ICF's presentation, "Creating a Bilingual Early Childhood Program That Teaches with Passion and Follows Standards," examines strategies for adhering to standards while creating a community for growth in the classroom. ICF is committed to ensuring high-quality care and education for learners by advancing the professional development of those working in the education field. The 2014 National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development is an event that brings together early childhood professionals, program administrators, teacher educators, trainers, teachers, and researchers. http://www.icfi.com/markets/education/campaigns/professional-development-for-education-providers

1. “Creating a Bilingual Early Childhood Program
That Teaches with Passion AND Follows Standards:
Lessons Learned from the Teachers,
Director, and Coach”
Presented by
Jacky Howell, MA coach/technical assistant, ICF
Natalie LaRochelle-Eades, director CentroNía
Arlene Alcazar, lead teacher CentroNía
Beth Ann Moore, lead teacher CentroNía
NAEYC PDI Institute, Minneapolis, MN 2014

2. SHARING OUR STORY! Jacky Howell,
MA coach/technical assistant, ICF
“What is lovely about children is that they can make
such a big production, such a big deal,
out of everything or nothing…
I never want to be where I cannot see it.
And that energy and foolishness, all that curiosity,
all those questions, talk, fierce passions,
inconsolable sorrows, immoderate joys,
seem to many a nuisance to be endured,
if not a disease to be cured.
To me they are a national asset,
a treasure beyond price.”
--John Holt

3. SHARING OUR STORY!
Natalie LaRochelle-Eades,
director CentroNía
“I’ve learned that people will
forget what you said, people
will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel” -
Maya Angelou

4. SHARING OUR STORY!
Arlene Alcazar,
lead teacher CentroNía
“ Anything that is worth teaching
can be presented in many
different ways.
These multiple ways can make use
of our multiple intelligences.”
Howard Gardner

5. SHARING OUR STORY!
Beth Ann Moore,
lead teacher CentroNía
“The greatest sign of success for a
teacher is to be able to say,
‘The children are now working
as if I did not exist’”
--Maria Montessori

6. WHO ARE YOU?
•THE CHAIN GAME

7. GOOD MORNING TO YOU
Natii Wright
Good morning to you, how are you today?
Good morning to you, I just want to say—
Good morning…. Good morning…
Sleepy eyes, open wide
Come on in
Start your day!
Good morning to you, how are you today?
Good morning to you, I just want to say—
Good morning…. Good morning…
(repeat)
Sleepy eyes, open wide
Come on in
Start your day!
Dance!!
Sleepy eyes, open wide
Come on in
Start your day!
Good morning…. Good morning…

8. WHO ARE WE??
CentroNía is a nationally recognized, multicultural learning community with a pioneering approach to bilingual
education. For everyone, CentroNía offers a welcoming environment that encourages intellectual adventure
and provides guidance each step of the way for children, youth and families to achieve their goals.
We instill the love of learning for our children, families and staff.
We seek to nurture this growth in an atmosphere of respect, innovation and collaboration.

9. AS A DC PRE-K PROGRAM WE ARE REQUIRED TO:
Follow DC Early Learning Standards, follow Common Core Standards,
follow DC Licensing Regulations, follow Creative Curriculum goals and objectives,
follow NAEYC accreditation standards…

10. Knowledge of child growth and development is essential for program
development and implementation.
Young children learn by doing.
Families are the primary caregivers and educators of their young children.

11. WHAT WE VALUE AT OUR PROGRAM:
To meet the standards, our program creates a connected community of learners among
teachers, children, and families. We believe that teaching young children involves educating
the whole child. We create curriculum that reflects the interests and passions of the
teachers as well as the developmental needs of the children.

12. “ Teaching is not just a profession, it’s a passion.
Without passion for your subject and a desire for your children to
learn and be the best in the world, then we have failed as a
teacher and failure is not an option.”
--John Podojil

13. IT’S ABOUT…
CREATING COMMUNITY/CREANDO UNA COMUNIDAD
CHILDREN AT THE CENTER/NIÑOS EN EL CENTRO
HONORING TEACHERS/RECONOCIENDO A LOS MAESTROS
CHILDREN

15. •CREATING COMMUNITY/CREANDO UNA COMUNIDAD
FAMILIES
CHILDREN
TEACHERS
ADMINISTRATORS
NEIGHBORHOOD

16. AS YOU WOULD WANT
THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN…
TREAT ADULTS….

17. •CHILDREN AT THE CENTER/NIÑOS EN EL CENTRO

18. •CHILDREN AT THE CENTER/NIÑOS EN EL CENTRO

19. •HONORING TEACHERS/RECONOCIENDO A LOS MAESTROS

20. “What’s love got to do with it? In a real sense, everything.
When I bring my loves—my interests and passions—to the classroom I am able to convey
a genuine enthusiasm for the topic at hand. This enthusiasm is the elixir that turns ordinary activities
into compelling curriculum. If I hit upon an area that the children love—
or come to love—we become bound together by our common interest.
The classroom becomes a place where study and discovery are celebrated.
And in the end it is this love of learning in general and passion for specific content areas
that we are trying to nourish in our children. Love and wonder are the seeds of knowledge
that will help children blossom into lifelong learners.”
--Ben Mardell
From Basketball to the Beatles: In Search of Compelling Early Childhood Curriculum

21. SHARING OUR STORY!
Natalie LaRochelle-Eades,
director CentroNía
“I’ve learned that people will
forget what you said, people
will forget what you did,
but people will never forget
how you made them feel” -
Maya Angelou

22. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
Plan a nurturing environment for the adults.

23. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
Provide time and tools (resources).

24. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
View staff as competent thinkers and learners.

25. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
Think of HOW to support staff in their own personal growth.

26. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
Emphasize dispositions as much as skills and knowledge.
Lilian Katz originally described dispositions as “relatively stable habits of mind” (Katz, 1979)

27. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
CORE DISPOSITIONS
Delight in and be curious about children’s development
Value children’s play
Expect continuous change and challenge
Be willing to take risks and make mistakes
Reflect and self-evaluate
Seek collaboration and peer support
Actively advocate for children and appropriate teaching practices
--Margie Carter/Deb Curtis

28. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
Uncover and cultivate passions.

29. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
Create a culture of curiosity, research, and storytelling.

30. “The truth is the better the environment is for the adults involved in
the program, the better the care the children receive.”

31. COMMITMENT TO ACTION
2 things I can do to nurture community in my program…
2 things I can do to shift the focus from teaching to learning and keep
children at the center…
2 things I can do to foster teachers growth in their work…

32. Beth Ann Moore,
lead teacher CentroNía
“The greatest sign of success for a
teacher is to be able to say,
‘The children are now working
as if I did not exist’”
--Maria Montessori

33. The children guide my thinking
and feed my enthusiasm…

34. 1
Involving home and school
connection….

35. Involve learning through
all curriculum areas

36. Designing areas for further
exploration…

37. Using local resources for teaching…

38. Creating a long term project…

39. Thoughts on teaching from my
passions…

40. SHARING OUR STORY!
Arlene Alcazar,
lead teacher CentroNía
“ Anything that is worth teaching
can be presented in many
different ways.
These multiple ways can make use
of our multiple intelligences.”
Howard Gardner

41. Literacy can take us
anywhere…

42. Multiple ways of knowing
culture…

43. Drawing can express our
learning…

44. Purposefully thinking of
development…

45. Play is THE way of learning…

46. Value and respect every home
culture…

47. Cultural context as being
meaningful learning…

48. Field trips/the community are
important sources for
learning…

49. Understand each child is
unique…

52. COMMITMENT TO ACTION
2 things I can do to nurture community in my program…
2 things I can do to shift the focus from teaching to learning and keep
children at the center…
2 things I can do to foster teachers growth in their work…

53. SHARING OUR STORY! Jacky Howell,
MA coach/technical assistant, ICF
“What is lovely about children is that they can make
such a big production, such a big deal,
out of everything or nothing…
I never want to be where I cannot see it.
And that energy and foolishness, all that curiosity,
all those questions, talk, fierce passions,
inconsolable sorrows, immoderate joys,
seem to many a nuisance to be endured,
if not a disease to be cured.
To me they are a national asset,
a treasure beyond price.”
--John Holt

54. Includes building relationships….
Discovering WHERE is this teacher
right now?

55. Using questions for discussion…
Understanding reasons for choices

56. Empower rather than solve…
Cultivating dispositions

57. TREAT ADULTS AS YOU
WANT THEM TO TREAT CHILDREN
CORE DISPOSITIONS
Delight in and be curious about children’s development
Value children’s play
Expect continuous change and challenge
Be willing to take risks and make mistakes
Reflect and self-evaluate
Seek collaboration and peer support
Actively advocate for children and appropriate teaching practices
--Margie Carter/Deb Curtis

58. Maintaining connection to the heart of this work…
Providing resources and support

59. COMMITMENT TO ACTION
2 things I can do to nurture community in my program…
2 things I can do to shift the focus from teaching to learning and keep
children at the center…
2 things I can do to foster teachers growth in their work…

60. “The key factor distinguishing good schools from truly
exemplary schools is staffs’ willingness to look at their
imperfections and create a climate of continual improvement.”
--Sara Lawrence Lightfoot

61. “We want to know what the children think, feel, and wonder.
We believe that the children will have things to tell each other
and us that we have never heard before.
We are always listening for a surprise
and the birth of a new idea.
This practice supports a mutual quest for understanding.
It is a practice of searching together for new meaning.
Together we become a community of seekers.”
--Louise Boyd Cadwell

62. THANK YOU!!
Feel free to contact us at:
Natalie LaRochelle-Eades: neades@centronia.org
Jacky Howell: jacky.Howell@icfi.com
ENJOY THE REST OF THE CONFERENCE!!