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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It's the perfect season to spring into an exciting workshop!
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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
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Seven ways to connect young children with nature |
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A connection with nature has a large impact on students’ learning and well-being. Did you know that children who spend more time in nature have lower rates of asthma, depression and other illnesses? According to an article by Lesley Chapman in Edutopia, children experience many benefits from frequent contact with nature in a variety of ways. Obviously, educators have good reason to make every effort to bring more nature into their classrooms. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming or spatially challenging, and it only requires a few easy changes. Chapman offers seven easy methods by which you may connect your classroom to nature:
1. Take a snack or lunch break outside. You can teach important skills indoors, like sitting on a carpet mat that mirrors sitting on a patch of grass, and managing any wrappers that might blow away in a windy environment.
2. Incorporate nature into classroom routines. Extend transition time so that children can walk through outdoor spaces. Throughout these precious extra few minutes, you might “encourage students to notice sights and smells around them as they walk, or even have them practice moving like different animals,” says Chapman.
3. Use materials from nature. “Natural materials can provide interesting sensory experiences in many areas of the classroom,” says Chapman. “Incorporate twigs, wood slices or small stones in the block area.” When it comes to math activities, you might replace plastic manipulatives with large seeds or acorns. These materials can also be used for building art projects, thereby engaging them with diverse textures, shapes and colors found in nature.
4. Naturalize your indoor space. Bring nature to students. Decorate your classroom with earth-tone colors, natural images and wooden furniture. Chapman suggests displaying photographs of children exploring the outdoors.
5. Consider a classroom animal. Class pets can be a unique connection between children and nature. If you aren’t able to house a pet within your classroom, consider a virtual class pet. In fact, many zoos and aquariums have livestreams of their inhabitants.
6. Bring wildlife to you. A birdfeeder will invite visitors, and using binoculars and field guides can help remind children of the joy in bird watching.
7. Grow something. Bring plants into your classroom. “Studies show that views of green spaces reduce stress, improve attention, and even improve student performance on standardized tests,” says Chapman. The plants don’t have to be complex; they might range in anything from low-maintenance houseplants to edible fruits and vegetables.
A connection to the natural world can have a profound impact on all students’ well-being and learning. This is especially true for students struggling emotionally, academically or behaviorally.
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How sidewalk chalk and art can bring us together |
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Our desire to creatively express ourselves and connect with others through art is a form of play. Something as simple as multi-colored chalk can allow us to do this at its most basic level. In an article in Exchange, author Jeremy Saucier recalls a time during the pandemic when he came across a message on the neighborhood Facebook page encouraging children to “chalk our driveways for everyone to enjoy on our lonely family walks.” His family chose to see it as an invitation to play.
Saucier fondly recalls his children going all out with their designs, writing “Have a great day!” in big letters, and creating a laughable maze that essentially had no discernable solution. His driveway was covered in rainbows, stars and suns. “This deep play captured their attention, and, for the moment, created a respite from worries about missing school and their friends,” he said.
The driveway became interactive. The family watched from indoors as families stopped to draw their own pictures and add to the fun. They would even sign their own names and leave messages of encouragement. Saucier’s family walked around the neighborhood doing the same thing. This simple form of play, while still remaining socially distant, allowed them to interact with other families. With social distancing becoming less of a concern, this type of deep play still stands as beneficial for all involved. Saucier says that he and his family encountered other children and adults sketching revving race cars, blooming flowers, cityscapes, and even Pac-Man. They included heartwarming messages such as “We love our friends” and "Spread kindness!”
Children do not need driveways to draw, paint or color pictures. Pre-K teachers can utilize this activity on playgrounds. Educators might even take pictures of childrens’ artwork (whether on paper or pavement) and share it over social media with challenges to have other children add to it or discuss what they see. “Play has the potential to energize and restore us,” says Saucier. “Whether with our neighbors across the street or across the globe, it connects us to others and allows us to express ourselves in ways that remind us all to look forward to “better days ahead.”
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Did you love Encanto? Try these children’s books
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The film Encanto is a huge hit for good reason-it has a message that we all adore. In an article in Brightly, Dena McMurdie writes of her children listening to the soundtrack nonstop and re-watching the film countless times. Thus, she looked for books that tapped into their jubilation. She lists some of the best books for children who are enamored with the movie.
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Digging for Words, Angela Burke Kunkel. “Jose Alberto Gutierrez is a garbage collector in Colombia who built a library,” says McMurdie. “When he finds a book on his route, he takes it home and adds it to his collection.” This true story is perfect for fans of Encanto because it shows that small actions can add up to extraordinary outcomes.
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With Lots of Love, by Jenny Torres Sanchez. A little girl named Rocio moves to the U.S. and understandably misses her home and Abuela in Central America. The book boasts messages of love and strong family bonds.
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Dreamers, by Yuyi Morales. This best-selling picture book memoir features themes of courage and hope. Morales writes about her experience coming to the U.S. with her young child, learning a new language, and eventually sharing her gifts with others. Sounds a bit like a certain Encanto protagonist…
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Mango, Abuela, and Me, by Meg Medina. This sweet picture book celebrates the special bond children have with their grandmothers.
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Upstream Transition Partnerships:
Strengthening the continuum of care from early childhood through graduation and beyond
Workshop
The transition from early childhood programs to K-12 education is stressful for caregivers and educators alike. This workshop, led by National Training & Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC), connects people with one another, creates partnerships, and strengthens the continuum of care from early childhood settings to K-12 classrooms and beyond. NTTAC is supported in learning by leading early childhood and mental health professionals from around the nation. Their conversation-rich sessions are dynamic, interactive, and center lived experiences, and examine evidence-informed practices.
Date: Thursday, March 31, 2022
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm
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CPR/AED - Infant/Child/Adult (All Modalities)
Led by Child Care Council of Nassau, this Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED course incorporates the latest science and teaches students how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies to help victims of any age - adults (about 12 years and older) and pediatric (infants and children up to 12 years of age). Students who successfully complete this course will receive an American Red Cross certificate for Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED valid for two years.
Date: Saturday, April 2, 2022
Time: 9:00am - 12:00pm
Cost: Non-Member: $90 / Member: $75
Location: 99 Quentin Roosevelt Boulevard, Suite 201, Garden City
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Introduction to Gender in Early Childhood
Workshop
In this workshop, led by New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute, participants will learn about and discuss gender development in young children. Through discussions of how rigid gender roles and stereotypes can limit children's growth and self-expression, educators will collectively develop strategies to facilitate expansive gender performances and create inclusive classrooms which support a variety of gender expressions. Participants will also discuss a variety of ways to resist the perpetuation of harmful gender stereotypes and strategies for working with family members who are struggling with their children's gender non-conforming dress or behavior.
Date: Monday, April 4, 2022
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Cost: $35
Location: Virtual
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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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