STEM&

LiteracyPathways

forEarly Learners

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The Time is NowIt’s time to be a loud voice for young children. There is a sense of urgency shared by educators, business leaders, economists, the US Department of Education and the President to prepare our young children for elementary school. Brain development happens the first five years of a child’s life, and those first five years lay the foundation for everything that follows – learning, behavior and physical and mental health. It is in these years that children develop the basic knowledge, understandings, and interests they need to reach the goal of being successful learners, readers and writers. (US Dept. of Ed. Teaching our Youngest, 2002)

We are seeing so many children two years or more behind their peers when they start kindergar-ten, with major delays in language and basic academic skills, especially children of high needs who face a lack of access to high-quality early learning programs. (Ramey & Ramey, 2004) All children should begin school on a level playing field but, unfortunately, the kids who start behind will stay behind which is why we must act now.

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Why We Should CareAn overwhelming body of research demonstrates that high-quality early learning programs can improve young children’s health, social-emotional competence, and cognitive outcomes; enhance school readiness, and change the trajectory for kids by exposing them at a young age to nurturing and rich learning environments before the 3rd grade when it may be too late. Maximizing learning opportunities in the early years to help young children get ready for school and for life is the foundation for success and well-being.

Children have a fundamental right to a quality education. We as a country have a responsibility to ensure that all children, starting with our youngest learners, have access and exposure to high-quality early learning opportunities with environments drenched in words and books, where children have fun and learn through play, where children learn kindness and good citizenship and where children are challenged. We need to ensure that our children get a jump start now so they are on track for graduating from high school, attending and completing college and career-ready.

Destination Imagination (DI) is committed to young children. Recognizing the critical need for quality early education programs that improve school readiness, social skills, cognitive flexibility, and literacy achievement, DI has developed STEM & Literacy Pathways for early learners.

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There is a Lot at StakeEconomists have been great advocates for early childhood education because in terms of economic development there is no better investment of educational dollars. Business leaders want motivated productive workers whose children have access to high-quality early learning programs. In the next decade, fully one-half of all new jobs will require a college degree with proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math and the ability to read well. (Georgetown University, 2010) Of the 10 fastest growing occupations in the US, eight are science, math or technology related.

Investment now in early learning will pay off later with increased graduation rates, less use of public welfare, lower incarceration rates, higher income earning potential and a more educated and prepared workforce that allows us to compete globally. (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2010)

By investing now in early learning programs that seek to improve outcomes for young children, we as a nation can ensure a better prepared, better educated and more highly skilled workforce as a nation with caring and contributing citizens; because the alternative, is not an option.

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Social-Emotional Competence and Learning

Children’s emotional competence begins to emerge at birth and develops rapidly throughout early childhood with recent research showing links between children’s emotion competence in early childhood and their ability to engage in appropriate social relationships in middle child-hood (Denham et al, 2003)

Researchers describe key social-emotional skills as self-confidence, the capacity to develop posi-tive relationships, concentration and persistence on challenging tasks, an ability to effectively communicate emotions, an ability to listen to instructions and be attentive, and skills in solving social problems; all contribute to children feeling more confident and competent in developing relationships, building friendships, resolving conflicts, persisting when faced with challenges and managing emotions (Trentacosta & Izard, 2007)

Recent studies have examined the relation between young children’s emotional competence as a predictor of their academic competence in first grade

Young children with a well developed ability to regulate emotions are socially competent and less likely to develop problematic internal and external behaviors (Denham et al, 1998; Eisenberg et al, 2001)

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Social-Emotional Skills = Academic Achievement

Research has indicated that, in conjunction with cognitive competence (e.g. reading, writing and critical thinking skills), social-emotional competence (e.g. collaboration skills, motivation and study skills) is an important predictor of academic achievement (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012)

There are five core social and emotional competencies that are important foundations for a young child’s well being: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012)

Research supports consistent positive relations between emotion knowledge and social skills and between social skills and academic achievement (Trentacosta & Izard, 2007)

Attention to academic tasks supports efforts to enhance emotion regulation in early childhood so children can pay better attention and become less distracted as they enter elementary school

Social-emotional learning programs that include lessons focusing on social skills and emotional development on a daily basis and begin during the preschool years have demonstrated positive results on young children’s social-emotional well-being and academic achievement (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012)

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Early Intervention Contributes to EarlyLearning and School Readiness

The well-being and school readiness of our nation’s children must be a priority so all early learners receive the learning opportunities essential for their brain development and success in school

Waiting for children, delayed in basic academic skills when they enter Kindergarten, to fail is not an option as scientific evidence affirms that children who do not have positive early transitions to school are most likely to become inattentive, disruptive or withdrawn, and later, most likely to drop out of school early or engage in irresponsible behaviors

