TOYS!

This time of year, many families celebrate holidays with gift-giving.  If you have a child in your life to buy for, or have parents or friends asking for great toy suggestions for their children, check out the following resources and gift-giving guides:

Resources from NAEYC:
8 Things to Know about Toys
Why This Toy?

Resources from Truce Teachers:
Truce 2015-2016 Annual Toy Selection Guide

Non-Toy Gift Ideas:
Non-Toy Holiday Gift Ideas
18 Non-Toy Gift Ideas for Children

Resources for encouraging strong, confident girls:
Top 40 Science Toys for Mighty Girls
Holiday Gift Guide: Women in STEM Fields Dolls and Action Figures

Adult Child Interactions Throughout the Day

We all know that establishing a positive classroom climate and developing nurturing, supportive relationships with children are essential elements in high quality preschool classrooms, but the specifics of how to do those things can be difficult to pinpoint.
Click here for a handy resource that our early childhood specialist team put together outlining what adult-child interactions should look like throughout the day and check out the article entitled Assessing Adult Child Interactions to learn more about this important topic.

Peter, Pass the Peas, Please: Family Style Dining at its Best

When teachers are actively engaged with children at a table there are so many opportunities to model, to refer children to one another for help, to encourage self-help skills, and to spend time just talking with children.  If you are a teacher in a Michigan Great Start Readiness Program classroom or a Head Start preschool classroom, family style meals are more than just a great idea they are a program requirement. This requirement comes with plenty of guidance from Michigan Department of education as information about what family style meals should look like in a Great Start Readiness Program classroom is available here: Implementation Manual Family Style Meals  

Likewise, the Office of Head Start provides plenty of information about the whys and the hows of family style meals at their Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center website.

Save the Date!

As we inch ever closer to summer break, don't forget to mark your calendars and make plans to join the us for the second annual WISD Early Childhood Conference on August 29th and 30th.  This two-day conference will be jam-packed with information on a variety of topics. The conference will also feature keynote speaker Nell Duke.

Be sure to check back here for more information as it is available. 

We hope that you will join us for this exciting opportunity to learn and connect with your colleagues across the county!

Clean-Up, Clean-Up, Everybody, Everywhere...

You Know the Song!

There aren't very many children, or adults for that matter, who really and truly enjoy the process of cleaning up.  (I apologize if you are one who enjoys the task of cleaning- I wish I could be more like you!)  On the other hand, we probably all enjoy the end result which is a clean, tidy, organized, and relaxing environment! 

There are those who say that requiring  young children to clean up their toys, put materials away, throw away their own trash, and help wash tables is really not developmentally appropriate.  There are others who say it helps develop confidence and shows initiative and independence, building a sense of community.  Wherever you fall in this debate the fact remains that in our preschool programs we have to clean up our classrooms after work time and it works better if everyone helps. 

In my experience as an adult, I have learned there are things that make cleaning bearable, if not fun.  Sometimes I just might need some new tools to feel efficient and successful.  (I think I've heard that line from my husband!) Recently, I bought a new vacuum that works on my super thick rug and easily picks up pet hair and then found washable cleaning cloths that work really well on everything else.  Those new tools have made my cleaning job much easier.  There are now times when I look forward to cleaning my house- but it's more than the new tools! Those times when I look forward to cleaning are usually when I’m not doing it alone.  It is not that the process of cleaning has suddenly become an enjoyable task; it’s that I like doing things with other people.  When we clean together it’s usually in preparation for a party or family gathering, so the end result is even more fun than just a sparkling clean house.

As early childhood educators we have goals that include teaching children to care for the environment, which includes cleaning up and taking care of trash. We have everything organized and labeled in hopes that as children put things away they will experience and begin to understand grouping and sorting (science and math), we explain to children how it’s easier to find their favorite things when they’re put away where they belong and this supports their developing awareness of geography.  Although I’m not sure three, four, or five-year-old children understand or buy into all of that, these are still important lessons,  The process of cleaning up the classroom still may not always be that much fun, so for children it may not be worth the trouble… unless we can make it into something the children truly enjoy.  We know our children’s interests and strengths, so we can try building on those.  Sometimes children may need new tools, sometimes there’s a way to turn clean up time into a social event or a game and sometimes we need a strategy for keeping the end result in mind.  

There are a few clean-up games and strategies I have used or heard about over the past few years and I've listed some of them here.  If you have some ideas that have been successful in your experience, or some successes you have heard about please, feel free to share.

