Minutes

UNF – CDRC Parent Organization

October 10, 2007

 

The meeting was called to order by Jessica Ottie at 6:15pm.

Parent Organization Meeting

Members approved the next meeting for Tuesday, November 6th at 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM           

 

Jessica Ottie began the meeting by introducing herself and asking parents to introduce themselves.  If parents would like to contact Jessica and provide suggestions/questions, they can reach her at j_ottie@bellsouth.net

 

Parents were reminded of the upcoming Family Festival on October 21st from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.  All families were urged to attend and enjoy themselves.  Families can make a donation to attend the event.  All the money collected at the event will go to CDRC.  There will be food and drinks available for purchase.  Almost all of the booths will be operated by university students.  There will be a raffle for copies of the book Molly and Me by Gigi Morales – David, a children’s cookbook written by UNF students, canoeing, and lots of activities for everyone. Parents can visit the CDRC Website and click “Family Fest” for more detailed information on scheduled events.

 

 

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED FOR SETUP/DISMANTLE OF FAMILY FEST

The CDRC staff needs help in setting up and dismantling the festival.  The staff needs help transporting tables from CDRC to the “island” across the street; if you can help please contact the admin office at CDRC.  This would be greatly appreciated!!! 

 

 

FOOD AND DRINK DONATIONS NEEDED

Also, in each of the classrooms will be a sign-up sheet to donate food and drinks.  All food and drink donations need to be delivered to the main office by October 18th. 

 

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CDRC PARENT BOARD         

Pam Bell announced to the parents that CDRC is looking for parent volunteers to be on the CDRC Parent Board (this is a separate organization from the Parent Organization).  The CDRC Board consists of three groups: faculty board, parent board and CDRC admin.  The CDRC board is mandated by state law in order to___________________________.  We need a parent representing each of the classes to be on the board.  We currently need a parent volunteer for Ms. Roberta’s class (The Dolphins) and Ms. Mahreen’s class (The Cardinals).   Please contact Ms. Roberta/ Ms. Mahreen and let them know of your interest. 

 

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR TRIKE-A-THON

On Tuesday, November 6th, the school will hold its annual Trike-A-Thon.  The center alternates every year between raising funds for CDRC and some noted charity.  Last year, the children raised funds for St. Jude’s Children Hospital.  This year all the funds will go toward the Center.  The children bring their bikes and helmets to school and they get to ride a maximum of 20 laps in the Center’s turnaround. (The turnaround area will be roped off for the event.)  We will need parents to fill the following roles at the event:

·          Escorting children to/from the classroom to the riding area

·          Someone to check and fix any bikes that may need to be fixed

·          Lap Counters

·          Gate keeper to monitor the gate

 

There will be a sign-up sheet in each classroom.  Please help out with this fun event.  Everyone has a blast with this event.

 

 

 

 

Scheduled Night Walk for Oct. 26th

The Parent Organization agreed that our first sponsored event will be the Night Walk at the UNF Trails on Friday, October 26th.  Families will meet at the picnic tables across the street at 6:00 PM for free pizza and drinks followed by the Night Walk at 7:00 with a Nature Trail guide.  There will be a sign-up sheet in each classroom so we can get a count of how much pizza to order.

 

At our next meeting parents will discuss planning our next events.  Suggested parents think about what kind of activities they would like to sponsor and give suggestions at the next meeting.  Examples of previous activities the group has sponsored include the night walk at UNF Trails, Cummer Museum trip, ArtWalk in downtown Jax, and movie night at UNF in the Robinson Theater. 

Fundraising

Members discussed whether the group wants to pursue any fundraising events during the year and where the Parent Organization could best apply the money that is raised.  Jessica suggested we should look into fund raising for Teacher Appreciation week in the spring and suggested we have a read-a-thon during Read Across America week in March as a way to raise funds for the center.  We will continue with this discussion at the next meeting. Jessica asked parents to think about ways to help the center raise funds and to discuss those possibilities at the next meeting.