The prevention of school failure and promotion of children’s cognitive, social and linguistic devel-opment must begin in the Pre-K years by providing children a learning experience that inte-grates academic learning and social skills development (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2007 & 2010)

High-quality early reading and math interventions have been shown to help young children develop a foundation for early literacy and informal math knowledge (Duncan & Dowsett, 2007)

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Parents and Primary care givers provide the kinds of experiences that lay the groundwork for a child’s abilities in learning, language, relationships, motor functions and emotions

For healthy development needed for learning, young children need both nurturing relationships and cognitive stimulation in their child care or preschool environments as well as at home

Knowing what a child has learned from early experiences and assessing this knowledge is an important aspect of early childhood programs

States are developing their own frameworks for school readiness, with guidance provided by the National Education Goals Panel and the National Association for the Education of Young Chil-dren

Early childhood is the critical period of neurological development and social development there-fore school readiness has been identified as the highest priority reform (Effects of Early Child-hood Education Programs on School Readiness, 2009)

Healthy Developed Child- School Ready8

Research Supports STEM & LiteracyEducation for Early Learners

Childhood development specialists and educators recognize that the first six years of a child’s life set the stage for success in school and beyond

The human brain develops most rapidly from birth through age 5 making this a time for enor-mous social, emotional and cognitive development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000)

Early learning is part of lifelong learning and high quality early education provides essential supports for future success in life and school and is the basis for children’s aptitude in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in later years

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Brain Development Link to Early Learning

Focusing on the developing child, points to neuroscience research that shows that critical aspects of brain architecture are shaped by experiences in the first few years of life, making it important to take advantage of these early stages to help develop children’s learning capacities (Nat’l Scien-tific Council, 2007)

The brain is particularly receptive to learning math and logic between the ages of 1 and 4 (Nat’l Assoc. of Childcare, 1998)

Learning and brain development are truly interdependent and what happens early in develop-ment has lasting and important consequences

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Early Learners as Inquisitive Learners andNatural Scientists

Inquiry and exploration are foundations for math and science and are also the foundations for early learning (Mass. Dept. of Early Ed, 2003)

Research shows that early math knowledge is a predictor of later learning and early math skills also strongly predict later reading achievement (Duncan & Dowsett, 2007)

Young children are naturally inquisitive learners and natural scientists and make sense of the world around them by making predictions, checking them and using evidence to make inductions and deductions (Nat’l Academy of Engineering, 2010)

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Research Links Learning through Play

Children learn about science through play; they blow bubbles, for instance, and add a block that causes a tower to collapse

Children learn to solve math problems as they design and test solutions through the construction of block towers, piecing together puzzles and even dividing snacks with a friend

High-Quality early learning environments provide children a structure in which to build upon their natural curiosity and inclination to explore

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Investing in STEM Education for the US toCompete in the Global Economy

In 2006, the United States National Academies expressed their concern about the declining state of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in the US and recommended strengthening the skills of teachers through additional training in science, math and technology

The lack of STEM proficiency is a crisis for US educators with students finishing 25th in math and 17th in science in the ranking of 31 countries

The 2007 enacted “America Competes Act” responds to concerns that the US may not be able to compete economically with other nations in the future due to insufficient investment in STEM education and workforce development

The Act is intended to increase the nation’s investment in science, engineering research and STEM education

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Integrating STEM Education into the Curriculum

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) can be readily combined into an integrated curriculum for early childhood classrooms, and many educators believe that children learn best when disciplines are interconnected

Appropriate STEM materials allow young children to explore using all their senses with STEM treated as a cross-domain strategy

In fact, 21st century skills of collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication must be infused with STEM education to provide students with the thinking skills inherently needed in STEM careers. (Harris Interactive Study, 2011)

In addition, art education can improve motivation, concentration, confidence and teamwork and give children another expressive outlet, and should be integral, which may change the acronym to STEAM

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Teaching STEM Across Curricula

STEM should be integrated across all curricula to enable children to construct meaning across disciplines

STEM education can be taught through stories, pictures, sounds, videos, and hands-on activities

The opportunity for educators to use inquiry-based guided learning (questioning) strategies to engage children to use their imaginations for creativity, and then use the same teaching method-ology for critical thinking, connects teachers and children, and invokes emotion in the form of excitement and passion, which is a brain-based teaching strategy (Nat’l Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2007)

STEM and literacy curriculum helps children focus, increase their vocabulary, collaborate with one another, and create scientific relationships

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Parental Support – Early Learning Part ofLifelong Learning

