How can the INYW? Activities and Phases be used in a preschool or daycare?
There are so many ways that will work well. One activity per day in the classroom adds value to what the children are learning and specifically contributes to their kindergarten readiness...Suggesting that families join INYW? builds in daily reinforcement activities for parents to do with their child and provides meaningful gauges for parents to see how well their child is learning...Classroom teachers gain a free supplemental curriculum for children that can be used at anytime...It's a ready made way for volunteers and classroom aids to have planned activities that can be prepared at home with internet access. Those are just a few ideas.
How do I know that the activities will be developing the skills my child needs to succeed in kindergarten and beyond?
This question hits right at the purpose for INYW?'s being created. We have studied for more than 15 years the reasons for success and failure in the classroom and in life (business, careers, relationships, etc.) The skills and levels of achievement we target are the ones that are consistently referenced as contributing to success, and their absence causes remedial development and even failure. A parent who goes through all three Phases of the INYW? program with their child can confidently send their child to school and into life knowing he/she is well equipped for what lies ahead.
How much daily time do I need to spend with a child doing INYW?
Every month there are 26 activities, each taking five to ten minutes. We also monthly recommend listening to three specific songs and suggest three books for reading during the month. The INYW? approach is a team approach that is a relationship between INYW?, a preschooler and other adults. There is an Activity Checklist on the site for each month. Any adult may share an activity and mark it off on the website as completed. For example, if you have a babysitter ask her to do one or two of the activities and mark off on the website as completed. You can print off an activity and leave on the counter to remind everyone to participate in a learning environment. If Grandma and/or Grandpa come to visit, let them share an activity and see how their grandchild is growing. If an older sibling is available they also can check-off an activity. Encourage a child to pick a favorite activity and review it again when all 26 activities are finished. Some parents might be inclined to rush through the activities, going through a month wham, boom, bang in record time. However, there is a reason for 26 activities a month ... children need review. Learning skills happen over time, with practice and with the help of others.
My child is already enrolled in a preschool (Head Start, Co-op nursery, etc.) so they are already getting the necessary skills. I have no extra time to spend with my child for learning as everyday is busy. Why would I join INYW?
The INYW? website enables an adult to recognize how a child learns, what skills are easily accomplished and which ones need more review. While some early childhood centers follow curriculum guidelines, there is no guarantee that a child is consistently and actively participating in the skills. If you have observed at a preschool, you will notice that some children are “present” but not always on task. Often the INYW? activities are part of a family’s usual routine (eating, bathing, etc.) and are targeted to show a preschooler's levels of understanding. For example, asking a child to set the table by questioning how many people will be eating and then getting the correct number of plates, silverware, and glasses uses one level of understanding and communicating with a child. Giving a child 5 plates and telling them to place them on the table is quite another approach missing a teaching and learning opportunity. INYW? wants every adult to know the skills and guide a child in preparation for kindergarten.
How does the INYW? website use technology with preschoolers?
The INYW? website is set-up to guide an adult in preparing a child for kindergarten with education and life skills. Our strategy was to develop critical thinking skills in preschoolers using their current frame of reference of family, home, and school as a learning environment. Technology is part of our busy lives and this site is designed for access from mobile devices. INYW? is an informational website that will complement your favorite sites that use computers to teach letter and number recognition, colors and other simple skills to preschoolers. As our membership base grows, we will continually address technology as a needed lifeskill for this young generation. Members are encouraged to share the best websites for us and you to explore by using the Contact Us link.
What makes INYW? different than other websites that focus on activities for preschoolers?
There are many websites dealing with kindergarten readiness. INYW? has put together a package or curriculum of activities following a set of guidelines that makes sense. There are no workbooks involved in our curriculum. The activities focus on the whole child with a range that includes physical activities, teaching character traits, music and art appreciation along with numbers, letter skills, reading and more. We have globally researched what children entering kindergarten possess and lack regarding their readiness to learn. We ultimately identified crucial skills preschoolers need to develop and created a three phase program to help parents and other adults instill those skills. Some sites show a ‘hit and miss’ list of activities or offer general, vague suggestions. We have a three phase program of progressive skill development. Even one or two phases in the program can be impactful for a child. The adult will see progress and also notice if a skill is not being learned. If a stumbling block occurs, further review or another method of teaching the skill will be available. As the community of users grows, our blogs and comments allow our members to help each other.
Why should I join the INYW? website?
INYW? is a community of adults working together to prepare a child for kindergarten. Research and common sense have guided the creators to format a 3-phase program. Each phase targets new skills and levels of achievement. Any adult who is in contact with a preschooler is able to actively participate in the education of that child with guidance from this website. All adults regardless of education level, economic means, race, or living environment are encouraged in the website to become an active “teacher”. Many activities are accompanied with videos to assist in teaching the written guidelines. There is a steady progression of skills adults are able to help their child learn before beginning kindergarten. When using a team approach between INYW?, a preschooler, and other adults, a successful start to kindergarten can happen.
What is the If Not You, Who? website?
This website provides adults the tools they need to prepare a child for kindergarten. Every month offers 26 activities for an adult to use with a young child. The activities address letters, numbers, colors, shapes, senses, character traits, target words, physical activities, art, science, nature, life skills and cooking. The information, guidelines, and skills needed for a child to begin a successful school journey are presented. The site is powered by Google Translate in over 50 languages to reach the optimum number of children.
