TKW Consulting

Here is a free resource about how our country cares about children, that you may want to check out from Every Child Matters, a national nonprofit organization devoted to improving the lives of children and families by advocating for better public policy during federal and state campaigns. In the words of the EveryChild Matters organization:

"Millions of American children are without health insurance, millions are reported abused and neglected, millions are left unsupervised everyday after school, and millions have parents in a prison system that is crushing families."

To help spark debate about the need for major new federal investments in children and families, the Every Child Matters Education Fund has published a book called Homeland Insecurity… American Children at Risk. The book can be downloaded for free. Our goal is to make children, youth, and family issues a political priority in the forthcoming presidential election.

Drawing mostly from official federal data, Homeland Insecurity shows the challenges families face in raising healthy children. It shows that government policy is failing many of these families. It dispels ideologically driven myths that government-supported programs are ineffectual and that taxes are evil. It shows that some states do much better for children than others. And it shows that a new ten-year $500 billion invest-in-kids initiative would improve the life chances of all children, keep the U.S. competitive in a global economy, and help to support an aging population.

We hope you will find Homeland Insecurity to be useful in your own efforts to promote the well-being of children.

Download the report and take a look. The information is kind of frightening and depressing...

For a New Year's resolution, how about we resolve to help improve the lives of children? Everone can help in some way and we could certianly make 2007 a better year for all. Hope you have a Happy New Year's holiday and hey, remember... moderation in all things!

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:45 PM 0 comments

Yesterday we talked about some of the misconceptions about child care... So what are some of the truths? Have you ever looked at the Occupational Outlook Handbook about child care workers from the Department of Labor? It makes for some interesting reading. So how does the Dept of Labor classify child care?

Child care workers nurture and care for children who have not yet entered formal schooling and also work with older children in before- and after-school situations. These workers play an important role in a child’s development by caring for the child when parents are at work or away for other reasons. In addition to attending to children’s basic needs, child care workers organize activities that stimulate children’s physical, emotional, intellectual, and social growth. They help children explore individual interests, develop talents and independence, build self-esteem, and learn how to get along with others.

Child care workers generally are classified in three different groups, depending on the setting in which they work: Workers who care for children at the children’s home, called private household workers; those who care for children in their own home, called family child care providers; and those that work at separate child care centers and centers that provide preschool services to 3- and 4-year-old children.

Private household workers who are employed on an hourly basis usually are called babysitters. These child care workers bathe, dress, and feed children; supervise their play; wash their clothes; and clean their rooms. Babysitters also may put children to bed and wake them, read to them, involve them in educational games, take them for doctors’ visits, and discipline them. Those who are in charge of infants, sometimes called infant nurses, also prepare bottles and change diapers. Nannies work full or part time for a single family. They generally take care of children from birth to age 10 or 12, tending to the child’s early education, nutrition, health, and other needs, and also may perform the duties of a housekeeper, including cleaning and laundry.

Family child care providers often work alone with a small group of children, though some work in larger settings with multiple adults. Child care centers generally have more than one adult per group of children; in groups of older children, a child care worker may assist a more experienced preschool teacher.

Most child care workers perform a combination of basic care and teaching duties, but the majority of their time is spent on caregiving activities. Workers whose primary responsibility is teaching are classified as preschool teachers, covered in the separate Handbook statement on teachers—preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary. However, many basic care activities also are opportunities for children to learn. For example, a worker who shows a child how to tie a shoelace teaches the child while also providing for that child’s basic care needs. Child care programs help children learn about trust and gain a sense of security.

So what does the Department of Labor say about child care workers and the ability to find work in the field?

High replacement needs should create good job opportunities for child care workers. Qualified persons who are interested in this work should have little trouble finding and keeping a job. Many child care workers must be replaced each year as they leave the occupation temporarily to fulfill family responsibilities, to study, or for other reasons. Others leave permanently because they are interested in pursuing other occupations or because of dissatisfaction with hours, low pay and benefits, and stressful conditions.