Partner Clean-up

Give pairs of children a bucket or bag of some kind and have them fill it up and then work together to put away all the materials in their container.

Be the Boss

Have children choose an area or set of materials to be in charge of- they can recruit helpers or do it themselves, but they are the boss of that area and can say when it's finished.  Variation- each area has someone assigned to check the area once it has been finished by those working in that area. Could be a classroom job a child signs up for.

Beat the Song

This is a race against a song you play (or you could sing a song) and everyone is in on the race.   Variations include assigning different groups of children to different areas or materials and they race each other.   Race against a timer or race against a teacher(s).

Pretend Clean-up

Choose a favorite pretend play scenario and clean up within that play theme-  the High Scope Demonstration Preschool teachers pretended they were all ninjas and there was a monster in the sewer.  They needed to clean up to melt it away.  With each area of the room that was cleaned another part of the monster melted until he was all gone and the classroom was cleaned up. Variations from Gretchen's House WISD- Robot clean-up (might have robot music to go with it) and Spy clean-up (also with music)

Number Clean up

Have number cards ready (could be playing cards)- each child picks a number and puts away that many things- then children can go and get another number and put away that many more things.

Attribute Clean up

Announce what to clean up by attributes (or even better- have children take turns announcing). Examples- "First, put away all the red things," or "Next, find all the rectangular toys and put them away" or Now put away everything made of wood."

Create a book of favorite clean-up games and let a child/children choose.

STEM in Preschool?

I found this tidbit in ExchangeEveryDay and it has proved to be inspirational and caused me to think about how to extend and build on what's already happening in a normal preschool classroom related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) - and in this case it's done side by side with a literacy activity.  I hope this will stimulate your thinking about how to enhance and expand what you do every day!

In Brain World magazine (Fall 2014), Kenneth Wilson argues that "Parents and teachers should learn to recognize 'where STEM is' in what they already teach in class, do at home, or experience during the day." He offers as an example this STEM learning activity:

"Take a traditional storybook that presents a problem. Ask students to 'engineer' a different (preferably better) solution to the problem.  For example, you have received an urgent email message from the Three Little Pigs.  They have been traumatized long enough by the Big Bad Wolf!  Your family/class has been commissioned by the Three Little Pigs to engineer two safeguards to thwart the Big Bad Wolf.  How many design and engineering models can you propose as solutions to the Three Little Pigs problem?"

<exchangeeveryday@ccie.com>  10/29/14

I wonder what could happen if you asked the children in your class to work with the three bears on ideas to keep their house safe from intruders, or see if they would be willing to help the troll under the bridge engineer a solution to the abundance of traffic.

Learning Environment?

Learning Environment!

Imagine what can happen when children are given interesting, real, open-ended materials, which are thoughtfully chosen and arranged in their classrooms and outdoor environments! 

Imagine having another teacher in your classroom!  It has been said that a carefully planned learning environment can be as valuable as another teacher in the classroom.

A key word here is learning; and we don't mean rote learning or teacher-dictated sharing of information (aka lectures), or drill practice, but real, active, engaged learning where children can interact with materials in ways that make sense to them! 

Consider your own classroom- 

Do you have a variety of open-ended, real, multicultural, natural, non-stereotypical, materials with different textures/properties, made of different substances?

Here are some thoughts on...

Metal

Do I have metal objects in my classroom?  

"Be alert to ways to increase children’s opportunities to ­experience new and unique materials in the early childhood classroom.  Metal is an important example of a rich material filled with endless possibilities — both visually and kinesthetically.  Metal has boundless potential to engage ­children’s interest and promote sensory experimentation, relevant investigations and experimentation, and life-long learning."

How about wood or fabric?

This challenge comes from Sandra Duncan and Mickey MacGillivray in their article, "Metal: A Perfect Play Material for Children's Improvisation." 

Retrieved 11/24/14 from: http://www.childcareexchange.com/eed/

Loose Parts:

What loose parts can you provide inside and out?

In his Exchange article, "Sand, Sand, Sand," Rusty Keeler observes...

"Ever wonder why so many images of ‘paradise’ show palm trees, ocean waves, and a sandy beach?  It’s the endless mud pie, sand castle, and sand sculpture possibilities, of course!  Infinite fun and creativity…  Just what you want in paradise, right?  And just what you want for your children when they go outside everyday — to have rich materials and loose parts for constructive collaborations and discoveries of nature.

