Disinfecting your keyboards…

I know that when I was working in a center environment, all the teachers used the same computer in the office for things like finding contact information on families or finding forms to print.

Imagine how ookie that keyboard must have been. There's a report in the Boston Globe today about a study of keyboards used by nurses and how they were just loaded with bacteria and such. I can see how that would be and know that in a child care environment you come across similar germs and the like.

The study tested out some disinfecting wipes to see if they would get rid of the bad stuff and yet not harm the keyboard. What worked?

"Clorox wipes, CaviWipes and Sani-Cloths. All worked well, removing 95 to 100 percent of bacteria. So did three other products, plain old 70 percent isopropyl alcohol; Vesthene, a different germicide; and a chlorine product containing 80 parts of chlorine per million."

Not a bad habit to get into before the sick season hits in a couple of months...

Classroom Wishlist

Classroom Wishlist

What an awesome idea. I cannot begin to tell you how much money I've spent over the years on things for the classroom because it wasn't in the budget or because a director or whoever deemed it unnecessary. I should own stock in the contact paper company. Seriously. And how many times did I run out of boxes of tissues before the year was over? And really, I cannot name a single time that there was enough colored tissue paper for a single project I've done.

And I'm not a wasteful teacher, either. I save every little scrap of tissue and construction paper. I get newspapers to donate the ends of their rolls of paper for art projects. I use the backs of company letterheads that would be tossed out every time someone goes through "rebranding." I am the queen of wallpaper and carpet scraps. I melt crayons down into multi-colored sticks. I make my own paints, pastes and glues wherever possible. Every container for manipulatives and art supplies used to be a container for something else -- oatmeal, chocolate milk mix, baby wipes... I could go on forever here.

Now, you can sign up here, add items to your wishlist and send a brochure to your parents. If they want to donate items, they can do so and it's tax deductible.

Give it a try. If you're already using this system, feel free to leave a comment and let readers know how it's working for you.

Can I Charge More for a Special Needs Child?

L.C. asks:

"I have a question and am seeking input from several people.

I run a small in-home daycare, and have an opening for one child. I am interviewing today to fill the position. The child with the interview is a 6-year-old child with special needs. He has the size/ability of a 2-year-old child. He is diabetic and has down syndrome. I know that is child would require extra care -- would it be wrong to increase my weekly rate for this child?"

Most centers can charge fees related to care above and beyond what another child without special needs would receive, but it's iffy and the costs have to be directly related to services that you provide that fall outside "reasonable accommodations." Because even home child care providers are often required to follow title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it would be best to familiarize yourself with these regulations and do an individualized assessment of your program and how it would handle this child.

The government has a very comprehensive FAQ on this topic here:

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/childq&a.htm

And this can answer many of your questions.

High-Quality Early Childhood Education Provides Clear Long-Term Economic Benefits

Note: Ellen Galinsky knows her stuff. :) I had the opportunity to hear her speak at an NAEYC conference and that was yeeeears ago that she was pushing these same ideas that are now taken for granted as necessary for high quality programs...

High-quality early childhood education programs provide measurable economic benefits, on-going research by the Committee for Economic Development (CED), a business-led public policy group, has found.

CED's latest paper, The Benefits of High-Quality Early Childhood Education Programs: What Makes the Difference?, by Ellen Galinsky, President of the Families and Work Institute, a New York City based research organization, examines the factors associated with high-quality early education programs. Ms. Galinsky examined three well-known, high-quality early education programs -- the High/Scope Perry Preschool project, the Carolina Abcedarian Project and Chicago's Child-Parent Centers (CPC) -- and for one of the first times, has examined what those programs did to have such lasting impact decades later, relying, in part, on interviews with the principal investigators of those programs.

"The Galinsky paper reinforces that high-quality programs are a prerequisite if we expect early childhood education programs to generate future economic returns," said Charles E.M. Kolb, President of CED. "Determining key characteristics of quality Pre-Kindergarten education is an important piece of the argument for investments in early education programs in this country, and this research does just that. Other studies show public benefits of around seven dollars and more for every dollar invested in early childhood education and the Galinsky research shows what common factors can be found in these quality programs."

Findings of The Benefits of High-Quality Early Childhood Education Programs: What Makes the Difference? include: All three programs studied had common factors that contributed to remarkable and enduring effects and return on investment. Some of those basic factors are known:

• They began early (one began in infancy; the other two at age 3).


• They had well-educated, well-trained and well-compensated teachers -- with resulting low-turnover.
  


• They maintained small class sizes and high teacher-child ratios.
  


• They had intensive contact hours with the children.


• Two of the programs extended into the early elementary years.
  


• Parents were strongly involved in the programs.
  

Where this paper makes its greatest contribution is that it goes beyond the basics to explain the programs' long-term success:

• The programs had clear goals that were responsive to the children and families they served, and built support for these goals.




• They focused on the whole child - the child's intellectual, social and emotional learning, physical growth and well-being -not just on the child's intellectual development.
  



• The relationship between the teacher and the child was seen as central to the child's learning.
  



• The children in these programs were viewed as active and experiential learners.
  



• There was a mixture between responsive teaching that extended and elaborated on what the children were already learning and direct teaching in all three programs. The direct teaching was also designed to be engaging and to extend children's learning.
  



• There was a focus on the teachers' ongoing learning.
  

This paper follows the January 10, 2006 New York City conference, Building the Economic Case for Investments in Preschool, a comprehensive forum attended by over 200 business leaders and education experts to discuss progress in local, state and national efforts to establish universal, quality pre- kindergarten for all American children.

The Benefits of High-Quality Early Childhood Education Programs: What makes the Difference?, as well as materials on CED's early childhood education project, including the groundbreaking 2002 report, Preschool for All: Investing in a Productive and Just Society, can be found at www.ced.org.

CED is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of more than 200 business leaders and university presidents. Since 1942, its research and policy programs have addressed many of the nation's most pressing economic and social issues, including education reform, workforce competitiveness, campaign finance, health care, and global trade and finance. CED promotes policies to produce increased productivity and living standards, greater and more equal opportunity for every citizen, and an improved quality of life for all.

Source: Committee for Economic Development

Georgia launches early learning standards

Georgia is pretty serious about education.

I know this because my S.O. went to college completely funded by this great state, while I invested over $50,000 in my education in my home state and I will be paying off my student loans till I'm in the grave, folks.

At any rate, I've known how they feel about "a free college education for all" but I never knew how serious they were about educating their youngest...

When I saw in a press release that some early learning standards were released, I thought I'd go have a look-see.

These standards are excellent and I wish I had something like this when I was caring for infants and toddlers. They focus on the birth to three age range and can do a lot to educate caregivers and parents about what to expect and how to shape a child's learning.

My thoughts...

• Directors can use them to shape your programs and as a basis for staff inservices


• Parents can use them to see what their child should be learning and to help evaluate the child care program their child is attending


• 
  Family child care providers can keep on file for every child in their care as a sort of Individualized Education Program (IEP)
  


• Parents who plan to homeschool can use this as a guideline for the early building blocks for future education
  


• Teachers, caregivers and nannies can use the standards to evaluate the children in their care and to make sure that there are no gaps in their teaching/caregiving.
  

And of course, while all children grow and develop at their own rate, I think that parents and caregivers who use something like this are going to be more apt to notice developmental delays and problems when a child is consistently behind in areas... these types of referrals are so important -- better safe than sorry and the earlier the better!

So download the full version or just those parts you're interested in... it's free and it's one of the best I've seen.

Harcourt Releases System for Handheld Computers that Assesses Children in Kindergarten through Second Grades

Leading test developer and publisher Harcourt Assessment, Inc. has introduced the Early Childhood Observation System(TM) (ECHOS(TM)), which combines technology with ongoing observation in the classroom to help teachers easily monitor the progress of young learners and guide instruction in grades K - 2.

Designed to work on the Palm OS(R) handheld computer, ECHOS makes it easier for teachers to do what they already do -- observe their students in the classroom while they are naturally engaged in every-day activities and monitor what grade-level skills, knowledge or behaviors a student consistently demonstrates or needs to develop.

