National Indian Child Care Association

Reducing the Achievement Gap: Native American Programs that Produce Results

•Laurie Hand, Cherokee Nation•Sherry Rackliff, Delaware Tribe of Indians•Dallas Pettigrew, Cherokee Nation, •Kim Nall, Colusa Indian Community

Overview• Tribal overview and funding

• Native American Student Achievement

• Perspectives from three tribes– Organizing the early childhood

community– Tribal culture and early childhood

practices– Incorporating current trends in tribal

child care centers

Tribal Child Care

• 566 Federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes

• 260 tribal Child Care and Development Fund Grantees representing 539 tribes

American Indian Student Achievement

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Michigan. Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

“Native students have the highest dropout rate in the nation. Without education they are disempowered and disenfranchised” (Indian Nations At Risk, 1991)

School Completion

Of every 100 White Kindergartners:

Of every 100 American Indian Kindergartners:

94 Graduate from high school

71 Graduate from high school

66 Complete at least some college

30 Complete at least some college

34 Obtain at least a bachelor’s degree

7 Obtain at least a bachelor’s degree

Source: The Education Trust, 2001.

American Indian Student Achievement

• Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies

– As late as 22 months cognitive gaps do not exist between Native American Children and others

– By kindergarten significant gaps are evident

Working within our communities

• Purpose is to educate – to make them understand and care about the quality of early childhood programs

• To change a way of thinking about the education of young children

• Not just about funding for early childhood - want them to understand and care

Working within our communities

• Build relationships• Do not always go to them asking for small

donations - with hand out• Funding may follow but it is after the

relationship is established and they understand importance of EC

• Be sincere

Working within our communities

• Relationships• Take the time• Don’t give up• Send email’s• Invite them to speak• Attend community events• Keep telling your stories• Listen to their stories – and be sincere

Make volunteer time meaningful.

• Relationships• Sincerity

Involve community members in what you do and what you promote.

Involvement• Relationships• Share about their

occupations• Invite them when

appropriate• Not too often

• Remember – it needs to be meaningful – for the children and for the community leader

Listen, participate, sincerity

• Listen to what they have to say – really listen and comment about something they said about what was important to them the next time you meet

• Participate in community boards, activities, events

• Be sincere!

Involve the media – and parents!• Nearly 15 community members — including Representative Earl Sears, Representative Steve Martin

and Senator John Ford — started Tuesday morning off with doughnuts and coffee before boarding a bus and heading to several local child development centers.

• The goal of the Child Watch Tour was to raise awareness of the problems affecting local children and families, with a limited number of quality childcare programs in this area.

• The group met at the Delaware Child Development Training Center for lunch and to discuss the findings and issues that were raised during the visits. Arlette Denton, a parent of a two-year-old child addressed the group regarding her search for quality care for her daughter, Juliana. She was very aware of the type of care that children require and wanted Juliana to be in a program that would develop her cognitive skills as well as her social and emotional well-being. She was on a waiting list for several months before she could find the type of care she knew would benefit her daughter. The group discussed possible solutions to the shortage of quality childcare slots in Washington County, including mentoring child are providers, looking at options to recruit other childcare organizations to open centers in Bartlesville and working with the community to provide childcare during non-traditional hours.

• The Child Watch Tour was an initiative of Sx6/Smart Start Bartlesville operated by Delaware Child Development. Sherry Rackliff, Executive Director of the DCD said, “The child watch tour was a great success because it raised awareness for the need for quality care for young children in our society and the community’s responsibility to see that children receive a strong foundation during their formative years of growth.”