"We want children to have the freedom to create their own worlds, structure their own play, and change their environments according to their ideas and inspirations.  We do this by saying 'yes' and offering spaces and materials that invite spontaneous creativity.  Loose parts in your play-scape do this and sand, yes, humble sand, is the ultimate loose part.  Children can mold, sift, sculpt, dig, and pile.  Through the pouring and sifting of sand, they see cosmic properties of the planet.  They touch the universe in a grain of sand and the sand creations they make reflect their imagination and spirit."

retrieved 11/24/14 from: http://www.childcareexchange.com/eed/news_print.php?news_id=3665

Water:

How often do I have water available for play in my class room?

In an article by Carol Gross entitled; "Science Concepts Young Children Learn from Water Play," C. Gross says, 

Water and a few inexpensive tools can provide a sensory and learning experience of immense proportions.  What is it children get out of their water study, which looks so much like fun? Free play with water can build the foundation for understanding of a multitude of scientific concepts, including those in

•            Physics (flow, motion),

•            Chemistry (solutions, cohesion),

•            Biology (plant and animal life), and

•            Mathematics (measurement, equivalence, volume).

To read more about water play, follow the link below

retrieved 11/24/14 from: http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/pdf/Science_Concepts_Young_Children_Learn_Through_Water_Play_Carol_M_Gross.pdf

Final thoughts:

What can you add to enhance the learning in your classroom simply by providing different kinds of materials, essentially giving an open invitation for children to engage?

Take note of how children engage, learn, and explore as they interact with the real, natural, open-ended materials you provide.  You may find they will go way beyond what you could have ever imagined.

Our Sandbox Has Become a Mud Pit

A letter from one of our GSRP teachers to the families of the children in her class;

"Spring has sprung and as the snow has melted away; our sandbox has become a mud pit. As parents, when our children veer towards mud puddles, we often think about the potential mess and piles of dirty clothes that will form on the floor of our laundry room. From an early childhood teacher perspective, however, we see endless opportunities for open-ended play. Today, the sandbox on our playground became a mud kitchen as children created mud pies, discussing the various ingredients necessary to make the recipe perfect. There were managers and employees, cooks and customers. As children played, they watched the mud change from a solid form on the ground to a liquid form as it poured off their shovels. They observed how various materials, such as sticks, rocks, pebbles, and leaves, mixed and mashed into the mud, and watched as the deeper they dug into the sand pit, the more water seeped out and formed onto the surface. Children placed piles of mud on top of the large red ball and observed as it dripped down the sides describing its appearance and giggling.

Some might say it just looked as if they were simply enjoying getting messy, but from the educational perspective, we recognize that sensory play such as this encourages brain development. Large and small muscles and hand-eye coordination were developed as children scooped, mixed, poured, carried, and transferred the mud from one container to another. Social-emotional and language skills were strengthened as children engaged in cooperative play with one another and acted out various community roles, such as being a chef or a baker. Science and math abounded as children experimented and explored using cause and effect and discovered volume and measurement as they filled and emptied their pots and pans.  

However, we recognize, yes, mud play is messy and currently, our weather is still on the chilly side. Thus, over the course of the next few weeks, please send your child to school with clothes that can get messy, because we will! Snow pants or other mud pants (perhaps a lighter, nylon track pant) that can be worn over your child’s clothes will be helpful. Rain or snow boots are important, too. Please do not feel as if you have to wash your child’s mud gear each night – in fact, if you would prefer, leave it hanging on their coat hooks at school and take it home to wash on the weekend only.  There is absolutely no need for any of us to do laundry every day (it’s quite possibly my most dreaded chore!)  Also, take a peek in your child’s basket cubby – you might want to bring in an additional change of clothes for those “just in case” times. Kenneth and I are looking forward to all of the numerous learning opportunities that we will discover during this wet, muddy spring, but we want to make sure our children and parents are well prepared for the “mess” that comes with it!"

Holly Delgado

Early Childhood Specialist/Preschool Teacher

HighScope Educational Research Foundation

Go Play Outside!

From more creative play to increased self-esteem to the obvious physical benefits, being outside plays a critical role in healthy development for young children. But how can we be sure that children are achieving the maximum benefits from being outside?  What tools and toys, materials and structures will benefit children the most in the outdoor learning environment?  If you are ready to move past the swings and really dig in (pun intended) to creating a high quality learning environment for young children, check out some of these fantastic resources:

Where to Start

For many of us, the first step in moving toward more open-ended and nature-based outdoor experiences for young children is really changing our own mindset.  We must move past the idea of outdoor time as "recess" and begin to value the rich experiences available outside that cannot be provided inside. Only then will it become clear that a focus on outdoor learning environment is as important as the indoor classroom that we work so hard on.

