The K Junction: alternative education

Showing posts with label alternative education. Show all posts

May 7, 2018

How To Reduce Screen Time For Kids - 10 Tips For Parents (VLOG)

how to reduce screen time for kids mobile tips parenting

How To Reduce Screen Time For Kids - 10 Tips For Parents. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

In my blogging & consultation journey in parenting & early childhood domain, that one problem that I have come across umpteen number of times with great seriousness is screen time kids are exposed to these days!

Here are tips for parents to handle/limit/eliminate screen time for kids. And trust me, it isnt easy at all. So be prepared for the hard work, but it is totally worth it for the physical, mental & emotional health of our kids & the betterment of the next generation.

In this video below, let us understand how can we reduce screen time for kids.

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as kids & books are concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

You can check out tons of activities that you can do with children on my blog & youtube channel here -
Early Learning activities
Montessori Inspired activities
Waldorf Inspired activities
DIY & activity videos

Take a look at some kids books & toy recommendations here -
Books & Toys Recommendations
Books & Toys Reviews

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.

Do not forget to follow "The K Junction" on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori & Waldorf inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

An Ultimate Guide To Encourage Young Kids To Read & Fall In Love With Books (VLOG)

how to make kids fall in love with reading books encourage children read readers

How To Make Kids Fall In Love With Books - Tips For Encouraging Kids To Read. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

As an early childhood educator & a mom to a 3 year old book lover, I get a lot of queries & see many parents seeking help when it comes to books & young kids. We all know the benefits of reading books to kids but many parents do not know how to introduce books to kids. Some parents struggle to read books to kids because kids do not seem to be interested. Some parents are clueless which books to read & how to read so that it interests the child.

In this video below, let us understand how can we as parents or educators, instill love for books in kids & how to make book readings more interesting for them.

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as kids & books are concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Our previous FB live videos on the topics of parenting, early childhood education (check the playlist Tuesday Live)

When & How To Introduce Letters & Alphabets To Kids

Kids Book Hauls, Reviews, Recommendations - YouTube Playlist

Book Reviews By Shital

Teaching Reading & Writing - Literacy For Kids - YouTube Playlist

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

How To Prepare Toddlers To Write - Prewriting Skills - What, Why & How (VLOG)

how to prepare toddlers writing prewriting fb live tips parenting issues kids

How To Prepare Your Toddler To Write? Pre-writing Skills - What, Why & How? This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

As an early childhood educator, it pains me to see queries from parents where the kids are not comfortable writing in kindergarten, some do not want to complete their homeworks, some do not want to color properly and the list goes on.

Let us see what the underlying issues could be & how can we as parents, help kids to enjoy writing & not dread it!

This video below talks about how a parent can prepare a child to write, about prewriting skills, its whats, whys & hows.

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as writing & Montessori is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Importance of puzzles for toddlers & how to introduce puzzles

What are prewriting skills & how to develop

Montessori inspired Practical life activities for young kids

How to set up Montessori inspired arts corner for kids

Montessori inspired shelf activities that I had setup at home

Other Montessori related blogs of mine

Alphabet tracing & prewriting for preschoolers

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Montessori - What It Is & What It Is Not (VLOG)

montessori what is homeschooling maria fb live the k junction alternative education early learning kindergarten preschool

What Is Montessori & What It Is Not? This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Montessori is one of the alternative education philosophies. I have seen a lot parents being stuck to the Montessori term per say & not realizing what it is. Montessori is not just the Montessori materials and Montessori inspired toys. It is a way of life.

And then there are some parents who do not know what is Montessori at all and perhaps hearing this word for the first time!

This video will cater to all.

This video below talks about Montessori - what it is & what it is not!

