Wisconsin Council on Children and Families has just released an excellent policy brief on the economic benefits of investing in early learning. While created in Wisconsin, this document can be beneficial to any group across the nation looking for materials to present to legislators to inform them of the importance of investing in early learning.
The policy brief explores:
-the importance of early brain development
-the extraordinary research on the positive effects of high-quality early childhood programs,
-the strong return on investment from early childhood interventions, and
-implications for public policy.
To read the brief, visit: http://www.wccf.org/pdf/great_start_investment_ece.pdf
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Preparing for H1N1 and the Upcoming Flu Season
The President's advisor on Homeland Security circulated an email to providers, teachers, parents, and other interested parties in regards to the upcoming flu season. They have posted information on their website to help these parties to protect children from the flu, in particular to be prepared for defense against the H1N1 Influenza. To learn how to be prepared and to help promote public awareness of this important issue visit: www.Flu.gov.
Wisconsin Shares Audit Results
If you are a Wisconsin child care provider you are probably aware of the Milwaukee Sentinel articles this past spring exposing two providers in Milwaukee for committing fraud against the system. These series of fraud articles led to a quick formation of an audit committee to look over the program integrity and find the errors that allowed such fraud and misuse to occur. The results of that audit are now available.
The Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau reports that 400 cases were reviewed during the audit and they estimate that providers received $4.0 million in improper subsidy payments as a result of errors or potentially fraudulent reporting.
As it is likely these findings will result in changes to the system, it is important for all providers to be aware of this report. To read a summary and the full report visit: http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lab
The Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau reports that 400 cases were reviewed during the audit and they estimate that providers received $4.0 million in improper subsidy payments as a result of errors or potentially fraudulent reporting.
As it is likely these findings will result in changes to the system, it is important for all providers to be aware of this report. To read a summary and the full report visit: http://www.legis.wisconsin.gov/lab
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Book Review: More Help!
Another great book to share! This one is full of inspiring stories and activities to get the creative juices flowing for any teacher!
Patricia
Book Review:
More Help! For Teachers of Young Children
by Patricia Dischler
Author Gwen Snyder Kaltman brings yet another fantastic resource for early childhood teachers in her book, More Help! For Teachers of Young Children, 99 Tips to Promote Intellectual Development and Creativity, (Corwin Press, 2006), sharing experiences from her 25+ years of experience in working with children, parents and teachers to provide insight and inspiration. The book supplies teachers with a template for creating classrooms that foster curiosity and creativity, giving children “the freedom to control their learning without letting a classroom get out of control.” The format for the book makes it enjoyable reading, starting with a concept, illustrated by one of Gwen’s personal stories, a review of the lesson learned, then a self-assessment for the teacher to help identify where changes need to be made. She provides lists of activities to support each concept and her engaging stories are ones teachers can relate to, making implementing them into their own classrooms that much easier. The author is an advocate for children, supporting teachers in their quest for finding the balance between teacher planned activities and child lead. Her focus is on the children, following their interests, and creating an environment that supports their creativity. The book is filled with practical, use-it-today type of activities that teachers can take to make a difference in the learning atmosphere in their classrooms. The activities provide outlets for the child’s natural urge to explore their world and learn about it and their place in it. The self assessment tools after each concept challenge the reader to be honest about their current practices in order to implement real change and improvement. Teachers will not only be inspired by the engaging stories, but be provided with the means to bring those same stories to life in their own classrooms. More Help is exactly that – help for teachers, a helping hand and friend to guide you along the way, the kind of resource you will use again and again, the one you will turn to when things go array because you know it will get you back onto the path of success!
More Help! For Teachers of Young Children
99 Tips to Promote Intellectual Development and Creativity, (Corwin Press, 2006)
is available at: www.corwinpress.com.
