The Nook

The Value of Waiting in Everyday Life -

Waiting isn’t easy.
Kids don’t “become patient” in one big life lesson.
They get lots of tiny chances to practice waiting all day long:
1. Body waiting
Holding still while someone zips their coat.
Not grabbing the toy the second they see it.
2. Turn waiting
Letting a sibling go first.
Waiting while the teacher finishes helping someone else.
3. Big wish waiting
Saving up pocket money.
Waiting for a special playdate, trip, or privilege.
In each kind of waiting, a child’s brain is learning:
“I can feel the urge… and still pause.”
“I can want something… and not have it right now.”
Our role is to spot the small waits, name them, and support them:
“You really want your turn. You’re waiting and that’s hard, and you’re doing it.”
“You’re saving for that toy. Each day you’re practicing a long, slow wait.”
These tiny moments add up, one wait at a time, and gently stretch a child’s ability to want something, wait, and still keep going.

Big feelings are part of growing.
What helps is knowing what to do when they arrive.
Coping skills are not about making feelings disappear.
They are ways to move through a hard moment. For adults, this can feel uncomfortable and long, especially in a busy group, and it is tempting to rush everyone back to the center.
We try to make space for these moments at The Nook.
Our calming corner has fidgets, a rocking chair, soft toys, books, mood faces, and more. It gives a child a place to breathe and find their calm, and it lets the adult keep caring for the larger group while staying connected to that child. Children learn that big feelings can be felt, supported with time, tools and care.

Everyday Ways to Strengthen Your Child’s Emotional Skills
Emotional skills grow through everyday, ordinary moments, repeated and practiced.
They are built when we name feelings out loud,
pause together before reacting,
listen without rushing to fix,
and stay steady when things feel hard.
Each small interaction is a chance to notice a feeling,
choose a response, and come back to connection after bumps.
Over time, this kind of practice helps children understand emotions,
handle challenges, and build self-trust.

Meet the Team – Sharon Leibowitz

Meet Sharon Leibowitz, the founder of The Nook of Knowledge.

Sharon’s journey began in Staten Island, New York, and today she brings a world of experience, heart, and purpose to children’s learning in Israel.

She believes in creating a space where every child and every family can grow, feel understood, and discover what they’re capable of.

Sharon’s “superpower” is imagining what’s possible, dreaming up ideas, bringing them to life, and helping children and educators find the path that fits them best.

We are grateful for the warmth, care, and vision she brings to our community.

Happy New Year from The Nook of Knowledge.

Big resolutions can be fun and hopeful, and also hard to keep.
This year, we are focusing on small intentions in practice,
noticing which tiny habits or beliefs need a bit of extra care.

We are looking forward to seeing what unfolds in 2026, together.

When It’s Hard to Say “I Need Help”
When kids are already frustrated, tired, or overwhelmed,
saying “I need help” can feel almost impossible.
Instead, it might come out as
“I’m not doing this,” “Forget it,” “Go away,” or a demand for something right now…
and you might see a slammed notebook, a thrown toy, or a full-body tantrum.
In those moments, we can step in, mirror what we see, and offer words they might not find on their own.
“You pushed your book away. This feels like a lot. Let me sit with you, and we’ll figure it out together.”
“Your voice got really loud. You look like you’re feeling done. Let’s take a break, or I can give you some space.”
When kids get to practice this with us,
they slowly build the awareness and language to ask for help before everything boils over.
These moments are hard for them and for us.
We just have to keep practicing finding the right words and getting through them together.

How to Develop Fluency in Reading
Fluency grows through small, steady habits.
Simple ways to support fluency:
Reread familiar books.
Easy and known texts help children read more smoothly and with expression.
Do echo reading.
You read a sentence or short part.
They read the same part and try to match your pace and tone.
Read together at the same time.
Read in a quiet voice together.
This takes the spotlight off and helps them feel the rhythm of the text.
Choose “just right” books.
Not too hard, not too simple.
Stories where they can mostly enjoy reading, with a small stretch.
When children feel more fluent, comprehension and joy in reading usually follow.

Starting a new semester for gan chova - sixth grade in January. Contact us for more info!

We've had several requests for English for adults. Contact us if you are interested in us starting a group!

Reading Fluency Is Not a Race

Reading fluently does not mean reading the fastest.
It means a child can read most words correctly, at a steady pace, in a way that fits the meaning.

You might hear fluency when a child:

-pauses at commas and full stops

-changes their voice for a question or when a character is talking

-can tell you what just happened in the story

If you see a child reading quickly but skipping words, guessing, or not remembering what they read, you can try:

-“Let us go back and make this sentence sound like talking.”

-“Can you pause at the comma here?”

-“Tell me what is happening on this page.”

These small prompts guide children to listen to the words, notice the punctuation, and check for meaning. Over time, this kind of practice helps fluency and comprehension grow side by side.

The Power of Reading Outdoors
Something shifts when we take a book outside.
Fresh air, open space, and natural sounds can turn a simple story into a sensory experience: sunlight on the page, a gentle breeze, the quiet of nature.
Sometimes the best reading Nook is the one under the sky.

“The 5-Finger Rule” for Choosing a Just-Right Book
Finding the right book is not just about interest. It is also about fit.
The 5-Finger Rule gives kids a simple way to check if a book is “just right” for independent reading.
Open a page, read, then hold up a finger for each word you do not know.
0 to 1 fingers: probably easy (good for fluency and comfort)
2 to 3 fingers: just right, a bit of stretch and still manageable
4 to 5 fingers: might be better as a book to read together with an adult for now
It is a gentle check-in that helps kids notice,
“Does this book feel like a good fit for me right now?”
and choose stories that let them enjoy reading and grow at the same time.