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as homeschooling & Montessori is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant Links Mentioned In This Video

Free Extensive Tour of authentic Montessori classroom (2-6 years)

How to set up Montessori inspired arts corner for kids

What Makes A Toy Montessori

Montessori inspired Practical life activities for young kids

Montessori inspired shelf activities that I had setup at home

Other Montessori related blogs of mine

Free Ebook - The Absorbent Mind by Dr Maria Montessori

You can go through other Facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

When & How To Introduce Letters & Alphabets To Kids - Alternative Learning (VLOG)

how to teach letters alphabets kids alternative learning education

I get a lot of questions from fellow parents in my Facebook community asking how & when to teach letters to kids. So this video is an answer to those parents & many more who have the same question! This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

It is not a rare sight to see letter based activities for kids as young as 1.5 years. Is it right or wrong? Well there might not be a consensus on the answer. But in this video I am going to tell you, as a certified early childhood educator, what I think about when & how letters can be introduced to kids. It is a very personal opinion but in line with many alternative school of thoughts & some of you might disagree with it but to me. But this is the most organic way of introducing letters to kids according to me.

I hope you liked this video. Any kind of feedback - positive or negative is welcome in the comments below. I hope after this video, your perspective of looking at letters or alphabets & teaching them has changed a bit!

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as introducing letters is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

You can go through other facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

What Is Homeschooling? Why & How To Homeschool? Homeschool Resources, Community, Mistakes & More (VLOG)

What Is Homeschooling? Why & How To Homeschool? Homeschool Resources, Community, Mistakes & More. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Homeschooling is a buzz word these days. Often there are questions, doubts & myths in parents who are contemplating to homeschool their children. I see so many question threads in online parenting communities about homeschooling. I myself get a lot of messages from fellow parents about it.

This video below answers the basics of homeschooling & other FAQs related to it.

Share this blog among friends/communities who might be looking for any kind of help/support as far as homeschooling is concerned.

You can also contact me using this form.

Relevant links mentioned in the video -

Homeschooling 101 With Renuka Mahesh (Explore Kids World)
Virtual Tour of Montessori Classroom
Understanding Alternative Education (Waldorf Pedagogy)

Resources For Homeschooling

Indian Association Of Homeschoolers - Swashikshan
Facebook Page Of Swashikshan
Pune Homeschooling Group

You can go through other facebook live videos HERE & I will keep adding them in this archive and you can find them all at THIS link anytime in the future. You can also join my facebook page & group to follow the updates.

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Homeschooling India 101 - An Ultimate Guide To Get Started - By Renuka Mahesh

Homeschooling 101

More parents are now choosing to homeschool instead of sending their children to public or private schools. Learn more about homeschooling in India from Renuka Mahesh from Explore Kids World in this 101 video!

I often get questions from fellow parents about homeschooling & its related confusions! So, I have teamed up with Explore Kids World to answer those questions.

Renuka from Explore Kids World is here to answer your FAQs on homeschooling - What is it? How to start? What are types of homeschooling? What about giving exams of higher classes while homeschooling? And more!

Renuka is a Marketing Graduate and also a holder of Bachelors in Tourism and Hospitality management and a Masters in Business Administration, English literature & Clinical psychology. She is aspiring to get a Doctorate as well. A child educator by profession, carrying her family legacy of nurturing their small Montessori inspired space “Explore Kids World”, where they enjoy learning the Montessori way and encourage kids to learn & think out of the box. The curricular and co-curricular activities are designed in such a way that kids experience the joy of learning and learning beyond textbooks. Renuka is the third generation. She has grown up seeing Montessori, Early Learning, Gentle Parenting around herself. This was the utmost inspiration that she refused the so called corporate jobs only to pursue her passion and became a child educator. This inspiration led her to take up workshops and courses in Nutrition (infancy and child care), Gentle parenting, Literacy and numeracy skill (The Montessori way ) and counseling psychology. She is now rigorously working, studying and writing about homeschooling.

Now lets get started & here is the much awaited video! I recommend using headphones because the audio is a little noisy to be honest. The reason being, we met at a coffee shop & did this discussion & video. I am a mom & always buying time from here & there. So to shoot this video, I had to send my toddler to a super market to buy grocery along with his dad on a weekend! Talk about limited time & resources for a mom 😉

Here is the 101 video for you!

