Waisman Early Childhood ProgramINTEGRATING RESEARCH, TEACHING AND OUTREACH

Table of ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Child Care in the Bigger Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

How Does Your Garden Grow? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Research Potential Aids Professionals and Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Physical Education and Movement for Every Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Treating Autism, the Natural Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

In Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

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Introduction

TheWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgram(WECP)isachilddevelopmentandearlylearningprogramforchildrenfromUW-affiliatedfamiliesandateachingandresearchfacilityforUniversityofWisconsin-Madisonstudents,facultyandstaff.

WECPfirstopeneditsdoorsin1979,asaresultofstatelegislationallocatingfundingforapreschoolattheWaismanCenterresearchfacilityoncampus.Sincethattime,WECPhasgrowntobecomeastate-licensed,CityofMadisonAccreditedandNationallyAccredited(NAEYC)earlyeducationandcareprogramwithamissionofincludingchildrenwithspecialneedsinaregulareducationsetting.

WECPhascapacityfor100childrenbetweentheagesof12monthsandeightyearsold.Year-round,half-time(7:30-12:30)andfull-time(7:30-3:30or5:30)enrollmentisavailable,aswellasafull-timesummerprogramforchildrenthroughcompletionoffirstgrade.

SomeotherhighlightsofWECPinclude:

• Aninclusiveenvironmentforallchildren,theWECPpridesitselfonmaintainingabout1/3ofitsenrollmentspaceforchildrenwithspecialneeds

• Smallclasssizesandlowstudent-teacherratios• Largeclassrooms,allofwhichopenuptoa1.5-acreDiscoveryGarden,aninnovativeenvironmentforchildrento

learnthroughoutdoorplay• Placementsitefor:UW-MadisonSoHE,SchoolofEd,OccupationalTherapy,Kinesiology,RehabPsych,

CommunicativeDisorders,UW-WhitewaterEC/ECEENduallicensureprogram,bothEdgewoodCollegeandMadisonCollegestudentpracticums,studentteachingandservicelearning

• LocatedwithintheUW’sWaismanCenter,aninternationallyrecognizedfacilityconcernedwithhumandevelopmentanddevelopmentaldisabilities,theprogramisabletodrawupontheexpertiseofUWresearchers,educatorsandclinicians

• Aresearchsettinginwhichrelevanteducationalanddevelopmentalissuescanbestudied

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ChildCareintheBiggerPicture

SethPollakisaresearcher,aparentandanadvocateforcampuschildcare.HeadoftheChildEmotionLabatUW-Madison,PollakhasdoneseveralstudiesatWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgram(WECP)andsaystheaccessibilityofboththeearlychildhoodcenterandtheresearchfacilityhousedwithinthesamebuildingisinvaluable,especiallyforlonger-termstudiesthatareoftenshortsessions,butrequiremultiplevisits.

“Whenpeoplearereallylittle…youcan’thaveparentsbringingthembackeveryday,”saysPollak.“Sowhatwe’vedoneisusethefactthatkidsarehereeverydayforschoolforlearningstudies…it’sgreat,wejustkindofrollacomputerrightdowntothepreschool.”

OnemajorstudythatPollakandhisteamconductedatWECPinvestigatedwhetherchildrenunderstoodtheantecedenttopeople’semotions.Thestudyinvolvedarobot,whichthechildrenwereinstructedtoteachaboutfeelings.Theresearcherswouldshowanadultfeelinganemotionandtherobotwouldrespond,forinstance“Ithinkthismomisangrybecauseherchildpaintedonhisbedroomwall.”Ifthechildthoughtthatwasanappropriatereason,theygavetherobotareward.

“Whatwefoundwasthatactuallyvery,veryyoungchildrenwereabletounderstandthesocialdynamicsofallthedifferentsituationsthatcouldorcouldnotcauseemotionalreactions,”saysPollak,adding“…childrenwhoseparentsdidn’thaveverygoodemotionregulatoryskills,forexampleparentsthatbeattheirchildren,thosechildrenendedupreasoningthatalmostanythingcancauseaparenttobecomeangryandsoitturnedouttobejustareally,reallyrichexperimentthat’sendedupbeingcitedalotinthefield.”

