NC ELSSP-VI Newsletter
July 2017
Each child will be honored, respected, and empowered to achieve success in school and life.
Grant
Teacher, Jennifer Simmons
Grant
North Carolina Early Learning Sensory Support Program for Children with Visual Impairments
Office of Early Learning
Email: bethany.mayo@dpi.nc.gov
Website: earlylearning.nc.gov
Location: 6371 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699
Phone: (919) 733-0533
July's Quote
Cheerfulness is a direct and immediate gain.
-Arthur Schopenhauer
Contents
Professional Development Submitted by Lin Causey
Opening Convocation Presenter
Edible Paint Recipe Submitted by Jennifer Simmons
Independent Movement Submitted by Nancy Kirby-Sauls
Early Learning Progressions Submitted by Bethany Mayo
Staff Birthdays for July
Photo/Video Credits
Professional Development Opportunities
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NC Division of Child Development and Early Education
NC DCDEE’s Foundations: Early Childhood Infant Mental Health Modules available to your staff and network providers:
- Module 1: Early Brain Development and Self-Regulation
(explores the development of the brain in the context of early childhood mental health, with an emphasis on the development of emotional and behavioral self-regulation)
- Module 2: Toxic Stress and Early Brain Development
(explores the concept of STRESS – what it is and how it affects the brain and the body – with a particular focus on babies, toddlers, and young children)
- Module 3: Building Resilience Through Early Relationships
(explores how to build a young child’s capacity to grow and thrive despite the difficulties and obstacles life presents)
To take the modules, you must have a NCID. If you do not have one, you can create one. Please click on the link for more information on accessing the modules through the Moodle platform:
Moodle/https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/ (See section labeled NCID)
- If you have technical difficulties email tammy.freeman@dhhs.nc.gov. Allow 24-36 hours for a reply. (Krystal Davis will not be able to assist you)
This is a link to the modules: Early Childhood Mental Health
Modules/https://www.dcdee.moodle.nc.gov/course/index.php?categoryid=23
- If you have technical difficulties email evelyn.harris@dhhs.nc.gov . Allow 24-36 hours for a reply. (Krystal Davis will not be able to assist you)
These modules can be used towards the maintenance of the ITF certificate. Shared by Krystal Davis.
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August 24-25, 2017
Annual Children's Services State of the Art Conference
Don't miss this opportunity to learn evidence-based practices in serving children, adolescents, and families. You can obtain your required ethics hours plus attend cutting edge breakout sessions on grief and loss, diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder, substance use disorders in adolescents, brief cognitive behavioral strategies, trauma and maltreatment, gender dysphoria, and much more! View Details
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Summer Professional Development Opportunities
Looking for some professional development opportunities over the summer? NCDPI’s Educator Effectiveness division has released the following six new self-paced modules:
* North Carolina K-3 Formative Assessment Process for Teachers (1.0 CEU Literacy Credit)
* Instructional Strategies to Support K-3 Oral Language Development (1.0 CEU Literacy Credit)
* Digital Literacies 1: Reading, Writing, and Research (1.2 CEU General Credit)
* Digital Literacies 2: Visual Information Literacy (1.0 CEU General Credit)
* Administrator Guide to Effective School Counseling and Evaluation (0.5 CEU General Credit)
* North Carolina K-3 Formative Assessment Process for Administrators (0.3 CEU Literacy credit) Release date for this module is June 30
For a complete list of all available courses, course descriptions and information on instructor-led courses, please visit http://rt3nc.org/. For specific questions, please email Educator Effectiveness’ module developer Dr. Geetanjali Soni.
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Opening Convocation Presenter...Dr. Christine Roman-Lantzy
Her doctoral studies were also completed at Pitt where she completed a Ph.D. in 1996; her dissertation, Validation of an Interview Instrument to Identify Behaviors Characteristic of Cortical Visual Impairment in Infants revealed that caregivers of infants can reliably report regarding the presence or absence of the characteristics of CVI.
Dr. Roman is the Director of The Pediatric View Program at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA and a former Project Leader of the CVI Project at The American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, KY.
She has lectured extensively regarding the CVI educational materials she has developed. These materials include: The CVI Range an assessment of functional vision, and The CVI Resolution Chart & CVI/O&M Resolution Chart used to plot and monitor progress both of which will be available in a book in press (working title, CVI: Identification, Assessment & Intervention) with The American Foundation for the Blind.
*Biography information obtained from Perkins eLearning.
http://www.perkinselearning.org/earn-credits/instructors/christine-roman-lantzy
EDIBLE PAINT RECIPE
Edible Paint
INGREDIENTS
*Plain yogurt
*Flavored gelatin or pudding mix
In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of yogurt and mix in 1 spoonful of desired flavor of gelatin or pudding mix (adjusting amount for desired color and taste). Mix well. Using gelatin creates a thinner consistency while the pudding creates a thicker consistency.
May pair edible yogurt with matching colored/flavored fruit and let your child explore and play.
Here is another easy edible sensory activity...
Edible Sand
*Add dry oatmeal to a food processor and chop (creates sand-like consistency).
Independent Movement in Unfamiliar Environments
Observation in unfamiliar environments is so important!! Even kids that look well at home in their familiar home environment sometimes look very different in an unfamiliar environment. Sometimes they are fine with their movement because of all of the assistance and cues that they are provided and that is why they seem to look so well.
It is important to meet the child and parent in an unfamiliar environment and observe the parent/child interactions and the independent movement skills of the child. After observing ask parents to let the child play as independently as possible and only provide assistance when the child’s safety is involved but continue to monitor and supervise the child within arms reach for any mishaps that may occur.
Assessment of the child’s skills through observation and intervening only when the child’s safety is at risk will give you so much information on the child’s independent movement, problem-solving, and skills that the child has mastered as well as the child’s needs.
As a parent and teacher it is challenging to not provide cues, assistance, and information because we are always in that teaching mode but if we just observe and intervene only when necessary, we get so much additional information on the child’s actual skills and needs.
Early Learning Progressions
June Regional Meetings
Eastern Region
Western Region
Central Region
The Central Region learned more about assessing young children with visual impairments by exploring Frank Porter Graham's Functional Vision Assessment modules. The Eastern Region learned how to adapt an ordinary battery operated toy to function with a switch. Marcia Rollings shared her knowledge and skills on how to make your very own battery interrupter. Finally, the Western Region learned about low vision testing and devices for young children with visual impairments.
Photo/Video Credits
NC ELSSP-VI Staff
Perkins e-learning retrieved from http://www.perkinselearning.org/earn-credits/instructors/christine-roman-lantzy