Category: Children

Newsletter 52

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date August 21, 2020

Newsletter 52

Hello all and welcome. This issue marks the 52nd week of my newsletter. Having over one thousand subscribers, I sincerely thank you all for being with me. I appreciate your support and I intend to continue to share with you five points of interest that I hope will be of interest to you too.

This week I look at the benefits of reading for children, life in Italy, Truffle making and more…

Here are the five things I found interesting this week and I want to share with you all.

1. The many benefits of reading, for children – As a storyteller, I like to think that I am providing children with a window to a whole new world. I want to give them the opportunity to learn, to experience new ideas, to get new and exciting information. I find it’s best when learning comes without realising it. When children are learning valuable life lessons through hearing or reading an engaging story told with honesty, imagination, creativity and spirit.

2. Buon Ferragosto, August 15th, a national holiday in Italy. For most Italians, this marks the start of the summer holidays. This year I will join in on the celebrations, imagining I am in Italy. Something I had been planning before travel became a challenge.

3. This week my reading pleasure, for education and survival during my nature walks, Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. The classic field guide for quick identification of wildflowers, flowering shrubs and vines, by Lawrence Newcomb. A must-have if you are looking to sample the herbs and berries. The featured image is of the Holly shrub and delicious looking wild berry; poisonous to people and animals.

My pop-up karate class in the local park is gaining in popularity and I need a reference for some standing stretches. Anatomy of Stretching, A Guide To Increasing Your Flexibility by Craig Ramsay is a great resource.

For Park training where most participants do not have a mat, I utilize the standing or crouching stretches from Craig Ramsay’s book. For my home training, I go through most of Ramsay’s recommended stretches.

4. I received an e-mail from someone who I went to Jr. high school with, Northmount Junior High. This acquaintance from the past was asking if I was the same guy he went to school with.

Normally I never reminisce about my time as a student at a traditional school. Most of my time at Jr. and Sr. High school was a big haze. Something that I wanted to be done with as soon as possible. I am a Kinesthetic learner, much more interested in action.

I let my old school chum know that it was I and that this was a first for me. A trip down memory lane. I asked him to stay in touch and thanked him for connecting.

5. This week I spent some time at a Truffle making workshop with David Greenwood-Haigh an award-winning chef, chocolatier and international chocolate consultant. David hosted a virtual workshop at the Yorkshire Festival Of Story.

Thanks for reading, if you think someone you know would like my newsletter please share it with them. If you’re looking for a great children’s book, check out my book, Samba on a Snowy Day.

Please consider a contribution to our next book project by buying me a coffee, swing by Ko-fi.com. Every coffee really helps out during these crazy times.

Check out my blog, follow the link, sign in. Get the weekly newsletter in your inbox, no spam I promise.

Tags Chocolate, School, VARK

Children

Newsletter 22

Newsletter 22

This week I look into Montessori School and how the Dojo Kun and the Niju Kun can play a part in todays education. At what age should you start your children in karate?

In this weeks newsletter I let you know about all of that in the five things that interested me and I thought may be of interest to you too.

Dr. Maria Montessori the founder of the Montessori Schools, prior to this week I knew very little about this amazing women. Monday I started teaching karate at a Montessori school in Markham. I am really happy to be sharing my karate with the children.

2. Babysitting or teaching? What can we learn? Some would say that teaching 3 and 4 year olds karate is really just babysitting. I disagree wholeheartedly, some of the children at this age have never made a fist, or fired off a straight punch, nor have they really kicked. Now they are doing all this and so much more. Learning to count in Japanese, learning the karate rules of the dojo, the Dojo Kun and learning some great karate philosophy, the Niju Kun.

3. Finding inspiration in the everyday. One of the sites I am a member of requested authors share with members the way in which they continue to write. I shared the aforementioned statement and it is something that helps me to write every day. This week started off with “Blue Monday”, the third week in January is reported by some to be the saddest day. Don’t believe it. Everyday is what you make of it, do your best to find the joy in the simple everyday things that life presents.

4. This week was all about trumpet. I was informed that one of my favourite trumpeters, Claudio Roditi, passed away, check out his beautiful playing on “Body and Soul” https://youtu.be/I-FmBbR1iMU.