"The beauty of ECHOS is that it enables teachers to teach and assess at the same time," said Don Barfield, vice president of educational products for Harcourt Assessment. "Because children learn and grow in different ways and at different rates, it can be challenging to assess and monitor the progress of an entire classroom. We developed ECHOS to provide a simple, uniform method for observing and monitoring the progress of young learners and then provide teachers the feedback and information they need to develop effective classroom strategies to ensure that all students can demonstrate essential grade-level skills."

Teachers who have tried ECHOS have reacted favorably. "The teachers loved using the handheld computers for assessing the kids! They were simple and made recordkeeping very easy," said Annette Alberti, a reading specialist and Title I coordinator from Pleasant Grove, Calif.

ECHOS was developed with the guidance of a national panel of early childhood and subject matter experts to ensure that ECHOS evaluates the whole child across the following seven developmental areas: language and literacy; mathematics; social and personal skills; science; social studies; physical development and fitness; and creative arts.

Based on their observations of specific benchmark behaviors in these seven areas, teachers can assign one of four performance levels: not yet demonstrating, emerging, progressing or consistently demonstrates.

Teachers can download their observations to a personal computer and receive immediate feedback from Web-based classroom and student reports that help them plan and implement effective instruction. Home reports in English or Spanish also provide suggested activities that can help parents reinforce or develop their child's skills.

While ECHOS was designed to operate most efficiently on a handheld computer, the system is flexible, so teachers can record their observations on paper then enter them into a personal computer and still receive the same student, classroom and home reports.

Web-based interactive professional development is available to help teachers learn to use ECHOS effectively. It includes instruction on observational assessment, as well as video highlights of early elementary classrooms and teachers.

ECHOS is aligned to the guidelines and standards of the following organizations: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); International Reading Association (IRA); National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE); National Research Council Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM); Center for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education (CSMEE); National Council for the Social Sciences (NCSS); Center for Social and Emotional Education (CSEE); National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE); National Arts and Education Information Network (ArtsEdge); National Association for Music Education (MENC); National Dance Association (NDA); Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

Based in San Antonio, Harcourt Assessment is a leading provider of high-quality assessment instruments and testing programs used by educators, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, human resource professionals, admissions and credentialing professionals, and businesses. Through the development of custom statewide educational testing programs, Harcourt is helping more than 20 states meet the accountability requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The company is a unit of Harcourt Education, which is the global education brand of Reed Elsevier Group plc (NYSE:RUK) (NYSE:ENL). Reed Elsevier is a world-leading publisher and information provider operating in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business industry sectors.

For more information about ECHOS, visit www.echosonline.com.

Visit Harcourt Assessment on the Web at www.HarcourtAssessment.com.

Teacher Self-Evaluation Form

When doing performance evaluations, it's always a good idea to have teachers complete a self-evaluation first. Then you can see what areas the teacher feels are strengths and weaknesses. Also, if a teacher gives herself high marks for something and you had planned on writing up as an area that needs improvement, you can plan on handling that area more delicately. Along the same lines, some teachers may see themselves as weak in a certain area, while you find their performance to be above average. Take the opportunity to let that teacher know about a job well done.

Here is a form you can use to perform teacher self-evaluations. You can download the .pdf and print as is, or you can download the Word version and change the wording to suit your setting.

.pdf version of teacher self-evaluation form

Microsoft Word version of teacher self-evaluation form

Sample Enrollment Form

An enrollment form is more than just a place for contact information. It can be a place to learn more about the child who will be in your care. Knowing information like what a child's favorite toys are or how a parent soothes their crying baby can be so valuable.

Below you will find links to a sample enrollment form. You can save and print the .pdf version or you can download the Word document and make changes to reflect your own setting.

.pdf version of sample enrollment form

Microsoft Word version of sample enrollment form.

Sample Family Child Care Provider Contract

This contract is a sample agreement between parents and a family child care provider. You can download the .pdf version and print it or you can download the Word version and make changes to reflect your own business and policies.

Having a contract is important. It's tempting, because of the sometimes informal nature of relations between parents and home providers, to do business on a handshake. Many providers have gotten "burned" this way. Usually because of payment issues, but other issues arise as well. It's hard to enforce a policy when it's not in writing and the parent didn't know about it beforehand.

