Events & Updates - Young Scholars Academy

Reading with your Preschooler (ages 3+)

March 30, 2022 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

This is the age where reading is becoming more of what we would think of when we think of reading and teaching reading. All the tips I have previously shared about infants and toddlers is still relevant though. Just keep building upon the foundations you have created.

They are still not ready to read more than likely and that is absolutely okay. Moving your finger across words as you read them is now more important. They are starting to grasp that letters make up words. Each time you point to a word they will start to distinguish how words are made up and spaced. When they are ready to start reading, they can then easily follow along with their finger and find each individual word.

This age group will ask the most questions. They want to know every ‘why’ and ‘what’ that is happening with the illustrations and the story line. They want to know things that aren’t even brought up in the book. This is awesome because they are expanding their minds and thinking beyond just what they are being told or shown. They can start thinking more abstractly as they get older. Books are a great kick off point for this type of thinking. These are great ages to also ask them lots of questions throughout the story and see how much they can recall.

Going on a picture walk with a new book is awesome. They will get to tell you their version of the story from illustrations alone. Then after you read you can compare how much of the story lined up with their version. Here at YSA we do this in depth weekly. We pick one book to really focus on. This has really changed our student’s way of looking at books. They now have deeper understanding of how much a book can really provide them beyond a short story time. By the end of each week our children are now able to tell us book titles, author names, parts of a book, story lines, character names, settings, and they can compare and contrast with similar books or authors.

Opening up this kind of reading at your house is simple. Make an adorable book nook for your house. It could be as simple as pillows and stuffed animals in the corner of your child’s room surrounded by their books. Or it could be as elaborate as you creating a space in your home and refurbishing furniture into reading chairs. I have seen some very cute things made from old furniture with some sanding, paint, and a cushion.

Keep on reading to those babies! And one day soon you will experience them reading to you!

Ms. Brooke
Literacy Coordinator
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Language is key

March 30, 2022 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

One thing that I have learned as a parent and a teacher is how important it is to give your child language. And by that I mean the words to say, the knowledge of when to speak, the tones to use, and the confidence to express what they want to say. Speaking up is an art that needs to be learned and sharpened as they grow so it becomes a useful and helpful tool in their belt. It all starts by setting the example and modeling the listening and speaking action to your children. A great age to start….is as soon as possible!

When children are infants it is so important to talk to them. Read to them and emerge them in language. Give them the basics by showing expression when you talk and teaching about tone of voice. Toddlers is great time to continue with tone and introducing how to express emotions and their needs through language. Talk to them about what you need and expect and they will learn to express what they need and expect in that manner. Children learn language and expression of language through repetition and copying what they see and hear from you. With preschoolers you can start teaching about eye contact and taking turns in a conversation.

Improving listening skills and beginning to relate and be empathetic to others through conversation. The best way to teach this is to actually sit down and converse with your child. Ask about their day. Tell them about yours. Share feelings, ideas, and thoughts. Talk about mistakes you both have made and how to correct them. Talk about the successes you had during the day and how all of it makes you feel. Don’t be afraid of big words. Sometimes that is the only way to explain what you are talking about and you will be surprised how easy it becomes for them to understand and expand on their vocabulary. As school-age children, it is just as important to continue these conversations. In doing so it will build their confidence and their sense of worth. Giving them the opportunity to talk about things with you where they are safe and can trust in your support and truth will get the whole family through any situation.

The most important thing about giving children the ability to communicate is that it gives them a platform to advocate for themselves. They can express feelings and needs in a manner so that others can listen and participate with them to find solutions to problems, and find mutual understanding. Starting young gives them the confidence to speak up for themselves and others when they are adults. They learn quickly that their feelings and ideas are just as important as everyone else’s. They learn how to debate, how to argue, how to understand others, and best of all how to communicate in a positive and effective way.

It is so difficult to adjust and learn communication skills when you are an adult. Communication becomes an instinctual skill that you do without thinking about so it is so important that you teach and practice it every day with your children as they grow. As a parent of grown-up children, I feel that it was the best gift I have given them. So are so much better than I and I have seen them succeed in so much because they know how to speak up for themselves and for others.

Ms. Dotty
NAEYC Coordinator
Lead Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

Autism Awareness Month

March 30, 2022 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

You may have noticed that this year we’re celebrating autism a little bit differently, and maybe you’re wondering why! There has been a big push recently to switch up the way autism is viewed, and for good reason. When Autism Awareness month started back in the 1970’s, its intention was to do just that; raise awareness. Autism Speaks was founded in 2005 and became the frontrunner for all advocacy and the official color and symbol of autism became blue and a puzzle piece.

