Current News ≈ The Happy Strap - “The Happy Strap is
an innovative and exciting product. It effectively and comfortably limitsexcessive abduction/internal rotation (W-sitting) in the hips of young
children with moderate to severelow muscle tone. It
is of great benefit in teaching these children to sit and crawl correctly.”
“Almost allchildren with Down syndrome have low
muscle tone (hypotonia) which affects their walking. This modern,funky Happy Strap helps to overcome walking with a wide base and improves
general posture and appearance.”
May 18, 2008
Current News ≈ Free Reproducible Language and Early
Literacy Activities - To download materials go to
www.walearning.comand click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts"
on the home page. Look for the "On the Go" file to download the materials in PDF
format.The new materials are designed to encourage
parents to interact with their children while they are "On the Go" to facilitate
language, early literacy, and positive parent-child interactions. The materials
include 14 activities as well as accompanying hints for each of the activities
about how to modify the activities to meet the specific developmental needs of
the child.
April 19, 2008
Current News ≈
Artificial Colorings as Harmful
as Leaded Petrol for
Children - Artificial colorings could be
removed from hundreds of food products after researchers found that they may
be almost as harmful to children's development as leaded petrol.The additives, found in a host of sweets and soft drinks, have been
linked to behavioral problems.
Current News ≈
Plastics Chemical May Pose Risk to Children - A controversial, estrogen-like
chemical in plastic could be harming the development of children's brains
and reproductive organs, a federal health agency concluded in a report
released yesterday.
Current News ≈ MI
Bill Could
Mean Fewer Kids In Special Ed - Advocates say fewer kids would end up in
special education under the latest introduction of the early-intervention bill
that moved from the Senate Education Committee today.
Upcoming Events ≈
MI
The MAEYC 2008 Early Childhood
Conference is scheduled for April 10-12, 2008 in Grand Rapids. For more
information, go to http://www.miaeyc.org, or
call 800.336.6424.
February 11, 2008
Early Literacy ≈
Spanish Infant-Toddler language and early literacy activities: Free and
Reproducible - To download materials go to
http://www.walearning.com and click on the purple button that says "Free
Parent Education Handouts" on the home page. These materials include twenty home
and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage
early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with
disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
Upcoming Events ≈
MI
Addressing the Healthy Development of Infants and Young
Children in the Court System: This free one-day training will be offered
February 4, 2008 at the Lansing Sheraton.
Click here for
more information.
November 9, 2007
Current News ≈
Virtual Encyclopedia of Early Childhood Development - This Encyclopedia
covers 33 topics related to the psychosocial development of the child, from
conception to the age of five. For each topic, a series of articles written by
internationally renowned experts presents the most up-to-date scientific
knowledge and addresses three questions: How important is it? What do we know?
What can be done? Each topic is organized with key messages geared for parents
and service providers. A summary of findings is provided with the complete
articles also available.
October 20, 2007
Current News ≈
Parent-child EarlyLiteracy
Activity Materials Available for Free - Forty-six home and community
activities that encourage early language and literacy development in young
children are now available for download. They are appropriate for children
with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. The
materials are specifically designed to address the three key skills of 1)
language development, 2) phonological awareness, and 3) general print
awareness. Each activity includes 1) An activity description, 2) Hints for
making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate, and 3) A form that
helps parents and other caregivers interact with children and notice
children's literacy skills. To download materials go to
http://www.walearning.comand click on the purple button that says "Free Parent Education
Handouts" on the home page.
September 22, 2007
Current News ≈
Baby Einstein: Not Such a Bright Idea - Parents hoping to raise baby
Einsteins by using infant educational videos are actually creating baby Homer
Simpsons. For every hour a day that babies six to 16 months old were shown such
popular series as "Brainy Baby" or "Baby Einstein," they knew six to eight fewer
words than other children. Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a professor of pediatrics at
the University of Washington in Seattle, and his colleagues surveyed 1,000
parents in Washington and Minnesota and determined their babies' vocabularies.
The researchers found that 32 percent of the babies were shown the videos, and
17 percent of those were shown them for more than an hour a day. "I would rather
babies watch 'American Idol' than these videos," Christakis said, explaining
that there is at least a chance their parents would watch with them -- which
does have developmental benefits. [From PEN NewsBlast]
June 6, 2007
Current News ≈ MI
More Sought For Early Education - Lawmakers should spend more on early
childhood education, supporters of the Early Childhood Investment
Corporation (ECIC) claimed at their morning Capitol rally.The so-called Star Power rally drew 500 advocates, including the
group's Executive Director Judy Samelson, who told
MIRS the state has a choice between spending on early schooling or prisons."We are not going to have an educated workforce. We are not going to
be a family friendly state that businesses want to come and locate in." The
alternative, she added, is to build the state around corrections, which she
contends is the wrong message to send.Since 2006
the coalition has funded 21 Great Start Collaboratives in partnership with
57 Intermediate School Districts with a combined total of $3.9 million in
public and private funding.Michigan has 670,000
children under the age of five and nearly 20 percent enter school with
"serious issues that impede their school readiness including health and
behavioral learning problems," Samelson said. [MIRS 5-29-07]
Upcoming Events ≈
MI
Autism Treatment Interventions for Social Workers will take place on
June 22, 2007 from 9:30am - 12:30pm.
Click here for more information and a registration form.
May 14, 2007
Current News ≈ MI
Delta Dental Gives $250,000
To MDCH To Launch Fluoride Varnish Program - Delta Dental of Michigan has
given the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) a grant of $250,000 to
launch Varnish! Michigan, a program that will provide applications of fluoride
varnish on the teeth of up to 22,000 children enrolled in Early Head Start and
Head Start programs around the state.
Childhood Development ≈ PEDS: Developmental Milestones
Measurements For Children 0-8 Years - A new measure called
PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM) for children 0 - 8 years is now
available for parents and professionals. The Screening Level version is in wide
use by pediatricians but the PEDS: DM also has an Assessment Level version
helpful for child-find, early intervention programs, and NICU follow-up.
April 27, 2007
Parenting ≈
Do Kids Really Want Limits?- This idea that
children really want limits isn’t completely true. It is true, of course, that
in the long run youngsters are more comfortable in a house where parents have
clear, reasonable rules and enforce them consistently and fairly.
March 30, 2007
Upcoming Events ≈
MI
The Michigan 4C Association's "Child
Care Day at the Capitol" will take place on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 8
am to 1 pm at the Capitol Building in Lansing. For more information on how
you can participate,
click here.
March 24, 2007
Current News ≈ MI
Tim Skubick: Educate Now, or Pay For
it Later - It's the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean they'll do it.In fact this concept could die a slow and agonizing legislative death
because it sounds way too radical, too expensive - and
has racial overtones to boot.House Democrats recently
embraced a way to improve the education of our children. In a nutshell, get them
into the classroom before age five. The concept has been bouncing around for
years, but remains just that - a concept.
Current News ≈
Standardized Test for Preschoolers May Be Suspended - Congress is moving to
end a standardized test backed by the Bush administration and given to hundreds
of thousands of preschool children in Head Start programs each year, amid
complaints from early childhood experts that the exam is developmentally
inappropriate and poorly designed.
March 11, 2007
Parenting ≈
The
Two Biggest Parenting Mistakes
(PDF)
-
Dr. Thomas Phelan, of ParentMagic.com and 1-2-3 Magic, explains that the two
biggest mistakes parents and teachers make in dealing with children are: Too
Much Talking and Too Much Emotion. Talking is bad because it either doesn't work
or takes you through the Talk-Persuade-Argue-Yell-Hit Syndrome.
Current News ≈ MA
Town Opens Preschool for Disabled Students
- One therapist helped 4-year-old Jonathan Saia flatten his play
dough with a small rolling pin, guiding his hands so the motion was straight and
smooth. Another watched intently as 5-year-old Benny Borre, rotated dinosaur
puzzle pieces until he found the right fit. The boys, who are autistic, attend a
public preschool that Canton school officials started two years ago in response
to a growing number of children with disabilities entering the district and to
the growing cost of educating them in private schools.
February 19, 2007
Current News ≈ Head Start Reauthorization Passes
Senate HELP Committee - On Wednesday, February 14, the Senate Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously approved S. 556, the
Head Start for School Readiness Act, which reauthorizes the Head Start program
for five years. It is expected that the full Senate will vote on the bill
sometime in the spring and that the House will begin work on its own version of
a Head Start bill in the near future.
Current News ≈ Terrific Transitions: Supporting
Children's Transition to Kindergarten - The Terrific Transitions Web site
provides information, tips, activities and resources for families, professionals
and community partnerships to use as they address children’s transitions into
kindergarten. It also provides links to research and brochures and sample
materials. Planning for Terrific Transitions: A Guide for Transition-to-School
Teams, by SERVE, is a trainer’s guide to facilitate an eight-hour training on
the transition to kindergarten. This guide is available on the Web at
http://www.serve.org/TT/res_ttg.html.
Parenting ≈ Feeling Invisible to Your Kids? Try
Keeping Quiet - If you're a parent living with small
children, you may often feel like you're invisible to your kids. After spending
a day cajoling, reasoning, threatening and even screaming in an attempt to get
your kids to behave, you may feel as if you simply didn't exist. But all that
talking is precisely the problem. If you feel like you're invisible, you're
probably way too audible.
Upcoming Events ≈
MI
Michigan Association for the Education of Young
Children (MiAEYC) Fall Seminar Series - Dates and Locations: Science and
Multiple Intelligences (November 9, Grayling; November 16, Kalamazoo; November
17, Auburn Hills) and Girls! Girls! Girls! (November 30, Muskegon; December 1,
Clinton Twp.; December 2, Lansing; December 8, Mt. Pleasant). The seminars
include morning beverage, lunch, resource materials and the opportunity to earn
.5 SB-CEUs. The cost to attend a seminar is $99 for MiAEYC members and $109 for
non-members. There is a $10 per person discount when 3 or more people register
together. Visit
http://www.MiAEYC.org for more information or to register online.
Current News ≈
American Education Research Association (AERA)
Spotlight:
Early Childhood Education - AERA erects an important "Stop" on the
"making sense highway" for policymakers. The AERA quarterly series, Research
Points, shines a spotlight on early childhood education. In four pages, written
in crisp, understandable language, readers learn what’s at stake and what
actions policymakers can take to address the situation.
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
Public Comment Sessions: Proposed Early Childhood Standards of Quality for
Infant & Toddler Programs - Three locations and dates: Novi Sheraton
Hotel, 21111 Haggerty Road, NOVI (September 29, 2006 — 4:15 p.m. to 5:30
p.m.), Capitol View Building, Public Health Conference Room, 201 Townsend
Street, LANSING (October 4, 2006 — 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.), and Landmark
Inn, 230 N. Front Street, MARQUETTE (October 20, 2006 — 3:00 p.m. to 4:30
p.m.)
September 2, 2006
Current News and Professional
Development ≈
Free Staff Development Tools Delivered to Your Inbox Each Month -
Collage, a monthly e-mail newsletter, provides
valuable articles on timely subjects for busy early childhood educators.
Each issue includes 3 or 4 hand-picked articles on a single topic.
"Collage will soon become a valued in-house staff development tool
for your program--because we’ll include the theory behind each aspect of
play, practical applications and lots of links to resources you won’t want
to miss."
August 29, 2006
Featured Website: Child Health Encyclopedia Online
- An online
encyclopedia that also provides in-depth articles that cover various
medical conditions, disorders, and pediatric diseases.
August 26, 2006
Current News and Nutrition ≈
What Should Preschoolers Drink? Milk, Water Recommended - Children,
especially those of preschool age, should consume two cups of milk every
day, according to KidsHealth.org. This article recommends discouraging
children from drinking sugary, calorie-dense drinks as well as those
containing caffeine because caffeine's effects can be seen earlier in small
children.
Current News and Vaccinations/Immunizations ≈
From HepB to Tdap, School Vaccine Season More Complex Than Ever - The
growing list of childhood vaccinations reads like an alphabet soup: Hib,
HepA, HepB, IPV, PCV, MCV4, DTaP, Tdap, varicella and influenza. Parents
dragging their kids to the doctor's office for those required school shots
can expect to hear about more vaccines and, if they're uninsured, new
expenses. Twenty years ago, it cost $75 to $100 to immunize a child with the
four available vaccines. Today, 12 are generally recommended for kids and
adolescents, at a private-sector cost of about $1,250.
