California’s youngest students have been given a better chance to succeed from their first day in school with Gov. Schwarzenegger’s signature on the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Simitian’s measure requires children to be five years old to start kindergarten, and provides an additional year of “Transitional Kindergarten” for children with fall birthdays.
California, now one of a handful of states that permit children to start as young as four years and nine months, will join the majority of states who require children to be five by September 1. The change has long been sought by teachers, who consistently report that children younger than five are the ones most likely to flounder and fall behind. The act, Senate Bill 1381, also establishes a Transitional Kindergarten, the first year of a two-year kindergarten, for children with fall birthdays (September 2 to December 2) who will be too young under the new cutoff date to enter regular kindergarten.
Although many members of the CTA Early Childhood Education Committee strongly supported this legislation, CTA was initially opposed for fiscal reasons. However, as the legislation evolved, CTA Government Relations staff was able to make real contributions to the final version of the bill. Continue reading.
As the school change industry grows and becomes more powerful, initiatives to close the achievement gap and reduce dropouts become more confusing and chaotic.As reported by many What Works Conference participants, the school change movement has spun out of control and it’s time for those who know the most about our children to take charge.
The What Works Conferences surfaced numerous possibilities about what can be done to improve our schools.However, most ideas, were subtle and imbedded in the day-to-day lives and relationships of teachers, parents, and students.Between and among these relationships are the events, projects, and an ever changing learning environment that sparks insight, curiosity, and innovation in our classrooms.
One of the most interesting outcomes from the What Works Conference was the inside-outside thinking that described new approaches to school change.Inside-outside thinking resulted when classroom teachers had serious and authentic conversations about improving our schools with educational researchers, and policy makers.The What Works Conference was a first step in bringing together parents, administrators, and community leaders with classroom teachers to discuss and identify those patterns that create the conditions necessary for student success – both academically and socially.Conference presenters and participants found that school improvement does not often manifest itself in tangible ways, but rather takes place by discovering patterns or the way things operate successfully – in other words, what works.
Inside-outside thinking views school change from a system-wide perspective.Most school change initiatives have generally emphasized either internal or external efforts to improve our schools.Early childhood education (ECE) suggests a teaching and learning environment that has no boundaries, where all school community stakeholders play an authentic role in the change process. A close examination of ECE may reveal possible change strategies that can be applied throughout all of public education.
To understand inside-outside thinking and to get a better idea of how this approach works, click on the presentation below.This sample audio presentation will give you a flavor for the What Works Conference and the rich conversations that took place during the three week conference period.Panel members for this session includedLinda Fiddler, Teacher/Resource Specialist in Bakersfield, CA, City School District, Delaine Eastin, former Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of California, andDr. Alan Daly, Professor of Education at UC San Diego.
In the audio session below you will hear parts of a powerful presentation on how school community gardens are able to bring together parents, teachers, classified staff, administrators, and community leaders to create a teaching and learning environment filled with passion, excitement, and joy.Presenters, through their conversations, discovered that school community gardens can create a new context for school improvement – one that became obvious through inside-outside thinking.
While the What Works Conference may be over, you can view any of the workshops, panel conversations and presentation at anytime.Click here to view the entire conference.
Go to the What Works Conference web site if you want to find out what you can do right now to help your students do a better job both academically and socially in the classroom.Go to the What Works Conference web site if you want to provide specific guidance to parents on how they can help their children become more responsible and competent both at home and school.
While there are numerous workshops, panels, and presentations on positive approaches for school change, one that you won’t want to miss is the workshop on increasing student resilience.Presenter Sara Truebridge, a Research Associate at WestEd, and major supporter of teacher driven change, provides a step-by-step approach for increasing resilience and enabling students to have the necessary confidence and self-reliance to overcome challenges that they may meet in and out of the classroom. Click here for a preview. The information provided by Sara, while focusing on early childhood education, can be applied to every K – 12 classroom and makes a major contribution to creating a culture of success for all students.Click here to view this very important workshop.
