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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WINTER SERIES SEMINARS:
HAVE YOU REGISTERED YET?
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Professional Learning Circle: Sharing Our Favorite Read Alouds for Social Emotional Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the
Pre-K & Kindergarten Setting
A professional learning circle-or PLC-is comprised of a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise and works collaboratively to learn from one another. With support from experienced moderators, this first PLC will offer the opportunity to share favorite read alouds and exchange related activities that address the relevant topics of social emotional learning, diversity, equity and inclusion in the Pre-K and Kindergarten setting. This is the first of four PLC Zoom sessions provided during the winter and spring that will serve as a platform to exchange ideas. Our PLCs are designed for teachers, teacher assistants, administrators, directors and other early educators. You can register for one or more of our collaborative sessions.
Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Registration: Free, but registration is required
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Using GOLD to Improve Outcomes for Children
Are you new to GOLD and interested in learning more? In this Curriculum Showcase session, provided by Teaching Strategies, LLC, you will get a guided tour of the MyTeachingStrategies platform; its features, functionality and how to navigate within it. Join Donna Fowler, subject matter specialist, who will demonstrate how curriculum and assessment work together to strengthen classroom practice and promote positive outcomes for all children, and support development and learning.
Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Registration: Free, but registration is required
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Connect4Learning a Pre-K Curriculum for Our 21st Century Learners
Provided by Kaplan Early Learning Company, this presentation covers the scope and sequence of the Connect4Learning Pre-K Curriculum.
Connie Gorius, a former teacher, supervisor and early childhood specialist, will present the features and benefits of using an interdisciplinary curriculum with 21st Century Pre-K learners.
Date: Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Registration: Free, but registration is required
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Six tips for peacemaking in the Pre-K classroom |
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Children’s social and emotional development is especially important for their success in school. According to an article by Margaret Clark and Haleigh Harper in Teaching Young Children, when children communicate their feelings appropriately and develop positive relationships with their peers, they will focus and learn in more effective ways. Early childhood educators are often asked to prioritize academic skills, leaving less time to focus on self-awareness and problem solving. Clark and Harper offer the following tips to help foster peacemaking skills in the classroom:
1. Acknowledge children’s peacemaking skills. “Recognize when a child resolves a conflict, solves a problem, or clearly communicates an emotion,” say Clark and Harper. This shows children how to “recognize and value their own capacities for peacemaking.” For example, an educator might say, “Maria figured out a way for you all to share these blocks and work together. She has shown great problem solving skills.”
2. Make space for peace. Designate space in the classroom and use available objects. For example, you might set up a peace corner or table that can be used when children work out their problems and find resolutions. The authors suggest helping the children practice using these spaces.
3. Model and label your own peacemaking skills. Educators should “demonstrate positive problem-solving by remembering to talk through their own feelings and label them for children to hear.” For example, say, “I too am feeling frustrated right now and also a little overwhelmed. I’m going to try taking a few deep breaths to relax my body and my mind.”
4. Watch, listen and learn. It is important to pay careful attention when children express big emotions; this allows them the opportunity to teach us about what they are feeling. Ask yourself why the child is feeling a certain way and what you know about the child (at school and at home). When we show them we are listening, it demonstrates that we respect their feelings.
5. Respect the whole child. “Every aspect of the learning environment needs to be respectful,” say Clark and Harper. They suggest looking around your classroom and asking how each child navigates the design, the space and the materials. You should consider the challenges with which each child will be faced, including whether or not the room is developmentally appropriate. Additionally, ask yourself what design changes you can make to help each child maneuver within the learning environment.
6. Celebrate positive stories and share books about peace. Throughout the day, discuss the successes of the classroom. The authors offered this example: “I want to share a story about my favorite part of lunch today. I noticed that James was struggling to open his container, and Will offered to help him. When Will got the container open, James smiled.” Books about peace are also highly recommended. Among others, the authors recommend The Peace Book, by Todd Parr and The Peace Rose, by Alicia Olson.
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How the benefits of early math experiences multiply |
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Literacy achievement is often used to measure scholastic achievement; however, studies show that mathematics reasoning abilitiy is even more crucial for success in school and beyond. According to an article by Karen D’Souza in EdSource, experts say early numeracy in childhood should garner more attention.
“When children understand early math concepts before they enter kindergarten, research shows they perform better on math and reading tests in later years,” says D’Souza. “But many children enter kindergarten already behind in math, at least partly because some parents lack confidence in their own math skills.”
Building a bridge between early and later math is one of the motivators behind an app and website called Count Play Explore, which provides a resource for parents and educators looking for something fun and meaningful to do with children.
Many adults have a lot of anxiety when it comes to math, and often times their anxiety is passed down to children. However, the article posits that if parents are more involved in their children’s math skills, they will build a better understanding of concepts. In Count Play Explore you might meet a family going on a Shape Safari hunting for geometric patterns in their neighborhood; there’s also Math Man, a computational superhero with a magic pencil. “The project tries to make math less intimidating to those who find the subject off-putting,” says D’Souza. The app adds humor, as math doesn’t have to be scary. Plus, each activity is less than two minutes!
Parental anxiety for and about math may be one reason the playing field is often uneven when children get to kindergarten. “Some already have a sense of what math means and how it functions in the world, while others lack a basic understanding of numbers,” D’Souza says. “That gap only gets harder to close as time goes on.” There is evidence that engaging in math is connected to the development of executive functions, like working memory. This also helps with social-emotional development. “Adults should make a habit of intentionally discussing developmentally appropriate math concepts every day.”
The article suggests counting aloud and playing board games to have fun with math. Perhaps you can also put out a bowl of favorite snacks, such as Cheerios or Goldfish, and have children roll the dice to see how many treats they can put on their plates. It is important to have a mindset in which anyone can grow and have a good time.
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Picture books that celebrate imaginary friends |
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Imaginary friends give children agency, make them feel less alone, and allow them to be more expressive. In an article by Melissa Taylor in Brightly, she says that it is entertaining to read about kids who have imaginary friends-whether or not they have imaginary friends of their own. Check out just a few of the great books she suggests reading with children and their “pals:”
Emma Kate, by Patricia Polacco. Emma Kate and her imaginary friend do everything together. Prepare for a surprise ending about who is really imaginary- the girl or the elephant…
Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself, by Matthew Gray Gubler. Rumple Buttercup is a creature you have never seen before; he has green skin, five crooked teeth, and three strands of hair! His imaginary friend, Candy Corn Carl, is made out of trash. These creatively kooky friends learn about the magic in being themselves.
Dory Fantasmagory: The Real True Friend, by Abby Hanlon. The entire Dory series has a rotating cast of imaginary friends. On her first day of school her older siblings suggest she leaves her imaginary friend at home. When she meets a girl at school who is incredibly creative, her siblings think she made her up!
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Support Children's Cognitive Self-Regulation
Webinar
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Learn about cognitive self-regulation, also called executive functioning. Self-regulation is a suite of cognitive skills that are essential for learning, planning, and problem solving. Explore strategies and practice to support executive functioning skills in children birth to 5, coachees, and yourself! Walk away with resources you can use and share. (This webinar will have English and Spanish captioning.)
Date: January 19, 2022
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm
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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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