January School of the Month: Christ the Rock, Rockford

New & Notes:

1.      NID Congregations are striving to call directors for their Early Childhood centers at:

a.       Immanuel, Downers Grove

b.      Zion, Hinsdale

Contact Mike Zimmer at the NID office for more information on these positions.

2.      The next NID Teachers Conference will be held at Concordia University, Chicago on Friday, October 19, 2018.  Phil Vischer, the originator of Veggie Tales, will be the keynote speaker. 30+ sectionals.  $90 per person (lunch and snacks included).  Both Gateways and ISBE credits will be available.

3.      The Concordia Early Childhood Conference will be held at Concordia on Friday, August 3, 2018.

4.      Julie will be looking into setting up a possible teacher visit day to Zion, Hinsdale, which is the only known Lutheran Reggio Emilia school in the USA on February 16 in possible connection with the Rockford Lutheran Teacher In-service Day.  Transportation might be available via the Rockford Lutheran school van.  Watch for more details  sent out via email messages within the next week. 

Meeting Topic:          Social, Emotional & Mental Topics in our Early Childhood Education Centers

1.      Helps for teachers/classrooms experiencing challenges with students with social, emotional and mental health issues:

a.       Having access to resource teachers within the building. (Immanuel, Belvidere)

b.      Having access to resource individuals like Mary Kelly via programs at the YWCA in Rockford (Shepherd of the Valley, Rockford))

c.       Having access to programs through 4-C. (Trinity, Huntley)

d.      Materials and support from your local public schools. (Rockford Lutheran)

                          i.      Speech therapists

                        ii.      Special education consultant services

                      iii.      Title 1 tutors

e.       New Zones of Regulation and Social Thinking Curriculums (see below) with lots of extra ideas on  these “hot” topics on Pinterest under the “Social Thinking” headings

2.      Develop“Quiet Area Corners” in classrooms. (Trinity, Huntley)

a.       1 – 2  child may use at a time

b.      The center can be tucked away in a small place/corner  of a classroom

c.       Provide sensory materials

d.      Materials for this center can often be found at the Dollar Store

e.       Soft Rug

f.       A true quiet place

g.      Promotes self regulation

3.      More experiences are taking place with students having temper tantrums

a.       Use simple words with the student and walk away

4.      Zones of Regulation- A Curriculum Designed to Foster Self-Regulation and Emotional Control was introduced.  (St. Peter, Arlington Heights)

a.       Students can have a “traffic light” at their table, on a bulletin board, etc, in which they can move their “clip” to show how they are feeling.  Staff should monitor students who feel there are on the “blue” or “red” zones.  Many students who are as young as 4 years old are able to use this system:

a.       Blue Zone:  Your body is running slow such as when you are tired, sick, sad, or bored. (possible depression zone)

b.      Green Zone:  Like a green light, you are “good to go.”  Your body may feel happy, calm, and focused.

c.       Yellow Zone:  This zone describes when you start to lose control, such as when you are frustrated, anxious, worried, silly or surprised. Use caution when you are in this zone.

d.      Red Zone:  This zone is for extreme emotions such as anger, terror, and aggression.  When you are in this zone you are out of control, having trouble making good decisions and must stop!

b.      Tips for handling an unexpected “Red Zone”

a.       Safety is first priority

b.      Limit verbals

c.       This is not a teachable moment

d.      Validate the students’ feelings

e.       Evoke some of the emotion in yourself

f.       Give them time and space

g.      Designate safe spots

h.      Avoid power struggles

i.        Teach all tools in a calm regulated state

c.       These materials have great visuals to help with

a.       Calming techniques

b.      Sensory Supports

5.       Social Thinking Publishing Inc. Curriculum by Michelle Garcia Winner and Pamela Crooke. (St. Peter, Arlington Heights)

a.       www.socialthinking.com

b.      Teacher materials for whole group lessons & interventions

c.       Children’s Books

d.      Materials for geared for 4-7 year olds

Director & Teacher:                Doreen Peterson

Assistant:                                Sue Harder  

Christ the Rock has morning and afternoon half day preschool classes with an enrollment around 31 students for the 2017 – 2018 school year.  It’s school and church staff work very intentionally to connect their preschool with the ministry of their congregation.  Christ the Rock uses a single theme as the primary theme for the school year.  This year it is Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales.  Doreen and Sue creatively and artistically create very interesting and specific classroom activities, centers, games, and furnishings each year to go with their primary theme

“Little Boy Blue” Bulletin Board

      “Which instrument would you rather play?

                              Guitar or Horn

      Conclusion based on classroom voting:

More preschoolers at Christ the Rock would rather play guitar (18) vs. horn (13)

National Lutheran Schools Week

      Church & School Integration Theme & Project

      “Mission Possible”

            Which promoted both church and school

            families to go out into the community and

            do random acts of kindness.  All families were

            given “Secret Agent” packs with directions

            and ideas for this project.  They were asked

            to take or draw pictures about their projects.

Dramatic Play Center:  Hot Chocolate Shop

      Used during “winter” classroom themes

            Materials: “Puppet Stage”, coffee cups with lids, candy

             canes, signs, clipboards,  pens, cash register