FAIRFAX FUTURES' 4TH ANNUAL SCHOOL
READINESS SYMPOSIUM

“SCHOOL READINESS IS NOT A STATE OF KNOWLEDGE; IT IS A STATE OF MIND”

Audience at the symposium

The excitement was palpable at Fairfax Futures' 4th Annual School Readiness Symposium held on April 26th at the Fairfax County Government Center, and made possible through a generous grant from the Freddie Mac Foundation. More than 250 early childhood educators from child care, preschool and elementary school programs came together to hear from nationally recognized speakers on the importance of young children’s social and emotional competence as it relates to their school readiness.

Attendees enjoying lunch in the Fairfax County Government Center forum

Downloads from the symposium:

• John Morgan Morning Keynote (PPT)
• Geetha Ramani Breakout Summary and Resources (PDF)
• Sarah Semlak & Lisa Gordon Breakout Summary (PDF) and Resources (PPT)

Speakers included:

Daniel Gartrell

Daniel Gartrell, from Bemidji State University, offered an engaging, humorous presentation on the “power of guidance” to help young children develop the social and emotional skills they will need to be successful in school and later in life. He noted that “readiness is not a state of knowledge; it is a state of mind.” Using concepts such as a “compliment sandwich” when talking through a discipline situation with young children, Gartrell encouraged early childhood educators to: acknowledge children’s effort and progress; provide suggestions to help children build their skills; remind children that they are okay and that they are still learning. He also encouraged educators to remember that learning to handle emotions and frustrations is a life-long process. Toddlers and preschoolers have far less experience than do adults in learning how to constructively channel their emotions during conflict-situations. Young children need guidance, rather than punishment or shame, to build their emerging skills.

John Morgan, Executive Director of Voices for Virginia's Children

John Morgan, executive director of Voices for Virginia’s Children, addressed the importance of supporting young children’s social and emotional development in quality child care programs. He noted that the development of strong social and emotional skills will not only help increase their chances for academic success, but ultimately their ability to succeed in the workplace as well. He shared the research highlighting the difference in capacity between children raised in middle class homes versus those raised in poverty and noted that positive parent-child verbalizations are far more frequent in middle class homes than in homes whose families are living in poverty; the nature and quality of the conversation also differed, with conversations being more complex than command and instructions, more conversations about feelings, cause and effect and the future taking place in middle class families than in homes whose families are living in poverty.  As a result, by the time young children reach kindergarten, many of the children living in poverty are more likely to be less active, engaged, or curious about learning and may lack the key social-emotional skills associated with success in school. He noted that, while social and emotional development can be fostered via a curriculum, it can occur even more powerfully in routine teacher-child interactions.

Geetha Ramani, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland

Geetha Ramani, assistant professor at the University of Maryland, presented a breakout session on play. She stressed that play is an important part of early childhood education and that research shows that it is the right thing to do in an early childhood classroom.  When speaking with parents, she encouraged early childhood educators to let them know that play is important to learning, since it promotes the development of children’s cognitive, language and problem-solving skills.  Through play, children experience increased engagement with their peers, learn to interact with others and also learn to regulate their own emotions, all experience that is important for school readiness.

Sarah Semlak

Lisa Gordon

Sarah Semlak and Lisa Gordon, consultants and trainers who combined, have worked in the field of early childhood education for more than 37 years, led a breakout session that focused on ways to support the resilience of culturally and linguistically diverse children, from birth to age five. They addressed the importance of the relationship between the early childhood educator and the child, as well as the need to understand families’ cultural and linguistic identity to help ensure that all young children feel welcome and part of the community.

The symposium also provided an opportunity for participants to network with one another and to visit the resource tables of some of Fairfax Futures’ School Readiness Network partners, including Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County’s Office for Children, PNC Bank, ICF, Commerce Bank, the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, Fairfax County Department of Family Services, and several others.

Following lunch, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly and Fairfax County School Board Member Phil Niedzielski-Eichner presented Fairfax Futures’ 2008 School Readiness Educator Awards to Elizabeth Page, executive director of Falls Church-McLean Children’s Center and to Christina Dickens, principal at Annandale Terrace Elementary School. Both women were recognized for their deep commitment to building partnerships that support the school readiness of young children and their families.

The day closed with a drawing for an early childhood educator’s resource basket; the lucky recipient was Ana Hoover, a family child care provider in Fairfax County.

* Photos by Anne Lord Photography

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