Child Watch Tours

The Extra Touch!• State Representative Earl Sears

help – State Senator John Ford• Business leader’s children• Or grandchildren• Ask for advice from business

leaders that have an interest in EC and a strong leadership or management background – they can see it from a different angle

• Senator Coburn’s staffer• Be sincere

Funding opportunities may follow…• 8 years - funding cuts businesses donating funds

because they know it is important• Tribe donates buildings - use HUD ICDBG to build

centers and office buildings to support EC• Rotary Club – attends every week at lunch

meeting - brought in EC speakers several times to present information - one of their focuses is on EC and donates to our program annually - not large amount but it is because they know it is important

• Remember the PURPOSE is to educate• And that is about building relationships

Commitment

• We not only want to educate the communities about how important the early years in a child’s life is to his development and future

• We know the importance of the work we do with young children

• We want the community to understand and care

Change in societal view• We want their heart and soul invested in

early childhood• Only then will we be

able to make a difference

• Make that commitment of time to invest in the community

• Mind shift – a shift of societal view of early childhood education

A Discussion on the Overlap Between

Current Evidence-Based Best-Practices in Child Care and Development

and

Traditional Child Rearing Practices of the Cherokee and Other Hunter/Gatherer

Societies

The Problem

• Maladapted children– Don’t get along with others– Struggle to function with peers and groups

• ADD/ADHD, etc.• Obesity• Violence• School failure• The economy…

Current Evidence-Based Best Practices for Optimal Development

Optimal Development is easy as math…

The Child

+ Things that Help

– Things that Hurt

Optimal Development!

Things that Hurt(Impair Optimal Development)

• Child Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Sexual)• Child Neglect (Physical, Emotional,

Educational)• Mother Treated Violently• Household Substance Abuse• Household Mental Illness• Parental Separation or Divorce• Incarcerated Household Member

Courtesy 2007 Kids Count ACEs Study

The Brain

http://www.ahaf.org/assets/images/anatomy_of_brain_border.jpg

The Brain

http://healthpages.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/brain-functions.jpg

Things that Hurt

• Brain DVD’s• Baby Carriers• Pacifiers (not binky’s)• Solitude• Lack of interaction• Lack of touch

Things that Help

• Natural childbirth• Breastfeeding• Interaction with many caregivers• Parent skill-building by peers and family• Unstructured play• Nature• Multiple age-groups• More

Natural Childbirth

• Oxytocin (the Love Hormone) is released during labor and delivery and facilitate the mother-baby bonding process. These hormones provide moms with the energy and instinct to nurture their children.

• Oxytocin promotes contractions, dilation of the cervix, positioning of the baby, expulsion of the placenta, limits blood loss and promotes lactation.

www.childbirthconnection.org/article.asp?ck=10184

Natural Childbirth

• Another hormone released: Endorphins– Endorphins relieve pain and calm; “natural

opiate”– Epidurals decrease the level of endorphins

released by the brain– Endorphins can balance adrenaline which

can work to stall pregnancy

Breastfeeding

• Promotes oxytocin release in mother and child (calms both, increases bonding)

• “Liquid Gold” (colostrum) is the first breast milk made after birth

• Breast milk changes as the baby ages• Easier to digest• Fights disease

www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-in-important/

Many Caregivers

• Children who are held and attended to have better outcomes developmentally.

• Busy parents may not be able to attend to a child constantly.

• Additional caregivers support child care and safety of children.

• Protective Factor: An extra adult caregiver for children.

Parenting Skill Building

Best practices in parenting says that, “Children with authoritative parents (high-warmth, high-control) do significantly better on a range of psychosocial outcomes than do (other) children…” and “The most successful parents combine clear, consistently enforced rules with warmth and responsiveness.”

Rhodes, J.E. & Spencer, R., (2010, Summer). Structuring mentoring relationships for

competence, character, and purpose. New Directions for Youth Development. doi: 10.1002/yd.356

Unstructured Play

• Children need to use their imaginations to help them develop creativity, innovation and ingenuity. Unstructured play also promotes independence, patience and confidence.

• Imaginative play is healthy and easy! Put a child in front of a refrigerator box and you’ll see him play for days.

• Unstructured time decreases stress and anxiety and promotes cognitive development.

Unstructured Play Citations

• Steinman, E. (2012, February 4). Unstructured play makes kids smarter. Care 2 Make A Difference. Retrieved

from: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/unstructured-play-makes-kids-smarter.html

• Scholastic (n.d.) The joys of doing nothing. Retrieved from:

http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/the-joys-of-doing-nothing

• Entin, E. (2011, October 12). All work and no play: Why your kids are more anxious, depressed. The Atlantic.

