CREATIVE
NAME
youth Development – February 2013 family monthly Newsletter
our family story
“Theory & research”
HighReach Learning curriculum is based on knowledge of theory and research in early childhood education, coupled with an understanding of valued best practices. Our curriculum incorporates experiences that permit learning through guided play and active discovery.
In developing our curriculum, we consider the whole child – cognitively, socially, and physically. By incorporating the latest research on early childhood, including Piaget’s Constructivist Theory, Bruner’s Theory of Discovery Learning, Bergen’s Theory of Play, active exploration, and the most current NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice Guidelines, HighReach Learning has created a truly balanced, innovative, and interest-driven curriculum for children birth to five.
The field of early childhood has historically focused on child development while addressing the study of effective curriculum strategies with some reluctance or limited scope. At this time, the study of early childhood practices is growing; this growth positions professionals to be more purposeful in their curriculum development efforts. Research and Theory can be divided into three core areas of focus. The focus areas were included based on the underlying assumption that when planning curriculum for young children, consideration should be given to all three: child development, the content of the curriculum, and the pedagogy (practices).
All three working together are necessary to achieve the intended goals.
1. Knowledge of the Child – Refers to theories and research about
developmental characteristics, learning processes, and the context of growth and development.
2. Knowledge of the Content – Refers to the content of teaching in key learning domains impacting school readiness skills, including language, emergent literacy, science, math, social skills, and motor development.
3. Knowledge of the Pedagogy – Refers to the strategies to implement the curriculum, including interactions with materials and people in the environment.
Special Safety Message: As a reminder, ALL parents, visitors, and staff should be prepared to provide valid photo ID upon entering the facility. Only authorized individuals will be permitted access beyond the locked entrance. Please do not allow individuals to “piggyback” on your entry into the facility.
· POTTY TRAINING PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT. Potty training is a developmental milestone unlike any other in a child’s young life. Beginning in February we have created a “potty training guide” for parents and trained our staff on the latest positive potty training findings. Please help us welcome, “Henry” to our two and three year old programs.
· STAFF RECOGNITION. Please join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our staff!
As the Nation’s largest child care provider, at the Y we are committed to partnering with parents to ensure that children are always protected, learn and grow in a healthy environment.
Do you feel your child’s teacher is doing a good job? Please share the good news as you pick a card up at the front community center and pass along a GOLD STAR to your child’s teacher.
· VPK Assessments- Period 2 During January, the VPK children will be participating in the second assessment to determine their ongoing progress. The assessments give us a glimpse into their learning successes that we encourage you to continue to celebrate. The FL Department of Education also provides parent resources for helping with your child’s VPK readiness on the following website:
http://www.fldoe.org/earlylearning/vpkparent.asp
EDucation Team Focus!
The debate about the “right” way to educate young children is historic.
In the last ten years, a significant amount of neuroscience research and many task forces, studies, and resources have been dedicated to defining which practices lead to the best outcomes for children, stretching our traditional early childhood paradigms. Our task is to support and challenge all young children as they grow and develop learning approaches that will serve them as lifelong learners.
We have learned a lot and have dedicated our curriculum efforts to integrating the accumulated research and latest evidence of best practice findings to support your child and family through this precious time.
“Education must no longer be regarded only as a matter of teaching children, but as a social question of the highest importance, because it is the one question that concerns all mankind.”
Dr. Maria Montessori
a MESSAGE FROM Our vice president
Shannon L. Matthews, MS - Vice President of Early Childhood Development
Helping Children Make Decisions
Helping children learn to make decisions is challenging for parents, teachers, and caregivers. Children do not always make the wisest choices. Occasionally, however, experiencing the consequence of a poor decision is the best learning experience. It is through making small decisions that children develop the judgement and self-confidence to make larger and larger decisions as they grow.
Clearly, children need experiences in making decisions, including those that are important to them. At the same time, we should not allow young children to make decisions that might harm them or others.
Choices must be between acceptable alternatives. For example, we can invite a child to choose between wearing a green shirt or a blue shirt, having vegetable soup or crunchy vegetables for lunch, or picking up blocks or puzzles first. In these cases, either decision the child makes is a good one.
Experience and confidence from making such simple decisions gives the toddler or preschooler the basis for making bigger decisions as an older child. As we adults continue to expand the decision-making opportunities we offer a child, the better decision-maker he or she will become.
February
Beginning February 4, 2012- through week of February 25, 2013
Introducing Educational Support by
Creations & Innovations
Readiness Activity Highlights
Color: Pink, White Alphabetic Introduction: Bb, Ff Shape: Heart, Circle
Literacy & Writing / Math / Healthy Habits / Science & DiscoveryTalk about colors names
Identify creations and innovations that help us every day
Learn about different types of art masterpieces / Recognize the numerals 9,10
Associate the numeral with a quantity of items
Create with shapes and design through art experiences / Learn about healthy snacks and how to make them through cooking projects.
“Stop and Count to 2” exercise
Experiment with new movement activities / Outside building experiences
Observe and Record Winter Changes
Outside Scavenger Hunt
Create with Nature
Creations & Innovations
Creations and innovations are constantly changing and evolving. This topic will be kindled by children’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder. Children will be given many opportunities to work on short- and long-term, two- and three-dimensional creative projects and processes. They will explore innovations and technologies through hands-on activities that will immerse them in problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking skills.
• Some Things Move
• Some Things Make Work Easier and Play More Fun
• Some Things Make Sounds and Communicate
• Some Things Decorate Our World
Building Social Skills- Valuing DifferencesAs children learn to understand and respect the ways that we are all different, they begin to see that our differences make each of us special and enrich our lives.
Building Brain Power- Music & The BrainSeveral studies in brain research show evidence that listening to music, and for older children- learning how to play an instrument; can boost memory, attention, motivation, and learning.
The Pillars of a Healthy Family Home
Play Every Day
Take it Ten Minutes at a Time
Children often need only to be offered time, space and permission and they will get all of the play they need. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come as naturally or easily for adults. The good news is that small increments of time spent walking, climbing stairs, gardening, playing with the kids and doing other household chores add up. Try thinking of ways to build more routine movement into your day by parking your car a little farther away, taking the stairs instead of the escalator, walking once around the grocery store perimeter before beginning to shop or grabbing a leash and going for a walk rather than just letting your dog outside.
Families at Play for an Hour a Day
Playful movement is one of the keys to a healthy family home. It doesn't matter what you choose to do. As long as your arms and legs are moving, it's good for you. To get 60 minutes of activity throughout your day just add ten minutes here and fifteen minutes there. It adds up and it all counts, so get playing!
Have a Ball!
When you add some form of ball to your play time, it’s likely to get your blood pumping a little faster -- which is good. Try going out to the backyard or a park with your kids and keeping a beach ball up in the air for as long as possible. Kick a soccer ball around for a few minutes and see how that feels. Even throwing a baseball (or a disc) back and forth will send you jogging to recover the ball from time to time. Meanwhile, enjoy the fun your kids are having playing with you!
FEBRUARY 2013
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday1 / 2
National Groundhog Day
3 / 4 / 5 / 6
National Frozen Yogurt Day / 7 / 8 / 9
Hershey’s Chocolate Company was founded
10 / 11 / 12
Monthly PAB Meeting-
9am LBV / 13 / 14
Sweetheart Dance
Curriculum Highlights & Activities / 15
Osceola County RODEO DAY
VPK Closed- Sherberth / 16
17 / 18
VPK Closed-LBV / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23
24 / 25 / 26 / 27
VPK Graduation Photos-
LBV / 28
VPK Graduation Photos-
Sherberth