...or in the inter-school mail, on their way to your mailbox.
Remember, if you do not have an assessment form for a student, it means the student is not enrolled in PowerSchool. You should have the family fill out the SLP Pre-K Data form and return it to Carri immediately.
Forms are to be filled out in pencil. The entire class set should be given to Heidi NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 4 p.m.
If you have any questions, please check with me. Thanks!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Early Learning Challenge: Raising the Bar -- Secretary Arne Duncan's Remarks at the National Association for the Education of Young Children Annua
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Assessment Forms
Heidi and Carri continue to work on the scanable forms. The earliest you can expect those in your mailbox will be Monday, November 30.
Once the forms are distributed, I'll let you know the time frame for returning them. You should return the completed forms to Heidi as a class set rather than giving them to her a couple at a time. Please remember your commitment to filling out the forms and returning them within the time frame you'll have once you have the form.
I am out of the office from mid-afternoon Nov. 17 to Nov. 24 at the National Community Education Association Conference in Phoenix where Linda Saveraid and I are presenting on the connection between early childhood community education and K-12. You can always reach me by email or cell--Heidi has my number.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. As always, I am thankful for the opportunity to work with you.
Once the forms are distributed, I'll let you know the time frame for returning them. You should return the completed forms to Heidi as a class set rather than giving them to her a couple at a time. Please remember your commitment to filling out the forms and returning them within the time frame you'll have once you have the form.
I am out of the office from mid-afternoon Nov. 17 to Nov. 24 at the National Community Education Association Conference in Phoenix where Linda Saveraid and I are presenting on the connection between early childhood community education and K-12. You can always reach me by email or cell--Heidi has my number.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. As always, I am thankful for the opportunity to work with you.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Workshop at MacDonald Montessori
FYI:
Come and learn about the marvelous language of clay. This rich material has its issues: how to keep it fresh and pliable, how to explore it with differnt aged children. We all benefit from working with the material and learning what can be done with it. $25 fee.
December 3, 2009, 6-8:30 p.m., MacDonald Montessori, 175 Western Avenue, St. Paul 55102
To register, go to www.mnreggio.org
Come and learn about the marvelous language of clay. This rich material has its issues: how to keep it fresh and pliable, how to explore it with differnt aged children. We all benefit from working with the material and learning what can be done with it. $25 fee.
December 3, 2009, 6-8:30 p.m., MacDonald Montessori, 175 Western Avenue, St. Paul 55102
To register, go to www.mnreggio.org
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Musings on what is Reggio inspired work?
From the Reggio listserv...
"Reggio inspired work and understanding CAN NOT come to be completely understood in one workshop, one day observing in a Reggion inspired context, nor spent going to Reggio with a study group for one week, nor will you gleam the magnitude of its complexities in one month, one year, one decade nor in two decades or three!!
"You can not fully understand it by reading one article or 500, nor in reading one book or 500...To declare arrival buries the future and hope of all children.
"Reggio inspired work is a journey whose path leads into the future for those who choose to take it. It is a complex and risky journey. You are asked to put aside past 'mindsets' about your way of working with children. You will often find yourself wiping the slate almost if not entirely clean. It is about questions, thousands of questions that have no obvious answer...It is about turning the lens and rethinking about who is the child before you?..It is about a child that comes to you thinking and full of knowledge vs. the child you fill up.
"Documentation becomes your pedagogical bible or textbook...you become theory driven--the theories that the children have about their world which contains their thinking and understanding and the brilliance that is there...You become 'why' driven...It is about living in disequilibrium and loving it!
"Loris Malaguzzi tell us to 'never teach to a child something that he can learn on his/her own.
"If we solve the problems of the community for the child, the child never learns to solve his or her own problem. If we place rules they are artificially placed on the child...if children have ownership in the solution they will see the value and meaning in wanting to be respectful of those around them...The teacher no longer is at the head of the class but slips to stand beside the child and often behind the child as the child leads. This relinquishing of power is hard for many teachers to accept.
"Reggio inspired work isn't about 'fun' projects but is centered squarely on the serious intentions and thoughts of children. Projects are about making thinking visible and revisitable, projects cycle through children's theories and misconceptions that are made in order to make meaning...Projects involve collaboration, co-construction and co-learning within the whole community...Projects churn up questions and I wonders. A project causes the child to hold the core 'wonders' throughout the day, on the playground, at home, in the care...Projects should not be the focus of what we do, if projects surface then take them and run!!...Projects are studied by the teachers as if one was preparing for their masters work, for projects can take us deep into theory and hypothesizing, project work keeps one foot in the realm of researching."
"Reggio inspired work and understanding CAN NOT come to be completely understood in one workshop, one day observing in a Reggion inspired context, nor spent going to Reggio with a study group for one week, nor will you gleam the magnitude of its complexities in one month, one year, one decade nor in two decades or three!!
"You can not fully understand it by reading one article or 500, nor in reading one book or 500...To declare arrival buries the future and hope of all children.
"Reggio inspired work is a journey whose path leads into the future for those who choose to take it. It is a complex and risky journey. You are asked to put aside past 'mindsets' about your way of working with children. You will often find yourself wiping the slate almost if not entirely clean. It is about questions, thousands of questions that have no obvious answer...It is about turning the lens and rethinking about who is the child before you?..It is about a child that comes to you thinking and full of knowledge vs. the child you fill up.
"Documentation becomes your pedagogical bible or textbook...you become theory driven--the theories that the children have about their world which contains their thinking and understanding and the brilliance that is there...You become 'why' driven...It is about living in disequilibrium and loving it!
"Loris Malaguzzi tell us to 'never teach to a child something that he can learn on his/her own.
"If we solve the problems of the community for the child, the child never learns to solve his or her own problem. If we place rules they are artificially placed on the child...if children have ownership in the solution they will see the value and meaning in wanting to be respectful of those around them...The teacher no longer is at the head of the class but slips to stand beside the child and often behind the child as the child leads. This relinquishing of power is hard for many teachers to accept.
"Reggio inspired work isn't about 'fun' projects but is centered squarely on the serious intentions and thoughts of children. Projects are about making thinking visible and revisitable, projects cycle through children's theories and misconceptions that are made in order to make meaning...Projects involve collaboration, co-construction and co-learning within the whole community...Projects churn up questions and I wonders. A project causes the child to hold the core 'wonders' throughout the day, on the playground, at home, in the care...Projects should not be the focus of what we do, if projects surface then take them and run!!...Projects are studied by the teachers as if one was preparing for their masters work, for projects can take us deep into theory and hypothesizing, project work keeps one foot in the realm of researching."
An update on the ECIP forms
An update--Heidi and Carri will be working with Prachee from the District Office in the immediate future to get the ball rolling on producing the ECIP scan forms/bubble sheets. My hope remains that you will have the forms before Thanksgiving break but that may not be accomplish-able (is that a word?) Thanks for your patience. This is truly a situation where, on so many levels, the best laid plans were circumvented by life intervening. We'll get there.
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