July 21, 2006
Current News ≈ MI
Michigan Supreme Court: No Duty
to Warn for Hair Oil That Caused Baby's Death - The manufacturer of a
hair oil product had no duty to warn of its toxicity, which caused the
agonizing death of a baby who drank it, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-2
decision released Wednesday. The decision reversed the Court of Appeals,
which concluded questions such as whether a warning was required and whether
the manufacturer breached an implied warranty should have been left to the
jury.
Current News ≈ WA
Gates Foundation and Washington State Take Lead on Early Learning -
Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire and William H. Gates Sr., of the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, will lead a public-private partnership called
Thrive by Five: The Washington Early Learning Fun designed to prepare the
state's youngest children for success in school. The group will start with
$9 million, with more funds added in the years to come. The money will go
toward staff training, parent education and support, and boosting the
quality of existing preschool programs.
Current News and Premature Births ≈ ADHD 'Linked to
Premature Birth' - Danish researchers found babies born at between 34 and 36
weeks were 70% more likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Those born at less than 34 weeks were three times more likely to have ADHD. The
study of 30,000 children in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood also found an
increased incidence of ADHD in children with a low birth weight.
July 5, 2005
Current News and Child Growth &
Development ≈ Have a Ball! A Toolkit for Physical
Activity and the Early Years - A variety of materials in a handy,
ready-to-go 'briefcase' for promoting and delivering physical activity
opportunities for young children. The Toolkit includes a binder of information,
a copy of Moving and Growing: Ages Two, Three and Four, a copy of the Rainbow
Fun resource on CD, the Chief Medical Officer of Health Report: Healthy Weights,
Healthy Lives, Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating: Focus on Preschoolers, a
beach ball to (must we say it)…get the ball rolling, and other complementary
materials.Download the binder contents available in
PDF: What the Research Says (PDF 535KB),
Resource Selection Critera (164KB), Resources
(PDF 344KB), Great Ideas (PDF 3.5 MB),
Have a Ball with a Ball ! (88.6KB), Fact sheets
- Professionals (PDF 1.1 MB), and Fact sheets -
Parents (PDF 316KB).
June 22, 2006
Current News and Professional Development ≈
Early Childhood Education Newsletter:
More Favorite "Anytime" Activities and Resources
- Welcome to Early
Childhood Newsletter's "Summer Session." During June and July, I will share
some of my favorite "anytime activities" from newsletters published in prior
years as well as some of the best online Web resources I've found for early
childhood educators. I hope you'll find here some fun ideas and useful
resources for engaging your students.
Current News and Child Care ≈ MI
Michigan Revised Child Care Center Rules Take
Effect on 12/07/06 - Revisions to Michigan’s Child Care
Center Rules were filed with the Michigan
Department of State, Office of the Great Seal, onFriday, June 9. The rules will take effect on December 7, 2006.Please note, this version of the new rules contains "strike-throughs"
of theold language that was deleted, shows
new language in bold-face, and shows
language retained fromthe old rules in
non-bold-face. A “clean copy” of the revised rules will becomeavailable at a laterdate.
June 9, 2006
Current News and Preschool ≈ Commentary:
Investing in Young Minds is Good Business - From the moment of birth to the
time our children enter the formal years of schooling, their tiny brains are
like sponges soaking up knowledge. This scientific
fact should make every sensible person take pause and ask, why do we not begin
the formal investment in education until a child is five or six years of age?
June 8, 2006
Current News and Professional Development ≈
Early Childhood Education Newsletter:
Ten Favorite Activities & Resources for Summer - Welcome to Early
Childhood Newsletter's "Summer Session." During June and July, I will share
some of my favorite "anytime activities" from newsletters published in prior
years as well as some of the best online Web resources I've found for early
childhood educators. I hope you'll find here some fun ideas and useful
resources for engaging your students.
June 7, 2006
Current News ≈ MI
Download the Key Player Packet for Spring 2006
(PDF) - This issue includes: What’s Happening at FIE, Michigan
Family-to-Family Health Information and Education Center, Parent to Parent
SW Michigan, Early Hearing Detection Intervention Program, Parent Voice in
Public Policy, Different Kinds of Libraries, Child Care/Potty Training,
Child Care Expulsion Prevention Project (CCEP), Early On Timelines, Vision
and Hearing Screenings, SICC Meeting Information, State Board Meetings,
State Board of Education, and Resources and Information.
June 5, 2006
Current News ≈ MI
Leaving Kids In Car
Would Be Misdemeanor in Michigan - Parents who leave their young children in
the car would face a 93-day, $500 misdemeanor if authorities believe the child
was at risk of being harmed by staying in the car under a pair of bills that
cleared a House committee today.
Current News ≈ CA
California Initiative Renews Preschool Debate - From coast to coast, states
are pushing to get more 4-year-olds into classrooms. But debate over a universal
pre-kindergarten proposal on the ballot June 6 in California shows that
widespread disagreement continues over whether the education of all 4-year-olds
should be a public obligation.
June 3, 2006
Parenting ≈ Why Counting Works -
Perhaps the most useful—as well as the most simple—aspect of the 1-2-3 Magic
program is the use of a procedure known as counting to manage behavior such as
arguing, yelling, fighting, whining and tantrums. The counting method has
preserved the sanity of many parents and according to those same parents, it has
also saved quite a few marriages as well. Why does counting work so well?
Because the procedure minimizes (A) cognitive confusion and (B) emotional
aggravation.
May 19, 2006
Current News and Preschool ≈
Governors Push Access to Preschool - Heeding studies showing that investing
money in kids before kindergarten increases their chances of graduating and
staying out of jail, nearly half of governors this year are pushing for -- and
many are getting -- more funding for preschool education.
May 17, 2006
Current News and Child Care ≈
Child Care Pricier Than College - Parents of a 4-year-old in
Wyoming pay an average of $5,438 for preschool care each year,
according to the study titled "Breaking the Piggy Bank: Parents and
the High Price of Child Care," from the National Association of Child
Care Resource and Referral Agencies.
Current News and Kindergarten ≈ What
Children Know: Kindergarten Reading & Math
- What reading and mathematics knowledge and skills do children
demonstrate in the spring of first grade? Do children's knowledge and skills
differ by certain child, family, and school characteristics?When children begin kindergarten, 67 percent recognize their letters.
By the spring of kindergarten, most (95 percent) know the letters of the
alphabet. At kindergarten entry, about one-third (31 percent) of children
understand the letter-sound relationship at the beginning of words and about
one in six children (18 percent) understand the letter-sound relationship at
the end of words…
Calendar of Events ≈ MI Michigan-Early On
Training & TA System Updates for June 2006: Meetings in Holland, Marquette,
Clinton Township and Roscommon - EOT&TA, Nancy Peeler and Kim Porter-Hoppe
invite all interested stakeholders to attend any one of four meetings planned
around the state during the month of June. The Early On Training & TA System
Updates for June 2006 will be facilitated by Nancy Peeler and Kim Porter-Hoppe,
representing the state team. For more information,
click here.
Current News ≈ Report:
Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Intervention - Recently
released research identifies the most effective practices and features of
early intervention programs, based on a literature review and analysis. The
study focused on diverse programs throughout the country that offered parent
education and support, including home visits, center-based visits, or a
combination. Information is available in three forms: The200+ page report
is available for purchase, a
3-page research briefis available at no charge in
PDF, along with a
20-page summary, also free in PDF.
Current News and Parenting ≈
Childproofing and Preventing Household Accidents - Is Your Home Safe?
Although many people usually think of babies and toddlers when they hear the
words "babyproofing" or "childproofing," unintentional injury is the leading
cause of death in kids 14 years old and under, with more than a third of these
injuries happening at home (also
available in Spanish).
May 2, 2006
Book, Product & Video Reviews ≈
Bridges4Kids
Product Review:
WordWindow (DVD) - WordWindow is a program designed to encourage
infants and toddlers to discover and take part in early speech. Through
the use of vivid graphics, sounds, human faces, voices and short video
clips, your child will be delighted by this remarkable combination of
sights and sounds.
Current News ≈ How Art of
Conversation Between Parents and Children Has Died - All-day television, the
demise of the family meal and even the forward-facing design of pushchairs are
conspiring to kill the art of conversation between parents and children. The
results have "alarming implications" for pupil behavior in the first few years
of primary school.
March 29, 2006
Current News ≈
MI
Job Opportunity: Early On Community Liaison for Oakland Family
Services -
Job Description: Develop and conduct outreach efforts to groups,
organizations and institutions serving children 0-3 years to increase
developmental screenings. Connect with community contacts to increase
partnerships and communications. Credentials required: Bachelor's degree,
Masters preferred - in Early Childhood Education or Child development.
Contact Karen Anthony at
kanthony@ofsfamily.org or submit your resume online at
http://www.ofsfamily.org/jobform.asp.
March 23, 2006
Current News ≈
TV a Saviour, Not a Villain Says Study - In contrast to an earlier finding,
it does not appear children who watch a lot of television wind up with behavior
problems in school, say American researchers. If there is an association, it may
be that the exhausted parents of already overly active children are more likely
to let them watch television to give themselves a break, and not that television
itself leads to attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, said the
report from Texas Tech University in Lubbock this week.
March 7, 2006
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
"Hear" We Go: Important information for service providers working with
young children who are deaf/hard of hearing - This workshop is provided at
no charge and includes SB CEU's.The purpose of this training is to inform
Early On providers about hearing impairment, the impact of hearing loss on
development, and the need for appropriate intervention and rehabilitation.
This interactive learning project will increase the competency of Early On
families & providers to improve early identification, referral, and
management of children who are deaf/hard of hearing. This project will
also increase Early On providers' awareness of resources within Michigan
to further facilitate case management of children who are deaf/hard of
hearing and their families.
For more information on the workshop, click here (PDF).
To register please go
to the EOT&TA website. Upcoming Conference Dates & Locations include:
Saginaw Transition Center, Marquette-Alger RESA, COP ESD-Indian River,
Disability Connections/PERC-Jackson, Harris School – Detroit, Ottawa Area
Center - Zeeland, and Grand Rapids 2006 Early On Annual Conference.
March 3, 2006
Current News and Parenting ≈
The Comfort of Limits
-
True or False? Self-esteem and creativity both are higher when kids
can “do their own thing” without external limits imposed by adult power or
authority. Believe it or not, this statement is false. Also included with
this article is "Ask Dr. Phelan: Mealtime".
Current News ≈ CA
Groups Weigh Reiner Measure - Rob Reiner returns to San Jose on Thursday to
pitch Proposition 82, his Preschool for All Act, as two key Silicon Valley
business groups wrangle over whether to endorse the plan to provide a free
voluntary year of preschool to all 4-year-olds in the state.
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
"Take a Look at Me" Profile Workshop will take place at Kent Transition Center,
1800 Leffingwell, NE, Grand Rapids, MI. Choose a session: Thursday, March 23,
2006 from 8:30am - 11:30am, Thursday, March 23, 2006 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, or
Friday, March 24, 2006 from 8:30am - 11:30am. Highlights of the portfolio
process: Actively involves individuals, family members, and care providers;
Promotes a positive view of the child; Builds on what a child “can do” and
“enjoys doing”; Identifies natural learning opportunities; Builds supports based
on strengths, hopes, and dreams; Allows for families from a wide range of
cultures to share their child’s strengths, hopes, and dreams with others in the
community; Provides valuable input to the Individualized Family Service Plan;
Assists in helping family members and providers develop outcomes that are based
on child participation and engagement. Participants will receive a portfolio as
part of the training. Additional copies will be available. To download the
PDF flyer, click here. To register,
click here.
February 6, 2006
Current News ≈ TX The
Early Bird Misses the Worm (PDF) - Across the nation, the movement for an
increased government role in early childhood education (ECE) is gaining
momentum. This perspective asks critical questions regarding cost-benefit
analysis of ECE, government's role in ECE, and what is being done to improve ECE
throughout Texas.
