Author Archive

Oral Language: The Foundation for Literacy

September 13th, 2011

By Joan Lessen-Firestone, Ph.D. “Grammy, the geese came back!” my four-year-old granddaughter exclaimed in a recent phone conversation.

Making Summer Reading Fun

July 18th, 2011

By Joan Lessen-Firestone, Ph.D. Think back to your favorite summer experiences as a young child. My grown children would probably tell you about camp, the beach and family vacations.

The Importance of Summer Camp Programs

June 9th, 2011

By Joan Firestone, Ph.D. Spring has finally made it to my neighborhood.  And while parents are busy getting out the tricycles and patio furniture, they are also contemplating the perennial question of what to do with the kids when the school year ends.

How to Prevent Your Child from Becoming the Bully or the Victim

June 2nd, 2011

By Joan Firestone, Ph.D. No parent wants their child to become a bully or the victim of a bully. But bullying continues to be a dominant safety issue in our schools and communities.

Fine Motor Skills: A Key to Academic Success

April 25th, 2011

By Dr. Joan Lessen-Fireston, Ph.D. Kindergarten teachers often worry about inadequate fine motor skills exhibited by many of their students.

The Importance of Dramatic Play in Early Childhood

February 14th, 2011

By Joan Lessen-Firestone, Ph.D. Marshmallows played a central role in a classic study of young children’s ability to control their impulses and regulate their behavior.

Improving Reading Skills through Everyday Experiences

January 17th, 2011

A study finds that young children who had more early reading knowledge were slightly better readers when they entered middle school, but preschoolers’ general knowledge of the world was found to be a much stronger predictor of their later success in reading.