Essential Learning Experiences

1. Essential Learning Experiences January 31, 2013

2. Agenda • Celebrations & Purchasing/Budget Updates • Ministry Update • Early Years Evaluation EYE • Essential Learning Experiences • Social & Emotional Experiences • Physical Development Experiences • Family Engagement – intro/Focus Topic in March • COR DATA Initial Review • The future of COR & Digital Portfolios • Using Ipads with our Digital Gurus! • NESD Professional Growth for Early Learning Teachers

3. Ministry Update Early Years Evaluation (EYE) 5 dimensions of early learning: • Awareness of Self and Environment • Social Skills & Approaches to Learning • Cognitive Skills • Language & Communication • Physical Development

4. EYE-TA (Teacher Rating Scale)EYE –DA (Individually Administered) • Training for Teachers • Scheduled Assessment Block • Data Upload • Reports • Communication • Follow-up and planning

5. A Key Reminder for Teachers • The EYE is a snapshot of a child’s learning and development in a given 45 minute period on a given day. • It is not about what you have taught the child up to the date of the assessment. • It is about where the child is today. • It is about the opportunities and experiences you will plan to enhance and extend the child’s development and learning.

6. The EYE is not designed to: • Label children • Diagnose specific learning problems • Identify children who are intellectually gifted

7. The EYE is: not about • “what we have taught the child” but • “where the child is today” and • “where we will take the child”

8. EYE Webinar

9. Prekindergarten Essential Learning experiences

10. Essential Learning Experiences • Is not an additional curriculum. • It is not a checklist. • Ministry is building supports to the experiences. • Assessment continues through observation & documentation. • Reporting to parents will be through portfolios.

11. Social & Emotional Development

12. Why is Social Emotional Development Important? Research shows us that Social Emotional competence leads to: Success in school Increased school attendance and lower drop out rates Ability to hold a job Ability to work well with others More positive relationships with others throughout life supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development Studies show a causal relationship between social emotional competence in young children and future academic achievement.

13. supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development What is social emotional development? Social emotional development involves being able to interact with others as well as regulate emotions and behaviour. There are many foundational skills and experiences that children must take part in and develop in order to be successful.

14. supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development Importance of Self Regulation “Self regulation also predicts success throughout a child’s lifespan. According to research, children who were better at self-regulation in the preschool years have more self-confidence and self-esteem; better cognitive and social skills; and more independence, better academic performance, and greater ability to handle stress and frustration during adolescence.” “Even more amazing is the fact that better self regulation during early childhood predicts occupational success and general life satisfaction during adulthood.” From Social & Emotional Development: Connecting Science and Practice in Early Childhood Settings by Riley, San Juan, Klinkner and Ramminger. (2008), p67.

15. Interacting Successfully with Others supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development What are the skills and abilities that are required to interact with others successfully. • Here are a few possibilities: • Effective communication • Understanding the social rules (turn taking, eye contact, body position etc) • Perspective Taking • Empathy • Conflict resolution • Ability to recognize our own emotions • Ability to persevere • Ability to focus Social emotional development is complex and related to other areas of development.

16. Connections supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development There is variation in how easily we recognize the connections to the other domains of development. Play based programs allow social emotional development to be an integral component in all activities.

17. Intellectual Connections supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development This is perhaps the easiest connection for educators to identify. For children to benefit from cognitive activities, they must be able to listen, focus, persist to complete a task, be curious, confident and eager learners. Language is also an essential tool for learning with and from others.

18. Physical connections supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development Social competence connects with physical development: • Understanding personal space • Interpreting non-verbal • behaviour of others • Ability to regulate behaviour.

19. Spiritual Development supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development Self awareness and self concept are integral to spiritual development. This includes how we perceive our connections to others and the natural world.

20. supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development Consider the children’s previous experiences and how this will influence your environment and program. Basic needs must be met before higher levels. For example: If you are starving then you are not concerned about making friends or being creative. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

21. Physiological Needs supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development • It is difficult to learn if you are: • Hungry • Tired • Sick • Hurt or experiencing pain • Too hot/cold You can likely think of examples from your own life when physiological needs interfered with your learning. It is important to ensure that we consider accommodations for these needs in the learning environment.

22. Need for Safety supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development We need to feel secure in our environment or it becomes the primary focus of our attention. But what if something goes wrong? What if we can’t trust others to keep us safe?

23. supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development For children to feel safe and secure at school, they need to know that adults will be in charge and will be responsive to their feelings of hurt, fear and anxiety. Bilmes, P50 Beyond Behavior Management 2nd edition

24. Attachment supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development • Occurs during infancy but has an impact on later relationships. • Secure attachment • Insecure attachment • Affects the quality of future relationships • More info available from: • Attachment Network (Manitoba) • Saskatchewan Prevention Institute

25. Snowflake Activity supporting SOCIAL EMOTIONAL Development • Brainstorm, with your trio, ideas as to how you can provide opportunities in your classroom for: • Belonging • Building Empathy • Understanding Emotions • Developing Self Awareness • Record you answers on chart paper.

26. Social & Emotional Development • SEP.1 Developing Self Awareness • SEP.2 Developing Self Worth • SEP.3 Developing a Sense of Others • SEP.4 Developing a Sense of Belonging • SEP.5 Separating from family without distress • SEP.6 Taking Perspectives of Others and Showing Empathy • SEP.7 Identifying & Regulating Emotions • SEP.8 Interacting with Peers • SEP.9 Resolving Conflicts

27. Unpack & Build Rubrics Social & Emotional Development

28. Physical Development

29. Physical Development • A fundamental movement phase occurs between 2 and 7 years old, wherein coordination improves every year, making it an ideal time for adults to capitalize on development of children’s basic physical skills such as running, throwing, and balancing (Gabbard 2007; Gallahue 1995). • By preschool age, children spend 5% of their free time in big body play (Pellegrini 1997).

30. Physical Development My students have these opportunities for physical development: My students need these opportunities for physical development:

31. Physical Development • PDP.1 Developing Loco-motor Skills • PDP.2 Developing Fine motor Skills • PDP.3 Developing Stability/Balance • PDP.4 Developing Manipulative Skills • PDP.5 Developing Space and Body Awareness

32. Unpack & Build Rubrics Physical Development

33. Family Engagement

34. Core Beliefs 1. All families and schools want the best for their children. 2. All children have the right to the opportunity to reach their full potential. 3. Families are the first and continuing educators of their children. 4. Effective schools provide a nurturing and supportive learning environment. 5. The diversity of families is valued and is used as a resource for building partnerships and communities.

35. Engagement Expectations

36. Key Practices Share with your table groups how you are: • Communicating purposefully, positively and frequently. • Encouraging, participating, sharing of family knowledge and experience. • Conducting home visits and integrating families in the classroom • Sharing children’s learning goals and goal setting and focusing on child development.

37. Check this out for support:

38. The Future...COR ...Digital Portfolios... Assessment

39. Digital Learning With Stephanie Pipke-Painchaud & Robert Nystuen

40. NESD Teacher Growth Form For Early Learning

43. Today was like... Sliding down a hill because... Skating on a pond because... Building a snowman because...