Teacher Newsletter
November 2014
Education Buzzword
In classrooms rich in child guided learning, children make decisions about what they want to do, what they want to use or explore, and which classmates they want to play with. They make choices about their own learning, while teachers provide support. Children explore their interests, practice skills, and use previously built knowledge. Teachers can provide materials that expand on the child’s interest and ask questions to further children’s thinking. Teachers are involved, but children’s interests direct the experience.
For example, a child might find an interesting insect while outside on the playground. A teacher could take a picture of the insect, talk with the child who found it, and listen to her questions as she explores and learns more about her discovery. If other children shared her interest, they might count the number of legs, identify colors, and learn the name of the insect and what it needs to survive.
(NAEYC 2014)
Theorist of the Month
Ainsworth and Bowlby were 20th century psychologists most notably known for their work with the Attachment Theory. They conducted an experiment known as the “strange situation” assessment in which children would be left alone in a room briefly, then reunited with the mother. This research led Bowlby and Ainsworth to conclude that there were three types of attachment (secure, insecure avoidant, and ambivalent/resistent.)
Attachment Theory and the Creative Curriculum
- Assign a primary teacher to each child
- Provide responsive, loving care that meets the individual needs of children
- Use nurturing routines (Diaper changing, eating and mealtime, hellos and good-byes, sleeping, and getting dressed) to develop and maintain a trusting relationship with each child
- Respond appropriately to children's communication attempts. Provide responsive care-giving to meet the individual needs of children.
(The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toodlers, and Twos, 2010)
Resource of the Month
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/pre-k-science-lesson
Teaching Channel is a grant-funded partnership through First 5 San Francisco, a public agency in San Francisco, CA dedicated to the healthy development of children ages zero to five years. The videos on this website show evidence of best practices in 6 diverse classrooms. The clip linked to this newsletter shows a teacher interacting with her preschool students to use classroom interest and form an engaging lesson about bugs.
Use this website to check out interesting lessons, observe teacher-child interactions, and take notes on any ideas you would like to use in your classroom.
Teacher of the Month
Ms. Hannah
Ms. Hanna is a lead teacher for the Young Preschool classroom at our Lansing, MI location. She is an inspiring, hard working, and dedicated employee. Ms. Hanna comes to work every day with a smile on her face and creativity flowing through her. She has so many great ideas for projects and activities for her students. It is fun to watch the children grow and learn with her. This is a picture of Ms. Hanna with Ilijah, her student, milking a cow in the classroom.
Furthering Your Education
Rasmussen
Experts Shed Light on Importance of Early Childhood Education
By Celia Isaac, Rasmussen College, published October 22, 2014
Americans are talking about early childhood education (ECE). We’ve long known critical brain development happens before children reach kindergarten. Now, more and more research is revealing that the earlier children receive quality education can make a huge difference in later success both in their personal lives and in terms of academic achievement.
As educators, politicians and parents realize the long-term benefits of beginning education earlier in life, we starting to prioritize younger ages. This research has even attracted the attention of President Obama, who noted the importance of ECE in his 2013 State of the Union address. These trends come as no surprise to those who work in the early childhood education field. Advocates have long promoted the importance of ECE. We talked to experts in the field to go beyond the statistics and learn how ECE can positively change the course of a child’s life, the benefits to our country and the growing need for qualified early childhood educators.
ECE: Why it’s important to the future
ECE puts children on a path for lifelong learning and studies have shown children who don't have the benefit of early education experience difficulties. “Children learn more in the first five years than any other point in life,” says Jamie Wendt, M.Ed., higher education early childhood instructor and ECE adjunct instructor at Rasmussen College. “By giving children developmentally appropriate early childhood education experiences and nurturing environments, it allows for social, emotional, physical, intellectual and language development.”
Interested in our partnership with Rasmussen? Call the number below or visit our the Rainbow/Rasmussen partnership link for more information.
Email: anicol@rainbowccc.com
Website: rasmussen.edu/clp/rccc
Phone: (866)648-3224
T.E.A.C.H.
Currently active in 23 states, T.E.A.C.H. is designed to help the Early Childhood industry as a whole address education, compensation and turnover issues that affect the field by helping ease the cost of furthering employee’s education. It also leads to higher quality care for our families, because teachers will be more familiar with best practices. T.E.A.C.H and Rainbow partner together to help cover some of the cost of tuition, books, and related education expenses as well as compensating employees for the time spent doing schoolwork in the form of release time and providing employees with bonuses as they finish classes and programs.
After speaking with your Program Director to check to meet that the employee meets the criteria to be eligible, call T.E.A.C.H. at 866-648-3224 for an application.
Phone: (866)648-3224
Contact Us!
Email: anicol@rainbowccc.com
Website: rainbowccc.com
Location: 1732 Crooks Road, Troy, MI, United States
Phone: (248)569-2500
Facebook: facebook.com/rainbowccc
Twitter: @rainbowccc