[ONLINE] - Creating Environments and Conditions for Thriving Kindergartners

“We don’t structure in relationship building into how our schools are organized.”

Hedy Chang of Attendance Works offered this reflection during this week's session, Creating Environments and Conditions for Thriving Kindergartners. Her data overview, highlights the “incredibly high levels of kindergarten chronic absence” focused the session on the importance of the kindergarten environment and opened the conversation regarding the environments in which children thrive. For Sheresa Blanchard, Ph.D., of SRI International creating a culturally responsive pedagogy and critical cultural competence in these programs is needed, going beyond traditional teaching strategies to be inclusive and intentional with students and families.

For two of the panelists, this work has focused on one discipline to support the creation of effective learning environments. Ann Kay of The Rock ‘n’ Read Project made the connection between singing, neuroscience and reading. Rebecca Colbert, Ph.D., RLA, of the National Wildlife Federation focused on the connections between early childhood health and the outdoors, saying “active kids learn better and there’s a science behind it.”

Natalie Walrond of WestEd summarized the conversation by identifying four throughlines — the science of learning and development, equity, authentic family engagement and multidisciplinary approaches. She said, “The big idea here is that when you think about the nexus of playful learning and safe, supportive and responsive relationships and environments, and then equitable mindsets and practices and policies and systems, the nexus of that is the creation of these fertile conditions in which young children can thrive.”

This was the fourth webinar in the series Promoting Impactful Teaching and Learning in Kindergarten that the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and New America’s Early & Elementary Education Policy Program have developed to promote impactful teaching and learning in kindergarten.

Watch the full session here.

Presenters and Moderator:

• Laura Bornfreund, Senior Fellow and Advisor on Early & Elementary Education, New America, Moderator
• Sheresa Blanchard, Ph.D., Senior Education Researcher, SRI International, Presenter
• Hedy Chang, Executive Director & Founder, Attendance Works, Presenter
• Rebecca Colbert, Ph.D., RLA, Senior Director of Design and Engagement, Early Childhood Health Outdoors Initiative (ECHO), National Wildlife Foundation, Presenter
• Ann Kay, Co-Founder & Education Coordinator, The Rock ‘n’ Read Project, Presenter
• Natalie Walrond, Director, Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety, WestEd, Presenter

Resources and Publications

Kindergarten Transformation

• New America’s Transforming Kindergarten Collection

Attendance

• Integrating Attendance Into Kindergarten Transition Toolkit

Outdoor Education

• Children and Nature Resources on How Schools Incorporate Outdoor Learning
• New America’s Outdoor Learning Environments Collection
• Natural Learning Resources

Music

• The Rock ‘n’ Read Project

Social and Emotional Learning

• SEL Center Resources
• Rooting Social and Emotional Well-Being Efforts in Equity Reflection Guide
• From Vision to Action: Transforming Kindergarten into a Sturdy Bridge from Early Learning to K-12 Education Webinar

Families and Relationships

• New Analysis: Building Relationships During Home Visits Improved Attendance During the Pandemic
• How Relationships Drive School Improvement – And Actionable Data Foster Strong Relationships

Past Webinars

• A Pivotal Year: Kindergarten’s Important Role in Students’ Education | October 2022
• Play + Academics + Relationships: Teaching in the Ways Kindergartners Learn Best | November 2022
• Learning How States, Districts, and Educators are Strengthening Kindergarten | January 2023
  

This conversation and the ongoing webinar series draw on New America’s Transforming Kindergarten efforts. Learn more about that work here.