February 1, 2006
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
Michigan Early Hearing Conference for Audiologists, Interventionists and Parents
will take place on Monday, March 27, 2006 at the Sheraton Hotel, Lansing,
Michigan. The ultimate purpose of this conference is to improve hearing health
care service delivery for the 0-3 year old population and their families. Goals:
To provide practical information used at the onset of early audiological
intervention for infants with hearing loss. To increase the skill and knowledge
base of childhood specialists who work with families of young children with
hearing loss. To provide an opportunity for parents to learn about early
intervention services. Register online at
http://www.mphi.eductrng.net.
January 30, 2006
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
The National Head Start Association's 33rd annual Training Conference will take
place on May 10-13, 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. For information, visit
www.detroitheadstart2006.org.
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
Mommy and Me Classes will take place on various dates throughout February, all
starting at 10 a.m. (January 31, February 21, 22 - Wiggly Tunes music and
movement; February 7, 8, and 28 - Teeny Tumblers gym time experience; and
February 15 - Get Messy sensory experiences). All classes take place in
Hartland, Michigan, 48843. Classes are for mothers and their infants/toddlers
(newborns up to age 3 years). Cost is $5.00 per child. For more information,
email Tara Hardy at
hardyfamily8856@sbcglobal.net or call (517) 546-4168.
January 16, 2006
Upcoming Events ≈ MI
Parenting Classes: Parenting Toddlers & Preschoolers will take place on March 8,
2006, 7:00 – 9:30 pm. Parenting Elementary-Aged Children will take place on
April 12, 2006, 7:00 – 9:30 pm. Parenting Preteens & Teens will take place on
February 8, 2006, 7:00 – 9:30 pm and again on June 3, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm.
Parenting Children with Special Needs will take place on May 10, 2006, 7:00 –
9:30 pm. All classes will take place at St. Mary-Mercy Hospital, Marian Women
Center, 36475 Five Mile Road, Livonia, MI. Cost is $15 per person or $20 per
couple. Contact Debra Madonna at
clarion@storytellerdesign.com for more details or to register.
Current News and Professional Development ≈
Early Childhood Education Newsletter:
Winter Arts - It's a brand new year - a
time when many of us entertain thoughts of new goals, new ideas, or new
experiences. Bring some newness into your classroom by incorporating the
arts into everything.
Current News ≈ Tykes
Can't Read Words, But Can Read Music - To begin his class at the Pee Wee
Patch, Ron West first rounded up his students. On a recent Tuesday, he gathered
the 4- and 5-year-olds first. Parker Densmore, 4, and Jordan Richards, 4, both
of Lake Orion, are ready to play. "I love upstairs," Parker said, as he skips
excitedly down the hall. Upstairs is the classroom, equipped with a piano and an
easel. The children are only preschool age, but they are learning how to play
the piano.
Current News ≈ SC Judge: S.C. Fails to Fund Poor Schools
- A judge ruled the state's system of funding poor schools unconstitutional
Thursday, saying it fails to provide adequate education by not offering early
childhood programs.
Current News ≈ Featured Resource:
Get Ready To Read -
Get Ready To Read is a comprehensive website for parents and teachers offering
activity cards, games, checklists, online games, fact sheets, and links to other
resources. It also offers early literacy screening tools to help assess a
child’s early reading skills.
January 4, 2006
Current News ≈
National Birth Defects Month Educational Packet - January is
National Birth Defects Prevention Month and the National Birth Defects
Prevention Network (NBDPN)has compiled an
educational packet with a special focus on pre-pregnancy.
Current News ≈
Tots n’ Tech - The Tots 'n Tech Research Institute (TnT) has added a new
section to their website called “IDEAS to SHARE” that features assisted
technology ideas from early interventionist specialists from around the
United States. It has great ideas under topics such as communication,
eating, play, positioning, and others. The ideas are updated weekly with new
categories and new ideas.
Current News ≈
Essential Skills for Occupational Therapists (PDF)
- Over the past 15 years the role of families in early intervention has
changed and with it the role of the occupational therapist has also changed.
This article profiles Chapter 2 of the book Pediatric Skills for
Occupational Therapy Assistants (Mosby, 2005) which covers the expansion of
the OT role, the importance of family-centered approaches to intervention,
and those skills - including positive communication - that result in
successful intervention.
December 21, 2005
Current News ≈ Commentary:
Puffed up Promise of Preschool
- Children with and without preschool perform the same on tests over time,
and unfortunately, there's more. Preschool incubates negative social
behaviors. The bureau finds that "Prekindergarten attendance increases
aggression and decreases self-control." But unlike the cognitive gains which
fade, "the behavioral effects persist."
Current News ≈ GA Pre-k, Smaller Classes Work Best -
If Georgia ever hopes to close the achievement gap and brighten the educational
futures of its poorest children, it must get them into the classroom earlier.
That's the No. 1 recommendation of a groundbreaking Georgia State University
study of the state's universal pre-kindergarten program.
December 19, 2005
Current News ≈ Study:
Early Childhood Programs
Successful - The merits of early childhood education have once again been
illustrated by a national study of learning successes of preschoolers in
language and math skills.
December 16, 2005
Current News ≈ Toy Site
Lets Parents, Kids Swap Neglected Playthings - Eight-year-old Jacob Maxia
may know more about monster models than business models, but he knows what he
likes. And a new online toy exchange that brings him giant mutant beasts in
return for his unwanted playthings seems pretty darn awesome.
Current News ≈ CA Report Touts Advantages of
Preschool - Los Angeles County would have about 3,300 fewer high school
dropouts annually and nearly 10,000 fewer criminal cases filed against juveniles
each year if publicly funded preschool were available in California, according
to a new report from the Rand Corp.
December 10, 2005
Current News and Preschool ≈ Study Says Trained Preschool
Teachers Pay Off - Publicly funded preschool programs that have
well-paid, college-educated teachers improve children's language
development and math skills, according to a study in Michigan and four
other states.
December 9, 2005
Current News ≈
Einsteins at Five? - Barely 5 years old, Edgar Padilla can accurately draw
bar graphs and create "A-B" patterns of geometric shapes. He discusses the finer
points of underwater photography. He occasionally infuses his sentences with the
word "meta-cognition," to the confoundment of some adults (including this one).
Young Edgar may be unusually smart for his age, but his prowess with numbers and
language is hardly exceptional: He, in many ways, reflects the rigors and
reality of the "new" kindergarten.
Download/Order Publications ≈
Baby Stages Wheel: A Parent’s and Caregiver’s Guide to the Social and
Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers Wheel Ordering Information
(PDF) -
Click here.
Tips for new parents and child caregivers comes in the form of a handy “wheel.” Easy to read and user
friendly, parents and caregivers can follow an infant’s progress around
the wheel until he or she is three years old. With just a ‘turn of the
dial’ a caring adult will discover many things he or she can do to
nurture a strong relationship and support healthy social and emotional
development in the first years.
December 3, 2005
Upcoming Events ≈
MI Promoting Positive Parent-Infant
Relationships: Understanding the Implications of Attachment (series) will take
place at DeVos Children's Hospital, East Auditorium, 100 Michigan Street, Grand
Rapids, MI. Cost is $20.00 for each session (including lunch). Register online
at www.kentisd.org/earlyon for one
or both of the following sessions: "Attachment Disorganization and Disorders of
Attachment" (February 17, 2006), and "Understanding and Assessing Cry Problems
in Early Infancy" (May 5, 2006).
December 1, 2005
Current News ≈ Study:
Early Musical Training Boosts
Language Processing - People who learned to play musical instruments as
children process spoken language faster and more accurately than their
non-musical counterparts as adults, according to a Stanford University study.
Current News ≈ MI
Questions & Answers on Great Start Collaborative Application - The Early Childhood Investment
Corporation (ECIC)has issued "Questions &
Answers 1-3"regarding the Great Start Collaborative Application. Please
visit
www.greatstartforkids.org then navigate to the
"What's Happening" section of the website for more
information.
Current News ≈
Australia National
Exams For Five-Year-Olds - Five-year-old
children will be tested for basic reading skills twice a year under a national
plan to help struggling students.
November 22, 2005
Professional Development ≈ Early Childhood
Education Newsletter: Making
Gifts - As the holidays approach, most children like to recite their
wish lists for Santa. This year, invite students to help create another
list -- one that reflects ways your children can give to others.
November 15, 2005
Current News ≈ MI Calling All
Interested Michigan Parents - Do you want an opportunity for your voice to be
heard regarding programs and services that matter to your child and family? Do
you want to join a community of parents who are involved in federal and state
policy? If interested reply to info@mcmch.org.Please include your name, address, county, email address and phone
number.
November 14, 2005
Current News ≈ MI
Questions & Answers 2 on Great Start Collaborative Application - The Early Childhood Investment
Corporation (ECIC)has issued "Questions &
Answers" and "Questions & Answers 2" regarding the Great Start Collaborative Application. Please
visit
www.greatstartforkids.org then navigate to the
"What's Happening" section of the website for more
information.
November 11, 2005
Current News ≈ MI OSEP's Letter
to MDE For Child Find and Early Intervention Services - The purpose of this
letter is to respond to Michigan’s May 2, 2005 submission of its Federal Fiscal
Year (FFY) 2003 Annual Performance Report (APR) under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C for the grant period July 1, 2003
through June 30, 2004.
Current News ≈ MI New Law Removes
Barriers and Adds State Oversight to Some Latchkeys -
The following bill was signed into law on
Thursday, November 10, 2005: HB
5110, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Kooiman
(R-Grand Rapids), allows certain before-and-after school programs to fall
into the category of a day care center, lifting regulatory barriers and
allowing the state to oversee the organization.
HB 5110 also
redefines a school age as one enrolled kindergarten or above but less than
13 years old.
Current News ≈ MI Questions & Answers on
Great Start Collaborative Application -
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC)
has issued "Questions & Answers" regarding the Great Start Collaborative
Application. Please visit www.greatstartforkids.org
then navigate to the "What's Happening" section of
the website for more information.
November 3, 2005
Current News ≈ Long Hours Help Academically, But
Impair Social Development - Two new studies have concluded that extended
time in preschool or day care can thwart a child's social development, a finding
already fueling a debate surrounding a nationwide movement to expand early
education programs. One study found that the social harm persists through third
grade, regardless of how well caregivers work with preschoolers.
Current News ≈ MI Request for
Proposals for Great Start Collaboratives - The Michigan Early Childhood
Investment Corporation has released the Request for Proposals for Great
Start Collaboratives--Year One, Fiscal Year 2005-2006 and the Great Start
System Performance Measures for Great Start Collaborative Community
Assessment and Planning.
October 27, 2005
Professional Development ≈ Early Childhood Education Newsletter:
Leaves - Whether they’re piled up
to your knees or lightly sprinkled on lawns and fields, leaves are a subject of
fascination for young children. Use them in a science or math lesson; have fun
with them in a classroom art project. We’ve gathered a “pile” of activities for
you to try.
Events Calendar ≈ Michigan Association for
the Education of Young Children (MiAEYC) offers two seminar series in
November/December 2005. ALL participants receive a certificate of
participation and have the option (at no additional charge) to earn State
Board Continuing Education Units (SB-CEUs). The certificate of
participation and/or SB-CEU transcript can be used to document compliance
with the annual training requirements in the family and group home
licensing rules and in the proposed child care center licensing rules.
Lyrics to Literacy: Sing a Book, Read a Song will take place on Thursday,
November 3 - Lansing; Friday, November 4 - Auburn Hills; Thursday,
November 10 - Ypsilanti; and Friday, November 11 - Mt. Pleasant. Creating
Caring, Cooperative Early Childhood Settings will take place on Friday,
November 18 - Grayling; Saturday, November 19 - Lansing; Thursday,
December 1 - Holland; and Friday, December 2 - Macomb ISD, Clinton Twp.
Contact MiAEYC or visit the MiAEYC web site at
www.MiAEYC.org for descriptions and
more information.
