Jill Szczepanski

What would it take as leaders of quality child care programs to form more cohesive partnerships with their local elementary school teachers? Can we come to an understanding of what is most valued for a child to know entering school and partner together to make that happen? Currently, there seems to be a disconnection between what early childhood providers think children need to know when entering school and what elementary or Kindergarten teachers want their students to know entering their classes. By opening honest, noncompetitive lines of communication between early childhood providers and elementary educators, we can move forward as partners. Early childhood providers can ask the questions pertaining what do elementary educators need our children to be ready for when entering their classrooms and how can we help make that happen? While elementary educators can answer openly about what they are needing from early education and how they can achieve these things through their programing. The ability to make a successful partnership in which open communication is a forefront, will allow our teaching community as a whole to better meet the needs of our children.

In 2006, Germantown School District polled local daycares to see who would be interested in forming a 4K collaboration. The information was collected over several months, then appeared to not have been spoken of again. During that summer, there was a change in leadership inside the office of the Pupil Services Director. With the changing of that position came other cut backs and along with those cut backs went the 4K Collaborative. It was deemed no longer needed.

In 2005, Germantown Learning Center had set up a partnership with the Student Services Department at Germantown School District. That partnership is still working well today. The partnership was put into place for any early education students needing special services. If they qualified, they were able to receive their services in their natural child care environment. Its these services that make us question, why cant we do more? As Early Childhood providers we collaborate with students therapists to make sure we incorporate the care they need. So, why do we break down communication when it comes to crossing into Elementary Education? In Wisconsin, the vision of Collaborating Partners is that

all children in Wisconsin will receive the necessary services and family supports to attain their optimal developmental potential during the critical early years from birth through age five (2010). In Illinois, they consider the early years from birth until age eight (Heckman, 2012). These collaborating organizations allowed a person to ask more questions, like why the age difference and what does that mean for our area? Dr. James Heckman had a video presentation that helped. He simply stated, A better future starts today. Statements Dr. Heckman also made are, our most valuable resource are people, and when we teach strong children, we create strong community. Dr. Heckman was giving a presentation on the Oak Park, IL. Area and their investments in the collaborations between community, child care and their 4 Elementary schools.

Other articles that were supportive of this project contained information regarding teachers. The teaching range varied from Early Education to Higher Education. The results at the base were interestingly enough very similar. When teachers were interested in the same goal, they could be partnered up with almost anyone. They would strive to make a positive environment, plan together and teach cohesively. (Gardiner and Robinson, 2009). Teachers learning in a more social enterprise where peers rely on the expertise and support of one another provide effective means of professional learning (Glazer and Hannafin, 2006). The concept that when people have the same goal they are more apt to work together toward that common goal makes sense. Many of the collaborating groups spoke of the tremendous support systems that were in place. The phrase team effort was seen multiple times throughout the research. So, how do we take it from a thought to a team effort?

The people that have been involved in this project have changed. In the beginning, the list of people to ask to participate was a very long one, however, that list became a very short one. As time went by and reality set in, the people who had the same goals were not in the mass. So, there is a step back, a pause, and a new start. The following individuals have become the pilot group for our project, myself, Megan Becker, GLC Admininstrator, Amy Farrell, GLC 4K Teacher, Nicole Ehnert, Elementary Educator- Plat Elementary School, and Kari Johnson, Elementary Education- MacAurthur Elementary. With the base group being established, a meeting could be set.

Our first group meeting was held on Monday, March 3, 3014. This meeting was to come together, set other meeting dates, meeting priorities and first open discussions. The meeting opened with introductions and purpose. Though the group was small, each educator shared an interest in change that complimented another. We agreed to start small and to see where and how we could reach out to others. The group would meet on a quarterly basis (Jan., end of Apr., Aug. and end of Nov.) with the exception of this summer, meeting in June and August. The group set boundaries for what the purposes of the group would be, for instance, we were not there to change school policy. The purpose of the group, at this point, was to better communicate to help our students as a whole. The group also discussed reaching out to other teachers and ECE providers.

The base of the group has been established and that in itself has been a success. The next challenge will be to grow the group. There are more than five people in the education field that are interested in making communication more effective and learning for children easier. The research helped push forward when there seemed to be road blocks. The Pause Principle came in handy during busy weeks. Remembering to stop and take that minute was a life saver. Dr. James Heckman has been in a few of my other papers as well. I like the way he has completely embraced the understanding of investing in early childhood. I used his A better future starts today, quote for our meeting. That first meeting was a positive one and even though a lot was discussed, each meeting will be different and hold a different challenge. In many ways its exciting. The next meeting seems to far away.

Refences Glazer, E. M., & Hannafin, M. J. (2006). The collaborative apprenticeship model: Situated professional development within school settings. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22(2), 179-193.

Gardiner, W. & Robinson, Karen Shipley (2009). Paired field placements: A means for collaboration. New Educator, 5(1), 81-94.

Kelley, M. F., (1996). Collaboration in early childhood education. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, (7)3, 275-283.

Perry, B., Dockett, S., Kember, T. & Kuschert, K., (1999). Collaboration between schools and universities in early childhood teacher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 4(3), 383-397.

Heckman, J. (2012). Developing skills for a better future. Collaboration 4 kids. Retrieved March 14, 2014 from http://www.collab4kids.org

Amy Farrell (personal communication, March 3, 2014). Megan Becker (personal communication, February 24, 2014). Megan Becker (personal communication, March 3, 2014). Nichole Ehnert (personal communication, March 3, 2014). Kari Johnson (person communication, March 3, 2014).

Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners. (n.d.). Collaborating Partners. Retrieved March 13, 2014 from http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/index

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.). Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners. Retrieved March 13, 2014 from http://ec.dpi.wi.gov/ec

Cashman, K. (2012). The pause principle. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.