UM: Katherine, considering how profound role modeling is at this age, what do you look for in a new teacher?
KD: First and foremost, I look for a positive minded person who full of enthusiasm – someone with an authentically loving, joyful nature. I also look for someone who respects others and treats others the way they want to be treated.

If I was going to make a shopping list of qualities, I say joyful, loving, positive, patient, understanding, compassionate, confident, creative, encouraging, enthusiastic, forgiving and respectful

UM: What do you think makes a good role model?
KD: A good role model needs to be able to make mistakes and recover confidently. Nobody’s perfect. We want people to know that everyone makes mistakes and it’s not the end of the world. So I look for someone who embodies forgiveness as well.

A good role model also demonstrate confidence in themselves and in the people they are inspiring. I still remember teachers who believed in me and encouraged an expression of myself without judgment. I hope that I hire teachers who help children to celebrate who they are.

UM: Elisa, as a new teacher, what makes a good role model?
E: Putting positivity into a learning experience and offering a positive influence to those you’re in contact with. It’s also important to provide a safe environment where it’s ok to make mistakes and take risks. I salute the parents who come in allow themselves to be vulnerable and model for their children and share their experiences with the group. I think a role model needs to be supportive.

UM: Who have been good role models to you?
E: Well it might sound cliché but my Mom has been a good role model to me because she’s always made learning fun and allowed me to feel supported and confident in the choices I made. My mother taught me that making learning fun is the best approach – learning without knowing that you’re learning!

UM: What qualities about you make you a good role?
E: I sincerely like to have fun. I’ve had a lot of experience around children and everything I’ve done seems to involve kids so it’s easy for me to bring out my fun, enthusiastic side and find those qualities in myself that kids will look up to. And I think of my mom and what she’s taught me about learning.

I also think I’m good at putting people at ease when they walk in so that they feel comfortable being there and participating.

While it is important to have a good role model in the teacher, the parent is the best role model for any child, which is why classes with active parent participation are an excellent choice for families with young children. The teacher becomes not only a good role model for the child, but also for the parents.

UM: Parents need support and encouragement too!

Talk is one thing. Actually being involved is far more powerful. Kids start to feel, ‘this is what our family does’ which is much more profound learning than this is what I do once a week for fun. Role modeling is a powerful force in any young child’s life. Planning these kind of character building activities will draw the family together and create a common ground for social and emotional development.

Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
- James Baldwin, an American novelist, writer, playwright, poet, essayist and civil rights activist.

Space still available at in the West Side Music Together’s fall session and registration begins starting August 2nd.  Classes take place at St. Stephen’s church across from the new West Vancouver Community Centre.

WestSideMusicTogether.ca

Lets face it; we go great lengths to keep the sign of time off our faces. Some of us follow intricate step-by-step beauty regimes, pump every antioxidant into our bodies and even inject poison into our faces. Botox is the last will-and-testament that we will virtually do anything to look younger. It’s Amanda Beisel’s mission to “save the world from Botox.” The owner of Yaletown’s new SKN Holistic Rejuvenation Clinic practices a kinder, gentler approach to visage fatigue—cosmetic acupuncture. We all know aging is inevitable, “but we can choose, even direct and guide the speed at which we do,” the witty young blond insists. TCM is based on an integral mind, body and spirit connection. “Lines developing on the face are simply a reflection of the aging process originating internally in the organs and by balancing out the whole system, the skin becomes nourished and its natural health surfaces,” she explains. “A more even toned complexion is the first sign of balance within the body.” The beautiful Beisel believes that cosmetic acupuncture is the “only true anti-aging medicine because it works intrinsically both from the inside out. Boosting the internal system increases the results seen externally.” After the full 8-10 recommended treatments, expect to see fuller cheeks, relief of under eye circles, diminished fine lines and wrinkles, a more radiant and youthful appearance, smaller pores, even color, brighter eyes, improved collagen production and muscle tone and a lifted brow and chin line. But even after one treatment, expect to see brighter skin, slighter lines and an all-over glow. You’ll also experience a sense of overall rejuvenation after just one visit. SKN is the only spa in Vancouver who addresses anti-aging concerns with cosmetic acupuncture in conjunction with luxurious exotic spa services like hot jade stone massages and jade and ginseng facials using Jadience, a organic skincare line made from crushed jade. SKN facials are not just about the face, they incorporate scalp, neck, ear, décolletage, hand and arm massages. Here’s a hint: If you start with a cosmetic acupuncture session and end with a facial, your total relaxation is a euphoric 2-plus hours and the bliss will be all over your face. (Need I say more?) Before any session, Beisel takes an intense health intake. She asks me to stick out my tongue. An odd request, but I oblige. “Do I worry,” she asks after studying my tongue. “Of course, I’m a mom,” I reply. Apparently, the colour of the tongue is a telltale sign of ‘spleen deficiency.’ In TCM this correlates to emotions, particularly worry and anxiety. Later, while I rest on her table, she treats my condition by inserting fine needles into a trigger point on my shin. She then moves upward towards the face. I am here for a cosmetic acupuncture treatment, but Beisel first works to bring my body back to balance, and then tackles the lines on my face.

