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Welcome to this month's issue of the Better Kid Care E-Newsletter - A newsletter for those caring for children.
Notable Quote: “I looked on child rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring to it.” ~ Rose Kennedy
Week of the Young Child - April 19-25, 2009
April 19-25 is 2009’s Week of the Young Child. It is held each year to honor young children and thank early childhood teachers and all those who make a difference in young children’s lives. As you start to make plans to celebrate Week of the Young Child, your local library invites you to team up to highlight the importance of these early years. The Liaisons with National Organizations Serving Youth and Children committee of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) encourages you to reach out to the library in your community by offering to provide child-created art work for display during April 2009.
For more information on the Week of the Young Child go to http://www.naeyc.org/about/woyc/
Do you have a great tip or good thing? Send us your best tips! Email Christine at crb16@psu.edu or contact the Better Kid Care Program at 814-865-7894 or 800-452-9108 (within PA).
Embracing Professionalism: Where to Begin? Part 1 by Christine Belinda
Professionalism means something different to each person. Depending on our experiences, background, and training, each of us holds a unique vision of what it means to be a professional. In addition, individual professions embrace norms and requirements that go hand-in-hand with the field of work. If you work with a program, that program may also have professional guidelines to follow. Adding to these distinct professional characteristics, society as well holds broad expectations for professionals. With all this in mind, how do we begin to embrace professionalism?
References found at the end of the article
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Research-Based Early Childhood Information |
Using Research to Improve Outcomes for Young Children: A Call for Action - In response to concerns about the limited influence research has had on early childhood (EC) programs and practices, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) conducted a small multidisciplinary conference at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. The primary goal of the conference was to develop a set of action-oriented recommendations that would advance the field of early childhood and improve the outcomes for young children, especially children living in the most vulnerable of circumstances.
The Pre-K Pinch: Early Education and the Middle Class - For far too many middle-class families, the very program proven to help all young children enter school ready to learn and succeed is beyond their reach, according to a new report released today by Pre-K Now. "The Pre-K Pinch: Early Education and the Middle Class" reveals that eligibility requirements and prohibitively high costs lead such families to sacrifice basic household needs to pay for early education and care for their children, or to settle for low-quality options with unproven benefits.
NAEYC Report on State Early Childhood Professional Development Systems
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has just released a new report, Workforce Designs: A Policy Blueprint for State Early Childhood Professional Development Systems. The report looks at policies that bring together professional development activities, as well as those that promote and uphold professional development effectively within the state system. It also emphasizes the importance of policy principles and policy areas that help create an integrated system which works towards quality in the settings where early childhood professionals work.
Distance Education Highlights
Do lessons in your home —
when it's convenient and you have time!
Are you aware that Better Kid Care provides comprehensive curricula in early childhood development? The Better Kid Care curriculum follows the PA Core Body of Knowledge and offers multiple course titles to choose from. Each course offers numerous Distance Education lessons, providing a well rounded approach to obtaining your professional development. View the entire Better Kid Care Distance Education Curricula on line at www.betterkidcare.psu.edu and choose your course of study today! Register for a lesson or try an entire course!
Featured Course: Understanding Ethics
Ethics simply means doing the right thing. A professional Code of Ethics for child care providers is a guide for dealing responsibly and respectfully with children, parents, co-workers, and the community. This first unit focuses on your ethical responsibilities toward children. The second unit covers your ethical responsibilities toward families, and the third focuses on ethical relationships with co-workers and the community. The three lessons together will give you an overview of ethics based on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct.
View a complete listing of all distance education lessons and information about how to register by visiting the Better Kid Care Distance Education page.
Offer ways to enhance children’s activity and nutrition from the National Heart and Blood Institute’s We Can! Discover tips and tools to help choose and prepare healthier foods for your family or the children you serve. Serving healthier foods in the appropriate portions per food group and calorie level is one of the best ways to ensure that your children are getting proper nutrition without eating too many calories. Learn about GO, SLOW, and WHOA foods:
GO foods are the lowest in fat and added sugar. They are also “nutrient dense” (which means they are better sources of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients important to health) and relatively low in calories. Enjoy GO foods almost anytime.
SLOW foods are higher in fat, added sugar, and/or calories than GO foods. Have SLOW foods sometimes or less often.
WHOA foods are the highest in fat and/or added sugar. They are “calorie dense” (a small portion is relatively high in calories), and many are low in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients as well. Have WHOA foods only once in a while or on special occasions.
Learn more by visiting http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/downloads/tip_choices.pdf
Or visit the We Can! Web site at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/
Great Books to Read with Children:The members of the American Library Association-Children's Book Council Joint Committee have compiled books for birth through three years of age. The following books, for children up to six months old, explore the world through the senses and seeing faces and objects as well as hearing sounds.
