March should prove to be an exciting time for teachers and mentors working in the TSR! Project. All progress monitoring should be completed with your vendor and teachers should have ready access to the progress monitoring reports provided. These various reports will help focus instructional attention on targeted small group instruction as well as provide a comprehensive look at the successes and needs of the entire class. In addition, you are provided individual child summary sheets appropriate for you to use in communicating with parents. We hope that our children’s progress will reflect all the efforts we have all made during the year. Continue reading.
PERSPECTIVES FROM PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Bridging the Communication Gap: Supporting TSR! Partnerships Through Communication
By Mary Ellen Douglas, Technical Assistance Specialist
As the work of the Children’s Learning Institute expands to include more and more communities in Texas, the challenge of creating and maintaining strong community-based partnerships also increases. Integrated approaches to building school readiness skills include a variety of partnership situations. In every partnership, the goal of collaboration is to improve school readiness of children, and make the best possible use of limited community resources. Continue reading.
 Eight Quick Tips for Responding to Children’s Difficult Behaviors
Addressing children’s misbehavior is always a popular topic among preschool teachers. The following article was first published in an earlier edition of the TSR! Beat, and is being reprinted for those who have joined the project since 2008!
In a typical Pre-K classroom, there are often one or more children who exhibit especially challenging behaviors. Typical behaviors may include the following: Continue reading.
Every now and then we hear from a parent who has feedback about our programs. Dr. Isa Fragente has children at the Friendswood Christian School. She wrote the letter below to express her experience with one of our TSR! programs. With her permission, we are sharing her letter with all of you.
As a FCS mother of 3, I have been so pleased with our experience in MDO, PreK3, and PreK4. The teachers are skilled, nurturing, and committed to children’s learning. I found the right environment that focused not only one aspect of my children’s growth, but a program that understood the importance of academic, language, social, and emotional development. I am delighted about the relationship that FCS has developed with a research program aimed at improving children’s language and early literacy. I obtained my Ph.D. in Psychology and worked with the original research project that investigated environmental factors promoting early cognitive growth, which is the foundation for this current preschool education program that is being implemented at FCS. I am so grateful that our school has this wonderful opportunity to work with a nationally recognized expert in early childhood education so that we can better prepare our children for success. With twins on the way, I am thrilled to be able to continue to reap the benefits that the FCS preschool program has to offer.
 New TSR! Beat Newsletter Team Member:
Matt Skelton, M.Ed.
Matt Skelton is the Training Specialist for the Children’s Learning Institute. His contributions include technical and non-technical training for employees and field staff, training coordination, and print production.
Matt has worked for several training vendors to produce online real estate, compliance, and college courses. He graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in Philosophy, Psychology, and Business. More recently he received a Master of Education in Instructional Technology from the University of Houston.
ACTIVITY CORNERS
Please take a moment and review the new look of all the supplemental activities for themes. We have reformatted all the previous theme activities to look more unified and easier to read. We are updating this information daily so check back to the site frequently to see the changes. To see the new look, click here.
RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS
- You must verify your email address within the mCLASS® system by March 27, 2010, to avoid being locked out of your account. For quick and easy steps to ensure continued access to the system, click here.
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The Children’s Learning Institute has launched a new quarterly publication called The Learning Leader. This newsletter highlights significant news in the field of education research, neuroscience, and the treatment of learning differences. Each issue features articles focused on how CLI’s research and work is applied in home and school settings to create an effective environment for all children to learn and excel. To read the latest issue, visit click here.
NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK
The editorial staff of the Texas School Ready Beat newsletter would like to hear from you. Please submit your comments, suggestions, and questions to Cathy Caldwell at Cathy.J.Caldwell@uth.tmc.edu. |
March 2010
Learn more about The Children's Learning Institute
Dates to Know
January 15, 2010 - March 5, 2010
(Phase 1 – MOY) NOTE EXTENSION OF Middle of the Year DEADLINE
February 15, 2010 – March 15, 2010
(Phase 2 – MOY)
February 24, 2010
SRC Facility Report is now operational
April 15, 2010 – May 15, 2010
(Phase 1 –EOY)
April 15, 2010 – May 15, 2010
End of Year (EOY) Phase 2—REQUIRED for TSR
Newsletter Contributors
John Gasko, Ph.D.
State Initiatives Director
John.W.Gasko@uth.tmc.edu
Layne Waxley
TSR! Project Director
Thomas.L.Waxley@uth.tmc.edu
Cathy L. Guttentag, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Cathy.Guttentag@uth.tmc.edu
Cathy Caldwell
Research Associate
Cathy.J.Caldwell@uth.tmc.edu
Sonya Coffey
Project Manager
Sonya.Coffey@uth.tmc.edu
Jane Thacker
Coordinator 1 – Educational Programs
Jane.E.Thacker@uth.tmc.edu
Bang Pham
Web Developer III
Bang.N.Pham@uth.tmc.edu
Matt Skelton
Training Specialist I
Matt.Skelton@uth.tmc.edu
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