March 2020
In this issue:
We have all heard the expression, "I don't care how much you know until I know how much you care." For our youngest learners and families, quickly establishing a caring relationship is critical. Building a caring and trusting classroom has so many benefits to children and families. Welcoming classrooms promote family involvement. Parent involvement helps extend teaching outside the classroom, creates a more positive experience for children, and helps children perform better when they are in school. Typically, when children experience distress or feel threatened, family members, teachers or other caregivers support them in reestablishing a sense of safety and control. For children who experience early trauma, they may not have the background or experiences that lead to healthy attachments or trust, such as adult guidance to help them regulate their emotions and physical reactions to stressful events. If children are not able to access the support they need during a stressful situation it can interrupt their ability to process, integrate, and categorize what caused the distrust or feeling threatened. This often leads to difficulty connecting and relating to their peers. Children who have had early traumatic experiences tend to have ongoing social difficulties throughout their schooling. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has an excellent article entitled, "Creating Trauma-Sensitive Classrooms." Check out the suggestions and reflection questions!
Learn more about three key things to consider when working towards responsive teaching or a responsive classroom in Teaching Strategies article, "The Responsive Classroom:"
- Respond in the Moment
- Reflect and Plan
- Create an Intentional Learning Environment
Here are some tips from an excerpt of Classroom Instruction That Works, 2nd edition to help teachers create a positive learning environment for all students. Read more details about each tip in the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) article, "Six Tips For Creating A Positive Learning Environment In Your Classroom."
- Build classroom rules and procedures collaboratively and in the positive.
- Let your students know you believe in them.
- Examine our own mindset. Do we believe in our own ability to learn and grow?
- Use language to show students that they are learning for their own benefit.
- Give honest feedback.
- Be objective when dealing with a student conflict or behavioral issue.
Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom (AITC) is seeking excellent teachers to present workshops at the State AITC Summer Conference. Please answer the following questions and submit your workshop proposal by May 1, 2020. Workshops can be submitted by individual teachers and teams of teachers. $100 stipend for each presenter will be paid for each workshop presented. Workshops must include: AITC lessons and hands on activities. Submit your AITC Workshop Proposals through this AITC Proposal link. Presenters will be contacted by AITC State Coordinators if they are chosen to present.
The summer AGITC conference will be July 23, 2020 at the Gordon Cooper Technology Center in Shawnee, OK. Registration will opens April 1. If you have any other questions, please contact an AITC Coordinator.
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For some children, learning to read is not an easy thing. Human brains are naturally wired to speak; they are not naturally wired to read and write. Infants, toddlers and preschoolers develop oral language and pre-literacy skills everyday that will help them become readers. It's an exciting and critical time of learning. Find additional information about youngest learners in the Reading Rockets sections on Preschool and Childcare, Oral Language, Print Awareness, Phonemic Awareness, and in a section especially for teachers. Another great resource is ¡Colorin colorado!, a bilingual site for teachers and families of English Learners.
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/top-10-things-you-should-know-about-reading
Frequently requested Reading Sufficiency Act (RSA) information and links.
Please contact Melissa Ahlgrim, Director, Reading Sufficiency at (405) 522-1591 for RSA specific questions.
Save the date for EngageOK! Oklahoma Education will hit the road again this summer to bring free conferences to five regions of the state. There will be a number of sessions at each conference that will benefit early childhood professionals!
- July 13: Woodward
- July 14: Jenks
- July 15: Durant
- July 16: Clinton
- July 21: Oklahoma City
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