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Large group of happy kids, boys and girls playing with blocks in kindergarten class constructing simple houses
PRE-K UPDATE
JANUARY 23, 2019
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

Changing activities to keep children engaged? Too many transitions may undermine learning
Singing, cute slogans--even clever ideas like these will not ease the frustration of young children who are asked to deal with far too many transitions during a typical school day, says pediatric occupational therapist Angela Hanscom, writing for the
A four-year-old child_ a boy dressed in winter clothes_ climbs the stairs on the playground. He smiles and looks into the camera. Winter day.
Washington Post. "Instead of creating special coping mechanisms to deal with so many (often pointless) transitions, what if we simply reduced them?" she says.

Hanscom proposes that we slow things down. Instead of 20 or 30 minutes, for example, at recess or a center in the classroom, she envisions extended periods of time in learning opportunities that engage the mind, body and senses. "By constantly shifting gears, children become unregulated, agitated and disorganized. Anxiety and activity levels increase...This is NOT the ideal state for learning or living." Read more.

And what about the big end-of-day transition? We can take a cue from Mr. Rogers
A monthly newsletter written by child development expert Hedda Sharapan offers educators insights in "What We Can Continue to Learn From Fred Rogers." A recent edition covered a seldom-discussed issue--what happens at the end of the day care or preschool day.

Sometimes parents are frazzled from a difficult day at work. Sometimes children aren't ready to give up an activity they're involved in. Sharapan offers several suggestions to smooth the reunion, including offering the child a transition object such as a book or toy to take home, or encouraging parents to stay and chat for a moment--especially if you can say a kind word about something their child has said or learned during the day.  Read more.

Why young children may actually be paying LESS attention if we ask them to sit still
"How long can YOU sit in the same position before you start to move?" asks Rae Pica in a new video, "Alternatives to Crisscross Applesauce." Her point: it can be a
Alternatives to Crisscross-Applesauce
Alternatives to Crisscross-Applesauce
challenge for adults to keep from fidgeting, so why do we think that wiggling and moving means that children aren't paying attention?

In a typical circle time or story time, teachers will ask children to sit still--for instance, in a cross-legged position with their backs straight--because they want students to stay engaged. The reality, according to Pica: children may be concentrating on maintaining the position and not on the teacher's words. 

Alternatives exist and Pica shares several gleaned from early childhood classrooms, including bean bag chairs and comfortable rugs to letting children squeeze koosh balls. But the particulars are less important than the overall theme: "Children are more likely to be engaged when they're comfortable."

Click here or on the image to watch video

Some typical reassurances just make anxious preschoolers worry more 
We've all said things like: "Don't worry. You have nothing to be scared of" or "It's going to be okay." But educator Debra Pierce suggests these common adult reactions may
Dark haired little child wearing glasses stressed with hand on head_ shocked with shame and surprise face_ angry and frustrated. Fear and upset for mistake.
just make the situation worse for a young child immersed in anxiety. Such a youngster is not thinking logically and
 such words of reassurance are....just words.

"A better response would be a warm hug or even some rocking, helping [the child] calm down. This can move the mind and body to a restful state."

What's more, Pierce says, children who are fearful are often aware they're more anxious than their classmates, and sometimes even worry about being worried. Any comment that includes a label ("You're just a worry wart.") promotes guilty feelings and more misery. Read more.

Early education in the headlines

New national poll from the First Five Years Fund shows that voters support investing in early childhood education--Republicans, Democrats and Independents, alike.

Public investment in early childhood is one of six trends to watch in K-12 for 2019, according to news site EDUCATION DIVE. They cite new pressures, such as changing demographics and the realities of two-working-parent families.

Free Film and facilitated panel discussion at Long Island Children's Museum

Film: Resilience: The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope
Date: Thursday, January 31, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Place: Long Island Children's Museum, Garden City
To reserve a seat: www.licm.org/resilience/

Resilience is a one-hour film that delves into the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences and the birth of a new movement to treat and prevent toxic stress.

This week's job listings for early ed on Long Island

Lead Classroom Teacher (Leave Replacement)
St. Joseph's College UPK, Freeport
E-mail resume to eshannon-alaia@sjncy.edu

Teacher Assistants
Teacher Aides
ACDS, Inc., Plainview
E-mail resume  to aperez@acds.org
Here's how to add your school's staffing needs to this list:
 
Send an e-mail to prek@nasboces.org with the subject line "List our position."
 
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.
 

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.







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