Coudersport School District

1
Pre - K
Do We Need a Pre K Program in Coudersport
at our Elementary School?
Coudersport School District
2
Long Term Investment
Research shows that children who finish pre-K
programs are half as likely to need special
education services in later grades. Other
studies have found that children from low-income
families who attend high-quality pre-K programs
are more likely to graduate from high school and
attend college and less likely to go to jail,
become teen parents or qualify for welfare.    
Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities,
Executive Summary Foreword by Dr. Vincent
Ferrandino, executive director o f the National
Association of Elementary School
Principals.        
Coudersport School District
3
Pennsylvania Department Of Education

• According to the Pennsylvania Department of
  Education,
• Early childhood education is vital to student
  success. 
• The Department of Educations priorities for
  early childhood
• education include
•  
•      High-quality pre-school option
•      Voluntary full-day kindergarten
•      Reducing class size in the early grades
•      Acquisition of early literacy and numeracy
  skills.

like it or not, American society expects
children between 3 and 5 to learn some letters
and numbers to learn to attend, cooperate, and
follow directions and to carry on simple
conversations (West et al., 2000).
Coudersport School District
4
Kindergarten Readiness
Millions of children enter kindergarten
classrooms each year in the United States. They
are not all provided, however, with the same
opportunities to develop the necessary skills to
succeed in school. When children enter the
school system, they bring with them a range of
back grounds and experiences that will
facilitate or impair their further learning.  
The Early Childhood Challenge Preparing
High-Quality Teachers for a Changing Society A
White Paper of the American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education FOCUS COUNCIL ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION June 2004
Coudersport School District
5
Kindergarten Readiness
Even before a child reaches kindergarten age,
factors such as poverty, race/ethnicity, and home
language, among others, influence the childs
success at school (Lee Burkam, 2002). It is
realistic to say that the gap in educational
achievement starts from the very moment a child
is born.
The Early Childhood Challenge Preparing
High-Quality Teachers for a Changing Society A
White Paper of the American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education FOCUS COUNCIL ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION June 2004
Coudersport School District
6
Kindergarten Readiness
As schools work to ensure that all children
develop as proficient students, they need to
include three- and four-year-olds in
pre-kindergarten experiences, provide rich
full-day kindergarten programs and build new
connections to the many early childhood educators
across communities.
Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities,
Executive Summary Foreword by Dr. Vincent
Ferrandino, executive director o f the National
Association of Elementary School
Principals.        
Coudersport School District
7
Kindergarten Readiness
Coudersport School District
8
A Typical Kindergarten Day

• Each days time varies due to a six day rotating
  schedule.

9
Morning 750-1015
Homeroom- attendance and lunch count
Free play, morning seatwork, school news, and
pledge the flag
Morning meeting songs, finger plays and show
-n- tell Calendar Math date, days of the week,
months, number of days in school, weather,
counting by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s, money,
patterns, and shapes Reading Instruction Read
Aloud Shared Reading Guided Reading

Phonemic Awareness Phonics Writing
Instruction Shared Writing Interactive
Writing Journals
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Mid- day 1015-1245
Specials Art Music Gym
Library
Centers Free choice of structured activities in
the classroom Computer Room Head sprout or
Academy of Reading/Math Lunch
Recess Rest time
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Afternoon 1245-245
Peer Tutors grade 3/4 students Math
Instruction numbers shapes money time
addition subtraction problem
solving Thematic Units Science and Social
Studies Snack Free Play Read Aloud
Prepare for dismissal
12
Kindergarten Standards

• Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early
  Childhood

13

• Pennsylvania Kindergarten Standards are designed
  as a framework for quality in kindergarten
  programs and to provide guidance about what
  children should know or be able to do.

14
Standards are meant to be used to

• Inform teachers and administrators about
  curriculum and assessment, and to guide in the
  selection of instructional materials that promote
  an emphasis on cross-curriculum integration.
• Inform parents of appropriate expectations for
  kindergarteners.
• Support community and education partnership by
  providing a common framework for discussion about
  curriculum, assessment, and transition into first
  grade.
• Establish partnerships.

