Inspiring Lessons

What We Learned from the Community Partners for Early Literacy Project

In 2008, the Center for Early Childhood Education began a three-year effort to improve the early literacy skills of over 500 preschool children in Windham, Connecticut. Under a U.S. Department of Education Early Reading First grant, the Community Partners for Early Literacy (CPEL) project provided intensive professional development and in-classroom coaching to teachers and paraprofessionals in 14 preschool classrooms. The project also supported parents to enhance the home literacy environment. Inspiring Lessons shares some of the important lessons learned during the project about supporting early literacy, including:

1. Provide ongoing, differentiated professional development.
2. Invest in the professional development of paraprofessionals.
3. Use assessment to inspire change.
4. Involve families.
5. Inspire teachers to believe in children's potential.

Watch Inspiring Lessons.

Investigating...

Investigations is the curriculum used by Eastern's Child and Family Development Resource Center (CFDRC). The curriculum is centered around engaging projects—called "investigations"—on topics that are selected by children, teachers, and families. As children investigate a topic in learning centers, small collaborative groups, whole group activities, movement and music experiences, outdoor observation, or field trips, they acquire critical competencies identified in the Connecticut State Department of Education Curriculum and Assessment Framework and the standards of national professional organizations. Each video in the Investigating... series captures one topic of investigation explored at the CFDRC. The following videos are available to date:

• Investigating Going Green
• Investigating Balls (Winner of a 2013 Telly Award!)
• Investigating Nature
• Investigating Trees (coming this summer)

Watch the Investigating videos.

Research Clips

Findings from the Center for Early Childhood Education

Research Clips illustrate findings from different studies conducted by the Center for Early Childhood Education. Each video features one or more experts describing the research question, how the study was conducted, and the main findings. Videos also include interviews with student researchers who assisted with the study and footage taken from preschool classrooms.

Watch the following Research Clips:

• The relationship of teacher-child interactions in preschool play to young children's mathematical abilities
• TIMPANI toy study results 2012
• TIMPANI toy study results 2011
• TIMPANI toy study results 2010

e-clips: Educational Video Clips for Early Childhood Professionals

e-clips are brief, professional development videos that provide teachers and caregivers with tips and ideas they can implement in their work with young children. Each e-clip features an expert describing how early childhood professionals can use the latest research to enhance children’s learning. Interviews with classroom teachers and footage from preschool classrooms illustrate how educators can put theory into practice and capture authentic early childhood classroom experiences. Supplementing each e-clip are suggested readings, additional on-line resources, and discussion questions to support conversations within instructional teams or in staff meetings. The Center has released e-clips on the following topics to date:

• Five predictors of early literacy (Winner of a 2010 Telly Award!)
• Introducing technology to young children
• Involving families
• The importance of play (Winner of a 2011 Telly Award!)
• Observing young children
• Supporting children's individual needs
• Encouraging physical activity in preschoolers
• Supporting English Language Learners

Watch the e-clips videos.

The Importance of Physical and Outdoor Play

A Head Start Body Start Project

In the summer of 2010, the Center for Early Childhood Education was awarded a contract from Head Start Body Start to conduct research on the benefits of physical and outdoor play for children from birth to age five. In addition to developing a comprehensive literature review and research-into-practice briefs for teachers and parents, the Center developed five video clips illustrating ways that adults can support and encourage active play in young children:

• Supporting thinking and learning in infants and toddlers through active music and play experiences
• Supporting physical development in infants and toddlers
• Incorporating motor play in the preschool curriculum
• Using an obstacle course to promote active outdoor play
• Nurturing preschool children's emotional health through active play

Watch the physical play videos.

Listen to CECE faculty discuss the importance of physical play on the Wayne Norman Radio Show on WILI. (12/2/10)

Guiding Young Children's Behavior

Guiding Young Children's Behavior is an interactive training curriculum that provides current and future early childhood professionals with tools and strategies for guiding preschool children's behavior in positive ways. The curriculum was originally made possible through the generous support of the U.S. Department of Defense for Project Navigate, a project to support the professional development of early childhood professionals in U.S. Navy child care centers. Video clips from the curriculum are now available on the following topics:

• Fostering trusting relationships
• Arranging the classroom
• Selecting classroom materials and planning the schedule
• Establishing classroom rules
• Responding to behavior problems and resolving conflicts
• Helping children identify and express emotions

Watch the videos.

Interviews with Early Childhood Education Experts

The Center has recorded a number of interviews with experts in early childhood education on a variety of topics. Each interview includes footage from preschool classrooms that demonstrate teaching and learning concepts. The Center has completed video interviews with the following individuals to date:

• Dr. Theresa Bouley: Using literature to help children manage strong emotions
• Dr. Kathryn Castle: Creating classroom rules with children
• Dr. Patricia Ramsey: Cultural influences in children's play
• Dr. Carlota Schechter: Teaching children conflict resolution skills
• Dr. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith: Creating classroom getaway spaces for children
• Dr. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith: The importance of building positive relationships with young children

Watch the video interviews.

Early Childhood Insights

An audio podcast series

Early Childhood Insights is an audio podcast series that features interviews with experts on topics of interest to early childhood professionals and policymakers. The audio podcasts are longer than most of the Center's video interviews and podcasts, and are designed to provide more in-depth information on certain topics. Audio podcasts include interviews with the following experts:

• Dr. Douglas Clements: Using technology with young children in the early childhood classroom
• Dr. Patricia Ramsey: Cultural differences in children's play
• Dr. Carlota Schechter: Teaching preschool children conflict resolution skills

Listen to the audio podcasts.