December 21, 2010 - Early education strategies for the future
Todd Otis, LearnMoreMN
What Minnesotans can do (an agenda for state policymakers)
As I mentioned in my last post, a coalition of early childhood organizations that Ready 4 K helped organize, has developed a plan called Minnesota’s Future. We think that is exactly what is at stake in how well we provide early learning opportunities for our youngest citizens.
The Minnesota’s Future group had as it guiding goal to develop a common agenda that could be given to the next Minnesota governor. These five basic strategies are what were agreed to by representatives of groups that work in the field and really understand what is needed. These strategies are backed up by solid research that demonstrates their value and effectiveness. More than 60 organizations throughout Minnesota have endorsed the Minnesota’s Future agenda.
What Minnesotans can do (an agenda for state policymakers):
1. Offer home visits and parent education to every first-time parent to help get their children off to a great start.
2. Double the number of at-risk children who participate in high quality early learning opportunities.
3. Implement a statewide quality rating and improvement system for early learning programs.
4. Create community partnerships to coordinate and leverage investments in children’s and families’ success.
5. Appoint a cabinet-level position to lead a statewide system of child development and early learning services.
In the short term, and in light of the budget deficit, Ready 4 K and its allies are pushing for expansion of a Quality Rating System, the creation of cabinet-level position, and making sure the current (inadequate) level of funding for early childhood education is not cut. But the need for significant increases in funding is clear, and Ready 4 K will not stop fighting for that to occur. Since only one half of entering kindergartners in Minnesota are fully prepared for school success it is obvious that we need to find additional resources that can be invested in quality early learning for our youngest citizens. Otherwise, if we keep doing what we are doing, we will keep getting what we are getting. And that is not acceptable.
A natural question is “Where are you going to get the money?” in the face of a $6.2 billion deficit. My answer is: change how we budget to a system like one adopted in Washington state and Iowa: Budgeting for Outcomes. BFO provides the opportunity to look at spending with fresh eyes and establish priorities on clear outcomes. When that occurred in Iowa, then Governor Tom Vilsak saw the wisdom in significantly increasing funding in early childhood education. That change could happen here: the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has embraced such an approach. (BFO is silent as to whether taxes should go up or not; it is not a stalking horse for excessive budget cuts, as some fear.)
Several other influential groups have embraced all or some of the proven strategies proposed by the Minnesota’s Future allies, including the foundations in the School Readiness Funders Coalition; the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation; and the United Way. The momentum for change has grown. Most encouraging of all, Governor-elect Dayton strongly supports a significant increase in funding of early care and education.
Ultimately, however, there is no more powerful ally in pushing an effective early childhood agenda than the citizens of our state. K-12 and higher education have a strong stake in improving early learning in Minnesota. After all, early childhood education is the foundation of our state’s entire system of education.
http://learnmoremnblog.typepad.com/blog/2010/12/early-education-strategies.html
Health & Fitness Morning, Mesabi Family YMCA
Title: Health & Fitness Morning, Mesabi Family YMCA
Location: YMCA, Mt. Iron, MN
Description: FREE! Join us for gym & pool time, rock climbing, tumbling, crafts, snack and more! For children & Grandparents, relatives, friends, childcare providers. All are welcome!
Start Time: 09:30
Date: 2011-01-28
End Time: 11:00
The Value of Family Rituals
This time of year is a good time to talk about family rituals. We think about getting together with family and friends and sharing some old traditions or starting some new ones. For families, Christmas means sharing religious beliefs or ethnic foods or the simple exchanging of gifts. These rituals have a symbolic content that provides meaning for the family involved.
Studies show that rituals are on the decline, particularly the ritual of eating meals together. In the past, this has always been a basic ritual for most families. It’s become a victim of our go-go-go and overcommitted lifestyles. Most people blame lack of time for not having many family rituals.
Rituals can be considered the measure of a family’s stability. Family rituals, such as celebrations of Christmas and birthdays, allow children to develop an identity in their immediate family and extended family. They experience feelings of belonging and closeness. These rituals create the memories that children will always cherish. I remember from my own childhood the family gatherings we had on Sundays. We shared more than coffee and sweets. We shared love, laughter, and a sense of kinship.
Be inventive and create some new family rituals! When our daughters were young, we had a cute way of hugging as a family we called the “sandwich.” My husband and I were the two slices of bread. The girls came along to provide the “filling” and we all squeezed together until we ended up laughing. The best rituals are really nothing more than a reflection of our desire to be close to one another.
Jill Phillips
ECFE Parent Educator