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Dear Great Start to Quality Providers,
This is your monthly touchpoint with the Great Start to Quality Consultants! The focus will be a shared topic that will provide support to each of you in your daily work with young children and families. Enjoy!
Angie and Heather
Quality Improvement Consultants - Eastern Region
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Labeling...Why? How? What?
With many programs, whether home based or center based, labeling the environment is key to providing early literacy experiences for all children. But often the questions asked include, why should I label, how do I label, what do I label, what if they tear the labels off...?
Why...As young children experience different types of print, they learn what all the letters and words mean in different contexts and how they affect their lives. Providing a print-rich environment exposes children to reading in a functional way. Labeling helps to create an environment that puts children at ease and contributes to self-directed learning. Labeling also:
- helps children recognize that words have meaning
- associate written word with the object
- practice sorting, matching and organizational skills
- infuses the environment with print
- helps children develop responsibility as they care for the materials they use
- turns clean-up time into a valuable learning opportunity with meaning
- gives visual clues to where materials belong
- makes it easier for staff to maintain inventory of classroom materials
- adds to the appeal and organization of the classroom.
How...labels come in many varieties. Some examples of labels include:
- pictures
- words
- tracings
- drawings
- shadowing
- a combination of words with pictures, tracings, drawings.
- spell all words correctly
- use upper and lowercase letters properly
- words are printed or typed neatly
- the words and letters in the label read from left to right
- the words and letters in the label are all the same size, color, and type.
What...a print-rich environment has many labels. Labels should be placed on or by common items, such as, the clock, the bathroom, the sink, etc. Other items/materials to label include, but not limited to:
- bins
- baskets
- shelves
- cubbies.
What if they tear the labels off? Well, this may happen depending on the children in your care. Children will notice labels immediately as a new addition to their environment. Help children understand the labeling system by:
- providing support in the beginning to help children understand how to use the labels and what they mean.
- explaining that the labels help them find and replace materials in their environment (whether classroom or home).
- reminding and encouraging the children to find the two labels that match.
- modeling how materials are put away.
- involving the children in the process of labeling.
- making it fun!!
To read more about labeling, please click the links below:
Any label or display in the children's environment has more meaning if the children are involved in the process of creating or selecting the label or display! Children should be a part of the process!
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Interested in learning more about Great Start to Quality?
Take advantage of quarterly webinars hosted by Great Start to Quality! The webinars will keep you informed about Michigan's tiered quality rating and improvement system.
Catch up on past webinars by clicking the link below: Did you miss a webinar? You can view recorded webinars anytime at:
If you haven't already, please sign up for the Great Start to Quality listserv at http://greatstarttoquality.org/. Click the "Sign Up" link at the bottom of the home page to get updates and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Need help with the Great Start to Quality STARS system?
Please contact the Resource Center's support team.
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Toll Free support is available: 1-877-614-7328
- Our Quality Improvement Specialists are available to help you!
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The PQA, Program Quality Assessment is the assessment tool identified by the Great Start to Quality program to be used when assessing a program/provider. The standards listed in the PQA have identified high quality program practices for all children.
Infant Toddler PQA:
I. Learning Environment
I-C. The care space has equipment arranged in areas for play and movement.
Level 5 Indicator, Row 6: Areas are labeled at children's physical level with simple, easily understood symbols and names (e.g., labels for the house, block, art, book, toy, sand and water areas consist of a photo or a simple symbol for the area, such as a block for the block area, a paintbrush for the art area). **In Toddler Rooms**
Preschool PQA:
I-E. Classroom areas and materials are systematically arranged, labeled, and accessible to children.
Level 5 Indicator, Row 2: All interest areas and materials are labeled.
Level 5 Indicator, Row 3: Labels are of many types understood by children (e.g., tracings, pictures, photographs, actual objects, words).
Family Child Care PQA:
II. Learning Environment
II-D. Family child care materials are systematically stored and labeled. Note: Materials include: Displays, toys, books, games, and other play materials that children use.
Level 5 Indicator, Row 2: All materials are labeled (e.g., both containers and shelves are labeled; items stored on the floors are labeled).
Level 5 Indicator, Row 3: Labels are of many types and are understood by children (e.g., tracings, catalog pictures, drawings, photographs, actual objects, and word labels).
Click the link below to learn more about the PQA:
Tackling Program Quality
***Check your PQA booklets for all Level 5 Indicators***
***Contact your local Lending Library to check out a PQA booklet***
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Pinterest Finds of the Week....
Free interest area labels at Labels
Find this idea on Pinterest
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Looking for Training?
Below is a list of trainings offered for each county. Trainings are being added often so for more detailed information and to register, go to:
Arenac/Bay Counties:
Working with Infants and Toddlers
Shooting for the STARS; SAS Lab Class
Understanding Children's Behaviors
Rhythm, Rock and Rap
Transforming Aggression: Helping Those Who Hurt
A Healthy Mouth is a Clean Mouth!
Observing & Assessing
Huron County:
Why Toddlers Bite
Primary Caregivers
Shooting for the STARS; SAS Lab Class
Defining Family Dynamics
Lapeer County:
Changing Challenging to Charming
Saginaw County:
CSEFEL Series
Progressions in Art
Positive Interactions in the Preschool Classroom
Taking the Struggles out of Power Struggles
Working with Infants and Toddlers
Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and ASQ Social-Emotional Training
Saint Clair County: Transforming Aggression: Helping Those Who Hurt Developing a Parent Handbook Rythm, Rock and Rap Strengthening Families: An Overview Cultural Diversity
Sanilac County:
Nature Explore Classroom
Cultural Diversity and Planning the Daily Schedule
Tuscola County: Shooting for the STARS; SAS Lab Class Large Group Integrating Child Care Into Your Family Home
Mail Correspondence and Online:
Schedules and Routines (Tier 2)
Using and Extending Lending Library (Tier 2)
Science for Young Children (Tier 2)
Involving All Families (Cultural Diversity, Tier 2)
CPR & First Aid:
CPR Adult, Child, Infant
First Aid Basics
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Have you visited your Lending Library lately?
The Eastern Resource Center's Lending Library is a FREE educational resource available to parents and early childhood professionals. We offer themed bins and CARES bags full of learning materials to enhance your classroom or childcare environment for children birth to age 5! Stop by your local Lending Library to check out something new today!
Not sure where your local Lending Library is located?
- Click on "Great Start to Quality Resource Centers".
- Click "Eastern Resource Center" on the map to find the Lending Library near you!
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Teacher Resource
It's Mine! Responding to Problems and Conflicts
Children grabbing toys, crying, fighting - problems are bound to happen when very young children share materials and play space. This media program for adults working in infant and toddler settings shows many strategies caregivers can use to respond sensitively and positively to children's social conflicts. Included are strategies for problem prevention, positive limit-setting, and resolving conflicts - strategies that help children begin to develop important social, language, and reasoning abilities.
Color, 40 minutes, viewer guide included.
~Click the following link to view our entire Lending Library catalog:
Lending Library Catalog
Valentine's Day Project
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How to contact your Consultant:
Angie Pearcy
(Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair)
Cell: 989-280-0979
Heather Rousseau (Arenac, Bay, Saginaw, Tuscola) Cell: 989-284-2250
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