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For Early Childhood Professionals
Su 016
2
Promoting a great start for all our children
NEWS
www.windhamchildcare.org
MAKE WAY FOR PLAY!
Free Play is the most comprehensive way for children to explore and make
sense of the world, problem solve, create, and practice self-control.
By Billie Slade
One of the truest definitions of Play* ever
heard was by Friedrich Froebel, the inventor
of Kindergarten, who said “Play is the
highest expression of what is inside a child’s
soul.” Another expert, a 5 year old I know
told me, “Play is what I do when people stop
telling me what to do,” an equally profound
statement! Both of these quotes give
glimpses into how very important Play is to
a child’s development.
We all know that children love to Play
but what we might not realize is that they
need to Play to become healthy and happy
adults. If we can remember back to our own
childhoods, we may recall how good it felt
to run and climb and pretend and laugh,
often without adults hovering over us. Not
so long ago, children were trusted to make
their own choices about what they wanted
to Play at recess, were expected to learn
to entertain themselves through play with
neighborhood friends, and relied on their
own curiosity and imaginations to make
discoveries.
The world has changed dramatically
in the past generation and now many
children are too busy going to organized
activities or being supervised by parents or
teachers in every moment to learn to trust
their own instincts. Free Play is the most
comprehensive way for children to explore
and make sense of the world, problem solve,
create, and practice self-control. Children
learn so much from Play and knowing what
some of those advantages are can help
educate others who might be skeptical.
Many studies show that Play is the very
best way for children to learn social skills,
develop character, support their curiosity,
foster creativity and positive self image, and
develop their bodies and brain. In addition
to being the best way for children to learn,
free Play is inherently appealing because it’s
FUN!
Unfortunately, too many schools are
focusing heavily on academics at younger
and younger ages and opportunities to
Play are being pushed aside. Combine this
with an obsession with screens and passive
entertainment, the elimination of recess in
many schools and some parents’ fears that
their child will “fall behind” and it may seem
like the whole world is conspiring against
Play. This is in spite of the fact that there is
much research to show that forcing children
into academics before they are ready is
damaging to their development and that
these negative effects can follow them
throughout their lives. Play theorist Brian
Sutton-Smith said “The opposite of Play is
not work - it is depression!” Unfortunately,
our society is seeing this truth in increasing
numbers of children at ever younger ages.
The good news is that there is a growing
trend among educators and parents to
help swing the pendulum back toward
more free Play. In fact, The American
Academy of Pediatrics recently announced
that providing plenty of time, space and
materials for free Play was one of the
healthiest things we can do for children of
all ages. It is evidence like this that gives
us courage to stand up to people who
question the value of Play and policies that
we know are not in children’s best interests
that rob them of time to Play. As education
consultant Rae Pica reminds us, “We should
not have to defend Play for children any
more than we should have to defend their
sleeping, eating or breathing!” This is so
true and if we can trust in the power of Play
once again, we can help children lay the
groundwork for a meaningful life!
Billie Slade spends her days with children, in
one capacity or another, always learning even
more from them than they do from her. She
has worked in the early childhood field for 38
years and is currently a mentor for family child
care providers, leads workshops on a variety
of topics, is a CDA advisor and Professional
Development Specialist and is the Executive
Director of Green Mt Camp.
*The word Play is intentionally capitalized throughout this article because it really is that important!
Inside: Statewide Changes to Early Childhood Professional Development System, page 2
INSIDE VOICE
Windham Child Care Association is a
leading voice for children, families,
early educators and communities.
We support and strengthen them
through education, advocacy, partnerships, and access to services.
Board of Directors:
Pam Carr - Clerk
Jennifer Facey - Treasurer
Kay Curtis
Kathie Gatto-Gurney
Christine Grutta
Tori Kelliher
Jim Maland - Chair
Laura Schairbaum
Staff:
Margaret Atkinson
Executive Director
Sarah DiNicola
Director of Communications & Operations
Grace Esdon
CACFP Coordinator
Shanta Lee Evans-Crowley
Director of Development
Jeanna Genest
Support Services Coordinator
RoseAnn Grimes
Eligibility & Referral Specialist
Tonya Kangas
CIS Child Car Coordinator
Sueño LeBlond
Early Education Outreach Specialist
Julianne Mills
Office Manager
Nancy Witherill
Resource Development Specialist
USDA Child Nutrition Programs are
available to all eligible participants
regardless of race, color, sex, age,
handicap or national origin. Any person
who believes that he or she has been
discriminated against in any USDA activity
should write immediately to the Secretary
of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.
