1.
Embracing the Birth Through Grade Three
Early Learning Continuum
Valora Washington, PhD
February 27. 2015
2/27/2015 MA Department of Early Education and Care

2.
So what’s the challenge?
2/27/2015 MA Department of Early Education and Care

3.
Change is not
optional
2/27/2015 MA Department of Early Education and Care

4.
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
FRAME-
WORK
STRATEGIES

5.
Embracing the Birth
to Grade 3
Learning Continuum:
Here’s How
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

6.
Career
.
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
Love it! Analyze
Work it! Advance
Own it! Act
Be Strategic Accelerate
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum:
A Framework

7.
First:
Love It - ANALYSIS
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
WEKNOW
Early years
matter!
YET
Resources
and
rhetoric do
not match

8.
Career .
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
Love it! Analyze
Reality: Face It!
The Changing
Nature of
Childhood

9.
Second:
Work It - ADVANCE
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
WEKNOW
Our
knowledge
base is
exploding
YET
What should
early
educators
know and do?

10.
Career .
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
Work it! Advance
Respect our
Knowledge
Base
Standards of
Quality and the
Best First Step

11.
Third:
Own It - ACT
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
WEKNOW
Effective
patterns of
action
YET
How do we
get started?

12.
Career .
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
Own it! Act
Personal
commitment
and mastery
Confidential
community

13.
Fourth:
Be Strategic - ACCELERATE
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
WEKNOW
Performance
and credibility
gaps
YET
We must
move
forward!

14.
Career .
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
Be Strategic Accelerate
Alignment
Preparation
Integration
Policy
Diversity
Message
Leadership

15.
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
FRAME-
WORK
STRATEGIES

16.
Change is not
optional
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

17.
Career .
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
Love it! Analyze:
The CDA Example!
Work it! Advance:
The Boston Public Schools
Example
Own it! Act:
The Rockland Schools Example
Be Strategic Accelerate:
The Mahoning Valley Example

18.
TOGETHER WE EMBRACE THE BIRTH
THROUGH GRADE THREE
EARLY LEARNING CONTINUUM
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

19.
Embracing the Birth Through Grade
Three Early Learning Continuum
• Cohesive whole
• …Collective
intentionality
• What do we want to
create?
• INTEGRITY
• Future Priorities
• External
environment
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

20.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERY CHILD…
THAT EVERY EARLY EDUCATOR SUCCEEDS?
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

21.
The gap between
vision and reality is the
place where we lead
2/27/2015 MA Department of Early Education and
Care

22.
We create
tomorrow
today
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

23.
Love it! Work It! Own It! Be Strategic!
• Your voice matters…others depend on you!
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

24.
To build a stronger profession
Children First
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

25.
….And more effective services to
children and families…
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

26.
…For all Massachusetts children…
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

27.
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
27

28.
Analyze!
Step 1
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

29.
ANALYZE! ASK YOURSELF:
• What do I see as the most significant new
realities that we face in Massachusetts?
• What is my top priority for change?
(Select an issue you feel passionately
about)
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

30.
ADVANCE!
Step 2:
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

31.
ADVANCE! ASK YOURSELF:
• What do I TRULY WANT to see as the
new reality in Massachusetts?
• What do I see as the most significant new
reality that we face in Massachusetts ?
And, what can I do about it?
• What do you recommend to strengthen
our field in Massachusetts ?
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

32.
“It is time for those of
us who identify with the
early care and
education field to wade
into the swamp, resolve
enduring ambivalences
about our work, and
make decisions about
the way forward.”
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

33.
ACT!
Step 3:
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

34.
ACT! ASK YOURSELF:
What can I do to make sure
that every child succeeds?
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

35.
• Consider doing adaptive work
–Answers don’t preexist
–Entails resolving conflicting values
–Requires making choices
–Usually involves loss
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

36.
ACT! ASK YOURSELF:
• What are the opportunities for adaptive work
in Massachusetts?
• What is the first thing you believe we should
be working on collectively?
• How can we accomplish what you have
identified?
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

37.
Accelerate!
Step 4:
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

38.
ACCELERATE! ASK YOURSELF:
What are your assumptions about the future?
How do you “let future priorities have an influence
on today’s activities.”
How do we stimulate action?
What do we want to create?
How can we better communicate with the public?2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

39.
Pulling It All Together!
A Four Step
Embracing the Birth to Grade 3
Learning Continuum
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

40.
Today we examined a 4-part
framework:
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care
• .
Love it! Analyze
Work it! Advance
Own it! Act
Be Strategic Accelerate

41.
Everywhere!
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care

42.
2/27/2015
MA Department of Early Education and
Care