This module focuses on how families can use the Kentucky Early Childhood Standards Parent Guides and other social emotional readiness activities to assure transition success into kindergarten.

Developers: Pamela Fox and Phyllis Hall, Anderson County RTC

This module highlights the role resiliency plays in helping children “bounce back” from adverse circumstances and the protective factors that help at-risk children “weather the storm.” Families will learn what they can do to help their children develop resiliency.

Developers: Nancy Lovett, Calloway RTC; Nicki Patton, Simpson County RTC

Today’s children face a very different world than the world you and I grew up in. Today’s world is full of risks and threats that could negatively impact children’s development. The world is such a scary place that it must be tempting to want to hide your children away – do whatever it takes to protect them from the dangers that lurk on the internet, in the schools, on the playgrounds and in some cases, even in our homes. ​

Yet we know in reality we can’t do enough to protect children from every danger. We cannot protect our children from the adversity that lies in front of them. ​

But what we can do is help our children develop the skills and characteristics they need to overcome adversity. And that is what this session is all about.​

These are three questions we need to look at.​

First, we will take a brief look  at the threats and risks children face because knowing the dangers is the first step in protecting our children.​

Then, we will discuss the one personal characteristic that research says can offer children the greatest protection, and that is the characteristic of resiliency.  We will define what resiliency is, talk about why it is important and conclude by identifying what you can do as a family to help your children develop resiliency.

One of the biggest threats that our children face statewide is poverty. Almost ¼ of our children live in poverty. ​

And for children living in southeastern Kentucky that number is even higher, almost 1/3. Many of these children live in what is called “extreme poverty” which means their families live at less than ½ of the poverty level, getting by on less than $7610 a year – about $20 a day.​

​

Annie E Casey, KIDS COUNT, 2009​

Courier-Journal, August 28, 2007​

Another threat our children face is their odds of dropping out of school and/or being born to mothers who are NOT high school graduates. In 2009 alone, 16,000 children dropped out of Kentucky schools.​

And 23% of the children born in Kentucky in 2008  were born to mothers who were NOT high school graduates (Annie Casey Foundation, 2009). And as we all know, a lack of education contributes to the cycle of poverty that we just discussed.​

And yet another threat is the risk of being abused/neglected. Children that are abused/neglected are more likely to abuse alcohol, become addicted to drugs, become pregnant as teenagers, go to prison, and die. It pains me to tell you that Kentucky had the highest rate of death due to child abuse and neglect in 2007.​

​

Annie E Casey, Kids’ Count, 2009

Researchers call these risks and threats that you just identified “risk factors” because they put children at risk for problems such as drug abuse, teen pregnancy, child abuse, violence and school failure – many of the things that you just identified. ​

The more risk factors present in a child’s life, the higher the odds that the child will not be successful and will become dependent upon drugs, alcohol, etc. This is documented in many research studies including all of the research by Bonnie Benard, Fostering Resiliency in Kids

Yet, all of us know “at risk” children who grew up to become productive, successful members of society.​

The question is why?​

Think of a bouncy ball

The question is why – why are some children successful when faced with the same risks as other children who may not be successful?​

1. Refer to the Handout What Do You Want for Children?​
2.  Circle the five characteristics you believe are MOST important for children to be successful in “LIFE.”  ​All of the characteristics  help children

During this lesson, we will focus on the question:

What is transition and how does it impact a child’s ability to learn?

Transition is:

• A change from one situation to another.
• More specifically, transition involves movement or change from one activity, program, service, environment, or situation to another.

These are some examples of transitions:

• When a child goes from home into an early childhood program for the first time, or
• When a child goes from receiving First Steps services to attending Kentucky’s preschool program, or
• When a child moves from child care or Head Start or Preschool into Kindergarten

Although these transitions don’t get a lot of attention, they actually can have a significant impact on your child’s success in school.

And one of the reasons has a lot to do with what stress does to your child’s brain and how it impacts learning!

During this lesson, we will focus on the question:

What is transition and how does it impact a child’s ability to learn?

Transition is:

• A change from one situation to another.
• More specifically, transition involves movement or change from one activity, program, service, environment, or situation to another.

These are some examples of transitions:

• When a child goes from home into an early childhood program for the first time, or
• When a child goes from receiving First Steps services to attending Kentucky’s preschool program, or
• When a child moves from child care or Head Start or Preschool into Kindergarten

Although these transitions don’t get a lot of attention, they actually can have a significant impact on your child’s success in school.