This newsletter is printed on 10% post
consumer recycled paper and is funded
in part by the Vermont Department for
Children and Families and the Child Care
Development Block Grant.
130 Birge Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
Tel (802) 254-5332
Fax (802) 251-7200
www.windhamchildcare.org
FROM THE DIRECTOR
It is hard to even know where to begin informing you of the many
changes that are underway at Windham Child Care Association. As you
know, this is a time of unprecedented change in the early childhood field
in Vermont, and those external forces, as well as some more familiar natural
changes, are affecting us all.
The simpler change to tell you about is the news that Nancy Witherill is
leaving her positon as our Resource Development Specialist on June 30.
She will be spending much more time with her family, garden, chickens and
goats, but Nancy being Nancy, this retirement is more like a “kinda-sorta
retirement.”
Nancy will continue working with us as one of our VB5 mentors and will continue to implement
the third year of our Farm to Preschool program. She will also be available on a limited basis to
help with career counseling and CDA support and you may also see her teaching workshops from
time to time.
The reason we are not actively looking to hire a new Resource Development Specialist is
because the Child Development Division of AHS/DCF has decided to revise the way professional
training and support for early educators is delivered in Vermont. This change is driven by two
factors:
•
The release of a report by the National Institutes of Health, Transforming the Workforce Birth
Through Age 8 – A Unifying Foundation. This is a definitive compendium of research on best
practice in professional development. Professionalizing the early childhood workforce has
long been a goal of CDD and they described their intention to roll out a new professional
development system in their 2016 plan for the Federal Child Care Community Development
Block Grant. The CCCDGB is the source of most of the funds that pay for our PD work locally.
•
A 2015 state audit of grant and contract agreements that resulted in a number of negative
findings about procurement practices across many agencies, including AHS/DCF. A number
of CDD contracts supporting the distribution of professional development funds have not
been put out to bid in recent memory and the agency feels like it is time to revive this
process.
The agencies who provide training and professional development have been involved in
discussions with CDD about these issues, but our concerns about the impacts of abrupt changes
to the statewide system were not seen as reason to alter the present course.
Windham Child Care Association is working with partners around the state to respond to the
new contracting process with the goal of retaining some amount of training and career support
targeted to our local early care and education providers. The exact scope of this work is unknown
at this time. Our proposal is due to CDD in September, and CDD plans to award contracts in
October with a start date of January 2017.
In the meantime, we plan to publish a half-year professional development calendar running
from July-December 2016. We anticipate that much of our professional development work which
is supported by private grant funds will continue including mentoring, training for specialized
child care providers, the bookmobile, support of Starting Point Networks, the United Way Quality
Fund, and other special projects.
We will do our best to communicate with you often via e-mail, our website, Facebook page and
newsletters. I want to assure you that we will continue to be your “go to” source for information
and support.
2 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
Margaret Atkinson
Executive Director
Nancy Witherill, Resource Development Specialist, to Retire
After nearly 6 years at Windham Child Care Association and 42 years in the early education field, Nancy leaves her position as
Resource Development Specialist at the end of June. Her tireless work in support of our area’s early care and education providers
has had an impact on so many. Nancy answered thousands of questions from providers, clocked countless miles visiting programs
to offer advice, support and ecouragement and has produced our annual calendar of professional development opportunities
for the past six years (and is even working on next years before she goes!) Also a farmer, Nancy has supplied hundreds of pounds
of organic eggs, fruits and vegetables from the Farm to Preschool program’s CSA. She’s been the voice of local early educators
in dozens of statewide meetings. Lucky for all of us, she won’t be far. Nancy will continue her work as a trainer and mentor on a
consultant basis and will have more time to cultivate healthy food for local children through the Farm to Preschool program.
Thank you, Nancy, for your dedication to making the world a better place for everyone!
Nancy has been such an amazing resource for me while trying to get aquainted with a new town and transition into the early childhood
world in Brattleboro. Every time I didn’t know something, Nancy was my first call and if she didn’t have the answer she knew who would.
She is always so helpful with anything you send her way and has been a wonderful help to all of my staff as well. She put so much time
and effort into making sure there were professional development courses offered that people were interested in and is always volunteering herself to take on more, even when her plate seemed to be heaping already. She is a remarkable woman with so much to offer and I
am very grateful to have had her support!
