Adrienne Eickman, Director at @SchoolcraftMN in Bemidji MN. My favorite memory from Kindergarten was getting to play the jingle bells in the Christmas presentation. #mnlead
Anna, Nature Preschool teacher in Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. My favorite memory was our class acting out one of my favorite storybooks - Caps for Sale. I was one of the monkeys. #MNLead
Hi All,
I'm Bret, elementary principal in Lakeville, MN. My favorite memory was singing! I remember Mrs. Petty taught us so many songs that I still remember today. #mnlead
I am Katy Smith, I teach parent education in ECFE, auditoriums, all over the state. #MNLead. I loved napping in K. I fell asleep each day, hard, like drooling hard.
Hello! I'm Katy Smith, I teach parent education in classrooms and auditoriums all over the state. I loved napping in K and usually fell asleep hard, like drooling hard.
My favorite memory from kindergarten is thinking that my kindergarten teacher was REALLY old. Ends up, she is still alive and living large today! Once I started teaching K, I always wondered if my Ss thought I was REALLY old. :) #MNLead
YAY! This is awesome to hear!!! Have you heard about the MN Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Network? If not, I'll send some information your way after the chat #mnlead
A1. Yes! If a K-3rd classroom looks like a 4th or 5th grade classroom, or even a K classroom like a 1st grade classroom, it’s likely a packaged curriculum or imitative is at the forefront of the decision making, not students or their developmental needs. #MNLead
A1 Of course it should, Early Childhood is a specific, magical life stage unlike any other. #MNLead. When we treat three year olds like smaller versions of their third grade selves, we miss something important. EC is special.
A1 Why? First, the skills. There are so many routines and experiences our younger students. I like the K-5 community opportunities but do see how different the levels are. #mnlead
I've shared it on Facebook before. :) I used to have it hanging up on my Star of the Week board when I was the star back when I taught Kindergarten. :) #MNLead
A1: Not really! I think all of our classrooms need to encourage inquiry, movement, natural curiosity, project based learning, creativity, problem solving, etc. The products may look different but constant worksheets and sitting aren't appropriate at any level! #mnlead
A1) My initial was “duh, yes, different developmentally.” But when I thought, I realized “engagement is engagement, learning is learning, good instructors are good instructors.” Content & delivery may be different but the core remains the same. #mnlead
A1: Hm. I am reading responses, and I guess I took this Q a little differently. I used to teach preschool, and then when I moved to eled, I kept a lot of the same teaching techniques/ideas-- student lead, phenomenon based questioning, process over product, etc #MNLead
In many ways no, we need to continue to teach like we do to our young learners in the older grades. Older kids need the learning through play that we provide so nicely for littles. #mnlead
It's a lot to learn, but once you start to dive into it, everything starts to make sense and the classroom experience becomes better for everyone (Tchrs, Ss, parents, etc) involved! :) #MNLead
A1: Hm. I am reading responses, and I guess I took this Q a little differently. I used to teach preschool, and then when I moved to eled, I kept a lot of the same teaching techniques/ideas-- student lead, phenomenon based questioning, process over product, etc #MNLead
That's a great point! I didn't think of it that way but it is so appropriate! Hands on, movement, experimenting, singing, sharing, grouping, creating...So many things that we need at any age. #mnlead
I don't have any experience teaching over grade 8-- but I guess I wonder what distinguishes early learning best practices from secondary learning best practices. Other than scheduling bathroom breaks, of course. :) Does learning process change in 3-12? #MNLead
A1: I think we try too hard to make Prek-3 look like 4-12. Coming from an ECSE background, you can't expect young students with so many needs to absorb info just by sitting. They need to move and have interactive learning! #MNLead
Yes. The play looks different for big kids and can involve more written/environmental instruction, but there’s a need for play and movement and choice all the way through life. #mnlead
A1 YES and NO. I think we all can learn a lot about learning from Pre- 2nd teachers and strategies. I think we should use the same strategies with Staff PD! Time to move away from sit and GET #mnlead
That's a great point! I didn't think of it that way but it is so appropriate! Hands on, movement, experimenting, singing, sharing, grouping, creating...So many things that we need at any age. #mnlead
This is awesome! Do you think you would have had the same outcome if you went from teaching elementary first and moving down to preschool based on what you see in other classrooms? #mnlead
A2 Let them come and visit you in your classrooms. Until I actually taught K I had no idea what it was like. I had taught all grades 1st-6th before then, but teaching K was a whole new world. We should all know that world. #MNLead
YES! But how can we make this shift? It's happening with changes in K programs to be more like PreK (especially the K programs that were academic heavy), but this shift is slow... #MNLead
Good question. I am not sure-- I think there is so much pressure from third grade up due to testing that it's harder to curate the kind of experiences that immerse young learners. #MNLead
