KCCTO-KITS ITSN March 2019

PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT: AUBREE BUDD

Aubree Budd, owner of Love Budd’s Daycare, became a new family child care provider in 2017 after moving to Dighton, Kansas with her family. She was enthusiastic, nervous, excited, and unsure of herself as she began navigating her way through the world of becoming a licensed home child care provider. Perhaps a better understanding of her story can be grasped by hearing Aubree’s story from her own words…

I really wasn’t looking to start a daycare. It all just happened. It all started when I was in between jobs and I had a couple of friends in town who needed a babysitter due to lack of care in our small community. I had two boys of my own at home, and I wanted to spend all my time with them. It was supposed to be only temporary. A local naysayer got wind of me doing this and took matters into her own hands by calling KDHE, who promptly came knocking at my house. That day is when I first met Patti, the local surveyor. She was very kind, and gave me child care licensing information and really encouraged me to get my license. This is where the whole process began. My super supportive husband and I worked tirelessly to get updates done to our small home to meet the licensing standards, and we passed with no write ups! The first year was a struggle financially due to being a new provider in town, and not being a lifetime local of our small community. I really had to go through the weeds at first while I built my name in the community.

MISSION OF ITSN The KCCTO-KITS ITSN team consists of professionals from a variety of educational and experiential backgrounds. As coaches and mentors, we strive to support you in your task of providing quality child care to infants and toddlers and their families.

ITSN Services

A tiered level of support to early childhood professionals across the State. Providers can access this support through

• Online courses/trainings

• Virtual Kits

• Community-based trainings

• On-site visits

• Short or long-term consultation

• Intensive technical assistance plans

I joined the Child and Adult Care Food Program right away and met Cara at my first visit. She also couldn’t have been more kind to me, and helped me become successful. She is actually the one who called me and told me about the KCCTO-KITS ITSN grant and encouraged me to apply for it and it would help me get my daycare up and coming on the path to success if I was to get picked! Thankfully I did! With that grant I was able to pick incentives and merchandise to help me reach my goals for my daycare! With the help from Stephanie, the KCCTO-KITS Infant Toddler Specialist, I was able to figure out my problem areas and items to add to my daycare that helped me reach my goals. During that whole process I was contacted by another local child care provider that was closing her daycare, she had it outside of her house in an adorable little home that was used for daycare only. She was putting it up for sale and wanted to give me first dibs on it! She was selling the whole property along with ALL the items inside of it for an unbelievable price that I could NOT pass up! A whole new chapter began with that! We closed on May 25, 2018. My first official day open at my new facility was June 1st. After moving here my plans and goals with Stephanie completely changed. We basically had to start over and figure out what my new goals and wishes were for my new daycare home. She was a God send to me and really helped me go from not having much confidence in myself and not seeing my full potential to helping me dive in deeper. The tools, the informative information, the support you get with this program is just unbelievable. It’s honestly pretty overwhelming sitting here thinking about everything KCCTO-KITS helped me with. I now have some of the best daycare families, a daily daycare routine with different weekly themes we concentrate on, and space and tools for the children to use daily. KCCTO-KITS helped me create a happy, welcoming, fun-filled learning day for all my littles who come through these doors!

Aubree and the children are thriving in the new space, and loving the outdoor space that is set up for the children to develop gross motor skills through play. The inside space provides room for the children to explore, dress-up, pretend, become scientists and mommies/daddies, and have circle time together. They cut, glue, draw, create, and read daily with Aubree leading the way. Aubree works tirelessly on improving her skills to provide a daily schedule that is developmentally appropriate for the kids in her care. Her goals and ambitions to be the best she could be has paid off for her and the children and families in Dighton.

Aubree and the KCCTO-KITS ITSN project were a perfect match! Through coaching visits and technical assistance, Aubree has gained the self-confidence and skills to take the lead in providing quality child care has become a confident business woman. Aubree plans to continue providing care for years to come. She has recently started the process to obtain her CDA. A young mom helping out a few friends in need of child care has turned into such a success story that is just beginning.

“No one succeeds without effort... Those who succeed owe their success to perseverance.”

Ramana Maharshi

Pop Quiz

True or False—Routines give infants and toddlers a sense of security and stability.

WHY ROUTINES ARE IMPORTANT FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS

From morning routines to workout routines, our lives as adults are filled with everyday routines that help keep us on schedule. Children also need to have predictable routines that have room for flexibility, especially infants and toddlers. Here are three main reasons why routines for mealtime, nap time, playtime, bedtime, cuddle time, etc. are important for infants and toddlers:

1. Routines give infants and toddlers a sense of security and stability. Routines help infants and toddlers feel safe and secure in their environment. Young children gain an understanding of everyday events and procedures and learn what is expected of them as routines make their environment more predictable. Routines can also help infants and toddlers become more trusting of you as a caretaker if their routines are effective and they feel comfortable in the environment.

