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Making Oregon the best place to be a kid.

Q&A: A Kindergarten Teacher in Baker City, in Her Own Words

Q&A: A Kindergarten Teacher in Baker City, in Her Own Words

by | Sep 6, 2018 | Parents and Families, School Readiness, Teacher Voice

Over the summer, Children’s Institute highlighted the important work of early childhood educators, hearing from teachers across the state about their experiences teaching preschool and kindergarten. We’re wrapping up the series as fall approaches with some additional insights into school readiness.

Cynthia Norton Explains What Kindergarten Readiness Means in Her Classroom

Cynthia Norton is a kindergarten teacher at Brooklyn Primary School, a K–3 school in Baker City. In this brief interview, Cynthia shares what parents can do to help prepare their children for kindergarten, and a bit about what she’s learned from her students over the years.

Why do you teach kindergarten, and what are you most looking forward to as school gets started?

I teach kindergarten because I love helping young children achieve their goals. Every day in kindergarten is so exciting: all the students make so much growth both academically and socially.

I’m really looking forward to making connections with my new students and their families. I love building a relationship with every student and their families. Each student brings a unique quality to our classroom which is the perfect design for our new community. I love working with all the students to discover what that will look like for the year. Of course, this changes over time and everyone finds their groove.

What does it mean for a child to be kindergarten ready?

For a student to be ready for kindergarten they need to be ready to learn. In my mind they don’t have to all be at the same level, but it’s nice if they have been read to on a daily basis. If parents are able to have this reading interaction with their 5-year-old it is a huge advantage for kindergarten. Being ready for kindergarten also means being able to follow directions from an adult.

To learn more about summer programs that can help prepare students to go back to school, and the importance of reading at home, check out our recent story on summer programs at Earl Boyles Elementary School and in Drain, Oregon.

What have you learned from past students that will impact your teaching this year?

I have learned so much from my past students. Having the ability to be flexible with every student is vital. I had a student during a math lesson show the class how he was able to solve a problem using a different method than the one I taught. This was so valuable to me and the rest of the class.

My students have also taught me to never give up on them and to have an unconditional belief in their abilities, and to always keep a smile on my face and try new things. Each year I learn so much from my class and the experiences they provide.

IRCO Releases Their Preschool Research Project

IRCO Releases Their Preschool Research Project

by | Sep 6, 2018 | What We're Reading

In response to community concerns, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) studied the need for culturally responsive preschool programs to serve immigrant and refugee families in the Portland Metropolitan area. IRCO works to support the needs of immigrant and refugee children and their families and developed the first culturally specific early learning program in 1992. IRCO spoke with 90 participants representing Nepali Bhutanese, Burmese, Congolese, Somali, Iraqi, Latino, Pacific Islander, Slavic, and Vietnamese communities.

These focus groups described their difficulty accessing resources and supports as a result of language barriers, and the lack of affordable child care to accommodate their schedules. Income and work requirements and a lack of transportation make it difficult for families to access preschool.  Families also voiced fears that their culture, language, and traditions could be lost when their children enter U.S. schools. Culturally responsive preschool programs that take families’ linguistic and cultural needs into account and create partnerships between schools and families can begin to address these concerns. 

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For Kids Going Back to School, Summer Experiences Matter

For Kids Going Back to School, Summer Experiences Matter

by | Aug 22, 2018 | Early Works, Featured Programs, Parents and Families, School Readiness

Educators and parents of school-aged children are likely familiar with the term “summer slide”— the loss of skills and knowledge kids can experience over summer vacation. The impact is widespread, with 90 percent of teachers spending at least three weeks every fall re-teaching old material, according to surveys by the National Summer Learning Association.

But the summer slide is steeper for some children than others: according to the RAND Corporation, children from higher-income backgrounds actually gain ground in reading over the summer, while children from low-income families fall behind. A study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins found that two-thirds of the achievement gaps observed between 9th graders from low-income backgrounds and their higher income peers can be traced to summer learning loss.

Income-based achievement gaps are, in reality, opportunity gaps. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Education found that rising first-graders from low-income families were less likely than their more affluent peers to engage in learning activities over the summer including math, writing, and reading, or to visit museums, libraries, and historic sites.

To prevent summer slide and the resulting achievement gaps, we must provide children from low-income families with access to summer learning opportunities, and we must start early. This summer, we visited programs in Southeast Portland and Douglas County to learn more about their approach to providing young students with summer learning opportunities.