A2. Provide PD around childhood development. If you don’t understand or know about children’s progression of development, it’s easy to give into the push from top-down. When you understand development, can support & challenge Ss where they are at. #MNLead
A2 Start with the “why.” Early learning is essential in setting the stage for student long-term success. It’s also good for the economy. Latest estimates from @artrolnick44 show a $16:1 return on investment. #mnlead
A2. Provide time to observe schools and classrooms that value and understand children’s development, and where play is embraced as the way children learn and not something saved for days when there is time. #MNLead
A2. Start with training. I am just learning more about Pre-K this year. My principal training prepared me "generally" for K-12 leadership. PreK-3 is a skill set in it's own right. #mnlead
A2 We have to get our teachers and staff to use a #pineapplechart. We can learn sooo much from each other but we need to get into the classroom to see it, hear it and feel the classroom. #mnlead
A2. I have been working to get as many district leaders into the classrooms of my talented teachers. Come and see what this looks like and we can talk about the WHY. #mnlead
I think this is true! I am seeing a lot of programs slowing down and re-examining their PreK & K programs due to increasing Ss behaviors. They let the pressure from top down take away from meeting the Ss developmental needs. Have to reset & look at supporting Ss today #MNLead
Yes! One of the best classes I had as an undergrad was a whole semester on "normal" child development (as part of my undergrad in Comm Disorders). Also, having my own kids has helped my understanding of child development. #mnlead
A2 open the door, invite them in, help them make the connections between what they see and the learning that is happening there. Help them understand that EC is a messy, chaotic, warm, and joyful (aka loud) space. #mnlead
A2: We schedule learning walks during #PLC time. Teachers are learning from and supporting each other in varying grade levels. On our last walk I was so excited for my 5th grade team who said they learned some strategies in a Kinder class they can use! #mnlead
A2: Nerd alert-- But I think that Early Learning teachers and admin need to have a solid understanding of ed psych, ACES/SEL, and inquiry based learning. This will help you define, develop, promote, and defend your program. #MNLead
I also have to put a plug in for @decsped on the special education side. There are some wonderful resources available through that organization. #mnlead
A2 I kinda think there is a lot of unlearning that many educators need to do, if they are trying to embrace principles of good early education. #mnlead
Until being in an elementary school, the K teachers didn't realize what PreK was like. Now they get it from seeing Ss every day (and I get what K is like now). But what always baffles me is why it's OK for PreK & K to be different, but not 1st? #mnlead
Don't want to bring it up, because it will open up a whole can of worms, but you know that a lot of this is because of all the standards that must be covered. Not only in K, but in all the grades. #MNLead
I’m not well suited to FT kdg, but it has been a relief at times to work with the littles as a specialist bc it’s much more acceptable to acknowledge that a child may not be There Yet. #mnlead So much of a push w older grades.
I agree - for me this is critical. I share with my k-5 colleagues what we work on and how the MN ECIPs are so much more comprehensive that K-5 standards. #mnlead
Agree, I think Parent Educators are an untapped resource in many districts, the support they can provide families in home and in centers is so important. #mnlead
It'd be great if in PreK the focus could be solely on SEL skills like self-regulation, discourse, high quality work, etc-- which will make all that academic learning so much smoother. #MNLead
We used to have a dedicated PLC time, every other day. (For two years, & my school" structured" it different each year w/ minimal teacher input.) It was helpful, though, to talk about kids, supports, build common expectations.... communicate. #mnlead
Gotta go through the learn, unlearn, relearn process. It feels like once we get good at something, our tendency is to lean on that for a while. Step back, ask questions, seek deeper understanding. #mnlead
Ah, standards W/ the new MN Early Childhood Standards being released it was an opportunity to dive into the K standards. I was surprised by what was NOT an actual standard... I haven't looked into 1st much, but it made me wonder what else aren't standards that we say are #MNLead
A.2 When we do not know what educators are doing we make assumptions about how good or bad they are, but we don't really know. Therefore learning walks are essential for professional growth. #mnlead
A3. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children From Birth Through Age 8 from @NAEYC is a must have resource! #MNLead
A3. Pyramid Model (TACSEI) is a must for supporting Ss social emotional development, especially Ss w/ challenging behaviors. Young Ss can have some of the biggest emotions & behaviors & we need to be prepared to support them, not suspend them. https://t.co/oIzKdRhb4Q#mnlead
A3 One key to early ed success is showing up — which we continue to pursue in Minnesota. Far too many children do not have access to high-quality early learning. The #mnleg needs to keep investing in it. #mnlead
I'd gladly increase length of the school day for this. I also want time/support to see experts it of my school like @MrHustvedt@stglew@patrickjwiggin@TeacherMJP@AB_Wright.