Cosmetic acupuncture has recently come into the spotlight for anti-aging as Lucy Lui, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are all major fans. But don’t expect drastic changes on the face like the aforementioned celebrity. “Cosmetic acupuncture is far from Botox where results are purely superficial, making everyone look kind of kittycatish,” Dr. Pardeep Dherari tells me in his bright Kerrisdale clinic. “Cosmetic acupuncture is more of an overall approach to wellness that begins within.” The Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine clearly has a command of the human body. Dherari, too, treats specific conditions rather than just the symptoms. “Many meridians begin and end on the face while others have branches leading to the face. By first establishing and treating the underlying problems in the body, the beautifying results appearing on the face are just responses to balance brought back to the body,” he informs me. After another intense health intake, I relax and lay on the table, completely giving my face up to his mercy. He inserts roughly 10 tiny needles in my feet, knee and shin areas, each point corresponding to a specific organ. “This will keep you grounded,” he advises before moving to my face. Next he begins to firmly roll my cheeks and jaw line. It feels like he is manually pinning my skin back. He then inserts 50-75 needles in my face, scalp and ears. Aside from a few sensitive pricks, the entire 10-minute procedure is virtually painless. “Just relax,” he instructs as he closes the door. “That’s likely,” I think. But I lay so still as not to move a single needle that surprisingly I do fall asleep on the table only to be woken when he returns 20 minutes later to remove the needles. “Taking the needles out are as important as placement, he says. “Slow and precise to avoid any possible bruising.” He finishes up with a brisk facial massage. I feel relaxed but energized, happy and strong. My steps are lighter, my breath easier. I look in the mirror and immediately notice a glow. My complexion is even. I am shocked, the deep laugh lines near my lip have faded, lines on my forehead have smoothed, my brows higher and any evidence that I was up all night with 2 sick toddlers has vanished. I am super impressed. I like how I look, and love how I feel. Cosmetic Acupuncture is my new addiction. Hey, we all have a vice.

Both Amanda and Pardeep acknowledge that everyone reacts differently, but for maximum, long lasting results they recommend between 8-10 visits and then monthly maintenance. For these results, to me this is effortless.

Our faves:

SKN Holistic Rejuvenation Clinic
150-1152 Mainland Street
Vancouver
604.568.6333
sknclinic.ca

Dr. Pardeep Dherari
260-2025 West 42^nd Avenue
Vancouver
604.264.9921
dherarihealth.com

- Alyssa Schottland Bauman has been inspired to write about wellness and living a healthy lifestyle. Her work has appeared in NY, FITNESS, Pregnancy, InStyle, Food and Wine, Coastal Living, Spa, Seattle, Nuvo and Montecristo magazines.

Core Education and Fine Arts is Canada’s first Junior Kindergarten School.  It was begun by Natacha Beim, a vibrant and brilliant teacher who saw a need to prepare children more thoroughly for kindergarten.  Internationally (in France, England, China, Japan and many other countries), pre-kindergarten programs are standardized and children are given essential tools that set them in good stead for future education.  The CEFA program is unique in Canada because it follows the international standard for pre-kindergarten learning.  Parents have the choice of enrolling their preschoolers from 2-5 days per week, and classes run from 7:30 – 6pm.  It is highly recognized for its leading academic program, as well as its excellent curriculum in the fine arts and athletics, designed to develop and challenge young children intellectually and physically.  The well-rounded and flexible offerings enable a child to acquire knowledge in many different ways, as no child learns in exactly the same way as another.

“The decision to participate is the child’s, which emphasizes one of CEFA’s  goals: to give the child autonomy and responsibility over his or her education ( I learn because I like to learn ). Creating a passion for learning in life is an essential step in your child’s learning path.”

UrbanMommies toured one facility (there are currently 9 in BC) and we were super-impressed.  Arts are explored, languages are learned, and children are taught at their own pace but within a beautiful structure that apparently results in the exceptional behaviour I witnessed in the elevator.

Drama, Yoga, French. Culture Immersion (who wouldn’t want to try on clothes from all over the world?)..  The school also includes a a gym painted to resemble a circus, a cinema, art room and library.  A resident chef prepares breakfast and lunch for teachers and students, and a fitness trainer is also on hand.  Despite the uniforms, chef and excellence, the place is not in the least bit snooty – just in case you’re wondering.

“Each child has a schedule, drawn to reflect his or her unique abilities and made up by CEFA in consultation with parents. The schedule is broken up by play times, family time, project time, relaxation, naps and movies as well as breakfast and lunch. Every week, the children can also look forward to field trips.”

One of the great things about CEFA is that because it is an educational program, working parents are able to deduct tuition expenses to a maximum of $7000 per year, per child. This amount is directly deducted from the earnings of the lower income-earner in the household when filing your taxes.

Creating Renaissance-kids, exposure to fitness, languages, arts, an international learning standard, a chef and naptime too.  Heaven.  If only every child throughout Canada could have the opportunity to develop in such a special environment!  We’ll cross our fingers for more expansion and keep you posted.  In the meantime, I’m off to yoga.  Must not be eclipsed by my preschooler.

www.cefa.ca

Photo features Ms. Natacha Beim and was provided by CEFA.

For other approaches on schooling, check our Waldorf and Montessori articles.