Do you subscribe to the Zero to Three email? Two great articles Raising Thankful Children and Parenting Young Children Today:What the Research tells Us, were the topics of the last email. Both worth reading and sharing with parents!
Do you subscribe to TACSEI/CSEFEL email? TACSEI's New "Making Your Life Easier" Series Provides Tips for Parents and Caregivers on topics such as bedtime, naptime, running errands and diapering. Great information to share with families!
Do you subscribe to Camille Catlett:Natural Resources? Recently she had a great article on Using Video to Enhance Outcomes for Young Children and Their Families
Video is a valuable tool for early care and education practitioners and can be used in many ways, including documenting child progress, evaluation, assessment, coaching, consultation, reflective practice, reflective supervision, family education, and professional development.
Pleae let me know if you need information on how to subscribe to any of the above resources; it is our responsibility to stay up to date on what's happening in the early childhood field!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Alignment Documents
Creative Curriculum is the most widely used curriculum in all of the preschools throughout AEA 8. This year many programs are replacing the Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum with the new GOLD assessment. GOLD is a comprehensive assessment system that can be used with children birth through kindergarten age. I have attached a crosswalk with the GOLD and the Iowa Early Learning Standards.
I have also attached the AEPS crosswalk with the Iowa Early Learning Standards.
Please take the time to become familiar with these tools and use them in decision making!
I have also attached the AEPS crosswalk with the Iowa Early Learning Standards.
Please take the time to become familiar with these tools and use them in decision making!
Early childhood setting codes launch Dec. 1
Dee Gethman,is working with Kirby Leland and Michelle Tressel in order to program the Web IEP and IMS to be ready to launch the new EC Setting Codes on December 1, 2010.
Kirby has programmed the Web IEP EC Setting Code worksheet to ask:
Does this child attend a Regular Early Childhood Program, includes kindergarten?
Note: A Regular EC Program is defined as a program, including kindergarten, with at least 50% peers NOT on an IEP.
If yes, then they complete the answer to the following question:
How many MINUTES PER WEEK does the child attend a Regular Early Childhood Program? (cannot exceed 2,400 minutes per week; 480 minutes per day).
The rest of the calculations will be done within the formulas and the information completed on Page F regarding “Minutes in Settings.”
Thus, the IEP Teams will only need to complete the following steps:
1. Answer the question about attending a Regular EC Program; and
2. Determine how many minutes per week a child attends a Regular EC program.
If a child does NOT attend a Regular EC Program, the IEP Team will complete the information similar to the previous worksheet, regarding where the child receives special education:
· Special ed class
· Special school
· Residential facility.
If none of these:
· Home or
· Service Provider location or some other location.
Dee is planning to send a powerpoint describing the new codes and changes. I will send the information out as soon as it arrives. We can further discuss the changes at our dpeartment meeting on Dec. 16.
Kirby has programmed the Web IEP EC Setting Code worksheet to ask:
Does this child attend a Regular Early Childhood Program, includes kindergarten?
Note: A Regular EC Program is defined as a program, including kindergarten, with at least 50% peers NOT on an IEP.
If yes, then they complete the answer to the following question:
How many MINUTES PER WEEK does the child attend a Regular Early Childhood Program? (cannot exceed 2,400 minutes per week; 480 minutes per day).
The rest of the calculations will be done within the formulas and the information completed on Page F regarding “Minutes in Settings.”
Thus, the IEP Teams will only need to complete the following steps:
1. Answer the question about attending a Regular EC Program; and
2. Determine how many minutes per week a child attends a Regular EC program.
If a child does NOT attend a Regular EC Program, the IEP Team will complete the information similar to the previous worksheet, regarding where the child receives special education:
· Special ed class
· Special school
· Residential facility.
If none of these:
· Home or
· Service Provider location or some other location.
Dee is planning to send a powerpoint describing the new codes and changes. I will send the information out as soon as it arrives. We can further discuss the changes at our dpeartment meeting on Dec. 16.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Work Sucks !
Well, now that I have your attention! I've seen this book entitled, "Work Sucks" lying around in several locations within our AEA office in Pocahontas. The title certainly gets ones attention; so I grabbed it and read it over the weekend. The book has an interesting concept about focusing on ROWE - Results Oriented Work Environment rather than on working the traditional day from 8-4:30, working from a time clock approach! It also talks about SLUDGES - things that might be perceived as "put downs" about co-workers. "Did you notice that so and so never gets to work by 8:00?" or "How about so and so who spends the first half hour chatting with co-workers and drinking coffee and reading the paper?" or "so and so who never shows up for meetings?" This books makes you realize how working from somewhere besides an office or cubicle can happen, due to technology such as email, cell phones, etc.
It's my understanding that the Communication and Outreach team are reading and studying the book. If you can get your hands on it, I'd suggest you read it; it makes a lot of sense!
The other book that is being read is "How full is your bucket?" That's next on my list, lots of comments about the book, if you follow the blog on Friday news. The gist of this book is to be a "bucket filler", giving positives to those you meet, rather than a "bucket dipper"
It's my understanding that the Communication and Outreach team are reading and studying the book. If you can get your hands on it, I'd suggest you read it; it makes a lot of sense!
