DualLanguageLearningProject
Illianisa31-year-oldmotheroffourchildren…Shefirstbegan EnglishasaSecondLanguageclassesattheFranklin-McKinley Children’sInitiativelocationin2019andbegantogotoParent Caféin2020.WhileshewasparticipatingintheParentCafé series,thepandemicwasjustbeginning,andshebegantoget worriedabouthowthatwouldaffectSofia(twoyearsoldatthe time).DuringParentCafé,shefoundoutabouttheopportunityto jointheParentChild+program.Shebecameinterestedbecause homevisiting/virtualcallswereofferedalongsidethetoysand books.ShewantedtoensureSofiagotaneducationwithout havingtoenrollherinapreschool/toddlerfacility…sheknew socializingSofiawouldbeextremelydifficultduringthe pandemic.AftershefoundParentChild+andshehadacoupleof virtualcalls,momsawadifferenceinSofia’ssocial-emotional development.Sheinitiatesplaywithguestswhocomeoverto theirhomeandengagestheminwhicheveractivitysheisdoing.
"Momissohappywiththeprogramandis excitedtoseewhatisnextinstorewiththe programandSofia’sdevelopment"–Staff
ParentsHelpingParents
TheproviderisanAssociateTeacherworkingintheHeadStart programthroughtheSantaClaraCountyOfficeofEducation (SCCOE).ShebecameinvolvedwithParentsHelpingParents (PHP)throughtrainingsandwebinarsofferedthroughher employeratSCCOE.Shewasinterestedintrainingsfor professionalgrowthandgainingnewknowledgeincertainareas ofchilddevelopment.
Theproviderparticipatedininanumberofwebinarssuchas Evidence-BasedInteractionsforYoungChildrenwithAutism, ToolkitsforInclusionofYoungChildren,PositiveBehavior Supports-buildingrelationshipsandidentifyingfeelingsfrom October2020toMarch2021.
Theprogramhasmadeagreatimpactontheprovider.Because ofthetrainingsandworkshops,shehasgainednewknowledge andskillsthatwillhelpherperformbetterinherwork.
"Ihavegainednewknowledgeusefultome fortheworkIdo.PHPhasgivenmeanew perspectiveonworkingwithchildrenwith specialneedsandhowtohelpthemlearnat theirlevelandbesuccessful.PHPhasgiven meresourcesbyprovidingtrainings,tools ande-packetstoperformbetteratmyjob."
MACohortGraduate
After18yearsworkinginfamilychildcare,oneofourMACohort Programstudentsgraduatedandobtainedapositionasa consultanttosupportteachingstaff,centerdirectors, parents/caregivers,andchildrenfocusingonthesocialemotional climate.Aspartofthiswork,theywillbesupportingmorecenters whichofferearlyinterventionservicesforinfantsandtoddlers. TheirexperienceintheMACohortProgramwasdescribedasa “personaltransformation”withtheopportunitytolistentocohort experience,andresearchasitappliestotheirfutureinearly childhoodeducation.
TheparticipanthasbecomeinvolvedwithParentsHelping Parentstoimprovee-learningforfamilieswithchildren,young adultdependents,orchildrenwithspecialneeds.Inaddition,they havestartedsupportingnewfamiliesinvolvedwithsocial servicesasfosterparents,adoptiveparents,orkinshiprelatives throughthenonprofitHelpOneChild.TheMACohortgraduateis usingthisexperiencetofueltheirdrivetosupportfamiliesand earlylearning.
"Ihadnoideahowmuchmylifeandthe worldwouldchange.Mypersonal transformationapplyingthelearningduring myBA/MAcohortprograms,listeningtothe cohortsexperiences,andresearchrelated towritingmypersonalnarrativethesis, preparedmefurtherforthepathIcontinued toexploreandthenewpeopleIwould meet…Iamsogratefulfortheopportunity thatFIRST5ofSantaClaraCountyand WestEdgiftedme.Now,it’stimetopayit forward."
SEEDSofEarlyLiteracyCoaching
Earlyeducationprogramsoperatewithinsocialsystemsthatare interconnectedandcollectivelyimpactfamilies,educators, administrators,andultimately,thehealthydevelopmentof children.Whenoperatinginisolationwithoutaccessto informationandresources,familychildcarehome(FCCH) providersfacethechallengeofadequatelysupportingtheir familiesandchildren.Toaddressthisneed,FIRST5has expandedprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesintentionally designedtosupportbuildingthecapacityofFCCHproviders.
TheSEEDSofEarlyLiteracy(SEEDS)isarelationship-based professionaldevelopmentprogramdesignedfor parents/caregiversandFCCHproviders.Themodeltakesa community-centeredapproachbybuildingqualityimprovement supportsandnetworksforfamilychildcareproviderswithinthe FIRST5fundedFRCsacrossthecounty.SEEDShasoffered FCCHprovidersanavenuetointroduceparents/caregiversin theirservicetotheimportanceofearlyliteracyfortheirtoddlers, andwaystheycanfacilitatethisprocessathome.Through conversationswithFCCHproviders,parents/caregiversfelt connectedandinformedwiththeirchild’scareprovider,because theyhadsharedtheinformationbeingtaughtattheSEEDS workshops.Italsogavethemtheknowledgeandintroductionto childdevelopmentanditsdifferentstages.Providersand parents/caregiversnoticedthedifferencethatconversation makesintheirchild’scommunicationanddevelopment.
MariisaFamilyChildCareProvider.Hercenterislocatedon theEastSideofSanJosé,andshecaresfor10childrenbetween theagesof4monthsand42months.Mariwasrecruitedfor SEEDSthroughphonecallsarrangedatthebeginningofthe year.ThiswasthefirsttimesheheardaboutSEEDS,andshe wasextremelyenthusiasticandwillingtoparticipate.Mariwas lookingforcurriculumtoapplyathercentertohelpprepareher childrentoenterpreschoolorkindergarten.Mariisverygrateful thatshetooktheopportunitytoparticipate,sincesheisrelatively newtotheChildCarefield.
