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- Providers must:
- conduct a needs assessment of their program
- Identify at least 2 targeted areas for improvement
- set a timeline to implement the proposed actions.
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- Describe targeted areas based on needs assessment
- Questions that you answered “No” to on the Provider
Acknowledgement should become targeted areas for improvement
- Actions already taken or proposed to be taken (at least two)
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- Target Area: Administrative and Management Practices
- Target Area: Developmentally Appropriate Curricula
- Target Area: Classroom Learning Environment
- Target Area: Classroom Instructional Practices
- Target Area: Child Developmental Screenings
- Target Area: Child Developmental Assessments
- Target Area: Social-Emotional Interactions Among Prekindergarten
Instructors and Children
- Target Area: Family Involvement
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5
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6
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- The management practices of your program are your foundation.
Strong, well-defined policies and operating systems will create
stability and will allow your program to run smoothly. This me=
ans
that your staff will be able to function well and spend the majority=
of
their time invested in teaching, and that administrators will be abl=
e to
avoid crisis management and instead spend their time creating contin=
uous
improvement.
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7
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- Have written policy and procedure manuals
- Support staff with supervision and professional development plans
- Keep up-to-date records
- Follow accounting and finance systems
- Maintain compliance with licensing, regulations and/or school oversi=
ght
requirements
- Assess their programs regularly and frequently
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8
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- Developmentally appropriate curricula offer opportunities for childr=
en
to learn individually and in groups according their developmental ne=
eds
and interests. The program should implement a curriculum that is
consistent with its goals for children and promotes learning and
development in each of the developmental domains addressed in the
Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Standards adopted by the
Department of Education.
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9
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- Children are active and engaged
- Goals are clear and shared by all
- Content is learned through investigation, play and focused intention=
al
teaching
- Builds on previous experience and learning
- Comprehensive (covers all developmental domains)
- Professional standards validate the content
- Likely to benefit all children
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10
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- Professional development opportunities for staff regarding curriculu=
m
- Participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Standards
training
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11
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- The program should provide a safe and healthful environment that
provides appropriate, well-maintained, organized, and accessible ind=
oor
and outdoor physical environments. The learning environment
includes facilities, equipment and materials to facilitate
children’s and staff’s learning and development.
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12
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- One of the most important responsibilities of the Voluntary
Prekindergarten instructor is to create and maintain a physical sett=
ing
that encourages children to be actively engaged in the learning
process. The instructor must arrange the play the space, select
the learning materials, display and store the learning materials and
ensure the health and safety of the children within the learning
environment.
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13
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- Well defined interest areas for specific types of play (fluid,
construction, dramatic, etc.)
- Safe, clean and well maintained facilities and materials
- Developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant materials are
available
- Well designed floor plans that accommodate the equipment, storage,
materials and traffic flow
- Opportunities for quiet and active play
- Materials and equipment are labeled and stored appropriately
- Children have choices of the materials and spaces to play
- Materials are rotated throughout the year
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14
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- Professional development opportunities for staff regarding environme=
ntal
assessment
- Participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Standards
training
- Health and Safety checklists
- Effective room arrangement strategies
- Developmentally appropriate materials and equipment
- Organized and accessible materials
- Selection of appropriate environmental assessment tools and conducti=
ng
assessments
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15
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- Process of measuring, collecting and interpreting information about =
an
early childhood program. An environmental assessment considers eleme=
nts
such as space arrangement, furnishings, health, safety, adult-child
interaction, materials, activities, supervision, and program
structure.
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16
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- Environmental assessments can be used in a variety of ways including
self-assessment by center staff, preparation for accreditation, and
voluntary improvement efforts by licensing or other agencies.
Environmental assessments can also be used for the inclusion of chil=
dren
with handicapping conditions; ordering of equipment, materials; and
request training based on needs that have been objectively
substantiated; for quality improvement, and provides technical
assistance
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17
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- Instructors provide a variety of materials for children to work with=
- Instructors provide space and time for children to use materials
- Instructors understand child development and differences in learning
styles
- Instructors observe children daily and use the information gathered =
to
inform instructional practices
- Instructors plan the environment, lessons, transitions, and routines
ahead of time
- Instructors involve parents as partners in their child’s educa=
tion
- Instructors share control with children offering a balance of
adult-directed and child-directed activities
- Instructors are actively engaged with children in the learning
activities
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- Instructional practices include the use of developmentally, cultural=
ly
and linguistically appropriate and effective teaching approaches that
enhance each child’s learning and development in the context of
the program’s curriculum goals. Teaching practices should
include a variety of approaches that range from structured to
unstructured activities and from adult-directed to child-directed.
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- Staff orientation program
- Staff to staff mentoring
- Professional development opportunities for all staff
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20
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- Developmental screenings and child assessments include ongoing,
systematic, formal and informal assessment approaches to provide
information on individual children’s learning and
development. Screening and assessment results are used to bene=
fit
children by informing sound decisions about children, instructional
practices, and program improvement.
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- Developmental screening is a short, quick procedure designed to iden=
tify
children who should receive more intensive assessment or diagnosis, =
for
potential developmental delays. Developmental screening can allow for
earlier detection of delays and improve child health and well-being =
for
identified children as well as inform teacher practices.