The other book that is being read is "How full is your bucket?" That's next on my list, lots of comments about the book, if you follow the blog on Friday news. The gist of this book is to be a "bucket filler", giving positives to those you meet, rather than a "bucket dipper"
Early childhood codes
Becky Coffelt and I attended the EC network state meeting in Marshalltown on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. Dee Gethman presented the new Early Childhood codes and worksheet for Part B. This information will fit in well with our 3-5 dept. meeting topics in Dec. There were lots of conversations about Page F and it's relationship to the codes, etc. So, stay tuned - more to come within the next month!
So you want a sneak preview? Yes, there will still be A and B codes, along with C and D codes.
So you want a sneak preview? Yes, there will still be A and B codes, along with C and D codes.
World Forum
If you are interested in seeking information about the World Forum that I attended in Nebraska City in October, you can find pictures and a press release on the Prairie Lakes home page. Look on the right hand side of the page under "News and Information", scroll down to "World Forum, Connecting kids and nature" I discovered that the forum really did present appropriate information about preschool children -what child doesn't learn best from hands on experiences? what child with behavior problems or special needs couldn't benefit from learning through inquiry? doesn't nature contribute to their health and well being and gives them a sense of discovery? Are these important factors in successful education? I believe so!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Smile
Well we've made it through count date, whew! Now that was a stressor!
Did you know that it is proven that the act of smiling makes you feel better about everything - especially about you? Smiling requires fewer facial muscles than frowning, thus preserving the youthful tone of your checks and avoiding the dreaded wrinkles around your eyes and mouth.
Smiling releases endorphins, those wonderful little chemicals that reduce levels of pain and stress.
Endorphins even cut down on your appetitie. Smile and lose weight. Does it get any better than that?
If your not smiling these days, you need to start. Just look at Nicole, she has a smile that brightens her eyes and pushes the corner of her mouth into her cheeks, grinning from ear to ear with excitement of being engaged and the rest of us are congratulating her and remembering our story! Smile and the world smiles with you!
Did you know that it is proven that the act of smiling makes you feel better about everything - especially about you? Smiling requires fewer facial muscles than frowning, thus preserving the youthful tone of your checks and avoiding the dreaded wrinkles around your eyes and mouth.
Smiling releases endorphins, those wonderful little chemicals that reduce levels of pain and stress.
Endorphins even cut down on your appetitie. Smile and lose weight. Does it get any better than that?
If your not smiling these days, you need to start. Just look at Nicole, she has a smile that brightens her eyes and pushes the corner of her mouth into her cheeks, grinning from ear to ear with excitement of being engaged and the rest of us are congratulating her and remembering our story! Smile and the world smiles with you!
Preparing Preschool for the 21st Century
Please take a few minutes to look at the Prairie Lakes home page. On the right hand column you will find the topic, Preparing Preschool for the 21st Century. Click on it!
There is an informational article and pictures of some of our local preschool, daycare, and Head Start partners taking part in the UNI workshops that are being brought to our AEA.
There is an informational article and pictures of some of our local preschool, daycare, and Head Start partners taking part in the UNI workshops that are being brought to our AEA.
CHANGE in DATES
As I worked on my online calendar for November, I discovered that we have a ECSE 3-5 Department meeting scheduled for Mon. Nov. 15 and our 1/2 team/dept. meeting scheduled that same week for Fri. Nov. 19. I would like to make some schedule changes to avoid overkill. We will CANCEL NOV. 15 MEETING!
First of all, it would be important that our 3-5 people, Becky Coffelt and Deb Shelton help facilitate our department meeting that focuses on IEP topics. Becky has informed me that she will not be able to meet on Nov. 15 as she is completing a verification visit for the Statewide Preschool Grant that day, at a location outside of our AEA.
Secondly, Nov. 15 is the follow-up session on Attachment that Tammy, Cheryl, Gale and I attended in September. (We shared information with you at our last dept. mtg).
So, I am proposing NO DEPARTMENT MEETING on Mon. Nov. 15. I've looked at other dates in Nov. and have very few options to reschedule based on room availability in Pocahontas.
The new plan: Fri. Nov. 19 as scheduled - EA Proc. Manual Updates and ISU IFSP mods.
Mon. Dec. 6 - Joint Dept. Mtg with OT/PT and Gloria on PROGRESS
Monitoring - all day
Thurs. Dec. 16 - ECSE dept meeting - focus 3-5, all day in Poky
Fri. Dec. 17 - 1/2 day training CANCELLED!
First of all, it would be important that our 3-5 people, Becky Coffelt and Deb Shelton help facilitate our department meeting that focuses on IEP topics. Becky has informed me that she will not be able to meet on Nov. 15 as she is completing a verification visit for the Statewide Preschool Grant that day, at a location outside of our AEA.
Secondly, Nov. 15 is the follow-up session on Attachment that Tammy, Cheryl, Gale and I attended in September. (We shared information with you at our last dept. mtg).
So, I am proposing NO DEPARTMENT MEETING on Mon. Nov. 15. I've looked at other dates in Nov. and have very few options to reschedule based on room availability in Pocahontas.
The new plan: Fri. Nov. 19 as scheduled - EA Proc. Manual Updates and ISU IFSP mods.
Mon. Dec. 6 - Joint Dept. Mtg with OT/PT and Gloria on PROGRESS
Monitoring - all day
Thurs. Dec. 16 - ECSE dept meeting - focus 3-5, all day in Poky
Fri. Dec. 17 - 1/2 day training CANCELLED!
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