Hillary Clinton and Pritzker Family Foundation

Have you heard the news? In the last week, Early Childhood has made a big splash in the news with the vocal support of Hillary Clinton in “Too Small to Fail” and the Pritzker Family Foundation $20 million investment in the first phase of a public-private partnership entitled “Early Childhood Innovation Accelerator” project.

Watch the kickoff video here:

Interested in learning more about these projects? Click here to read an analysis by Lisa Guernsey of New America Foundation

We are interested in hearing your opinion about these recent developments.

 

 

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Innovative 5 minute video highlighting the importance of building adult capacities to improve child outcomes

It's only 5 minutes! Take five minutes and watch this informative video from the Frontiers of Innovation at Harvard University as they discuss the importance of building adult capacities to improve child outcomes. Adults- both parents and those that care for children- need “hands on” opportunities to improve their skills and provide what children need. In this video, they elaborate on focal points to accomplish this.

Do you agree with these focal points? Is this theory applicable? What would you change? Keep? We are interested in hearing from you.

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TED talk: Nancy Carlsson-Paige- “When Education Goes Wrong: Taking the Creativity and Play out of Learning”

In her TedTalk, "When Education Goes Wrong: Taking the Creativity and Play out of Learning", Nancy Carlsson-Paige from Lesley University shares this message:

"When we watch children play, we understand how central play is to healthy development — to children’s emotional, social, and cognitive health and learning. Through play and hands-on activity, children build ideas and relationships that become the foundation for success in school and life. Today’s overemphasis in schools across the country on standards and testing is pushing down to younger children and resulting in more and more direct instruction at the expense of play and active learning.

When we drill and grill children, we cut out the powerful natural capacities they bring to the learning experience — their creativity, original thinking, capacity to problem solve and invent new ideas, their natural ability to cooperate, initiate, and persevere. When we take these amazing capabilities children have out of the education experience, we take the love out of learning. We take the joy out of learning. What we have to do is figure out: How do we create an education system in this country that nurtures and develops and builds onto the magnificent capacities children bring with them when they come to school?"

Take a look at her message. What do you think? How would you address this challenge? 

 

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Job Alert: SCO FirstStepNYC – NEW initiative in Brownsville, Brooklyn

SCO FirstStepNYC is hiring. Read below to learn more about this exciting opportunity!


FirstStepNYC draws from the Educare model and tailors that model to our local needs. They have adapted the program to seize unique opportunities for increasing school readiness for children in Brownsville and other high needs areas across the city.

Several aspects of the program and Leadership Institute are inspired by Educare (e.g., configuration of rooms with infant/toddlers next to preschoolers and observation rooms in between; emphasis on empowering families at the front end of their children’s education; use of data at all levels to constantly improve quality; collaboration with an outside researcher to identify and spread effective practices coming out of the program; public-private partnerships to support quality enhancements)

NYC specific details include close collaboration with PS/IS 41 leadership to coordinate use of shared space in ways that support smooth transitions for children and families, use of the leadership institute and research components to spread best practices and support quality improvements in programs across the city.    

The co-location approach provides a unique opportunity to strengthen linkages between the birth-5 program and K-8 school at PS/IS 41.  These connections will provide children with the foundations needed for future success, foster smooth transitions for children and families into elementary school, and create an ongoing dialogue between staff serving children from birth- grade 8 around the most effective ways to ensure children start off school ready and remain on a path towards college and career readiness.

NYC’s Educare inspired model will be known as FirstStepNYC, a demonstration project with an emphasis on both early childhood and adult leadership development, will advance citywide efforts to ensure all children enter kindergarten on a path to be college and career ready by the time they graduate our schools.

In the fall of 2013, NYC will open the flagship site of a new high quality birth-5 model program with a Leadership Institute for Early Childhood Directors: FirstStepNYC at PS/IS 41. Established in one of the most at-risk neighborhoods - Brownsville, Brooklyn, FirstStepNYC will be co-located with PS/IS 41, a K-8 elementary school.

SCO Family of Services will be the operating partner for FirstStepNYC.  SCO helps vulnerable New Yorkers build a strong foundation for the future.  The agency gets young children off to a good start, launches youth into adulthood, stabilizes and strengthens families and unlocks potential for children and adults with specials needs. Since 2005, SCO has been providing early childhood services within the Brownsville community. They provide a continuum of early childhood programming that begins by engaging young women during pregnancy to ensure a healthy delivery.  This extends through the first three years, helping parents foster literacy, healthy development and learning. Then they work with families to help children enter school prepared to excel and to build lasting connections in school and in the community.   


Please read the attached documents to learn more about each position and the details on how to apply. Good Luck!

Director:  http://www.earlychildhoodnyc.org/career/job.php?job=243
Associate Director: http://www.earlychildhoodnyc.org/career/job.php?job=244
Associate Director – Ledership Institute: http://www.earlychildhoodnyc.org/career/job.php?job=245

hiring

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PDI in the News..NYSAEYC Conference 2013

newspaperClick BELOW to read about PDI at the NYSAEYC Conference. Featured in this blog is an excerpt from QUALITYstarsNY, Sherry M. Cleary- Early Childhood Leader, and a summary of PDI Presenters.

http://www.earlychildhoodnyc.org/pdfs/PDI%20in%20the%20News_04-2013.pdf

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Universal Preschool- What does that really entail?

Featured in EdSource, Mancy Whitebook article "Staffing a Universal Preschool Program Will be No Small Task," proposes possible implications involved with implementing Obama's universal preschool program.  Take a look at the article. Do you agree with her beliefs regarding early educators' compensation? Professional development?

http://www.edsource.org/today/2013/staffing-a-universal-preschool-program-will-be-no-small-task#.UW_pgTeRiSp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Stay Informed: National Association for the Education of Young Children: Call to Action for the 113th Congress

NAEYC’s policy recommendations address the key opportunities at the federal level for a well-financed, high-quality continuum of early childhood education, supporting children (from birth through age eight) and early childhood professionals across all settings. For access to the article–click here: http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/2013CalltoAction.pdf
 
 
 
 

 

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From ReadyNation: STEM and Early Childhood

ReadyNation.org has posted a new brief about the importance of quality Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) preparation in the early years. Visit ReadyNation.org or Download the PDF of the brief Then make sure to come back and let us know your thoughts on STEM in early childhood. How do you support these areas in your classroom?

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The Best Screen-Free Week Ever!

Screen-Free Week is an annual event organized by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. This year's is the week of April 29 – May 5. CCFC has lots of great ideas and materials to help you make your Screen-Free Week the best yet! See the original email campaign or visit their website for more information. Make sure to let us know here in the comments, or on our Facebook page what your plans are for this year's Screen-Free Week!

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From WNYC’s Schoolbook: Pre-K in NYC is Expanding

Access to Pre-Kindergarten is expanding in NYC, which is great news. Read more at WNYC's Schoolbook:

http://www.schoolbook.org/2013/03/05/pre-k-aligned-to-common-core-still-pretty-fun/

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