Summer Bookworms at Earl Boyles Elementary

Summer Bookworms, now in its seventh summer, is part of our Early Works initiative, a new approach to early learning and supporting young children’s healthy development. Summer Bookworms serves up to 24 rising first- and second-grade students at-risk of falling behind in reading. During four weeks in July and August, students meet daily with a lead elementary school teacher and receive one-on-one tutoring with Reading Results, reading sessions with SMART (Start Making a Reader Today), and free books from the Children’s Book Bank.
During our visit to Summer Bookworms, Reading Results Executive Director Jennifer Samuels explained the role of each organization: Reading Results employs trained tutors to deliver data-driven, targeted reading instruction that addresses students’ individual learning gaps and capitalizes on their strengths; SMART volunteers provide time for student-led one-on-one reading that emphasizes reading for fun; in-class instruction with a licensed teacher reinforces the reading strategies; and Children’s Book Bank gives students books to bring these learning activities into their homes.
On the day we visited, students worked quietly with Reading Results tutors at tables scattered throughout the school’s library, while others enthusiastically perused book offerings to read with their SMART mentors. When asked about the best book she’s read so far over the summer, one rising first-grader pointed first to Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems, but then quickly selected four other books on the table, adding them all to her list of favorites.

Summer Play to Learn in Douglas County

In Drain, Oregon, educators and community members have focused their summer learning efforts on kindergarten readiness. Four years ago, Erin Helgren, the site liaison for Children’s Institute’s Early Works initiative at Yoncalla Elementary School, collaborated with representatives from the nearby communities of Elkton and Drain to secure grant funding from the Oregon Community Foundation for Summer Play to Learn. The program meets twice a week for seven weeks, offering interactive circle time, reading and math activities, play time in the park, free lunch, swimming, books to take home, and training to help parents support their children’s learning. The sessions are developed and taught by early childhood educators in the area.
Developed with the community’s needs in mind, the program is the only one in the area that aims to curb summer learning loss and is free and open to all families. This enables parents with kids at a range of ages to participate, something parent Brenda Russell explains was important to her and many other families. Russell also appreciates the relationships that she’s developed through the program. “You build support here because you learn from one another and you create friendships. It’s a positive thing.”

The teachers leading the program are equally enthusiastic. “I just had an amazing moment in the reading tent with one of my students from last year,” kindergarten teacher Kaaron Lyons told us. “We got to read together and for me as a teacher, it was so amazing to see what she’s learned!”

By providing free learning opportunities for students, Earl Boyles Elementary and the communities of Elkton, Yoncalla, and Drain are helping to nurture young children’s natural love of learning while addressing opportunity gaps and preventing summer slide.

For more on the SMART program and their role at Earl Boyles Elementary this summer, check out our podcast conversation with SMART’s executive director and program manager.

Q&A: A Kindergarten Teacher in Beaverton, in Her Own Words

Q&A: A Kindergarten Teacher in Beaverton, in Her Own Words

by | Aug 15, 2018 | Parents and Families, School Readiness, Teacher Voice

This summer Children’s Institute is highlighting the important work of early childhood educators teaching preschool through third grade. In this series of profiles, teachers from across the state tell us why they teach young children, what they wish people knew about their work, and what they’ve learned in their jobs.

Evelyn Hinds Explains Why Kindergarten is Such an Important Year for Kids

Evelyn Hinds is a kindergarten teacher at Rock Creek Elementary School in the Beaverton School District. Rock Creek, a K–5 school of nearly 600 students, serves a diverse population, with 31 different home languages spoken at the school. In this interview, Evelyn explains why kindergarten is such an important year for children, and how positive, supportive relationships lay the foundations for students’ future success.

Why do you teach kindergarten?

I truly love teaching kindergarten because of the amazing opportunities for growth that 5- and 6-year-old children experience during this pivotal year. Across all domains—socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically—kindergarten is a year of immense change that brings both joys and challenges. It is also a year of transition as children typically enter a new phase of their schooling, bringing the opportunity to establish a multitude of positive associations with learning, peers, teachers, and the school community as a whole. I am passionate about doing all I can to provide my kindergartners with a supportive environment that will enhance their growth through this significant period of development. I am dedicated to supporting children and their families during kindergarten in a way that sets them up for success in education and in life.

What is one thing about your job you wish people knew?

I wish people understood on a deeper level what a great task I have been given in my job and that it is an incredible honor to partner with young learners and their families every day. When provided with supportive, enriching relationships and environments, young children thrive and display curiosity, empathy, and resourcefulness in ways that continually humble me. The skills and strategies that kindergarteners can learn allow them to grow as thinkers who look at the world and the people in it in ways that are respectful and demonstrate their desire to contribute to positive change. I wish more people realized the incredible opportunity we have to shape young minds and hearts during this crucial stage of development.

Can you describe a learning experience you’ve had that has impacted your teaching?

I am deeply grateful for a learning experience I had several years ago that has impacted my teaching in profound ways. After completing a graduate program in education, I had the opportunity to volunteer at an orphanage in the eastern African country of Tanzania. The young children who called the orphanage home were between infancy and five years of age and had all experienced great trauma in their young lives. What stood out to me during the couple months I was there was how the positive, nurturing relationships between the incredible staff and the children were changing lives in amazing ways. I was also impressed with how the aid that British organizations provided to the orphanage brought in resources that further supported the children in their growth and development. This powerful combination of positive relationships and critical resources were giving young children the foundation for unbelievable growth, completely reversing their prospects for the future. I believe this same truth applies to the students I teach as well.