Patricia
Book Review:
More Help! For Teachers of Young Children
by Patricia Dischler
Author Gwen Snyder Kaltman brings yet another fantastic resource for early childhood teachers in her book, More Help! For Teachers of Young Children, 99 Tips to Promote Intellectual Development and Creativity, (Corwin Press, 2006), sharing experiences from her 25+ years of experience in working with children, parents and teachers to provide insight and inspiration. The book supplies teachers with a template for creating classrooms that foster curiosity and creativity, giving children “the freedom to control their learning without letting a classroom get out of control.” The format for the book makes it enjoyable reading, starting with a concept, illustrated by one of Gwen’s personal stories, a review of the lesson learned, then a self-assessment for the teacher to help identify where changes need to be made. She provides lists of activities to support each concept and her engaging stories are ones teachers can relate to, making implementing them into their own classrooms that much easier. The author is an advocate for children, supporting teachers in their quest for finding the balance between teacher planned activities and child lead. Her focus is on the children, following their interests, and creating an environment that supports their creativity. The book is filled with practical, use-it-today type of activities that teachers can take to make a difference in the learning atmosphere in their classrooms. The activities provide outlets for the child’s natural urge to explore their world and learn about it and their place in it. The self assessment tools after each concept challenge the reader to be honest about their current practices in order to implement real change and improvement. Teachers will not only be inspired by the engaging stories, but be provided with the means to bring those same stories to life in their own classrooms. More Help is exactly that – help for teachers, a helping hand and friend to guide you along the way, the kind of resource you will use again and again, the one you will turn to when things go array because you know it will get you back onto the path of success!
More Help! For Teachers of Young Children
99 Tips to Promote Intellectual Development and Creativity, (Corwin Press, 2006)
is available at: www.corwinpress.com.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Grand Friendships
I am very happy to share with you this great resource about "Grand Friendships!" Connecting children with older adults can be an important and beneficial addition to any early childhood program, and this book will give you guidelines on how to do it successfully. Check it out today!
Patricia
Book Review:
Don’t Cheat the Children:
Connecting Generations Through Grand Friendships
By Helene Block Fields
Wonderstone Press, 2009
An inspiring resource for both teachers and parents, Don’t Cheat the Children, provides research, guidance and personal stories to inform readers of the benefits of intergenerational relationships and provides the steps to building successful relationships between young children and older generations.
Written by an educator and pioneer in the field of intergenerational relationships, Helene Block Fields shares her vast experience, providing insight and direction for parents and teachers. She tells the story of a third grade classroom in Florida that implemented an intergenerational program. The class arranged daily visits to a neighborhood nursing home, pairing children with older adults. Fields describes the scene as the children arrived at the home: “It felt like a charge of electricity in the air.” Children and elders alike were calling out to each other with joy and admirations upon the children’s arrival. Field illustrates how these relationships are not only powerful for the older generation, but of great benefit to children as well, giving them wisdom, laughter, advice and unconditional love.
Fields defines Grand Friendships as: “Comfortable, two-way connections between children and trustworthy older adults in their own families, neighborhoods, schools, places of worship, or other safe settings.” Studies show that preschool children involved in intergenerational programs had higher preschool/social development scores than children in non-intergenerational programs.
Filled with completing stories of successful intergenerational programs, the book is an enjoyable and informative read. Each chapter also includes a “tips” list for teachers, parents and older adults on how to build successful Grand Friendships.
Fields also shares comments from the children in these programs, 20 years later. One young man, shared how these relationships impacted his life: “I learned more about real life there than I could have learned in a year at school. Also, this made me want to help the community because of how important it was and how good it felt. It instilled a sense of responsibility that stayed with me.”
Helene Block Fields not only paves the way for teachers and parents to implement such inspiring programs. She thoroughly illustrates the short and long term benefits of these programs, inspiring any reader to take on this challenge.
To order visit: www.grandfriendships.com.
Patricia
Book Review:
Don’t Cheat the Children:
Connecting Generations Through Grand Friendships
By Helene Block Fields
Wonderstone Press, 2009
An inspiring resource for both teachers and parents, Don’t Cheat the Children, provides research, guidance and personal stories to inform readers of the benefits of intergenerational relationships and provides the steps to building successful relationships between young children and older generations.
Written by an educator and pioneer in the field of intergenerational relationships, Helene Block Fields shares her vast experience, providing insight and direction for parents and teachers. She tells the story of a third grade classroom in Florida that implemented an intergenerational program. The class arranged daily visits to a neighborhood nursing home, pairing children with older adults. Fields describes the scene as the children arrived at the home: “It felt like a charge of electricity in the air.” Children and elders alike were calling out to each other with joy and admirations upon the children’s arrival. Field illustrates how these relationships are not only powerful for the older generation, but of great benefit to children as well, giving them wisdom, laughter, advice and unconditional love.
