Entries For: February 2010

Foundation for Early Learning is delighted to feature a guest blog post from Sally Chilson, a librarian at Spokane Public Libraries, a member of the Early Learning Public Library Partnership. If you are interested in being featured in the Foundation's blog, please contact Joel Ballezza, Communications Manager at joel@earlylearning.org.

I love the promise of March! 
Seeing everything green up makes me think of my yard and garden and that enthusiasm finds its way into my story times.  Here are some of my favorite springy picture books and some activities you can share with a child or group of children in your life.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert  I love sharing this book in the fall as well as the spring because it also talks about planting fall bulbs.  This is an excellent book to read when you are planning to plant or pick flowers together. 

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert 
This is another of my favorites by this author.  If growing vegetables is more what you enjoy to do, Growing Vegetable Soup is the right choice before (or after) you head outside.

The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall
Do you have a big pile of mixed up seeds?  The young people in your life love to sort!  Try giving them a garden plot of there own, like the Mom in this story, along with a handful of seeds and some colored markers.  Add pictures of what is growing and you have created a great investigational space that will be of interest all summer long. 

Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! by Candace Fleming 
Does your garden space have pests?  This title tells the story of a vegetable garden plagued by hungry rabbits.  How will Mr. McGreeley cope?  If your plants are being nibbled, this is a great segue to observing your space to see what is plaguing your plants and start a conversation with your little ones about what you might do to solve the problem.

All of these books can be a spring board to many fun and easy investigations into the world around us.  Placing a few seeds on a damp paper towel in a zip top bag  and putting it in the sun, or starting seedlings can be an amazing way to introduce little ones to the wonders of things that grow.  Need more titles?  Visit your local public library to find more books to nurture those little green thumbs.

I recently had the following conversation with a colleague:

Bruce: How’s the baby?

Me: He’s good; BUT he needs to learn how to sleep.

Bruce: Good thing you’re in early learning.

Me: What do I know about early learning? I’m still early in my baby learning.

As a new parent I have a lot to learn, and as a family we're all figuring it out together. Luckily I'm surrounded by professionals and colleagues that have a lot of 'baby' smarts and are helping to guide the way.

A strong early learning system is so important and really it starts at the grassroots level... one baby, one family, then one community, than a strong statewide early learning system.

-Erin

Good morning!  This is Evette Jasper checking in on my first day as the Communications and Community Engagement intern for the  Foundation.  I'm very excited to join the team in supporting high quality early learning and care opportunities. 

A little background about me: I'm in the second year of my Masters program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Washington.  I graduated from the same institution with my B.A. in Political Science and Art History.  My interests have always centered around promoting equitable educational and economic opportunities to bring about a more just society.  To that end, I've volunteered for literacy projects, worked in a preschool serving children from low-income families, and organize with my union. 

I'm grateful for the opportunity to help fulfill Foundation for Early Learning's mission and goals!  

Dear Friends:

This month marks the conclusion of Dr. Andrew Meltzoff's service on Foundation for Early Learning's Board of Directors. After nine years on our board, Dr. Meltzoff's term ended on January 31, 2010.

Dr. Meltzoff was part of Foundation for Early Learning's founding board of directors. He has consistently served on the program committee and has provided leadership and guidance as the organization has grown and developed over the past decade.

The field of early learning would not be where it is today without Dr. Andy Meltzoff's contributions, research, advocacy and volunteer service. His commitment to early learning has ensured that more children arrive at school ready to succeed. Dr. Meltzoff is an inspiration to us all.

While we will miss his guidance, we will continue to rely on his leadership in the field of brain development and early learning as co-director of the University of Washington Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS). We are grateful that Dr. Meltzoff will remain involved with the Foundation through our Board of Ambassadors.

Warm regards,

Vaughnetta J. Barton, Executive Director
Foundation for Early Learning

Foundation for Early Learning is delighted to feature a guest blog post from WithinReach, a Seattle-based non-profit. If you are interested in being featured in the Foundation's blog, please contact Joel Ballezza, Communications Manager at joel@earlylearning.org.

Dental health is an important part of a child's overall health and success in early learning.   To celebrate Dental Health Month this February, consult the new dental resources for professionals on ParentHelp123.org,  a program of WithinReach.   Use these resources to promote children's oral health in your early learning program.    Share messages about the importance of caring for baby teeth and work with parents to get kids into dental care at an early age.  Connect children with dental coverage through the state-sponsored  Apple Health for Kids Program on www.ParentHelp123.org .   And, learn about Washington Dental Service Foundation's Access to Baby and Child Dentistry  (ABCD) Program to help families find dental care in their community. 

ParentHelp123.org  has added colorful, engaging content for parents and caregivers about taking care of your child's teeth through a grant from Washington Dental Service Foundation.  Since experts recommend a child's first dental visit by the first birthday , ParentHelp123.org has included information about dental health for infants too.  Health information, including dental health, is also available in Spanish on www.ParentHelp123.org  by selecting the green Espanol  button on the top right side of the page.

For more information about  ParentHelp123.org and its tools to help early learning professionals connect children and families to better health,  email Sue Waldin at WithinReach or call 206-830-764.