October 20, 2005
Current News ≈ WI
Pre-K Really Pays Off Economically (PDF) - PreK Now has released a first of
its kind statewide study for Wisconsin measuring the economic impact to
Wisconsin’s K-12 system if the state expanded Four-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K) to
more children. The economic analysis found that: (1) Based on conservative
estimates, implementing a high-quality, voluntary pre-k system increases total
educational cost-benefits by 68 percent; (2) The largest proportion of cost
savings in the education system are in reduced special education placement costs
(approx. $42 million); and (3) Reduction in frequency of grade repetition ranges
between 6-23 percent, with a representative estimate of 21 percent.
October 16, 2005
Current News and
Preschool ≈ Opinion:
Little Kids Need Good Teachers Too - Early education is the next frontier of
public education reform. We know now, more than ever, how important quality
preschool programs are to preparing city children to succeed in school and to
helping families rise out of poverty.
October 12, 2005
Current News ≈
New SIDS Policy Recommends Pacifiers - Babies should be offered pacifiers at
bedtime, and they should sleep in their parents' room - but not in their beds -
in order to lessen the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, the nation's
largest group of pediatricians says.
October 11, 2005
Professional Development ≈ Early Childhood Education Newsletter:
Halloween - Halloween is one of the most popular holidays with kids and
grown-ups alike. How will you recognize this special day in your classroom while
keeping the excitement at an acceptable level? Young children will surely love
hearing a good Halloween story, and who doesn’t love trying a special Halloween
treat? We’ve put together a “handful of Halloween” for you to use in your
classroom, so have fun and happy pumpkin day to all!
October 9, 2005
Current News and
Preschool ≈ MO
Preschool Programs Struggle For Funding - Studies show that children start
learning at birth and that those who participate in high-quality preschool
programs do better academically in the short term and in the long run. But
preschool often faces an uphill battle for funding.
Current News ≈
Computer Games Help Train Kids to Pay Attention - In what is believed to be
the first real evidence to support what is becoming a growing field of inquiry,
the use of special computer games to "train" their brains improved the ability
of healthy children to pay attention during scientific trials, researchers
reported Sept. 26. Their research has important implications for schools, which
are charged with educating an increasing number of students with attention
disorders.
Current News ≈ MI The 2005-06 edition of
the Michigan Directory of Service Providers - The 2005-06 edition of the
Michigan Directory of Service Providers for Infants, Toddlers, and Students with
Disabilities is now available on the Center for Educational Networking Web site.
You can download the complete directory or specific sections in a PDF format.
Hard copies of the directory are $10.50 (plus shipping and handling).
For ordering information or to download sections of the directory, go to
http://www.cenmi.org/se_directory.asp. The
directory is intended for parents, educators, and other service providers
seeking resource information related to the educational needs of children,
students, and clients. The directory contains contact information about
resources for children ages birth to three with special needs and their families
(Michigan's Early On population) and students ages 3-26 with
disabilities.
October 5, 2005
Events Calendar ≈ COP-ESD's Sixth Northern
Michigan Early Childhood Conference will take place on November 9-11, 2005
at the Treetops in Gaylord, MI. You may register or get more information
online. To do so, first go to www.coppd.org.
Create a brief user “profile,” and enter the site. View course offerings
by month (November), select the “Early Childhood Conference VI.” and you
will be at the registration area. As you click on each day of the
conference, you will see a list of the individual workshops with
check-boxes to register.
October 3, 2005
Professional Development ≈ Early Childhood
Education Newsletter: Fire Safety
- Surely, teaching fire safety to young children in a non-threatening way
is one of the most important things we, as educators, can do. By teaching
our students concepts such as Stop, Drop, and Roll, and other fire safety
tips, we give children a sense of empowerment and safety in a
sometimes-unpredictable world.
October 2, 2005
Book
Reviews ≈ Bridges4Kids Review:
Simple Transitions for Infants and Toddlers - Simple Transitions gives
unprecedented attention to improving the effectiveness of daily transitions and
offers essential information for teachers in infant and toddler childcare. Karen
Miller uses her extensive knowledge of infants and toddlers to gather hundreds
of practical, easy, and fun activities, tips, and techniques that help infants,
toddlers, caregivers, and parents.
September 30, 2005
Current News ≈ MI
Recommendations
for an Early Childhood Education & Care Quality Rating System - Great Start
for Kidsis pleased to post the recommendations for an
early childhood education and care quality rating system from the Quality Rating
Systems (QRS) Workgroup. Recommendations have been made based on current
research, Michigan data, and provider and advocate input. The recommended system
provides a plan for systemic change in order to increase early childhood
education and care quality in the State of Michigan. Increases in quality allow
for higher child outcomes. The goal of this system is to increase access to high
quality early education and care for all young children and their families.
September 28, 2005
Early On and Project Find
Coordinator list updated.
September 23, 2005
Current News ≈ Web Course:
Addressing Needs of Young Children Who Engage in Challenging Behavior - The
Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) at the University of Minnesota
is pleased to announce its third Fall 2005 online course professional
development opportunity to earn Continuing Education Credit.
The instructor is Shelley Neilsen Gatti, Ph.D. This online, self-paced
course provides students with an introduction to information needed to evaluate
behavior change programs that are helpful with young children who produce
challenging behavior. The primary focus of the course will be functional
behavioral assessment procedures and a range of positive behavioral support
strategies. If you have additional questions about this course, please contact
Karen Anderson at CEED at ander352@umn.eduor 612-625-6617.Available online from October
24 to December 16, 2005.
September 13, 2005
Current News ≈ MI
Schools Worried About Pre-K
Funding in Budget - A still unresolved question of how to fund developmental
kindergarten programs for local school districts has many districts across the
state worried, as state lawmakers begin final deliberations on the 2005-06
budget. Districts are worried that a Senate proposal to fund children attending
those programs as half a full-time student instead of as a full-time student, as
they are now, could cut their funding now one month into the new school year.
Current News ≈
Autistic Spectrum Disorders:
Discovering Michael - Michael was one of the most beautiful babies that we
had ever seen. We were sure that God had been looking down on us on the day that
he was born. He had spared his life.
August 24, 2005
Current News ≈
Initiatives to Promote Savings From
Childhood Catching On - Three weeks shy of his first day of kindergarten,
Austin Sambrano is the only person in his family who has a savings account.
Living with his parents and older brother in a trailer park near Pontiac,
Mich., he is part of an experiment called the SEED Initiative that is
opening investment accounts for children, in an effort to ensure them a
college education.
Current News
and Child Growth & Development ≈
New Research on Babies Yields Clues for Later Learning -
Armed with some new information, pediatricians are starting to
change the way they evaluate their youngest patients. In
addition to tracking physical development, they are now focusing
much more deeply on emotional advancement. A baby who fails to
meet certain key "emotional milestones" may have trouble
learning to speak, read and, later, do well in school. By
reading emotional responses, doctors have begun to discover ways
to tell if a baby as young as 3 months is showing early signs of
possible psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety,
learning disabilities and perhaps autism. "Instead of just
asking if they're crawling or sitting, we're asking more
questions about how they share their world with their
caregivers," says Dr. Chet Johnson. "Do they point to things?
When they see a new person, how do they react? How children do
on social and emotional and language skills are better
predictors of success in adulthood than motor skills are."
August 15, 2005
Current News ≈
Comprehensive Assessment of Infants and Their Parents in the Child Welfare
System - A newly published resource "Guidelines for Comprehensive Assessment
of Infants and Their Parents in the Child Welfare System" is now available
through the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health. Authors include:
Betty Tableman, Mary Beth Reimer, Greg Proulx, Kathie Albright, Kathleen
Baltman and Mary Kay Peterson. It is the revised edition of an original
publication issued by Children's Charter of the Courts and MIAIMH.
This resource is available for $25 per copy
through www.mi-aimh.msu.edu.
Current News
and Kindergarten ≈
INSPIRED Project - Kindergarten Readiness - Wren recently concluded,
"Although they started out with different performance levels, by the end
of the year, African American students, Caucasian students, and Hispanic
students were performing approximately equally. Thus, there is some
evidence that the INSPIRED project is helping to 'level the playing field'
for disparate groups of students."
August 5, 2005
Current News ≈
Mindful of Symbols - A variety of experiments show that many adult
assumptions about the ability of young children to transfer meaning from symbols
to real life are wrong. Using blocks designed to help teach math to young
children, six- and seven-year-olds were taught to do subtraction problems that
require borrowing. A comparison group was taught to do the same but using pencil
and paper. Both groups learned to solve the problems equally well--but the group
using the blocks took three times as long to do so. When young victims of sexual
abuse are interviewed using anatomically detailed dolls, investigators assume
that the young child will be able to think of the object as both a doll and a
representation of himself or herself. Research shows that is not always the
case.
July 22, 2005
Current News ≈
Picky Eater, But Not By Choice
- Jordan's dinner looks yummy. But she won't get too excited over it tonight.
No, instead she'll be defiant, not laying a finger on the juicy strips of turkey
on her plate. Because she's seen enough of that in this lifetime. Two-year-old
Jordan Hubbard of Rochester has a rare disorder that allows her to eat only
eight foods -- every meal, every day.
Current News
and Parenting ≈
Tots Take on Foreign
Words - Susan Winchester knew that the foreign language classes her toddler
was taking were having an impact one day at the diaper-changing table. The
Orinda, Calif., woman, who is bilingual, asked Douglas in French, "What color is
the sun?" "He looked up at me with a sparkle in his eye and said, 'amarillo.'
And it wasn't a mistake."
Current News ≈ MI
Early On Redesign Update
- The Leadership Team for the Early On Redesign is seeking
stakeholder comment and input on a draft set of indicators for Early On.
These draft indicators are based on a review of research, legislation and best
practice documents. Comments received will be used as part of Redesign Step 6,
Results Teams, as part of the process that will be used to finalize the
indicators. Please review the materials and instructions in the document titled
"Draft Indicators and Instructions for Public Comment", which can be found on
the redesign website at
www.earlyonredesign.com.Comments are due to
earlyonredesign@michigan.govon or before July 22, 2005. Please contact us
if you have questions.
Current News ≈ MI
Michigan Embraces the National
Early Childhood Campaign: Born Learning - The United Way, the Ad Council,
and Civitas have joined forces to create a $90 million, three year, national
public engagement campaign called Born Learning. The campaign will help parents
and caregivers give pre-school children the best start in life.
Current News
and Parenting ≈
Summer's Great For Potty
Training - For youngsters who are physically and
psychologically ready for toilet training, summer may be an
ideal time to begin, according to a statement on the topic from
the University of Michigan Health System.
Current News ≈
Graco Recalls 1.1 Million Baby
Strollers - Graco Children's Products Inc. has agreed to recall more than
1.1 million strollers because of a risk of collapsing, the U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission said.
Current News ≈ MI
House To Discuss Early Childhood Programs - The Michigan House Education
Committee announced on June 29 that it will be discussing early childhood
programs over the summer. Mr. Palmer appointed Wednesday an Early Childhood
Intervention Subcommittee to address all the bills currently circulating on
those programs. Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer (R-Bellaire) will chair the subcommittee
and will be joined by Rep. Jack Hoogendyk (R-Portage), Rep. Bob Gosselin
(R-Troy), Rep. Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) and Rep. Virgil Smith III
(D-Detroit). [Source: Gongwer News Service, June 29, 2005]
July 9, 2005
Current News ≈ MI
Kids Count in Michigan - Right
Start Michigan 2005 - Despite substantial improvement in some maternal risks
in Michigan since the mid-1990s, the shares of infants born too soon or too
small increased, according to the latest analysis by Kids Count in Michigan.
Current News
and Preschool ≈
Can
Today's Preschoolers Save Tomorrow's Social Security? - When poor
children are provided access to high-quality preschool, research shows
they perform much better in school, experience higher graduation rates,
and tend to stay out of trouble with drugs, alcohol, and crime. As adults,
they would enter the workforce at higher skill levels, earning larger
salaries and paying higher taxes into the system. According to economist
Robert G. Lynch, a national, high-quality, early childhood development
program which serves all three- and four-year-olds who fall below the
poverty line, will target the very 1.6 million youngsters who, as they
grow up, would otherwise cost taxpayers most, leaving more money for other
programs including the Social Security program, which some experts project
will begin facing financial difficulties in the year 2018, about the time
when the first class of today's preschoolers would enter the workforce.