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- Many children with behavioral or developmental disabilities are miss=
ing
vital opportunities for early detection and intervention. Many child=
ren
with developmental delays are not being identified early. In the Uni=
ted
States, 17% of children have a developmental or behavioral disability
such as autism, mental retardation or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder.
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- In addition, many children have delays in language or other areas, w=
hich
also impact school readiness. However, less than 50% of these childr=
en
are identified as having a problem before starting school, by which =
time
significant delays may have already occurred and opportunities for
treatment have been missed.
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- Professional development opportunities for staff regarding screening=
- Selection of appropriate screening tools
- Participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Standards
training
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- A developmental assessment can be both an informal or a structured
evaluation of a child's development — physical, language,
intellectual, social, and emotional — by a developmental
assessment specialist, or a team of professionals that can include a
pediatrician, language specialist, audiologist, occupational therapi=
st,
child psychologist, and child psychiatrist, among others.
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26
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- The assessment will be tailored to the child's age and suspected pro=
blem
or delay as identified by a developmental screening. In general, it =
can
be expected that the parents will spend time answering a host of
detailed questions about their child's growth, physical movements,
behavior, play, and interactions with family members and the rest of=
the
world. The child will undergo a series of assessments that may inclu=
de a
physical exam, hearing and eye screenings, play observation, and
standardized tests that present the child with certain tasks to
determine areas of strength and weakness.
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- Developmental assessment can allow for earlier detection of delays a=
nd
improve child health and well-being. The developmental assessment is
simply an evaluation of the child. It is not a diagnosis in and of
itself (though it may lead to one), nor a sign that something is
seriously wrong. In many cases, an assessment reveals that the child=
is
absolutely normal and needs no further treatment. Results of the
assessment should be used to inform instructional practice.
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28
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- Professional development opportunities for staff regarding assessmen=
t
- Selection of appropriate assessment tools
- Participation in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Standards
training
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29
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- Positive relationships are essential for the development of personal
responsibility, self-regulation, interactions with others, and for
fostering learning and development. Interactions among instructors a=
nd
children are warm, sensitive, respectful, and responsive to the need=
s of
each child.
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30
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- Interaction is the verbal and non-verbal dialogue that is created wh=
en
adults play and communicate with children. Your interactions with
children play a very important role in children’s learning and
development. There must be a balance between adult and child
contributions in appropriate social-emotional interactions. Achieving
this balance may require you to make changes to your own style of
working with children. It may be difficult to think of “sharing
control” in your interactions, but remember that responsive
teachers who guide and support children’s activities rather th=
an
direct or control them are more likely to have children that take
initiative and are actively involved and persistent in their work.
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31
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- Adults:
- Communicate with children at eye level
- Participate in children’s play when appropriate
- Verbally interact with children positively during routines and
activities
- Show respect and consideration to all children
- Understand that children’s challenging behaviors are conveying=
a
message
- Children:
- Ask questions and maintain conversations
- Seek assistance appropriately
- Recognize feelings
- Have access to activities related to their current needs and interes=
ts
- Can experience feelings of control and success
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32
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- Wait until children finish asking a question before answering
- Encourage children to listen in a polite way when adults speak
- Provide opportunities for children to work together to complete a ta=
sk
- Actively involve children in solving conflicts and problems
- Be responsive to children’s cues, interests, actions and
communications
- Attend social-emotional trainings and implement concepts learned
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33
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- Family involvement includes establishing and maintaining collaborati=
ve
relationships with each child’s family to foster children̵=
7;s
development in all settings. The relationships are sensitive to
the family composition, language and culture. Programs recogni=
ze
the importance of family involvement and that the parent is the
child’s first teacher.
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34
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- Family involvement includes establishing and maintaining collaborati=
ve
relationships with each child’s family to foster children̵=
7;s
development in all settings. The relationships are sensitive to
the family composition, language and culture. Programs recogni=
ze
the importance of family involvement and that the parent is the
child’s first teacher. Staff treats parents as partners and he=
lps
them understand the curriculum that is used for instruction and their
children’s development.
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35
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- Young children’s learning and development are integrally conne=
cted
to their families. Therefore to support and promote optimal learning=
and
development for a child, programs should recognize the importa=
nt
role the family plays in a child’s life, establish relationshi=
ps
with families based on mutual trust and respect, support and involve
families in their children’s educational growth, and invite
families to fully participate in the program.(adapted from NAEYC)
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36
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- Professional development opportunities for all staff
- Opportunities for parents to participate in the program
- Sharing of information with parents through parent conferences,
newsletters, daily notes, or parent meetings
- Take home activities or parent lending libraries
- Incorporate into lesson plans the social and cultural aspects of
families ensures that learning experiences are meaningful, relevant =
and
respectful to children and their families (adapted from NAEYC)
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37
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- Identify targeted areas for improvement based on needs assessment.
- Choose at least two target areas of improvement, however, it is
encouraged that all areas are targeted for improvement.
- Set a timeline to implement the proposed actions (or actions already
taken). Your timeline should be over a period of time, not to occur =
all
at once, but throughout your VPK program.
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38
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39
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- When you have completed your target areas, your screen should look l=
ike
this
- Use [Edit] or [Delete] to make changes to your target areas
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40
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- If you do not choose at least TWO target areas, you will receive this
error message
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41
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42
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- Powerpoint tutorial – submission
- Powerpoint tutorial – period progress reports
- Back to VPK Improvement Process Web Tutorial
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