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Welcome to this month's issue of the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter - A newsletter for those caring for children.
Notable Quote: "Children, through play, are unraveling the world at their own pace, savoring new experiences as they unfold, reconstructing and revising them. Essentially the child is in control. This active exploration, this involvement and the sense of ownership of the activity and experience enables the child to feel sustained and satisfied." ~ Heaslip
Since we have so many children who celebrate different winter holidays, we decided to focus our plans on the concept of light (instead of focusing on specific holidays, such as Christmas). Many of our children already have a natural curiosity for light. Light unifies many things and can be explored in many directions: light tables, light from the sun and other planets, flashlights, candle lights, celebrations with light, seasonal light, and much more.
-- Contributed by Annonymous Early Educator
Where do you find the best ideas on caring for children? From early educators and practitioners, of course! Do you have a great tip or good thing? Send us your best tips in writing and your tip may end up in our newsletter! If your tip is chosen for the newsletter, you will receive a little something from the Better Kid Care Program. Mail tips with your return address, place of work, and the number and ages of those you care for to: Better Kid Care Program, c/o Christine Belinda, 253 Easterly Parkway, State College, PA 16801or E-mail crb16@psu.edu
by Christine Belinda
As early educators, we know children learn through play. We observe play often and see children making connections to a variety of learning skills and concepts. What we truly see is that play and learning are interwoven. In order for us to support and discover children’s learning through play, we need to "unweave" the threads of play and become familiar with what to look for.
Unweaving play and learning
We can unweave the threads of play and learning by observing and questioning. Observe a child in play and gather information on what she is doing. After we observe what the child is doing, we can then question what she may be learning.
Watch children’s play closely and we see what at first appears to be "just play" but is actually intense, focused work: work similar to that of scientists, researchers, athletes, artists, writers, mathematicians, and educators. We see deep studying, analysis, evaluation, manipulations, dissections, construction, creations, problem solving, sharing of information, expressions, communications, relationships, and the list goes on! Play is the way children connect to vast amounts of learning.
Child development
To make sense of what children are learning, we need to refer to our knowledge in child development. The overall study of child development is very large. Connecting children's learning does not mean we need to know every element of child development, yet being familiar with a base understanding will assist our work greatly.
Basic child development falls under general areas:
Cognitive - The way a child thinks and learns over time; memory, science, math, problem solving.
Social and emotional - How a child learns to get along with others and express feelings.
Physical - How a child's body grows over time and uses small muscles and large muscles.
Language - How a child learns to speak, listen, write, and read.
Tip: As well as tapping into basic child development to understand how a child learns, we must also tap into each child's personal development. Consider the child's personal over-all background, culture, family, learning style, temperament, socio-economic background, and age (general milestones in development for the child's age).
More unweaving
Practice the unweaving of play by recording the actions you see happening in play. It may help to create an observation form or to take notes on paper that show areas such as the following:
| NAME - Write name, age of child observed, and date. |  |
| OBSERVATION - Record what elements you see the child doing (actions, experience, materials, conversations, etc). This is a place for specific information the child showed, not opinions. |  |
| QUESTIONS - What did the child learn and how? List areas of development, skills, and concepts the child shows or may be trying to show/do. |  |
| PLAN - Follow through with developing plans to further support the learning process. What could you offer, question, or do to further the child's learning and investigation? |  |
Once we become used to thinking this way, the process of connecting learning and play becomes unified or rewoven. We reweave the threads of play and learning to make the connections. And we develop methods for understanding how to support the connections to learning and to better understand the child.
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Extend the questions
Not only should we question what children learn through play experiences, but we should also question the materials, areas, and experiences we offer. What might children learn from these? Why are we offering these? Doing so allows us to offer meaningful experiences and quality play materials for the children we care for.
Weaving and unweaving the connections of learning and play brings us vital information to support each child and the learning process itself. Through the learning process we see what and how children learn, in areas of development, and also in areas that may be difficult to categorize, such as self regulation and compassion. We see changes we may need to make and directions that may lead to wonderful discoveries. We see growth in the child’s abilities and in our own. Through observing, questioning, and planning, we gain immense experience in discovering the connections in learning and play.