Retrieved from:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/10/all-work-and-no-play-why-your-kids-are-more-anxious-depresse

d/246422/

• Starling, P.E., (2011, May 16). An investigation of unstructured play in nature and its effect on children’s self-

efficacy. Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) Dissertations. Paper 15. Retrieved from:

http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations_sp2/15

• American Academy of Pediatrics (n.d.). New AAP report stresses play for healthy development. AAP Newsroom.

Retrieved from: http://www2.aap.org/pressroom/play-public.htm

• Mulligan, D.A., (2011, December 26). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and

maintaining strong parent-child bond: Focus on children in poverty. Pediatrics 129.1. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-

2953. Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/1/e204.full

Nature

• http://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/benefits.shtml

• Tribal people have always used nature as a setting for play for children.

Mixed Age Groups

• Children who group up in their natural extended families have time with children of various ages all around them. Siblings and cousins are of many ages and there are significant benefits.

• Children learn sharing, cooperation, respect, leadership, and how to fight!

http://www.pac.dodea.edu/edservices/educationprograms/Research%20article.pdf

We could go on…

• We could talk about:– Community gardens– Shared resources– Sense of belonging– Shared concern for society– Empathy and care for others– Social isolation as a means of promoting

expectations– And more…

An interesting author

• Darcia Narvaez• Google her and “hunter/gatherer”

Healthy From the Start!

• Strategies that work

• Family involvement

• Community involvement

The fight against childhood obesity

• Dramatic increases in the number of children preschool aged, who are overweight or obese (prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the past 30 years (CSREES, 2005).

• Habits around eating and exercise behaviors are formed in the early childhood years, which makes these years the best time for prevention of obesity

• Garden projects are a great way to help form healthy approaches to eating

• www.earlysprouts.org • Website for early childhood that helps

cultivate healthy food choices.

Obesity Epidemic

Gardening with KidsChildren who garden are in touch with nature and food in a way that makes sense!

Growing fruits and vegetables can be a family,

Community or school effort Gardening can help stretch food dollars Children can be a source of education for their family.

Children can influence their parents to eat healthy too Through garden efforts children and families form

a bond, learn life lessons, give back to community,

exert energy and use imagination

Junior Master Gardeners www.jmgkids.us• Keep it simple – start small• It’s okay to be messy!• Gardens don’t have to be perfect• Grow “quick gratification” plants like radishes and

sunflowers• If space is limited try container gardening• Get a map of your states garden planting guides for seeds

And transplants• Don’t be afraid to experiment• Be creative, have fun!

Resources:Life Lab Science ProgramSanta Cruz, CAwww.lifelab.org

• Children who are outdoors are more physically active than those who are primarily indoors

• Get active – aim for a total of 60 minutes (min) for children and 30 minutes (min) for adults per day

• Explorations and connections with nature provide a variety of health benefits:

o Intellectuallyo Emotionallyo Sociallyo Spirituallyo Physically

“Unstructured free play brings cognitive, social and health benefits to children”.

Cognitive benefits include creativity, problem solving, focus and self-discipline. Social benefits include cooperation, flexibility, and self-awareness. Emotional benefits are stress reduction, reduced aggression, and in increased happiness.

2010 Children & Nature Network

Allow Children to Explore Nature!

Let’s Move in Indian Country (LMIC) & Let’s Move! Child Care

• LMIC - Goals

• Create a healthy start on life for children• Creating healthier schools• Ensure access to healthy, affordable, and

where possible, traditional foods• Increase opportunities to be physically

active• Develop a food policy council/committee

*Handouts w/more information will be provided

• Let’s Move Child Care - Goalso Provide 1 – 2 hours of physical activity

throughout the day, including outdoor time

o Screen time – no more than 30 minutes per week during child care, and no more than 1-2 hours of quality screen time per day. No screen time for children under 2.

o Serve fruits or vegetables at every meal, eat meals family style, no fried foods

o Provide access to water during meals and throughout the day, do not serve sugary drinks. For children over 2, serve low-fat (1%) or non-fat milk. Limit juice(100%) to one 4 -6 oz /day

o Infant Feeding – help support mothers who breastfeed at child care.

