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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
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"Early math is big" says this collaborative--and they've got the free resources to prove it to educators
There are hundreds of choices in the "Idea Library" created by the Erikson Institute's Early Math Collaborative, just to name one of the resources available through this Chicago-based organization. Its purpose is expanding access to math for young children by reaching child care providers, early childhood teachers, teacher educators and administrators--that is, anyone with an interest in the early years. Here are a few of the Collaborative's online offerings:
The Idea Library is frequently updated with new articles and/or videos. The most recent focuses on building children's math awareness in ordinary kitchen activities: "Think of the kitchen as a place to build children's intuition about measurement, multiplication, division and fractions." For example, have you thought about the importance of equal spacing when you drop cookie dough onto a baking sheet? "Visualizing how to evenly space food and fit it within a given space is important mathematical thinking."
Another recent addition to the library: an article on how to adapt preschool math games to remote learning.
Best picture books for teaching early math are collected and categorized according to topics. Want a read aloud that covers sets? They've got you covered. Or number sense...or just plain counting? "Children explore the Big Ideas about foundational mathematical concepts as they interact with math in everyday life. When reading and listening to books, mathematical situations come to life in new and fanciful ways."
The Erikson Early Math web site also includes links to a bulletin board
featuring articles from many sources, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Bedtime Math daily math blog.
Click here to start at the Collaborative's home page.
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YOUR CLASSROOM
Take advantage of our weather: here are 10 math ideas that need snow plus "funny footprints" and more for winter play
Is it true that larger snowballs take longer to melt? How many snowballs can you make in one minute? How do we measure the amount of snow that has fallen? Juliet Robertson from the UK's Creative Star Learning is a fan of getting outside and wants early educators to know that you can "celebrate the joy of snow in a mathematical way." Read more.
If the snowy math ideas described above seem too complicated for your preschoolers, Robertson also has a list of 16 ways for young children to have fun with snow--for example, "guess the object" that's covered with white. Or make "funny footprints," by thinking up new and different ways to make tracks in the snow. That is, instead of walking along, children can try jumping with both feet together or hopping. Read more.
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RESEARCH
New study says Pre-K boosts math achievement through the middle school years
Researchers from the University of Georgia recently conducted a longitudinal study that followed Pre-K students in the state-funded program through seventh grade. "Students who participated in the study were twice as likely to meet the state
standards in their mathematics achievement," says professor Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett.
This finding is particularly significant because the research focused on a high-needs school district-- in other words, a community where many children had limited opportunities to learn at home. Those who did not attend Pre-K often had few experiences with foundational skills before entering Kindergarten.
"School becomes more challenging as one progresses through the grades," says Neuharth-Pritchett, "so if in middle school, students are still twice as likely to meet the state standards, it's clear that something that happened early on was influencing their trajectory." Read more.
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BOOKSHELF
Kids will love these "mathical" award winners
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) have more in common than you might think--for one thing, they're both part of the team selecting each year's "Mathical" award winners. These books, fiction or nonfiction, inspire children to see math in the world around them.
The Pre-K winner: Lia & Luis: Who Has More by Ana Crespo. In this book, twins argue over who has more of their favorite snacks.
The K--2 winner: The Animals Would Not Sleep by Sara Levine. Stuffed animals get sorted in different ways at bedtime.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Last week to register for PLC sharing experiences on "How We Use Technology"
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Visit our web site to learn about other free webinars being offered this spring. We are able to offer these opportunities at no cost thanks to funding from New York State.
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Would you like to host a Kindergarten Transition Summit? Here's how to find out more
In the fall of 2019, The Long Island Pre-K Initiative hosted two very successful Kindergarten Transition Summits on Long Island. These events brought together public school staff and administrators, staff and directors from community-based organizations (CBOs), and agencies that support children and families.
Now it can be your turn to organize such an event.
School districts, CBOs, Head Starts, Home Visiting programs and other early education agencies are invited to participate in an orientation that explains how to conduct and host a Summit, which will be funded through New York State. "We aim to fund community teams that are ready, willing and able to host this next round of Kindergarten Transition Summits. There will be an application process for this funding opportunity shared with you at the Orientation. You must attend the Orientation to be eligible to apply for the funding (up to $10,000)."
Click here to register for the Orientation, which will take place on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
Click here to learn more about past Kindergarten Transition Summits.
Note: The Pre-K initiative is not eligible to apply since we previously received this funding.
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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.
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| NASSAU BOCES
71 Clinton Road, Garden City, NY 11530-9195
Phone: (516) 396-2220 Fax: (516)-396-2355
www.nassauboces.org |
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