CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning

1. CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning Connecticut’s Infant Toddler Strategic Planning Process Informational Forum January 18, 2007 Presenters: Anna Figueroa & Deb Flis

2. Agenda • National Context and CT History • What are Early Learning Guidelines (ELG)? • Alignment of CT’s I/T ELG’s with CT’s Preschool Benchmarks • CT’s DRAFT Guidelines • Description and organization • How to use the document • Feedback form CT Forums and Pilot

3. National Context • Many states are developing infant and toddler early learning guidelines. A few states are looking at next steps – linking to training, curriculum & assessment • Formal licensed programs serve only a small number of infants and toddlers. - Children birth - 3 are overwhelmingly cared for by Kith & Kin providers - Important that guidelines be easily understood by providers • National Infant & Toddler Child Care Initiative @ Zero to Three CT Award (June ’03 to Sept. ’04)

4. Connecticut History • Charge: To develop infant & toddler early learning guidelines that are designed to support caregivers working with children under three in various settings by providing information on infant and toddler development, guidance on best practice and tools to facilitate each child’s optimal growth and development.

5. Connecticut History • Convening of Work Group • Review of National and State Documents • Draft issued (January 05) • Forums conducted (March – April 2005) • Pilots (June-December 2006)

6. Dana Abbott, Ph.D. AJ Pappanikou Center for Excellence in Developmental Disability Judith August, School Psychologist Darcey School Early Childhood Center – Cheshire Public Schools Mary Ann Dayton-Fitzgerald, Supervisor Early Childhood Intervention Program - DCF Anna Figueroa, Manager Early Childhood Programs - Wheeler Clinic Linda Goodman, Director CT Birth to Three System Pam Langer, Director CT Parents Plus Sherry Linton, EHS Coordinator Family Development Center – Manchester Memorial Hospital Charlotte Madison, Executive Director Child Development Laboratories - UCONN Denise Merrill, Director Child Health and Development Institute Anne Newkirk, Program Coordinator TPCD – Wheeler Clinic Donna Notti, Cheshire Public Schools Peter Palermino, Program Manager Department of Social Services Elizabeth Shack Maria Synodi, Education Consultant Department of Education Grace Whitney, Director Head Start Collaborative – DSS Libby Zimmerman, Ph.D., LICSW Infant Toddler Mental Health Consultant Work Group Participants

7. What are Early Learning Guidelines? • Describe what children need to know, understand and be able to do at various ages; • Guide what adults who work with young children will do to support healthy growth and development: • Informs curriculum development/the design of play spaces • Provides a foundation for professional development • Establishes a framework for the development of assessment tools.

8. Why are Early Learning Guidelines Important? • Guidelines allow us to highlight the importance of the adult child relationship in any setting where children are cared for: • Maintain focus on interaction with the child • Provide an appropriate setting for infants and toddlers • Ensure quality of care • Create a shared framework and common language for providers, parents and program administrators

9. Alignment of CT’s ELG for Infants and Toddlers with CT’s Preschool Benchmarks • SDE workgroup and forum participation • Review of The CT Framework Preschool Curricular Goals & Benchmarks • Consistent Guiding Principles • Consistent Developmental Domains and Philosophy on Interdependence of Domains • Creation of SDE Position Statement on Infants and Toddlers

10. CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning This document is: - A voluntary informational tool • A description of child development birth – 3 years • A guide for I/T providers in their support of children’s healthy growth and development

11. CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning The Early Learning Guidelines are not a curriculum! A curriculum describes the what, why, and how of programming by guiding caregivers through the processes of planning, implementing, and evaluating a developmentally appropriate program. (The Creative Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers, 1997)

12. CT’s Guidelines for the Development of Infant and Toddler Early Learning Organization of the document • by 7 age ranges • Birth to 3 months • 3 to 6 months • 6 to 9 months • 9 to 12 months • 12 to 18 months • 18 to 24 months • 24 to 36 months

13. Organization of the Document • Each age range is grouped by areas of children’s development – Developmental Domains: • Personal and Social Development • Physical Development • Cognitive Development • Language and Communication

14. Organization of the document • Each stage of development • Description of what you can expect to see in this age range. • Suggestions on toys and materials • Suggestions on the design of space • Ways that adults can support healthy growth and development through interactions

15. Organization of the document • “Did you know?” boxes that feature best practice and research on developmental highlights. • Sample activities • “Close-up” section that illustrates supportive interactions between caregiver and baby and/or peer.

16. How to use the document • Seek information on infant and toddler development, explore where a child is developmentally and look to see what might occur next in the child’s development • Guide planning and intentional interactions with infants and toddlers • Create safe, appropriate, nurturing environments • Enhance parent knowledge, involvement and support

17. How to use the document • Improve caregiver-parent communication about developmental progress • Support caregiver modeling and communication with parent • Guide selection of materials and equipment • Frame pre-service and in-service training • Introduce state and national resources

18. Statewide Forums Consolidated Feedback • Great teaching & training tool • Great resource for center staff, FRC, FCC, home visitors, PAT • It validates I/T teachers as professionals • Can use to note a developmental concern • Very user-friendly • Format & graphics – good – keep colorful • “This is exactly what we need”

19. Statewide Forums Consolidated Feedback Further Work: • Keep audience clear – I/T Providers • Include parent friendly “Pull-Outs” • Spanish version • Create notebook format • Create training & support system • Companion Documents • Curriculum - Higher Education Use • Assessment

20. Pilot of CT’s Guidelines • Caregiver / site participation • Kith & Kin • Licensed family homes • Center-based • Training on the document • On-site support to use the document • Program and Provider Incentives • Materials - Stipends

21. Pilot Feedback • Intentionality – “Let’s go to the Guidelines” • Providers used guidelines to talk with parents about what was happening with their child developmentally. • Used as an integral part of the center’s open house. A tool to talk with parents about center programming for I/T. • Used document to “help and focus work” • Relationship between coaches and providers is critical!

22. Pilot Feedback • Coaches felt that as consultants they were able to connect to something tangible • Liked having information on development and environments in one spot • The guidelines were used to help select materials • Pilot sites will continue to use document • Need more pictures • Need Spanish version

23. Pilot Feedback • “You know development takes place. Having this helps you know what is coming and makes you more aware of milestones.” • “Sometimes providers have too many resources and never look at them. You don’t need anything else. You can get everything here you need. It is simple and digestible.” • The guidelines are “Concise, distilled to what you need to know”

24. Next Steps – • Publication of Early Learning Guidelines by DSS – in progress FY 07 • Dissemination of document through AFP • Training: • Development of a cadre of I/T Specialists (Coaches) • Training, resources and ongoing support

25. Next Steps – continued • Companion documents • Crosswalk with existing documents • Creative Curriculum, Ages & Stages, etc. • Curriculum resource document • Observation and Assessment Tools • Resources

26. Access to Document • nccic.org/itcc National Child Care Information Center Website Select Initiatives – CT - View