15
Kindergarten Standards at a glance

• Approaches to Learning
• Arts and Humanities
• Family-School-Community Partnership
• Health, Safety, and Physical Health
• Mathematics
• Personal Social
• Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening
• Science
• Social Studies

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Kindergarten Standards

• High quality kindergarten programs have a
  collaborative relationship and ongoing
  communication with early care and education
  settings to provide a smooth transition of
  children and families into kindergarten.
• PA Department of Education and
  Department of
  Public Welfare 2007

17

• -Formative
• -Summative

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Formative Assessment

• Drives our instruction (feedback from this type
  of assessment is used to adapt our teaching to
  meet the students needs)
• Examples
• Anecdotal notes
• Running records (DIBELS-monthly Language Arts
  assessment)

19
Summative Assessment

• Summarizes learning to a certain point (what
  students know or do not know)
• Examples
• Benchmark Assessments
• (Phonemic Awareness)
• Monthly Language Arts Assessments
• Math Assessments one-on-one with math
  manipulatives
• Daily Developmental Assessments

20
Why We Assess

• To determine what needs to be taught (drives our
  instruction)
• See what the students know or do not know
• Determine if our curriculum objectives are being
  met

21
Technology

• Technology enables students to learn in ways not
  previously possible.
• Five, Six and Seven year olds are developing
  self-concepts, motor skills, and manipulating
  real objects. Their vocabulary is expanding at
  an exponential rate.
• Young students learn best through exploration and
  interaction. Technology lends itself to this
  style of learning.

22
Technology in Kindergarten

• Developmentally appropriate activities are
  planned to provide students with opportunities to
  utilize technology as they accomplish curriculum
  objectives and meet state standards.
• By the end of Kindergarten, students demonstrate
  a sound understanding of the nature and operation
  of technology systems.

23
Our Kindergarten Technology Resources

• Four computers in each classroom (used for
  centers)
• 1. Headsprout Language Arts software
• 2. Academy of Learning Math/Lang. Arts
• 3. Educational websites
• www.starfall.com
• www.pbskids.com
• www.scholastic.com

24
Resources continued

• Digital Cameras
• Listening Centers
• Each classroom visits the computer lab two times
  throughout our six day schedule.
• -Headsprout
• -Academy of Learning
• -Basic introduction to the keyboard

25
Our Future

• Technology is becoming a visible
• part of childrens lives. From
• classroom settings, to home use,
• computers are now a part of how
• children learn, play and communicate.

26
Child Development
Recent brain research makes it clear that
childrens learning is enhanced by their early
childhood experiences. Therefore, educators are
shifting their approach to support childrens
learning well before they arrive at
elementary school.
Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities,
Executive Summary Foreword by Dr. Vincent
Ferrandino, executive director o f the National
Association of Elementary School Principals.
Coudersport School District
27
Child Development
Between three and five years of age, there is an
emergence of increasingly complex social
behaviors, emotional capacities, problem-solving
abilities, and pre-literacy skills that build on
earlier developmental achievements and are
essential building blocks for a successful
life. By the ages of four and five, most
children have learned the basics of the
grammatical system in their language, can detect
and identify simple emotions in themselves and
others, begin to understand other peoples points
of view, experience emotions that are important
to the development of conscience (e.g., shame and
guilt), have learned the rudiments of how to
negotiate with others to achieve common goals,
and can sit quietly with a group of children and
pay attention for at least brief periods of
time. In the absence of intervention, early
social class disparities in language and
social-emotional development can become
increasingly apparent during this period and grow
with age.  
Coudersport School District
28
Child Development
  Critical aspects of brain architecture begin
to be shaped by experience before and soon after
birth, and many fundamental aspects of that
architecture are established well before a child
enters school.   The architecture of the brain
depends on the mutual influences of genetics,
environment, and experience.
Working paper 5 The Timing and Quality of Early
Experiences Combine to Shape Brain
Architecture first printing February 2008
Coudersport School District
29
Pre K
research shows that access to good early
childhood programs with appropriate curriculum
and content, and in particular, good early
childhood teachers, may help bridge this
achievement gap by providing children from lower
socioeconomic status or from at-risk environments
with social and academic experiences that
correlate with school success (Caughy,
DiPietro, Strobino, 1994Peisner-Feinberg,
Clifford,Culkin, Howes, Kagan, 1999 Lee
Burkham, 2002)    
The Early Childhood Challenge Preparing
High-Quality Teachers for a Changing Society A
White Paper of the American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education FOCUS COUNCIL ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION June 2004
Coudersport School District
30
Pre - K
Research supports the contention that the
professional preparation of teachers, focused
primarily on child development and early
childhood education, is the main factor in
assuring the quality of pre kindergarten centers
and positive student outcomes. (Bowman,
Donovan Burns, 2001)
The Early Childhood Challenge Preparing
High-Quality Teachers for a Changing Society A
White Paper of the American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education FOCUS COUNCIL ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION June 2004
Coudersport School District
31
Pre K
  Young children also learn a great deal from
each other. They learn how to share, to engage
in reciprocal interactions (e.g., taking turns,
giving and receiving), to take the needs and
desires of others into account, and to manage
their own impulses. Just being around other
children, however, is not enough. The development
of friendships is essential, as children learn
and play more competently in the rapport created
with friends rather than when they are dealing
with the social challenges of interacting with
casual acquaintances or unfamiliar peers.  
  YOUNG CHILDREN DEVELOP IN ANENVIRONMENT OF
RELATIONSHIPS THIRD PRINTING DECEMBER 2006 N A
T I O N A L S C I E N T I F I C C O U N C I L O N
T H E D E V E L O P I N G C H I L D  
Coudersport School District
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Program Planning

