ECE Solutionary Membership Resources for Month 21
This month, I've hand-picked solutions from the categories of the authentic assessment, mindfulness, the power of play, the real common core, and professional development. Each solution is provided to help you go deeper into the "how" behind helping children thrive in school and in life.
Click here to download this month's at-a-glance handout.
As always, each solution includes a brief description and hyperlink to a PDF, YouTube video, blog post, podcast, and/or website. For those who end up feeling like the solution was TL;DR (too long; didn't read), I provide an at-a-glance tip you can put into action immediately. Each tip is signified by a purple hashtag (#prektip).
Authentic Assessment and Mindfulness
This research article compares agreement between teachers’ judgements of children’s literacy and math skills and their performance on a research-based assessment. It then delves into the importance of teaches’ judgements in Pre-K assessing. - written by K. Kowalski, R. D. Brown, C. Uchida, D. F. Sacks, and me. Click here for a summary of findings posted on FB.
#prektip: We often rely on teachers’ judgement of young children’s skills - it is crucial our judgements are right. (click to tweet!)
This blog is part 2 of a 2-part series with Laura Fish on mindfulness in the EC classroom. She shares a download with 8 strategies that support mindfulness over typical child guidance procedures. - created by Laura Fish and me
#prektip: Mindfulness practices prime the brain, mind, and body for healthy learning and development. (click to tweet!)
The “Real” Common Core Solutions
This blog offers steps to interact with children in a way that builds emotional intelligence. It gives examples and explanations for each step to help you understand their importance and implement them in your own interactions. - written by Laura Fish
#prektip: Science shows the importance of teaching kids how to identify, understand, and express their emotions so they can learn healthy ways to regulate them. (click to tweet!)
This article sheds new light on poverty in education and how it has shaped our current education system. It shares information on the word gap and programs like Head Start and discusses how we should really be helping our kids and families in poverty. - written by Mical Raz
#prektip: We need more than just free books to fight the effects of poverty in education. (click to tweet!)
The Power of Play and Professional Development Solutions
This blog gives the low-down on loose parts - where to find them, how to organize them, how kids can play with them, and why they’re so magical. - written by Jenni Caldwell
#prektip: The beauty of loose parts is that they’re all around you! (click to tweet!)
In this blog I share a conversation between Laura Fish and I about the importance of finding the meaning “behind the behavior” even in our work with adults. - created by Laura Fish and me
#prektip: By tuning in to other adults’ perspectives, we have greater success in choosing strategies that prevent behaviors that challenge us. (click to tweet!)