Thirty Spanish-speaking child care providers in St. Joseph County completed HighScope curriculum training, thanks to the Early Years Initiative. Beth O’Connor, co-director of The Family Connection of St. Joseph County, had a quick answer when asked about the best part of the program. “Watching the light bulbs go off in the hearts and minds of providers who see the possibilities of working with and caring for and educating the youngest children,” she said. “They’ve always loved [the infants and toddlers], of course, and now we can add to that by providing information, strategies, materials, ideas and inspiration.”
The HighScope curriculum is designed to provide a rich academic foundation while promoting independence, decision-making, cooperation, creativity and problem-solving in young children. The Family Connection team previously offered the HighScope preschool curriculum to providers, then saw an additional need to focus on the infant and toddler population.
By facilitating a child’s day in a developmentally appropriate way, HighScope training helps providers see the babies and toddlers in their care differently. “One thing that HighScope is just terrific about is that it’s not about just doing things,” O’Connor said. “It’s about being with and really understanding that if I focus on approaches to learning or cognitive development or social studies, that’s what we’re going to see grow. When you know more, you see more.”
Listening to community feedback, the team decided to offer a class taught in Spanish to reach additional providers. No recruiting was needed as the class quickly filled to capacity through word-of-mouth and referrals from past participants. “We couldn’t say no to people,” laughed Stephanie Hooks, Family Connection co-director. “We were intending to offer the class to twelve participants and ended up with 30. It really speaks to the quality of the training that so many providers wanted to join.”
The entire HighScope training was presented in Spanish so participants could access the material in a native language, allowing a level of comfort in completing homework assignments, engaging in sessions and offering feedback on new material. Participation is no small commitment, with attendees rearranging schedules and finding child care coverage in order to attend weekly training sessions. Homework is hands-on, encouraging providers to try a new concept with a small group of children or reflect on how a change in process impacted the classroom.
“What they had to do to participate in these trainings is extraordinary, it’s just amazing. And it’s such an inspiration for us to get to do this work,” O’Connor said. “We take it very, very seriously because we want them to do well and they want to do well. This cohort of Spanish-speaking home providers was so committed and dedicated and so lovely to work with, and that energized our team in a really special way.”
Learning doesn’t end after the weekly sessions. HighScope’s implementation phase offers insight into how providers are putting the training principles into practice. During follow-up visits to the provider’s home or center, the team collaborates on programming and daily flow, helps review lesson plans, collects notes about classroom operations and views the training in a real-world environment.
“After the training, our participants feel comfortable because they’ve met with us for so many weeks, so they feel good about opening up their doors to us,” said Lupe Leal, HighScope certified teacher. “I’m able to go in and really talk about their plans and what they’d like to do in their space. We’ve been able to help them implement ideas and buy new materials so they can actually support the children throughout the day.”
Since Early Years Initiative began, 30 educators have graduated from the program, impacting nearly 300 infants and toddlers in their care. Nineteen of those educators are continuing on to Ivy Tech Community College to complete their Child Development Associate® credential, and many of them plan to begin their associate degree in early childhood education. “We’re able to provide the first eight credit hours to get them started in their college careers, something that many of our providers didn’t believe was even an option for them,” said Hooks, highlighting that Ivy Tech added a staff member to serve as a mentor and navigator for the cohort, many of whom are first-generation college students.
“To have a partner helping them navigate the complicated world of college, it’s been really exciting to watch that happen,” Hooks said. “The training has added a level of professionalism they’re proud of and now they’re gaining confidence and going on to continue their education. We’re just adding strength to strength.”
An unexpected benefit of the HighScope training has been the strong sense of community and culture of support that has developed within the cohort. The group stays connected via messaging, communicates often and rallies around each other, instead of viewing others as competitors in the same space.
“Lupe’s done a fabulous job of creating a community of learners mentality among the group,” O’Connor said. “They’re creating a community of learners among their children, but also among themselves.”
Parents are noticing the impact of HighScope, appreciating the intentionality of lesson plans and activities. Many of the providers use a program to document observations and engagement throughout the day to share with parents, allowing insight into the child’s day and seeing picture proof of learning.
Teachers are enjoying it too. “Family Connection has walked hand-in-hand with all of the Creative Hands & Brilliant Minds teachers, and have supported us with their observations and evaluations of the teachers and the work environment,” said Marisol Mayorga, program participant. “The Family Connection team has provided us with training and coaching as well as grants for classroom supplies, and as a result we have seen children, parents and teachers benefit in all areas of development. The Family Connection has been an important pillar for our programs to be able to offer an excellent quality of service to the children and parents who have placed their trust in us.”
The HighScope training culminated in a graduation ceremony with more than 100 family members and friends in attendance.
“The graduation ceremony is a big deal and it's a big celebration. For some of our providers, it's the first time they've ever graduated from anything. I remember one teacher standing up there, she just said, ‘I AM a teacher!’ She had never seen herself in that way before. To hear those words – it was so incredibly powerful. We’re very grateful the Early Years Initiative is allowing us to do this work.”
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