What does it look like?

Playing outdoors!

Eating Healthy Foods:

Be a role model• Children follow your lead – have a

policy for nutrition and health in your program

• Get up and move with the children • Eat nutritious family style meals

with children• Try new foods – be open-minded

yourself!• Be prepared to follow children’s

lead – let them lead an activity• Implement a community training

around Let’s Move!

Physical Activity• Improves self-esteem• Increases fitness levels• Helps to build and maintain bones,

muscles and joints• Helps with flexibility• Lowers your risk for heart disease,

cancer and type 2 diabetes• Relieves stress• Helps with school performance• Leads to building a foundation for

lifetime physical activity

• You can break up the time into 10 – 15 minute increments

• Strive for 60 minutes of activity at least per day

• There is no wrong way to play!• Provide a safe environment

Family & Community Involvement

• Family Involvement:

• When you host a family event, engage the group in a physical activity to join in together

• Have a garden planning/work day – invite families to join you

• Provide samples from your menus for the families to try during family events

• Invite your families to join you in a meal; cook the meal together

• Provide newsletters, resources and materials for families about the importance of physical activity and nutrition

• Community Involvement:

• Ask your community to help organize a community or school garden

• Invite community members to your programs to see what you are doing around nutrition and physical activities

• Implement a Farm to School program www.ecotrust.org/farmtoschool/Farm-to-Preschool-101.ppt - Stacey Sobell

• From our Farms

http://gloucester.rcre.rutgers.edu/fchs/fromourfarms.html www/ourcommunityyourkids.org

– San Diego County , CA

Newly formed Sub-Committee

Farm to Preschool – National

ResourcesChildren & Nature Network –

www.childrenandnature.org

Early Sprouts –

www.earlysprouts.org

From Our Farms –

http://gloucester.rcre.rutgers.edu/fchs/fromourfarms.html

Growing a Green Generation –

http://horticulture.unh.edu/ggg.html

Harvest of the Month –

http://healthycalifornia.ocde.us/For_Educators/

Pre-K.htm

Show Me Nutrition –

http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=SMN100

Healthy Beginnings –

http://www.co.shasta.ca.us/html/Public_Health/services/Preschool_Daycare_Resources.htm

Eat Well Play Hard: In a Child Care Setting –

http://www.health.state.ny.us/prevention/nutrition/cacfp/ewphccs_curriculum/index/.htm

Let’s Move! Child Care –

http://www.letsmove.gov

Kids Gardening –

http://www.kidsgardening.org

Dinner from Dirt, by Emily Scott and Catherine Duffy. Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith Publisher, 1998

“ Ten meals kids can cook and grow”; for example, a salsa garden which includes growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and all the other ingredients to make salsa, with a recipe at the end; simple explanations; photographs.

A Child’s Seasonal Treasury, by Betty Jones. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press, 1996.

A compilation of songs, verses, activities, and recipes for children to read about and do in each season.

Network for a Healthy California –

www.cachampionsforchange.net

More Resources…• Let’s Move Child Care –

www.HealthyKidsHealthyFuture.org• Prevent Obesity –

http://www.preventobesity.net

Farm Cookbook for Kids –

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/he/documents/kidscookcomplete.pdf

San Diego, CA - Farm to School Program (free curricula)www.ourcommunityourkids.org

Stacey Sobell, MPH, Western National Lead for the National Farm to School Network

www.ecotrust.org/farmtoschool/Farm-to-Preschool-101.ppt

•

Small garden example

Questions?

Contact Information

– Dallas Pettigrew - dallas-pettigrew@cherokee.org– Kim Nall - knall@colusa-nsn.gov– Sherry Rackliff- SRackliff@DelawareChild.org– Laurie Hand- laurie-hand@cherokee.org

National Indian Child Care Association - www.nicca.us