Aaaaaah, Pat, isn't that the hardest? We DO know what it takes and are ready, willing, and able to do that. Our library para, a brilliant woman, said it best when we were talking about non-educators making all the decisions. She said, "Isn't it a lot like the blind leading the sighted?!!" Indeed.
Sent from my iPad On Sep 17, 2012, at 9:28 AM, Patricia Kimathi <pkima...@earthlink.net> wrote: > I wonder are there other people in this group who remember the activism of > those days. Looking back at a few articles that helped to develop our view > of what was necessary for Early Childhood Education makes me wonder how we > have gone so wrong. For the past 13 years, before retirement this year I > have taught gifted students in a gifted magnet. This school also had a prek > program, the majority of our gifted students that were on target came from > this or a similar prek program. The difference in these children was like > night and day. Exposure to a developmentally appropriate program made all of > the difference. With all of the budget cuts this program was cut last year. > We really do know what is necessary to educate our children. > Pat Kimathi > On Sep 17, 2012, at 3:45 AM, Mena wrote: > >> Patricia, I truly miss the grassroots activism that gave us so much hope in >> those days. It is only because of wonderful students like Ruth that I have >> hope for the future. Mena >> >> >> >> >> Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel, Ph.D. >> Florida Atlantic University >> Dept. of Teaching and Learning >> College of Education >> 2912 College Ave. ES 214 >> Davie, FL 33314 >> Phone: 954-236-1070 >> Fax: 954-236-1050 >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Patricia Kimathi <pkima...@earthlink.net> >> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group >> <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >> Sent: Sun, Sep 16, 2012 6:26 pm >> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Rigor of Common Core in Kindergarten >> >> >> Ruth, >> Please send me a copy. >> As I have said before when I started teaching, in the 60s, I started as an >> EC >> teacher and later became an EC administrator on a college campus. In those >> days >> EC activist believed that within the next ten years or so all children would >> have a free developmentally correct EC experience. No way could you have >> made >> me believe that knowing the benefits of EC learning that this country would >> not >> have created free EC for all children. I was so naive. I thought with hard >> work >> and education the benefits would be so obvious that it would become a >> reality. >> I cannot believe that now I see us not only not providing quality care for >> all >> children, but a threat against what we know is developmentally correct for >> EC >> learning has now been put into place. I would love to read your paper. I >> need >> to have a better understanding what is happening. >> Thank you for writing it. I can't wait to read it. >> Patricia Kimathi >> On Sep 16, 2012, at 10:29 AM, Ruth Weil wrote: >> >>> Okay, Dr. M! =) This is the Introduction. If anyone wants the whole >>> thing, I'll be happy to email it to you.... >>> >>> Early Childhood Standards and Assessment >>> >>> At the Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA) Child Development >>> Center in Delray Beach, FL, a lively, child-centered four and five year old >>> room is filled with a variety of blocks, numerous art supplies, colorful >>> student work displays, a dress up and pretend center, a plentiful supply of >>> “table toys,” computers, shelves of books, three teachers, and 18 cheerful >>> children from impoverished, Spanish-speaking homes. Voluntary >>> Prekindergarten (VPK) teacher, Maria, sits at a table with one of her >>> students, Diane. She shows Diane a card with a picture on it, and says, >>> “This is a side-walk, say side-walk without walk.” Diane is expected to >>> respond by answering, “side.” Another picture card shows a little girl. >> “This >>> is a sis-ter,” says Maria, “say sis-ter without -ter,” to which Diane is >>> supposed to respond, “Sis.” This explicit instruction in phonological >>> awareness is required to prepare Diane for her post-VPK tests which will be >>> given when she enters kindergarten at a public school this fall. These >>> tests will be used to evaluate the program at RCMA, giving it a score with >>> which it will be compared with all of the other VPK providers in Palm Beach >>> County (T. Mims, personal communication, June 25, 2012). The RCMA Center >>> director, Susan Wilfond, has two big concerns about her students taking >>> these tests, the reason behind Maria’s explicit teaching of these skills in >>> what is otherwise a child-centered classroom. First, all of the students >>> enrolled in the program are English language learners (ELL) who speak only >>> Spanish at home. Second, the teachers in the classroom, while they teach >>> in English, are also native Spanish speakers who have extremely heavy >>> accents and weak English grammar. These two factors signify that most of >>> the children rarely speak English with native English speakers, creating an >>> enormous disadvantage on the mandatory assessments (S. Wilfond, personal >>> communication, June 18, 2012). The VPK tests given in the fall are >>> required for accountability of the programs that are implemented in both >>> public and private schools. These tests evaluate skills based upon “The >>> Florida Early Learning and Developmental Standards for Four-Year-Olds,” a >>> document listing the standards and specific academic benchmarks expected of >>> children who complete the VPK program. >>> >>> Standards like these are being implemented in every state as the >>> requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and now Race to the Top trickle >>> down to the early childhood years. (Carlsson-Paige, Levin, & McLaughlin, >>> 2012) If the current trend of creating and implementing national academic >>> standards for early childhood education continues, more and more play-based >>> pre-school programs will be replaced with teacher directed instruction, >>> denying young children the advantage of learning and interacting within a >>> developmentally appropriate setting. Instead more and more young children >>> will be subjected to standardized testing, a practice regarded by educators >>> and psychologists as opposed to research-based child development theories, >>> under the mantel of teacher and program accountability. >>> >>> >>> On Sun, Sep 16, 2012 at 11:04 AM, <stephaniep...