August 5, 2013
Great Start to Quality Resource Center Newsletter
In This Issue
Sand and Water Play
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Dear Great Start to Quality Providers,

This is your weekly touchpoint with the Great Start to Quality Consultants!  The focus each week will be a shared topic that will provide support to each of you in your daily work with young children and families.  Enjoy!

Dawn and Heather
Quality Improvement Consultants - Eastern Region

 

 Important Information about STARS!!
 
All STAR ratings will go LIVE on August 10th!!!  We are really looking forward to this date and hope you are too.  Programs need to upload their documentation and resubmit their survey in order for their ratings to go live.  If you haven't yet had the chance to do that, your program will display as an empty star showing that you are not participating with Great Start to Quality.  No need to worry though!  Once you upload your documents and resubmit your survey, your star rating will post the following day.

There is additional guidance for those programs that had already received a PQA visit and STAR rating during STARS version 1.0 including some steps that need to be completed for your ratings to post.  If you are one of these programs, please contact the Great Start to Quality Resource Center at 877-614-7328 for assistance in completing the process and to answer questions.

As always, we at the Resource Center are here to assist you, offer support and guidance, and answer any questions you may have while going through the process.  Don't hesitate to contact us!!!

                                                                                                                                                                          

Sand and Water Play - Exploring and Learning through Sensory Explorations
 
As we enter into the last month of summer, I sit and think about being at the beach.  Walking through the sand with the water running over my toes.  Sitting in the sand and building sand castles with the children finding natural items to enhance the landscape of our castle and moat.  What makes this so inviting?  It's the sand and the water.  Two very natural items that children can find in their own environments.  Now it might not always be fine sand but children, if left to explore, will find dirt or top soil to explore and they will always find water!  Ask any parent who is trying to keep their child "clean" as they wait to go away somewhere.  Children have a natural draw to these items and are screaming at us adults saying, "PLEASE LET ME LEARN AND EXPLORE!"  Therefore, it is important that these items are included in your classroom every day!
 
This is often accomplished by having a sensory table or two in your classroom.  You can have one table with a divider that has sand on one side and water on the other or by having two individual tables.  If space is limited (and a tight budget), you can use small tubs for a more individualized or small group experience.  Place a tub of each, sand and water, on a table in the classroom and it can be stored elsewhere when the tables are needed for meals or other activities.  You could also use cake pans for those children new to the experience such as infants and young toddlers. When working with infants and toddlers, be sure to only put a small amount of sand or water in the tub as they are just learning how to explore these materials within this setting. 
 
Remembering that communication is key to most learning experiences, as the adult be sure to interact with the children as they play in this area asking them open ended questions and acknowledging their efforts.  This might sound like:
  • "I see you made the water wheel turn quickly.  What do you think you could do to make it move slowly?"
  • "Why do you think the tunnel collapsed?"
  • "What does the water sound like when you pour it?"
  • "What happens if you spray water on the sand?"
Sand and water promotes all areas of development.  Children will be able to test their skills and enhance their development in social/emotional, physical, cognitive, and language.
  • Cognitve - Sand and water are natural companions in scientific explorations.  Children will learn about cause and effect, volume, capacity, and texture changes.
  • Language - Children will expand vocabulary, routinely ask and answer questions, and have opportunities to build literacy skills by writing letters in the sand.
  • Physical - Manipulating materials in the sensory tables/bins will help children to develop eye hand coordination and strengthen small muscles.
  • Social/Emotional - Working together to solve problems, children will develop problem solving skills and have opportunities to express their thoughts and feelings.
As you can probably imagine, having just sand and just water will grow old quickly.  It is important to have the simple items on a regular basis, but don't hesitate to enhance the sand and water with other opportunities to keep the children interested.  Use your imagination and be creative!  The children probably will offer some fabulous and interesting ideas too.
  • Water table enhancements could include:
    • ice cubes
    • eye droppers
    • food coloring
    • liquid extract to change the smell
    • baby shampoo alone or with babies or dishes
    • snow 
    • create a boating or ocean theme
    • hair gel
    • sink or float experiments 
  • Sand table enhancements could include:
    • dry or wet sand
    • seashells
    • natural items including rocks, pine cones, twigs
    • cinnamon or other spices to change the smell
    • hidden objects
    • cars or trucks
    • dinosaurs or other themes

Below are some articles that provide additional ideas and speak about the benefits of sand and water play.  Print and share with all your staff and parents so everyone can learn about the benefits that sensory exploration provides.



