Assessing “School Readiness”: What Does it Mean to Children, Parents and Educators
This is the third annual pre-conference workshop prior to the 2005 Conference of the Early Childhood Educators of British Columbia (ECEBC). As in previous years, the event was co-sponsored by the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), the Consortium for Health, Intervention, Learning and Development (CHILD), ECEBC, the Psychoeducational Research Training Centre at UBC (PRTC), and the Infant Development Programs of British Columbia (IDP of BC).
For the past three years, this workshop has been a very exciting, thought-provoking and stimulating day of presentations and discussions, this year reaching a total audience of 200 delegates, including parents and professionals interested in children from birth to 8 years of age. Professionals attending included preschool and elementary teachers, daycare and community-based health workers, infant development and supported child care consultants, among other professionals in early childhood development and early intervention.
This year’s topics and presenters were equally relevant and useful. We were honoured to have Clyde Hertzman, Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership, presenting the Opening Remarks, followed by this year’s keynote speaker, Dale Farran, of Vanderbilt College. Farran presented her data on a current longitudinal study of 500 children from preschool through Grade 1 who have been followed through kindergarten at the moment. Her analyses raise questions about what is chosen to measure in preschool development, and whether there are more fundamental skills/capabilities that are not being assessed. Finally, the workshop closed with apanel with parents and advocates in the discussion of the topic “How do parents of children with disabilities experience the transition from preschool to school? with a group of parents/advocates facilitated by William McKee, Director of the PRTC at UBC.
Once again, participants were enthusiastic in their rating of the workshop and voiced strong support for more workshops on the topic of assessment and practical intervention strategies for 0 – 8 years for the years to come.
We would like to thank:
| ECEBC and their Board of Directors, in particular Diane Tannahill, (Acting) President, and Ann Silberman | |
| Joyce Branscombe and Nicky Byres of EventAbility | |
| Dana Brynelsen and the Provincial Advisor Office of IDP of BC | |
| William McKee and The Psychoeducational Training Centre at UBC | |
| Clyde Hertzman and staff from HELP and CHILD | |
| …for their support and enthusiasm in presenting this exciting event | |
| We gratefully acknowledge the administrative and logistical support provided by: | |
| Lori Boerma, The Psychoeducational Training Centre, Faculty of Education, UBC | |
| Shaun Tanassee , Sauder School of Business, UBC | |
| Barbara Goyer and Eileen Grant, CHILD Project Coordinators with HELP | |
| Sophia D’Amato, Wendy Li and Cheryl Rubiliak of HELP | |
| D’Anne Rathie, Office of the Provincial Advisor, Infant Development Programs of BC | |
| Warm thanks to our Volunteers: | |
| Adi Amir, Martin Guhn, Vanessa Lapointe, Pam Neumann – graduate students, ECPS; and David Wu (HELP) | |
| Linda Flanagan (ECED) and Sula Bedel Boxall from Kim Schonert-Reichl’s lab at UBC, Faculty of Education | |
| David Wu, HELP |
| Presentations | Speaker |
| Keynote Address: | Farran, Professor in the Departments of Teaching and Learning, Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee. |
| How Do I Feel About Going To School? The Role of Emotions in Children’s School Readiness | Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, Faculty of Education, UBC Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, UBC Angela M. Jaramillo, Graduate Student, ECPS, Faculty of Education, UBC |
| Reconceptualizing Readiness: Reflections on Encounters With Reggio Emilia | Iris Berger, Coordinator, Institute for Early Childhood Education and Research, U.B.C.
Cristina Delgado, Pedagogista, EarlyChildhood Education Department, Capilano College Laurie Kocher, Institute for Early Childhood Education and Research, U.B.C. |
| Physical Development And Motor Skills for School Readiness | Kari Olesen, Physiotherapist, Vancouver Regional Pediatric Team
Kanchan Pandy, Occupational Therapist, Vancouver Regional Pediatric Team |
| “School Readiness”: A Major Socio-Emotional Milestone in Family Life Cycle | Pratibha Reebye, M.D.,Child Psychiatrist, Department of Child Psychiatry, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Vancouver |
| A Primer Of Tools Commonly Used In Assessing The Cognitive And Adaptive Skills of Young Children | Laurie Ford, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, Faculty of Education, U.B.C.
Carla Merkel, Graduate Student, School Psychology, U.B.C. |
| “School Readiness”: Implications for Practice In The Kindergarten Year
No presentation material available Please contact presenter at mfilipenko@telus.net |
Margot Filipenko, Faculty of Education, Department of Language and Literacy Education, UBC |
| “School Readiness” – Perspectives of Immigrant Families | Mercedes Mande, M.A., Anthropology |
| Home, School And Community: A Working Partnership
No presentation material available Please contact presenter: bonnierdakin@hotmail.com |
Bonnie Dakin, Primary Teacher, Vancouver School District |
| Montessori Education As An Aid To Life | Caroline Loughran, Registrar and E.C.E. Coordinator, AMI Training Centre, Vancouver
Jill Royall, Montessori Teacher, Board Member, Gatehouse Montessori School, West Vancouver |
| Speech, Language And Hearing: Are You Ready? | Penelope Bacsfalvi, Speech-Language Pathologist, Ph.D. student, U.B.C.
Barbara Bernhardt, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Audiology and Speech Sciences, U.B.C. Paola Colozzo, Speech Language Pathologist, Ph.D. student, School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, U.B.C. Stefka H. Marinova-Todd, Assistant Professor, Audiology and Speech Sciences, U.B.C.
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| Parent/Teacher-Directed Mediation For Learning: When The Onus Is On Us. | Marilou Carrillo, M.A. Speech- Language Pathologist, Vancouver School District |
| Aboriginal Perspectives On School Readiness
No presentation material available |
Christine Burgess, Regional Manager BC First Nations Head Start Program Deanna Cook, Community Representative, BC First Nations Head Start Program, Splat’in Child Care Society Lenora Joe, Community Representative, BC First Nations Head Start Program, Sechelt Marion Mussell, Community Representative, BC First Nations Head Start Program, Sumas
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| Recognition of Developmental Risk: When to Watch and When to Act! | Barbara Fitzgerald M.D. FRCP(C), Developmental Pediatrician, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children Clinical Assistant Professor, U.B.C. Dept. of Pediatrics |
