CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler

Early Learning

Connecticut’s Infant Toddler Strategic Planning Process

Informational Forum

January 18, 2007 Presenters: Anna Figueroa & Deb Flis

Agenda

National Context and CT History What are Early Learning Guidelines (ELG)? Alignment of CT’s I/T ELG’s with CT’s

Preschool Benchmarks CT’s DRAFT Guidelines

– Description and organization– How to use the document– Feedback form CT Forums and Pilot

National Context

Many states are developing infant and toddler early learning guidelines. A few states are looking at next steps – linking to training, curriculum & assessment

Formal licensed programs serve only a small number of infants and toddlers.

- Children birth - 3 are overwhelmingly cared for by Kith & Kin providers

- Important that guidelines be easily understood by providers National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative @

Zero to Three CT Award (June ’03 to Sept. ’04)

Connecticut History

Charge: To develop infant & toddler early learning

guidelines that are designed to support caregivers working with children under three in various settings by providing information on infant and toddler development, guidance on best practice and tools to facilitate each child’s optimal growth and development.

Connecticut History

Convening of Work Group– Review of National and State Documents– Draft issued (January 05)– Forums conducted (March – April 2005)– Pilots (June-December 2006)

Work Group Participants

Dana Abbott, Ph.D.AJ Pappanikou Center for Excellence inDevelopmental Disability Judith August, School PsychologistDarcey School Early Childhood Center – Cheshire Public Schools Mary Ann Dayton-Fitzgerald,

SupervisorEarly Childhood Intervention Program - DCF Anna Figueroa, Manager EarlyChildhood Programs - Wheeler Clinic Linda Goodman, DirectorCT Birth to Three System Pam Langer, DirectorCT Parents Plus Sherry Linton, EHS CoordinatorFamily Development Center – ManchesterMemorial Hospital

Charlotte Madison, Executive DirectorChild Development Laboratories - UCONN Denise Merrill, DirectorChild Health and Development Institute Anne Newkirk, Program CoordinatorTPCD – Wheeler Clinic Donna Notti, Cheshire Public Schools Peter Palermino, Program ManagerDepartment of Social Services Elizabeth Shack Maria Synodi, Education ConsultantDepartment of Education Grace Whitney, Director Head Start Collaborative – DSS Libby Zimmerman, Ph.D., LICSWInfant Toddler Mental Health Consultant

What are Early Learning Guidelines?

Describe what children need to know, understand and be able to do at various ages;

Guide what adults who work with young children will do to support healthy growth and development:– Informs curriculum development/the design of play

spaces– Provides a foundation for professional development– Establishes a framework for the development of

assessment tools.

Why are Early Learning Guidelines Important?

Guidelines allow us to highlight the importance of the adult child relationship in any setting where children are cared for:

– Maintain focus on interaction with the child– Provide an appropriate setting for infants and toddlers– Ensure quality of care

Create a shared framework and common language for providers, parents and program administrators

Alignment of CT’s ELG for Infants and Toddlers with CT’s Preschool Benchmarks

SDE workgroup and forum participation Review of The CT Framework Preschool Curricular Goals & Benchmarks Consistent Guiding Principles Consistent Developmental Domains and

Philosophy on Interdependence of Domains Creation of SDE Position Statement on

Infants and Toddlers

CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning

This document is: - A voluntary informational tool- A description of child development birth – 3

years - A guide for I/T providers in their support of

children’s healthy growth and development

CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning

The Early Learning Guidelines are not a curriculum!

A curriculum describes the what, why, and how of programming by guiding caregivers through the processes of planning, implementing, and evaluating a developmentally appropriate program. (The Creative Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers, 1997)

CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning

Organization of the document by 7 age ranges

– Birth to 3 months– 3 to 6 months– 6 to 9 months– 9 to 12 months– 12 to 18 months– 18 to 24 months– 24 to 36 months

Organization of the Document

Each age range is grouped by areas of children’s development – Developmental Domains:– Personal and Social Development– Physical Development– Cognitive Development– Language and Communication

Organization of the document

Each stage of development– Description of what you can expect to see in this

age range.– Suggestions on toys and materials– Suggestions on the design of space– Ways that adults can support healthy growth and

development through interactions

Organization of the document

“Did you know?” boxes that feature best practice and research on developmental highlights.

Sample activities “Close-up” section that illustrates supportive

interactions between caregiver and baby and/or peer.

How to use the document

Seek information on infant and toddler development, explore where a child is developmentally and look to see what might occur next in the child’s development

Guide planning and intentional interactions with infants and toddlers

Create safe, appropriate, nurturing environments Enhance parent knowledge, involvement and

support

How to use the document

Improve caregiver-parent communication about developmental progress

Support caregiver modeling and communication with parent

Guide selection of materials and equipment Frame pre-service and in-service training Introduce state and national resources

Statewide Forums Consolidated Feedback

Great teaching & training tool Great resource for center staff, FRC, FCC,

home visitors, PAT It validates I/T teachers as professionals Can use to note a developmental concern Very user-friendly Format & graphics – good – keep colorful “This is exactly what we need”

Statewide Forums Consolidated Feedback

Further Work: Keep audience clear – I/T Providers Include parent friendly “Pull-Outs” Spanish version Create notebook format Create training & support system Companion Documents- Curriculum - Higher Education Use- Assessment

Pilot of CT’s Guidelines

Caregiver / site participation– Kith & Kin– Licensed family homes– Center-based

Training on the document On-site support to use the document Program and Provider Incentives

– Materials - Stipends

Pilot Feedback

Intentionality – “Let’s go to the Guidelines” Providers used guidelines to talk with parents about

what was happening with their child developmentally. Used as an integral part of the center’s open house.

A tool to talk with parents about center programming for I/T.

Used document to “help and focus work” Relationship between coaches and providers is

critical!

Pilot Feedback

Coaches felt that as consultants they were able to connect to something tangible

Liked having information on development and environments in one spot

The guidelines were used to help select materials Pilot sites will continue to use document Need more pictures Need Spanish version

Pilot Feedback

“You know development takes place. Having this helps you know what is coming and makes you more aware of milestones.”

“Sometimes providers have too many resources and never look at them. You don’t need anything else. You can get everything here you need. It is simple and digestible.”

The guidelines are “Concise, distilled to what you need to know”

Next Steps –

Publication of Early Learning Guidelines by DSS – in progress FY 07

Dissemination of document through AFP Training:

– Development of a cadre of I/T Specialists (Coaches)

– Training, resources and ongoing support

Next Steps – continued

Companion documents– Crosswalk with existing documents

Creative Curriculum, Ages & Stages, etc.

– Curriculum resource document– Observation and Assessment Tools– Resources

Access to Document

nccic.org/itcc

National Child Care Information Center Website

Select Initiatives – CT - View