Baby Steps to School Readiness

Marisa D. Barrett mdb9190@gmail.com

Inspiredbythechild.weebly.com

ImplementingAResponsiveCurriculum

January2017

§ Between birth & 3 most significant period of brain development

§ 3 year old toddler’s brain is 2 times as active as an adult’s brain & 2 times as many neural connections.

§ 90-95% of the brain’s capacity is developed by age 3.

“In high-quality infant/toddler programs, the interests of the child and the belief that each child has a curriculum are what drive practice. The adult role is to discover the infant’s curriculum and support its implementation.” –Ronald Lally, WestEDPITC

Infant-toddler programs often look like

either watered-down versions of preschool

or glorified versions of baby-sitting.

YOUNG INFANTS: SECURITY

MOBILE INFANTS: EXPLORATION

TODDLERS: INDEPENDENCE

DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES

“Ourdatastronglyindicatethatitisthe

natureoftheteacher-childrelationshipand

thekindsofconversationsthattheyhave

thatmakesthebiggestdifferencetoearly

languageandliteracydevelopment.”

QUALITY INFANT CAREShould have the same components of quality parenting

Caregiving geared towards the needs of the infant

ResponsiveConsistent

dimensions of responsive caregiving

4§ relational climate

§ teacher sensitivity

§ facilitated exploration

§ language modeling

Developmental Domains

Physical Health and Motor – Gross Motor– Fine Motor– Health and Wellbeing

Social and Emotional– Trust and Emotional Security– Self-Awareness– Self-Regulation– Relationships with other

Language and Communication – Listening and Understanding– Communication and Speaking– Emergent Literacy

Cognitive – Exploration and Discovery– Problem Solving– Memory– Imitation and Make Believe

relational climate theconsistencyofpositive behaviors,physicalcloseness, sharing attention,andthedegreeofaffectionshowntowardinfants/toddlers.

Responsive Caregiving

Respond appropriately

Child receives the response

and needs are met

Observe the child’s needs

Why Responsive Caregiving is Important

• Promotes secure attachment with caregivers– Adults are trustworthy and will meet my needs

• Promotes emotional and behavioral regulation

• Builds a solid foundation upon which later relationships and learning are based

UNIV. OF MINNESOTA STUDY

• CHILDREN NOT RECEIVING RESPONSIVE EARLY CARE WERE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR OUTCOMES INCLUDING:

• DIFFICULTY FORMING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS IN PRESCHOOL & ADOLESCENCE

• LOWER LEVEL SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN ADOLESCENCE

How Can Caregivers Be Responsive?• Tone of voice

• Reflecting a child’s tone and emotion

• Facial Expressions

• Giving affection

• Open ended questions

• Positive limit setting

• Offering limited, appropriate choices

• Using language that reflects emotion

CaregiverResponses

• Engageinface-to-faceplaywithinfants• Organizetheenvironmentandkeepmaterialsinconsistentlocations

• Readfavoritebooksoverandoveragain• Playmemorygamesandsingfavoritesongsfrequently

• Askwhattheywouldliketosing/read• Askthree-year-oldssimplequestionsaboutpastexperiences

Round & Round The Garden

Round and round the

garden goes the teddy

bear. One step…Two

steps…tickle under

there. Bailey,RebeccaAnne. Iloveyourituals.NewYork:HarperCollinsPublishers, 2000.Print.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little StarTwinkle, twinkle, little star,

What a wonderful child you are!

With bright eyes and nice round cheeks,

Talented person from head to feet.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

what a wonderful child you are! Bailey,RebeccaAnne. Iloveyourituals.NewYork:HarperCollinsPublishers, 2000.Print.

teacher sensitivity • Awareness and cue detection reflects the consistency of teachers’ attention to and awareness of infants.

•Responsiveness captures the teachers’ response to the individual needs of infants.

•Infant comfort encompasses the general level of infants’ contentment and the degree to which infants seek out teachers when upset or happy.

RespondingtoFeelings

Responsive Caregiving

Respond appropriately

Child receives the response

and needs are met

Observe the child’s needs

Schedules & Routines

• Postpictureorphotoschedules• Reviewandacknowledgewhenatoddler

showsunderstandingoftheroutines• Includechildreninroutine• Askfamiliesabouttheirroutinesathome• MAP it(model,addvisuals,practice)

Using

Tosupport socialemotionaldevelopment

-CSEFELInfant/ToddlerModule1http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/

When teachers interact with groups of children, rather than with a single child, they change how they talk with children (What are some of the differences?

• While teachers talk as much as parents, teachers direct less language specifically to individual children.

• Speech is likely to be more directive and prohibitive when teachers interact with groups of children. Only about 20% of teachers’ talk to children was for something other than being directive or to control children’s behavior

• Children’s language is less well developed and their vocabulary is smaller when teachers use language that is more controlling

• When interacting with groups of children, teachers tend to have less of the good-quality, one-to-one, just for the pleasure of it, kind of conversational exchanges that Hart and Risley found make a difference in children’s development.

