Pre-K teaching times, Vol. 7, Issue 2 (Sept. 2010)

Pre-K Teaching Times

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2010

Back to School Behavior Basics

In This Issue
Back to School Behavior Basics
Using Curriculum as a Resource

Successful teachers are expert planners. We plan for everything. We plan what we're going to teach; we plan how we're going to assess; we plan field trips; we plan what we're going to do when someone has a potty accident on the field trip, etc. A few things that we all know about planning are so universal they could almost be called early childhood laws. For example:
Have everything prepared for the day before the first child walks into the classroom.

The Who, What, Make sure there is a plan for every second of wait time in the classroom.

And Where of Con-

tent Standards

Break children up into smaller groups whenever possible.

The Language Corner
Assessment
CLASS
Teacher Resources

Make sure a teacher is sitting beside the student who likes to poke during circle time.
Basically, effective classroom management has everything to do with effective planning. Pre-K teachers must know how to use assessment data to plan instruction. It is also important to know how to collect and use classroom data to develop a classroom management plan. On the classroom level, collect data about how long the students do well in circle time; what types of small group activities keep most of the students engaged; which transitions seem to be the most challenging. Use the information you collect to plan for effective classroom management. If the students attend well at circle time for eight minutes at the beginning of the school year, plan to have circle time for eight minutes for the first several weeks. By the middle of October, they may be ready for ten minutes. If the class loves small group experiments but cooking projects are a disaster, plan more group experiments. If the transition from center time to outside is hectic, have one teacher take the children who have finished and cleaned their centers outside first, and let the other teacher bring the students who move more slowly when they're finished. Step back and look at what works well and what doesn't work well and plan accordingly. This type of planning should also take place for individual children.

Teachers and students can come up with many types of plans: center plans, friend plans, lunch plans, rest plans, group plans, leaving mommy plans, etc. The important thing to remember is that it is unlikely that a student will change a repeated behavior unless the teacher changes something about his/ her routine. Children are most likely to behave well for teachers who truly care for them.

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Using Curriculum as a Resource
Georgia's Pre-K Program Content Standards form the foundation for Pre-K classroom instruction. Each Pre-K provider must provide a complete educational program in accordance with age-appropriate instructional practice and use a Bright from the Start approved curriculum to enhance and supplement the Content Standards. Remember that the Content Standards govern what you should include in your Pre-K instruction. Even though the BFTS-approved curricula are closely aligned with the Content Standards, your approved curriculum may include some material not supported by the Content Standards. Your approved curriculum material should be used as a resource for instructional activities, not as the total lesson plan. Remember that you will plan instruction based on the needs of the students in your class as determined by the Pre-K Child Assessment tool.
The Who, What, and Where of Content Standards
Who should use the content standards? All Pre-K teachers should use Georgia's Pre-K Content Standards in weekly lesson plans to document what is being taught in each planned instructional activity. All seven domains (Mathematics, Language and Literacy, Science, Social Studies, Physical Development, Social and Emotional Development, and Creative Expression) should be taught sometime each week.
What are content standards? Content standards are the engine that powers the train in Pre-K! Georgia's Pre-K Content Standards were developed to provide the foundation for instruction in all our Pre-K classrooms. Georgia's Pre-K Content Standards reflect current educational research and are aligned with Georgia's Performance Standards (GPS) for grades K 12. Using the GPS correlations, one can easily see how what is taught in Pre-K sets the stage for expectations in Kindergarten. Some Pre-K standards actually match several Kindergarten standards; however, every Pre-K content standard does not always have a corresponding Kindergarten standard. It is important to remember, especially when looking at the standards in September, that they reflect what children should know or be able to do at the end of Pre-K not at the beginning.
When should content standards be used? Content standards should be documented every day for all instructional activities and should include the complete code. Ex: LD2a, SS1a
Where can I find Georgia's Pre-K Content Standards? The Pre-K content standards are posted on the Bright from the Start website at www.decal.ga.gov. Just click on "For Teachers," and you will find a direct link to the standards.
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The Language Corner
In a time when so much is changing in Georgia's Pre-K Program, the fundamentals remain the same for what we want Pre-K children to learn. We want to help young children develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. We know that the early years are a critical time for their development in these areas. What we do in classrooms to enhance children's early literacy development matters. Here are some developmentally appropriate ideas to help you get started.
What is the "Alphabetic Principle"? We hear this term a lot in early childhood education and wonder what it really means? The alphabetic principle is the idea that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken language. Understanding this term is important because children's knowledge of this principle is a strong predictor of their success in learning to read.
How can teachers help children develop the "Alphabetic Principle"? Teachers can help children develop this understanding through a lot of fun and engaging activities that help children explore the letters of the alphabet and their sounds. Children learn letter names by singing songs such as the "Alphabet Song," and by reciting rhymes. Engaging children in choral readings of rhymes allows them to associate the symbols with the sounds they hear in these words. They learn letter shapes as they play with blocks, plastic letters, and alphabetic books. Informal but planned instruction in which children have many opportunities to see, play with, and compare letters leads to efficient letter learning. Teachers should consistently listen for children's increasing knowledge of letters. Some ways to do this include having children guess a word by its initial letter, read alphabet books throughout the year, and encourage children to discuss the "letters." Create a word wall in the classroom, adding words throughout the year.
Phonological Awareness
What an exciting time for the children in your classroom as they sing, dance, and learn rhymes, poems, chants and games. As you begin this journey with your students, it is important to observe various skills such as fine motor, gross motor, and math concepts. The ability to determine where your children's phonological awareness skills are is just as important. Since listening is the first skill that students need to develop, what better place to begin gathering information.
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What do you need to know about your students' listening skills? Can each child identify a variety of environmental sounds such as a car horn, bell ringing, pencil tapping on table, fire engine, door squeaking, finger snapping, drum being tapped, dog barking, frog croaking, train whistle, and many more? Commercial listening activities can be purchased or you can create your own activities using items found inside the classroom or in real life outside the classroom. Remember that listening is the foundation skill of phonological awareness and should not be skipped or rushed through. There will be plenty of time to teach rhyming and syllables after children develop listening skills, and children will be much more successful with these later skills if you help to establish solid listening skills.
The levels of phonological awareness are shown in the hierarchy to the right:
For more information on phonological awareness activities, contact your Pre-K consultant.
Assessment
Georgia's Pre-K Program continues to move more teachers into using Work Sampling online. This year an additional 750 teachers are using Work Sampling Online, and by 2013 all teachers will be online. This exciting method of assessment will allow for more efficient documentation of notes and uploading of photos, eliminating the need to print photos and hand write notes. Work Sampling Online will enable teachers and directors to run reports and share information with kindergarten programs. The features have been enhanced based on the teachers who piloted WSO and have provided detailed feedback and suggestions. When teachers move to WSO, they receive a one-day training and have access to assessment coaches and technical support.
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The IQ Guide for Assessment merges the old C6 Scoring Guide and the assessment timeline information into one document. The IQ Guide can be found on the Bright from the start website under the heading "For Teachers." This document (either the WSS or WSO version, depending on which you are using) is to be completed following the clearly embedded directions and timeline. The IQ Guide gives directors and teachers a timeframe in which to complete each task. We recommend that you add your specific due dates to the IQ Guide in the column that denotes each week a task is due. Example: Week 4 (Sept 7)
Blank matrices are also on the website under the Child Assessment Program heading. Please start your year by taking advantage of the blank forms and the forms used in training.
CLASS

