Blog
High-Quality Early Learning is Requisite in Senate Bill Signed into Law
This week President Obama signed S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014, into law. The bill, as described in a previous blogpost, reauthorizes funds through fiscal year 2020 for child care investments, and includes high-quality early learning as a requisite component.
Sixpence in Broken Bow: Where Early Learning is Hard, Soft, Squishy, Smooth, Shiny Work
It’s a beautiful, mild October afternoon in Broken Bow—a good day to get out with kids, which suits Nancy Ferguson and her colleagues nicely, although no one is quite sure how many families to expect for today’s activity.
November is Literacy Month
Babies are born learners, and the number of quality interactions they experience in their earliest months and years heavily influences how they develop and succeed later. In recognition of the importance of early literacy and family literacy, Governor Dave Heineman has proclaimed November “Read Aloud to a Child Month.”
Is Dressing Up for Halloween the Same as Pretend Play?
Is dressing up for Halloween different than dressing up for pretend play? The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) posed that question to Dr. Sandra Waite-Stupiansky, facilitator of its Play, Policy, and Practice Forum, and she said 'yes'.
Educare Winnebago: The school that hope built
Deliah Kearnes knew something remarkable had happened when her daughter recently told her what she wanted to do when she grew up. For months, Kearnes had watched anxiously as her child struggled to learn and develop a sense of belonging in a child care setting. When the new Educare Winnebago opened its doors earlier this year, however, that began to change.
Researchers: Sixpence Program is Delivering Positive Results
The Nebraska Legislature’s Education Committee is touring a Sixpence program in Broken Bow today to learn more about the innovative public-private partnership before holding a public hearing on its visioning process for a statewide strategic plan for education as mandated by LB1103.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine: Link Between School Failure and Crime is Undeniable
As a County Attorney, it’s my job to do everything possible to protect the public. Putting people behind bars who commit crimes is one way I do that. But I know from my personal experiences in the courtroom that we can’t simply arrest, prosecute and incarcerate our way out of our crime problems. We have to implement strategies that keep people from turning to crime in the first place.
Building Literacy Skills Starts Early
One of the most important things parents can do to prepare their children for school is to read to them. The number of words a child knows upon entering kindergarten is a key predictor of future success, and the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that parents read aloud to babies starting at birth to build pre-literacy skills in the earliest years. And as children grow, reading aloud and talking about pictures in age-appropriate books strengthens their emerging language skills and literacy development. And the resulting closer parent-child bond boosts a child’s social-emotional development.
Reading to Children 15 Minutes Daily Makes a Big Impact
If a parent reads to a child just 15 minutes a day starting at birth, by kindergarten, they will have shared 456.25 hours of reading together. The benefits for the child include a larger vocabulary, plus the security and confidence that result from a parent's one-on-one attention.
5 Questions with Barbara Clay: Nebraska Child Care Provider Participating in Step Up to Quality
Tell us about yourself — how did you get started with your child care business? I began U.N.I.Q.U.E. Childcare and Family Services Family Home in 1997 in the North Omaha community. The mission and vision of our child care is: Using Necessary Involvement to provide Quality Unlimited Education to children and their families. We currently serve eight children and are licensed for 10.
Why We Still Need Grandma and Grandpa’s Kitchen Table
How old were you when you realized that your parents weren’t the omnipotent beings you thought they were? I was about midway through second grade, and on a family visit to grandma and grandpa’s several hours’ drive from where we lived.
Hands-On Learning at the State Fair
Great hands-on learning opportunities at the Nebraska State Fair offer families a chance to celebrate the end of summer and spend some time together.