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. 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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You won't want to miss this!
"Best Practices for Teaching Pre-K & K"
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November 2, 2021
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Online via Zoom
A virtual conference for Pre-K and Kindergarten Educators - Teachers, Teacher Assistants, Administrators, Directors and Early Educational Practitioners.
Registration: $75 per person
Keynote Speakers:
- Bari Koral: Mindfulness, Toe-ga, Kids Yoga for
Social Distancing
- Todd Parr: Love and Tacos
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Print vs. Screen: Which is the best way to read with children? |
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How should we be reading with children? Some people are firmly rooted in the belief that print is the best source of literature; others feel that we’re only depriving children of a valuable opportunity if they are denied access to digital reading. According to an article by Naomi S. Baron in KQED, most parents continue to prefer print for toddlers and preschoolers. However, they foster worry that their children will be left behind in many aspects- enjoyment, learning, or preparation for elementary school, where it is often the case that they will be handed a tablet on their first day of class.
Baron compares the use of print and digital to the food pyramid, suggesting that both methods of reading have their time and place when used in particular amounts. “Experts agree that when it comes to book-reading, physical books are an obvious choice,” she says. “However, print-loving pediatricians are identifying sound reasons for letting kids younger than two have some access to touch screens.” Touch screens can help foster vocabulary development and facilitate fine motor control and hand/eye coordination. They were especially helpful throughout the pandemic when children knew how to Skype and Zoom with their grandparents or share family photos on screens.
The article suggests that educators and parents consider the purpose of reading: What are we hoping to accomplish when sitting with children and books, or even when having children sit with books on their own? Baron thinks about reading with toddlers and preschoolers through three perspectives- the social side, the linguistic and cognitive side, and the engagement side.
So much of the reading we do with young children is about togetherness and sharing experiences. Even pediatricians recommend reading to allow for bonding between the parent and child. “Yes, you read the book, but you ask questions and connect what the book is about to experiences in the child’s own world," says Baron. “‘Look at that! Remember the elephant we saw at the zoo yesterday?’” Recent initiatives have suggested helpful ways of incorporating dialogue into reading digital books with young children.
We also understand that linguistic development is elevated by language used around children. This happens in social contexts where young children aren’t hearing a lot of vocabulary and more complex syntax. Sometimes using additional tools, like digital platforms, enhances learning opportunities. Baron cites Sesame Street as an example, because often times children will learn words or phrases from the show that don't exist in the lexicons of the adults in their lives.
To the detriment of digital technologies, it is argued that children tend to focus on the device more than on the storyline or the parents or educators reading to them. The question is then about if the engagement of the activity is entirely negative. “How does it relate to broader senses of engagement, including cognitive or physical interaction?”
No matter what platform is used, it seems to be the consensus that the act of reading or being read to is “most beneficial when it includes activity on the child’s part.” This might mean patting fuzzy surfaces or opening windows in a print book, but it also might mean selecting music or exploring an image in a digital book. In a survey completed with more than 2,000 parents of preschoolers, it was found that print was seen as a social experience and eBooks as a source of entertainment or baby-sitting. Perhaps these thought patterns will shift. “We need to think more broadly about goals, including which platform best supports them.”
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How play helps young children transition to
in-person learning
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It’s true! Play is more important than it has been in the past; it helps young students transition to in-person learning, in addition to aiding in the development of skills they will need for the future.
According to an article by Sara LaHayne in Edutopia, our transition back to a classroom routine needs to start with social and emotional learning (SEL), and “play must be at the forefront in early childhood classrooms.” Play can help children process and heal from the stress and trauma that a global pandemic wreaked on their lives. Teachers should prioritize intentional play because it is at the foundation of helping children work with others successfully, taking turns, managing impulses and not giving up when they feel challenged.
LaHayne suggests four ways to bring moments of play into the classroom every day:
1. Incorporate creative practices such as movement, drawing, writing and music. “Inspire students to draw how they are feeling, a favorite memory, or a challenge they are currently experiencing.” They may also communicate how they are feeling by making certain sounds or making their bodies into statues. Educators should teach through song and incorporate movement into every possible lesson.
2. Create intentional time at the beginning and end of the day to connect through play. The start of the day is “a critical time to help them learn how to transition to the school day, a skill that will benefit them throughout their academic careers.” The end of the day is also a great time to reflect, “reinforce key learnings, and say goodbye as students head back to their families and caregivers.” Try to start the day with a “Shake Off,” a short exercise during which children shake their arms, legs and bodies to release tension or stress. Movement allows children the opportunity to reset.
3. Bring playground games into the classroom, such as Simon Says; Thumbs Up; or Red Light, Green Light. These games allow children to learn how to take turns, plan their next moves and control impulses. They even enrich language skills!
4. Make multimedia participatory and active. LaHayne reminds educators that videos, podcasts and audio clips can be interactive and participatory. “Multimedia resources also allow teachers to participate in play themselves instead of having to facilitate the play, which builds deeper and more authentic teacher-student relationships.”
Play can help us give students the support they need to move forward. Play needs to be a priority in order to foster healing, social emotional learning, and regulating emotions.
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Free resources for Fire Prevention Week |
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Teaching children how to stay safe around hot items is a lesson that is reinforced and repeated every year. In a recent article in WeAreTeachers, Kimberley Moran reminds educators that learning about fire safety is a must. She shares a wealth of resources that will help make Fire Prevention Week, which runs through October 9th, an engaging and informative time.
Ideas range from helping students create a home fire escape plan with the use of an early reader ebook, “Annie Makes a Plan. ” Annie and her family learn the importance of having two ways out of every room, having working smoke alarms in the home, and conducting fire drills.
Moran also suggests using “How Much Do You Know About Fire Safety?” A nonfiction piece, this ebook gives children important fire safety tips, teaches them to stay away from hot things, how to identify the sound of a smoke alarm, and what to do in an emergency.
Children can also watch “I Spy Cooking Safety,” an interactive video in which children look for problems with safety in a kitchen.
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FBA/BIP Asynchronous Training |
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The LIU/Post Center for Community Inclusion is hosting this workshop in which participants will build fluency with the science of behavior that provides the theoretical foundation on which FBAs (Functional Behavioral Assessments) and BIPs (Behavior Intervention Plans) are based. They will acquire the skills necessary to complete the FBA process and develop the skills to create, implement, and progress monitor the BIP, while ensuring these skills align with the New York State Education Department P-12: Office of Special Education regulations. Participants will also understand how to engage families within the FBA/BIP process, and when and how to include them as part of the team.
Google Classroom opens: October 5 - 25, 2021
Live Session: October 25, 2021, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Register by emailing Post-CCI@LIU.edu or click the button below.
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College Financing: Supporting Your Educational Pathway |
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Are you looking for ways to pay for college? Do you want to learn various funding options to attend college? Join the Long Island Early Childhood Career Development Center Team to explore various options for financing college classes to further your Early Childhood education.
Date: Wednesday, October 6
Time: 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom
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The Long Island Pre-K Initiative is a collaborating partner in the state-funded Long Island Regional Technical Assistance Center for Pre-K and Early Childhood Education. |
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71 Clinton Rd. Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: 516-396-2220
www.nassauboces.org/pre-k
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