This month's highlight features new changes and additions to the Distance Education program
New Look to Our Web Site
In case you haven't noticed, the Better Kid Care site has been redesigned and now has a search feature and additional resources. Be sure to visit and come back often. We are continually adding new lessons and updated information, articles, activities and ideas.
New Changes to the System
As of November 1, 2006 there have been several changes. A new Web-based system for registering and accessing Distance Education lessons began. Better Kid Care also started charging nominal fees for ordering and reviewing distance education professional development. Information about the new fees and links are listed below:
Mail-Based Lessons (2-hour) -- $5.00 each
Price includes educational video, workbook, and coupon for one free review of each lesson ordered.There is a separate $3.00 charge for review of lesson assignments submitted without a free coupon.
Web-based Lessons (2-hour and 1-hour) -- $5.00 each
Price includes online access to educational materials and review of each lesson ordered.If you currently have BKC distance education material, please visit the Distance Education link to download new forms that are now required to submit assignments for review and for updated information on the ordering and review process.
New Staff Orientation curriculum is specifically designed for new staff members in child care centers. Meets the Keystone STARS Performance Standards. Order at no cost by calling 800-452-9108. Prepayment for review of each Orientation is $5.00. If you received materials before November 1, 2006, please download new Instructions and REQUIRED Forms.
Home-Based Caregiver Orientation - Meets the Keystone STARS Core Series Training Requirements. Order at no cost by calling 800-452-9108. Prepayment for review of each Orientation is $5.00. If you received materials before November 1, 2006, please download new Instructions & REQUIRED Forms.
New Distance Education Lessons!
Better Kid Care has developed new distance education lessons to add to your professional development record. Two-hour lessons are available as mail-based and web-based lessons. One-hour lessons can only be completed online as web-based lessons.
Preview new lessons by selecting titles
Two-Hour Lessons
How to Work with Active Children - K2C1 CDA 3
Avoid Behavior Problems -- Teach Self-Control - K2C2 CDA 3
Parents: Friends or Foes? - K3C1 CDA 4
How to Get Parents on Your Team - K3C2 CDA4One-Hour Lessons
Are Your Ready for an Infant? - (K2C1) CDA 8
Child Care Celebrations - (K3C1) CDA 5
Baby Talk (K5C1) - CDA 2
Toddler Talk - (K5C1) CDA 2
Outdoor Play - (K7C1) CDA 1
Check for Discontinued Lessons: Please be aware that we can no longer issue professional development hours for Discontinued Lessons that are no longer offered through the Better Kid Care Distance Education Program.
Better Kid Care will continue to develop high quality resources to meet your professional development requirements. If you have any questions or experience problems accessing mail- or Web-based registration forms, please contact the Better Kid Care Office at 800-452-9108 or email: betterkidcare@psu.edu.
Are you constantly faced with decisions about what toys to buy and what toys to avoid? Do the toys you offer enhance children's natural ability to engage imaginative, meaningful play, allowing them to use their own imaginations, creativity, and problem solving skills?
TRUCE, Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment, has developed a Toy Action Guide, intended to help adults promote children's creative and constructive play by making informed choices about toys, and by working with others at home, school and in the community to promote positive play and toys.
A sampling of ideas from the Toy Action Guide:
Avoid toys that:
Turn TV into the controller of play Choose toys that promote:
To learn more about TRUCE, The Toy Action Guide, visit www.truceteachers.org or e mail truceteachers@aol.com
Turn the Page Reading aloud with children is a wonderful activity. Children of all ages love to be read to. Support the love of reading for children in your care by trying the following books on Winter's arrival :
Stranger in the Wood: A Photographic Fantasy, by Carl R. Sams and Jean Stocik, published by Carl R. Sams II Photography, ISBN 0967174805. A photographic story of wildlife charm and humor depicting enthralling scenes of animals.
When Winter Comes, by Nancy Van Laan, published by Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books, ISBN 0689817789. Read about the first snowflakes arriving for winter as a bundled up family and their pet Scottie head outdoors to celebrate the world being transformed by winter.
Winter Lullaby, by Barbara Seulling, published by Voyager Books, ISBN 0152168087. Enjoy the rhyming prose of winter’s arrival.
Winter, Awake, by Linda Kroll, published by Bell Pond Books, ISBN 0880105283. What might happen if one year winter does not awake?