Q&A: A Kindergarten Teacher in Tillamook, in Her Own Words

Q&A: A Kindergarten Teacher in Tillamook, in Her Own Words

by | Aug 1, 2018 | Benefits of Preschool, Parents and Families, School Readiness, Teacher Voice

This summer Children’s Institute is highlighting the important work of early childhood educators teaching preschool through third grade. In this series of profiles, teachers from across the state tell us why they teach young children, what they wish people knew about their work, and what they’ve learned in their jobs.

Beth Ann Hendrickson Shares Her Life-Long Passion for Teaching

Beth Ann Hendrickson is a preschool teacher at Liberty Elementary School in the Tillamook School District. The school is a Preschool Promise site, serving 20 students. In this interview, Beth Ann tells us how her passion for teaching began at a young age, how she provides her students with a range of activities and lessons, and what she’s learned about teaching from her own students.

Why do you teach preschool?

I don’t think that there has ever been a time when I haven’t wanted to be a teacher. My teaching career began early in life. As the big sister, I bestowed my teaching talents upon my six younger siblings. Since paper was scarce in our house, I often resorted to other resources to teach my lessons. I remember dumping a box of jell-o on a cookie sheet to have them practice handwriting. While my mom was a true supporter of learning, my school was restricted to the outdoors after that incident. This presented a new challenge: now I had to compete with my siblings’ play time. I was undaunted in my pursuit of teaching and decided to incorporate their play into my school which I found to be quite effective. I’m happy to report that two of my siblings have also chosen to be teachers.

For me teaching preschool is such a rewarding and awesome experience! I enjoy being with children. I especially like learning with them and from them. Children love to learn! They absorb their environment with all their senses, letting their imaginations flow and their curious natures take over. There isn’t a dull moment in our classroom; sometimes it’s a moment of discovery, or laughter, or even tears; each of these times is special. This is a time in the lives of children when they often say exactly what is on their minds. Most of them haven’t learned to stop and think before they say things. For the most part, being embarrassed is not even a part of their world. This results in the most delightful conversations. I leave school each day with memories that will last a lifetime.

What is one thing about your job you wish people knew?

I want others to understand that teaching preschool is not babysitting. Teaching preschool is often a difficult, exhausting, and sometimes frustrating job, but it’s important work. It demands a lot of time, attention, and most of all creativity. I want others to know that it’s a balancing act in a preschool classroom. A teacher needs to know when to teach directly, when to provide time for exploration and discovery, when to practice skills, and when to encourage creativity. This is vital in order to provide the optimal learning experience for each child. I love and embrace this challenge every day.

Can you describe a learning experience you’ve had that has impacted your teaching?

There are numerous incidents throughout my teaching career that have impacted me as a teacher. The first time I experienced dropping my child off at school was an eye-opening experience. Michelle, my daughter, was very excited about her first day of school until we walked into the classroom. She clung to me while her younger brothers scampered to play with all the new toys. Amidst the confusion, I vaguely recall her teacher assuring me that if I’d leave, everything would be fine. My heart stopped cold—not too long ago I also used those very same words to “comfort and assure” parents. With a heavy heart, I gathered up the boys, disentangled myself from my daughter’s tight embrace, and trudged back to the car. I alternated between feelings of grief, anger, guilt, and even jealousy all the way home. The gloomy atmosphere didn’t improve back at home. The boys didn’t fully comprehend why Michelle couldn’t come home with them when she didn’t want to stay at school. I have since learned to prepare parents and families for this in my conferences with them before their child starts preschool. Oh, and Michelle did enjoy school that day.

Another important moment for me as a teacher occurred during a listening/following directions activity. Three girls were working on the activity, which asked them to draw a bird under a tree. Two of them held up their completed pictures of a tree with a little bird under the branches and quickly scampered off to play. I then focused on the third young lady, who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. I watched her meticulously draw a beautiful bird with every detail imaginable, and then proceed to draw an equally fabulous tree right on top of the bird, completely covering it. I was astounded and asked her to describe her picture. She looked at me with an equally astounded look, held up her picture, and said, “This is a picture of a bird under a tree.” It took me a moment, but then realized that she was indeed following my instructions; however, she was thinking differently than most children. She was layering the tree on top of the bird, so the bird was indeed under the tree. She has taught me to “think out of the box.” This isn’t the first time this has happened in my teaching career, but it’s a wonderful reminder to think beyond what is accepted as the “norm.” I have since learned that I have to think carefully about how my instructions can be interpreted and carried out and not to make snap assessments when I see the results. I now pause and take a moment before responding to most anything.