From Kristen Park, Claudio’s wife, a touching quote; “His entire life was geared to enjoyment, of Life and living it, of great music, of good food, traveling around the world playing his beloved rotary horns, meeting interesting and talented people, making new friends and visiting the longstanding ones, and maintaining his ready sense of humour. Claudio loved to laugh! He always saw the humour in situations, and frequently we were doubled over laughing about something or other.” Kristen Park. Another wonderful musician passed away this week, the wonderful pianist, Norm Amadio https://jazz.fm/norm-amadio-obituary-canadian-jazz-history/. Rest in Peace gentleman and know that your music will continue to bring comfort and joy to many.

5. I have designed a poster to help promote my children’s book Samba on a Snowy Day.

I am happy to report I have completed my manuscript for my next book, more adventures with Samba and Ariela.

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it. Remember to check out my book, Samba on a Snowy Day available at your favourite book store. A fun children’s book for children to read to adults or the other way around. Check out my blog, follow the link, sign in. Get the weekly newsletter in your inbox, no spam I promise. Copyright © 2020 Paul Yanuziello, All rights reserved.

Tags Claudio Roditi, Dr. Maria Montessori, Kristen Park, Norm Amadio

Books Children Grammy Awards Karate kids Martial Arts Music

Newsletter 15

Hello all!

Some things that interested me this week, and I hope will be of interest to you too.

Here are my five items, links, or suggestions that should get you some inspiration and information.

Newsletter 15

1. I have been listening to Rodrigo y Gabriella and their new offering, nominated for a Grammy, Mettavolution – check it on youtube. My first exposure to this duo was on Ted Talks, and since that time I have been a fan.

Another artist in the same category; and I noticed he is getting more airplay this week, Theo Croker, an excellent trumpeter and bandleader. He’s been nominated in the best contemporary instrumental album category for Star People Nation, competition for Rodrigo y Gabriella.

I enjoy watching NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and it’s where I first came to hear Anderson Paak. He’s another Grammy nominee in the Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Come Home” featuring André 3000. Check out this fun 2006 musical movie, Idlewild for a good idea of what André 3000 is all about.

2. Yakumo Koizumi is the adopted Japanese name of author Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904). In his 54 years, he wrote 29 books in many different genres. “Kwaidan; Stories and Studies of Strange Things” is one of his books on Japanese myths and I started reading it this week. What piqued my interest is the number of listings with his English name on the gutenberg.org site under the heading: Japan. When you google this gentleman, a fascinating individual comes to life. My search brought me to this article in the Japan Times.

While searching that amazing Gutenberg site I happened upon another book I couldn’t resist “Bushido, The Soul of Japan” by Inuzo Nitobe (1862 – 1933). A book that explores the way of the Samurai spirit.

3. You may have noticed a strong Japanese thread runs through many of my newsletters, it’s true I have a great passion for all things Japanese. I have been studying Japanese on my own for many years. I recently started a new program to learn Japanese writing, Hiragana at a site named Tofugu.com, I feel encouraged to jump back into my studies.

The owner of the Shingikan dojo, where I teach Karate lived in Japan for 25 years. He is fluent in Japanese, both written and spoken. There is no excuse for me to not make the effort to communicate with him in Japanese.

4. Most of my instructing jobs are winding down now and I have only a couple of classes left, one is going to be a children’s karate grading – coming up this Saturday afternoon in Stouffville, Ontario.

The Shingikan dojo will stay open until December 16th and as with all my classes, will be resuming in January 2020. So much fun sharing my knowledge of martial arts and learning from the children.

“Spare no effort when you teach. You advance as your students advance. Perseverance is important in teaching, as are patience, kindness, and the ability to put yourself in your students’ place.” (Koichi Tohei 1920 – 2011.)

5. Reading to children, how long should you read to your children? This resource says as long as there is interest. Reading to children at age 4 – 5 every day has a significant positive effect on their reading skills and cognitive skills (i.e., language and literacy, numeracy, and cognition) later in life.

I found this reference at Scholastic Canada on the state of kids and reading. As someone who is soon to self-publish a children’s book, I need to know who my target audience is.

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it.

Check out my blog, follow the link, sign in.

Get the newsletter in your inbox, no spam I promise.

Tags Anderson Paak, Inuzo Nitobe, Koichi Tohei, Lafcadio Hearn, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Scholastic, Shingikan Dojo, Theo Crocker, Tofugu, Yakumo Koizumi