Batcheller Early Education Center 201 Pratt St. Winsted, CT

News and Information from your Parents as Teachers Program of the Winsted Family Resource Center January, 2015 Batcheller Early Education Center 201 Pratt St. Winsted, CT . 860 379-0828 [email protected]

Happy New Year! We are very excited about starting another new year with our families. Although the weather is still cold and wintery, the days are slowly getting longer. Why not consider this New Year’s resolution: I can make a difference! We will be scheduling a new program for parents called Parent Voices. We will explore ways to effectively become agents for change in our community. We will also be offering the Conscious Discipline series. Watch for dates and times.

Miss Robin is helping Julissa with her ornament at Miss JoAnne”s home child care.

Reach Out & Read: The Power of Parents & the Influence of Doctors Reach Out & Read is a nonprofit organization preparing January Dates to Remember our youngest children to succeed in school by partnering Jan. 5 Preschool Screening with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families Jan. 9 Pasta Dinner Benefit to read together. The organization trains and supports Jan. 19 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day medical providers who give books to children and advice Jan. 29 Field Trip to KidsPlay to parents about the importance of reading aloud at well- child exams. Because the first five years of life offer a th Preschool screening, Jan. 5 If your child turned 3 or critical window for learning, with rapid brain development 4 before January 1st , please call our office to schedule that does not occur at any other time, their literacy a screening. Please inform any other Winsted parents approach not only promotes language and literacy skills that this service is available and attending screening but builds a sound relationship that secures a strong qualifies your child to enter the lottery to be selected as foundation for social emotional development. Research a peer model for our Batcheller Pre-K program for shows that children who start school on track are more children with identified needs. likely to reach their full educational, social and life Pasta Dinner to benefit Jacob Keesler on Friday,Jan. potential. 9th at 5:00 until 7:00. Jacob is the 22 month old son of We have one practice in Litchfield County that our colleague, Rachel Keesler. Rachel is a home visitor participates in this program. Why not talk to your child’s to our Winsted Early Head Start families and is a pediatrician about joining. They can read about the member of many of our local committees. Her son was importance of this project and obtain resources by going recently diagnosed with Glut1-DS after months of to the American Academy of Pediatrics website and searching for reasons for various delays. Please take the searching “books build connections toolkit” and by going time to read more about this special boy on to www.reachoutandread.org. youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/jacob-and-glut1- Parent Voices ds/268970. Robin and Lisa always make the best pasta Parent engagement and parent involvement have so please join us. Tickets are $10 and available in the become “buzz” words at the state and local levels. It is FRC. th the expectation that parents have a voice in their child’s Field Trip to KidsPlay, Thursday, Jan. 29 . education. Ruthann will bring together a group of We have a wonderful new resource closer to home – interested parents to explore and design strategies, KidsPlay in Torrington. They have added many more based on the vision of the group, to influence positive exhibits so we’re sure to have a great time. The group change in our district. Join us on Wednesdays, starting will meet at KidsPlay at 10:00 AM. More information to January 21st at the FRC. More info to follow. follow. The following information is taken from the CT ELDS (Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards) Action Guide: What Can I Do to Support Early Learning and Development? The Action Guide can be accessed on the Office of Early Childhood website: http://www.ct.gov/oec/site/defau Language & Literacy

Communicating using your body, language, signs and written communication What adults can do…… Encourage  Interacting with people  Gesturing, making noise and talking  Enjoying books, songs and writing  Expressing ideas, needs and feelings  Writing

Infant and Toddlers Preschoolers

Share books everyday. Show interest in what your child is Read stories at bedtime or when riding on saying. Look at them when they talk and the bus. comment on what they’re saying.

Talk and sing with your baby. Ask questions that make them think. Encourage them to “sing” and “talk” too. When reading a story ask, “What do you think will happen next?” Respond to your baby’s noises. Repeat the noises they make or comment, Talk to your child about what happens “You sound happy.” during the day. Talk about what you do together and ask Help them learn new words by naming about what happens when you are apart. and describing what you see. “I see a shiny, silver mirror.” Let them practice “writing.” Ask them to draw a picture or make a list, even if they Share books EVERY DAY! use shapes instead of letters.

Share books EVERY DAY!

You really can change the world if you care enough.

Marian Wright Edelman