For example, if your hours of operation are 8:00 to 6:00 and you have a parent consistently coming at 6:30, it's easier to keep this in check when you have a signed agreement that you can point to and say -- you signed this, you agreed to it, there is a charge for late pick-ups and I'm going to have to charge it if you're late in the future.

You need time to unwind when the day is over. You need time to clean up and have time for yourself and your own family. Make sure that your policies reflect this. It's one thing to be bending and flexible when necessary, but it's another to let your business take over your life. Some parents will take advantage if they can, so offer them clarity from the start, and the relationship will be much better for it.

Note, too, that in many states, a contract like this is required before providers can become licensed. And even if it isn't, a contract like this can fulfill licensing requirements like having hours of operation in writing, having a written discipline policy, notifying parents of immunization requirements, etc.

.pdf version of sample family child care provider contract

Microsoft Word version of sample family child care provider contract

Thieves Target Parents at Child Care Centers

Here's a story about some robbers who know opportunity when they see it. They target busy parents and it only takes a minute for it to happen.

If you work in a child care center or have a family child care setting, you've probably seen it a million times. Parents come to drop off or pick up their kids and, expecting to be inside for just a moment, they leave the keys in the car, sometimes with the car still running.

It happens, too, when parents of babies or multiple children have backpacks, diaper bags, show-and-tell items, car seats or baby carriers, bags of diapers... It's a lot to deal with in a busy parking lot when they're possibly already late for work.

I know some centers have morning and afternoon staff that are dedicated to helping parents get in and out at these times, and wouldn't we all be so lucky if we could afford to staff our facilities like this? A possibility might be to instruct staff, if the ratios are right and there are extra hands around, to help out in this way.

The more realistic option would be to print the above article out and distribute it to parents with your monthly or weekly newsletter with some guidelines on how to avoid this. Maybe hold a parent education night and invite your police officers to talk about this danger.

You might think your center is in a low-crime area or that you're not at risk for this, but that's exactly what criminals are hoping. This type of theft happens more often than you'd think.

Former Daycare Owner Pleads Guilty of Reckless Endangerment in Infant Death Case

Stories like this make me so sad.

I have to admit that I was a bit spoiled starting out in child care. First I worked at a top-notch Head Start center and then I worked at an NAEYC accredited center with very low teacher:student ratios.

I cannot imagine thinking that I could give any kind of quality care caring for, as Newsday reports, eight infants downstairs and two 3-year-olds and another infant upstairs. That's about seven too many kids if you ask me, based on their ages.

That poor baby. :(

Checklist for Directors Writing a Staff Newsletter

Solicit volunteers for various center duties and projects. (i.e. The front bulletin board needs to be redone, or the supply closet needs to be reorganized, or the sandbox needs to be sanitized.)

STAFF BIRTHDAYS

Discuss any potluck events for staff. If dishes have been assigned, state who is bringing what. If there are still things that staff need to bring, state where sign up sheet is located.

Remind staff about vacation dates, when they are due, what the procedure is (as far as seniority, etc.)

Announce any staff meetings or inservice training events, whether they are mandatory, where it will be held, what the topic will be and what staff should bring.

Let staff know what you expect as far as classroom parties for upcoming holidays. (i.e. low sugar, costumes or not, enlist parent help, keep sugar to a minimum, etc).

Announce when this months supply lists will be due. (Generally the 3rd Friday so I can have it all done and distributed by the 1st of the month.)

Announce the contest of the month and the prize. (i.e. Perfect Attendance for the month wins a gift certificate to a teacher store, Best door decoration wins dinner for 2 at the Olive Garden....).

Announce any special guests to the center or to specific classrooms (i.e. Firemen, clown, etc.).

Let staff know if any surveys or questionnaires are due, and where they need to be turned in.

Remind staff of any upcoming days when the center will be closed, and tell them to remind the parents as well.

List how many hours of training each staff member has completed- give a special notation to the person with the most hours.

Inform staff of room/staff changes. Solicit their cooperation and enthusiasm for the change.

Talk a little about NAEYC accreditation in every letter. List some criteria, and give some suggestions on how we can start to move toward better child care.

Remind staff about things that must be posted in rooms (i.e. fire evacuation, cot charts, lesson plans, daily schedules....)

Attach any relevant articles and describe why they should be read, and in what way they can be used by the staff.