Learning is a mysterious thing. How did you come to know that when you look up it is the sky that you see? Or that filling a cup too full of liquid will cause it to overflow? When children learn language, it works the same way.

I found an article about children’s language development recently, and it made me wonder. I asked our infant and toddler specialist about how children develop language, and she said “bathe the children in language, don’t drown them.” I like that. I immediately pictured an adult talking with a child rather than telling the child what to do. She told me about a study that compared the development of children whose parents only talked directly to them (“put your shoes away”, “eat supper”, “sit down”) to those who had conversations with them.  The children who had conversations were significantly more developed in language and communication than the children who were given directives only. 

The article supports what Christine said and the author gives simple advice to parents and caregivers to help boost children’s language development:  “Talk to your child about what they’re focused on. Read to your child often. If they’re in a bilingual home, speak to the child and read to the child in the language that you’re most comfortable with. Speak clearly and naturally and use real words. Show excitement when the child speaks.”

Hmmmmm, I think we can do that.

We are counting down the days until the Fourth Annual Northern Kentucky Leadership Conference, which is just around the corner. On Friday, May 14, we will look closely at how a director can really invest in quality care.  

Topics for the conference will include brain development, the importance of play, parent involvement, having an anti-bias curriculum and hiring and firing of staff. Participants will have the opportunity to receive five hours of professional development.  

Keynote speaker Larry Griffin is coming to the 4C conference through a generous sponsorship from Kaplan Early Learning Company, where Mr. Griffin works as a National Education Consultant and is one of their most dynamic and requested national speakers. He is a powerful speaker and draws from his vast experience in early education to make his presentations entertaining and relevant. He has trained thousands of teachers, administrators, and parents across this country and in Europe. Mr. Griffin has a B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and a M.Ed. in Education Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Mr. Griffin consults with programs that are striving to create effective learning environments.  We are excited about Larry Griffin’s keynote and sessions, and are confident he will inspire administrators to achieve higher levels of quality.

Each year OAEYC, the Ohio affiliate of The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), recognizes outstanding early childhood leaders from across the state. One of the honorees this year is Patti Gleason, president of Cincinnati Early Learning Centers, Inc. (CELC), who was selected for the "Outstanding Program Administrator Award." Patti is the longtime leader of a number of exceptional programs in the Cincinnati area. CELC programs are all three-star rated through Ohio's Step Up To Quality initiative, and her agency was the first in the state to have a three-star rating for all of their centers during the Step Up To Quality pilot. Congratulations Patti! 

Also, 4C Leadership Coach Kathleen Bryan was nominated by her Child Development Associate (CDA) class for the "Outstanding Mentor Award." While she didn’t receive the award “officially,” I would like to commend Kathleen for her accomplishments as a CDA instructor. She is one of many 4C specialists who serve as mentors for programs and individuals every day. I consider her nomination a representation of 4C's hard work to improve the quality of early childhood education and care across the region.

PD Support Specialist Kelsi Dick gives you the scoop on PD Track...

Over the years, I’ve spoken with many of you as you registered for workshops at 4C.  You’ve given our staff some great suggestions about improvements to our registration process.  Now, thanks to a partnership with the Ohio Professional Development Network, 4C registration has received a total makeover—and I think you’re going to love it.

Remember the days of calling before you registered to see whether the workshop you wanted was full?  Now you can log on and see all 4C workshops at a glance—what’s full, how many spaces are left, and when registration closes.   Once you submit your registration, a space is instantly reserved for you—so I’ll never be calling to say we didn’t have enough space to fit you in again!  And if you realize that you’ve chosen the wrong workshop, you can cancel with the click of a button.  Same great workshops, new and improved registration process, all for you.

Signing up is simple, just visit www.opdn.org to get started.  The Ohio Professional Development Web site and PD Registry are managed by the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association

Professional Development Coordinator Sadie Bonifas blogs about children’s art experiences

Over the holidays, I visited programs and was happy to see lots of children’s artwork displayed on the walls. Displaying children’s artwork is a great way to encourage pride and showcase children’s work to parents. However, as I walked around the classrooms, I saw elves, snowmen, and coloring in out-lined drawings, which is clearly following an adult-made model.

It made me think back to a poem I read (or was it song lyrics), about a little boy, who on the first day of school wanted to paint flowers of all different colors. The boy’s teacher told him that the flowers had to be red and the leaves had to be green. When he moved and went to a new school, the teacher wanted painting to be fun so she put out many colors. But the boy only painted red flowers with green leaves in neat rows.

Children need freedom of expression, especially young children who are just exploring and learning. Provide lots of materials to explore art, such as paper, markers, crayons, paint, scissors, and glue. Show children how to use the materials, but not what to make or create. Talk to the child and ask questions about what they are creating. When a child is given an example of the end product or told what to create, she doesn’t have room to make choices, to explore, or to learn. When children follow an adult model of art, what results, is children who don’t have confidence in their own abilities to explore and the result is red flowers with green leaves in neat rows.

My family is a big one. Grandparents, 12 aunts and uncles, 19 cousins, my parents, and me. This year marks the first holiday season where we celebrate with four generations amongst us. We range in age from 6 months to 83 years. Last night, at the first of many gatherings over the holiday season, I watched as the newest member of our clan smiled happily as various relatives cuddled him. He basked in the warmth of smiles and embraces, smiling back himself. This year has brought two babies into our family, the first in 16 years. A spell was cast over my family, and it was a joy to watch and participate in. I wish you all the best over this holiday season, and I hope there is a child, or many, that bring joy to you and your family over the holidays.

The faster families are able to receive financial assistance, the sooner they can start in your program—increasing your enrollment and enhancing your program’s financial stability. 

In a continued effort to help you navigate these tough times, 4C has put together an opportunity for directors of early care and education programs in Hamilton County.

On December 8^th from 1:30-3 PM, 4C will host an information session featuring Amy Story, Director at Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services, in a candid discussion about assisting families in receiving financial assistance through HCJFS. Ms. Story will be joined by a panel of program directors who have implemented successful systems to complete paperwork and expedite the enrollment process.

Did you know:

·         Families usually wait over 30 days to receive child care financial assistance?

·         75% of applications are incomplete, extending the period to receive assistance by up to 30 additional days?

·         You have the power to help families complete applications correctly and receive assistance more quickly?

To register for this informational session, please contact 4C at 513-758-1301.

Similar sessions will be offered in other regions served by 4C for Children in the future.

 Tomorrow I am going to a workshop.  

Judging by how often I see many of you here in workshops at 4C, these words must cross your mind frequently. Wake up, get dressed, make the coffee, hop in the car, and drive to 4C. “What workshop am I attending again? Oh surely they will know which workshop or my name will be on the list, or maybe my coworker will remember,” you say to yourself. The funny thing  is, when you don’t prepare to learn, you won’t.  

Tomorrow I am attending a marketing workshop sponsored by another organization. Instead of just tucking the flier and the directions into my planner until I hit the road, I did something different this time. I re-read the flier, I Googled the presenter, and I made some notes about what I know about persuasive marketing.  I also identified my personal goals for the session. I made a commitment to participate in the workshop in a way that I am comfortable. I also decided that I will learn from the presenter, but I am really going to listen to the other participants, because they have expertise to share too.   I don’t know exactly what I will learn, or what I will do with it, but I promise to report back to you. I will make a commitment to put my learning to use, right here in this blog. Check back to see what I learned and what I plan to do with it....