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PRE-K UPDATE
JANUARY 16, 2019
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Here's the latest news from The Long Island Pre-K Initiative, your source for
expert training and useful resources:
www.nassauboces.org/pre-k
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New research from North Carolina: benefits of Pre-K can still be seen in grades 6, 7 and 8
Some studies have raised fears that the positive effects of Pre-K quickly dissipate once children enroll in elementary school. Now researchers from Duke University report that the benefits of some North Carolina Pre-K programs last at least through the end of eighth grade. (They studied children born between 1998 and 2000 from counties with average levels of state funding.)
These benefits were found for every group studied, both low- and high-income children and various ethnicities--even for children whose mothers are well-educated as well as those whose mothers have little schooling. Impacts included higher test scores in reading and math, less grade retention and fewer special education placements.
What makes the difference? "North Carolina's program has high quality standards that require small class sizes, teacher credentials, and other features. Furthermore, North Carolina's elementary school curriculum is designed to build on, and not undermine, the effective curriculum created for NC Pre-K." What's more, say the researchers, many four-year-olds are enrolled in the state's program, so when they enter kindergarten, they are with other children who are "ready to learn."
Read more.
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Early education does more than boost math and reading scores--it promotes better health, too
From early detection of hearing or vision issues to improved mental health, researchers are finding that high-quality Pre-K programs have significant positive
impacts on children's health that last into adulthood. A just-published policy update from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), identifies three ways that Pre-K affects health, in both the short- and long-term:
#1 Participation in high-quality Pre-K directly improves children's well-being through screenings, nutritious meals and exercise, and even greater likelihood of dental care.
#2 There's an indirect effect because of parent education.
For example, families learn more about physical and mental health and reducing stressors--even violence in the home--when their children are enrolled in a high-quality Pre-K program.
#3 The cognitive gains children experience in Pre-K are linked to better health over time, as individuals with better literacy skills are more able to access knowledge and information.
Click here to download the 8-page document "Early Childhood Education: Three Pathways to Better Health."
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"Animals, poo, unicorns, hearts"--emoji strings are a new aspect of language learning in a digital world
Give a 3, 4 or 5 year old access to your phone and they're likely to send a text "message" to Grandpa, mom at work or another adult who is significant to them. That message looks like a long, random string of emojis. But is there something deeper going on?
Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch has begun informally investigating how young children use emojis by asking people to send her copies of kids' electronic communications. The results were not only cute, but "linguistically interesting."
For one thing: "...kids start out learning spoken and signed languages in a similar way: by babbling nonsense syllables, which teaches them the rhythms of conversation...the silly strings of emoji that young kids send could serve a similar purpose--a way of acclimating kids to the digital reality of using symbols to communicate with people they care about."
For another, kids' use of emojis is different than adults'--their preferences are different and they create much longer "emoji strings," for example. Perhaps most importantly,
their use of emojis changes as they learn to read, with the emoji strings appearing more deliberate and used with a few written words.
McCulloch points out that we all communicate in writing more frequently now, including texting. "For a kid to get a text message written directly for them, and read directly to them, which they can reply to in some fashion, it teaches them something powerful about the written word--that it can be used to connect with people you care about."
Read more.
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Early education in the headlines
Recently, we've been seeing more and more news stories about early childhood education--what states are doing (or not doing) about Pre-K, new research and even controversies, such as the backlash against online preschools
covered in
our November 28 e-newsletter. So we've decided to share a few headlines with you every week, starting with:
Pre-K is a "bright spot" for New York City's struggling schools, according to a recent article in the New York Times, which reports on the success of Mayor DiBlasio's "signature initiative."
Asking if early education 'works'
is the wrong question, says a recent Washington Post opinion piece. Since the vast majority of children are in some kind of child care, the real issue is quality.
Alabama study finds children enrolled in the state's First Class Pre-K program are more likely to be proficient in math and in reading, long-term.
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This week's job listings for early ed on Long Island
Infant/Toddler Teachers (Team Teaching)
Stony Brook Child Care, SUNY Stony Brook
For the Long Island Head Start positions listed below
Email resumes to humanresources@liheadstart.org or fax 631-758-2953
Full-Time Teacher Assistant
Full-Time Family Advocate--Bilingual
Full-Time Family Advocate
Substitute Teacher Aide
Long Island Head Start, various
Full-Time Teacher Aide
Long Island Head Start, various, Islip Early Head Start
Full-Time Teacher II (Infant/Toddler)
Long Island Early Head Start, Huntington
Full-Time Teacher I (Infant/Toddler)
Full-Time Family Educator/Home Visitor--Bilingual
Long Island Early Head Start, Patchogue
Full-Time Certified Teacher
Long Island Head Start, Bay Area
Full-Time Parent Involvement Specialist--Bilingual
Full-Time EHS-CCP Family Service Worker--Bilingual
Full-Time Early Childhood Mentor Coach
Full-Time Program Services Secretary
Long Island Head Start, Central Administration, Patchogue
Full-Time Cook Assistant
Long Island Head Start, Bay Area, Central Brookhaven, Wyandanch
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Here's how to add your school's staffing needs to this list:
In the body of the e-mail, include the following information:
For our records:
- Your name
- Your position
- Your e-mail and phone number
For the listing in our e-newsletter
- The name of your school and the town it's located in. You can include your web address, if you have one.
- A very brief description of the position or positions you want to fill. (For example: "Part-time Teacher Assistant" or "Full-time Pre-K Teacher."
- Information about how potential applicants should contact your for details or to apply. (For example: "Call Jane Smith at 631-xxx-xxxx" or "Send e-mail to jane.smith@schoolname.org")
It's important to understand that:
We will not include information about salary. We will not include any descriptions of your school or program, although we can include a link to your school's web site.
We will publish your information a single time. If you still have openings, you can e-mail us again with the details and we will run the information again.
Our e-newsletter is typically sent out on Wednesday mornings. However, it may be mailed on a different day, depending on content or technical considerations.
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative reserves the right to edit information; space in the e-newsletter is very limited.
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About Us
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is a grant-funded project that seeks to strengthen partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations and to share information about research, policy and best practices for early learning. Administered by Nassau BOCES, it is supported with expertise from The Early Years Institute and funds from the Rauch and Hagedorn Foundations. Our partners: Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Western Suffolk BOCES, and the Child Care Councils of Nassau and Suffolk.
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NASSAU BOCES DEPARTMENT OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: (516) 396-2220 Fax: (516)-396-2355
www.nassauboces.org
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