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Large group of happy kids, boys and girls playing with blocks in kindergarten class constructing simple houses
PRE-K UPDATE
JULY 3, 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

Teachers at our Summer Institute loved this video of a Pre-K classroom; you can watch it, too--and more
As part of Beverly Falk's keynote address last week, she showed a 12-minute video of Pre-K teacher Yvonne Smith interacting with children and also explaining her approach. The attendees gave it rave reviews--and the good news is that you can watch it, too. And more.

The video is part of The High Quality Early Learning Project led by Falk. It focuses on  documenting research-based teaching in Pre-K, K and first and second grades. That means there are numerous videos available on its website, along with "guiding questions" to prompt deeper thinking about each one of them. For example, in addition to the longer video on curriculum shown at the Institute, there are several shorter ones in the Pre-K section on such topics as "On Routines," "On Clean Up," and "On Intentional Teaching." The Kindergarten videos center around "Choice and Inquiry," but also explore family involvement and learning through play.

Click here to watch the Pre-K videos. Click here to watch the Kindergarten videos.

Want to try something new next year for Kindergarten Transition? Apply for one of these mini-grants
Six mini-grants of $500 each will be awarded in conjunction with the Kindergarten Transition Summits being held this fall on Long Island. Mini-grants will be awarded for projects that enhance the transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten. School district staff, community-based or private Pre-K programs, museums, libraries and other agencies serving Pre-K populations are eligible to apply. 

Click here to fill out the online application. Deadline: Tuesday, October 15, 2019. Applicants are expected to participate in one of the free Kindergarten Summits:

Date: Monday, October 7, 2019
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (contintental breakfast included)
Place: Eastern Suffolk BOCES, Instructional Support Center at Sequoya, Holtsville

Date: Friday, October 11, 2019
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (continental breakfast included)
Place: Western Suffolk BOCES, Conference Center, Wyandanch

Registration is free, but advance registration is required.


"Process-focused" vs. "product-focused" art projects: a quick primer from NAEYC  
Are children creating art without step-by-step instructions? Are they focused on exploring a tool or a material? That's process-focused art, according to an article from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Or are children following instructions based on a teacher-created sample? Do their finished projects all look the same? This is product-focused work.

The reason it's important to recognize the difference: process-focused art encourages children's creativity through developmentally appropriate experiences, and is a more joyful undertaking. For example, children are likely to say: "Look what I made!" Product-focused art, on the other hand, can result in frustration, with children saying things like: " Mine doesn't look like yours" or "I can't do it."  

NAEYC doesn't just define process-focused art--it also provides suggestions for open-ended art experiences and tips for leading process-focused art.
We love coloring books--but do they have any place in the classroom or even at home?
Like many of us, NPR's Steve Drummond enjoys the simple pleasure of crayons and coloring books. When it comes to kids and learning, however, the question is: "Do they squash creativity like a bug, or, as some suggest, promote the development of fine motor skills?"

Happy family. Mother and daughter together paint. Adult woman helps the child girl.
Drummond did some research, and found that as far back as 1947 experts were against giving children printed worksheets with printed outlines of objects to color: "there is no evidence that these laboriously colored balloons and kites actually help to develop either number concepts or reading abilities."

Or, more fundamentally: why color in a ready-made picture when you could create your own? "The dependency upon someone else's outline of an object makes children much less confident in their own means of expression."

Does that mean all coloring books should be thrown in the trash? No, says Drummond. If parents and kids are sitting and coloring together, it is an opportunity to talk. (But at the same time: "...couldn't parents be sitting and drawing with the child?")
 
This week's job listings for early ed on Long Island

Job Fair/Full-Time Teacher positions
Thursday, July 25, 2019, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Stony Brook Child Care, SUNY Stony Brook
RSVP to 631-632-6930 or email josefina.gallardo@stonybrook.edu





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