Parents play a critical role supporting their child’s development in the early years, and according to the educational non-profit, Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, are the most important teachers their children will ever have

Parents should take an active role in creating a home environment that nurtures learning and fosters creativity

Early learning is part of lifelong learning from birth to later years

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Destination Imagination Introduces STEM& Literacy Pathways for Early Learners

Committed to offering programs whose validity is established by rigorous research, Destination Imagination (DI) developed a unique approach to support educational readiness in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and literacy aimed at increasing critical and creative thinking ability in children ages 3-6

As a strong advocate for early learners and their teachers, DI released in 2011 the STEM & Literacy Pathways for Early Learners, America’s and the world’s newest program that prepares early learners for elementary grades and helps teachers and early learners embrace STEM, literacy and the arts

As of today, 20,000 young children and their teachers are already using the Pathways program

President Obama has called on schools to embrace early learning and has proposed universal preschool for every child; Pathways can be used in homes now by parents that might not be able to afford preschool to prepare young children for Kindergarten

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The Pathways Early Learners Program

Pathways is designed to prepare 3-6 year olds with a jump start on literacy as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) concepts and is aligned with essential Common Core Standards

The Pathways program includes 16 themes with 18 classroom activities for each theme, transi-tion activities, feedback loop questions, teacher roadmap, suggested reading that supports the week’s theme and a take-home component for parent engagement

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What Pathways provides Pre-K and Elementary Teachers and Parents

Hands-on training that teaches both adults and their students about STEM and literacy concepts

A comprehensive program that provides rich experiences for children, enabling positive brain development and integrating academic learning and social skills development

Proven strategies for teaching and learning STEM concepts

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Additional Pathways Program Supports forTeachers and Parents

A selection of books supporting each theme and tied to the lesson concept

Interactive take-home elements to engage parents and other supporters in the learning process

For classrooms where the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is used (for example, Head Start centers), Pathways will aid teachers in the instructional support domain

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What Pathways provides Students

Preparation for elementary grades and STEM education

Successful positive experiences with STEM concepts that are fun and engaging

Empowers students to embrace STEM concepts and gives them the chance to explore STEM with real world lessons

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Additional Pathways Program Supportsfor Students

Engaging and fun opportunities for social, emotional, and collaborative learning

Pathways teaches the creative process from imagination to innovation through inquiry-guided group learning

Pathways teaches 21st century skills: the “5Cs” – creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication and courage to take action

Encouragement to share what they have learned and engage with their parents through take-home materials

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Pathways Program Highlights

All of the Pathways materials promote a strong level of engagement, creativity and curiosity among early learners

In the physical development and health domain, the activities engage early learners in spatial recognition and teach them about health through food preparation and consumption, along with discussion

Through the activities that require self awareness as well as teamwork, early learners will foster their own social and emotional development

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Pathways Performance Statements

After completing a theme, students should be able to perform the following…

Theme 2: “All About Me” – Concept of Science, students should be able to name a characteristic of a classmate

Concept of Mathematics, students should be able to demonstrate understanding of similar and different attributes; determine height relationships – tallest and shortest; classify shoes and count the number of shoes in each category

Concept of Literacy, students should be able to retell key details of what he/she observed outside

Spatial Concept, students should be able to demonstrate the spatial concept of over and under through movement

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Pathways and Imagination

With the suggested reading that accompanies each theme, early learners will work on language comprehension and vocabulary acquisition, as well as a greater understanding of the world around them

Mathematics, counting and number recognition can be found throughout the activities

Pathways engages a child’s imagination so that even our youngest learners have a head start in developing creativity, critical thinking, social and emotional skills, problem solving skills and collaboration with others - all of which are increasingly linked to success in today’s world

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Testimonials

“The STEM & Literacy educational approach allowed for my students and teachers to think outside the box. I highly recommend that anyone in the field of Early Childhood Education implements this program throughout the school year.” - Giselle Cohen, Early HS Director, Balti-more Head Start

“These materials give children a ‘sense of wonder’ and have been fully supported by the STEM & Literacy educational approach for our Head Start children.” – Barb Bartels, Child Development Coordinator, Baltimore Head Start

“It has been exciting to watch the transformation of teachers, classroom environments and chil-dren. Each week teachers were able to relate a quality core book with investigations that allowed children to experiment and create, in an individualized open ended way.” – Ben Jakoby, Manager, Head Start of Washington County, Maryland

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Why More Teachers Like Pathways

“The integration is excellent. The units are clear, concise and foster creative thinking.” – Mari-anne Johnson, St. Helen Catholic School, Chicago

“My students love the projects. They love being creative. Pathways has shown me some of the things I have not been teaching as well as I should have been. It is helping my students and they are having fun and it is helping me become a better teacher because I am seeing what the children know and what they are struggling with.” – Mary Egan, Nativity Early Childhood Center, Chicago

“Themes are well done with a lot of ideas. I incorporate activities through the whole week to challenge students. They really like open-ended questions and group activities.” – Marta Ostrowska, St. Ferdinand Preschool, Chicago

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Why Care? Why Invest in Early Learners?

