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The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is proud to be part of Long Island's Regional Technical Assistance Center for Pre-K and Early Education (LI-RTAC). Visit its web page for links to all partner organizations. Many have important COVID-19-related resources to offer: www.nassauboces.org/rtac
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Family diaries raise concerns about reading during the pandemic--but there are resources to make it easier
As a staff member for the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), Milagros Nores didn't just wonder what other parents and kids were doing during the pandemic--she built a study around it. Last spring, she and NIEER colleagues surveyed parents of Pre-K, Kindergarten and first grade students, asking them to write down what they were doing every 15 minutes for a single 24-hour period. And then they contacted some of them again after the school year ended.
The results aren't necessarily representative because only 31 families were involved--but they are detailed. And the families' experiences varied considerably. For example, while children spent an average of 39 minutes a day reading, 42% didn't read a book with an adult, and many didn't read on their own either.
Combined indoor and outdoor exercise averaged about two hours a day--but 40% of children didn't exercise at all on the day they were studied. Read more. Because this research raised some concerns about a decline in shared book reading, NIEER collected and published a collection of resources to promote literacy in the home. These range from Story Time in Space (astronauts reading stories) to KidLit with its videos of books being read aloud, and connected crafts and activities. NIEER also suggests NPR's rundown of 100 Favorite Books--and a few of the NIEER faculty's favorites ( Ada Twist, Scientist, tops their list). NIEER's collection is a comprehensive one and includes a website for books in languages other than English and another one for books in multiple languages. To access NIEER's comprehensive collection of resources, Click here
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YOUR CLASSROOM
Encourage curiosity and 7 other ways to teach children that diversity is a strength
When young children first start school, they're exposed to peers with a wide variety of abilities, cultures, languages and backgrounds--and they will notice these differences and be curious. According to The Inclusion Lab, the blog from Brookes Publishing,
"It's up to the grownups in their lives to not only model acceptance of diversity, but to frame it as a strength." The blog runs down 8 suggestions for doing just that, including:
Teach children it's okay to ask questions. "Sometimes children are taught that asking questions is rude and intrusive--when it's actually a great way to learn about differences." What adults can do, however, is help young children learn to frame their inquiries in a sensitive and appropriate way. For example, you might model this way to explore why a classmate wears glasses: "Emma was wondering why you wear glasses, Julio? Can you tell us about your glasses?"
Celebrate similarities and differences. The key to making this work: Go beyond just saying differences are wonderful and create charts, graphs, artwork or other displays that show how students are alike and different. For example, you might create a chart with children's different eye colors, favorite foods or favorite family traditions. You might even reserve a bulletin board for artwork that expresses similarities and differences. Click here to read more and to discover the other six tips.
Note: The recommendations above are adapted from 45 Strategies That Support Young Dual Language Learners by Shauna L. Tominey and Elisabeth C. O'Bryon.
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BOOKSHELF
Read-alouds that help children connect with one another
"Building community isn't just about the physical spaces we create," writes literacy expert JoEllen McCarthy. That's why she recommends read-alouds that help learners deepen their connections with others as well as sharing their cares and concerns. For
example, there's an "old favorite" of hers, My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood, in which the main character explores a variety of different feelings, and You Matter, which helps students explore their unique and wonderful qualities. Click here for McCarthy's complete list of ten books.
In a year when families are staying close to home, we need books more than ever to "travel the world." That's why Meera Sriram writes stories set in India. In The Yellow Suitcase, for example, Asha travels with her family to India after her grandmother's death. Read more.
Closer to home, Sarah Davis has curated a selection of picture books about friendship for the website BookRiot. These range from Can I Touch Your Hair?, which uses poetry to address race and friendship among elementary students, to Niblet & Ralph, the tale of two apartment-dwelling cats who become buddies.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Starting this month, a special series of webinars exploring anti-bias for Pre-K students, educators and families
We're pleased to be offering a four-part series of free online workshops, facilitated by Jacob Dixon, CEO of Choice for All, and designed to promote discussion and dialogue. Each session also features a different expert from the educational nonprofit Co-Plan It. You can participate in this series if you want to begin your exploration of anti-bias--or if you want to extend or deepen your understanding of this critical topic. You're encouraged to register for all four sessions, but that's not a requirement. For this series of 90-minute webinars, enrollment will be limited to facilitate the exchange of ideas. All take place from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Part One: Selecting and Discussing Texts with Young Children
Date: Thursday, January 21, 2021
Part Two: Engaging Families and the Community: A Discipline and Management Lens
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2021
Part Three: Training for Educators; Support for Families
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2021
Part Four: Developmentally Appropriate Protocols and Resources for Pre-K Students
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2021
Visit our website for descriptions and to register.
Free pyramid training kicks off this month
Thanks to federal funding*, you can take advantage of training in the Preschool Pyramid Modules on three consecutive Saturdays in January, 9:00 am. to 4:00 p.m. Presenters are from Long Island-based QS2 Training and Consulting and registrants need to be able to pick up materials from their Baldwin office.
Module 1: Saturday, January 16, 2021
Module 2: Saturday, January 23, 2021
Module 3: Saturday, January 30, 2021
*This training is supported by the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five Initiative (PDGB5), Grant number 90TP005901, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care.
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About Us
The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is a collaborating partner in the state-funded Regional Technical Assistance Center, which supports Pre-K and early childhood education on Long Island. The other collaborating partners are the three Long Island BOCES, the Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc., the Child Care Council of Suffolk, Inc. and the Family Leadership Network.
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| NASSAU BOCES
71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: (516) 396-2220 Fax: (516)-396-2355
www.nassauboces.org |
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