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
|
|
It's your lucky day!
There is still time to register for fantastic Pre-K workshops.
|
|
Tools of the Mind: Effective Teaching and Joyful Learning - Developing Self-Regulated Learners Through Play
This presentation will provide an overview of the Tools of the Mind curriculum and will highlight some key ideas about self-regulation, its impact in young children’s development and learning, and how to best support its development through mature make-believe play and the Vygotskian Theory. Deborah Leong, President and Co-Founder of Tools of the Mind, and
Luis Gallego, Partnership Development Manager, will use examples from Tools classrooms and anecdotes from Tools teachers to highlight the impact and effectiveness of Tools of the Mind curriculum and approach. Attendees will see how this approach empowers teachers to support self-regulation and make-believe play along with addressing academic content.
Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Registration: Free, but registration is required
|
|
PLC: Sharing Our Practices for STEM/STEAM 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 PLC will offer the opportunity for participants to share with one another some of their favorite practices for STEM/STEAM in the Pre-K & Kindergarten classroom. This is the second PLC Zoom session provided during the winter and spring that will serve as a platform to share and 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 PLC sessions that will be offered this year.
Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Registration: Free, but registration is required
|
|
A new hotline offers a joyful pep talk from kindergartners |
|
The news right now is difficult to digest. Need a pick-me-up? Call a hotline created by two teachers at Westside Elementary in Healdsburg, CA, and you’ll get encouraging words from a resilient group of kindergartners!
According to an article by Adrian Florida and Hiba Ahmad in KQED, the free hotline was inspired by Asherah Weiss and Jessica Martin’s students and their positive attitudes in the face of the pandemic, wildfires in the region, and the everyday struggles of being a kid.
The service, called Peptoc, offers prompts in kids’ voices. “If you’re feeling mad, frustrated or nervous, press 1,” it says. “If you need words of encouragement and life advice, press 2. If you need a pep talk from kindergartners, press 3. If you need to hear kids laughing with delight, press 4. For encouragement in Spanish, press 5.”
Depending on your choice, you might hear giggles or uplifting, yet silly words such as, “Be grateful for yourself” or “If you’re feeling up high and unbalanced, think of groundhogs.” Martin, an art teacher, says she spoke with her class about how art can be a type of social practice, in addition to being a conversation that contributes to society. “Their creativity and resourcefulness is something that we need to emulate, because that level of joy and love and imagination is what’s going to save us in the end,” she says.
The hotline is intended to serve as a respite for the difficult things in the world. It seems to be doing just that, as it has received thousands of calls each day! It quickly went viral when it launched in February, which, according to Martin, demonstrates that the world is in need of kindness and healing. Peptoc is also a testament to the importance of the arts in schools. West Side Elementary had a large budget cut this year and has a very limited program because of it.
Next time you need a boost, dial Peptoc at 707-998-8410.
|
|
How a reluctant reader and a loving animal can be a powerful combination |
|
There are many benefits to reading aloud with animals. Reading to any pet gives children a feeling of safety, allowing them to practice and make mistakes without fear of embarrassment. It also gives them variety in their audiences so that they’re not always reading to their parents! According to an article by Melissa Taylor in Brightly, it’s a special practice that educators can encourage.
The article offers the example of a young girl with dyslexia who struggles with reading. However, when she halts with words and is unsure of herself in front of her pup, Fluffy doesn’t care. Neither does the girl. It’s easier for her to read to the dog because her furry friend doesn’t interject to correct her at every turn, much the way her peers or siblings might.
“For struggling readers who need to practice reading to build their reading confidence and fluency, the feeling of safety with an animal allows for uninhibited reading risk and practice,” says Taylor.
Stephen Krashen, an educational researcher and linguist, says that a child’s affective emotions such as “low self-esteem and anxiety can create a mental block that often inhibits learning.” When children read to animals, it removes that mental block.
Taylor describes a child named Jake who recently adopted gerbils. On their first day in Jake’s home, he read them Geronimo Stilton stories (featuring friendly mice) to help the gerbils feel comfortable.
There are many programs with animals available to schools, hospitals and libraries, some of which also service children who don’t have pets at homes. One organization, R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), has trained therapy dogs for child-animal reading experiences. Some animal shelters even allow children to visit and read to homeless pets-a great idea for a class trip!
|
|
Impactful books for Women’s History Month |
|
Help children celebrate inspirational women and their accomplishments, character and contributions to the world. An article by Elizabeth Mulvahill in WeAreTeachers offers a varied list of accessible books perfect for engaging children and teaching them about Women’s History Month. Check out a few of the books here:
-
Free as a Bird: The Story of Malala, by Lina Maslo. A must-read about the brave heroine’s fight for all girls to be able to go to school.
-
Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen: The Story of Six Novels, Three Notebooks, a Writing Box, and One Clever Girl, by Deborah Hopkinson. A story that reminds everyone of the extraordinariness in shy, bookish girls.
-
The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath, by Julia Finley Mosca. Mulvahill describes this story as “an engaging rhyming text” that packs in information about a pioneer female doctor.
-
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines, by Jeanne Walker Harvey. All students should know about the woman behind one of the United States’ most symbolic memorials.
-
Girl Running, by Annette Bay Pimental. The story of Bobbi Gibb, who “paved the way for female marathoners up Heartbreak Hill and beyond.”
|
|
Supporting Gender Diversity in Young Children
Workshop
This training (which will be co-hosted with the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Technical Assistance Center) will explore the breadth of terms, identities, and concepts associated with gender diverse communities, with a focus on indigenous contexts. Participants will develop an understanding of gender creativity in children and explore best practices for supporting gender expression in young children. Interactive, engaging, and solutions-oriented, this workshop provides opportunities for learning and problem solving at all knowledge levels.
Date: Thursday, March 24, 2022
Time: 3pm - 4:30pm
|
|
Tackling Student & Staff Mental Health Issues
in Covid 19's Wake
Interactive Virtual Forum
The pandemic-fueled rise in trauma, depression, and anxiety among students and school staff, combined with a lack of mental health support, means schools will be dealing with COVID-19’s fallout for years to come. Education Week staff and guest experts examine how schools are turning their attention and resources to the challenge, and what the research says about what they’re up against in getting students and staff the help they need.
Date: Thursday, March 31, 2022
Time: 2:00 - 4:30pm
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual
|
|
71 Clinton Rd. Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: 516-396-2220
www.nassauboces.org/pre-k
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