Early math and reading skills are the greatest predictors of later school achievement (Duncan et al 2007)

Research indicates that socioeconomic status-related gaps in reading skills andmathematical knowledge appear and widen during early childhood due to inadequateresources to prepare young children for the cognitive demands of elementary school(Gormlet, Phillips, Adelstein & Shaw, 2010)

Research also shows that creativity can be enhanced in preschool children and teaching creativity is a means to improve problem-solving ability and motivation, and to developing self-regulatory skills, all of which have been shown to correlate with gains in school readiness

Investments in early learning contribute to school readiness, the development of cognitive flexibility linked to achievement in young children, the introduction and learning of STEM concepts, and the changing of the trajectory for early learners now to ensure their success later

Strategic investments in programs that demonstrate positive outcomes, community supports, and innovative and collaborative partnerships which will ensure that children’s developmental and academic needs are met, must be a priority in addition to helping young children become increas-ingly caring, cooperative, creative and contributing people

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Destination Imagination, Inc. (DI) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Cherry Hill, NJ with operations in more than 30 countries and 47 states in the US

DI’s mission is to develop opportunities that inspire the global community of learners to utilize diverse approaches in applying 21st Century Skills and creativity

DI is a global leader in teaching the creative process from imagination to innovation

DI has impacted more than one million participants, with about 125,000 youth learning the creative process through our programs each year and 38,000 volunteers supporting our youth and the DI organization

DESTINATION IMAGINATION, INC.1111 UNION AVENUE

CHERRY HILL, NEW JERSEY, 08002888-321-1503

DESTINATIONIMAGINATION.ORG

DESTINATIONIMAGINATIONR

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References

*U.S. Department of Education (2007). “School Readiness Survey of the National Household Educa-tion Survey”*Barnett, W.S. et al (2011). The State of Preschool: 2010 State Preschool Yearbook. The National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University*Lifecycle of Learning/Boeing Frontiers, October 2009*Mindess, Mary; Chen, Min-hua; Brenner, Ronda (Nov 2008). Social-Emotional Learning in the Primary Curriculum. YC Young Children; 63, 6: ProQuest Central pg. 56*Ramey, Craig T & Ramey, Sharon L (Oct 2004). Early Learning and School Readiness: Can Early Intervention Make a Difference? Merrill-Palmer Quarterly; 50,4: Proquest central pg. 471*The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 108, No. 2 (November 2007), pp.115-130 Published by The University of Chicago Press*Supporting Early Learning Reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, U.S. Depart-ment of Education, March 2010*Trentacosta, Christopher J & Izard, Carroll E. (2007). Kindergarten Children’s Emotion Competence as a Predictor of their Academic Competence in First Grade. University of Delaware*Harris Interactive (2011). STEM Perceptions: Student & Parent Study. Commissioned by Microsoft Corp.*National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2007). The Timing and Quality of Early Experi-ences Combine to Shape Brain Architecture: Working Paper #5. http://www.developingchild.net*Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/OCED (2009)

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References

*Ashdown, Daniela Maree & Bernard, Michael E. (2012). Can Explicit Instruction in Social and Emotional Learning Skills Benefit the Social-Emotional Development, Well-being, and Academic Achievement of Young Children? Early Childhood Education Journal, 39: 397-405*U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Early Childhood-Head Start Task Force, Teaching our Youngest, Washington, D.C., 2002*The Georgetown University Center of Education and the Workforce (2010). Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018. www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf*Duncan, G.J., Dorsett, C.J., Claessens, A., et al. (2007) School readiness and later achievement, Develop-mental Psychology, 43, 1428-1446*Shonkoff, J.P. & Phillips, D.A. (Eds). (2000). From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Child Development. National Research Council, Institute of Medicine, Washington: National Academy Press*Allen, Cynthia R. (2009). Effects of Early Education Programs on School Readiness*National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. (1998). Rethinking the Brain: New Insights into Early Development for parent, caregivers & policy makers. Available at: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/Publications/22-300.pdf*National Academy of Engineering. (2010). STEM Summit 2010. Early Childhood through Higher Education. Available at http://www.stemsummit2010.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/STEM-summit-2010.pdf*Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences. (2003). Available at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/els/standards/pleguidelines.pdf

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