eNotes
December 14, 2018In this Issue:
- Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! - Updated Source: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
- Governance in Early Childhood Education Source: Education Commission of the States (ECS)
- The Project Approach for all Learners Source: Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- Promoting Emotional Intelligence in Preschool Education Source: International Journal of Emotional Education, Volume 10, Issue 2
- Building Strong Foundations: Racial Inequity in Policies that Impact Infants, Toddlers, & Families Source: ZERO TO THREE and CLASP
1. Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! - Updated
The U.S. Dept of Education has updated its Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! Additional Resources webpage (November 2018). The resource collection includes information that promotes positive child development and behavioral screening. Educators, healthcare providers and other professionals will find tools for working with families to acquire early identification screenings for their children, as well as, tools for finding community services to assist families and young children.
2. Governance in Early Childhood Education
"The disconnect is especially prevalent between the birth-to-age-five system and K-3," according to this month's report from the ECS (December 2018). There are significant differences when comparing governance structures for early childhood education (ECE) to that of K-12. This, combined with the fragmentation of the ECE field across different state agencies, has created a sense of urgency for some policymakers. The report explores strategies for streamlining ECE governance with examples from 8 states and offers a list of policy considerations.
3. The Project Approach for all Learners
A new book from the CEC, The Project Approach for all Learners (October 2018) is now available from Brookes Publishing. This training and implementation guidebook for inclusive early childhood classrooms was developed by field experts, including the Project Approach leader, Lilian G. Katz. "The Project Approach engages the natural curiosity of children through in-depth investigations of topics that capture their interest."
4. Promoting Emotional Intelligence in Preschool Education
A recent article in the International Journal of Emotional Education (November 2018) analyzed four social-emotional learning programs (Preschools PATHS, Incredible Years, Al's Pals, and Preschool RULER) that revealed positive evidence-based outcomes for preschoolers. To better understand the programs, researchers first examined emotional intelligence for preschoolers and its link to outcomes in school engagement, social adjustment, emotional regulation, and academic success. Then, comparisons were made between the programs' objectives, delivery, intervention strategies, and adaptability across cultures.
5. Building Strong Foundations: Racial Inequity in Policies that Impact Infants, Toddlers, & Families
ZERO TO THREE and CLASP recently published this brief (November 2018) to address policies that prevent racial equity and their negative impact to young children, families, and surrounding communities. Recommendations to design new or reformed policies that reduce racial disparities are provided.