Small WinsCharlene Walker

EDU 697 Capstone: A Project Approach

September 13, 2015

Change Strategy

School readiness plan for preschool children

Explanation of Small Wins

Teachers work with students all school year to prepare them for kindergarten. This is done by continuously focusing on five domains:

• Physical development and Health

• Social Emotional Development

• Approaches to Learning

• Language and Literacy

• Cognition and General Knowledge

iStartSmart Technology

Hatch iStartSmart is a kid-friendly preschool computer, preloaded with early childhood software that scaffolds learning.

• Scaffolded learning games in 18 core skill areas

• Easily identify what each child knows

• Progress data overviews at the class, school & organization levels

Results

The iStartSmart research study results are based on nine classrooms using our adaptive teaching software and nine control classrooms without the technology.  Classrooms were in childcare centers serving substantial numbers of low-income children located in a major metropolitan area.  After 20 educational weeks, the control group results were not significantly different than the national average on percentile rank at post-test.  However children in the iStartSmart group were performing statistically significantly above the national average after using the technology.

Benefits

• Students are independent

• Improve child readiness in school

• Healthy brain development

• Students are happier

Shared value for all stakeholders

• When a teacher and a student are aligned on a specific learning goal, growth occurs.

• When parents and teachers are aligned to the goal of supporting students, the potential for achievement increases.

• When a school system’s teachers, principals, administrators and other stakeholders are aligned on broad organizational goals, the cornerstone for systemic success is in place.

• Preparing each student for college, careers, and citizenship.

Relevant data and facts

Compared with white or black children, Hispanic children are less likely to be able to recognize the letters of the alphabet, count to 20 or higher, or write their names before they start kindergarten. Black children are similar to white children on these measures, but are more likely than white children to be reading words in books”.(child trends)

How the win will be published

• Student success stories

• Recommendations of certain teachers

• Recognition at school activity

• Recognition at school awards banquet

Next step for making continuous progress

• Create and implement a plan of action for achieving the established school readiness goals

• Assess child progress on an ongoing basis and analyze data at multiple times throughout the year

• Examine data for patterns of progress for groups of children in order to revise, or develop and implement plans for program improvement

References

• http://ui.uncc.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/LKC_School_Readiness_Plan_Web.pdf

• www.childtrends.org/?indicators=early-school-readiness#sthash.0j3194A5.dpuf

• http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/standards/pi/2011/resour_pri_004a_110811.html

• http://www.instructionaldesign.org/theories/conditions-learning.html

• www.hatchearlylearning.com