Viewpoint
- The Official Newsletter of The Virginia Association for Early
Childhood Education
Viewpoint
is a high-quality, two-color newsletter published three times each
year. It reaches our 3,000+ members and contains vital news, creative
articles and member services.
Sample articles from our most recent
edition:
Inspired
by Children: Asking about Apples
Letter
from the President
By
Edyth J. Wheeler
Working
with and on behalf of children brings us inspiration in many ways.
Children
inspire us through their everyday activities as we share their wonder,
their joy and sense of accomplishment as they discover the world.
We are inspired by their smiles and laughter and by the words that
they find to describe the world around them as they see it. We are
also inspired by the challenge they face, their frustration and
their times of sadness, and we work to help develop the resilience
to overcome these obstacles. We can find ourselves inspired by their
example and try to see the world as they see it. What a privilege
we have as early childhood professionals.
Are
there ways that we can “return the favor” and inspire children ourselves?
Recently, I heard Dr. Bob Pianta, a researcher in early childhood
at the University of Virginia , speak about the findings of a recent
study he has conducted about factors that contribute to the improvement
in pre-kindergarten children's academic and language skills. What
he discovered was that the strongest predictor was the quality of
the teacher-child interaction. Teachers who provide emotional support
and engage children in meaningful learning can make a difference
in their learning. We can learn from the example of the teachers
and children in the infant centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia,
Italy , that truly listening to children provides them a sense of
meaningfulness in their learning and gives us a window into their
thinking. Another way that we may inspire children's learning is
through meaningful or “important” questions. Instead of “what color
is an apple?”, we can wonder with children why one apple is green
and by another one is red and why some of them will change from
green to red and why others will stay green and what's like to hang
up in a tree till you fall down anyway? Try that sort of conversation
and not only will you inspire children but I can almost guarantee
that you will be inspired by them!
Children
inspire us to learn more about our field in order to be more effective
in our work. Let's talk about ways that we can share what we know
and grow in our profession. Probably the first thing you should
do is to check with your local affiliate to see what is happening
in your area right now. If there is an event, bring a friend or
colleague! Visit the NAEYC website for resources that you can also
shore with families, such as Early Years Are Learning Years articles
in English and Spanish, There are position statements on important
issues, information about federal issues and about the national
conference in Atlanta , November 7-11. If you are able to go to
the NAEYC Conference, please come to the VAECE Networking Reception
at the Marriott Marquis on Thursday, November9. from 5:00 to 7:00
p.m. At the VAECE website, you will find out about current issues
in our state as well as state and local conference events. Be sure
to note the announcements in this issue of Viewpoint about the VAECE
Annual Conference, “The Wonder of It All,” which will take place
on February 22- 34 in Norfolk .
VAECE
as an organization is inspired by children in our mission statement
to speak and act on behalf of children. We have a unique opportunity
to guide important policy decisions over the next few years as the
state moves toward a plan for pre-kindergarten that will be ultimately
be available to all children whose families would like to have it.
Many VAECE members are currently involved in task forces as part
of the Governor's Start Strong and Smart Beginnings projects. Our
dedicated Public Policy Co-chairs, Meg Sewell and Jean Chase, have
given us more details in this Viewpoint issue. There have been,
and doubtless will continue to be, opportunities for public comment
around the state and on-line, so please share your thoughts.
In
closing, I would like to thank two of the many people in VAECE who
have inspired many of us through this newsletter. Steve Fairchild
who has inspired us to wonder about math and science in his many
Viewpoint articles, will be moving out of state and will be greatly
missed. Toni Cacace-Beshears, an inspiring wearer of many hats,
has been our Viewpoint editor for as long as many of us can remember
and is hoping to recruit someone to follow her in this role. Thanks
to you both.
Thanks
to all of you who work with and on behalf of children. Let us always
be open to the many ways that inspiration happens when we are with
young children.
SCIENCE
GUIDELINES:
How Do You Measure Up?
By Steven Fairchild
CThe following recommendations, which grew out of the Science for
All Americans report, suggest ways of increasing students’
proficiency in science. Consider your approach to helping children
develop scientific understandings by reviewing this checklist and
comparing it to your program’s approach to science. Science
for All Americans, which hopes to encourage scientific literacy
for everyone, suggests we should:
1. Begin investigations around questions students are currently
asking themselves, probably questions about nature.
2. Engage students actively; they should have real items to observe,
weigh, measure, compare, count, categorize, etc.
3. Concentrate on the collection and use of evidence; integrate
science with writing and other forms of expression.
4. Use a team approach to learning.
5. De-emphasize the memorization of technical vocabulary; focus
on contextual understanding, adding vocabulary for communication
purposes.
6. Welcome curiosity, creativity, and a healthy spirit of questioning.
Reference: American Association for the Advancement
of Science. (1990). Science for all Americans. New York: Rutherford,
F. J. & Ahlgren.A.
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