Category: News

Creating Meaningful Christmas Traditions

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an invitation to start a new family tradition by participating in the christmas eve meal for the homeless at McKendree.

Meg Cox, the author of The Book of New Family Traditions, defines a family ritual as “any activity you purposefully repeat together as a family that includes heightened attentiveness and something extra that lifts it above the ordinary ruts.” postcard-4x6Family rituals (especially when connected to a special holiday) can strengthen family connections and bonds; these shared experiences allow family members to connect more intimately and emotionally.  Traditions and rituals often tell a story about a family. When they  are reflective of the family’s values, the message is even stronger (“this is something that we believe in, together.”).  Family traditions offer the makings of positive childhood memories; these lasting memories become part of a person’s core and have been shown to help make children happier and more generous adults.

This Christmas season, McKendree United Methodist Church would love to include new volunteers and helpers in making their annual Christmas Eve Meal and celebration a huge success.  Over 300 displaced and homeless guests will enjoy a home-cooked meal reminiscent of an old fashioned Christmas dinner— turkey and dressing, ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls, and pie.  We will sing carols, children will help hand out gift bags that include survival items for life on the street, and folks with mingle and laugh and experience the joy of Christmas, together.  If you would like to learn how you can join in this meaningful celebration, please contact Cindy Ligon at mckendreecindy@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Professional Development Institute Launches

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The inauguration of McKendree’s Professional Development Institute featured a two day, hands-on training event, MAKE LEARNING VISIBLE, THE ART OF DOCUMENTATION.collage-2016-11-20-08_36_44

Participants from seven early childhood programs in the Middle TN area gathered to learn more about PEDAGOGICAL DOCUMENTATION and how they could bring the skills of observing children; collecting data; reflecting on the experience through the lens of pedagogy; telling the story; and sharing the story via a documentation panel.  McKendree educator, Heather Marshall, brought her gifts as a teacher and hands-on coach for a successful two-day workshop.

In 2017, the Institute will offer additional sessions to early childhood educators: Understanding Emergent Curriculum, Working with Loose Parts,  and Crafting Learning Stories.  Because Make Learning Visible – The Art of Documentation was such a success, it will be offered again as well.

Led by Cindy Ligon, McKendree’s long time director, and her professional team of teachers/educators, the Institute promises to fulfill our goal of building strong leaders in the early childhood community.

 

 

 

Teaching Young Children Safety Lessons

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Tennessee law requires that 3, 4 and 5 year old children in child care programs receive annual instruction in personal safety  which includes a component that addresses child sexual abuse prevention.  We use  “Talking About Touching”, a time-tested  and evidence based program created by the Committee For Children.  The content and method of instruction in the curriculum were developed using current research on child abuse prevention and social learning theory.  This curriculum introduces the topic of child sexual abuse within a general safety curriculum. Through story-telling and role play, children learn rules that apply to: car and traffic safety, fire safety, gun safety, getting found, interactions with strangers, getting and giving safe touches, dealing with unsafe touches, saying no to unsafe situations and touches, and asking trusted adults for help.safety-dog-and-cindy

Our director, Cindy Ligon, conducts the lessons with the help from her training companion, Safety Dog.  She meets with two groups of preschoolers several times a week during the fall season.  Because children are more likely to learn personal safety strategies if they are given many ways to practice the skills, in addition to role play, we encourage parents and caregivers to talk with children about the lessons. A follow up note, describing the lesson, is sent to parents after each lesson and classroom teachers extend the lessons throughout the day.  Encouraging parents and caregivers to talk with children about safety and specifically sexual abuse is a key component of child sexual abuse prevention.

 

The Art of Making Art

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An Exhibit of Children’s Work With a Focus on the Process

October 11th – 14th, 4 – 6 pm

The children of our program have been hard at work creating original pieces of art that will be on display October 11th-14th in the Multi-Purpose Room on the 2nd floor of our building.  Creativity and self-expression are cornerstones of the child-directed learning that happens at McKendree.  Each classroom will be represented with at least one piece of art along with a behind-the-scenes peek at the work that went into creating it.  Pieces on display are as diverse as the children themselves, ranging from 3-dimensional sculptural works to drawings made by those just beginning to develop their early writing skills.  Please feel free to drop by the exhibit anytime during pick-up (4-6pm) to take a look at the children’s work.  As an added bonus, the pieces from the art show will then be available for purchase in the Silent Auction on October 20th.  Many thanks to Zoe Davydov for orchestrating this lovely event.

The Value of Adult & Child Relationships:

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How Teachers Fall in Love With Children

Building positive relationships  with young children is an essential and foundational piece of good teaching. All children grow and thrive in the context of close and consistent relationships that provide love, security, and responsive henry-and-katyinteractions. An investment of time, affection, and unconditional valuing by the teacher pays off with beautiful connections and trust-filled relationships.

“An environment of relationships is crucial for the development of a child’s brain architecture, which lays the foundation for later outcomes such as academic performance, mental health, and interpersonal skills.” National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (2004)

Program Practices that Build and Strengthen Relationships Between Children and Their Teachers:

  • Consistent Staffing — minimizing the number of different educators who work with  children.
  • Using a Primary Care Model — one caregiver takes the main responsibility for a small group of children, communicates with their families, and becomes knowledgeable about those children.
  • Managing Transitions — thoughtfully supporting children when they move to another group. Easing children into a new setting allows for new relationships to begin slowly, over time.
  • Providing Plentiful Opportunities for Play — a play-rich curriculum model allows adults and children to engage with one another authentically while they explore, discover and have fun together.