Current News
and Child Care ≈ MI
More Money For Low-Income Child
Care Providers - Licensed or registered child care providers
serving low-income families have access to $661,371 more grant
dollars, thanks to a new grant program funded by the Department of
Human Services (DHS) and supported by the Michigan 4H.
Child Growth &
Development ≈ Featured Website:
Kids Coins -
Learn and Play the Kids Coins Way! Children's early experiences largely
determine the way they will learn, think and behave for the rest of their lives.
For ages 3 and up.
June 27, 2005
Current News
and Preschool ≈
Getting Every Child Ready For School: A Foundation For Success -
Preschool access is just the beginning of getting every child ready for
first grade. A new report from the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)
outlines four successful strategies: (1) Offer pre-kindergarten to all
children who are at risk of academic failure, not just those from families
living in poverty; (2) Strive to meet quality standards; (3) Ensure that
all children have a school-readiness assessment before they enter first
grade; and (4) Continue to place a priority on programs that encourage
vaccinations and health insurance for children.
June 24, 2005
Current News ≈ MI
Special
Education/Early Intervention Services Survey -
As the parent of an infant, toddler, child, student, or young adult who has
received early intervention or special education services, you are invited
to share your ideas and thoughts by participating in a survey. This survey
is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Office of Special
Education and Early Intervention Services (OSE-EIS). The purpose of the
survey is to understand the factors that influence a family's experiences
with the parent support and information components of the early intervention
services and special education systems. You can take the survey on the
Internet by going to
www.pscinc.com/parentsurvey.When prompted for
a passcode, please enter your e-mail address. If you need a paper copy of
this survey, please contact Elisabeth Weston of Public Sector Consultants
(the firm administering the survey) toll-free at (877) 760-8149 and a survey
will be sent to you.
Current News ≈ MI
Great Start: New Community Conversation Posted - The Children's Action
Network (CAN) is preparing recommendations for the Early Childhood Investment
Corporation. CAN is inviting interested communities to submit responses to four
questions about the implementation of Great Start Collaboratives.
Visit
www.greatstartforkids.orgto see the questions and
background information. Please respond to
Joan Bloughno later than June 24, 2005.
Book &
Product Reviews ≈ Bridges4Kids Review:
Max & Friends Volume 1
(DVD/Books) - Max and Friends is a multimedia educational program for children.
Max and Friends is a fun, easy to use program that will help your child develop
the critical skills that are the foundation for all learning.
Preschool ≈ More Nursery School Children Going
Online - Before they can even read, almost one in four children in
nursery school is learning a skill that even some adults have yet to
master: using the Internet. Some 23 percent of children in nursery school
-- kids age 3, 4 or 5 -- have gone online, according to the Education
Department. By kindergarten, 32 percent have used the Internet, typically
under adult supervision.
Child Care ≈ MI
Parents Scramble for Baby
Day Care - An acute shortage of day care facilities that take
infants has sent many Metro Detroit parents scrambling for
alternatives, begging relatives for help or seeking the services of a
nanny.
Child Growth &
Development ≈
Aggressive Treatment Helps
Babies of Diabetics - Women who develop diabetes during
pregnancy give birth to healthier babies if they are
aggressively treated, concludes a large new study that helps
bolster the case for testing all pregnant women for this
condition.
Child Growth &
Development ≈
Generation of Meth Babies
- Deep in America's heartland, hidden among the river towns and
rolling farmland, lies a heartbreaking epidemic, CBS News
Correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports. There is a generation of
children being born to Methamphetamine-addicted mothers.
Parenting ≈ Overparenting: Anxious Parent,
Angry Child - Overparenting refers to unnecessary corrective, cautionary or
disciplinary comments made by parents to kids. These parental comments can be
unnecessary for several reasons.
June 9, 2005
Child Growth &
Development ≈
Keeping Your Toddler Safe Outdoors
- Kids love to romp and play outside, especially in the summer months. While the
great outdoors can be great fun, there are some hazards to avoid--lead in garden
soil, various stinging and disease carrying insects, and poisonous plants.
June 8, 2005
Current News ≈
Early Childhood Education Newsletter:
Cool Cooking - Don’t let the heat outdoors stop you from cooking with
your children. Cooking strengthens children’s skills across the curriculum.
When children cook, they learn about good nutrition for their bodies.
They develop skills in math, reading, and language arts.
Cooking gives children an opportunity to create, cooperate, and to feel a
sense of accomplishment. So go ahead and cook -- just make sure you keep it
cool!
Current News and
Child Care ≈ MI
Child Care Quality Rating System in Michigan - Creating a Child Care Quality
Rating System in Michigan: Explanations and Early Recommendations is a paper
that briefly looks at some of the benefits of child care quality rating
systems as well as some early recommendations of the work group charged with
developing such a system for Michigan. This paper is now posted on
www.greatstartforkids.orgfor your information.
Parenting ≈ A new Playground Safety
Handout, from the Violence & Injury Prevention Program at Saint
Francis (CT), is now available in two versions:
English and
Spanish.
May 29, 2005
Professional Development ≈ Early Childhood
Education Newsletter: Enjoy The
Outdoors! - Come on outside, the weather is fine! What better time
than springtime to take some of your lessons outdoors? Whether your
children are measuring water or playing shadow tag, they are using
nature’s bounty to help them learn.
May 28, 2005
Book & Product Reviews ≈ Bridges4Kids Review:
(CD) My Turn Your Turn -
Award-winning singer-songwriter, Cathy Bollinger does a phenomenal job all
around on her newest CD, My Turn Your Turn.
May 27, 2005
Book & Product Reviews ≈ Bridges4Kids Review:
The Bilingual Book of
Rhymes, Songs, Stories & Fingerplays - With Spanish and English on
each page, this collection of over 450 rhymes, songs, stories, and
fingerplays provides the opportunity for building vocabulary and exploring
the sounds of language-important skills for beginning readers!
Current News
and Preschool
≈
TN
Tennessee's Pre-K Plan:
Start Small and Learn - Tennessee is closely studying other states'
preschool programs to ensure its new expanded program, likely to become a
reality this fall, is implemented smoothly. Like Georgia, Tennessee will
try to serve as many children as possible, keep classes small and give
parents choice between public and private centers, but it will probably
move more slowly.
Current News
and Child Care
≈
MI
Audit Criticizes Michigan
Child Care Licensing System - State officials have failed to
adequately check the criminal backgrounds of childcare workers and to
conduct required inspections of childcare centers in a timely fashion,
an audit from Auditor General Thomas McTavish showed.
Early
Literacy ≈ Emergent Literacy and Language Facilitation: Videos for Staff and
Parents - Available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, and
Filipino. To preview the English version of the videos "Talking and Play" and
"Talking and Books" on the web, please go to
www.walearning.com. Washington Research Institute (WRI) developed the
Language is the Key program. This evidence-based program helps staff show
parents how to encourage young children (birth to five) to talk and build the
foundation for literacy.
Events Calendar ≈ A Summer Institute
on Transition will take place on July 20-21, 2005 in Troy, Michigan. Keynote
Speaker will be Dr. Jim Patton. Jim will share his reflections, from both
professional and personal perspectives, on trends in education and human
services that emphasize new ways of conceptualizing levels of competence. His
views have been shaped by extensive experience in transition education that
includes work as a classroom teacher, consultant, professor, author and expert
witness in competency hearings for persons with disabilities who are on death
row. Download the flyer with registration information and
training strands (PDF).
Current News
≈
PBS for Young Children: Pre-kindergartener Expulsion Rates -
Pre-kindergarteners Left Behind: Expulsion Rates in
State Pre-kindergarten Systems
(PDF) by Walter S. Gilliam, PhD, Yale University Child Study Center;
Read the results of a study on the expulsion of young children from
state-subsidized pre-K classrooms from a national study of 3,898 pre-kindergarten
classrooms (81.0% response rate), representing all of the nation's 52
state-funded pre-kindergarten systems currently
operating across 40 states. Nationally, 6.67 preschoolers were expelled per
1,000 enrolled -- 3.2 times the rate for K-12 students. Also,
see
Expulsion Rates for Pre-kindergarten and K-12 by State (PDF) and
Michigan
Pre-kindergarten fact sheet (PDF).
Events Calendar ≈ SAVE THE DATE: 2006 Michigan
Collaborative Early Childhood Conference: Preconference: January 25, 2006 and
Conference: January 26 and 27, 2006. For more information, contact Laurie A.
Nickson, Conference Coordinator, Michigan Collaborative Early Childhood
Conference, (517) 336-9700, x25 or email
lnickson@miaeyc.org.
Current News
≈
Hallmark Immunization Greeting Card
Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary - The lives of an estimated
20 million newborns have been touched over the last 10 years by something as
simple as a greeting card. Not the standard
“congratulations-on-the-birth-of-your-baby" card, this card carries a powerful
message to parents: Get your child immunized against serious illnesses.
Early Literacy ≈ Resource Added:
First Book is a
national nonprofit organization with a mission to give kids from
low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books.
Working with existing community-based literacy programs, First Book
provides children with a steady diet of new books to help them build their
own libraries at home. First Book has distributed more than 30 million
books to kids in more than 900 communities across the country.
Download/Order Publications ≈
Click here to download an Early On Michigan
flyer highlighting milestones in development for children birth - three years of
age as an 8.5" x 11" print (PDF; 1 page; size=120k).
Current News
≈
MI
The Part C of IDEA/Early On
Federal Application & Public Comment Timeline (PDF) -
The Michigan Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood Education
and Family Services has applied for the Federal Fiscal Year 2005 Grant Award
under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and is available
for a period of public review and comment. Public comment will be accepted
through 5:00 p.m. on June 6, 2005. Please mail all comments to the Early On,
Office of Early Childhood Education and Family Services, Michigan Dept.
of Ed., P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909.
April 29, 2005
Caring For An Infant ≈
Michigan
Children's Cabinet Offers Infant Sleep Tips - A new report issued
this week by the administration's Infant Safe Sleep Task Force
released guidelines that — if followed — will significantly reduce
Michigan's infant mortality rate by cutting down on accidental
suffocations.
April 27, 2005
Current News
≈
MI
Early On Redesign Website - On November 19, 2004, the Early On
State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) voted to enter into a redesign of
the Early On (Part C ofIDEA) system for Michigan. The
vote was based upon input from multiple sources and stakeholders that indicated
a need to closely examine and redesign the current Part C system. There have
been significant changes to Michigan's early childhood system and services since
the inception of Early On in 1993, and there is an increasing focus on achieving
meaningful results for children and families enrolled in Early On. A process for
the redesign was adopted by the SICC on February 18, 2005.A website has been created to facilitate communication about the redesign
work. The website contains links to information about the 'Redesign Process',
'Presentations', and updates on 'What's New' with redesign activity.Via the website, an e-mail list is being created that will be used to
notify stakeholders when there are new materials posted to the website, and more
importantly, to request input and comment to the redesign work. Anybody who is
interested in the redesign work can enroll on the e-mail list by clicking on the
'Subscribe' link on the redesign website.
≈
Building the Foundation for Bright Futures
- This report offers actions that governors and states
can take based on a framework for school readiness. The five principles that
anchor the framework include the importance of the family in a young child’s
life and the responsibility for school readiness of the adults and systems that
support and care for children.
Find Help For a Child
≈ Resource added to Oakland County:
Oakland County Early Childhood Guide to Summer Services 2005
(PDF) - This guide supports our goal of helping all children reach their maximum
potential. We are pleased to share with you information on a variety of summer
offerings and resources for your child. In addition to therapeutic resources, we
are also providing information about recreational/academic programs, clinics and
camps that encourage your child’s overall development. Summer programs provide a
variety of enrichment opportunities to continue to enhance your child’s growth
and development. Summer activities have long-lasting benefits beyond the
immediate enjoyment you and your child will experience.
Current News
and
Parenting
≈
Can Parents Spoil a Baby? - This age-old question still continues to
test experts. The question, it seems, remains a point of contention and
discussion among parents, generation after generation. Ask mothers,
grandparents, friends or colleagues, and they are sure to give an opinion.