Responsive Caregiving0-8 Months• Hold,cuddle,andlaughwithinfants• Holdinfantsduringbottlefeedingtime;talk

totheminacalmandsoothingtone• Notice,understand,andfollowthesignals

ofinfants,suchascriesofhungerorpain,turningawaywhenfull,orwhenreadytostopinteracting

• Displaycourteousness,warmth,andsensitivitywheninteractingwithadultsandchildren

Responsive Caregiving8-18 Months• Notice and be responsive to words, gestures, laughs, and cries

• Stay close and visible while infants explore

• Reassure them that you will return, explaining where you are going and when you will be back

• Introduce them to new people and allow them time to become comfortable.

18-36 Months• Provide encouragement for trying activities and playing with new people

• Accept that toddlers will need comfort items

Available for order and download from the Texas Early Learning Council.

http://www.earlylearningtexas.org/itelg.aspx

• English

• Spanish

• Vietnamese

The ITELG is not:

• Developmental checklist

• Assessment tool

• Curriculum

• Permanent and unchanging

• Exclusive

Ages• 0-8 month infants• 8-18 month older infants• 18-36 month toddlers• 36-48 month three-year-olds

Organization

Talk & ShareIntheearlylearningguideonyourchair,findtheskillindicatorsrelatedtoexplorationanddiscovery.

Sharewithapartnerhowyousupportchildreninyourclassroomintheirdevelopmentofoneormoreoftheskillindicators.

•teacher’s active involvement during an invitation

•consistency of following the child’s lead and providing explorations

•expanding and encouraging the child’s explorations

facilitated exploration

• Ideasarebasedonexperience,notexplanation• Canonlyfocusononecharacteristicofanobjectatatime

• Over-generalizesinformationduetolimitedexperience

• Adjustsideasandconceptsonlythroughexperimentation

PreoperationalThinking

Facilitate the exploration vs. Direct Instruction

SpaghettiPlay

Exploration and Discovery

Indicators:• Pays attention and exhibits curiosity in people

and objects• Uses senses to explore people, objects, and the

environment• Shows interest in colors, shapes, patterns, and

pictures• Makes things happen and watches for results

and repeats actions

ExplorationandDiscovery8-18Months• Lookatbooks• Enjoytoys/objectsthatmakesounds,suchasdrumsorbells

• Lookcloselyatsmallobjects,examiningthedetail

• Stackblocksorobjects• Manipulatetoysorobjectsrepeatedly

§ 6 cups water (distilled is best but tap water is fine)

§ 1/2 cup blue Dawn dish detergentI used the ultra concentrated, but NON ultra (original) is supposed to work even better.

§ 1/2 cup corn starch§ 1 tbsp baking powder (not baking

soda)§ 1 tbsp Glycerine

ExplorationandDiscovery

18-36Months• Expressinterestinanimalsandinsects• Examinerocks,sticks,andoutdoorobjects• Pour,scoop,andexploresandandwater• Matchcolorsandshapes,sortlikeobjects• Push/pullridingtoys

MAKINGTHECLOUDDOUGHWASEASYPour1CupRiceCerealintoacontainerAdd3TablespoonsofMeltedCoconutOiltothericecereal.Mixandletthemixturecool.

Math skills• Size• Conservation• Counting• Timing• Matching• Classifying & Sorting

Math concepts• More/Less• Full/Empty

Science Concepts• Gravity

Talk & Share

What are some of the novel

experiences that you have

invited children for exploration?

Caregiver Responses

• Provide an enriched environment with a variety of objects to promote exploration indoors and outside

• Rotate materials often• Allow uninterrupted play time• Model curiosity, finding answers together

rather than providing them• Engage and play alongside

EffectiveFeedback:Gorillareading

ProblemSolving

Indicators:• Experimentswithdifferentusesforobjects• Showsimagination,creativity,andusesavarietyofstrategiestosolveproblems

• Appliesknowledgetonewsituations• Beginstodevelopinterestsandskillsrelatedtonumbersandcounting

language support§ Teacher talk reflects the consistency with which

teachers provide language in the classroom.

§ Communication support captures teachers’ initiation and repetition of sounds in direct interactions with infants.

§ Communication extension encompasses teachers’ efforts to extend communication attempts by adding words to actions and sounds and modeling turn-taking

• 17%oftheirdayengagedinmeaningfultalkwiththeirteacher,

• 18%talkingwithpeersand• 59%nottalkingatall

Harvard Research Study found thatchildren spent:

*remaining%non-sustainedtopics

Free play, or choice time, is the ideal

opportunity for children to engage

in pretend talk, a type of extended

discourse that predicts stronger

language and literacy development.

CaregiverResponses

• Providelargeblocksofuninterruptedfree-playtime

• Providereal-worldexperiences• Planopen-endedactivities• Askopen-endedquestions

Is the puppy sad?

How do you think the puppy is feeling?

ImitationandMakeBelieve

Indicators:• Usesobjectsinnewwaysorinpretendplay

• Usesimitationinpretendplaytoexpresscreativityandimagination

ImitationandMakeBelieve

0-8Months• Copycaregiveractions(stickingouttongue,clappinghands)• Differedimitation:imitatinganewactafteradelay

8-18Months• Pretendwithrealisticobjects(phone,cup)• Self-directedplay(pretendingtoeat)

ImitationandMakeBelieve

18-36Months• Pretendwithlessrealisticprops• Directplaytowardsobjects(feedthedoll)• Socio-dramaticplay(pretendwithpeers)

36-48Months• Nopropsarerequired• Detachedparticipant(thedollfeedsitself)• Socio-dramaticplaybecomesmoreelaborate

CaregiverResponses

• Playwithinfantsandtoddlers• Songsandfinger-playwithrepetition• Providespaceandtimeforpretendplay• Offeravarietyofmaterialstoscaffoldpretendplay

• Encourageandengageinplaywithoutcontrollingit

I/Tvs.Pre-K

Focusisonprocess. Learningevolves through relationships and responsive care giving

Focusisoncontent. learning emerges through exposure to concepts, play, and activities.

The End

School Readiness Actions Steps for I/T

1. Establishschoolreadinessgoals2. Create&implementprogramplansand

individualizedplans3. Assesschildprogressonanongoingbasis&

aggregatedatemultipletimesthroughouttheyear

4. Examinedataforpatternsandreflectonyourpractice.

InclusionStrategies

• Modifyenvironment• Adjustexpectations• Providevisualsupports

– Projectcards– Pictureschedules

• Monitorreactions

Snack Read Home

ScenarioWhen Rowan, 19 Months, gets hungry and has to wait to eat, she

cries loudly and is difficult to comfort. She follows you around and

hangs on your leg as you try and care for the other children and get

ready for lunch. Due to her home schedule, usually Rowan is hungry

before the rest of the children. Today you decide to feed everyone a

little early to prevent Rowan from getting upset. As you start

washing everyone’s hands for lunch, Rowan hurries to her seat.

Naomi, 26 months, doesn’t want to eat yet. When you call her to

wash her hands, she runs behind a shelf.

ExplorationandDiscovery

0-8Months• Reachtotouchobjects• Putobjectsintheirmouthtotouchandtaste

• Turntoysoverandovertoexplore,bangtoys

• Hitorkicktoystomakethemmove,overandover

CognitiveDevelopment

JeanPiaget’sStagesofCognitiveDevelopmentAge DevelopmentalStage

Birth– 2Years Sensorimotor

2-7Years Preoperational

Early cognitive development is based on actions, which lead to processes, which lead to changes in mental operations, the way we think.

• Infant Play– Mutualgaze—firstawarenessoftheother– SensorimotorPlay—

• Focus is on interactions with motion and objects in the environment

• Some level of novelty is preferred• Repetition of actions is frequent• Toys over which infants can assert control tend

to be preferred and build a sense of agency (Bandura, 1977; c.f. Erikson, trust—mistrust)

Infant and Toddler Play

• Toddler Play– With language, mobility, and cognitive

development, toddlers move to more socially mediated play

– Coordinated imitation—tend to repeat others’ actions

– Early toddler play remains focused on motion and objects (e.g. block stacking)

– As maturation occurs, more social role play begins;

• ToddlerPlay– More advanced levels of social play (negotiating

roles, changing roles) tend to be related to more lasting friendships across childhood

– Conflicts arise!• Distraction and diversion tend to work best with

toddlers• Conflicts tend to be based on possession of

objects or turns at some desired activity• Possession is ownership (similar to dog rules)

• Toddler Play– As language and symbolic thought improve,

toddlers begin make-believe play– Imaginary roles and substitution of one object for

another (shoe becomes a truck) occurs– Children can appear to be much more cognitively

advanced in play with peers than alone.

InformationProcessing1. Memorybeginswithsensorymemory2. Informationgainedfromsensorymemorythenmovesintoshortterm

memory3. Toberememberedforanylengthoftime,informationmustbemoved

fromshort-termmemoryintolong-termmemory

Conservation

ObjectPermanence

BeforeObjectPermanence• Anobjectisforgottenwhenitishidden

• Reappearancecausessurprise

AfterObjectPermanence• Infantseeksoutthehiddenobject

MemoryIndicators:

• Showsabilitytoacquireandprocessnewinformation

• Recognizesfamiliarpeople,places,andthings• Recallsandusesinformationinnewsituations• Searchesformissingorhiddenobjects

ExplorationandDiscovery

36-48Months• Talkaboutandaskaboutobjectsinnature• Noticeanddiscusschangesinweather• Namecolorsandshapes• Copysimplepatterns• Experimentwithdifferentobjectsduringplaytocomparetheireffects

• Repeatactionstoimproveresults

Responsive Caregiving36-48 Months• Connect with three-year-olds

on a daily basis, such as naptime or arrival

• Respond with affection and care when approached by an upset or hurt three-year olds

• Encourage independence and participation in new situations (“Go ahead, you can do it!”)