The lessons/ideas/inspiration I could bring back & attempt to emulate could be transforming. #mnlead
This is true, but there are a gazillion standards that can be addressed effectively and DEEPLY in a thoughtfully created play environment. Lots of work on the front end, BUT. #mnlead
A3 To remind myself that these kids are just that, kids. They are 5 and 6 years old. You remember what it was like to be a 5 year old? You need to do that to reach the littles as best as you can. Be excited about learning, be curious, ask questions. #MNLead
For those of you who are interested in looking into the Pyramid Model initiative for your EC program, here is some info from @MNCOE11https://t.co/LbEge0Umy1#mnlead
A3 My resources are lots of SLP blogs (@SpeechRoomNews is a lifesaver) as well as a well-oiled team of teachers, paras, parents, and support staff. When everyone brings their knowledge to the table, we learn from each other. Kind of like right now. :-) #mnlead
It jumps because of the MCA. In third grade suddenly they have to process these reading passages that are long and arduous. So, people work backwards to come up with suggestions for K, 1, 2. #MNLead
I thought there was more than just letter recognition? Aren't there some actual "Can Read" standards in K? It's been a while for me, so I don't remember real well. #MNLead
YES! This is so true!!! Nature Preschool (where students do their learning primarily outside) never would have been embraced by a school district preschool if this wasn't the case! #mnlead
I was in Middle then High School levels before I became an elementary principal. The learning is immense and so worth it. Glad you are here @OscarUribe90#mnlead
A3: @Seesaw!!!! It is my favorite tool for P-2 (wish I had it for all grade levels) it’s a wonderful way to share the process of my classroom. Here is an example... https://t.co/VIdajzisEG#mnlead
A4 Connecting parents with each other. Like many, we have many great family friends who we met during ECFE. I know this is true for many…like any positive culture we need to create a sense of community. #mnlead
A4 Welcome them in as much as possible. Let them know they can stop in your classroom any day or time, no need for a heads up. Find what works for you and them as the best form of communication. #MNLead
A3: Back in my day, I had a Parent hour every single Fri with a guided activity. Some days I had no attendees, some days I had 25. It was fabulous. Showed the Ss that their parents cared about their education/showed the parents that it's not scary to come to school. #mnlead
A3) Remembering for kids and families that we are starting their experiences and feelings about school and themselves as learners. Heavy burden. #mnlead
A4. Clear and consicise communication. Have an open-door policy and allow them to be involved as much as possible and share their strengths and funds of knowledge with the learners.
#mnlead
A4 - It is so important to build relationships with parents in early years. Remember that most parents are doing to best they can with what they have, even if it looks different than you might do it. #mnlead
A4: Start young, invest in quality homevisiting and ECFE programs in the district, get parents engaged at that level and set a solid foundation. #mnlead
It's such a powerful tool for students to share their learning AND keeping families connected with what our kids are learning everyday. It's so good @JessicaCabeen! #mnlead
In reply to
@JessicaCabeen, @MiniMatisse, @Seesaw, @JessicaCabeen
A4. Get families involved from start. My classroom is always open to families to visit. We also share our daily adventures using Seesaw & shutterfly (photos). With Ss excited about their experiences, this info shared opens the door to supporting conversations at home. #MNLead
A4 Remember that for the most part ALL parents are doing what they think is best for their child. That they love their child with all their heart. What they do may look different than your idea of "best," but they are the parents, not you. #MNLead
We need to do some serious pedagogical work. Academic standards can be achieved through play-based curricula. It takes some work for alignment but can be done…and should be done. #mnlead
So true. I often thought that we are the first people parents will meet at the start of their child's school career. First impressions are HUGE! #mnlead
A4. It helps if PreK program is using the same systems used in K-12. Schoology didn't get setup in time for us, so we are using seesaw this year, but in the past we used schoology to communicate (it's used in K-12). Start good habits from beginning #MNLead
A4. Get families involved from start. My classroom is always open to families to visit. We also share our daily adventures using Seesaw & shutterfly (photos). With Ss excited about their experiences, this info shared opens the door to supporting conversations at home. #MNLead
Share, Share, and Share!! If you can have the sharing come directly from the students them self, even better. Here’s an example of how my Ss do that using @Seesawhttps://t.co/hwUFNfLHyM#mnlead
A4 #mnlead Newborn home visits are the best investment a school district makes. Sending EC teachers into home day care is another golden opportunity to engage parents, families, and communities in schools. #ECFE
A4. In addition we have days designated for our 3year old and 4 year old programming for Families Learning Together. It is wonderful to see so many of our families learning with a Parent Educator and then along side their child. #mnlead
A4.1 I send a “BIRTH” day card to the parents of every infant born in #nfldedu. It includes a coupon to try an ECFE class for free! We hope the invitation inspires families to participate from the start. #mnlead