≈
Bridges4Kids/Early On Review:
Do You Know
The Muffin Man?
- Rhyme, rhythm, and music are an essential part of a quality early
childhood program. The authors of the perennial favorite, Where is
Thumbkin? have created activities children will love to accompany the 250
rhymes and songs in this invaluable new literacy book.
≈
Bridges4Kids/Early On Review:
Bubbles, Rainbows and
Worms - "Why did that happen?", "How does that work?", "What will
happen if..?". Young children ask questions about the world around them
all day long. They are filled with curiosity and the desire to learn.
Bubbles, Rainbows, and Worms teaches children about the world using
hands-on experiments with plants, the environment, air and water, and the
senses.
April 12, 2005
Book & Product Reviews ≈ Bridges4Kids/Early On Review:
The Learning Power of
Laughter
- Serious learning can happen in playful moments. The Learning Power of
Laughter has over 300 activities that use the power of laughter to
encourage 3- to 6- year-olds to be creative, learn sequencing skills,
develop phonemic awareness, use their imaginations, develop listening
skills, and work with rhymes and language.
Preschool
≈
OH
Preschool Gives Edge to Kindergartners in City's Schools - Half of
Cincinnati Public Schools' kindergartners enter school lacking fundamental
early reading skills necessary to succeed academically, according to a
groundbreaking report on kindergarten readiness.
- A great, interactive early childhood education tool for your little ones!
Apart from being a charming and highly entertaining television and video series,
BALLTOWN has a far more serious and valuable goal to teach children important
lessons, universal life skills and values and also serve as an important
teaching guide for parents and teachers.
Early On Redesign Information Source - A temporary web page
containing information about the Early On redesign process has been
established on the EOT&TA website. A more comprehensive website, and opportunity
to subscribe to an e-mail notification list for redesign activities, will be
coming soon. To access the temporary web page, go to
http://eotta.ccresa.org,click on Early On Redesign Updates under the News and Notes column
on the right side of the home page.
and
Preschool
≈
MIEducation Not Tracking School
Readiness Program - Children participating in the Michigan
School Readiness Program were receiving a quality education, but the
Department of Education was not taking steps to ensure that was always
true, according to a report released Wednesday by Auditor General Thomas
McTavish.
and
Preschool
≈
CA
A New Day for L.A. Preschools
- Although the Los Angeles Universal Preschool Program begins with a
modest $9,149 payment to the Union Pacific Children's Center of the YWCA
of Greater Los Angeles, it represents the start of an ambitious countywide
system that over the next decade will enroll 100,000 pre-kindergarten
children — or 70% of the 4-year-old population — regardless of family
income. Universal preschool is the most notable program to emerge from
First 5 LA, a nonprofit formed to use tobacco tax revenue to fund early
childhood development, health and education programs. With backing from
filmmaker Rob Reiner, California voters in 1998 approved a 50-cents-a-pack
tax to fund such efforts. The agency is staking much of its credibility,
as well as millions in public funds, on the success of its preschool
effort.
March 22, 2005
Events Calendar ≈ MI
Examining Our Practice: Looking At New Ways to Support Families will take place
on May 5-6, 2005 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Come join us for an educational,
enlightening, and enjoyable conference. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Harvey Karp,
a nationally renowned pediatrician, child development specialist, and author of
The Happiest Baby on the Block. Come to gain effective and valuable information
on strengthening children's opportunity for development. Please visit
http://eotta.ccresa.org/
to register and access our brochure to download. Brochures will also be mailed
the week of March 28, 2005. If you have any questions, please call EOT&TA at
(866) 334-5437.
Current
News and Early Childhood ≈
Building the Foundation for Bright Futures:
Final Report of the NGA Task Force on School Readiness - The
Governors Association Task Force on School Readiness spent 2 years identifying
actions that governors and states can take to support families, schools, and
communities in preparing children for school. The final report describes these
policy recommendations and a companion guide ties the recommendations to
concrete examples.
Child
Growth & Development ≈ Learn The Signs. Act Early.
Health Care Professional
Downloads & Parent
Downloads - It's time to change how we view a child's growth. Do you know
all the ways you should measure your child’s growth? The good news is, the
earlier a delay is recognized the more you can do to help your child reach her
full potential.
March 16, 2005
Current News
≈
Mentors Help Other Parents Overcome Challenges
- Mentor Tracy LeBel introduces her mentee Patty White, 24, as "my friend."
Despite the 12-year age difference and the socioeconomic gap between the
stay-at-home mom, LeBel, and the single working one, White, the moms bonded over
parenting kids the same age. The two were paired through Children's Home
Society's Healthy Start Parent Mentor Program for young moms. It's one of a
handful of Seattle-area efforts to mentor parents and families who face
challenges from social isolation, youth or poverty.
Download/Order Publications » Learn
The Signs. Act Early. Health
Care Professional Downloads &
Parent Downloads - It's
time to change how we view a child's growth. Do you know all the ways you should
measure your child’s growth? The good news is, the earlier a delay is recognized
the more you can do to help your child reach her full potential.
Download/Order
Publications » Downloadable Brochure for Health Care Professionals: "Your
Next Patient Has Autism..." - A tri-fold brochure developed for the many
health professionals (nurses, physicians, technicians and others) who provide
services for children on the autism spectrum.
February 28, 2005
Current News and
Preschool ≈
FLState May Let
More Public Schools Offer Pre-K Classes - Public schools, largely written
out of Florida's new pre-kindergarten program, might be back in the game as
state leaders scramble to make room for all 4-year-olds who could enroll in the
free pre-K classes, officials said Thursday.
Download/Order Publications » New
Poster Size Added: "Early Literacy: Helping Your Child Become A Reader"
New 11x17 Larger Size:
Click here to download this
11"x17" poster (PDF; 1 page; size=100k). There are many ways that you can
encourage your child to become a reader. Here are some questions that you can
ask yourself to make sure that you are keeping on track.
Download/Order Publications » New Poster Size Added: "Helping Your Child:
Social & Emotional Preparation" New 11"x17" Larger Size:
Click here to download
this 11"x17" poster (PDF; 1 page; size=283k). Children start school with
different degrees of social and emotional maturity. These skills take time and
practice to learn. Give your child opportunities at home to begin to develop the
following positive qualities.
Download/Order Publications » New Poster Added:
Click here to download
an Early On Michigan poster highlighting developmental issues as an
8.5"x11" print (PDF; 1 page; size=107k).
Download/Order Publications » New Poster Added:
Click here to
download an Early On Michigan poster (female) highlighting
social-emotional issues as an 8.5"x11" print (PDF; 1 page; size=110k).
Download/Order Publications » New Poster Added:
Click here
to download an Early On Michigan poster (male) highlighting
social-emotional issues as an 8.5"x11" print (PDF; 1 page; size=114k).
Current News ≈ MI
FIA Funds go to
Low-income Child Care in 38 Counties
-
Grants for everything from play kitchens to fire doors
were announced Wednesday as part of $200,000 allocated to registered child
low-income child care providers. The 60 grants, funded by the Family
Independence Agency, will go to providers in 38 counties.
February 16, 2005
Current News ≈
WebMD's Symptom Checker - Need information as you determine what to do about
your symptoms? Get help figuring them out by answering a series of questions. To
get started, click on male or female, regardless of age, then the part of the
body that is troubling you. Note:
This tool provides general information and recommendations, and may not
address specific individual circumstances. Do not rely on it exclusively to make
decisions about your health. Always consult your doctor for personal medical
advice.
Current News and
Professional Development ≈ Early
Childhood Education Newsletter:
This Week's Theme -
Libraries - Shelves and shelves of books! The library is an “exploratorium”--
a place to explore facts, feelings, and fun found on the pages of books!
Whether your students regularly visit a public
library, a school library, or a classroom library, they are beginning to
understand the value and enjoyment of books.
Current News ≈ MI
Governor
Granholm's Comments on Early Childhood Education & Care - In the written
version of her State of the State address, Governor Granholm unveiled an early
childhood initiative called the "Early Childhood Investment Corporation" (ECIC).
It's common practice for a Governor not to say everything contained in the
written document even though that document is released to the public. In the
speech she delivered, Governor Granholm did not mention the ECIC. However, the
ECIC language is contained in the official version of her speech displayed on
her website.
- Sweet drinks - whether Kool-Aid with sugar or all-natural apple juice - seem
to raise the risk of pudgy preschoolers getting fatter, new research suggests.
That may come as a surprise to parents who pride themselves on seeking out fruit
drinks with no added sugar.
Current News and
Vaccinations/Immunizations ≈
Vaccine Does the Job Against Chickenpox - U.S. deaths from chickenpox
dropped to the lowest level ever after a vaccine to prevent the childhood
disease was introduced in 1995, a study shows. In the five years before the
vaccine, chickenpox caused or contributed to an average of 145 deaths each year.
That dropped to 66 in just a few years, researchers at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Current News ≈ NAEYC Public Policy Update:
February 1, 2005 - This public policy update includes the
following articles: Upcoming high stakes in the budget, new head start
NRS test panel appointed, and new NGA report; Governors talk about early
childhood.
and
Kent County
≈
Grand Rapids' Black Baby Death Rate Among Highest in Michigan
- The city's black babies are dying at a rate that is the highest of Michigan's
big cities, and three times the rate of the city's white infants. "Grand Rapids
has one of the highest infant mortality rates in Michigan, more than Detroit,"
said Caroline Pyle, executive director the African American Health Institute.
Current News ≈ MI
Job Opportunity: Special Education/Early Childhood/Administration -
Clinton County regional Educational Service Agency (CCRESA) is seeking a
master’s level candidate in special Education/Early Childhood/Administration,
with experience with infants and toddlers for the statewide Early On
Training and Technical Assistance Project (EOT&TA) for the professional Services
Supervisor position. EOT&TA provides training and technical assistance to
providers of early intervention services for children birth to three with
special needs and their families served through Early On Michigan. This
is a 210 day/full benefits, grant funded position located in our DeWitt CCRESA
Office. Mail resumes by February 14, 2005 to:
CCRESA EOT&TA, 13109 Schavey Rd., Suite 4, DeWitt, MI 48820.
Current News and
Professional Development ≈ Early
Childhood Education Newsletter:
February's Theme - Hearts - Includes
activities and websites which all contain ideas related to this month's theme:
hearts! Also, includes information on how to subscribe to the Education World
Early Childhood Education newsletter.
Current News and
Preschool ≈ AZ
Four-year-old Kindergartners Strain Arizona - The little learners wouldn't
be so controversial if they all were kindergarten material.But they are being held back for a second year in kindergarten at rates
as high as 62 percent in Mesa and in Tempe at five times the rate for
5-year-olds.
February 3, 2005
Current News ≈ MI
Early
Childhood Ed A Rising Focus - The Family Independence Agency (FIA) is
getting ready to roll out an aggressive early childhood development strategy
that focuses on rewarding and recognizing the state's best community programs
and creating a central clearinghouse parents can use to find the best places to
send their young children.
Current News ≈ MI
'Gym'
Designed to Pump Up Kids' Brains - Workouts for Congress Elementary School
students might result in better grades instead of bulging biceps. Before class,
students participate in "Brain Gym," where exercises are based on the premise
that whole body movement develops the brain.
Current News ≈
Baby Boot Camp Helps Turn Men Into Fathers - Whether it's held on Parris
Island, S.C., or at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville, Ind., the real
point of a boot camp isn't to berate and intimidate the new recruits. It’s to
prepare them to face the unknown terrors of battle.
MI Training, Interaction
Focus of Child Day Care Plan - Staff at Michigan's 19,000 day care homes and
centers would be required for the first time to receive child care training as
part of a major rewrite of the state's regulations governing day care.
January 29, 2005
Events Calendar ≈ 2005 Michigan Early Hearing
Interventionists/Parents Conference "Connecting Communities... Putting Families
First" will take place on Thursday, March 17, 2005 at Kellogg Hotel &
Conference Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. The goals
of this conference are to increase the skill and knowledge base of childhood
specialists who work with children with hearing loss and their families and to
provide an opportunity for families to learn about early intervention services.
