Zoo-phonics

[BabyMonkeys]

We have always played all day. They love sensory bins, so they are out quite frequently. We read a LOT every day, and assorted kids song dances. The parents are starting to ask when we are going to start introducing letters and numbers. They are already learning about letters and numbers from all of the books we read.

I'm not too concerned about it, like someone said it is more of a parent pleaser. If they are having fun, I'm all for it though! It would be a few minutes here, a few minutes there type thing. There is no way I'm going to attempt to get toddlers to sit still and "learn"

[daycare]

This program is amazing if you know how to use it. I paid to get certified and it was worth every penny.

While I agree that most programs for children are learn through play only, but what do you do about the fact that children will learn at the highest rate from ages 0-3.

what also about the fact that learning your ABC by sound and sight is a learned skill. As is writing. What do you do with those kids that are going to start kinder? Do you not teach them these things?

YEs, some of this can happen through play and this is what Zoo-phonics is designed to do.

But what about writing? this is a learned skill. This is not something they can just all of a sudden start doing on their own.

here in my state children have to be able to write their first and last name, as well as have letter sound/name recon prior to starting kinder.

[MissAnn]

This program is amazing if you know how to use it. I paid to get certified and it was worth every penny.

While I agree that most programs for children are learn through play only, but what do you do about the fact that children will learn at the highest rate from ages 0-3.

what also about the fact that learning your ABC by sound and sight is a learned skill. As is writing. What do you do with those kids that are going to start kinder? Do you not teach them these things?

YEs, some of this can happen through play and this is what Zoo-phonics is designed to do.

But what about writing? this is a learned skill. This is not something they can just all of a sudden start doing on their own.

here in my state children have to be able to write their first and last name, as well as have letter sound/name recon prior to starting kinder.

How do you get certified? I love zoo phonics! You can do so much with it....I make up new games all the time. Works great when everyone is at different levels too. One might be working on sounds, One on letter names, one on the different "hard worker" vowel sounds and another on putting letters together to make words. It's easy adapt for all of them even playing the same game. I love the bingo game too.

[Unregistered]

Hi! When you ask (Daycare) what do we do because they need to learn these things- the answer is they do not. I thought you were in CA- maybe I remember incorrectly? I am in CA and our entering kindergarteners do not have to know those things. There have been many studies showing that teaching academics at this age to be detrimental to the children. I posted many links on a previous post. Everything in those links is the answer to your questions.

I had my son in a play based, child led preschool (coop) and we did not have any academics. There were zero worksheets, zero telling children letters and numbers, zero asking them to do activities. There was a 20 minute circle time everyday which included singing or hearing 2 books. Children would share ideas and stories. Other than that, they wandered in and out all day playing in sand, building with blocks, using art materials, playing dramatic play, riding bikes, hammering real nails & sawing real wood! He entered k and did fine. He came to be at a third grade reading level in 1st grade. He isn't some amazing special genius (as much as I would love that), he is normal, and he did fine not having academics until 6 years old. He did all the social, emotional, creative, physical and cognitive development he needed to reach his potential when the time was right. When the time was right, he learned numbers and letters just fine.

[daycare]

Hi! When you ask (Daycare) what do we do because they need to learn these things- the answer is they do not. I thought you were in CA- maybe I remember incorrectly? I am in CA and our entering kindergarteners do not have to know those things. There have been many studies showing that teaching academics at this age to be detrimental to the children. I posted many links on a previous post. Everything in those links is the answer to your questions.

I had my son in a play based, child led preschool (coop) and we did not have any academics. There were zero worksheets, zero telling children letters and numbers, zero asking them to do activities. There was a 20 minute circle time everyday which included singing or hearing 2 books. Children would share ideas and stories. Other than that, they wandered in and out all day playing in sand, building with blocks, using art materials, playing dramatic play, riding bikes, hammering real nails & sawing real wood! He entered k and did fine. He came to be at a third grade reading level in 1st grade. He isn't some amazing special genius (as much as I would love that), he is normal, and he did fine not having academics until 6 years old. He did all the social, emotional, creative, physical and cognitive development he needed to reach his potential when the time was right. When the time was right, he learned numbers and letters just fine.

so you mentioned reading, but what about his writing. as I said learning letter recon can be learned through play, but what about writing?