Allie McFalls
Director, The Family Garden, Inc.
Nancy and I started at Windham Child Care Association on the same day in 2010. She has brought such a wealth of knowledge to our
community; she’s inspired new and creative ideas in our work environment and she always has a relevant story to share. Nancy has a
way of balancing professionalism with compassion that is admirable. Her presence will definitely be missed here in the office.
Julianne Mills
Office Manager, Windham Child Care Association
As a director, I have depended on Nancy so much for my
teachers’ professional development, their work to improve
their credentials and for helping me keep track of it all! She
always gives such wonderful input and feedback has been
an incredibly valuable resource. She will be missed.
Nan Mann
Director, Brattleboro Centre for Children
There is so much that I admire about Nancy but the thing
I admire the most is how that she continually takes a
stand on the value of children and of the people who care
for them. Caregivers are buffeted by so many forces that
effect their lives. Nancy is a stalwart advocate for respecting the people who do the enormous work of caring for
children and supporting families; and she does this with
an amazing warmth and subversive sense of humor. I am
so glad that she is going to continue be part of our community but in different roles.
Margaret Atkinson
Executive Director, Windham Child Care Assocation
Nancy Witherill (sort-of ) retires
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
I 3
UPDATES FROM THE FIELD
SPOTLIGHT: Owl’s Nest Family Preschool and Childcare
Combining a nurturing family setting with an enriching early education experience (and animals, too!)
Owl’s Nest Family Preschool and Childcare opened in spring of
last year in Marlboro, VT. Owner, early educator and mother Joslyn
Haineswood has been in the field for nearly 10 years. When she
returned to school to get her Master degree in education and
obtain her teaching license in 2007 from Antioch University, she
took some classes in early childhood education and discovered
how exciting and fun it is to teach young children.
She’s been a lead teacher in a licensed center, a public Pre-K
classroom teacher, and is now rounding out her experience with
operating her own home-based program. She understands the
value in building strong relationships with young children, so
providing care in a family child care environment gives her the opportunity to work closely with families and stay with a small group
of children for several years. “That lets me build a real connection
with the kids and their families,” said Joslyn.
One unique aspect to Owl’s Nest is that presence of pets in the
home. Joslyn’s family has a dog named Nutmeg, raises chickens
and owns two angora rabbits: Poppy Mittens and Tulip Pom-Pom.
The children love to help feed the rabbits lettuce and other treats;
they enjoy playing fetch with the dog, and will often watch the
chickens keep busy in the coop which is visible from their outside
play area. “I think it is so important for kids to have positive interactions with animals as it teaches them empathy and about how
we care for others,” she said.
While the animals all have their own separate spaces (for cleanliness, safety and their own peace of mind) and Joslyn always supervises the children around them, they are also accessible to the
children in a way that makes them a regular part of the program.
It can be challenging to find that balance but Joslyn feels it’s more
than worth the trouble. “I feel very lucky to be able to incorporate
pets into the program in a meaningful way.”
Owl’s Nest Family Preschool and Childcare is open Tuesday-Friday, 7-5pm. Contact Joslyn at [email protected].
SAFETY ALERTS & RECALLS
Listed below are recalls and alerts fom the Consumer Product Safety
Commission. For a searchable database of items, go to: www.cpsc.gov
Build-a-Bear Starbrights Dragon
KHS America Monkey Glockenspiel
The seam of the stuffed animal
can open, allowing the stuffing
material to be exposed, posing a choking hazard for young
children. Consumers should
immediately take the recalled
stuffed animal away from children
and return it to any Build-A-Bear
Workshop store to receive a coupon for any Build-A-Bear
stuffed animal.
4 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
The pink metal note bar on the glockenspiel
may contain excessive levels of lead in the
paint, violating the federal lead paint standard.
If the paint is scraped off and ingested lead
can cause adverse health effects. Consumers
should immediately remove the pink bar from
the glockenspiel and contact KHS America for
information on getting a free replacement pink
bar. at 800-283-4676 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
CT Monday through Friday or online at www.
gogreentones.com.
Recommended Reading
Recent STARS Achievements
Programs that participate in STARS are stepping ahead —
going above and beyond state regulations to provide professional services that meet the needs of children and families.
Barbara Gantt
Elm Lea Childcare
margaret squiers
Owl’s Nest Family Preschool &
Childcare (Joslyn Haineswood)
first time
St. Michael’s school
The Quiet Book
by Deborah Underwood
Illustrated by Renata Liwska
What does quiet sound like?