And one of the reasons has a lot to do with what stress does to your child’s brain and how it impacts learning!

Objectives

• What is the difference between family involvement and family engagement?
• What is transition and how does it impact my child’s ability to learn?
• How can families engage in the transition process?

Goal: To be engaged in the process of preparing children for transition and supporting them as they move into a new early childhood program and/or school system.

The handout for this course will give you additional information about assisting young children in the transition process: Add link to handout

Course Conclusion

  Final Steps to Completing ECOOL

Congratulations, you have made it through the course requirements. A few additional items before you access your certificate.

1. Please take some time to complete the anonymous course evaluation. We ask that you please submit honest feedback, we love to hear from you.
2. If you have additional questions about the content, feel free to email registration@lsv.uky.edu and we will have the appropriate staff get back with you.
3. Your individual training record in ECE-TRIS will be updated within 10 days with the course credit. ECE-TRIS is a training registry for early care and education providers and gives you 24/7 access to your professional learning record.
4. Clicking submit lesson below will give you access to a recognition of course completion. This is not an official certificate, your official training record is available in ECE-TRIS.

Welcome to Recommended Practices in Early Care and Education

This module will take approximately 3 hours to complete.

The module consists of eight parts:

• Check-In (Self-Assessment)
• View Self as a Professional
• Know Child Development
• Use Guidance Strategies
• Set the Stage for Learning
• Communicate with Families
• Take Care of You
• Check Yourself (Post-test)

(Optional): Recommended Practices Participant Handout

Let’s get started!

This module will take approximately 1 hour to complete.

The module consists of five parts:

• Check-In (Self-Assessment)
• Know the law
• Identify signs of possible child abuse
• Report suspicions to appropriate authorities
• Check Yourself (Post-test)

Click to download Child Abuse Participant Handout

Let’s get started!

Child Abuse Overview of Outcomes

? Workplace Outcome

Early care and education professionals will appropriately identify and report suspected child abuse and neglect.

? Training Outcomes

By the end of the training session, you will have the knowledge and skills to:

• Identify “mandated reporters” as specified in Kentucky law and cite the consequences for not reporting suspected child abuse or neglect.
• Define and describe four types of child abuse.
• Identify at least five physical or behavioral indicators of child abuse and neglect.
• List at least two ways to distinguish accidental injury from abuse.
• Determine when to report, what to report, and to whom child abuse should be reported.

?️ Overview: Big Picture

As an early care and education professional, you need to:

• KNOW the law
• IDENTIFY signs of possible child abuse
• REPORT suspicions to appropriate authorities

In this module on abuse and neglect, you will learn about these three critical elements and demonstrate your understanding.

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Resources from this module:

• SHARE
• Co-Teaching_and_Parity
• Parity, Parity, Parity self-survey

Other Resources to explore:

• Helpful Resources
• 25-questions-for-new-co-teachers
• 50ways
• Co-Teaching Considerations Packet
• Preliminary Discussion Questions
• Teaching Style Inventory
• Understanding Co-Teaching Components

You will have a single opportunity to complete the Module 2 quiz, which contains five randomly selected true/false or multiple choice questions.

Throughout this course you will see the following icons. These indicate a link to a video, a handout, or an external website. These will also be listed in the resources section below the course content.

 

 

Videos will open in a new tab/window in your browser. After viewing, close to return to the course.

Handouts generally will download to your computer. Click here for help on downloading handouts in your browser.

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Resources in this module:

• Collaborative_Teaching_Practices_for_Exceptional_Children_Question_and_Answer_Document
• The Effectiveness of the Co-Teaching Model-Inclusion Material
• What Co-Teaching is and is not

 

You will have a single opportunity to complete the Module 1 quiz, which contains five randomly selected true/false or multiple choice questions. Click the button below to begin.

Click here to view module in a new window.

Resources from this module:

• Determining Roles and Responsibilities: a guide to clarify expectations
• Guiding Questions for Planning
• IEP and Lesson Plan Development Handbook
• Individual Student Learning Plan Document
• Learning Plan for Individual Students in the Co-Teaching Classroom
• Lesson Unit Planning Overview
• Student Overview for Special Education Services

You will have a single opportunity to complete the Module 4 quiz, which contains five randomly selected true/false or multiple choice questions.