Contact your local children's library or your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office to find out about more books on making friends and child care. Reading with children creates lifelong readers. Enjoy your time reading with children!
Interested in professional development opportunities? Take a look at the following professional development training available for early childhood practitioners:
Did you know? In order to receive Act 48 credits, you need to access the Pennsylvania Department of Education Web site at www.pde.state.pa.us to receive your PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. Bring this number to your professional development workshops and conferences.
For more professional development opportunities, visit the PA Keys online calendar.
Send Us Your Questions - Do you have a question on any of the satellite workshop topics listed below? Send them to us! If your question is chosen to be read and answered during a satellite broadcast, you will receive a gift certificate to Redleaf Press. Submit questions two weeks prior to the satellite broadcast date via e-mail (enter Subject Line: Satellite Question), fax 814-865-7893 or mail directly to Better Kid Care, 253 Easterly Parkway, State College, PA 16801.
December 7, 2006
Obese Kids: They are what they eat
K7C2 - Topic Code 79 / CDA 1
Childhood obesity is a national problem. What children eat is critical to their health. It doesn't matter if you care for children in a center or a home, every adult who works with young children needs to be aware of what children are eating. This workshop will have lots of ideas to get children to eat healthy snacks and lunches and tips to share with parents.
March 29, 2007
Your #1 Priority: Keeping children healthy and safe
K7C1 - Topic Code 77 / CDA 1
April 26, 2007
How to Turn Good Play into GREAT Play
K2C2 - Topic Code 15 / CDA 2
Join with other early childhood practitioners in experiencing satellite workshops, offered in Pennsylvania and across the United States. To participate in these workshops, visit the Satellite Workshop link.
Are you looking for articles to share with your families? Do you need information for your parent/family bulletin board? Family Time / Work Time shares easy-to-read articles for busy parents and caretakers with a focus on Building Strong Families.
You are welcome to print and share these publications with your friends, family, and other child care providers.
Enjoy the following from Family Time / Work Time: November 2006
Building Strong Families
Help Your Child through Hectic Times
Holidays, and even everyday family schedules, can cause children to be stressed. Try some of the following tips to help your child:
Providers in the Child Development Associate (CDA) Program
Better Kid Care can help you obtain your CDA -- Although Better Kid Care does not offer a CDA program at this time, we offer professional development training accepted by the Council for Professional Recognition to meet the 120 hours of formal early childhood education required to obtain a CDA credential. These one- and two-hour distance education lessons are coded and categorized for CDA. To view a complete listing, please visit the Better Kid Care Distance Education page.
Apply Soon -- CDA Infant/Toddler Scholarship Applications available through Northampton Community College, deadline November 22, 2006. This Web-based program begins January 16, 2007. Download CDA Infant/Toddler Scholarship application or contact Adurey Shuey, ashuey@pattan.net
For information regarding Child Development Associate, visit our CDA page or contact Christine at 814-865-7894 or email crb16@psu.edu.
Do you have questions about caring for other people's children, such as:
Call the Better Kid Care Mentoring Line at 800-859-8340 or e-mail your questions to betterkidcare@psu.edu for information about child care and children's issues.
Better Kid Care Kit - Need ideas in your work caring for children? When you enroll in the Better Kid Care Program and sign up for the Better Kid Care Kit, family child care providers will receive several free publications in the mail. Family home child care providers will also receive The Basics of Caring for Children in your Home notebook to organize and store your Better Kid Care publications. Have you signed up to receive a Better Kid Care Kit yet? Complete our online registration form or call 800-452-9108 to order.
Notebook Contains: Tip Sheets, Activities Pages & Lunch and Snack Ideas
All publications are available online to print and share with your friends, family, and other childcare providers. Select issues are also available in Spanish.
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View archived Better Kid Care E-Newsletters
Upcoming January E-Newsletter:
Look for information on Loose Parts: What does it mean?
We would love to hear from you! We want the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter to be informative, useful, and inspiring to you! Please contact the Better Kid Care Program with your ideas. Is there something you want to see more or less of? What information is most important to you? What topics are you interested in? How is the newsletter helpful to you? E-mail your ideas to crb16@psu.edu or call 814-865-7894.