Hope you found this video useful. If you have any more questions, feel free to connect with Renuka or myself on our social media channels. I am listing all of them below -

Explore Kids World

Facebook - www.facebook.com/Explorekidsworld/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ExplorekidsWrld

Instagram - www.instagram.com/explorekidsworld

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL_AJNpd3LHJUTLXGp0UTtw

Blog - https://explorekidsworld.wordpress.com

The K Junction

Facebook - www.facebook.com/thekjunction

Twitter - www.twitter.com/kuhoogupta

YouTube - www.youtube.com/kuhoogupta

Blog - www.the-k-junction.blogspot.com

Instagram - www.instagram.com/kuhoogupta

Do not forget to follow us on Facebook page & closed Facebook group, Twitter and Instagram for day to day updates that might not always find a place on this blog. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to know more about our early learning journey, DIY & Montessori-inspired activities for kids, kids books & toys reviews and much more!

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Maria Montessori - Free Ebook - Absorbent Mind & Book Recommendations

Dr. Maria Montessori is the founder of the Montessori method of education. She started her first classroom “Casa dei Bambini” or Children’s House in 1907.

Montessori method of education stresses the importance of respecting children – “Help me to help myself”.

Maria Montessori was born on August 31st 1870. It was her birthday yesterday and I cannot say enough how much I owe to this dynamic and innovative woman as far as my parenting journey is considered. The Montessori philosophy changed my perspective as a parent, it was a paradigm shift I must admit.

So here is a BIG THANK YOU to Maria Montessori for guiding me and many many parents & caregivers!

If you are new to this, you might want to read the biography of Maria Montessori HERE.

According to Montessori, the goal of education is “to be able to find activities that are so intrinsically meaningful that we want to throw ourselves into them”. According to her, the child builds itself through experiences on the environment. On this notion, she developed a set of didactic materials which leads to sensory education, muscular coordination, and language development. These didactic materials have built-in “control of error” which gives the child concrete proof of whether its work is right or wrong, this also frees the teacher from being the person of reinforcement.

FREE EBOOK - ABSORBENT MIND BY MARIA MONTESSORI

Here is one book on her philosophy that is written by herself - the very famous ABSORBENT MIND.

It is a must-read for everyone who is interested in Montessori. This book is not a practical guide, it doesn't tell you, what to do or give you certain activities, it is a very philosophical book. It opens your eyes and makes you look differently at children, childhood, society.

Montessori is so much more about the attitude, about philosophy and principles than about certain tools, materials or activities. All the great work and Montessori-inspired materials & activities are quite useless, if you don't get the philosophy right.

And now lastly, here is the FREE EBOOK version of this awesome book ABSORBENT MIND.

If you wish to read this book in paperback, here is the Amazon affiliate link (with no extra cost to you). Buy using this link to happily support this blog of mine.

I would also suggest these books for some additional reading on Montessori. You would love them for sure!

Earn some good karma and share this post with an awesome FREE resource with your friends or fellow parents/caregivers who would be interested in Montessori.

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

FREE #TourOfMontessori Video Series - Week 5 - Culture Area (VLOG)

language tour montessori virtual guided classroom house of children

Language Tour Of Montessori

We have almost come to an end of this super informative FREE video series. Thank you so much for your encouragement, shares, feedback & comments on the previous videos. Coming Friday, last video in this series, it is going to be the tour of CULTURE area of Montessori in our FREE Guided Virtual Tour of a Montessori House Of Children, #TourOfMontessori, 5-part video series! So sign up now HERE.

This is the teaser video of Culture Area tour.

Sign UP for FREE HERE to access FULL video.

If you still do not know what it is all about, then check out THIS post & you can sign up for FREE for this super informative series by clicking HERE. In return, you get 5 videos right into your mailbox!

Click HERE to watch the Practical Life tour teaser video & HERE to watch the Sensorial tour teaser video.

Hurry, you do not want to miss it and it will NOT be free forever :)

Here are my home based / DIY setup related to culture area of Montessori that you can also easily do at home if your child is not going to a Montessori school.

