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Julie Wassom

Helping children belong in the classroom

United Way of Morris County’s Success By 6® Coalition Addresses Kindergarten Cram at Parent Workshop Series

A recent New York Times article launched a discussion about the importance of allowing our children time to play. One Morris County mother shared her experience with Success By 6®.

“I was overly obsessive with my first child. She loved reading and writing. She could write her name by age three. My second child had no interest in reading or writing. He went to kindergarten not knowing the ABCs. Yet, he was slotted into gifted programs. While I stressed over his lack of academic interest early on, I also never had the time to really pressure him because I was working a full-time job. As a result, his abilities unfolded naturally.” “It is critical that we stop pressuring our preschoolers and give them time to be kids,” said Kathy Kwasnik, Education Community Impact Manager at United Way of Morris County. “By pushing kids to learn, we’re creating stressed out, anxious grade schoolers.”

Success By 6® will address this hot topic at a special parent workshop – Emotional Foundations of Learning: Getting Your Child Ready to Learn. Lorri Sullivan, Early Childhood Educator at the Youth Consultation Service Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Health, will talk to parents about why it is important to understand your child’s development and how you can prepare your child for success in school.

The workshop is being held at the Morris County Library in Whippany from 7:00pm to 8:30pm on Wednesday, October 21. Admission is free, but space is limited! Please reserve your spot by Wednesday, October 14. Email kathy.kwasnik@uwmorris.org or call 973.993.1160, x130.

Additional information can be found at www.LiveUnitedMorris.org.

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Learning through Play at Preschool By Lisa Guernsey

Question: I was wondering what your thoughts are in terms of what parents can reasonably expect from their day care centers in terms of a preparedness/prevention plan for the H1N1 virus as we start the Fall flu season. I see a number of public schools where children are coming to class equipped with hand sanitizer and wipes or where proper hand washing is being reiterated. I asked at my center on two occasions and felt that I received a very inadequate response. Since there is no vaccine currently available and one of the higher risk populations are children 5 and under, I fully expected that my center would have a plan in place and was more than disappointed to hear that they did not. Any thoughts from your end would be much appreciated. Thank you, Kelly W.

Answer: This is a timely question as H1N1 is beginning to pop up on college campuses already. The reality that your child is going to get sick this season is undeniable; however, we want to sheild our littlest ones from diseases that could potentially cause more than just a fever or sore throat.

You may have noticed that your child is a germ magnet, touching anything and everything without hesitation, and mayber even tasting it with equal abandon. Now imagine a room full of them. Needless to say, childcare centers, daycares, preschools and public schools are all germ breeding grounds. Therefore, it critical that caregivers, administrators and teachers are vigilant about doing what they can to prevent an epidemic of disease in your child's school. The following are easy steps that every school should be following to decrease the spread of disease among young children.

What is your center doing to prevent the spread of disease this season? Let us know!

For more information about H1N1 virus, visit The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

list of child care profesional development trainings Did you know that teachers and/or administrators at child care facilities and preschool programs are required by the state to obtain a certain number of hours of professional development training? Check your state's requirements to find out how many hours you need, what kinds of trainings are required (just hours or CEU's, and in what subjects), and which training facilities' courses are accepted by your licensing body.

Always be sure to check with your licensing representative before purchasing professional development hours for you or your staff. Some states are more strict in their requirements than others, so know your state's expectations. Additionally, ask the Continuing Education organization you are purchasing from for their provider number issued by their state and if they are connected to a college or university to offer college credits.

Click here to see our list of Professional Development Organizations.

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