To see more reading lists, visit http://www.cbcbooks.org/readinglists/.
Are you looking for articles to share with your families? Do you need information for your parent/family bulletin board? Family Time / Work Time shares easy-to-read articles for busy parents and caretakers with a focus on Building Strong Families.
You are welcome to print and share these publications with your friends, family, and other child care providers.
Click on graphic to read the entire article 
Make Meal Times Count
by Nancy Wilson
Early Childhood Program Specialist
Make meal times special family times. It may be the only time your family is all together. Do busy schedules allow for only one or two meals together each day? If so, make an effort to have this time together. Turn off the television and computer. Limit phone calls. Sit down together. Take time to talk to each other. Really listen to everyone. Give your child a chance to talk about things. Try to keep conversations positive, so meal times are happy times.
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March 26, 2009
Art Appreciation 101 for Young Children
K2C1 topic code 19 / CDA Competency 2 /
PA Early Learning Standards Key Learning Area: Creative Arts
Believe it or not, even infants can begin to appreciate art. Learn how to introduce and talk with children of all ages about art made by them and others. Try creative ways to react to art.
About participating . . . Each workshop lasts two hours, including satellite broadcast time, discussion, and group activities. If you live in Pennsylvania, contact your local extension educator for information to attend a workshop in your area. Outside Pennsylvania view Out-of-State Information link.
Each satellite broadcast can also be viewed online as either a Live Satellite Broadcast or choose Past Satellite Broadcast video links.
Want to share your ideas from past satellite sessions or ideas for future satellite sessions? Contact Better Kid Care by e-mailing us at betterkidcare@psu.edu or by phoning 800-452-9108 to share your comments.
State Child Care Licensing Regulations that Include the CDA Credential
Each state has the power to establish qualifications for staff that work in licensed child care centers. State laws describe types of staff (directors, teachers, and aides) and establish guidelines regarding age, education, experience, and ongoing training.
The Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential is included in the child care licensing regulations of 49 states and the District of Columbia. View a chart by state http://www.cdacouncil.org/res_lic.htm. For more information, please contact your licensing agency. If your state's child care licensing regulations change, please contact:
Council for Professional Recognition
Attention: Candidate Services Department
2460 16th Street, NW · Washington DC 20009-3575
Telephone: 800-424-4310 or 202-265-9090
| Need more CDA help? Visit Better Kid Care's CDA Information link and get answers to your CDA questions! Get CDA support! Call Christine at 800-452-9108. E-mail your CDA questions to Christine at crb16@psu.edu. |  |
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Professional Development Highlights |
The following information highlights upcoming professional development opportunities available for early childhood practitioners:
In Pennsylvania:
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Announcements of Interest |
EARLY EDUCATION
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Better Kid Care Resources |
Winter Resources from Better Kid Care - The season of winter brings many new things to think about for early educators and families. Winter is often the season of reflection and planning ahead. Ideas reflected may be: spirit of community, kindness, and generosity, health, celebrations (seasons, holidays), diversity and culture, recharging our energy, getting a handle on stress, music, and overall reflections and observations of children and programs. Use the following lists and links to find great information to support your work while entering the winter season. http://www.betterkidcare.psu.edu/page18.html
Better Kid Care Kit
Need ideas in your work caring for children? When you enroll in the Better Kid Care Program and sign up for the Better Kid Care Kit, child care providers will receive several free publications in the mail. Family home child care providers will also receive The Basics of Caring for Children in Your Home notebook to organize and store your Better Kid Care publications. Have you signed up to receive a Better Kid Care Kit yet? Complete our online registration form or call 800-452-9108 to order.
Preview notebook contents: Tip Sheets, Activities Pages and Lunch and Snack Ideas
All publications are available online to print and share with your friends, family, and other childcare providers. Select issues are also available in Spanish.
New Staff Orientation curriculum is specifically designed for new staff members in child care centers. Meets the Keystone STARS Performance Standards. Order at no cost by calling 800-452-9108.
Home-Based Caregiver Orientation - Meets the Keystone STARS Core Series Training Requirements. Order at no cost by calling 800-452-9108.
Do you have questions about caring for other people's children, such as:
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Call the Better Kid Care Mentoring Line at 800-859-8340 or e-mail your questions to betterkidcare@psu.edu for information about child care and children's issues.
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Upcoming Feature Article in
February E-Newsletter:
Embracing Professionalism, Part 2
Forward Visions
Reflections...
We would love to hear from you! E-mail your ideas to crb16@psu.edu or call 814-865-7894.
Disclaimer: Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.
