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Link tutorial: https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApDX01So60ft9ieBYk5WDhFFqdNT?e=6fcifU

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First Six Weeks Padlet Link: https://padlet.com/ellenbatkhan/first-six-weeks-lp47rnsyhsuvllbc

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Articles, websites, videos etc. that are shared by educators in email, text, or meetings will be placed here for future reference. Kudos will always be given to treasure hunters!

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The Top 5 Visual Supports Every Creative Curriculum Study Needs

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The Top 5 Visual Supports Every Creative Curriculum Study Needs

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The Essential Visual Aids for Every Creative Curriculum Classroom

In the vibrant world of early education, The Creative Curriculum stands out for its dynamic, hands-on approach to learning.

It's a curriculum that values engagement and exploration, encouraging children to dive deep into their interests and inquiries.

But how do we, as educators, ensure that every study is practical and truly resonates with our diverse classroom of young learners, including bilingual ELLs and students with varied learning needs?

The answer lies in integrating five essential visual aids into our teaching toolkit.

1. Questions of the Day: Sparking Conversations and Critical Thinking

Imagine starting each day with a question that piques curiosity and invites students to explore language, vocabulary, and social-emotional themes.

Positioned prominently in the classroom, these questions are more than just conversation starters; they're springboards into deep, meaningful dialogue and critical thinking.

They foster a community where every voice is valued, helping build confidence and language skills. Your students will look forward to it daily.

2. Book Discussion Card Visuals: Enhancing Literacy and Comprehension

Reading is a journey, and with book discussion card visuals, it becomes an adventure. These cards highlight critical aspects of the story-its complex vocabulary, characters, and pivotal events-offering a structured pathway for discussion and engagement.

They transform read-aloud sessions from passive listening to interactive experiences, enabling students to connect more personally with the narrative and deepen their comprehension.

3. Investigation Questions: Guiding Discovery and Inquiry

The heart of The Creative Curriculum is its inquiry-led approach, where students are encouraged to observe, explore, and question the world around them.

Visual aids featuring investigation questions, accompanied by related images or objects, focus student inquiries and foster a deeper level of engagement and understanding.

They're not just prompts but catalysts for curiosity, guiding students through their journey of discovery.

4. Vocabulary Cards: Building Blocks of Language

Vocabulary development is crucial in the early years, laying the foundation for successful communication and comprehension. Vocabulary cards make abstract concepts tangible by pairing new, complex words with vivid, relatable images.

These visual aids encourage students to connect the dots between the word and its application, reinforcing their understanding and use of language in real-world contexts.

5. Number and Alphabet Cards with Study-Related Photos: Linking Literacy and Numeracy to Exploration

Integrating numeracy and literacy with the study's content through number and alphabet cards enriches learning in a cohesive, engaging manner. These cards, with images related to the study, make learning about numbers and letters relevant and exciting.

They support academic development and encourage students to make interdisciplinary connections, enhancing their understanding and curiosity.

Wrapping It Up: The Power of Visuals in Learning

These five visual aids are more than just tools; they're the pillars of a successful Creative Curriculum classroom.

They ensure that each study is smoothly executed and deeply impactful, catering to young learners' diverse needs and curiosities.

By embracing these visual strategies, we can transform our classrooms into hubs of exploration and growth where every study is meaningful for students.

As Creative Curriculum preschool teachers, we aim to ignite curiosity and support our students' exploration of the world around them through studies.

Armed with these essential visual aids, we have what we need to enhance our teaching and foster a more interactive and practical learning environment.

Integrating these tools into our daily practices allows us to transform our classrooms into dynamic spaces where every student's quest for knowledge is actively supported.

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The Top 5 Visual Supports Every Creative Curriculum Study Needs

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How do we, as educators, ensure that every study is practical and truly resonates with our diverse classroom of young learners, including bilingual ELLs and students with varied learning needs?

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Ball Study Padlet Link:
https://padlet.com/ellenbatkhan/ball-study-rnhdajqnic0uzeyy

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Susan Custer sat on the floor of what used to be her living room one recent autumn morning, speaking calmly over a cacophony of toddlers' shrieks and chatter.

