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Last Updated on 02/05/2010

*What's New @ Early On* Michigan?**

May 24, 2008 Current News ≈ The Happy Strap - “The Happy Strap is an innovative and exciting product. It effectively and comfortably limits excessive abduction/internal rotation (W-sitting) in the hips of young children with moderate to severe low muscle tone. It is of great benefit in teaching these children to sit and crawl correctly.” “Almost all children 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.com and 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 Michigan Child Care Task Force Minutes March 5, 2008 (PDF) March 29, 2008 Current News ≈ MI Michigan 4C Association Seeks Applications for New Executive Director - The Board of Directors of the Michigan 4C (Community Coordinated Child Care) Association is accepting applications for the position of Executive Director. March 19, 2008 Current News ≈ MI Michigan’s Children Seeking Director of Fund Development and Operations Current News ≈ MI Great Parents, Great Start & Early On Seeking Consultant CLOSED March 7, 2008 Current News ≈ MI Michigan Child Care Task Force Minutes for January 9, 2008 Meeting (PDF) February 28, 2008 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. January 26, 2008 Current News ≈ Study Links Preschool Teachers' Stress to Higher Student Expulsions - Long days and burdensome workloads are likely to affect an instructor's ability to manage a classroom, researchers find. December 31, 2007 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 Early Literacy 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.com and 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. March 10, 2007 Current News ≈ MI EOT&TA launches new Early On & Project Find websites. February 25, 2007 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. February 5, 2007 Current News ≈ MI Michigan Child Care Task Force: Minutes for January 3, 2007 Meeting January 17, 2007 Current News ≈ CDC Warns Against Giving Cold Medicine to Kids Under 2 - More than 1,500 toddlers and babies wound up in emergency rooms over a two-year period and three died because of bad reactions to cold or cough medicine, federal health officials reported. December 19, 2006 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. December 12, 2006 Current News ≈ Great New Teaching Resources from Gryphon House - Find useful and creative ideas for any situation! Check out our home page for more information on five great new books. December 1, 2006 Key Player Packet ≈ The Fall 2006 issue of the Key Player Packet Newsletter (PDF) is available on the Arc Michigan’s Website. November 28, 2006 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. November 18, 2006 Current News ≈ CPSC Issues Recalls Due To Lead Poisoning Hazards Including Some Toys Sold At Target November 1, 2006 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. October 24, 2006 Current News ≈ The Power of Music in the Learning Process - “Giddy-up horsy, let’s go!” John says, and we all go galloping around the yard singing. Little voices join in as Josiah overtakes me on his imaginary horse. September 28, 2006 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 Kent County Early On Workshop Schedule for 2006-2007 (PDF) September 23, 2006 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. August 7, 2006 Parenting ≈ Teen Moms Learn the Power of Singing to Their Babies - The simple crooning of a lullaby could change the lives of children born to single teenage mothers, educators at the Salvation Army say. August 2, 2006 Current News and Parenting ≈ Some of the Best Baby Products are Delivered by Dads - The role of stay-at-home dad to colicky infant daughter Faye inspired CDs from Sherman Oaks, Calif., music producer Michael Preston, 35. Infant Calm features “white noise” from everyday baby-calming items (tracks include Clothes Dryer Hum and Vacuum Clearner Waltz). And Storieszzz: The Adventures of Faye & Fred is intended for nap and bedtime resistant toddlers. Steven Dunn, 48, of Los Angeles started an entire business in 1991 around his infant daughter. Steve Dunn’s Munchkin Inc. baby product line includes spoons that turn white when food is too hot and a bottle system with adjustable flow rates. 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. July 17, 2006 Current News and Premature Births ≈ Study Finds Smallest Preemies Benefit From Breast Milk - The tiniest premature infants fed with breast milk in the hospital did better on tests of mental development later in life than did others fed only formula, a new study has found. [Free login/registration required.] 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 Preschool ≈ Build Solid Foundation with Early Childhood Programs - Investing in our youngest children is the best economic development tool we have as a state and nation. Don't take my word for it, ask a brain researcher or a Nobel Prize winning economist. 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, on Friday, June 9. The rules will take effect on December 7, 2006. Please note, this version of the new rules contains "strike-throughs" of the old language that was deleted, shows new language in bold-face, and shows language retained from the old rules in non-bold-face. A “clean copy” of the revised rules will become available at a later date. 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… Current News and Kindergarten ≈ The Early Reading and Mathematics Achievement of Children Who Repeated Kindergarten or Who Began School a Year Late - Taking a broad view of child development, this report explores how children's literacy, approaches to learning, and general health status at kindergarten entry relate to their spring kindergarten and first grade reading and mathematics knowledge and skills based on statistics from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). 