Busy start to the school year!

The school year is off to a busy start!

One of my goals right now as the Preschool Director is to bring our staff together as a team. This is something we are addressing weekly through our staff meetings. We've also received a grant through Early Childhood Partners in which we have 80 hrs of coaching time available for us--which we will start using to help with this goal.

What is selective mutism?

Selective mutism is defined as a failure to speak in specific social situations despite speaking in other situations, and it is typically a symptom of an underlying anxiety disorder. Children with selective mutism can speak normally in certain settings, such as within their home or when they are alone with their parents. However, they fail to speak in other social settings, such as at school or at other places outside their home. Other symptoms associated with selective mutism can include excessive shyness, withdrawal, dependency upon parents, and oppositional behavior. Most cases of selective mutism are not the result of a single traumatic event, but rather are the manifestation of a chronic pattern of anxiety. Mutism is not passive-aggressive behavior. Mute children report that they want to speak in social settings, but are afraid to do so.

What is the Reggio Emilia approach?

FOR THOSE OF YOU INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT THE REGGIO EMILIA PHILOSOPHY, THIS BOOK IS GREAT RESOURCE.

BOOK: THE HUNDRED LANGUAGES OF CHILDREN

The city-run early childhood program of Reggio Emilia, Italy, has become recognized and acclaimed as one of the best systems of education in the world. Over the past forty years, educators there have evolved a distinctive innovative approach that supports children's well-being and fosters their intellectual development through a systematic focus on symbolic representation. Young children (from birth to age six) are encouraged to explore their environment and express themselves through many "languages," or modes of expression, including words, movement, drawing, painting, sculpture, shadow play, collage, and music. Leading children to surprising levels of symbolic skill and creativity, the system is not private and elite but rather involves full-day child care open to all, including children with disabilities.

Good book recommendation!

Great book for those working with young children who are interested in art and aesthetic education.

My new puppy Sage! :)

Introduction

Introduction:

My name is Laura Ann Ganus. I grew up in South Bend, Indiana and my whole family still lives there. I did my undergrad at Butler University in Elementary Education with a Kindergarten Endorsement. I did my MA at the University of Denver in Curriculum & Instruction (Early Childhood Cognate). I taught for two years at a private gifted and talented school, 4-5 year-olds. After that I directed a non-profit early childhood center for infants and toddlers for a year. I continued on with grad school at the University of Denver and am currently finishing up my PhD in Curriculum & Instruction (Early Childhood Cognate) and am ALMOST done! I am writing my dissertation on the Reggio Emilia philosophy -- an Italian approach to early childhood education. I moved up to the valley in December to work at RTELC, I am the Preschool Director.

About my personal life, I just got a puppy (a German Short Haired Pointer) and her name is Sage. In my free time I like to ride my horse, go camping, rafting, skiing.... Enjoy the mountains as much as possible!

This is my first post :)

Blogging is new to me.... so I'm learning as I go!  I'm not quite sure what this blog is going to be about, but it's going to be exciting!  Tune in next time.  ;)