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PRE-K UPDATE
NOVEMBER 18, 2020
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 

One of the winners on November 3: publicly funded universal preschool.

So says EdSurge, a nonprofit education news organization. Reporter Emily Tate runs down not only Joe Biden's support of early education, but the encouraging results of bellwether referendums in two states.

Preschool Student Posing in Classroom
Experts she interviewed expect President--elect Biden to push for additional funding for the child care industry. And she notes that his campaign website includes plans for universal preschool and improving pay and benefits for early childhood educators.

Perhaps more telling: in Colorado, voters passed a proposition that will tax vape and tobacco products with the revenue going to education. In the near term, this money will help K-12 schools recover from COVID-19, but starting in 2023, the tax revenue will be redirected to fund universal free preschool for every 4-year-old in Colorado--about 67,000 children.

And in Multnomah County, OR (which includes Portland), a Preschool for All Initiative "won handily." It will provide 3- and 4-year-olds with access to a high-quality preschool of their choice, tuition-free. The program will kick off by prioritizing high-needs families first, and will be fully implemented by 2030. It will be paid for by a tax on high-income earners. Read more.
YOUR  (VIRTUAL) CLASSROOM
The challenge of 2020: teaching children to read remotely
Reading is a complex skill, and how best to teach it has been debated for decades. But now there's a new twist: teaching through a webcam. Plus, the home lives of young children play a bigger role than ever before, as teachers work around poor internet connections, distractions in the background and more. In a recent article, the education news website The74 runs down these challenges, and the struggles of students with dyslexia and other special needs. But it also holds out some hope, and includes examples of teachers who are adapting. Read more.

A class's pet turtle is one of the ways teachers are keeping young learners engaged at a distance
In Washington, D.C., a Pre-K teacher is using a 30-year old-Eastern Box turtle to help strengthen her classroom community. Every three weeks, "Buddy" is sent to a
A child s hand petting a brown eastern box turtle in front of a light blue background
new student in the class, and his caretakers give updates during virtual lessons--and share photos in a class newsletter. 

This is just one example of creative approaches to promoting developmentally appropriate practices during remote learning included in a recent article from New America.* One Kindergarten teacher in California explains how his school provides a weekly distribution of hands-on learning materials, thus closing resource gaps between students. In Illinois, another Kindergarten teacher started a YouTube channel when she realized her students' families couldn't read to them in English. Read more.

* New America describes itself as a "think and action tank". It carries out research and reporting on a variety of public policy issues.
BOOKSHELF
A dozen books that help children learn how to lose gracefully
"Losing well isn't an innate skill children are born with," writes Catherine Pearson for HuffPost. "It's something they're supposed to learn from adults." And she recommends 12 picture books that can help get this message across. 

For example, Kevin the Unicorn: It's Not All Rainbows shows that it can be hard to cope with adversity and it's okay to feel down. Cheetah Can't Lose makes the point that you can't always win--and that when you do, it's important to be a "compassionate champ." The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes features a young perfectionist who learns that mistakes do happen, and that that's okay. Click here for the full list.

"Counting on Good Food for the Holidays"
This article from Erikson Early Math is a perennial favorite of ours, since it explains how to combine food, holidays and learning math. It recommends reading Feats for 10. "In this book a family counts from one to ten and then back again as they grocery shop, cook and set the table to prepare for a family dinner. Children will have their own stories of helping family members prepare favorite dishes to share."

A first grade teacher in Chicago used the book as the catalyst for each child to create a book about grocery shopping for their own feast. Like all Erikson articles, this one includes links to explore topics such as counting and to lists of other "delectable" holiday math books. Read more.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Strategies for leaders, this month's Professional Learning Circle--and more opportunities to learn with Sarah Cordova

Now That We're Back: Strategies for Program Leaders
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Presenter: David Hymowitz
Registration: There is no fee, but registration is required.

Professional Learning Circle: Sharing How We Engage Our Families
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Registration: There is no fee, but registration is required.

The December 2 webinar on "Picture Books That Promote Inclusion" is now SOLD OUT. The good news: we have scheduled more sessions with literacy
expert Sarah Cordova!

Making Language Stick: Teaching the Next Generation Learning Standards to Pre-K Students
Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration: There is no fee, but registration is required.

Writing Workshops for our Youngest Writers: Examining an Illustration Study
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Registration: There is no fee, but registration is required

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Yale & Scholastic have teamed up to offer three free webinars
The theme: "Building Resilience through Literacy in Early Childhood". Each session is 90-minutes long (4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.), and features speakers like Dr. Walter Gilliam from the Yale Child Study Center, Paula D. Knight, Deputy Superintendent of the St. Louis Public Schools, Nancy Garrity, Senior Director of Early Childhood Publishing at Scholastic, and other early childhood experts.

Thursday, November 19, 2020: COVID and the Youngest Learners
Friday, December 4, 2020: How Literacy Begins, Grows and Blooms
Thursday, January 7, 2021: Creating a Supportive & Equitable Environment
This week's help wanted in early education

Child and Adult Care Food Program Assistant Manager
Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc., Garden City
Under the supervision of the Manager, the Assistant Manager's responsibilities will include keeping up-to-date with regulations, providing off-site technical assistance and reviewing provider menus and claim forms. Bachelor's degree and Bilingual in Spanish and English required. 

Email resume and cover letter to hr@childcarenassau.org or mail to Child Care Council of Nassau, 99 Quentin Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 201, Garden City, NY 11530 Attn: Human Resources.
 
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. 




NASSAU BOCES 
71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: (516) 396-2220  Fax: (516)-396-2355
www.nassauboces.org