WHAT TO EXPECT WITH PRESCHOOLERS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TRAINING

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH PRESCHOOLERS? YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TRAINING SARAH MCCLUSKY EDUCATION RESOURCE SPECIALIST

GOALS • UNDERSTANDING PRESCHOOLERS-WHO ARE WE DEALING WITH? • STRATEGIES WHEN WORKING WITH PRESCHOOLERS • COMMUNICATION • EXPERIENCES • PROBLEM SOLVING • ENGAGING PRESCHOOLERS

SARAH SAYS…. .

WHO ARE WE DEALING WITH? ? ?

PRESCHOOLERS…. • AGED 3 TO 5 KNOWN AS PRE KINDERGARTNERS. FALL UNDER A LARGER TITLE AND PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT CALLED “EARLY CHILDHOOD”. • DEVELOPING IN A PERIOD THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT SHAPES CHILDREN’S HEALTH, HAPPINESS, GROWTH DEVELOPMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT IN SCHOOL, IN THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. • THEIR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME. • THEIR EARLY EXPERIENCES PROVIDE THE BASE FOR THE BRAIN'S ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING THROUGHOUT LIFE. THEY HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON HOW CHILDREN DEVELOP LEARNING SKILLS AS WELL AS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ABILITIES. • THEY LEARN MORE QUICKLY DURING THEIR EARLY YEARS THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME IN LIFE. • NEED LOVE AND NURTURING TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF TRUST AND SECURITY THAT TURNS INTO CONFIDENCE AS THEY GROW.

DEVELOPMENT

RESEARCH TELLS US SO… WHY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE, IS AN APPROACH TO TEACHING GROUNDED IN THE RESEARCH ON HOW YOUNG CHILDREN DEVELOP AND LEARN AND IN WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT EFFECTIVE EARLY EDUCATION. ITS FRAMEWORK IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE YOUNG CHILDREN'S OPTIMAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT. (HTTP: //WWW. NAEYC. ORG). • THEY LEARN BY DOING • PLAY IS THEIR WORK • LEARN THROUGH OTHER CHILDREN • USES THEIR WHOLE BODY TO LEARN EFFECTIVELY (SARAH SAYS)

FOUR CORNERS ACTIVITY

WHO ARE WE REALLY DEALING WITH…. . ?

STRATEGIES AND TIPS • SET EXPECTATIONS AND GOALS FOR THE EXPERIENCES: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GOAL AND PLACE WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO GO AND END UP AT. OK TO GO OFF TRACK BUT KNOW HOW TO STILL GET WHERE YOU WANT THEM TO GO. • EXPERIENCES: KEEP THEM DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE-WHOLE BODY EXPERIENCEENGAGING ALL THE SENSES… • ENGAGING CHILDREN: REMEMBER ENGAGE THEIR WHOLE BODY-DAP. USE THEIR NAMES USE AUTHENTIC ITEMS FOR LEARNING. FOLLOW THEIR INTERESTS. GOOD TEACHERS FOLLOW WHAT THE CHILDREN ARE CURIOUS ABOUT. • WHEN COMMUNICATING: RESPOND WITH INTENTION, GENUINE RESPONSES THAT ARE TIMELY, QUESTIONS THAT ENGAGE THEM TO THINK BEYOND THE HERE AND NOW? OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS…TELL ME WHAT YOU DID THIS WEEKEND? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT’S A GOOD IDEA…. ? • ENCOURAGE PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH “I CARE” LANGUAGE WITH OTHER CHILDREN! PEACE TABLE IDEA • WE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER • HANDS ARE FOR HELPING NOT HURTING • WE CARE ABOUT FEELINGS • WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE SAY AND DO

IN CONCLUSION PRESCHOOLERS ARE: • STRONG AND ARE RISK TAKERS!!

• CURIOUS AND EXPERIMENTAL!

• EMOTIONAL

• SOCIAL

• ABOVE ALL THEY ARE LEARNERS…. AND JOYS TO THE WORK WE DO!

“CHILDREN MAKE OUR LIFE IMPORTANT. “ – ERMA BOMBECK ONE TEST OF THE CORRECTNESS OF EDUCATIONAL PROCEDURE IS THE HAPPINESS OF THE CHILD” –MARIA MONTESSORI

QUESTIONS