Developmental advantages of sand and water play




     


Interested in learning more about Great Start to Quality?
Take advantage of monthly webinars hosted by Great Start to Quality!  The webinars will help keep you informed about Michigan's tiered quality rating and improvement system. The webinars are scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month from 1:00 - 2:00 and will include a variety of topics and updates.

The next webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, August 21st and the topic is 
"Quality Improvement Resources/Support".

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.

Need help using the Great Start to Quality STARS system?
Please contact the Mosaic Network's support team.

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Trainings to improve your PQA scores...

"How to Support Children in Resolving Conflicts" is coming to Saginaw County!!!
Training will be held on September 20th at Saginaw ISD Transition Center, 3860 Fashion Square Blvd., Saginaw. 
"Scaffolding Children's Learning at Small Group Time" is coming to Lapeer County!!!
Training will be held on August 17th at Lapeer ISD, 1996 W Oregon St., Lapeer.
 
These trainings are being offered by High Scope at a cost of only $25 for 6 hours of training.  Spots are filling fast so don't delay in enrolling at: www.greatstartCONNECT.org


Sand and Water experiences and the PQA...
 
Infant Toddler PQA:
I.  Learning Environment
I-D.  Materials for sensory exploration are plentiful and accessible to infants and toddlers.
*Check your PQA booklet for Level 5 Indicators.
 
Preschool PQA:
I.  Learning Environment
I-F.  Classroom materials are varied, manipulative, open-ended, and authentic and appeal to multiple senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste).
*Check your PQA booklet for Level 5 Indicators.
 
Family Child Care PQA:
II.  Learning Environment
II-F.  Family child care materials are varied, manipulative, open-ended, authentic, and appeal to multiple senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste).
*Check your PQA booklet for Level 5 Indicators.
 

Pinterest Find of the Week...

 

 

Adding other items to the water table creates a whole new learning experience for the children.  The use of PVC pipes and funnels makes water exploration fun and exciting while learning plenty about cause and effect.  Poking holes in the PVC pipes makes the water flow slower to allow time for investigations to occur and reduces the chance of overflow messes.


 

 

 
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
Transforming Aggression:  Helping Those Who Hurt
Promoting Social Emotional Competence
 

Huron County:

Child Initiated Learning
Child Abuse & Neglect Reporter Training
Battling or Balancing with Co-Workers
Creative Curriculum Overview and Interest Areas Workshop
Using Teaching Strategies GOLD Lab Session
Creative Curriculum Intentional Teaching 

Lapeer County:

 

Scaffolding Children's Learning at Small Group Time
Thriving or Surviving?

Saginaw County:

 

Building Positive Relationships
Boys and Girls Learn Differently
AHEAD:  At Home & At Daycare:  Working with Children with Special Needs
Beyond Sandy Hook:  Talking Trauma and Children
Addressing Challenging Behavior with Positive Behavior Support
How to Support Children in Resolving Conflicts (High Scope)

Saint Clair County:

 

Creative Curriculum (2 day training with Teaching Strategies)
Adults as Partners in Children's Development
FLIP It; Don't FLIP Out (Day 1)
FLIP It; Don't FLIP Out (Day 2)
Praise vs. Encouragement

 

Sanilac County:
 
Child Abuse & Neglect Mandated Reporter Training
Battling or Balancing with Co-Workers
 
Tuscola County:

  

***Shooting for the STARS:  Self Assessment Survey Computer Lab Open House (No training hours, no cost but Resource Center Staff will be present to support providers in uploading their documents in STARS 2.0) 
 
Addressing Challenging Behavior with Positive Behavior Support
The Colorful World of Literacy
Creative Curriculum (2 day training)

Mail Correspondence and Online:

 

Using and Extending Lending Library Materials
Behavior Expectations & Classroom Rules
Behavior Expectations & Classroom Rules
Safe Sleep & Shaken Baby Syndrome
 
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!
 
Featured Lend
ing Library Experience Bin:
 
Infant/Toddler Ocean experience bin  
 
The above picture features all the items included in the Infant and Toddler aged "Ocean" experience bin that can be checked out at your local lending library.  These items would be great enhancements for your water table! These items are FREE for you to borrow and use with the children in your care.  What a fun and exciting way to temporarily add new items to the classroom without breaking your budget! For a list of all the available items that can be borrowed, contact the Resource Center.
How to contact your Consultant:

  Dawn Kalkman
  (Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac, St. Clair, Tuscola)
  Email:  [email protected]
  Cell:  989-280-1103

  Heather Rousseau 
  (Arenac, Bay, Saginaw)
  Email:  [email protected]
  Cell:  989-284-2250