The What Works Conference examined new ways to increase student self-reliance and accountability by emphasizing personal talents and strengths.While there is a rush by many elected officials and policy makers to promote academics, What Works presenters and participants discussed the view that early childhood education should first create a foundation based on student talents and strengths.Dr. Lindsey Godwin, Assistant Professor of Management in the College of Business, Morehead State University and Matthew Meoble, a Clinical Instructor of Education in the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education at Morehead State University presented a strong case for how strength-based approaches can act as an antidote for many of the challenges facing our schools today. Specifically, Lindsey and Matt describe how Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can be used by teachers and parents to create a school community environment that is rich with excitement and passion – passion that is driven by students’ talents and strengths.Click here if you would like to view all three AI sessions.
Quoting Thomas Edison, If we did all the things we were capable of, we would literally astound ourselves, Dr Godwin described AI as both an approach and philosophy for teachers and parents which had the potential for changing the social and academic environment for our schools.According to many participant comments, the AI presentations reinforced their own ideas as well as provoked new insights and possibilities for their teaching.Matt informed participants that Appreciative Inquiry was extremely powerful because it can be used by both a single person – teacher, student or parent - or an entire organization: classroom, school or district.In other words, AI has the possibility to transform our schools and classrooms to a place where teachers and students co-create a teaching and learning environment that values the social and academic skill and knowledge of students; a place where problems take a backseat to the great things that students bring to the classroom.
Participants were invited to practice reframining some of their own student, classroom or school topics from an appreciative perspective.The resulting interaction was exciting and wonderful to hear teachers and other ECE stakeholders dialogue about the great things taking place in their school community.It was a joyful experience for all those that attended and important reminder of what all public education should like.Contact the IFT if you would like more information on how you can bring Ai to your school or classroom.
From October 26 through November 19, 2009, hundreds of California teachers, preschool providers, administrators, parents, and community leaders participated in the CTA IFT What WorksVirtual Conference with school community stakeholders from all over the country. Individuals viewed pre-recorded videos and talks, attended live webinars, and participated in thought-provoking discussions that focused on the positive strengths that can be brought to early childhood education environments. While the focus of the conference was on preschool, participants discussed and heard ideas that applied to all of public education. Click here to view conference sessions, presentations, and panel discussions.
Conversations Matter -From various strength-based school improvement strategies, to sessions that emphasized student resilience and capacity building, participants listened, dialogued, and discussed possible actions that they might take in their classroom and school community. If you attended a workshop, viewed one or more of the panel discussions or workshop archives, or otherwise participated in the What Works! Conference, you are eligible to receive a Certificate of Participation. Login to the What Works Conference web site to receive a Certificate of Participation and one will be sent to you.
A Three-Week Virtual Conference - October 27 through November 16, 2009
What Works! is designed to shine a spotlight on strengths-based approaches to preschool teacher–driven change in early childhood learning environments.
The conference will be conducted entirely online, so participants may attend whenever their schedules permit. See Conference Overview.
Please Note: This conference is free to CTA members and preschool teachers, aides, and daycare providers. Register Now!
Shining Example - Would you like to shine a spotlight on a teacher or ECE program that models a positive approach to early childhood education?Someone especially outstanding? Nominate a “Shining Example” who will be recognized at this virtual conference!Click here to nominate
Co-sponsored by a wide range of agencies and organizations dedicated to the education and welfare of California’s youngest children, this online conference is underwritten in part by a grant from the Packard Foundation to the Institute for Teaching and in part by additional funding from the California Teachers Association. Click here to register.
The Early Childhood Education Alliance (ECEA) is driven by two key factors: (1) That classroom teachers must be directly involved in the school change process and (2) That school change should be based on what’s working in our schools and not deficits.Click here for more information.
ECEA Introductory Webinar:This one-hour webinar provides an introduction to using strength-based practices in schools and an overview of the Early Childhood Education Alliance Project. This webinar is being offered at three different times at no cost to participants. Click here to find out more information and register.
