FirstSchool Framework for Pre-K-3rd Grade Education

FPG Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillMichigan State University

ECIC MichiganMarch 14, 2011

Today’s GoalsProvide participants with:

An understanding about the FirstSchool initiative

Insight about effective Pre-K to 3rd grade classroom practices

Research that highlights a sound perspective for Early Childhood education

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Give this some thought….

How do children experience the change between Pre-K and Kindergarten?

What activity settings seem to ensure optimal participation for children in Pre-K and Kindergarten?

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Early Investment is Vital Fewer than 1/3 of America’s fourth

graders are at or above grade level in literacy.

Studies show investing solely in Pre-K is not enough.

Well-designed Pre-K improves children's social and cognitive skills - gains can fade as children advance beyond Kindergarten.

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Why FirstSchool? 11-state study of state funded Pre-K

Little or no alignment between PreK and elementary

Low ratings on global classroom quality

Poorest children are in the lowest quality classrooms

Superficial task demands and didactic instruction

44% of the day is spent in transitions and routines

Minimal time is spent interacting with teachers

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FirstSchool A PreK-3rd Grade public school initiative

Unites the best of early childhood, elementary, and special education

Grounded in research, evidence, and four years of collaborative planning and multi-site piloting

Committed to school success for all with special emphasis on African American, Latino and low income students

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Pre-K-3rd Grade Education

A growing body of research shows that children continue to make gains in schools that connect Pre-K to a full-day Kindergarten and primary grades with aligned standards and curricula in a coherent Pre-K to 3rd grade education program.

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FirstSchool Principles

Use data from multiple sources to drive and monitor change efforts

Implement appropriate practices across the Pre-K to 3 spectrum:

Foundational Processes Active Engagement Intentionality Balance

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Think back to the questions posed at the beginning regarding how children experience the change from Pre-K to Kindergarten and their classroom activity settings… • In pairs – share your thoughts

Discussion

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The leap between Pre-K and K

Number of minutes spent in each setting

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Child Inattention in Activity Settings

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Settings: Range across Kindergarten classrooms

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Improving School Experiences for Young Children

Arbitrary rules

Children who shut down

Vocabulary and oral language development

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Discussion

Who seems to be most impacted by the issues we have just raised?

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Using Research to Guide Practice

On average, children growing up in low-income families have dramatically less exposure to academic oral and written language in their homes than do middle-class children.

Low-income children hear fewer words and are engaged in fewer extended conversations. Children in higher income homes will be exposed to 45 million words compared to only 13 million words for a child in a low income family (Hart & Risley, 2003).

The difference in reading materials in the home accounts for approximately 89% of the reading achievement gap between poor and non-poor students at age 14 (Fryer & Levitt, 2002).

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Using Research to Guide Practice

Boy’s brains go into a rest state many times each day. You may observe them drifting off or sleeping. They also tap their pencils, fall out of their chairs and throw things. Often they are just trying to stay alert.

Boys tend to be irritable when moved from task to task and like to stay focused on something that interests them.

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Implementing Appropriate Practices

Foundational Processes

Active Engagement

Intentionality

Balance

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Foundational Processes

Positive Relationships

Representation of Learning

Executive Function

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Active Engagement Arrange classrooms for optimum

movement and interaction for students.

Take learning outdoors, bring the natural environment into classroom.

Provide variety of learning opportunities for active exploration, address developmental and content areas.

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Using Research to Guide Practice

Access to outdoor play and experiences in nature have been positively linked with the development of imagination and sense of wonder.

When children play in nature they are more likely to have positive feelings about each other and their surroundings.

Early experiences with nature are linked with imagination, independence and autonomy.

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Intentionality

Preparation and Planning

Knowledge of Children

Reflection and Modification

Re-think Schedules and Priorities

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Balanced Experiences How are children’s experiences

balanced Across the day?

Across the year?

Across instructional settings?

Across literacy and math?

Across teaching approaches?

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Wrap Up

What did you hear today that impacted your thinking about Pre-K to 3rd grade education?

What new ideas will you take away and share with others?

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FirstSchoolis a project of the FPG Child Development Institute. FPG research and outreach have shaped how the nation cares for and educates young children.

www.fpg.unc.edu

www.firstschool.us

FirstSchool is supported by a grant from:

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Private donors

FirstSchool.2011 28

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www.fpg.unc.edu

FirstSchool is a project of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. FPG research and outreach have

shaped how the nation cares for and educates young children.

FirstSchool is being implemented by Michigan State University Outreach and Engagement. UOE believes in scholarship that cuts across teaching, research, and service and advocates a model of

outreach and engagement that is mutually beneficial for the University and the public.

www.outreach.msu.edu