Hello Luann,
Thanks for the question regarding Michigan. :) Late last week, Governor Whitmer gave direction to the school districts to offer hybrid learning. So teaching and learning will continue in our state, although we do not have 1:1 technology for students. In pursuit of equity, we are reaching children with printed materials, books, letters, texts, and phone calls, as well as using virtual learning methods. Our districts will have to provide a plan later in April to show how they will accomplish this within reason K-12. We've also been given guidelines and a template to create these plans.
For my own local state-funded preschool program, we felt connection was our first and most important priority, and so we began in mid-March to reach out, listen, and give needed resources, like food drop locations. We created a printed Home Learning Book, gathered books and learning supplies for a Home Learning Kit, and safely distributed these prior to shelter in place directions.
Since then, we've made dedicated efforts to set up learning groups, communicate a reasonable time to connect each day, and use multiple methods to teach from the Home Learning Book, which is full of simple learning activities based on HighScope's COR using household goods. We've also launched a letter writing campaign with stamps provided for three "volleys" of writing with the help of a local funder. We have experimented with Loom for read alouds as well as many other tech-enabled methods.
Our survey indicates a total of 66% of our 145 families in 9 classrooms have Internet and an enabled device, with a low of 40% in one classroom and a high of 94% in another. What we've learned after three weeks of engagement, is to make connection with families a priority and press in to care for staff, meeting very regularly with the bare bones of a plan for moving forward. We meet with staff two times a week to support each other during this difficult time.
More about the National Book Study on From Teaching to Thinking will be coming out soon, and I look forward to connecting with each of you as we assess the future. I remain hopeful that great good can come from this time.
Together,
Chris
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Christine Whitmire
Director of Early Childhood Education
Lewis Cass Intermediate School District
Cassopolis MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-04-2020 11:12 AM
From: Luann Polejewski
Subject: National Book Study?
Hi Christine,
This is an exciting and brilliant idea. I work in ECFE in Minneapolis and our district pays for our membership. I just discussed this idea with a colleague. We could even do it for our PDPLC professional learning next year and include action research. We're willing to jump in and participate and bring to our local and state NAEYC affiliates!
On a separate topic I had a question and was curious. I heard on the news MI cancelled school for the rest of the year. What was the reasoning behind that I assumed it was because the school districts had not made the investment in technology. In MN we are providing school via distance learning the Governor gave teachers two weeks to plan and prepare. Some districts were more ready then others. Minneapolis is pushing out 1 computer to each family and couldn't do 1 to 1 for each child as originally planned.
I think 🤔 it's a good time to start to use the technology to change the way we teach and am excited about the possibilities.
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Luann Polejewski
Eden Prairie MN
Original Message:
Sent: 03-26-2020 08:27 AM
From: Christine Whitmire
Subject: National Book Study?
Hello Respected Colleagues,
Like all of you, I am trying to make sense of how to function as a leader during and after this challenging time. Looking ahead, I wondered if there is any interest in a national book study based on a paradigm-shifting book, such as From Teaching to Thinking-A Pedagogy for Reimagining Our Work by Ann Pelo and Margie Carter?
I pitched the idea to our Affiliate, Michigan AEYC, who were delighted to see where this could go in our state. Could we figure out a way to connect at multiple levels? If we engaged at the national, affiliate, and chapter level we could effectively bind ourselves to each other as people who care about the field and who see this historic cultural disruption as a time to make a change in ourselves for the greater good. Perhaps Ann and Margie would be interested in guiding this with discussion groups trickling down to the local chapters?
Just thought I would float this idea out there this morning...We all need each other and together we can create something even better than before in our field.
For all the wondering children and adults,
Chris
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Christine Whitmire
Director of Early Childhood Education
Lewis Cass Intermediate School District
Cassopolis MI
christine.whitmire@lewiscassisd.org
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