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

FREE #TourOfMontessori Video Series - Week 4 - Math Area (VLOG)

Language Tour Of Montessori

Thank you so much fellow parents for loving the first three videos of Practical Life, Sensorial & Language tour. I loved reading your feedback, keep them coming please. Coming Friday, it is going to be the tour of math area of Montessori in our FREE Guided Virtual Tour of a Montessori House Of Children, #TourOfMontessori, 5-part video series! So sign up now HERE.

This is the teaser video of Math Area tour.

Sign UP for FREE HERE to access FULL video.

Hurry, you do not want to miss it and it will NOT be free forever :)

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

FREE #TourOfMontessori Video Series - Week 3 - Language Area (VLOG)

Language Tour Of Montessori

Thank you so much fellow parents for loving the first two videos of Practical Life & Sensorial tour. I loved reading your feedback, keep them coming please. Coming Friday, it is going to be the tour of language area of Montessori in our FREE Guided Virtual Tour of a Montessori House Of Children, #TourOfMontessori, 5-part video series! So sign up now HERE.

This is the teaser video of Language Area tour.

Sign UP for FREE HERE to access FULL video.

Hurry, you do not want to miss it and it will NOT be free forever :)

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

FREE #TourOfMontessori Video Series - Week 2 - Sensorial Area (VLOG)

sensorial tour montessori virtual guided classroom house of children

Sensorial Tour Of Montessori

Thank you so much fellow parents for loving the first video of Practical Life tour. I loved reading your feedback, keep them coming please. Coming Friday, it is going to be the tour of sensorial area of Montessori in our FREE Guided Virtual Tour of a Montessori House Of Children, #TourOfMontessori, 5-part video series! So sign up now!!!

This is the teaser video of Sensorial Area tour.

Sign UP for FREE HERE to access FULL video.

Hurry, you do not want to miss it and it will NOT be free forever :)

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

FREE #TourOfMontessori Video Series - Week 1 - Practical Life Area! Have You Signed Up? (VLOG)

This is a quick post to let all you people know that we have successfully launched our brand new FREE Guided Virtual Tour of a Montessori House Of Children #TourOfMontessori This is a 5-part video series!

This is the teaser video of Practical Life Area tour.

Sign UP for FREE HERE to access FULL video.

If you still do not know what it is all about, then check out THIS post & you can sign up for FREE for this super informative series by clicking HERE. In return you get 5 videos right into your mailbox!

Hurry, you do not want to miss it and it will NOT be free forever :)

Hope to see you around. Happy Parenting!

Waldorf Education & Parenting Resources - Links That I Love To Go Back & Read

I have been following Montessori with my son and now I am also being attracted to another alternative education philosophy - Waldorf. I like to read a lot on the topics that excite me & these days it is Waldorf. I thought this compilation would be a good resource for myself & people like me who would like to know more about Waldorf.

These are links about Waldorf education that I like to go back, read & refer. Below the hyperlinks, I have added an excerpt of the actual post.

I will keep on adding links here as I go ahead in my parenting journey, so you might want to have this link bookmarked :)

What Are Waldorf Toys?
I will go on to explain that the kinds of toys we carry are wooden, eco-friendly and organic toys. You know, “green toys.” This gives most people a better idea, but there is so much more to it than that. Beyond simply being natural toys, what exactly makes a toy a “Waldorf toy?”

Comparision Of Montessori & Waldorf Methodologies
This comparison of Waldorf and Montessori educational philosophies is based on my personal experience as a teacher in both Montessori and Waldorf school systems. I would like to preface my remarks by stressing that there can be much difference from one classroom to another in any philosophy, due to the style and interpretation of the individual teacher

Singing Through The Day - Discovering Waldorf
Today, Melody, from Little Home Blessings, talks about song and how meaningful it can be for parents and for children. I too have been utterly amazed at how song has calmed my children and has helped them to do things they are resisting. In fact, if A Good Man wants to tease me, he often does it in a sing song voice… and I smile inwardly, knowing that Waldorf has seeped into his heart too.

