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

A NOTE TO OUR READERS: You'll see that this weekly e-newsletter, Pre-K Update, has a new look. Many of you regularly access it on your mobile devices; this new design will make it much easier for you to read the text--and to register for webinars and other events you're interested in. How do you like it? Let us know by emailing prek@nasboces.org.

Children have a powerful drive to solve problems, inquire and invent, says Susan Engel, writing for the Child and Family Blog. "Curiosity is the psychological foundation that explains the vast terrain of knowledge and skills acquired, apparently effortlessly, by all typically developing children." But, according to Engel, the author of The Intellectual Lives of Children, some are already less inventive by age five. Luckily, there are ways to keep kids curious.

For one thing, teachers and parents can be aware of, and encourage, children's passions--which can be very specific. One student may be fascinated by bugs and another by cars or trains. Some may even be focused on the "ungraspable"--for example, asking questions about God or death.

And there's also the role of invention. Preschoolers often devise new games or use old cardboard boxes in creative ways. Adults can encourage such explorations before children become more rigid about using familiar objects in new ways.

"When children gather information to answer their own questions (however unacademic or odd those questions may seem), mull over perplexing mysteries, speculate, outline probable or impossible outcomes, or consider alternative perspectives, they are practicing the skills essential to forming ideas," concludes Engel. Read more.

When students who are at risk for learning disabilities are identified early and receive services, they're less likely to need specialized instruction when they're older. That's the reminder in a recent article for Edutopia. So how can early educators recognize struggling learners? Especially since "teachers may be hesitant to jump to conclusions, thinking they need to give students adequate time to improve their skills." And it's especially challenging to discern potential problems in remote learning environments.

What's important is to pay attention to clusters of signs, says writer Amanda Morin. She runs down six signs of language-based issues and five for math-based deficits. Plus she explains supportive practices that help all children but are especially helpful for those with learning disabilities. These include doing a "think-aloud" when demonstrating routines, providing directions in written and picture form and providing immediate feedback. Read more.

There's been a lot of talk about test scores and "learning loss," says Nicholas Tampio in a recent opinion piece for the Washington Post. And many are proposing that children--especially those in high-poverty schools--spend the summer inside "preparing for standardized tests."

"This is exactly the wrong approach," says Tampio, the co-author of Let the Children Play: How More Play Will Save Our Schools and Help Children Thrive.

Children who've been inside, social distancing during the pandemic need to get outside and play more than ever, he says. He notes that pediatricians have been making the case for play for several years, and adds that "Childhood play develops foundational motor skills, leads to an active lifestyle and prevents obesity...Rough-and--tumble play teaches children verbal skills, as they have to negotiate when things threaten to get out of hand...Play is part of our evolutionary heritage." Read more.

Date: Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Presenter: Stephanie Dockweiler, the president of QS2 Training and Consulting and past president of the New York Association for the Education of Young Children.

Credits: CTLE and OCFS credit.

Session 1: What you need to know about PPP loans and a rundown on the information and documentation you will need to gather to apply online during Session 2.

Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Session 2: The experts will assist you as you complete the PPP loan application, as you watch them complete the same application. And you'll be able to ask them questions during the application process.

Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Time: 6:00 p.m.

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.