correct world, how do we teach the specialness of our guys? What are the particular qualities we spotlight (humor, daring, brotherhood, courage, etc.)? Ask to see our curriculum for more ideas.
Be Aware – Make a point to lock your vehicle and to keep valuables hidden. One of our teachers had items taken from their car while parked in the school’s parking lot.
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