She read aloud from a picture book, unfazed by the noise. Dozens of chicken nuggets were baking in her oven, art projects and alphabet charts adorned most of her available wall space, and her shelves overflowed with craft supplies.

Follow Jillian Atelsek on Twitter: @jillian_atelsek

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Lacking support from private providers, FCPS falling far short of pre-K expansion targets

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Susan Custer sat on the floor of what used to be her living room one recent autumn morning, speaking calmly over a cacophony of toddlers' shrieks and chatter.

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We will be meeting monthly on the 4th Tuesday of the Month from 1:00pm-2:00pm

9/26

10/24

11/28

1/24

2/28

3/26

4/25

5/29

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Sometimes, despite your best efforts to express understanding, your child gets emotionally dysregulated. When you realize that your child is getting to that dangerously overwrought place, suggest that the two of you take some "cozy time" - snuggle up and read a book. Often the connection and the shift to their "thinking brain" will help your child re-regulate.

But sometimes your child is too far gone for a book. They lash out and hit someone, or throw themselves on the floor and howl.

You might be inclined to put your kid in their room until they can calm down. But that's giving them the message that their emotions are shameful - not allowed in your house. What you really want is for them to learn that emotions are just part of being human, that they can notice and accept them - and learn to express them in constructive ways.

That's not an easy thing to learn. Indeed, most adults aren't exactly constructive in how they express emotions. That's because most of us learned that our feelings were unacceptable, and we worked hard to repress them. So, we still use food or screens to stuff them. But stuffed emotions don't stay stuffed - they're always bubbling up to get healed. They're easily triggered - and then they explode. That's when we adults have our own little temper tantrums.

Brain development

If you want to teach your child more constructive ways to self-regulate, start by offering calm understanding when they show you those big emotions. Give them the message that they're safe, that you love them even when they're upset, that you want to help them through this moment. Then, after they're calmer, support them to solve whatever problem they're having. This approach is the foundation for your child accepting and then learning to manage their emotions. And that's the foundation of what we call "EQ," or Emotional Intelligence.

This approach of soothing your upset child isn't just a psychological learning. It helps your child build the neural circuits to calm themselves more readily. Every time you soothe your upset child, their body releases soothing hormones and neurotransmitters, which strengthen those self-soothing neural networks. Your child begins to develop a "vagal tone," which means that the vagus nerve becomes more effective in calming the child's emotions when they're upset. That's the beginning of resilience, the ability to bounce back.

So every time you soothe your child and help them feel safe and understood, you're helping them build a brain and nervous system that will allow them to calm themselves in the face of upset and adversity for the rest of their life.

If your focus is, understandably, just on getting through the rest of the day - loving your child through the upsetting spells builds trust and strengthens your relationship with them, so they're more cooperative.

Co-regulation

So, you can see that when kids get dysregulated, they need a calm, warm adult to soothe them and help them feel safe. Experts call this "co-regulation." That just means that the child learns to self-regulate when the parent is self-regulated, and the parent helps the child feel safe, seen, soothed, understood. This starts in infancy, but kids are still learning it into the preschool years, and beyond. (In fact, teens whose parents stay calm when they're upset develop better vagal tone, which means they learn to calm themselves faster.)

That's why I recommend using "time-in" when children get upset. That simply means that you stay with your child and help them calm down by loving them through their upset.

The cozy corner

But there are times when you can't take that time with your child. And over time, your child is capable of learning to calm herself. That's why every home (and classroom) needs a "cozy corner" or a "comfort corner" where children can retreat to calm down. This is simply a comforting place where people in your home go to calm down. Of course, you can't just order your child to the cozy corner. That would feel to your child like a time-out, not an opportunity to feel better. The parent is an essential part of a young child's co-regulation, which means that your child needs you if she's going to calm down. So, when your child gets upset, get in the habit of taking her to the cozy corner and helping her to feel safe, soothed, seen and understood.

Once your child gets used to you calming them in this cozy place, they will initiate using it themselves when they need to calm down.

You can decide where you want to locate your cozy corner, but then get your child to participate by adding elements to the space that they will find soothing. It can have a big easy chair, a stuffed beanbag chair or simply a fluffy rug. I recommend:

A photo of your family. Research shows that when children see a photo of their trusted adults, it helps calm them.