The shift from awareness to acceptance comes from acknowledging that autism is a natural condition. Accepting the beautiful differences, capabilities and ways of thinking is far more important than simply becoming aware of the condition and acknowledging that it exists, or even researching treatments and cures. While autistic children and adults can face some severe challenges, it’s important to note that just because their brains operate in a different way, there isn’t anything “wrong” that needs to be fixed. Highlighting the strengths and amazing qualities that come with neurodivergence of this kind is far more supportive.

The color and symbols surrounding autism have become quite controversial. Depending upon who you connect with, you may get a different opinion about red versus blue and infinity symbol versus puzzle piece. This comes from overall trauma caused by organizations aiming toward curing autism and harmful therapies and thought process that came with it.

In an effort to overshadow the negativity, the Light It Up Red Instead campaign was created. Red was chosen because it represents love, ambition, and respect.

The switch from puzzle pieces to an infinity symbol moves away from the negative campaigns labeling autism as a disease and a burden. The infinity symbol represents all neurodivergence and the entire spectrum, viewing the autism spectrum as a result of natural variations in the human brain rather than a “disease” to be cured.

While not all autistic children and adults feel strongly either way, it’s important to listen to those that are a part of the autistic community. The goals of autism acceptance are a greater acceptance of autistic behaviors, improving quality of life rather than masking behaviors or mimicking neurological individuals to fit in, equal employment opportunities, access to resources and support, and a shift away from trying treat or cure autism. Moving away from the negativity from the past helps get one step closer.

Ms. Amy
Parent Connection Coordinator
Infant Nursery Supervisor

Can We Share Something Personal?

March 18, 2022 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Can I share a story with you all that you might not know about?

Can I share just a small piece of the Young Scholars story.

Young Scholars Academy was officially labeled in 2000 with its original founders Jane and Geoff Germano. Geoff was a Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force and Jane a college graduate with a background in teaching. These two had the crazy idea to start a childcare program since children of their own were not doable.

In 2001, Jenn Winters (my mom) came with all 3 of us kids in tow into Young Scholars and as you guessed it, the rest is history. Jenn moved up from a teacher’s aide to classroom teacher, to assistant Director, and then Director. I remember getting ice cream money from Mr. Geoff and trying to protest in front of Ms. Jane’s office about how I didn’t like the afternoon snack or the planned field trips for summer. (I know, the nerve.)

The Germanos & Winters worked side by side to grow the business and eventually even built the freestanding building we’re in now, we used to be in a strip mall! Can you believe that? We moved into this building in 2008- recession year, great idea, right?

(For those of you who are history nerds, our old location is now an appliance store off Austin Bluffs!)
Here’s the thing and why today is such a big piece is YSA history.

10 years ago today one of Young Scholars original founders Mr. Geoff passed away. He had been fighting medical issues for years and was finally able to live in peace. I was just a teenager, but I remember the day vividly.
Jane was devastated, he was gone too soon.

Jenn was stressed and sad. The recession was still very clearly impacting small businesses. I remember during those days she would come home and say she needed 20 minutes before she could “mom.” Looking back on it now I also see why she was mad I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer.

I went to work at 16 and finished high school online. The family was stressed, and I was that kid that just had to help even if it was working as a teacher’s aide in one of the classrooms.

With the passing of Mr. Geoff taking, its toll, I remember Jane asking my mom to lunch one day. Jane wanted to close Young Scholars for good. The finances were an array, the stress was too much and obviously, Jane struggled to run a business she had originally founded with her husband. She talked about severance packages, how she planned to do it, and the timeframe.

Jenn begged. Begged for the opportunity and freedom to turn things around. After buying in and becoming an official partner of the company a fire had been lit under her.

I quickly finished high school online and got my group leader status as quickly as I could finish the classes. I had to come in and help keep the family business alive. Then the rest of my family followed, my dad quit his job of 20 years to help, my siblings also came and worked when their schedules allowed it. It took all of us to keep the doors open. There was a long road ahead.

The only way we could stay afloat was to get more children and we had the opportunity to do so with army childcare (Child Care Aware.) However, we could only accept this program and the grants that came along with it if we were NAEYC accredited. (National Association of The Education of Young Children) say that ten times fast. Jenn requested a meeting with the rep many times, and she was turned down. Turned down, dismissed until one day we weren’t. (Thanks Ms. Judy!)

Now we still had to get accredited, and we did, like scored 98% overall on our accreditation visit. That’s major, props to 2014-year-old us!