Employment of child care workers is projected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2014. The number of women in the labor force of childbearing age (widely considered to be ages 15 to 44) and the number of children under 5 years of age are both expected to rise over the next 10 years. Also, the proportion of children being cared for exclusively by parents or other relatives is likely to continue to decline, spurring demand for additional child care workers. Concern about the behavior of school-aged children during nonschool hours also should increase demand for before- and afterschool programs and child care workers to staff them.

So, while there is dissatisfaction with long hours, low pay, little benefits, and high worker turnover... on the "bright side", there are plenty of jobs available... Take a look through this information from the US Government.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:07 PM 0 comments

I do love the holiday season, but the kids tend to get a bit "outgoing" during this time of gift giving, parties, visiting family and friends, etc. I will certainly be glad when things return to "normal" (or maybe I should say usual since it is seldom normal).

That's the thing about having your own family child care business. Its great! I'll never try to discourage anyone from entering the profession... but I want you to be aware of what you are getting yourself into. This article talks about the 5 misconceptions of running a family child care business...

It was going to be such fun! I could earn an income and still be at home with my kids. I imagined the darling little preschoolers coming to my door every morning, eager to begin another fun day. I could envision my family room all set up with a child size table and chairs and shelves filled with books and toys, sunshine streaming through the windows. We would have a full day of games and songs, arts and crafts, meals and snacks, and a lengthy nap, during which I would do all of my housework. The parents would all be so happy to have such a loving, caring place to bring their children; they would gladly pay top dollar for such service!

Somehow these daydreams never involved any fighting, crying, kicking, screaming, biting, spitting, hitting, temper tantrums or rainy days!

Okay, maybe I wasn't really that unrealistic, after all I do have children of my own, but I did have some pretty impractical thoughts about my future child care career. In time I discovered that while childcare is truly a rewarding and important job, it can also be frustrating, exhausting and under appreciated.

I hope you read the entire article, but here are the 5 misconceptions:

1. Licensed day care will give us the extra income that we really need.
2. Doing day care will be just like my normal life, but with a few more kids around the house.
3. I won't have to 'get ready' for work each morning.
4. I'm great with kids, people will love me.
5. It will be so nice for my kids to have built-in playmates.

Misconceptions indeed! The family child care profession can be wonderful... but you need to stay realistic about what it is and what it isn't.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 8:57 PM 0 comments

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas.  It was pretty laid back here at the Wachter home... we didn't have any company and didn't travel anywhere, but the kids were all home and we had a nice relaxing holiday weekend.  I hope yours was enjoyable as well.

Today, we have another website to bookmark for future reference... KidsHealth.org.

The site description tells us:

KidsHealth is the largest and most-visited site on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence. Created by The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media, the award-winning KidsHealth provides families with accurate, up-to-date, and jargon-free health information they can use. KidsHealth has been on the Web since 1995 — and has been accessed by about 300,000,000 visitors. On a typical weekday, more than 350,000 people access KidsHealth's reliable information.

KidsHealth has separate areas for kids, teens, and parents — each with its own design, age-appropriate content, and tone. There are literally thousands of in-depth features, articles, animations, games, and resources — all original and all developed by experts in the health of children and teens.

Physicians and other health experts review all content before it's published on KidsHealth. All content is re-reviewed on a regular basis (about every 1 to 3 years, or more frequently if needed). You can find the most recent review date and the name of the expert reviewer(s) at the end of each article. You can learn more about how we create our content by visiting our editorial policy page.

Lots of information on this site.  Check it out for yourself.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:34 PM 0 comments

Just wanted to take a moment to wish you a Merry Christmas. If you are looking for some activities to keep the kids busy during the holiday weekend, here are some favorite spots to visit...

• http://www.merry-christmas.com/kids_zone.htm
• http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/
• http://blackdog.net/holiday/christmas/index.html
• http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/christmas/christmas.htm
• http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/christmas/christmas.htm
• http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/christmas_pages.htm
• http://sunniebunniezz.com/holiday/christmaspages.htm
• http://www.thekidzpage.com/christmas/games.htm

And of course if you have a few moments to relax, here is a great website to learn a bit more about this wonderful holiday season...

Even though it is a bit late, I would like to give you your Christmas card. Hope that you have a wonderful day...

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:09 PM 0 comments

The big debate has always been which is better at preparing a child for school? A preschool program or stay-at-home parenting... A new study shows findings that a quality program is better able to prepare children for kindergarten. Keep in mind that the key words here are "quality program".

Preschool better than home for children, study finds
Gives youngsters step up in math, reading
Sarah Schmidt, The Ottawa Citizen

Published: Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Preschool is better preparation for kindergarten than the attention of a stay-at-home-mom, new research shows.

The national study in the United States found children who attend preschool enter public schools with higher levels of academic skills than their peers who experienced other types of child care, including from stay-at-home parents, relatives and babysitters. And the advantage in reading and math persists through Grade 3 unless children are placed in small classes with high levels of reading instruction.

"The key is you really have to look at what happens at home versus what happens at preschool or centre-based care," lead author Katherine Magnuson of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said.

"A lot of centres in the past 10 years have adopted an early education curriculum," she said. "While it's true parents can give one-on-one attention, they also run errands, talk to their friends, put them in front of the television."

The study, to be published in the forthcoming edition of Early Childhood Research Quarterly, assessed the skills of a national sample of 7,748 children who entered school in 1998. The researchers then tested their academic progress in math and reading in the spring of Grades 1 and 3.

Read the rest of the article...

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:49 PM 0 comments

I'm not exactly fond of allowing young children to watch a lot of television... but, that being said, I must admit that I am a huge Muppets fan and am looking forward to this new show...

PRESS RELEASE:

Happy Hoobidays!
PBS KIDS Sprout(SM) Launches New Series Jim Henson's The Hoobs on December 25

Marks U.S. Debut of Award-Winning Preschool Series Created by The Jim Henson Company

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS KIDS Sprout, the first and only 24-hour preschool destination available on TV, on demand and online for kids ages 2-5 and their parents and caregivers, is launching the award-winning preschool series The Hoobs on December 25 with a "Happy Hooby Holidays" marathon from noon - 6 p.m. EST, marking the series' U.S. television debut. The Hoobs' Tula and Groove will appear on-air as the special guest hosts for the marathon, as they are introduced to the world of Sprout where parents and "tiddlypeeps" (the Hooby word for children) interact, learn and discover new ideas together. Created by The Jim Henson Company and licensed by HIT Entertainment, The Hoobs was Britain's largest ever commission of a preschool show from an independent producer when it launched in the UK in 2000.

    To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/pbskidssprout/26217/

Set in the sunny, colorful Hoobland, The Hoobs are great explorers who learn about planet
Earth by posing different questions to all the children that they encounter along the way.
In each episode, they try to find the answer to a question which they put into the great
Hoobopaedia created by Hubba Hubba Hoob back in Hoobland. The four main Hoobs -
Tula, Groove, Iver and Roma - live in the Hoobmobile and travel to all parts of the world in
their quest for discovery and learning. 

"The Hoobs' passion for knowledge is contagious," said Andrew Beecham, senior vice president of programming, PBS KIDS Sprout. "This age group is all about learning and discovery, and The Hoobs encourage preschoolers to ask questions, explore new ideas, think creatively and communicate with confidence."

Lisa Henson, co-CEO of The Jim Henson Company, said, "The Hoobs is a great example of our company's philosophy to create educational programming that is entertaining and engaging for children as well as parents. Young audiences around the world have enjoyed learning about the power of being curious from The Hoobs and we're thrilled to introduce them to U.S. audiences through PBS KIDS Sprout."

Following the December 25 launch, The Hoobs will air every day at 2:00 p.m. EST in its regular time slot. Viewers can also ring in the New Year with The Hoobs when the "Happy Hooby Holidays" marathon repeats on Sunday, January 1 from noon - 6:00 p.m. EST. For more information on The Hoobs and other Sprout programs, go to http://www.sproutonline.com.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:37 PM 0 comments

This editorial published in the Winona Daily News (Winona, Minnesota) again discusses the need to invest in early childhood learning...

Can you imagine a child starting to count using the number four, all the while oblivious to the fact that
one, two and three come before it?

Of course not. That’s just silly.

But that’s exactly what happens when we don’t work on solutions for early childhood care. Never underestimate the importance of a solid foundation. For children, they must naturally begin at the beginning, so to speak. For many children, that beginning is at a daycare center or maybe through early childhood programs.

What we know is that generally children in quality day cares perform better. Putting money into early childhood programs saves money in the long run. One study suggested every $1 put into early childhood saves $17 later.

We also understand we have an obligation to the next generation. And we know that parents who aren’t distracted when they are worried about their children have to be happier in the workplace.

What we don’t know is how to clear some of the obstacles that make day care so expensive. Maybe that’s because raising children is so expensive and probably not something done well on the cheap. And it’s hard for us to see what might have happened to the children who are positively affected by early childhood programs if those programs didn’t exist.

Read the full opinion piece. I fully agree with this quote: "Education begins much earlier — at places such as day care centers and with day care providers."

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:57 PM 0 comments

Are you finished with your Christmas shopping? Do you have those toys purchased and wrapped under the tree or are you like me and still have some gifts you need to pick up?

This article talks about how the correct toys can give children an advantage on education and learning.

"As children are playing with those educational toys that are fun, they will be learning things without realizing it," she said. "As they get accustomed to playing with those types of toys, they will be the toys they select for themselves as they get older."

Toys and games that are designed to increase your children's knowledge about their subjects in school -- including science and technology, mathematics, language and reading -- are recommended.

These games include puzzles, chess and board games such as Scrabble, which helps build a strong vocabulary.

Anything that stimulates curiosity and a desire to learn will benefit children at any age.

Find some toys for Christmas that are fun and educational as well... Here are a few outstanding brands recommended by www.educational-toy-guide.com.

Lego. The perfect interlocking building block. A child's imagination is the only required accessory for this toy brand. It's an affordable toy that delivers precisely as directed, while at the same time being excellent value for money.

LeapFrog. From preschool to middle school, this brand will be there for your child. This specialized brand delivers age-appropriate child learning games and development toys.

Playmobil. Makes more than just learning toys for babies and toddlers.

Fisher Price. Impeccably researched toys plus unbelievable durability equal very, very good value for money.

Mega Bloks. Too many ingenious kid fun answers to be ignored.

Lamaze. Cleverly uses colors, shapes and textures to optimally stimulate and develop your baby and toddler.

Chicco. Chicco has been making learning toys for more than 50 years. Whether you're interested in a toy to stimulate visual and audio development in your infant, a toy for aiding your 6-month-old's motor skills, a toy to help your 1-year-old move toward independence or a toy that helps your 4-year-old learn by imitating life.

Graco. This company turns wasted waiting time into productive learning time.

Crayola crayons cultivate creative genius.

Ravensburger puzzles. Start your search for puzzles here.

Brio inspires children to play with toys in different ways.

Wooden toys. Discover the durability of wooden toys. Wooden toys help your child learn about size, shape and gives them an idea of what balance is.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:45 PM 0 comments

Are you in the child care profession or are you interested in starting?

One of the biggest challenges facing American families today is caring for their children while the parents work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 13 percent of all families fit the traditional model of husband as wage-earner and wife as home-maker. In 61 percent of married-couple families, both husband and wife work outside the home. Six out of every 10 mothers of children under age 6 are employed, and the labor-force participation of women in their childbearing years continues to expand. As the number of working parents rises, so will the demand for child care.

This article at Entrepreneur.com talks about what is necessary to start your own child care business and some of the differences between home based and center based child care. Though somewhat longish, this is an interesting article and a definate read for someone interested in starting in this profession.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 7:12 PM 0 comments

Choosing child care

I know that you have seen countless lists like this, but it never a bad business decision to spend some time looking through comments to see if your child care program is providing what parents are looking for.

Choosing a child-care center can be one of the most difficult decisions parents ever have to make. The Star has done some of the work for you with today's report. Follow these steps to find a center or learn more about one in which your child is enrolled.

Read the rest of the article... See how you compare to what prospective parents may be looking for.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:18 PM 0 comments

How often do you get complaints (or at best, comments) on the high cost of child care? I don't deny that it is a considerable expense to keep children in a quality child care environment, but there is little about children that is not a considerable expense...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in its 2005 report, Expenditures on Children by Families, estimates a child will cost a middle-income family more than $190,000 by the time he or she is 17.

That sounds like a lot to me, but when I think about several thousand dollars paid for medical expenses when my children were born, the cost of baby food and diapers... Experts estimate you'll change six to 10 diapers a day, or 2,000 to 3,000 a year. Over a three-year period, disposable diapers can cost you more than $2,700, according to Consumer Reports. Then consider that they outgrow their clothes every few months.

And as they get older, it doesn't get any better... The size 14 basketball shoes that only last about 6 months... the car, when they turn 16... the gas to keep the car running... considerable amounts of junk food for the teenage psyche... and then there is the major expense of college.

Yep, $190,000 by age 19 may be tad low. So how can parents complain about the $100 to $150 per week for quality child care when this is one of the most important times in your child's development? I think that we should gladly invest in our children. They'll probably be the ones taking care of us when we get old and what do we want them to learn about "quality of care"?

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:17 PM 0 comments

Yesterday, we talked about the increasing demands of kindergarten and the need for improved school readiness. This article talks about some of the reasons that quality preschool or school readiness not only needs to be done to accomodate increased kindergarten requirements, but is beneficial to the children and their success in life.

Research has proven time and again that investing in preschool pays for itself many times over. Children who participate in high quality early learning programs are better prepared for kindergarten, especially kids at risk for school failure, such as children in poverty, children of color and children with English as a second language.

And when children in kindergarten are ready to learn, they can build a foundation for learning that pays dividends throughout their school experience. Research indicates that down the road, these children will have higher CSAP scores, will be less likely to be held back a grade or to need special education and will be more likely to graduate from high school and continue on to further education.

The benefits of investing in preschool have been shown to continue past high school graduation, with at-risk students who attended preschool less likely to be involved in criminal activity and likely to earn more money over their lifetimes than they would have otherwise.

The Perry Preschool Study done by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation is the longest running study of the impact of high quality preschool, having followed program participants through age 40.

When comparing the program group (children who received high quality preschool) with the no-program group (children who received no preschool), researchers found that 65 percent of the program group graduated from high school compared to 45 percent of the no-program group.

At age 40, 60 percent of the program group earned above $20,000 compared to only 40 percent of the no-program group. And 36 percent of the program group had been arrested more than five times, compared to 55 percent of the no-program group.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:14 PM 0 comments

This article poses an interesting question:  "What has happened to kindergarten?"  Not that long ago, kindergarten used to be a half day of getting familiar with new surroundings and new people... a fun time of playing with blocks, learning about books, recess, snack breaks, and even naptime. 

Today, kindergarten is what we used to consider first grade.  Often a full day program where there is already there is pressure to succeed and repercussions against failure.  The No Child Left Behind program and standardized testing has increased accountability of schools at even kindergarten level.

This ever increasing academic level of kindergarten has prompted a lot of discussion about universal preschool, school readiness, and other catchphrases about exposing our children to academic development at increasingly earlier ages.

I am not knowledgeable enough to determine if this is progress (or actually the opposite)... but, I do know that we need to be increasingly concerned about preparing the children in our care for school and giving them the advantages to succeed that this preparation can give them.  Not only are the government and parents beginning to demand this attention to school readiness, we owe it to the children...

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 4:26 PM 0 comments

This Sunday is the annual Christmas Party for my child care children and families. This is the one event that all the families look forward to all year long... We get together (I rented the school gym this year), enjoy an elaborate spread of appetizers that my husband prepares, have some fun games and break a pinata or two, kids all exchange gifts (they draw names), and then get a visit from Santa. Both parents and children have a great time. This is the one thing that is most often commented on by people who have graduated from my child care. Often years later they will comment about how much they miss coming to the annual "Kidsville Christmas" party.

We usually prepare an elaborate spread, but it doesn't have to be an expensive affair... even a potluck meal can be a lot of fun. The whole idea is to get the families to spend some time together and get to know each other. It builds a great sense of community and gives parents a chance to share thoughts and concerns. It is also a great indoctrination for new families that may have joined during the year to begin to feel that they fit in with people who have been in my home for several years.

Think about opportunities like this to build support and camaraderie among your clients. The children often become like family in your care and the parents should be involved with each other as well. It is a great way to promote your child care and a gathering that they are sure to talk about for some time to come...

Have a party, have some fun!

I'll let you know how everything went... maybe even post some pictures.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:58 PM 0 comments

From Minnesota's very own Mayo Clinic is an article about the importance of play time for children.  According to a 2006 study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics, unsturctured playtime is important to foster a child's development.

How does playtime affect a child's academic readiness?

Playtime sets the stage for academic success by helping children learn how to learn. Placing too much emphasis on specific tasks or rigorous programs at the cost of regular opportunities to play misses the point. In the early years, a child's social and developmental skills can be more important than the specific knowledge he or she masters.

Does it make sense to schedule playtime?

It's important to make playtime a regular part of your child's day, both for the learning opportunities and the break from more intense activities. Sometimes it helps to schedule that unstructured time. But don't be too rigid about it. Focus on giving your child the chance to dream up an activity or invite a friend to play — not on enforcing free play for specific amounts of time every day.

How can parents promote imaginative play?

You can help your child make the most of playtime.

• Read to your child. Reading introduces your child to new thoughts and new ideas. Soon, your child's imagination will take over.
• Keep it simple. Find toys — or everyday objects — that let your child's imagination soar. A helicopter with all the bells and whistles can be only one thing. But building blocks or empty boxes can be a house, a spaceship or anything else your child imagines.
• Let your child set the pace. Encourage your child to choose an activity or explore something of interest. Provide appropriate supervision, but don't lead or correct.
• Invite a friend. Start with one-on-one play dates. Include more friends as your child gets older. Let the kids decide what to play.

Can passive activities, such as watching TV or playing video games, be a healthy part of a child's playtime?

It's important to limit your child's screen time. But as long as you're comfortable with what your child is watching or playing, some degree of unstructured time can certainly include TV or video games. You can even use TV as a tool or a springboard for discussions about choices, consequences and responsibility.

Read the entire article...

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 5:14 PM 0 comments

I can't believe I didn't think of this... Flushable Diapers... all the advantages of disposable diapers without the guilt of being eco-unfriendly.  Did you know about 38,000 dirty disposable diapers are generated every minute in the U.S.?

gDiapers are designed to keep your baby dry and comfortable and the earth a little happier.

gDiapers have no elemental chlorine, perfumes, smell, garbage or guilt.

Sure, the whole idea of flushing takes some getting used to. But then so did recycling and you probably don't even remember life before you started separating your paper from your glass.  Please make sure to go through this section of the website carefully as there are many tips and tricks that can help with both fit and flushing!

Sounds interesting, but I just couldn't work up the nerve to watch the video :-)

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 8:09 PM 0 comments

Enriching education throughout childhood pays big dividends for disadvanted.

Additional programs build on impact of preschool...

While studies have shown that disadvantaged children benefit from high-quality preschool programs, they would benefit even more if they had additional tutoring and mentoring during their elementary and high school years, according to research at the University of Chicago.

Researchers have previously noted that many of the advantages children receive from preschool experiences begin to wane as they continue through school. A study by James Heckman, a Nobel-Prize winning economist at the University of Chicago and an expert on early childhood education, now shows for the first time that systematic interventions throughout childhood and adolescence could sustain the early gains and build on them.

"Childhood is a multistage process where early investments feed into later investments. Skill begets skill; learning begets learning," wrote Heckman in the paper, "Investing in our Young People." Heckman, the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in Economics, co-wrote the paper with Flavio Cunha, a graduate student in economics at the University of Chicago. The study is being released in Washington, D.C. November 15 as part of a larger report by America's Promise Alliance's titled Every Child, Every Promise: Turning Failure into Action.

The scholars studied data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Study of Youth to estimate a model that would describe how different inputs contribute to the accumulation of abilities. They used the model to predict the outcomes of children born to disadvantaged mothers when the children received a variety of extra learning assistance. In particular, they simulated the potential outcome of continued high-quality interventions beyond preschool.

Because programs for young people now focus on one period in a child's life, such as preschool, or high-school, little research has been done studying a group of students receiving continued interventions systematically.

Heckman and Cunha's computer simulation showed that the sustained investments in disadvantaged children would have dramatic results. The attention would improve the children's school performance as well as their social skills. The children who perform better in school, would likely complete more education and not become involved in crime or dependent upon welfare. With no early childhood investments, only 41 percent of the students would finish high school and more than 22 percent would be convicted of crime or on probation. Just 4.5 percent would enroll in college. The study also showed:

• With early childhood intervention, high school graduation rates would increase to 65 percent and college enrollment to 12 percent. Participation in crime would decrease.

• With skill-building investments in high school, graduation rates also would be 65 percent, while convictions and probation for crime would fall dramatically.

• Combining early childhood intervention with high school intervention would increase high-school graduation rates to 84 percent and college participation rates to 27 percent.

• Disadvantaged children who received balanced additional attention throughout childhood would fare even better. More than 90 percent of those students would graduate from high school and 37 percent would attend college, while conviction and probation rates would fall to 2.6 percent. The additional investments throughout childhood could include extra enrichment and tutoring in school as well as opportunities provided by parents and institutions other than schools.

Other research has shown dramatic economic advantages for society when more students complete high school and attend college. The costs to society decrease becaise fewer people would be involved in crime. Among African Americns, 30 percent of men who did not graduate from high school are in prison, studies have shown. Crime costs Americans more than $600 billion per year.

Heckman and Cunha's work shows that the benefits of increased investments in young people come from improving both cognitive and noncognitive skills. Although preschool can have an impact on improving cognitive skills, interventions later on can improve noncognitive skills such as perseverance and self-control, they wrote.

Paying attention to the skills gap is vital to the future economic success of the country, Heckman said. College attendance rates have stalled, and the percentage of students completing a conventional four-year high school program is decreasing. "Currently 17 percent of all new high school credentials or GEDs are issued to people who earn about as much as high school dropouts.

"The growth in the quality of the workforce, which was a mainstay of economic growth until recently, has diminished," Heckman said. This trend must change or America's economy will be undermined, he said.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 8:56 PM 0 comments

We've had our share of wildlife at my child care.  (No, I'm not talking about the children.)  We daily watch the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks that frequent the feeders that I have around the yard.  We even occasionally see deer, hawks, and once a bald eagle... But, this would be neat!

I suppose living in Minnesota would make it possible, but I think we are much to far south for this to happen.  If it did, think of the learning experience you could provide.  I already know what book I'd read and that would lead into the craft and maybe the snack for the day. We could build an entire day's curriculum around one event happening at the child care!

That's the fun part of childcare... taking ordinary (or in this case, extraordinary) circumstances and turning them in to learning experiences.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?  When you get to the point where you are doing this automatically you will have come a long way towards providing quality child care.

// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 6:09 PM 0 comments