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. Early On SICC Meeting Minutes & Subcommittee Meeting Minutes ≈ MI State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) Quick Notes (PDF; April 2006) May 9, 2006 Current News and Child Growth & Development ≈ American Academy of Pediatrics: Newborn Screening Technology: Proceed With Caution (PDF) - The American College of Medical Genetics recommends a significant expansion in the number of conditions targeted by newborn screening programs. In this commentary a more cautious approach is explained and advocated for. 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: The 200+ page report is available for purchase, a 3-page research brief is 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. April 25, 2006 Current News ≈ MI Michigan Child Care Task Force Minutes for April 5, 2006 April 8, 2006 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". February 28, 2006 Early On SICC Meeting Minutes & Subcommittee Meeting Minutes ≈ State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) Quick Notes (PDF; Feb 2006) February 21, 2006 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. February 20, 2006 Current News ≈ MI Michigan Child Care Task Force Minutes for February 1, 2006 February 9, 2006 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. January 13, 2006 Current News ≈ MI ISD Districts Awarded Over $1 Million to Offer Early Education - The Early Childhood Investment Corporations on Wednesday awarded $1.24 million in grants designed to increase learning capacity for young children. 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. January 10, 2006 ARC and FIE's Key Player Packet ≈ Download the Key Player Packet for Winter 2006 - click here. (pdf size=539k) January 7, 2005 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. December 6, 2005 Professional Development ≈ Early Childhood Education Newsletter: Our 5 Senses and the Holidays! - Holidays are coming, what do we hear? Songs and bells ringing -- they sound loud and clear. December 4, 2005 Early On SICC Meeting Minutes & Subcommittee Meeting Minutes ≈ State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) Quick Notes (PDF; Nov 2005) 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. November 30, 2005 Current News ≈ Audio CD - "Building Children's Brains" by Joan Lessen-Firestone, Ph.D. - This audio CD is 20 minutes in length. Cost is $2.50 each copy + $1.50 Shipping and Handling. The order form is available online at http://www.mi-aimh.msu.edu/publications/orderform.pdf. November 26, 2005 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. Early On Coordinator list updated. November 8, 2005 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. October 31, 2005 Current News ≈ MI Michigan Child Care Task Force Meeting Minutes for October 5, 2005 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. Events Calendar ≈ Kent ISD has set a number of dates for training related to caring for infants & toddlers. Click here for more information. October 7, 2005 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 Kids is 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.edu or 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. September 12, 2005 Current News ≈ Tutoring For Young Children Hot Topic - Tutoring is a $4 billion-a-year business in the United States and some of the hottest clients can barely brush their teeth: preschoolers. August 28, 2005 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. August 19, 2005 Current News ≈ MI Early Childhood Investment Corporation Executive Committee Appointed - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm recently announced the following appointments to the Executive Committee and Corporation Board of the Michigan Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC). Current News ≈ MI Job Opportunity: Education Consultant for Early Childhood Special Education - The deadline for submitting applications is August 26, 2005. August 18, 2005 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 ≈ Homemade Play-Dough Recipe from Nick Jr. August 11, 2005 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. July 18, 2005 Current News and Parenting ≈ Studies Back Evidence Linking Lots of TV With Poor Academics - Too much television-watching can harm the ability of children to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, studies suggest in the latest effort to examine how television affects children. Current News and Professional Development ≈ Alphabet/Pre-writing Activities for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners July 16, 2005 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 and Pregnancy ≈ New Online Pregnancy/New Parent Support Group Starts in the UK - Practical parenting advice and tips for parents and their families. Includes an alphabetical listing of potential baby names with the definition/meaning and country of origin. July 15, 2005 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.gov on or before July 22, 2005. Please contact us if you have questions. Current News ≈ MI List of Statewide Organizations Concerned with Early Childhood Services (PDF) July 13, 2005 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. July 7, 2005 Key Player Packet ≈ Download the Key Player Packet for Spring 2005 - click here. (pdf size=272k) June 28, 2005 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. June 23, 2005 Lists Updated: Early On Coordinators June 17, 2005 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.org to see the questions and background information. Please respond to Joan Blough no later than June 24, 2005. Current News ≈ MI 'Born Learning' Campaign Kicks Off in Cadillac, Michigan - On June 15, 2005, the Executive Director of the United Way of Wexford County, Diane Dykstra, along with many community partners, launched the Born Learning campaign. June 16, 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. June 15, 2005 Lists Updated: Early On Coordinators and Project Find Coordinators June 13, 2005 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.org for your information. June 5, 2005 Preschool ≈ Using Art to Teach Children with Special Needs - Using art as a means of teaching increases a child's chances for success---and makes the experience pleasurable as well. June 3, 2005 List Updated: Early On Coordinators and Project Find Coordinators June 1, 2005 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.