@aol.com> wrote: >>> >>>> I agree. Please publish this or let me know if I can find it on ERIC >>>> or?where I can read the whole report. I would love to read more of this.?I >>>> have taught 5 years in prek and now the last 10 in Kindergarten at a public >>>> school. In?my school (NYC? here) the expectation is that the children exit >>>> on an F&P lev. of E- D with introduction and E without introduction. We?had >>>> done away with the handwriting program and now only use the Handwriting >>>> without tears program and fundations writing component??as an academic >>>> intervention in select classes.Yet??there is an expectation that?the >>>> children?have at minimum of 5 publishing parties a year for self generated >>>> writing units. While I agree that if the child is capable you should take >>>> them to their highest acamdemic heights it should not be at the cost of >>>> their childhood memories and creating authentic learning experiences. I've >>>> read articles about a headstart /pre k programs that did scantron bubble >>>> testing with 4 year olds. One principal removed blocks in the class for >>>> fear that they could? inflict injury and another principal wonder why there >>>> were so many toys and crayons in kindergarten!? It seemes to me that?many >>>> of ?the basic principals and opportunities?that introduce our youngest >>>> learners to problem solving, social interaction and hands on learning and >>>> exploration experiences, are suffocated and swapped out for activites that >>>> are in fact not developmental proven, appropriate and in fact seem designed >>>> to manufactor guided results NOT authentic learned responses or >>>> experiences. PLEASE publish this article! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: Mena <drmarinac...@aol.com> >>>> To: mosaic <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >>>> Sent: Sun, Sep 16, 2012 6:49 am >>>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Rigor of Common Core in Kindergarten >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Ruth, You really need to publish your research. I would love for you to >>>> just >>>> share your introductory paragraph with the group! From, Mena >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel, Ph.D. >>>> Florida Atlantic University >>>> Dept. of Teaching and Learning >>>> College of Education >>>> 2912 College Ave. ES 214 >>>> Davie, FL 33314 >>>> Phone: 954-236-1070 >>>> Fax: 954-236-1050 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: Cathy <cag...@myfairpoint.net> >>>> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group & >>>> lt;mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >>>> Sent: Sat, Sep 15, 2012 8:54 pm >>>> Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Rigor of Common Core in Kindergarten >>>> >>>> >>>> Mena - can you cite your student's sources? Was her/his research on >>>> kindergarten >>>> >>>> or per-kindergarten programs? >>>> >>>> Thanks. >>>> Cathy >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPad >>>> >>>> On Sep 15, 2012, at 8:57 AM, Mena <drmarinac...@aol.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> > I have to quote one of my students who researched this topic: >>>> "Controversyexists in early childhood education with the development and >>>> implementation ofskills-based standards and the necessary accompanying >>>> standardized tests. State and national early childhood standards were >>>> developed >>>> as a result of NoChild Left Behind, and more recently Race to the Top, both >>>> federal initiatives. The controversy lies in the incongruity between >>>> research-based developmentalpractices that have long been accepted for >>>> early >>>> childhood and the academicskills standards that are construed by many early >>>> childhood educators to bereplacing those. Further controversy erupts due >>>> to an >>>> increase instandardized testing of young children for program >>>> accountability. >>>> Critics argue that such testing has very low reliability, causes stressfor >>>> both >>>> children and teachers, causes major curriculum changes, and results inlarge >>>> amounts of teacher-directed instruction taking the place of >>>> moredevelopmentally >>>> appropriat >>>> e activities that are typical in play-based,child-centered preschools. >>>> Traditional child-initiated instruction inpreschool programs is thought to >>>> aid >>>> children in their social and emotionalgrowth, development that will be >>>> lacking >>>> as more teacher-directed curriculum isimposed on early childhood in an >>>> attempt >>>> to teach skills that are not, in manycases, age appropriate. The tendency >>>> toward standardized teaching andassessment practices for young children is >>>> not >>>> only an emotional issue, but atthe very core of determining how children >>>> in the >>>> United States will best learnin order to be competent adults in our global >>>> society. This literaturereview investigates this multi-faceted problem >>>> which >>>> involves young children,their parents, their teachers, as well as >>>> government >>>> agencies and educationaltheorists. " >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > Philomena Marinaccio-Eckel, Ph.D. >>>> > Florida Atlantic University >>>> > Dept. of Teaching and Learning >>>> > College of Education >>>> > 2912 College Ave. ES 214 >>>> > Davie, FL 33314 >>>> > Phone: 954-236-1070 >>>> > Fax: 954-236-1050 >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > -----Original Message----- >>>> > From: Mlredcon <mlred...@aol.com> >>>> > To: mosaic <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> >>>> > Sent: Fri, Sep 14, 2012 7:44 pm >>>> > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Rigor of Common Core in Kindergarten >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > The best way is to do on demand informal assessments using running >>>> records >>>> > so kids can move up when they are ready and lots of interactive read >>>> aloud >>>> > for high level comprehension. Take a look at the >>>> > website-readingwritingproject.com >>>> > Maxine >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > In a message dated 9/14/2012 3:56:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, >>>> > adamst...@pleasval.k12.ia.us writes: >>>> > >>>> > Hi! In Iowa, we are busy aligning to Iowa Core in Kindergarten - a >>>> close >>>> > spin off Common Core. We are experiencing some tripedation as we >>>> look >>>> > to the rigor of getting students to an F & P level D by the end of >>>> > Kindergarten. I am a reading specialist that wants to support the >>>> Core, >>>> > but more importantly, help my teachers get comfortable and do the >>>> right >>>> > thing at the right time in the most developmentaly appropriate way. >>>> I >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org >>>> >>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org >>>> >>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Mosaic mailing list >>>> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >>>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org >>>> >>>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive >>>> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Mosaic mailing list >>> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >>> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >>> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org >>> >>> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive >>> >> >> PatK >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive >> > > PatK > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive
