Seth Rockmuller, President, Alliance for Parental Involvement in Education
Wood's warm appreciation of children and his fascination with the ways in which they grow are evident and help to make this a most useful book to anyone interested in child development--in or out of the classroom.


David Snyder, Principal, Allentown, PA
The best single resource on developmental stages that I have found. I always have this book nearby and give copies to teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents. I have ordered dozens of Yardsticks, and I keep running out!


Dr. Louise Bates Ames, Co-Founder, Gesell Institute
I strongly recommend Chip Wood's Yardsticks to every teacher and parent of children ages 4 to 14.


Book Description
This popular Guidebook which has helped thousands of teachers and parents to better understand children has now been expanded to include ages 13 and 14. Written with warmth, humor and deep reverence for children, Yardsticks offers clear and concise descriptions of the developmental characteristics of children at different ages. Teachers appreciate the user-friendly format as they use these "yardsticks" to shape curriculum. Straightforward descriptions of each age are followed by easy-to-read charts identifying developmental "yardsticks" in the areas of physical, social, language, and cognitive growth. Also included are curriculum suggestions and guidelines, a list of favorite books for different ages, and a bibliography with books on child development, curriculum content areas and parenting. 162 pages, paper.


From the Author
Practical info to help parents/teachers understand children. This book is about children in school. It is designed for both parents and teachers and provides easy reference to expectations about children's growth and development in the classroom. I have tried in this small volume to consolidate a good deal of theory with years of professional experience in schools. My goal is to present important information in a readable format without compromising the key ideas passed down from the worlds of anthropology, child development, pediatrics and education. I hope you will find the information about a particular age immediately useful, and will also be captured by the obvious patterns of development. Enjoy the book. I hope you find it useful in your work with children.


About the Author
Chip Wood has worked with children from pre-school through eighth grade for over 25 years as a classroom teacher, teaching principal and teacher educator. He is a co-founder of the Northeast Foundation for Children.


Excerpted from Yardsticks : Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14 : A Resource for Parents and Teachers by Chip Wood. Copyright © 1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Children's developmental needs should be the foundation for every choice we make in our classrooms and schools. They need to remain at the center of our decisions about school organization, policies, scheduling, and everyday practices. Too often, our choices affect children negatively, interfering with growth and learning rather than encouraging it. If we understand children's developmental needs more fully, we can change--and improve--our schools THE TEN YEAR OLD IN THE CLASSROOM Vision and Fine Motor Abilities Able to focus well, concentrate on task at hand; integrate spelling, dictation, penmanship well, but precision may be lacking as many skills come into play at once

Particularly enjoy tracing and copying as fine motor skills strengthen; maps, "cartooning" provide excellent fine motor practice

Use of tools (compass, protractor, ruler, templates) can be introduced successfully; need plenty of practice time.

Gross Motor Ability Need a great deal of physical activity, large muscle development; upper body strength generally undeveloped; extra recess, play time a must or will spill over into acting-out behavior

Love group games, relays, group initiatives; class outings, "ropes courses," double-dutch clubs, team sports, other organized activities

Cognitive Growth Highly productive with school work; usually conscientious with homework; pay close attention to form, structure, directions, organization

FROM THE PUBLISHER

An outstanding guide for anyone working or living with children ages 4-14. Written for teachers and parents, author Chip Wood offers clear and concise descriptions of children's development. A comprehensive, "user-friendly" reference that helps translate knowledge of child development into schooling that helps all children succeed.

Includes: Charts summarizing growth patterns: physical, social, language, and congnitive Suggestions for curricular areas: reading, writing, mathematics, and thematic units Favorite books for different ages

Informed by almost thirty years spent with children and teachers and infused with warmth and humor, Yardsticks has been acclaimed by teachers, administrators, and parent groups.