Download the PDF brochure, complete with registration information and agenda.
Register Online at
www.mphi.eductrng.net.
Download/Order Publications ≈ New! Baby Stages
Wheel: A Parent’s and Caregiver’s Guide to the Social and Emotional Development
of Infants and Toddlers - Click
here to download the information sheet and order form [PDF]. Tips for new
parents and child caregivers comes in the form of a handy “wheel.” The Michigan
Association for Infant Mental Health (MI-AIMH), the Michigan Department of
Community Health and Michigan State University Extension have created a “wheel”
that can steer parents and those working with infants and families through the
critical first years! Easy to read and user friendly, parents and caregivers can
follow an infant’s progress around the wheel until he or she is three years old.
With just a ‘turn of the dial’ a caring adult will discover many things he or
she can do to nurture a strong relationship and support healthy social and
emotional development in the first years.
January 19, 2005
Current News ≈ Annual Survey Finds
High-Quality State Preschool Programs Are the Exception, Not the Rule - The
second annual survey of state preschool programs found a huge disparity in
availability from state to state and even within state boundaries. The report
concludes that "across our nation, high-quality and readily available
state-funded preschool programs are the exception rather than the rule." The
State of Preschool: 2004 State Preschool Yearbook reports that nationally, total
enrollment of 3- and 4-year-olds in state-funded programs rose in the past
school year, but spending per preschool student fell. Twenty-one states actually
cut funding to preschool programs. Twelve states had no state-financed programs
at all.
Current News ≈ Kraft to Cut Back on
Snack Ads Targeting Kids - Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT) Wednesday said it would
stop advertising products like Oreo cookies and Kool-Aid beverages to children
younger than 12 as it works to deflect criticism that such foods contribute to
childhood obesity.
Events Calendar ≈
2005 Parenting with Love and Logic Classes with Debra
Madonna: Parents of Children with Special Needs: Jan 29, Apr 23;
Toddlers & Preschoolers: Mar 19, June 11 all at St. Mary-Mercy Hospital,
36475 Five Mile Road, Livonia MI 48154. Classes are designed to: Give parents
the opportunity to review ideas. Practice a new strategy. Learn Teamwork
Strategies. Get support from other parents. Help you discover that you are
already doing a good job as a parent. Cost is $15.00 per person/$20.00 for two.
For more information or to register call Mary Jane Peck at 734.655.1100 or visit
http://www.parentcollege.com/classes.html.
January 14, 2005
Current News and
Child Care ≈ MI
INFO ALERT:
Child Care Center Rules - Child Care Center Rules Revisions Completed by
FIA-OCAL. An advisory committee has been working with FIA's Division of Child
Day Care Licensing/Office of Child and Adult Licensing (OCAL) to draft new child
care center rules. The committee has completed its work and OCAL has forwarded
the draft of the revised rules to the Office of Regulatory Reform (ORR).
Find Help For a Child ≈
Oakland County: Paint a Miracle is a nonprofit art studio that offers
people with disabilities and other challenges the opportunity to
explore their creativity in an atmosphere of hope, growth, and
encouragement. The art instructor will tailor the program to fit the
individual artist’s needs using a variety of media, including
charcoal, color pencil, paint and clay. Our studio is in Rochester on
the northwest corner of Pine and University, facing Pine Street. No
previous art experience is necessary. For more information, visit them
on the web at
http://www.paintamiracle.org.
January 10, 2005
Events Calendar ≈ Choices in Autism will
take place on
February 26, 2005 from 8:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Madonna University, Kresge
Hall. There are many
effective treatment options for children with autism. Sometimes, however,
evaluating and selecting the best approach for your child’s individual needs can
be overwhelming. Speech, Language & Sensory-Motor Systems, Inc. is pleased to
provide a unique conference designed to present a balanced overview of the most
prevalent treatment options available. Choices in Autism will enable parents to
make well-informed decisions, based on accurate information presented by
respected professionals in the field of autism. A facilitated panel discussion
with the presenters and a question and answer period will be included. Also, two
parents of children along the autism spectrum and a young man with Asperger’s
Syndrome will share their amazing stories. Click
here to download the flyer and registration form (PDF). Cost is $125 per attendee; early registration discount to $100 if paid prior to Friday,
January 21, 2005. Lunch will be available onsite in the cafeteria for $7.00
more. Please
contact Stephanie Naberhaus, Clinical Director, at (734) 454-0866 with any
questions.
Child Growth & Development ≈
Featured Resource:
Bright Start Therapeutics
- Our products greatly benefit people who work with individuals with learning
disabilities including Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Parents of
Children with Learning Disabilities, Special Education Teachers, Speech
Pathologists, and Adapted Physical Educators.
Current News ≈ CED Releases Early Education Working
Papers - Founded in 1942, The Committee for Economic Development (CED) is a
blue-ribbon organization of corporate CEO’s and civic leaders whose public
policy arguments have been extremely influential in shaping American and global
business policy through the years. Now CED is weighing in on the issue of early
childhood education and care.
December 24, 2004
Current News and
Child Growth & Development ≈
Featured Resource:
First Signs - First Signs, Inc. is a national non-profit organization
dedicated to educating parents and pediatric professionals about the early
warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders. Early diagnosis of
autism is critical and some tests now screen for signs as early as four months.
On the website you will find a description of a variety of developmental
screening tool as well as links to either download or purchase, as well as other
products including a First Signs screening kit, video, wall chart, etc. You will
also find information on how to bring a First Signs campaign to your state or
community.
Find Help For a Child ≈
First Call of Ottawa County is now part of the 2-1-1
system. Call 2-1-1 for information and referrals in Ottawa County.
December 17, 2004
Current News and
Preschool ≈ CA
State Oversight Sought for Preschool Program - A California lawmaker
is scheduled to introduce legislation today to provide state oversight for
Hollywood director Rob Reiner's much-heralded, but yet-to-be-implemented
universal preschool program. A recent state audit slammed the universal
preschool program for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel
and administrative expenses, but nothing on educating children.
Current News ≈ Cuts in Federal Early Childhood
Education (ECE) Programs - Congress has determined the spending levels for
discretionary programs for fiscal year 2005. Early childhood and education
programs did not fare very well. Tight spending caps meant making real cuts in
several programs, and much smaller increases in other programs, compared to what
was in the President's request, or the House and Senate committee bills.
December 13, 2004
Page Updated:
Michigan Disability Resources Database (MDRD) - Find local information on disabilities, education, support groups, organizations, transportation, emergency services, etc., by zip code, address, disability, service, or county.
December 12, 2004
Events
Calendar ≈ U.S.
2005 NACCRRA National Policy Symposium--Who's
Accountable for Quality Child Care and Early Education? will take place on March
1-5, 2005 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC. Some of the questions this
conference will explore include: (1) How do we establish a shared vision of
quality child care and early education that is supported by defined goals,
outcomes, and benchmarks, so that we can evaluate our progress? (2) How can
states, communities, and the nation measurably improve child care and early
education quality? (3) How do we build accountability into the system? (4) How
do we implement a quality child care and early education system that is
inclusive of the diversity of settings and people within it? (types of care,
rural and urban, cultural, socioeconomic, educational status, special needs,
etc.) (5) How do we engage and energize new partners to support quality child
care and early education? (media, professional association, public schools,
elected officials, faith community, business leaders, etc.) Specifically, how
can accountability support sustainable relationships among traditional and new
partners? For more information, contact NACCRRA at (202) 393-5501 (Main Phone)
or email shunter@naccrra.org.
Events
Calendar ≈ U.S.
2005 OSEP National Early Childhood Conference will take place on February 7-9,
2005 at the
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel Washington, DC.
Conference Goals for Participants: *Gain a better understanding of research
findings and effective practices; *Further utilization of knowledge from
research and practice related to US Department of Education goals and
initiatives- "Leave No Child Behind," IDEA and including all children; *Build
relationships/linkages with others to promote collaborative work and innovative
programs; *Acquire resources that will lead to implementing successful
evidence-based practices of high standards and accountability in the
implementation of the IDEA; *Promote family leadership in policy and system
improvement at the federal, state and local levels. For more information,
contact the
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education at (202) 245-7531 or visit
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html.
Events Calendar ≈ U.S.
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs 2005 Annual Conference:
Delivering Results: Improving Pregnancy and Birth will take place on
February 19-23, 2005 at the
Grand Hyatt Washington Hotel Washington, D.C.
AMCHP 2005 will address the public health aspects of pregnancy and childbirth,
including the prevention of prematurity, provider training, parent education,
data systems and tools, best practices, and racial and ethnic disparities in
birth outcomes. Participants will also learn about emerging trends and best
practices from a broad range of maternal and child health issues. For more
information, contact the
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs at (202) 775-0436 or visit
www.amchp.org/news/conference.htm.
December 7, 2004
Download/Order Publications ≈ New Publication Added!
Click here to download
"Early Literacy: Helping Your Child Become A Reader" (PDF; 1 page; size=110k).
There are many ways that you can encourage your child to become a reader. Here
are some questions that you can ask yourself to make sure that you are keeping
on track.
Download/Order Publications ≈ New Publication Added!
Click here to download
"Helping Your Child: Social & Emotional Preparation" (PDF; 1 page; size=381k).
Children start school with different degrees of social and emotional maturity.
These skills take time and practice to learn. Give your child opportunities at
home to begin to develop the following positive qualities.
Download/Order Publications ≈ New Publication Added!
Click here to download
"How to Choose an Early Childhood Program that Promotes Family
Involvement" (PDF; 1 page; size=266k). If you are looking for an early
childhood program that encourages family involvement you need to do two things.
First, tell the program's director that you and your family want to be involved
in your child's education while in the program. Second, ask what opportunities
are available for family involvement in the program. Below are some questions
that you can ask when looking for a program that encourages family involvement.
Current News and
Preschool ≈ MI
Ypsilanti Preschool Program's Results Prompt a Call to Expand - They
were poor Ypsilanti children likely to perform poorly in school when
researchers randomly placed them in an experimental preschool program in
the 1960s. Now, decades later, their successes as adults are fueling a
push for more quality preschool programs for low-income youth. The
findings showed that for every dollar invested in the High/Scope Perry
Preschool Study, the nation has saved nearly $13 in social-welfare costs.
Current News ≈ Request for
Comments: Infrastructure of Early Childhood System in Michigan:
"The
System Infrastructure Work Group of the Early Childhood Comprehensive System
Project has drafted a report defining the infrastructure elements of an
early childhood system and proposing strategies to strengthen those elements
in Michigan. The Children’s Cabinet and Children’s Action will review the
report on November 17, 2004. The report is posted on the website,
www.greatstartforkids.org,for your review. Please send any comments in response to the
following questions to Joan Blough
by no later than November 16, 2004:
Are any elements missing? Will the proposed strategies, if implemented, help
create Michigan’s early childhood system? If not, how can the strategies be
strengthened? Thank you in advance for your response." -
Doug Paterson
Download/Order
Publications ≈ Download an updated information sheet for parents on lead
poisoning from Prevention Network/Parenting Awareness Michigan -
click here (PDF).
November 5, 2004
Current News ≈
Kids' Elbows Can KO Flu Bug - With a shortage of vaccine this flu
season, school nurses across the Valley are teaching students a new way to
cover their cough to beat the bug.
November 4, 2004
Current News ≈
Playtime's Over - Children as young as three years old are not getting
enough exercise, while 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 are overweight,
according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics.
Current News and
Child Growth & Development ≈ Prolonged Infant
Crying: Sign of Trouble? - A handful of studies have shown
that persistent crying - longer than 3
months - may be related to mental and behavioral problems as
children get older. In a recent study, children who still had
unexplained, persistent crying beyond 6
months tended to be hyperactive when they reached 8-10 years
old.
October 28, 2004
Book & Video
Reviews ≈ Bridges4Kids/Early On Review:
Literacy Play - What
a great way to promote early literacy! Teaching pre-reading skills in a
child's natural environment is a wonderful way to reinforce learning. This
book contains over 300 activities to choose from - each relating to
real-life scenarios - which are organized into 8 sections: Occupations,
Home, Nature, Science, Stories, Transportation, Performers, and Reading,
Writing, & Talking.