Stuffed animals

A chart showing faces with different emotions

Books about emotions

A small jar of glitter to shake

Bubbles (because blowing shifts us into deeper, slower breathing)

Calming activities like small figures or sensory bags or boxes.

It's also helpful for children to be able to play audio content that takes them through a guided meditation, which is a great soothing habit to begin in the early years. You could also make a short audio of your voice telling them how much you love them and singing a special song.

Can you take two children at once to the cozy corner? Sure. Just be sure there are two separate beanbag chairs or other cozy perches, so they don't fight over who sits where. Then, insist that the rule in the cozy corner is only soft voices.

But here's the most important thing to remember about a calm-down corner. It's so important that I'm repeating it: If you send your child there, it feels like banishment, and your child will react just as she would to a "naughty step." No child wants to be sent away to calm down. That feels like a rejection.

Always go with your child, so they develop positive associations with the cozy corner. In fact, don't wait until your child is upset. Go to the cozy corner for quiet times, so your child gets used to this space as a soothing place to be, where the activities feel calming.

Then, when you get upset, model going to the cozy corner to calm down! Of course, your child can come with you.

You'll notice that once your child gets used to going to the cozy corner with you and savoring the comfort of a time-in there, she'll begin to head there on her own when she's upset. And when you're busy calming her brother, you can actually give her a hug and tell her you'll meet her in the cozy corner in a few minutes, and she'll go.

A miracle! But one that you've created.
Editor's note: This article was originally published by Aha! Parenting and republished with permission.

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Using a "time-in" rather than a "time-out" is a better approach for tantrums

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Ellen Batkhan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Aspire Cohort Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84629114000?pwd=TW8ra0lJVkcvTDF5Q2NEbm5iNG1DZz09

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Drop links or lists of materials that that are total winners!
How did you introduce it to the children? What ideas did the children have for using it?

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Tree Study Padlet Link:

https://padlet.com/ellenbatkhan/the-tree-study-f1vjq9nwfan1m0po

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Inside: A quick and easy to set up lesson to teach kids about the size of different problems they face, and the size of their reactions to these problems.
Sometimes, there are certain kids who can have over the top reactions. A small issue like breaking a pencil can lead to a big reaction. To help with this, I have a lesson for groups or individual therapy to help kids identify the size of a problem and the size of their reaction.

In order to start the lesson, generate some ideas for different problems that might occur for kids. The problems usually include things like someone dropping a pencil, losing a library book, getting into a fight, a pencil breaking, a fire in your house, someone breaks a leg.

You want to have a variety of problems so you can have some problems end up in each category. For younger kids, I like to use pictures of different problems that could happen. For older kids, I often just write down different problems.

A rule of thumb for problem sizes:

You can solve it by yourself easily in a few minutes

You need an adult and/or the problem takes a little longer to solve

You need to call 911, or you need an adult to help you and it will take several hours or days to fix it.

Next, take three different pieces of paper: a small paper, a medium sized paper and a large piece of poster board or paper. Have your child sort through and figure out what is a small problem, a medium sized problem and a big problem.

Labeling the pieces of paper will be helpful for those kids who respond well to written cues. If you are working with more than one child, have them take turns figuring out where to put the problems. This can lead to some fun and lively discussions.

The next thing to talk about is the size of a reaction to a problem. A reaction should match the size of a problem. If it is a small problem, like breaking a pencil, there is no need to yell out in class or start crying.

If there is a serious big problem, make sure to inform an adult immediately and do exactly what they tell you to do. Pick one problem from each paper and talk about what would be an expected reaction and ask the kids to generate ways to solve the issue.

Depending on what your child struggles with, you can focus more on one particular size problem or reaction.

For instance, if a child consistently has a big reaction to very small problems. I will say - "What size problem is this?" and they might say "small". Then I'll say, "what size reaction are you having?" and they will usually recognize that they are having a bigger than expected reaction. Usually after that, we can talk and solve the small issue together.

Tagged: size of problems, self-regulation, social skills activities, social skills group activities, social activities for kids

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Size of Problems and Size of Reactions - Encourage Play

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Inside: A quick and easy to set up lesson to teach kids about the size of different problems they face, and the size of their reactions to these problems. Sometimes, my daughter can be a little dramatic. A small issue like breaking a pencil can lead to a big reaction.