Waldorf and Montessori: How do they compare?
Both Steiner and Montessori developed educational systems that were developmentally appropriate for children, and both stress a learning environment that is aesthetically pleasing. Both systems are designed to awaken the senses of the young child, and both incorporate moral development in their curriculum. Both philosophies discourage television for young children and consider it to be detrimental to the child’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. Both philosophies also value the concept of students having the same teacher for several years. There are many differences in the “methods” of the two philosophies.

List Of Links & Blogs From Cincinati Waldorf School

Handwork In Waldorf Schools

Why is handwork considered so vital? It is patently obvious that handwork can nourish artistic sensibilities, bring practical skills, and reinforce numeracy. But how does it affect learning?

Early Childhood In Waldorf - List Of Articles (The Waldorf School Of Philadelphia)
A bunch of articles on early childhood in Waldorf environment.

Discovering Waldorf Series
A beautiful series of so many articles covering different aspects of Waldorf philosophy. A great starting point for Waldorf.

Books To Teach Alphabets -The Waldorf Way
Waldorf alphabet books are read to a young child to engage the imagination and bring the ABC’s to life. The fairy tale like stories will help a child develop an intimate relationship with each letter of the alphabet.
Waldorf educators believe that it is important to develop the imagination before reading is introduced. The first part of this exploration takes place through rhymes, poems, and stories like those found below.
It is believed that reading these beautiful books and magical tales will help unlock the keys to the written word and prepare a child to read.

Wet On Wet Painting
single color wet on wet painting
two color wet on wet painting
three color wet on wet painting

DIY Waldorf Square Puzzle
Both children and adults can exercise their geometric and spatial thinking while tinkering with this puzzle’s 3-dimensional pieces. Many variations of shapes, colors, and patterns are possible.
They are the perfect STEAM toy to leave out on tables and desks to invite creative play.

Open-ended Toys For Pretend Play

Play is the most important work of early childhood. Children begin to understand the world around them through movement and play. As parents and caregivers, we must provide play environments that allow children to discover the world at their own pace.

Waldorf Toys For Preschoolers

The Waldorf Steiner education practices hands on learning activities, while providing a lovely natural environment perfectly suited for creative play. That is one of the things that really draws me into loving Waldorf. Here you will find open ended toys and beautiful items that your children will enjoy for years to come.

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May 7, 2018

How To Reduce Screen Time For Kids - 10 Tips For Parents. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

May 4, 2018

How To Make Kids Fall In Love With Books - Tips For Encouraging Kids To Read. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Apr 18, 2018

How To Prepare Your Toddler To Write? Pre-writing Skills - What, Why & How? This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Apr 10, 2018

What Is Montessori & What It Is Not? This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Apr 3, 2018

Apr 2, 2018

What Is Homeschooling? Why & How To Homeschool? Homeschool Resources, Community, Mistakes & More. This article showcases the facebook live video I did on this topic recently as a part of my #TuesdayLive Facebook live series.

Sep 18, 2017

More parents are now choosing to homeschool instead of sending their children to public or private schools. Learn more about homeschooling in India from Renuka Mahesh from Explore Kids World in this 101 video!

Renuka from Explore Kids World is here to answer your FAQs on homeschooling - What is it? How to start? What are types of homeschooling? What about giving exams of higher classes while homeschooling? And more!

Sep 1, 2017

Dr. Maria Montessori is the founder of the Montessori method of education. She started her first classroom “Casa dei Bambini” or Children’s House in 1907.

Montessori method of education stresses the importance of respecting children – “Help me to help myself”.

Aug 17, 2017

Aug 9, 2017

Aug 2, 2017

Jul 26, 2017

Jul 21, 2017

This is a quick post to let all you people know that we have successfully launched our brand new FREE Guided Virtual Tour of a Montessori House Of Children #TourOfMontessori This is a 5-part video series!

May 8, 2017

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