ECEA Online Positive Strengths-Based Course: This free three-week course includes more in-depth knowledge and training of strengths-based change processes, how these processes can be applied to education, and the role of these processes in the Early Childhood Education Alliance. It also provides hands-on experience to enable teacher-student-family driven change in schools. The course is designed to be on-demand, meaning that the materials are available online 24/7 to accommodate your schedule, with an additional one-hour weekly Online Meeting with the course leaders.Click here to find out more information and register.
The ECEA has received an overwhelming response from teachers, administrators, parents, and community members. A diverse set of school community stakeholders believe that school improvement needs to be internally driven, based on what's working in our schools and classrooms – not on the problems. The ECEA is organized around the idea that early childhood education (ECE) can provide a new direction for improving all of public education.
The CTA IFT is working closely with iCohere, a collaboration platform for online events and professional communities. Since 2001, iCohere has been an innovator in online learning, knowledge communities, and large-scale online events. Click here for a preview of what the ECEA online community will look like. Below are a few ECEA objectives:
Capture the ideas and best thinking of school-community stakeholders.
Develop new strategies for bringing school-community stakeholders together.
Publish the school improvement ideas of teachers and other school-community stakeholders.
Archive conversations, discussions, and meetings.
Create an available pool of school improvement resources.
Organize an interactive repository of teacher driven innovative school improvement practices.
Hold statewide school community conferences on ECE as a catalyst for school improvement.
Move from passive school-community stakeholder involvement to active engagement.
Focus on school-community talents and strengths for solving problems.
Organize and implement action oriented virtual meetings and conferences.
Hold training and information sessions on Appreciative Inquiry and other strength-based strategies.
Develop and implement a clear mission for ECE in school improvement.
Communicate ECE plans, programs, and strategies to key policy makers and elected officials.
Develop and initiate action plans at the local level.
A major focus of the Early Childhood Education Alliance (ECEA) is to organize a statewide school-community network that views Early Childhood Education as a catalyst for school improvement. One strategy for doing this is to organize and develop ECEA School-Community Centers. The purpose of ECEA School-Community Centers is to have locations setup around the State where teachers and school-community stakeholders can utilize computers to link up and improve our schools. Teachers with the support of administrators, parents, and community members will receive (1) Online training from experts on Appreciative Inquiry and other strength-based models, (2) Work with other school-community stakeholders to develop new approaches for school improvement, and (3) Develop action plans that utilize early childhood education as a catalyst for school change. ECEA school-community centers will provide school-community stakeholders with an opportunity to develop local plans and actions to close the achievement gap for all students and to make our schools dropout proof. By meeting in small and large groups, By meeting in small and large groups, ECEA participants will have a great opportunity to change and improve public education from the inside out.
What We Need Now? We need your help and support in establishing ECEA School-Community Centers. Centers can be organized and created at local CTA Chapter Offices, schools and districts, community centers, and local businesses. In addition, individual stakeholders can organize ECEA School-Community Centers in their homes – all that's required is a computer and an Internet connection.
A major goal of the Early Childhood Education Alliance (ECEA) is to provide new resources, opportunities, and possibilities for teacher innovation and creativity in the school change process. With the support and involvement of school-community stakeholders, including administrators, classified staff, parents, students, and community leaders, classroom teachers can provide the necessary spark for a new approach to school change – one based on what is working in our schools, families, and communities supported by the strengths and talents of all school-community stakeholders.
To revitalize school change, the ECEA promotes the view that local school-communities need to begin a system-wide Appreciative Inquiry (AI) on what is best in their schools and communities. While most policy makers ignore this approach and remain grounded in the deficit model, the ECEA believes that teachers with other school-community stakeholders can be energized and motivated to join together and act when they focus on what works, assets, and strengths.
To increase commitment to school change, the ECEA believes a natural place to begin the AI focus is where children and their parents first enter the school system. Preschool and early childhood education provide an excellent model to examine strategies and practices that can be applied throughout the entire educational system.
It goes without saying, that a positive and solid educational foundation is critical to closing the achievement gap and reducing high school dropouts.
By building on the success, positive experiences, and strengths of early childhood education, preschool can act as a catalyst for change. The entire educational community does not have to look in the laboratory or the library to find out what works in our schools. Rather, simply visit your nearby preschool center.