What does it feel like?
This enchanting little book captures many kinds of quiet with its
simple text and charming illustrations. While some quiet happens
naturally, other quiet is forced.
There is peaceful quiet and naughty quiet, the quiet of disbelief and
the quiet of wonder. Explore this
wonderful world of hushed experience with a child you love.
Sleeping sister quiet
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016 I 5
SUPPORTING OUR MISSION
6 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
Membership Renewal Due
Your membership allows us to be an active voice for you and the families you serve.
We offer many great services to you at a very low cost, but maintaining reliable funding streams to support our work
continues to be difficult. Your membership is an important vote of confidence for us and helps us to leverage more
funding. Look for membership renewal forms in your mailbox soon.
NEW MEMBER BENEFIT THIS YEAR:
Staring July 1st, we are happy to offer members access to our passes to The Cheshire Children’s Museum and
KidsPLAYce, which provides ½ price admission for your group. Use it as often and for as large of a group as you’d like!
1st Annual Magical March: Saturday, June 18th
We’re creating a world of magic for young children to enjoy. Let’s march together to
help make our community a place where all children and families can thrive.
Spread the word!
Help us reach families who will enjoy this fantasic event: share the event on Facebook, post a flyer for parents to see (download from our website) and invite children you know.
Connect us with families:
Thanks to the gift of an anonymous donor, are able to offer some children the opportunity to march with us for free. We
need your help reaching families who would like to participate, but would find the $8 per person fee a challenge. Let us
know by calling 254-5332 x310.
Form a team & march with us!
You can create a team with your colleagues
or with your friends and family. Or you can
‘sponsor’ a group of children from your
program. All the details can be found on our
website: www.windhamchildcare.org.
Win one of two castle playhouse tents! All
teams or individuals that raise $60 (including
participation fees) earn a chance to win.
Magic wands for all! Thanks to Kay Curtis and the children at Happy Hands!
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
I 7
MEETING OUR MISSION
Loose Parts Helps Inspire Children’s Play
You can deepen a child’s creative experience by providing open-ended materials. Offer them
loose parts and witness their play become richer, broader, more sustained and focused.
Children usually prefer play that stimulates their curiosity and gives free reign to their imaginations and creativity. One of the
best ways to enhance their natural curiosity is to introduce a wide variety of materials called “loose parts” into their play settings.
What Are Loose Parts?
Loose parts is a term coined by British architect Simon Nicholson, who carefully considered landscapes and environments that
form connections. Nicholson believed that we are all creative and that loose parts in an environment will empower our creativity.
Many play experts and early childhood educators adapted the theory of loose parts.
Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together
in multiple ways. The materials come with no specific set of directions, and they can be used alone or combined with other
materials. Children can turn them into whatever they desire: a stone can become a character in a story; an acorn can become
an ingredient in an imaginary soup. These objects invite conversations and interactions, and they encourage collaboration and
cooperation.
The Value of Loose Parts
Children prefer loose parts. Anyone who has watched children play with toys or playground equipment knows that they quickly
tire of things with a sole purpose. Once they’ve mastered the key function of an object—pushing the button to make a figure
pop up or climbing a ladder, for example—they are ready to move on. The intrigue and the challenge are gone. In other words,
children make their play choices based on how much variability those materials offer. A stick is a richer choice than a slide
because it can become a fishing pole, a spoon for stirring a concoction, a magic wand, or a balance beam for snails. Loose parts
offer almost numberless variables, prompting children to create their own stories.
Gathering Loose Parts
The materials can be drawn from nature, from the recycle bin and the thrift store, from the kitchen, the garage, the hardware
store, the dollar store. Involve families - send a note home asking for donations (and then be sure to document the outcomes!).
Don’t forget containers for filling and dumping, moving and transporting.
Local early care and education providers had a chance to explore loose parts at at recent professional development workshop.
8 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
Every child possesses
a creative spirit that
will either blossom
when nurtured or
wither if stifled.