Jumping in on this to add, if parents can't come into school you can always have them read to a class via video calls like I did with #KoryTellers. It's a great way to give those Ps who can't leave work a chance to do something fun during the school day with their child. #MNLead
Yes, play is a scary concept to some, we need to educate others on the importance of play. I often hear "or" versus "and", playing and learning can happen, it is not an either/or. #mnlead
A4: Some of the greatest parent involvement opportunities occur at drop off and pick up! Greeting our kids and their parents each morning and afternoon are important to making sure parents understand our goals and feel comfortable talking to us! #mnlead
A5. Promote collaboration, not isolation. Find ways for teachers to connect across buildings/programs. My experience completely changed when I went from teaching in an early childhood-only building to teaching in an elementary school. #MNLead
A5. Instead of having a “that doesn’t pertain to us” mindset, learn about what the other grade levels are doing and think about ways you do/can support your Ss for this lesson/concept/skill they’ll experience later. (does NOT mean doing it earlier…) #MNLead
A5 I've always said that those birth-5 years are some of the most important years of a child's learning. K-12 needs to understand that and see how important it is to connect both worlds. #MNLead
A4.1 I send a “BIRTH” day card to the parents of every infant born in #nfldedu. It includes a coupon to try an ECFE class for free! We hope the invitation inspires families to participate from the start. #mnlead
@BrookeBordelon from Byron Schools dose a project where she has “littles” design monsters and the older kids create the design into a sculpture. She rocks! That project is amazing! #mnlead
A5. High school clubs and athletic teams in smaller school districts often visit the elementary schools. Also, getting older learners to teach or mentor younger learners is awesome for all levels. #mnlead
A5. This. I am fortunate to work with all of our K-5 leaders. This year we are working to transform the transition from PreK to k and connect families with littles that the K-5 building meets for the first time to our ECFE and/ or preschool. Align our work for families! #mnlead
When teachers and admin recognize that we are all working towards the same goal, singing the same song, great things happen for students and their families. #mnlead
A5. Being in an elementary school, we collaborate weekly with our 5th grade buddies! We tackle early childhood & 5th grade standards while we're at it! #mnlead
A5: We are in our first year of district wide #PBL. We have had so many opportunities for Ts & Ss at all levels to interact w/each other. Our 4th grade ALPS #PBL project was based on helping PK Ss. We also have district wide PLCs at least one day each 6 weeks or so. #mnlead
My "Baby and Me" night class is full of moms and dads. When we offer programming in the evening, we see whole families and it is wonderful. #ECFE#MNLead
It is wonderful that you are including home-based daycares, they serve so many of your future students! High quality child care is an asset for the community. #mnlead
I'm going to admit that this makes me a little nervous. I worry that those curriculums are making daycare and pre-schools focus more on the academics versus the SEL and play we've talked so much about tonight. That we are making daycare/preschool the new K. #MNLead
It is a basic set of resources. The response from home-based day cares was incredible. I think the other important concept tonight is using “and” rather than “or.” #mnlead
I'm going to admit that this makes me a little nervous. I worry that those curriculums are making daycare and pre-schools focus more on the academics versus the SEL and play we've talked so much about tonight. That we are making daycare/preschool the new K. #MNLead
This is fantastic! I'd love to see more collaboration btwn home daycares, community preschools, & school district preschools in our communities. It's 1 thing I love about the MN outdoor learning network is it brings together everyone - but statewide, need on smaller scale #MNLead
Yes, as long as the curriculums keep that in mind, then I am OK with it, but I do worry that "Ready for K" is becoming more and more "Can Already Read Before Coming to K." #MNLead
A4) My son’s school does a lot with big/little buddies. The olders are tasked with helping younger -from riding the bus the first week to class projects. We were at a school function and the Little approached him with 🤩 and introduced his mom to “MY big BUDDY!” #mnlead
Yes, as long as the curriculums keep that in mind, then I am OK with it, but I do worry that "Ready for K" is becoming more and more "Can Already Read Before Coming to K." #MNLead
There is an urgent need to provide PD and systems to build capacity in early educators to support SEL needs of all students as shown by expulsion numbers in PreK, here is a resource with more info: https://t.co/FUZmdexoeM#mnlead
CTA I will be relentless in advocating that the #mnleg continues to invest in early ed. We will continue to emphasize the professionalism of our early educators. #mnlead
This is true! It's a mindset that I think many families are creating, but isn't necessarily coming from the school districts themselves - more so a misinterpretation of the "Ready for K" campaign. I think schools need a new slogan... #MNLead
Dare I say it? Let them be little. Little kids are natural scholars. Wiring joyful learners with curiosity and a love for school is some of the most important work we do in EC. #MNLead
CTA Work with our PreK coordinator to align our Prek-K planning. I will also talk about how we connect our 4-5 year old learners more connected to our K program. #mnlead
I love this approach. And…at the same time we know access to high-quality early learning has a dramatic impact on children’s future success. Again, it is an “and” rather than “or.” #mnlead