• 7 Principles of High-Quality Early Childhood
  Programs
•  
• NAESP endorses accreditation criteria for early
  childhood
• programs developed by the National Association
  for the
• Education of Young Children and professional
  standards
• developed by Head Start.
• The following indicators are not
• meant to replace or replicate that work. Instead,
  
• they are meant to be a jumping-off point for
  principals
• to begin to define quality in early childhood
  programs
• and to engage in conversations about the quality
  of
• early childhood programs where they live.
•  

Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities,
Executive Summary Foreword by Dr. Vincent
Ferrandino, executive director o f the National
Association of Elementary School
Principals.        
Coudersport School District
33
Program Planning

• Supportive interactions between teachers and
  children.
• Safe, supportive and engaging learning
  environments.
• Focus on the whole child.
• Meaningful learning for the individual child.
• A culture of authentic assessment and continuous
  learning.
• Connections to families and community
  organizations.
• Effective administration.
•  

Leading Early Childhood Learning Communities,
Executive Summary Foreword by Dr. Vincent
Ferrandino, executive director o f the National
Association of Elementary School
Principals.        
Coudersport School District
34
Transition
A survey was conducted of 132 families in
Northeastern urban school districts whose
children had completed early childhood programs
and were transitioning to kindergarten to
explore the question about families experiences
and involvement with the transition process.  
  S U M M A R Y O F R E S E A R C H F I N D I N
G S Early Childhood Best Practices Revised
February 2008  
Coudersport School District
35
Transition
The survey found that most parents wanted to be
more involved in their childs transition. Also,
approximately 80 wanted more information about
academic expectations in kindergarten and their
childs new teacher. It was also noted that
families that qualified for government
assistance were much less likely to be involved
in transition activities. Recommendations were
made on the need for bringing families and
educators together on this issue. McIntyre, L.
(2007). Transition to Kindergarten Family
Experiences and Involvement. Early Childhood
Education Journal, 35(1), 83-88.
  S U M MA R Y O F R E S E A R C H F I N D I N
G S Early Childhood Best Practices Revised
February 2008  
Coudersport School District
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Transition
This article stresses the importance of
transitions and transition practices for school
success since only 20 of U.S. schools have
transition practices in place to support young
children and their families entering
kindergarten.    
  S U M M A R Y O F R E S E A R C H F I N D I N
G S Early Childhood Best Practices Revised
February 2008  
Coudersport School District
37
Coudersport Transitions

• We have conducted a number of transition
  opportunities
• Kindergarten Registration Paperwork Mailed in
  Advance
• Three meetings with Pre-School Teachers and
  Leaders in the Area
• Early Intervention Visits and Meetings with
  Teachers/ Parents
• Meetings with Headstart for Transition Planning
• Kindergarten Information Cards Shared with
  Preschools
• in the Area to help prepare class lists.
• Kindergarten Registration Day / All Teachers
  Participated
• Kindergarten Then and Now Information Session
  for Parents
• Kindergarten Experience Day
• Kindergarten Summer Visitation Day
• Open House in September
•  