Hilltop Montessori School
Possibilities for Loose Parts
At the Dollar Store:
Popsicle/craft stick
Clothespins
Marbles
Acrylic ‘gems’
Aquarium gravel
Corks
Paper clips
Straws
Toothpicks
Wood pieces
Erasers
Pencil grips
Hair bands
Curtain rings
Pipe cleaners
Pompoms
Sorting trays, containers,
placemats
Picture frames
At the Fabric Store:
Buttons
Felt squares
Netting
Gauze
Fabric swatches
Ribbon
In Nature:
Seashells
Sea glass
Stones
Twigs
Acorns and chestnuts
Pine cones
Seed pods
Leaves
Grasses
Driftwood
Recycling/Donations:
Bottle caps
String and twine
Corks
Picture frames
Game pieces
Fabric, yarn, ribbon
At the Hardware Store:
Washers
Nuts and bolts
Chain
Paint swatches
PVC pipe and fittings
Dowels
Miscellaneous hardware
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016 I 9
ODDS & ENDS
Tips for Tummy Time
By Lorni Cochran
“The baby I care for cries every time I put him on his belly.
He can’t stand it! He’s so much happier on his back or sitting
in his infant seat. Is tummy time really that important?”
You’ve probably heard that tummy time is important and to understand why, let’s
look at the role gravity plays in early development. Usually we don’t pay much
attention to gravity, but in infant development, it’s a big player! All movement
develops in response to gravity, beginning with reflexes that are triggered by its
force. These reflexes activate babies’ muscles, getting them ready to move their
bodies away from its downward pull. This readiness is called “muscle tone” and
infants’ strength and coordination slowly develop from this base of background
muscle activity.
Because it’s common for infants to spend more time relating to gravity on their
backs - in part due to sleeping on their backs and reclining in infant seats (a position
that has similar back muscle activation), it’s important to offer them corresponding
time on their tummies. This will help them develop balanced muscle tone on both
their fronts and backs – their path to progressing through motor development with
ease and efficiency!
Hints to help infants feel more comfortable on their tummies:
•
•
•
•
•
Create a comfortable tummy time space (for you as well)
Avoid the startle reflex by lowering them slowly onto their sides,
starting with their bodies tucked into a secure ball
Help them release arms and bring fists near their faces
Stay close and engage
Offer small doses to start
Still uncomfortable? Roll them off their tummies before they cry. Try not to just pick
them up - remember, you’re introducing them to gravity sensations; you want to
help them feel comfortable relating to its force.
Lorni Cochran is a Developmental Movement Therapist specializing in infant and child
development. For more information on tummy time, visit her website and blog at
lornicochran.com.
Hold on tight!
An infant learns about gravity as he
rolls from his tummy to his back.
10 I Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
TIPS & ACTIVITIES
Summer FUN: Everlasting Water Sponges
For a fun and refreshing remix on water balloons, try making these re-usable splash balls his summer. Much easier than
filling up balloons on the hose, these only require a bucket or bowl to hold some water and are made with supplies
you may even already have in your cupboards!
Supplies:
• Three sponges
• One hair band
• One pair of scissors
1.
3.
Instructions:
1. Cut three sponges into four equal strips,
lengthwise
2. Wrap the 12 strips securely with a hair band
3. Spread the strips outward
4. Soak and toss for a fun splash effect
2.
RECIPE BOX: Beet & Raspberry Smoothies
Freshly grated beet and frozen raspberry create a vibrant pink color while
providing lots of fiber and antioxidants.
Serves 6
•
4½ cups almond milk (or regular milk)
•
4½ cups frozen raspberries
•
1½ cups grated beets (four small beets)
•
1/4 cup honey
•
1/4 cup chia seeds
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and puree until smooth.
Serve immediately.
Sources & Credits:
Photos and text by Windham Child Care Association staff unless otherwise noted.
Pages 8 & 9: Courtesy photo, Hilltop Montessori School / Sources: www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2015/loose-parts
http://extension.psu.edu/youth/betterkidcare/early-care/our-resources/tip-pages/tips/loose-parts-what-does-this-mean
Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children by Lisa Daly & Miriam Beloglovsky
Back cover & page 10: Courtesy photo, Timothy DiNicola
Recipe Box, page 11: Source: Alex Caspero, MA, RD, CLT; Everyday Chef, Fruites & Veggies-More Matters. www.fruitsveggiesmorematters.org
Windham Child Care Assocation NEWS Summer 2016
I 11
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Windham Child Care Association NEWS Summer 2016
CONTENTS
Make Way for Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Farewell & Thanks to Nancy Witherill. . . . . 3
SPOTLIGHT: Owl’s Nest Family
Childcare & Preschool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Magical March! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Loose Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Tummy Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Beet & Raspberry Smoothies . . . . . . . . . . . 11