Fields defines Grand Friendships as: “Comfortable, two-way connections between children and trustworthy older adults in their own families, neighborhoods, schools, places of worship, or other safe settings.” Studies show that preschool children involved in intergenerational programs had higher preschool/social development scores than children in non-intergenerational programs.
Filled with completing stories of successful intergenerational programs, the book is an enjoyable and informative read. Each chapter also includes a “tips” list for teachers, parents and older adults on how to build successful Grand Friendships.
Fields also shares comments from the children in these programs, 20 years later. One young man, shared how these relationships impacted his life: “I learned more about real life there than I could have learned in a year at school. Also, this made me want to help the community because of how important it was and how good it felt. It instilled a sense of responsibility that stayed with me.”
Helene Block Fields not only paves the way for teachers and parents to implement such inspiring programs. She thoroughly illustrates the short and long term benefits of these programs, inspiring any reader to take on this challenge.
To order visit: www.grandfriendships.com.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Worth Reading Twice!
Okay, I just realized I've posted this article once before! So sorry, but it really is worth doing twice. I'll post another new article tomorrow to make up for it!
Patricia
Patricia
Tantrums, Fussing & Whining
I've just finished reading the entire series of "No-Cry" books by Elizabeth Pantley, and they are fantastic! I highly recommend them not only for providers and teachers, but to recommend them to the parents you serve. Here's an excerpt from her discipline book. Enjoy!
Patricia
Tantrums, Fussing and Whining
from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) by Elizabeth Pantley
If you ask parents to list the most frustrating discipline problems during early childhood, you would find that these three items appear on every list. All children master their own version of these behaviors – every parent has to deal with them!
Controlling their emotions
Most often these behaviors are caused by a child’s inability to express or control his emotions. Tiredness, hunger, boredom, frustration and other causes that ignite The Big Three can frequently be avoided or modified. When your child begins a meltdown, try to determine if you can tell what underlying issue is causing the problem. Solve that problem and you’ll likely have your sweet child back again.
Handling tantrums, fussing and whining
No matter how diligent you are in recognizing trigger causes, your child will still have meltdown moments. Or even meltdown days. The following tips can help you handle those inevitable bumps in the road. Be flexible and practice those solutions that seem to bring the best results.
Offer choices
You may be able to avoid problems by giving your child more of a say in his life. You can do this by offering choices. Instead of saying, “Get ready for bed right now,” which may provoke a tantrum, offer a choice, “What would you like to do first, put on your pajamas or brush your teeth?” Children who are busy deciding things are often happy.
Get eye-to-eye
When you make a request from a distance your child will likely ignore you. Noncompliance creates stress, which leads to fussing and tantrums – from both of you. Instead, get down to your child’s level, look him in the eye and make clear, concise requests. This will catch his full attention.
Tell him what you DO want
Instead of focusing on misbehavior and what you don’t want him to do, explain exactly what you’d like your child to do or say instead. Give him simple instructions to follow.
Validate his feelings
Help your child identify and understand her emotions. Give words to her feelings, “You’re sad. You want to stay here and play. I know.” This doesn’t mean you must give in to her request, but letting her know that you understand her problem may be enough to help her calm down.
Teach the Quiet Bunny
When children get worked up, their physiological symptoms keep them in an agitated state. You can teach your child how to relax and then use this approach when fussing begins.
You can start each morning or end each day with a brief relaxation session. Have your child sit or lie comfortably with eyes closed. Tell a story that he’s a quiet bunny. Name body parts (feet, legs, tummy, etc.) and have your child wiggle it, and then relax it.
Once your child is familiar with this process you can call upon it at times when he is agitated. Crouch down to your child’s level, put your hands on his shoulders, look him in the eye and say, let’s do our Quiet Bunny. And then talk him through the process. Over time, just mentioning it and asking him to close his eyes will bring relaxation.