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Inadditiontothebenefitstoresearch,Pollakstressesthebenefitsofcampuschildcareinearlyinterventionofdevelopmentaldelays.Hesaysquiteoftenparentswhoareathomewiththeirchildmayoverlookpossibledelaysbecausetheyhaven’tbeenexposedtoalargesampleofchildrentoknowthedifference.

“Oneofthethingsweknowaboutearlychildhooddevelopmentisifanissuearises,maybeaspeechandlanguageissue,amotorissue,acognitiveissue,theverybestthingistohaveitidentifiedandtreatedrightaway,”saysPollak.“OneofthereallynicethingsaboutbeinginaplaceliketheWaismanCenteriswithchildrenparticipatinginsomanydifferentstudiesandworkingwithdifferentstudents,veryoftenifthere’ssomekindofdelayit’sidentifiedrightawayandthenreallyhighlytrainedpeoplecangiveparentsadviceaboutwhattodoandhavesomethingcorrectedbeforeitbecomesabiggerproblem,beforeitaffectsachild’sself-esteemorself-concept.”

Pollakappreciateschildcarefrommorethanjustaresearcher’slens.Whileheandhiswife,JennySaffran,whoheadstheInfantLearningLabatUW-Madison,didn’tevenhavechildrenwhentheywereonthejobmarket,PollaksaysseeingtheWECPinfluencedtheirdecisiontocometoUW-Madison.Ultimately,theirtwochildrenendedupattendingWECP,whichPollakwasextremelygratefulfor.

Pollakbelievestheuniversityneedstocontinueinvestingintheirearlychildhoodprograms.“Ifeellikecampuschildcareis…justcriticalforthemissionoftheuniversity,andunlessit’swidelyavailableandreallyhighquality,peoplearegoingtohavetocutcornerstomakethingsworkforthemselves,andthey’reprobablynotgoingtocutthecornerofnotcaringfortheirownchild.”

Aprospectthatbecomesmoreandmoreimportantasthecultureofoursocietyshifts,fromoneinwhichextendedfamilyusedtobecloseenoughtocareforyoungchildren,totoday’snormwherefamilyunitsarespreadallovertheplace,oftenleavingyoungparentstryingtostartacareerinthelurchforchildcare.

“Ithinkthatunlessuniversitiesarewillingtopickupandunderstandthatinorderforparentstocontributemeaningfully,professionally,theyhavetohavegood,high-qualityplacesfortheirchildrentobeduringtheday,you’regoingtocontinuetoseedisparities,particularlyforwomen.”

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HowDoesYourGardenGrow?

ThereisalotofgrowinghappeningattheWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgram,andit’smorethanjustthekids.WECPishometoamagicalcommunitygardenthatisinstillinghardworkandhealthyeatinginthestudentsthroughhands-onexperienceseveryday.RobinMittenthal,GlobalHealthAdministrativeProgramManageratUW-MadisonwhosetwochildrenattendedWECP,helpedmaintainthegardenfrom2010-2015.Hewasveryintentionalinplanningoutthegardeneachyearbecausehewantedittobeaworkableprojectfortheteachersandkids.

“Firstandforemost,Iwant[theteachers]tohaveownershipandconveyownershiptothekidsasmuchaspossible,”saysMittenthal.

DuringhistenureasWECP’sheadgardener,Mittenthalusedthegardentoenhancethecurriculumhappeningintheprogram.InApril,beforeplanting,hewouldbringinseedsandphotosofplantssothechildrencouldunderstandthetransformationbetweenstages.Healsogerminatedpeaseedsinbetweenpapertowelinsideofpetridishes.Aftertwoweeks,thepeashootsactuallystarttopushopenthepetridishontheirown.LayingthevariousstagesofpeaseedsandshootstogetheriswhatMittenthalreferstoashis“peamovie.”

Becauseofincreasingresponsibilities,MittenthalhastakenastepbackbutteacherKatieSchultz,alongwithseveralcoworkers,havestarteddoingmorewiththegardenincludingusingitasateachingtool.

Recentexpansiontothegardenhasallowedkidseasieraccesstohelpwithweeding,plantingandharvesting,accordingtoSchultz.Thisyear’scropincludesitemskidsarefamiliarwith,likegreenbeansandpumpkins,aswellassomeunfamiliarfoodslikekohlrabi.

Often,thelessonwillcontinuewithafuncookingprojectintheclassroom.Arecentchocolatebeetcakehadmanymorekidspiningforbeetsthannormal.Schultzsaysthevarietyofproducehasbeenagreatexperienceforthekids.

