What specific section (s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?
I like the knowledge center on the NHSA website. The knowledge center provides the infrastructure that generates, curates, communication, and connects knowledge across these groups to support the future of Head Start and Head Start children (www.nhsa.org). The knowledge center has four centers that supports the early childhood field. The Center on Advocacy- it focus on alumni, parent-support, and a bipartisan strategy that organizes national, state, and local activities to make sure head start have a successful future. Center for Practice- engages organizations that are committed to Head Start families and children. Its purpose is sharing knowledge, creating resources for quality and innovation, so that we have a community of learners to strengthen Head Start programs. Center for Policy, Data, and Research- produces new information to lead reform for stronger children and family outcomes. Center on the States- supports and cultivates best practices in State- based early learning systems. It always supports Head Start communities through a network of people to prepare them to be visionary leaders, trusted partners, and voices for families and children.
The National Read aloud challenge is a resource that I find that can be a little controversial. NHSA are joining forces to increase awareness and supports for families to read to their child. I think this is awesome program. It gets the families involves in their children's education. My question is how do you know you know families are actually doing this at home. NHSA provides a toolkit that they can download and use. What if the family can't read? How does this help them? Now, I'm asking you is it successful? This why I think this issue can be controversial.
The NHSA website have a book called, "Learning Together". The author of the book is Michael Kaufman. After reading the reviews, the book can give great insights on how the politicians, neuroscientist, and other lawmakers are doing for the early childhood field. It talks about the investment in effective early childhood education programs.
My new insight on the website was learning about the News, updates, reading their blog and when the upcoming conferences and events that are happening in the early child hood field. I found this to be resourceful for me. I am able to attend some of the events, and can voice how I feel on some issues. Most importantly, I can meet new people and collaborate with them on early childhood issues.
Reference
National Head Start Association. Retrieved from: http:/www.nhsa.org.
Thank you for mentioning the reading toolkit on the site. I didn't look at it in full depth yet, but think it is a resource I would like to use with my families. I also through a local non profit volunteer for Ready to Read (http://everychildreadytoread.org/) and we something similar to the toolkit with giving parents reading resources and activities. But you are right, how do you know what they do with kids once they are home, but I think that can be true of anything (such as spelling lists that are sent home from school...). I think the important step with Ready to Read is that parents come to a session with their child and we discuss the resources there as well as read to the child/parent and give them the books to take home, the fact the parent is there with the child I think give the child a bit more interest in reading and hopefully they are asking the parent to read their new books that we gave them...
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