Current News and
Early Childhood ≈
Study: Young Children Are Good
Investments - According to a report released this week, smart
investments in young children will produce increases in economic
productivity and growth, and reduce the burden on taxpayers of the costs
of remedial education, welfare, crime and poverty. The report was released
by the Michigan League for Human Services and Michigan's Children.
October 27, 2004
Current News and
Preschool ≈ NJ
Preschool Program's
Cost Lands in Court - One sweeping requirement in the state Supreme
Court's effort to get New Jersey to help its poorest kids was the order
establishing preschool programs in 30 needy school districts. Supporters
say it has helped kids in poor areas increase their chances of succeeding
in school and in life.
Current News ≈ Featured
Website: The Hanen Centre - A
recognized innovator in family-focused early language intervention programs and
learning resources for parents and professionals around the world The basic
notion that launched The Hanen Centre is quite simple – parents can be their
child’s language facilitator if they learn how. After all, it is parents who
have the strongest bond with their children and who have many opportunities to
interact with them every day. The beauty of the Hanen approach is that parents
can help their children learn to communicate during typical, daily situations
such as going to the park or having a snack. Once parents know how to turn
everyday situations into opportunities for language learning, speech-language
therapy for children in need is suddenly no longer limited to one or two hours
per week with a speech-language pathologist.
Upcoming Events ≈ Michigan Head Start Association
Preconference and Conference "The Fatherhood Factor: A Conference for engaging
men in the lives of children" -
Preconference will take place on March 2, 2005; Conference will take place
March 3-4, 2005. Keynote Speakers: Jonetta Rose Barras and Lydia Velez Estevas;
Featured Speakers: Neil Tift, D. J. Vanas, and Nigel Vann. For more information
contact Lesley at lesley@mhsa.ws.
Parenting ≈
Featured Resource: Let Your
Computer “Read Me A Story” - Reading to a child is one of the great joys
of parenthood except when you’re forced to read the same book a hundred
times. That’s why I was happy to find a handful of websites that will read
stories aloud for me.
Current News ≈
Featured Website:
Michigan
Genetics Resource Center -
Some birth defects can be prevented. For
example, spina bifida is a neural tube defect caused by incomplete
development of the spinal cord. Neural tube defects can be prevented by
taking enough folic acid before and during the first month of pregnancy. For
more information about ways to prevent certain birth defects
click here(PDF) to view the Preventing Birth
Defects Brochure. If you would like to order a copy of
this pamphlet click here.
Current News
and Download/Order Publications ≈ MI
Pre-Orders Being Accepted For
2005-2006 Michigan Watch Me Grow
Calendar - The 2005-2006 Michigan Watch Me Grow
calendar is in production and will be printed in November and ready for
distribution by December 1, 2004. Each month this two-year calendar
highlights a different Michigan program or activity designed to encourage
the growth, health and well-being of young children. Calendars only cost
$1.00 each. Click here for a (PDF)
copy of the 2005-2006 order form. Pre-orders will be accepted, and the
calendars will be sent out as soon as they are available.
October 4, 2004
Current News ≈ MI
Whooping Cough Cases Rise in Michigan - Annabella Provenzano didn't cry
Tuesday when given a shot at a Macomb County health clinic that immunized
her against whooping cough. The 4-year-old had vowed to do whatever it takes
to qualify for her ride next year to kindergarten on a big yellow bus.
September 30, 2004
Current News ≈ EUROPEChemicals banned in European Toys -
European Union governments permanently banned chemicals used to soften plastic
from being used in toys, saying they are harmful to young children who put toys
in their mouths. The measure outlaws the chemicals, known as phthalates. Editor
note: the following article does a good job of describing phthalates, the
controversy over them, and the scientific evidence available at the time (3-4
years ago) the article was written, with the author ultimately concluding that
the evidence then available did not support a ban.
Current News ≈
Featured Website: Stop
It Now! -
The Campaign to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
(888) PREVENT (773-8368).
September 29, 2004
Upcoming Events ≈
MiAEYC's Annual Early Childhood
Conference, hosted by the Michigan Association for the Education of Young
Children (MiAEYC), will take place on April 14-16, 2005 at Amway Grand
Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Visit
http://www.miaeyc.org for more
details.
September 28, 2004
Current News ≈ MI
FIA Adds More Counties to
Multi-county Service - Beginning Friday another 12 counties will be added to the
number of those with so-called "transparent county lines" that should expand the
options Family Independence Agency recipients have for receiving services. The
counties added to the list - Arenac-Bay, Clare-Isabella, Gladwin, Lake-Newaygo,
Mason-Oceana, Midland and Osceola-Mecosta counties - will bring to 48 counties
the number that give FIA recipients greater flexibility in choosing an office
for services. Under the program, an FIA recipient can choose to work through an
office that is more convenient than the office located in the recipient's home
county. [Source: Gongwer News Service, 9/27/04]
Current News ≈
No Black-White Test-Score Gap at Age 4, But It Appears After Children
Enter School - African American children and white children from
similar family backgrounds who entered kindergarten in 1998 began school
with approximately the same test scores. This striking finding is drawn
from the national Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. But by the end of
first grade African American children have lost ground to comparable white
children. The authors find no evidence that slippage occurs over the
summertime, an oft-offered explanation for the test-score gap. Nor are
differences in family background the likely cause. Instead, it appears
that the cause is within the schoolhouse.
Current News ≈ MI
MDCH Reports Rise in Whooping
Cough - Michigan faces a new challenge in protecting public health
with a distinct increase in the number of cases of whooping cough. The
Department of Community Health (MDCH) has released that 99 cases have been
reported as of the end of last month. Compared to the 63 cases reported in
the same period in 2003, this year's number of cases shows a 57 percent
increase. Cases have occurred in all age groups ranging from newborns to
adults.
Current News
and Early Literacy ≈ CA
San Diego Launches Preschool
and Family Literacy Initiative - San Diego schools chief Alan Bersin
yesterday launched a two-year plan to expand preschool and improve family
literacy. The plan would give some families a free newspaper subscription
and lessons on how to use those newspapers as an educational tool.
Current News ≈ What's to
Blame For The Rise in ADHD? - A study published in the journal
Pediatrics in April suggests TV viewing in very young children contributes
to attention problems later in life. “The study revealed that each hour of
television watched per day at ages 1 through 3 increases the risk of
attention problems by almost 10 percent at age 7,” said Dr. Cristakis, lead
author. Jane Healy, an education psychologist in Vail, Colorado, and author
of "Your Child’s Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning from Birth to
Adolescence," believes common programming tactics designed to capture
attention can have a deleterious affect on brain chemistry.
Current News
and Preschool ≈
Preschool Lessens Gap of Poor, Rich - Attending preschool can shrink
achievement gaps between poor and rich children and help students from all
backgrounds enter kindergarten better prepared, according to a new report.
September 7, 2004
Event Updated: Supporting Families with Young Children Conference 2004: Michigan’s
4th Biennial Statewide Conference on the Early Years -
PARENT SCHOLARSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE! This
conference will take place on November 8-10, 2004 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Download the conference brochure, along with parent scholarship
information and form (shortened version) at
http://www.bridges4kids.org/pdf/events/SFYCConfCatalog04.pdf or email
PeelerN@michigan.gov for the
full, 29-page brochure.
September 2, 2004
Current News ≈ Featured Website: American
Association for Home-Based Early Interventionists(AAHBEI)
- AAHBEI offers the first opportunity to join with an organization
that addresses the concerns of early home intervention for children with
special needs and their families. There is no organization like AAHBEI. We
are the only non-profit organization for professionals, parents, and
families that has a special, though not exclusive, emphasis on the home as a
beneficial environment for early intervention. A unique strength of AAHBEI
is its focus on sensory impairments along with attention to all special
needs.
Current News
and Preschool ≈
Inspired:
A Project Inspired by No Child Left Behind - Sebastian Wren, the
Program Associate for Reading at the Southwest Educational Development
Laboratory in Austin, Texas, has been personally involved with INSPIRED, a
very successful pre-school and day-care project in Round Rock ISD,
Round Rock, Texas. Wren recently concluded,
"Although they started out with different performance levels, by the end
of the year, African American students, Caucasian students, and Hispanic
students were performing approximately equally. Thus, there is some
evidence that the INSPIRED project is helping to 'level the playing field'
for disparate groups of students."
Current News ≈
Free Online Course on the
Assessment and Intervention of Infants and Toddlers - The SELF Outreach Project:
Funded by the US Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, is
offering a six week online course this fall for anyone involved in the
assessment and intervention of infants and toddlers. The course provides
information on self-regulation, sensory processing, temperament and
social-emotional development. It is an opportunity to learn new information and
practice new skills in a flexible environment. The course is free but there is a
$25 materials fee. Participants receive a certificate and OT/PT/SLP and Social
Worker CEUs are available. We also are looking for people who are interested in
becoming trainers in the SELF Process or want to use the SELF information and
materials in their training activities. If you are interested, please
contact Holly Harrison.
Visit our Web site
for information on the SELF Outreach Project (click on SELF on the left side
bar) and the SELF Process (click on Models on the right side bar).
Current News and
Child Care ≈ Checklists For Parents
Seeking Childcare for Children Aged 0-5 - This list of checklists
and articles includes: Babysitter Information Checklist, Home Daycare
Provider Interview Sheet, Daycare Center Director/ Caregiver
Interview, Daily Diary Sheet, My Childcare Planner, Sample Contract,
What is Quality Childcare?, Checking Out Childcare, Choosing a
Day-care Provider: Your Checklist, Finding Childcare: Questions to
Ask, Child Care - Observation Checklist, Selecting a Child Care
Facility With a Safe Playground, Helpful Information for You and Your
Baby Sitter, Child Care Safety Checklist for Parents and Child Care
Providers, and a Preschool Director/Teacher Interview sheet.
Current News ≈ Featured Website: Parents as
Teachers (PAT) - An international early
childhood parent education and family support program serving families
throughout pregnancy until their child enters kindergarten, usually age 5.
The program is designed to enhance child development and school achievement
through parent education accessible to all families. It is a universal
access model.
Current News ≈ MI ECCS Essential
Component Work Group Sessions: Dialogue Notes - On August 6, 2004, the
second of four work group sessions was held for the Early Childhood
Comprehensive System (ECCS) project. Work groups have been convened for each of
the essential components of the comprehensive early childhood system.
Current News
and Preschool ≈ Are
Preschools a Crime Deterrent? - Convinced that youngsters struggling in the
back of class in kindergarten are more likely to find themselves slouching in
the back of squad cars before graduation, law enforcement officials from
Allegheny County will join colleagues across the country today in pleading for
more preschool funding.
Current News ≈ Doctors Urge Testing to Catch Lazy Eye in
Babies - Lazy eye is one of the most serious yet correctable eye disorders
in babies: Catch it early, from age 6 months through preschool, and it's easily
corrected -- but wait too long and one eye can go virtually blind.
Current News ≈
UK
Big Rise in Number of Mumps Cases - England and Wales are facing
the most serious outbreak of mumps since records began in 1995,
official figures show. Most of the cases have been among young adults
who missed out on the MMR program that began in 1988. The HPA insisted
that the rise in cases was not linked to the reduced take up of MMR
amongst babies in recent years. However, there are concerns that the
drop in MMR uptake seen following claims the vaccine was unsafe will
leave more people unprotected.
Current News ≈
Arizona State University:
Autism
Baby Hair Study - A summary of preliminary results as shared with
program participants. “Our preliminary conclusion is that many children with
autism had low mercury in their baby hair, probably due to impaired
excretion. The impaired excretion is probably partly due to excessive oral
antibiotics, although genetics or other factors may also play a role.”
Current News and
Child Care ≈
MI Governor's Spinning New Child
Care CD - As a part of her Great Start program, Gov. Jennifer
Granholm today announced the Family Independence Agency's distribution
of a new CD-ROM to child care providers. The disc contains information
on how to best prepare young children for their later education,
including articles about early brain development, appropriate
nutrition, how to communicate with a fussy baby and proper discipline.
