Full Description
"It's time to build a bridge between early childhood programs and the K-3 system to ensure continued success for all children. This is the ultimate how-to manual for administrators and teachers who wish to maintain and maximize the gains children make in preschool."
—Sally Wingle, Preschool Teacher
Chelsea Community Preschool, MI
"A great guide pointing in the right direction for starting a program. With the U.S. Department of Education's emphasis on early childhood education and new monies available from the stimulus plan, this book is a valuable resource."
—Cindy Luna, Principal
Northside ISD, San Antonio, TX
A 10-step plan for linking early childhood education to the K-3 system!
The national push for improving young children's early learning experiences is no longer just about preschool. Now the focus is on strategic planning to increase achievement by reaching out to community early childhood education providers, establishing a strong PreK-3 foundation that connects early childhood education standards and goals to a K-3 system, and ensuring that young learners receive high-quality instruction before kindergarten.
Drawing on more than 20 years' success with a PreK-3 system in Washington state, the authors present a 10-step, field-tested model that demonstrates how early childhood professionals and K-12 school leaders can outline a clear implementation plan for an integrated PreK-3 system that:
Identifies both families' and children's needs
Shares developmental information about individual learning skills and social/emotional development as children transition to kindergarten
Aligns resources, curriculum, instruction, and assessments
Anticipates challenges and celebrates successes
Invites input from superintendents, state officials, Head Start leaders, and Title I directors
Contents
Foreword by Ruby Takanishi
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Introduction
Step 1. Establishing Need and Common Interests
Connecting to Your Preschool Community
Connecting the Early Childhood Community and K-12 Public School
Establishing the Need and Prioritizing Your Efforts PreK-3
Your First Early Childhood and K-3 Meeting
Step 2. Locate and Connect With Your Early Childhood Learning Environments
Locating Your Community Preschool Partners
Identifying and Locating Key People in Your School District
Planning for Your "Kick off" PreK-3d Meeting
Step 3. Develop a Leadership Group
Your Leadership Group
Vision Plus Action
Quality Preschool
Step 4. High Quality Professional Development
How to Provide Professional Development Aligned to Your Goals
Target Professional Development to the Needs of Your Community
Establish Your Professional Development System
Information to Refine Your Work and Strive for Excellence
Step 5. Connect and Align Quality PreK to Kindergarten
Connect Your Community Preschool and Kindergarten Programs
Develop an Assessment and Information Loop
Align Curriculum and Instructional Practices
Step 6. Maximize the Benefits of Full-Day Kindergarten
Advantages
National Trends
How to Design a Full-day Kindergarten
Developing a Planning and Implementation Team
Developing Goals for the Program
Using Research to Drive the Process
Core Curriculum Selection Process for Your Kindergarten (PreK-3rd Grade) System
Low-to-No-Cost Options
Developing Daily Schedule Expectations
Data Sharing
"Friendly Accountability"
Step 7. Align and Connect Full-Day Kindergarten With Grades 1-3
Connect Your FDK to Grades 1-3
Align Your K-3 Standards
Align Your Assessment and Information Loop
Align Curriculum and Instructional Practices That Support Children's Learning and Development K-3 (PreK-3rd)
Tiered Systems
Connect and Align Resources to Focus on Your Goals
Step 8. Conquer the Fade Out
Teach the Conventional Reading Skills That Are Developed Birth to Age 5
Horizontal Alignment
Vertical Alignment
Temporal Alignment
Step 9. Create a Sustainable System of Support
Broad Base Support and Financing Your Goals
Celebrate and Publicize Your Efforts
Continuous Engagement
Step 10. Review, Revise, and Extend
Next Step: Looking Ahead and Planning
Review Your Goals
Are We Making a Significant Difference?
Your Leadership Group (ECCE Group)
Looking Ahead
References
Resource A: Books and Web Sites
Resource B: Steps for Your First Leadership Meeting
Resource C: Leadership Guide
Resource D: Curriculum Adoption Form
Resource E: Glow and Grow Self-Reflection Form
Resource F: Look Fors in Early Childhood Programs
Resource G: Four Key Components to Sustainability Guide
Index
