SECOND STEP E-Newsletter
May 2011
Meet the Newest Member of Our SECOND STEP Family
Yes that's right! Committee for Children has a brand-new program specifically written for very young children and for the early learning setting. A few signature elements of the program are:
- A focus on self regulation and on Skills for Learning such as listening, focusing attention, and controlling behavior
- 28 weekly theme cards with short five- to seven-minute daily activities designed to be integrated into the flow of the day
- Multisensory activities that engage young children, including puppets, photo-based stories, songs, and games
- A clear Scope and Sequence, with scripted activities, that provides built-in support for teachers
- An online Teaching Guide with video modeling of the program in action
We hope teachers will have as much fun teaching it as we did creating it! Download some sample program materials and watch these videos to learn more.
With a Lot of Help from Our Friends
When we program developers first started working on this new program, we asked ourselves, “How do we create engaging and effective materials for very young children?” The answer was, “With a lot of help!”
We invited six experienced early learning professionals to work with us as an ongoing advisory group. The group included two administrators, two master teachers who coach and mentor other teachers, and two lead teachers, one from a Headstart classroom. They acted as guides along the bumpy road of development. Whenever we veered off course, they steered us back! Their involvement in the development has included the following:
- Participating in monthly meetings to discuss every aspect of the program
- Contributing scenarios and ideas for stories, puppet scripts, and skill practices
- Reviewing all materials with an eye to readability and clarity of language
- Helping pilot the program in classrooms around the Seattle region
As a result of their wisdom and energy, we believe we have a program that truly meets the needs of early learning teachers and young children. The program’s goal is to build kindergarten readiness by developing foundational social-emotional and self-regulation skills. It is specifically designed to help children manage their behavior, allowing teachers more time to teach.
Bridgid Normand, M.Ed.
Senior Program Developer
Committee for Children