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Additionally,thekidsarelearningimportantlifelessonsaboutcaretakingandthetransformationthatoccursfromseedtoharvest.

“Thepersonalresponsibilitythey’vegained,theexcitementthattheyhavefrom[thegarden]hasbeenoverwhelming,”saysSchultz.“Everydaytheyaskiftheycangotothegarden.”

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ResearchPotentialAidsProfessionalsandStudents

WhenPsychologystudentLaurenHuckstadtenvisionedherseniorthesisprojectevaluatingchildren’sbiastowardspeoplewithdisabilities,havingtheWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgramoncampus,one-thirdofwhoseenrollmentischildrenwithdisabilities,wastheidealsetting.

“Whatwewereinterestedinwasdevelopingafewmeasuresthatcouldevenbeusedtolookatchildren’sattitudestowardpeoplewithdisabilities,whichisahardthingtodowithpreschoolersbecausehowdoyouconveythediversityofdifferentabilitiesanddisabilities,”saysKristinShutts,PhD,Huckstadt’ssupervisoratthetime.

Huckstadtstartedherresearchbyspendingtimeintheclassrooms,gettingtoknowthestaffandchildren,soshewouldbeafamiliarfacewhenitcametimetodointerviews.Whileobservingthechildreninthegroupsettingcangleanacertainamountofinformation,workinginaquietsettingwithindividualchildrenwasabetterwaytogettheinformationtheyneeded.Shuttssayschildrenreallyappreciatetheideathatsomeoneotherthantheirparentsisgenuinelyinterestedinwhattheythinkaboutsomething.

Differenttaskswereusedtodeterminepreference.First,theywerepresentedwithphotosofachildinawheelchairversusachildjustsittinginachairandaskedhowlikelytheyaretomakefriendswitheachperson.Anothertaskinvolvedgivingtheparticipantsinformationaboutachildwithadisabilitylike“Theyhaveahardtimestayingintheirseatinclass”versusapotentiallynegativepieceofinformationaboutatypicallydevelopingchildlike“Theyforgottheirlunchyesterday.”Again,participantswereaskedhowlikelytheyweretobefriendthechildfromeachdescription.

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TheirresearchdeterminedthatthereisasmallamountofbiasfromchildrentowardspeoplewithdisabilitiesbutShuttssaystheirsamplesizeforthestudywassmall.Also,theirsecondarygoalofdeterminingdifferencesbetweeninclusiveandnon-inclusivepreschoolswasdifficulttomeasuresinceitisunlikelytofindapreschoolwherenotonechildhassometypeofdisability.

ButShuttssaysthemeasuresarethereifresearchersareinterestedinfurtherpursuitofthetopic.EvenshehasthoughtaboutrevisitingtheworkandWECP.

“ReallytheexperienceinWECPhelpedus,especiallythroughtalkingtoJoanandthestaff…[who]areallsoknowledgeable,”saysShutts.“Ithink[theexperience]reallyhelpedLaurenthinkabouthowyouwouldevendesignastudylikethat.[WECP]wassuchasupportivestudydevelopmentenvironment,Ifeltthatitwasareallyrichplacetoeventhinkaboutsomeoftheseissuesandthinkabouthowyoucoulddevelopthesemeasures.”

ShuttssaysthatWECP“couldbeareallyamazingplaceforpeopledoinglongitudinalwork”asyoucangorightinandobservethechildrenwithoutrelyingonparentsbringingthemin,andthatyoucanobserveseveraltimesoveralongertimeperiod.Plus,“Joan’sunendingenthusiasmforresearchhappeningthere,”accordingtoShutts,isanothergreatreasontotoutthiscampusresource.

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PhysicalEducationandMovementforEveryBody

ItwasaninjurythatledTimGattenbyintothefieldofadaptedphysicaleducation.Whenhewastoldhe’dneverbethesame,andheexperiencedwhatitwasliketohaveaphysicaldisability,hewasmotivatedtochangehistrackfromphysicaltherapytoadaptedphysicaleducation.Thirty-oneyearsafterhewastoldto“buildand

establishtheprogram”atUW-Madison,thingsaregoingstrong,withthreeclasses,upwardsof300studentsparticipatingand100clientseverysemester.

