On March 31, 2009 in Austin, Texas, researchers gathered to provide evidence-based findings to the early childhood discussion of quality. I had the honor to be present at this informative summit and will share points that were timely considering the ARRA funding. These presenters spoke to a large ballroom and an overflow room of interested participants.
I will paraphrase what each expert shared during their presentation.
- Dr. Susan H. Landry, (NELP Panel member, recently served on the revision of CA, FL, TX Prekindergarten Guidelines, EC National Institutes of Health (NIH), USDOE Institute of Education Sciences, Texas Education Agency, and private foundations)
- Quoted Pianta et al. (2000). Dr. Pianta’s study informed the field that high quality early childhood programs revolve around the type of instructional setting and instructional activities in which the teacher and child engage.
- High quality classrooms should have responsive interaction, content that predicts reading and math, teacher planning that takes advantage of recent brain research, balance of teaching strategies, and flexible groupings.
Dr. Landry is directing a large early childhood study in Texas and has followed 30,000 children to kindergarten from Head Start, Title 1 PreK and childcare. This year her group will follow 60,000 prekindergarten children to determine if the early childhood program they experienced made them school ready.
- Dr. Dorothy Strickland, (NELP Panel member, Panel member for National Academy of Sciences, Becoming a Nation of Readers, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, and the Rand Report)
- Shared the importance of early childhood classrooms containing opportunities for children to be engaged with activities that support the National Early Literacy Panel, “Developing Literacy” (www.ncfl.org). Children should be recognizing letters of the alphabet, reading books, writing, and developing phonological awareness with assessments in place. Discussed the importance of children from poverty having opportunities to acquire these skills before kindergarten.
- Discussed accountability by saying she was a taxpayer and with the amount of money that early childhood will be receiving we need to make sure that the taxpayers’ money is being well spent. Dr. Strickland stated that “we need to put teeth” into accountability by offering mixed assessments that informs us about how children are developing.
- Amy Wilkins, Keynote Speaker, (Vice-President of The Education Trust, worked with Children’s Defense Fund, White House Office of Media Affairs, and Peace Corps)
- Emphasized the need for early childhood to have a grown-up, mature love about what is right for children, “We need to remember the dollar is at the center of what we spend.”
- Stressed to the audience that we must pay attention to good scientifically-based research. Sometimes this research goes against what we have believed for a very long time, but we cannot ignore it. When adults face children at risk, every moment is crucial and there is no time to waste.
Two other researchers, Dr. Marcia Barnes (math) and Dr. Clancy Blaire (self-regulation/school readiness), were equally compelling. In future blogs, I will share their findings and presentations with you. I urge all of you to read at least the executive summary of the National Early Literacy Panel (
www.ncfl.org) before you purchase any products for 3 and 4 year old children. When you receive lists from companies showing connections between their products and the ARRA funds, ask what research they used to make those correlations. You owe this extra time to ensure the best for America’s children. Thank you.
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