Coudersport School District
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Local Information
Who has a Pre-K Program in Our Area? Austin Camer
on County Galeton Oswayo Valley Otto-Eldred Northe
rn Potter Smethport
Coudersport School District
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Local Information
Number of Students Entering School for
2008-2009 Projected Number of Kindergarten
Students 64 Students Number of Students Who
Attended a Pre-School Program 49 Students
Coudersport School District
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Local Information
Coudersport School District
41
Technology
Thomas Friedman talks about the first computer
operating system in his book about the history of
the twenty-first century. He states that The
first version of the Windows operating system
launched in 1985, and Windows 3.0 shipped on
May 22, 1990. That was only 18 years ago. So he
states that, popularized personal computing,
eliminated another hugely important barrier
the limit on the amount of information that any
single individual could amass, author,
manipulate, and diffuse.      
The World Is Flat Thomas L. Friedman
Coudersport School District
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Technology
What can our children do with technology?
Lets Look at how two year olds are using
todays technology to learn and develop motor
skills.
Coudersport School District
43
Global Impact
A growing proportion of the U.S. workforce will
have been raised in disadvantaged environments
that are associated with relatively high
proportions of individuals with diminished
cognitive and social skills. These findings
lead to the conclusion that the most efficient
strategy for strengthening the future workforce,
both economically and neuro-biologically, and
improving its quality of life is to invest in
the environments of disadvantaged children
during the early childhood years.  
Economic, neurobiological, and behavioral
perspectives on building Americas future
workforce Eric I. Knudsen, James J. Heckman,
Judy L. Cameron, and Jack P. Shonkoff Departmen
t of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5125 Department of
Economics,
Coudersport School District
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Global Impact
  Regrettably, the United States lags behind
many other developed countries in providing
equitable learning opportunities for its younger
children (Hodgkinson, 2003). This early
disparity of learning opportunities has not only
future academic implications for Americas
children, but also serious social and economic
repercussions for our society, as various
demographic and economic policy studies show
(Committee for Economic Development, 2002
Hodgkinson,2003).
The Early Childhood Challenge Preparing
High-Quality Teachers for a Changing Society A
White Paper of the American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education FOCUS COUNCIL ON
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION June 2004
Coudersport School District
45
State Standards
This loosely organized and distributed system
of early childhood opportunity is now being
asked to intentionally contribute to childrens
skill growth in ways that are measurable.  
Social Policy Report Giving Child and Youth
Development Knowledge Away Volume XIX, Number III
2005 A Publication of the Society for Research in
Child Development Article begins on page 3 PK-3
An Aligned and Coordinated Approach to Education
for Children 3 to 8 Years Old
Coudersport School District
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State Standards
  Social Policy Report Giving
Child and Youth Development Knowledge Away Volume
XIX, Number III 2005 A Publication of the Society
for Research in Child Development Article begins
on page 3 PK-3 An Aligned and Coordinated
Approach to Education for Children 3 to 8 Years
Old
By directly addressing these issues in the 3-8
age range, Bogard and Takanishi are implicitly
recognizing that there is a new American primary
school, and it starts at 3.
Coudersport School District
47
Pre K Standards
Concepts of alignment and integration (and the
subordinate aspects of curriculum, training,
etc.) are facets applicable to any grade level
or aspect of K-12 school reform.
Social Policy Report Giving Child and Youth
Development Knowledge Away Volume XIX, Number III
2005 A Publication of the Society for Research in
Child Development Article begins on page 3 PK-3
An Aligned and Coordinated Approach to Education
for Children 3 to 8 Years Old
Coudersport School District
48
PSSA

• 2014
• 100 Proficiency
• Grades 3,4,5,6,7,8 and 11
• READING MATH
• Current Kindergarten Students will be in Grade 6.
• The incoming Class of Kindergarten will be in
  Grade 5.
• The Pre-K class of 2008 -2009 will be in Grade 4.
  
• Without Pre-K, our students will have one less
  year
• with a certified teacher in Early Childhood
  Education
• to develop and refine their skills.

Coudersport School District
49
Conclusions
Genetics supplies a basic plan for brain
development, just as an architect supplies a
blueprint for building a house. The genetic
plan instructs the basic properties of the nerve
cells and lays down the basic rules for
interconnecting nerve cells within and across
circuits. In this manner, genes provide the
initial construction plan for the brains
architecture.
Working paper 5 The Timing and Quality of Early
Experience Brain Architectures Combine to
Shape first printing February 2008
Coudersport School District
50
Conclusions
High-quality information, combined with
sophisticated experiences later in life, allows
the architecture of circuits involved in higher
functions to take full advantage of their
genetic potential. Thus, early learning lays the
foundation for later learning and is essential
(though not sufficient) for the development of
optimized brain architecture. Stated simply,
stimulating early experience must be followed by
more sophisticated and diverse experiences later
in life, when high-level circuits are maturing,
in order for full potential to be achieved.
Working paper 5 The Timing and Quality of Early
Experiences Combine to Shape Brain
Architecture first printing February 2008
Coudersport School District
51
Conclusions
A Look at Foundations
Coudersport School District
52
Foundations
Brains are built over time and a substantial
proportion is constructed during the early years
of life. The basic architecture of the brain
is constructed through an ongoing process,
beginning before birth and continuing into early
adulthood. Like the construction of a home,
the building process begins with laying the
foundation, framing the rooms, and wiring the
electrical system in a predictable sequence, and
it continues with the incorporation of
distinctive features that reflect increasing
individuality over time.  
Center on the Developing Child Harvard
University A Science-Based Framework for Early
Childhood Policy  
Coudersport School District
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A mind that is stretched by new experiences
can never go back to its old dimensions. The
re is no limit to how far we stretch the
mind of our pre K students
Oliver Wendell Holmes SR. (1809-1894) American
Physician and Writer
Coudersport School District