2. Routines influence infants and toddlers' social, emotional, and cognitive development. Infants and toddlers who have effective routines are often more engaged with their environment and the people around them. Young children learn to anticipate changes in routines, and they slowly become more independent as they learn what each routine entail. If routines are predictable, have appropriate transition cues, and have room for flexibility, routines will also help reduce challenging behaviors (tantrums, hitting, biting, etc.) in infants and toddlers and in older children.

3. Everyday routines can be used as teachable moments. Everyday routines are full of learning opportunities for young children. For example, you can start teaching children the importance of washing their hands before eating or the importance of brushing their teeth. You can also use these everyday routines as opportunities to talk with young children and help them develop their communication skills.

Be sure to browse our Infant and Toddler section of the website for a variety of furniture, supplies, and educational materials you can use to help infants and toddlers explore and learn safely.

Kaplan Early Learning Company. Why Routines are Important for Infants and Toddlers. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.kaplanco.com/ii/why-routines-are-important-for-infants-toddlers?CategoryID=24

The above article along with many other articles on several different topics can be accessed on the Kaplan Early Learning Company website, www.kaplanco.com

ITSN SPECIALIST SPOTLIGHT: STEPHANIE KELLER

Stephanie Keller has been working in the field of early childhood education for over 30 years in a variety of settings and positions. She has been a preschool teacher, Head Start teacher, center classroom teacher, Head Start Education and Disability Specialist, the director of the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Project Coordinator of the Learn & Play project as well as a center director for several small and large centers in both urban and rural settings. She received an Associates of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education from Dodge City Community College, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Fort Hays State University. She has taught college courses at both Dodge City Community College and Garden City Community College as an adjunct instructor. Currently, Stephanie is working with the KCCTO-KITS Infant Toddler Specialist Network as an Infant Toddler Technical Assistance Specialist. Stephanie serves

child care providers in southwest and southcentral Kansas and currently works with family child care providers, as well as center staff and center directors. Stephanie has always felt it was important for anyone working with young children to have access to professional development, as well as a person to talk with about their challenges, goals, and successes. She has found a love for adult education, and providing community base trainings has allowed her to continue providing anyone working with children a fresh approach to meet the challenging demands of working with children and families. The first years of a child’s life is the window of opportunity to provide a foundation of social-emotional skills, as well as providing a developmentally appropriate environment to help children reach their developmental milestones. We all love that moment when a child masters a task, and the look of joy on their face, it is the same with a child care provider/teacher, when they have helped a child reach that success they also have that look of joy, and a feeling of great accomplishment.

Early Childhood Resource Center (ECRC)

The ECRC is designed to provide access to a continuously updated collection of materials in a wide variety of topics related to children birth to eight. Items are checked out of the Early Childhood Resource Center for a three-week period. Though there is no limit to the number of items a patron can check out, it is requested that a patron not check out more items than they can examine in a three-week period. The ECRC can be accessed through the below link. If you have any difficulty with your online search, or if you need individual assistance for any reason, please contact Kim Page, the ECRC coordinator at (800) 362-0390 ext.1638 or resourcecenter@ku.edu.

http://opac.libraryworld.com/opac/home.php

Spotlight on ECRC Resources-Routines and Schedules

Below you will find resources that dive more deeply into this issue’s featured topic of routines and schedules. Please check out these, and other resources, to help support your work with children.

Online professional development library for early childhood professionals and families. Many materials available in Spanish. Partial list is available at https://kskits.drupal.ku.edu/sites/kskits.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/ECRC_Resources_in_Spanish12_17.pdf

Malenfant, N. (2006). Routines and Transitions. Redleaf Press.

Post, J. (2000). Tender Care and Early Learning Supporting Infants and Toddlers in Child Care Settings. High Scope. Isbell, R. & Isbell, C. (2003). The complete learning spaces book for infants and toddlers. Gryphon House.

New Resources in the ECRC

Copeland, T. (1999). Family child care: inventory keeper. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Copeland, T. (2004). Family Child Care Legal and Insurance Guide: how to reduce the risks of running your business. St. Paul, MN.

Redleaf Press. Copeland, T. (2006). Family child care contracts and policies: how to be businesslike in a caring profession. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf

Press. Copeland, T. (2008). Family child care money management & retirement guide. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Copeland, T. (2009). Family child business planning guide. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Copeland, T. (2012). Family child care marketing guide. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Copeland, T. (2014). Family child care record-keeping guide. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Copple, C.; Bredekamp, S.; Koralek,D. & Charner, K. (Eds.). (2013). Developmentally appropriate practice: focus on infants and

toddlers. Washington, DC. NAEYC. Council for Professional Recognition. (2105). Child development associate essentials for working with young children. Washington,

DC. Council for Professional Recognition. Council for Professional Recognition. (2106). Child development associate home visitor edition CDA competency standards.