The fire that was lit went far beyond making a paycheck. Not only did Young Scholars keep their doors open, but we’re also actually able to impact families and this community. All of this happened because Geoff took a chance on a little teacher’s aide with a couple of kids.

I like to think that he looks down and smiles at the impact one idea has had on a community. I don’t know about you all but I just can’t imagine a life without Young Scholars in it.

I wonder what these kids would be like if they didn’t grow up here. Would they be a little less spicy? Possibly (ha) but I absolutely love that this is their home. Would their lights have been dimmed if there weren’t given the opportunity to fully shine? I love that they feel so comfortable being who they were meant to be.

I’m bawling and can’t believe it’s been ten years. Cheers to you, thank you so much for changing the lives of so many families.

Ms. Jordan
Young Scholars Academy “Lifer” (seriously, I’ve been here since I was 4!)

Why It’s Important to Set Limits with Kids and 8 Tips to Do It

March 15, 2022 by Young Scholars Academy Leave a Comment

Our goal as parents is to raise happy, successful children. However, sometimes giving our children too much is not good for them. Because of this, it is important to set limits with our children to help them become responsible and well-adjusted adults.

Limits are guidelines for expected behavior both inside and outside the home. Setting limits can help kids develop self-control, take responsibility for their choices, and prevent them from feeling entitled.

Why it’s important to set limits

Putting reasonable limits in place is beneficial for kids because:

Limits teach children about self-control and taking responsibility
Limits set boundaries and teach kids about which behaviors are appropriate
Limits help prevent children from developing a sense of entitlement
Limits can help enrich children’s interpersonal relationships
Limits teach kids self-discipline

In order to learn which behaviors are acceptable and appropriate, we as adults need to establish clear expectations. Follow these tips to help you set limits with your little one:

8 Tips For Setting Limits With Kids

Establish rules and limits early on

The earlier you establish your family’s rules and limits, the easier it will be for your child to follow them. With young children, you may want to set simple rules, such as “Stay near me,” or “Keep your hands and feet to yourself.” As kids grow, you can add more specific rules, such as “No hitting,” “No screaming,” or, “No leaving the house without permission.”

Be consistent

If you make a rule one day but don’t enforce it the next, this will be confusing. Your child won’t know what to expect. Try to be as consistent as possible with your rules, as well as the consequences that may come if a rule is broken.

Explain the reasoning behind your rules

Explain to your child why following rules is important. When you set a limit on how much TV children can watch, explain that too much TV can be bad for their eyes and overall health. If you have rules regarding how many unhealthy snacks or desserts children can eat, explain that eating too many sweets can harm their health. Your child will follow rules more consistently if they understand the rationale behind them.

Be firm and fair

It’s important to set rules and expectations that are realistic, and enforce them in a way that is fair and consistent. For example, if you don’t want children to watch TV for more than an hour a day, decide which hours of the day during which TV will be allowed. Be sure to enforce the rule consistently, even on weekends.

Use positive reinforcement while setting limits

Praise your children when they follow the rules you’ve set. By associating positive behavior with desired outcomes, they are more likely to follow the rules going forward. You may also wish to reward good behavior occasionally. The rewards do not have to be material. In addition, they can include things like extra time to play a favorite game, or getting to choose the meal for the week.

Make sure limits aren’t too restrictive

It’s important to establish firm yet achievable limits for your child. If the limits you set are too restrictive, children are more likely to become frustrated and angry. This will only make it harder for them to follow the rules.

As an example, if you set a limit that children can only talk to people they know, they may become frustrated or confused if they are not allowed to speak to the cashier at the store. Examine your rules and make sure they are attainable and fit each situation.

Be prepared to adjust your limits as your child gets older

As children mature, their abilities and needs will change, and so will the limits that you establish. Be prepared to adjust your expectations and rules as kids grow, and learn about their own actions and choices.

Be patient with your child

It takes time for children to learn and follow rules. Try to avoid becoming frustrated if your little one doesn’t always comply right away. Try to be patient, and keep reinforcing limits. Children are likely to get the hang of it as long as you’re consistent with your expectations.

It can be challenging to set limits for children. Some kids may be resistant at times. It’s important, however, to set limits for the good of our kids’ development and well-being. With a little patience, you’ll be able to successfully establish expectations and raise children who are happy, well-adjusted, and responsible individuals.

At Young Scholars Academy, we aim to create an engaging learning environment for children. Our program is filled with meaningful and fun activities that create wonderful memories. If you enroll your kids with us, they will remember their time at Young Scholars Academy with happiness throughout the years! Learn more about us by visiting our website.