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How can we make the most out of this time together?

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How can we make the most out of this time together?

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• At least 5 or 10 minutes about the current or next study; what works and what didn’t.
• Suggestion session—found that the children enjoyed; center ideas; inspiration
• Planning for next study, send out ideas in the group text

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Excels Ratings, Accreditation, Praxis, Degree Completion etc.

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Alicia Pugh-August 20th
Timeka Paige-November 14th
Susan Custer-November 16th
Heather Churchey-December 16th
Tamaika Calimano- January 1st
Dawn Kraham- January 15th
Marche Sweat April 16th
Ellie Batkhan- April 26th
Megan Brittain- April 29th

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Suggestions from educators about:

Having difficult conversations with parents

Building community amongst their enrolled families

Recruit new (and eligible) children

Cross-cultural connections

Reflecting the diversity of families in the classroom

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Alicia Pugh*
aliciatotsrus@aol.com
443-827-6877
Baltimore County

Dawn Kraham*
Dawnkraham@gmail.com
301-514-2484
Frederick

Marche Sweat*
worldofdreamsdc@gmail.com
410-240-3755
Baltimore City

Megan Brittain
meganbrittain@icloud.com
443-418-5853
Baltimore County

Susan Custer*
childcarecottage@gmail.com
301-639-5088
Frederick

Tamaika Calimano
Tamaika0101@gmail.com
240-449-5985
Frederick

Timeka Paige
treasuredblessingfcc@aol.com
443-386-1099
Baltimore County

*Funded

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Cohort will first receive the meeting agenda in a reminder email. It will also be added to the calendar invite. After the meeting, a Word document will be uploaded to this section of the Padlet from SharePoint folder. It will include the agenda, notes, and attendance.

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9-26-23_ASPIRE Cohort Meeting Agenda & Notes_Ellie - Copy

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A social skills and emotional regulation activity to support students with identifying the "size" of problems they encounter and choose the appropriate reaction.

Three Levels: Small, Medium, and Big

Included:
3 Level Rating Scale for Problems

Visual Scenario Sort

Problem Scenario Cards for Discussion Groups

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A social skills and emotional regulation activity to support students with identifying the "size" of problems they encounter and choose the appropriate reaction. Three Levels: Small, Medium, and BigIncluded:3 Level Rating Scale for ProblemsVisual Scenario SortProblem Scenario Cards for Discussion Gr...

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10-24-23_ASPIRE Cohort Meeting Agenda & Notes_Ellie - Copy - Copy(1)

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11-28-23_ASPIRE Cohort Meeting Agenda & Notes_Ellie - Copy (1)

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Link to the Clothes Study Padlet Link:

https://padlet.com/ellenbatkhan/clothes-study-s874uvb89ofy9b0n

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Link to Building Study Padlet Link:

https://padlet.com/jennifergillespie3/building-study-8ycd5r8kvaprykuy

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https://padlet.com/ellenbatkhan/wheels-study-eu9aj6gw0468xvna

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https://padlet.com/ellenbatkhan/exercise-study-1ibjvl6tqupwr7s4

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Link to Garden Study Padlet coming soon.

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Link to Reduce Reuse Recyle Study Padlet coming soon.

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Link to Water Study Padlet coming soon.

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See the my comments on items for ideas about how you can use them with different studies.

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These pictures are from Alicia's internship at John Rurah Elementary Middle.

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From Marche

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Maryland Family Child Care Boost Program

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Maryland Family Network is offering family child care programs free child care management software and business coaching to help them make more money, save time, and build a sustainable business. In partnership with local Child Care Resource & Referral Centers.

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Running 'round in circles
Lost my focus
Lost sight of my goals
I do this for the love of music
Not for the glitter and gold
Got everything that I prayed for
Even a little more
When I asked to learn humility
This is what I was told

It's little things (it's the little things)
And the joy they bring
In the little things (it's the little things)
It's little things

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India.Arie - Little Things (Official Music Video)

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Good for the Tree Study and Gardening Study

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01-23-23_ASPIRE Cohort Meeting Agenda & Notes_Ellie