MuchofthecourseworkisdoneattheNatatoriuminGym6,whereadaptedfitnessequipmentaboundsandGattenbyisonhandtoinstruct,whennecessary,onanexercisemovementoractivity.Butoften,afterinitialannouncementsandquestions,theclassisontheirown,workinginsmallgroupswiththeirclient.

Therehasbeenoneotheressentialelementthat’sbeenincludedinthepastthreeyears:fieldwork.“Foralongtimewhatweweremissingwasschoolexperiences,especiallyearlychildhoodexperiences,”saysGattenby.

Eachsemester,GattenbysendstwotothreestudentsovertotheWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgramtodothesamekindsofadaptedphysicaleducationwithayoungercrowd.Studentsworkwithspecialneedschildrenone-on-onebutalsousethelargemotorspaceatWECPtoworkwithsmaller,integratedgroups.

“Thekids’opportunitiestosocializewitheachotherismuchmorepossiblewithmovement,”saysGattenby.

AdaptedPEtakesthedevelopmentallyappropriatephysicaleducationprogramandfindswaystomakeitworkwithspecialneedskids—beitphysical,cognitiveoremotionalneeds—byprovidingtheleastrestrictiveenvironmentpossibleandincludingeverybody.

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ThestudentswhotakeGattenby’sclassareeitherinterestedinbecomingmedicalprofessionals—doctors,physicaltherapists,nurses,occupationaltherapists,etc.—ormaybepursuingacareerinphysicaleducation,inwhichcasetheyneedacertificateinAdaptedPE.

Gattenbysaysacommonshortfallwithclients’experiencesisthattheyhaveseveralcareproviders,allofwhomarenotcommunicatingwitheachothertobuildacohesiveprogramfortheirclient.He’sexcitedaboutthisnewgroupofprofessionals,whoheisintentionallytrainingtocaremoreabouttheclientthantheclasswork,andtobemorecommunicativewithalltheplayersinvolved.

“Thesenewprofessionalswillgooutandconnectmoreofthedotsaboutcommunication,”saysGattenby.

Eventually,GattenbyhopestohavegreatercollaborationwithearlychildhoodprogramslikeWECP.It’sallamatterofhavingthetimeandmakingsureeveryoneisonthesamepage.

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TreatingAutism,theNaturalWay

Withtheprevalenceofdiagnosisforautismspectrumdisordercontinuallygrowingand50percentofthosediagnoseshappeningbyage4inWisconsin1,increasedtreatmentoptionsandearlyinterventionisanecessity.HavingaspaceoncampuswheretreatmentcouldbeprovidedwascrucialtoMollyMurphy,leadsupervisorandprogramdirectorfortheWaismanAutismTreatmentPrograms.

“Therewasarealinterestinkindofcreatingasafetynetorcatchingsomeofthosefamilieswhoarecomingtotheclinicsfordiagnostics,andprovidingsomedirectservicetothem,”saysMurphy.

Shefeltitwasimportanttogivefamilieswithyoungchildrenmoreofatypicalearlychildhoodexperience,soshesoughttotreatkidsinanaturalisticsettingratherthanaclinicsetting.ShefoundtheidealpartnerinJoanErshler,directoratWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgram.

StartingTogetherpilotedinApril2016,servingtenfamilieswithchildrenbetweenagestwotofive.Itisanearlybehavioraltreatmentforautismbasedonappliedbehavioranalysis

andaresearch-basedmodelthatcameoutofUC-DaviscalledtheEarlyStartDenverModel,“whichhasshownsomereallyniceprogressforkidsinamorenaturalisticapproachtoautismtreatment,”saysMurphy.

Forthreehours,eachday,sheandherstafftakethecomponentsofahighqualityearlychildhoodexperienceandenhanceitwithintense,one-to-oneteachingbasedoneachchild’sindividualizedtreatmentplan,incorporatingsupportin

1“ASnapshotofAutismSpectrumDisorderinWisconsin,”CDC,https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/documents/comm-report-autism-full-report.pdf

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communication,socialinteraction,playskills—wherevertheyneedaboost.Theotherthreehoursarespentontypicalearlychildhoodroutineslikemealtimeandlargemotortime.Murphycallsit“enhancedpreschool.”