Georgia's Pre-K Program will implement the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) in all Georgia's Pre-K classrooms during the 2010-2011 school year. This month we will highlight two dimensions from the Emotional Support Domain.
The first dimension, Positive Climate, focuses on the emotional environment in the classroom, including how teachers promote positive relationships, help students find enjoyment in learning, feel comfortable in the classroom, and experience appropriate levels of independence.

The indicators that fall under positive climate dimension are Positive Affect, Positive Communication, and Respect. We recognize these classrooms when we walk through the door the rooms are typically warm and friendly, with a lot of smiling and use of respectful language between the teachers and the children. To help create a more positive climate in your classroom, consider the following tips.
Enjoy time with children and making learning fun.
Engage in social conversation and be respectful.
Make positive comments (I like the way you are working together; nice job.)

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The second CLASS dimension is Teacher Sensitivity. We expect Pre-K teachers to be sensitive to children's emotional and intellectual needs. Teachers are considered sensitive when they respond to students' concerns and needs; anticipate areas of difficulty; and provide appropriate levels of support. The indicators included in teacher sensitivity are awareness, responsiveness, addresses problems, and student comfort.

In classrooms with sensitive teachers, children grow to see teachers as a source of support, reassurance, and guidance. When teachers are sensitive, they understand each child's social and academic needs and respond accordingly. These teachers also listen and respond to children's verbal and non-verbal needs immediately and children see the teacher as a source of comfort and support in the classroom.
Continue to look for more exciting news about the CLASS each month. To learn more about CLASS, visit www.classobservation.com

Teacher Resources

The Pre-K staff is here to support you in ways that will enhance the quality of the

environment and the instructional practices in your classroom. Another resource:

the Bright from the Start website (www.decal.ga.gov). On the homepage, click on

"For Teachers" to access many valuable resources. Also on the

website: current monthly newsletters to provide you with updated information; answers to questions; and ideas for instructional practices and topics of study. Newsletters from past years are available for additional creative and interesting classroom topics of study.

Call the Pre-K Consultant on duty at 404-6565957. Pre-K Consultant

Don't forget: check the website and download the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for each of the IQ Guides. Sample lesson plans will also be posted soon. We will continue to add to the FAQ's and sample lesson plans

contact information can be found on the website at

throughout the year, so check back often!

www.decal.ga.gov

PRE-K TEACHING TIMES