Additional Resources

We want our E-Newsletter subscribers to be the first to know that online registration for our new conference series is open now! In response to the tremendous demand for training on The Creative Curriculum from programs around the country, and to celebrate the publication of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool 4th edition, Teaching Strategies is taking our popular training conferences on the road! "The Creative Curriculum Connecting to You" conference series offers comprehensive and practical seminars for administrators, staff developers, and teachers. The conference will offer in-depth training on Teaching Strategies' most popular curriculum frameworks including:

* The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, 4th Edition

* The Creative Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers

* The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Assessment System for Ages 3-5

The schedule of conferences is:

Los Angeles, CA: June 25-28, 2002

Chicago, IL: July 16-19, 2002

Denver, CO: July 30-August 2, 2002

Washington, DC: August 13-16, 2002

Register early to save $50! Online registration is open now, and for the first time online, we are ACCEPTING PURCHASE ORDERS!

Last Chance for Introductory Prices on CreativeCurriculum.net, our Web-based Assessment and Outcomes Reporting System!

We know many of you have been dreaming of an all-in-one assessment and outcomes reporting system that will help you follow the progress of the children in your program, generate the reports you need, invite parents to learn more about their children's progress, and provide instant access to the information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many of you already know that CreativeCurriculum.net does it all, and more. But, you've been waiting for funding or Internet access, or just for the right moment to subscribe... Well, the time to subscribe is NOW!

For the past year, we offered CreativeCurriculum.net at special introductory prices. Those prices will expire on June 30th. The good news is that if your program has already subscribed, or if you subscribe now, you are eligible for the introductory prices!

If you are interested in learning more about how to secure introductory pricing for your program, contact Jenni Cox at 1-800-874-0914 or by e-mail at jenni.cox@earlylearner.com.

To learn more about CreativeCurriculum.net or register for a FREE 30 day trial, go to:

http://www.CreativeCurriculum.net

What does Author Margie Carter Have to Say About The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, 4th Edition?

We thought our newsletter subscribers would like to the first to know what Margie Carter, author of "The Art of Awareness: How Observation Can Transform Your Teaching," "Training Teachers," and "The Visionary Director," had to say about our new book, The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, 4th edition:

"...In clear, user-friendly language, this newly revised Creative Curriculum helps us set aside the either/or debate on the value of a play versus academically based curriculum for very young children and get on with the important task of integrating and documenting content learning as part of children's everyday play... It is rare to find such a thoughtful, easy to read and integrated resource for early childhood educators. I'm thrilled with the 4th edition of The Creative Curriculum."

In the coming weeks, we hope you will stay tuned to the http://www.teachingstrategies.com to for more reviews

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Proverbial Look at Great Staff Development Programs

by Sherrie Rudick, Director of Training, Teaching Strategies, Inc.

Good curriculum doesn't just happen. Successful curriculum implementation is an ongoing process that results from thoughtful planning, staff supervision, ongoing monitoring, good communication, and training, training, and (of course), more training. What makes training effective? Some of the proverbial wisdom of the ages can help us think answer this question. Here are 7 proverbs that guide our thinking about how to shape a staff development program.

1) Rome Wasn't Built in a Day:

We all know learning takes time. Research tells us that one-shot training isn't effective. A good training program, therefore, is ongoing, incremental, and spaced over time. Successful trainers help learners tie new learning to prior knowledge.

2) Practice Makes Perfect:

We learn by doing. Applying what is learned in a training session makes training real. Good training is an interactive process of classroom learning followed by practical application. It integrates theory with practice. Teachers need time and support when they try out new practices. Reflective supervisors let teachers try something, think about how well it worked, and reflect on how they might do it differently. They allow people to take the risks needed to try new things. Observation, feedback, coaching, and mentoring are keys to supporting teachers.

3) If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again:

Have you ever thought, in despair, "But I just discussed that in our training?" There's an excellent rule of thumb regarding adult learning: When adult learners hear content once in thirty days, they only retain 10%, but if they hear the same content six times in thirty days, the retain 90%. Be patient. For maximum retention, you should review and revisit content six times!

4) Different Strokes for Different Folks:

Just like children, adults' learning styles vary. Some are visual learners, while others are auditory, tactile, or kinesthetic learners. Good training provides a variety of approaches that appeals to different ways of learning. But putting them all together is best. Good training is multi-sensory. People generally remember 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, 50% of what they hear and see, 70% of what they say or write, and 90% of what they say as they do something.

5) Teach Fishing:

Remember the Chinese proverb, "Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime." Help teachers understand not only what to do, but the reasons behind it. Help them plan based on what they have learned, implement the plans, and look back to analyze the results. This approach will guide them to become reflective teachers, life-long learners, and ever-growing professionals.

6) The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating:

Good training is enjoyable, energizing and fun. But in the end, what really matters is if the information is relevant and useful. If teachers apply what they have learned in their classrooms, the training was successful.

7) You Can Lead a Horse to Water, but You Can't Make Him/Her Drink:

Adults bring a lifetime of experiences to a training program, so they need to be ready to learn and to integrate their new knowledge. They prefer training that is real, relevant, and oriented towards solving their immediate problems. Once they accept that the training is relevant to them, they are ready to apply the new information. Ultimately, adults are responsible for their own learning, and they integrate learning best when they perceive a real need and have a desire to learn.

Teaching Strategies designs training with these proverbs in mind. Our conferences and on-site staff development programs offer different approaches to staff development that can be combined to develop a comprehensive plan. Conferences provide exciting opportunities to get an overview of new materials, network, and share ideas with people from different programs, which can spark new ways of seeing things. Our on-site training programs can sustain and extend the concepts and initial excitement generated in the conference setting. Because we believe that good training is ongoing and incremental, TSI works together with our clients to customize and individualize on-site training to meet the needs of each program.

We all need to sharpen our saws, and renew ourselves professionally from time to time - and training can serve as a good whetstone and a nurturing spa. One way or another, through our four national conferences or our on-site training, Teaching Strategies is there to meet your program's staff development needs.

The TSI E-Newsletter is owned and distributed by Teaching Strategies, Inc.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DISTRIBUTE THIS NEWSLETTER TO OTHERS

WHO SHARE AN INTEREST IN TEACHING AND FAMILIES.

The TSI E-Newsletter is owned and distributed by Teaching Strategies, Inc.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DISTRIBUTE THIS NEWSLETTER TO OTHERS WHO SHARE AN INTEREST IN TEACHING AND FAMILIES.