Distract and involve
Children can easily be distracted when a new activity is suggested. If your child is whining or fussing try viewing it as an “activity” that your child is engaged in. Since children aren’t very good multi-taskers you might be able to end the unpleasant activity with the recommendation of something different to do.
Invoke his imagination
If a child is upset about something, it can help to vocalize his fantasy of what he wishes would happen: “I bet you wish we could buy every single toy in this store.” This can become a fun game.
Use the preventive approach
Review desired behavior prior to leaving the house, or when entering a public building, or before you begin a playdate. This might prevent the whining or tantrum from even beginning. Put your comments in the positive (tell what you want, not what you don’t want) and be specific.
When it’s over, it’s over
After an episode of misbehavior is finished you can let it go and move on. Don’t feel you must teach a lesson by withholding your approval, love or company. Children bounce right back, and it is okay for you to bounce right back, too.
Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) by Elizabeth Pantley http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth
Patricia
Tantrums, Fussing and Whining
from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) by Elizabeth Pantley
If you ask parents to list the most frustrating discipline problems during early childhood, you would find that these three items appear on every list. All children master their own version of these behaviors – every parent has to deal with them!
Controlling their emotions
Most often these behaviors are caused by a child’s inability to express or control his emotions. Tiredness, hunger, boredom, frustration and other causes that ignite The Big Three can frequently be avoided or modified. When your child begins a meltdown, try to determine if you can tell what underlying issue is causing the problem. Solve that problem and you’ll likely have your sweet child back again.
Handling tantrums, fussing and whining
No matter how diligent you are in recognizing trigger causes, your child will still have meltdown moments. Or even meltdown days. The following tips can help you handle those inevitable bumps in the road. Be flexible and practice those solutions that seem to bring the best results.
Offer choices
You may be able to avoid problems by giving your child more of a say in his life. You can do this by offering choices. Instead of saying, “Get ready for bed right now,” which may provoke a tantrum, offer a choice, “What would you like to do first, put on your pajamas or brush your teeth?” Children who are busy deciding things are often happy.
Get eye-to-eye
When you make a request from a distance your child will likely ignore you. Noncompliance creates stress, which leads to fussing and tantrums – from both of you. Instead, get down to your child’s level, look him in the eye and make clear, concise requests. This will catch his full attention.
Tell him what you DO want
Instead of focusing on misbehavior and what you don’t want him to do, explain exactly what you’d like your child to do or say instead. Give him simple instructions to follow.
Validate his feelings
Help your child identify and understand her emotions. Give words to her feelings, “You’re sad. You want to stay here and play. I know.” This doesn’t mean you must give in to her request, but letting her know that you understand her problem may be enough to help her calm down.
Teach the Quiet Bunny
When children get worked up, their physiological symptoms keep them in an agitated state. You can teach your child how to relax and then use this approach when fussing begins.
You can start each morning or end each day with a brief relaxation session. Have your child sit or lie comfortably with eyes closed. Tell a story that he’s a quiet bunny. Name body parts (feet, legs, tummy, etc.) and have your child wiggle it, and then relax it.
Once your child is familiar with this process you can call upon it at times when he is agitated. Crouch down to your child’s level, put your hands on his shoulders, look him in the eye and say, let’s do our Quiet Bunny. And then talk him through the process. Over time, just mentioning it and asking him to close his eyes will bring relaxation.
Distract and involve
Children can easily be distracted when a new activity is suggested. If your child is whining or fussing try viewing it as an “activity” that your child is engaged in. Since children aren’t very good multi-taskers you might be able to end the unpleasant activity with the recommendation of something different to do.
Invoke his imagination
If a child is upset about something, it can help to vocalize his fantasy of what he wishes would happen: “I bet you wish we could buy every single toy in this store.” This can become a fun game.
Use the preventive approach
Review desired behavior prior to leaving the house, or when entering a public building, or before you begin a playdate. This might prevent the whining or tantrum from even beginning. Put your comments in the positive (tell what you want, not what you don’t want) and be specific.
When it’s over, it’s over
After an episode of misbehavior is finished you can let it go and move on. Don’t feel you must teach a lesson by withholding your approval, love or company. Children bounce right back, and it is okay for you to bounce right back, too.
Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) by Elizabeth Pantley http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth
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