Washington, DC. Council for Professional Recognition. Croft, C. (2017). Caring for young children with special needs. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Derman-Sparks, L. & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC. NAEYC. Koralek, D. & Groves Gillespie, L. (Eds.). (2011). Spotlight on infants and toddlers. Washington, DC. NAEYC. Dombro, A.; Jablon, J. & Stetson, C. (2011). Powerful interactions: how to connect with children to extend their learning.

Washington, DC. NAEYC. Edwards, C.; Gandini, L. & Forman. G. (Eds.). (2012). The hundred languages of children: the Reggio Emilia experience of

transformation. Santa Barbara, CA. Praeger. Epstein, A.; Gainsley, S.; Lockhart, S.; Marshall, B.; Neill, P. & Rush, K. Small-group times to scaffold early learning. Ypsilanti, MI.

Highscope. Gadzikowski, A. (2013). Challenging exceptionally bright children in early childhood classrooms. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Ginsburg, K. & Jablow, M. (2015). Building resilience in children and teens: giving kids roots and wings. Elk Grove Village, IL.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Hendricks, C. (2016). Medical emergencies in early childhood and school-age settings. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Hendricks, C. & Pettibone, M. (2015). Disaster planning and preparedness in early childhood and school-age care settings. St. Paul,

MN. Redleaf Press. Heroman, C. (2017). Making & tinkering with STEM: solving design challenges with young children. Washington, DC. NAEYC. Hong, A. (2010). Little kids, big worries: stress-busting tips for early childhood classrooms. Baltimore, MD. Brookes. Howell, J. & Reinhard, K. (2015). Rituals and traditions: fostering a sense of community in preschools. Washington, DC. NAEYC. Hurley, D. (2013). Family child care: guide to visits, inspections, and interviews. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Isbell, R. & Yoshizawa, S. (2016). Nurturing creativity: an essential mindset for young children’s learning. Washington, DC.

NAEYC. Mackrain, & Poyner, N. (2013). Building your bounce: simple strategies for a resilient you. Lewisville, NC. Kaplan Early Learning. Mayer, G. & Kuklierus, A. (2003). What to do when your child gets sick. La Habra, CA. Institute for Healthcare Advancement. McClelland, M. & Tominey, S. (2016). Stop, think, act: integrating self-regulation in the early childhood classroom. New York.

Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. Petty, K. (2016). Developmental milestones of young children. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Powers, J. (2016). Parent engagement in early learning: strategies for working with families. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Seligman, M.; Reivich, K.; Jaycox, L. & Gillham, J. (2007). The optimistic child: a proven program to safeguard children against

depression and build lifelong resilience. New York. Houghton Mifflin. Stecklein, K. (2010). Recognizing common illnesses in early childhood settings. St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press. Stone-MacDonald, A.; Wendell, K.; Douglass, A. & Love, M. (2015). Engaging young engineers: teaching problem-solving skills

through STEM. Baltimore, MD. Brookes.

KCCTO Online Courses

To learn more about the importance of routines check a few of these online courses from KCCTO:

• Behavior and Guidance of Young Children • Child Development: Connecting Development to Practice • FLIP IT! • Guiding Infants and Toddlers: Understanding Behaviors • Infant and Toddler Development • Responsive Planning for Infants and Toddlers • Supporting Relationships through Engaging Environments

Please visit the KCCTO website at kccto.org for full course descriptions and registration.

Upcoming Trainings

• Pratt, KS-April 30th from 6:30 -18:30 pm – The Power of Routines • Manhattan, KS- May 8th from 6:00 -8:00 pm – Mindfullness: A Resilience Practice • Olathe, KS – May 14th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm – Using Interactive Media in Early Learning • Olathe, KS – June 13th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm -Building Skills In Two Languages • Osborne, KS – June 15th from 8:30 – 10:30 am- Emergent Planning for STEAM Activities: Turning Observations

into Intentional Teaching Activities • Osborne, KS - June 15th from 10:30 – 12:30 pm – Emotional Literacy

Expanding Your Early Childhood Toolkit

• Manhattan, KS – June 11th from 6:30 8:30 pm

The toolkit trainings are free and are approved for 2 KDHE clock hours. Please visit the following link to register for any of the above trainings. http://kccto.org/building-your-early-childhood-toolkit-registration#overlay-context=registration

INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION?

The topics, resources, and supports our team provides are matched to your individual needs. You may contact the KCCTO office for the name of your area’s ITSN Specialist or you can find that information at http://kskits.org/find-your-itsn-specialist. We are so excited to meet you, provide support, and answer any questions! Contact us at the phone number or email address below. Please also visit our websites!

Through a partnership with Kansas Childcare Training Opportunities (KCCTO) and Kansas Inservice Training System (KITS), the Infant Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN) is providing support and education to impact child care quality across the state of Kansas.

KCCTO-KITS ITSN 800-227-3578 785-532-7197 Kccto.inc@gmail.com http://kccto.org/itsn www.kskits.org