 

"It doesn’t take a magical landscape to crate a beautiful playscape. It just takes a magical imagination and a team of enthusiastic people to make playscape dreams come true." This article, Back to Nature, gives some very practical information about how to get started.

More information on the how-to can be found here: 20 Ways to Create Play Environments for the Soul

 

What to Provide

For many centers and programs, one relatively easy, but major change for the outdoor learning environment is the addition of loose parts.

 "Loose parts are materials with no specific set of directions, and they can be used alone or together with other materials. They can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, taken apart, and out back together in multiple ways.  The child, rather than a manufacturer or other adult, determines how the materials are used."                                   

This article from High Scope, Open Ended Materials Belong Outside, Too, provides an excellent definition of "loose parts", outlines their importance and gives some ideas about what kinds of loose parts to include in an outdoor play space.

Likewise, this article from Community Playthings, The Learning in Loose Parts, highlights some of great benefits of loose parts in preschool play spaces.
 
For a list of NAEYC resources on the whys and hows of outdoor play click here.

Head Start's ECLKC website has some great resources on this webpage.

Where to Get It

Many of the loose parts mentioned in the articles above can be gathered from nature or found at resale shops or garage sales.  But if you've got some money to spend or just want some inspiration about the possibilities, check out these resources for high quality, open-ended outdoor materials:
Earth Play store
Nature Explore 
Community Playthings 
Natural Playgrounds
Kodo
  Don’t forget Pinterest as a source for inspiration and great ideas! Many of us have love-hate relationships with Pinterest- so many great ideas, but who has that kind of time and money!?   While there are many unachievable cool things there, there are many practical ideas, too and we all need a little inspiration now and then. (Hint: Watch for Early Childhood Washtenaw’s Pinterest page – coming soon!)  

 

Happy Playing!

 

 

 

Shall We Gather

Across curriculum models and program types, the importance of gathering children together in groups, large and small, is emphasized as a critical element of the preschool experience. What those groups look like can vary widely.  Here are some whys and hows about group times in Head Start and GSRP classrooms.

Why have group times? 

Group times allow children to feel like part of a community and to have common experiences that tie them together.  During large group times, children have the opportunity to learn how to be a part of the group, to listen to the teacher and to other children as well as how to be a leader themselves.  During small group times, children work alongside a teacher and a group of up to 8 of their peers to explore and learn. Some children may be more willing and able to express themselves within a smaller group.

Standard Elements of Group Times:

·        Built around children’s interests, classroom activities or study topics, community events, development and learning objectives or other curriculum materials
 

·       Allow for active learning.  The five elements of active learning according to HighScope are :

o   Materials       o   Manipulation      o   Choice  

o   Child Thought and Language     o   Adults Scaffolding

·        In addition to the specific activities to occur during group time, teachers should plan for a gathering activity or introduction as well transition activities at the end

·         During planning, teachers must also consider the variety of developmental levels of the children in the classroom and plan for ways to accommodate them all

 

Other Notes about Group Times in General:

·         May occur spontaneously- teachable moments cannot always be planned!

·         Can provide a great way to introduce new materials in the classroom

·         Teachers should reflect on the effectiveness and enjoyment of their group times at the end of the day.  Consider:

• What went well? 
• What could be changed to make the activity more effective?
• Was the format suitable?  (Ex: would your large group time activity be better received as a small group time activity) 
•  What other follow up might be needed?  (Ex. New materials to add to the classroom, notes to write, etc.

Information for this post and guidance and best practice information about group times in Head Start and GSRP classrooms comes from:

       Head Start Performance Standards:

          1304.21(a)(1)(iv)             1304.21(a)(3)(i)(c)         1304.21(a)(3)(ii)

           1304.21(a)(4)(iv)             1304.21(b)(2)(ii)

·         Creative Curriculum Foundations: Page 176

          HighScope Educational Research Foundation

 

·         NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice(Criterion 3.D.10)

·         Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

·         Emotional Support, Classroom Organization and Instructional Support State of MI Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten Learning Environment Program Std. 6

·         Preschool Program Quality Assessment (PQA) : II-H - Daily Routine (pg 22)

 III-H and III-I Adult-Child Interaction  (pgs 36-37) II-G: Daily Routine (pg 21) and III-H & III-I: Adult-Child Interaction (pgs 36-37)

ECKLC - Early Childhood Knowledge and Learning Center:     (www.ecklc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov)