Monday, December 3, 2007

The difference is the teacher


Linda's graduation
Originally uploaded by nomad with rebel

"Teachers who received targeted training and technical assistance were able to improve young children’s development of language skills, according to a federal report.

“When it’s paired with mentoring, training in language and literacy can help teachers change the way they teach so they are more focused on helping children improve their language skills,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D.

“This study also shows that quality training and a good curriculum can make a difference regardless of teacher credentials when it comes to helping children develop critical early language and literacy skills.”

Read more here.

Better teachers = better students. That's why ABC Music & Me includes a monthly teacher training DVD. Each one is designed to show teachers how to instruct that month's language and pre-literacy activities. For example, how to hand out the class instruments and manage on-the-spot conflicts; how to honor each child's contribution and incorporate it, on the spot, into each lesson.

How to use music to help with transitions, clean up throughout the day, and more. The tips are manageable and learnable because the curriculum was created in a preschool classroom, with preschool problems, and expert solutions.

And it shows. I recently spoke with a woman who leads the student teaching lab at Cal Poly Universtiy in California. She said the teachers actually want to prep for the lessons because they feel supported by the training.

Here's what she had to say in her own words:

“The student-teachers in this class feel supported by the training DVDs in the Teacher’s Guides, and they feel that what they’re being asked to do is doable, so they’re willing to put more time into it. And I think a lot of teachers felt they couldn’t do it because they’re not musical, but they can do it …. and they’re very happy about it.”

Dr. Margaret Berrio
Cal Poly Lab Director in San Luis Obispo
PhD in Child Development, Masters in Early Childhood Music

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