StartingTogetherconvertedaconferenceroomintheWECPbuildingintotheirmainclassroom.TheyalsouseoneotherroomatWECPforindividualplayspace,andhaveaccesstotheirlibrary,gym,outdoorplayareasandasmallkitchenarea.Utilizingthesecommonareashastheaddedbenefitofallowingforsomenaturalcrossoverbetweenthechildreninbothprograms,too.Anothercrossoveristhe“GoodNeighbors”program—WECPkidscomeinattheendoftheirresttimetobeplaypartnerstotheStartingTogetherkids.

ThespaceatWECPhasbeen“exactlywhatweneeded,”saysMurphy,whohasbigplansforthefutureofautismtreatmentprograms’collaborationwithcampuschildcareandbelievesinthepotentialtocreatesupportprogramswithinallfivechildcarecentersaffiliatedwiththeUW.

“There’sthisopportunitytoembedfulldaycareforfamiliessothattherearefewertransitions,”saysMurphy.“Thattheycouldbereceivinganintensityoftreatmentinthecontextofachildcareprogram,Ithinkthatwouldbeamazingsupportforfamilies.”

Murphyhashadafewfamiliesalreadyaskaboutwraparoundcare,andhopestomakeitapossibilityinthefuture.Thispastsummer,twochildrenwhoattendedWECPinthemorningscametoStartingTogetherfortreatmentintheafternoons.HavingmoreopportunitiesforinteractionintheWECPisalsoextremelybeneficialfortheolderchildrenwithautismwhowillbemovingontokindergarteninthenearfuture.

WithregardtothefutureofStartingTogether,MurphyisencouragedforthegrowthoftheprogramandcollaborationwithWECP.

“Kidsareplayingandtalkingandhappy,”saysMurphy.“Ithinkbeinghappyisthefirststeptobeingabletolearn.HavingthisconnectiontobeinginWECPwherewehaveaspacethat’ssoattractivetokids,there’stoysandplacestoclimbandplacestorunandallthethingsthateverykidwantstodo!”

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InSummary

TheWaismanEarlyChildhoodProgram(WECP)isaffiliatedwiththeUniversityofWisconsin-Madisonandisamodelprogramformeetingtheneedsofadevelopmentallydiversegroupofyoungchildren.Withapproximatelytwothirdsofthechildrenintheprogramtypicallydevelopinganduptoonethirdthatmayhaveaspecialeducationalneedbecauseofadevelopmentaldelayordisability,WECPfosterstheindividualgrowthofallchildrenintheirabilitiesbyprovidingknowledgeable,professional,experiencededucators;developmentallyappropriatepractices;andfamilysupport.

Sinceopeningitsdoorsin1979,WECPhasencompassedtheWisconsinIdeaineverythingitdoes.Thecenterisacrucialresourcetouniversityandcommunityfamilies,includingthoserequiringadditionalsupportbecauseofaspecialneed.AsapastrecipientofagrantfromtheIraandInevaReillyBaldinWisconsinIdeaEndowmentFund,WECPeducatorshaveworkedwithHeadStartclassroomstomentorandcoachtheirstaff.Theirstable,workableenvironmentisalsoanatural,comfortablesettingforchildren,makingitapillarforchild-relatedresearchstudies.Withsomanyexperiencededucatorsonstaff,itisalsoanidealsettingtoprovidereal-lifepracticeandteachingtouniversitystudents.

WECP,andthecampuschildcaresystemasawhole,isanintegralpieceoftheuniversitybecauseofthemanyresourcesandsupportsitprovidestofaculty,researchers,students,studentparentsandthecommunity-at-large.

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Thankyoutothefollowingcontributors:o JoanErshler,ProgramDirector,WaismanEarlyChildhoodProgramo TimGattenby,FacultyAssociate,Kinesiology,SchoolofEducationo RobinMittenthal,StudentServicesCoordinator,NutritionalSciences,CollegeofAgriculturalandLife

Scienceso MollyMurphy,ClinicalAssistantProfessor,WaismanCentero SethPollak,DistinguishedProfessorofPsychology,CollegeofLettersandScienceo KatieSchultz,Teacher,WaismanEarlyChildhoodProgramo KristinShutts,AssociateProfessor,Psychology,CollegeofLettersandScienceo CigdemUnal,Director,OfficeofChildCareandFamilyResourceso CandiceWagener,WriterandEditor,OfficeofChildCareandFamilyResources