[Unregistered]

Yeah. His writing is totally fine too. He writes books at home for fun. He wants to be a video game designer and author when he grows up I, myself was trained in a specific method to teach reading and writing because of the preschool I worked at before I had my own children. I decided not to do it with him and he has honestly been fine. When I reflect on my teaching at that one (expensive private school), I feel bad I didn't know better. But, that's why they hired me. I had barely any ECE at the time - just experience working at fcc's. They hired me because they knew I would do things their way without question. The headmaster later said he wanted me to hire someone who they could "mold" for my replacement!

My son got a ton of fine motor development so he did know how to use writing utensils. He loved to paint, draw, color, fold, cut, play doh, cook, clay, puzzles, sand play, everything. His hands and fingers could draw a straight line and a circle. So when they said, "this is how to make a "b", sure, he could do that. He just did it. When we said "b" says "buh", he understood and could string sounds together. He had listened to many stories, books, poems, and songs. He understood rhymes and starting sounds and ending sounds. From puzzles and matching games and pretend play, he knew that symbols were representations. So, it wasn't much of a leap to say this symbol means a sound and these sounds blend to be a word...

[daycare]

I don't want to get into the great debate over which is right or wrong. I believe that they are both great ways for children to learn.

I was just very curious what those of you did that had pre-kinders.

[Annalee]

I don't want to get into the great debate over which is right or wrong. I believe that they are both great ways for children to learn.

I was just very curious what those of you did that had pre-kinders.

I, too, feel that the zoo phonics can be a great way to learn. I have used pre-packaged curriculum and now make my own using many pieces of different curriculums....I feel zoo phonics can be modified to meet a group's needs. I haven't purchased yet but have been researching it. I have some 5 yr olds this year and was looking for something for them, in particular. I have found many are not sending their children to school here until they reach that 6th birthday so I am looking to expand my curriculum a little bit. Thanks for your info on zoo phonics.

[Blackcat31]

Hi! When you ask (Daycare) what do we do because they need to learn these things- the answer is they do not. I thought you were in CA- maybe I remember incorrectly? I am in CA and our entering kindergarteners do not have to know those things. There have been many studies showing that teaching academics at this age to be detrimental to the children. I posted many links on a previous post. Everything in those links is the answer to your questions.

I had my son in a play based, child led preschool (coop) and we did not have any academics. There were zero worksheets, zero telling children letters and numbers, zero asking them to do activities. There was a 20 minute circle time everyday which included singing or hearing 2 books. Children would share ideas and stories. Other than that, they wandered in and out all day playing in sand, building with blocks, using art materials, playing dramatic play, riding bikes, hammering real nails & sawing real wood! He entered k and did fine. He came to be at a third grade reading level in 1st grade. He isn't some amazing special genius (as much as I would love that), he is normal, and he did fine not having academics until 6 years old. He did all the social, emotional, creative, physical and cognitive development he needed to reach his potential when the time was right. When the time was right, he learned numbers and letters just fine.

YES!! a million times!!

Teaching the child to read and write will come naturally if the foundational skills are taught first and taught well.

Reading and writing is much like potty training....if the child is developmentally ready, it literally takes no "training" or teaching at all.

ALL of my DCK's know how to read and write before they enter Kindy but NOT because I offered any type of structured or canned curriculum but because I provided a developmentally appropriate environment that encouraged and supported individual growth. The reading, writing and other academic skills they mastered were not focused on, but simply allowed to grow at their own pace.

[midaycare]

Yes to play, and I teach a curriculum.

My dck's here have so far left for another preschool/Young 5's experience before school. There is a lot of pressure here to be in an educational building learning preschool. So everyone is gone by age 4-5.

I use the curriculum to introduce new concepts they might not otherwise get. This month is the theme desert and today was about the animal the burro.

I model reading but don't teach it. I don't even bother with writing until they are 4. And then, not much!

Edited to add: dcf's seem really happy with what their kids are learning here. So when I read about other providers working so hard on things I don't, I don't worry about it. Everyone will find their right "fit".

[daycare]

sorry I missed the question about how did I get certified.

if you go to the zoo phonics websites, you will see that there are classes held all over the US. look and see where there is one near you and then you will have to pay to attend the training. I had to fly to south state to take mine and it was two days. Of course, this was a huge cost, but I believe in it. Not bragging, but all of my kids leave here reading if they stay with me at least 3 days a week and for at least 2 years until they leave to kinder.

to date, information back from parents that have graduated from my program attending the times listed above, all of them have been at the top of their class and all of them have surpassed reading and writing on the state standards by grade 3. As well as math.

One of the great things about zoo-phonics, is that you can call their customer service and get help with how to implement it if you get stuck.