 

Goals

Jessica said one of the goals the Parent Organization could help with is to promote and work on the Parent Library at CDRC.  Currently, the Parent Library has not been utilized and the Parent Organization could help organize, promote and enhance the library for the center.  Jessica asked parents to think about other goals that they would like the Parent Organization to pursue and present their thoughts at the next meeting.

 

Jessica concluded the business portion of the Parent Organization Meeting and Pam Bell took the floor to present the 2nd step in Conscious Discipline. 

 

 

2nd Step in Conscious Discipline

 

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

VS.

PUNISHMENT

Teaching children how to maintain self control in order to teach self discipline

 

Control others with manipulative strategies

Relying on love and connection to adult

 

Rely on fear

Respecting the child

 

Motivation comes from external sources; i.e. stickers, toys, extra privileges

Controlling ourselves so we can teach through love

 

Focuses on what you don’t want and telling children what not to do

 

 

 

Intent to teach

 

Intent to feel bad or hurt

Consistent

 

Inconsistent

Based on love

 

Based on fear

Focuses on cooperation

 

Focuses on bribes, intimidation, threats

Sets clear expectations

 

Unclear expectations

Demonstrates positive behavior

 

Expects child to “Just Know”

Emphasizes solutions

 

Emphasizes blame

Practices positive behavior

 

Expects child to “Get it right”

Helpful to child and self

 

Hurtful to child and self

Focuses on what to do

 

Focuses on what he/she didn’t do

Everybody wins

 

Someone always loses

 

·          Positive discipline is a process not an event; it will require parents to continually practice it.

 

 

Positive Discipline Principle #1

Know your child – which temperament best describes your child

·          Sigher – easy going

·          Trier – Patient, persistent

·          Crier – cries, whines, gives up

·          Flyer – flies off in a rage

 

Knowing what your child’s temperament is allows you to know what is normal for your child and how they deal with stress

 

Positive Discipline Principle #2

Know what normal behavior is for children

·          Typical behavior #1 - Children turn fear into a game

o         Example: Little Jessica who fell in the well in Texas many years ago; when the rescuers finally reached her, she was singing a song; it was her way of dealing with stress

 

·          Typical behavior #2 – preschoolers create their own reality

o         They have sticky fingers and they say they don’t.

o         Its bed time and they say it’s not.

 

 

·          Typical behavior #3 – young children have immature inner speech

o         Young children do not talk to themselves inside their heads to govern behavior.  Since children do not have this inner speech, they tend to be in 1 of 3 states:

1.       talking and making noises to the images in their head

2.       Moving to the images in their head

3.       Putting their thumbs in their mouths with a glazed over look

What pops into a child’s head will pop out of their mouths. Listen to your child play in the bath or in the back seat.  It is a constant stream of chatter, unless they are tired.

 

Since they have no inner speech, children will interrupt you no matter how many times you remind them. Remember that children can not wait without having something to do.

 

 

·          Typical behavior #4 – Don’t is a meaningless word

If you tell a child don’t do something, they will want to do that thing. 

Instead, you should tell the child what to do.  Example, the child wants to rummage through your purse/wallet.  Instead of saying don’t rummage through my purse, give them something else to focus on.  For example, give them your backpack to rummage through or give them a coloring book to color; some other activity to take engage them.

 

Don’t is a power pushing button.  It challenges your children to do something. 

 

·          Typical behavior #5 – Children can only see the world through their eyes

o         They are egocentric and only understand their viewpoint.  Parents need to help children understand the world from another person’s viewpoint.  Example, child chases ducks. The ducks are scared, but the child continues to chase them.  Parent should give the child something positive to do that will stop the child from chasing the ducks…example, tell them to stand their and see what happens or to pretend to be like a duck and waddle around and quack.  Parents should help the child learn to empathize with the ducks…to help them understand that the ducks were scared and that’s why they were running away.

 

 

This is the break-down for how children communicate:

55% Non-verbal

38% Tone of Voice

7% Words