UNESCO in its publication, Learning: The Treasure Within outlines four pillars of education:

Learning to know: "...concerned less with the acquisition of structured knowledge than with the mastery of learning tools. It may be regarded as both a means and an end of human existence."

Learning to do: "...how do we adapt education so that it can equip people to do the types of work needed in the future?"

Learning to live together: "...education should adopt two complementary approaches. From early childhood, it should focus on the discovery of other people in the first stage of education. In the second stage of education and in lifelong education, it should encourage involvement in common projects."

Learning to be: "...All people should receive in their childhood and youth an education that equips them to develop their own independent, critical way of thinking and judgment so that they can make up their own minds on the best courses of action in the different circumstances in their lives."

Source: www.ccie.com

Understanding & Supporting Generation Y's Workplace Needs

Generation Y's 32 million U.S. workers will increase to approximately 21% of the workforce in the next 3 years.

More than 60% of employers say they are experiencing tension between employees from different generations and more than 70% of older employees are dismissive of younger workers' abilities.

Young workers move in and out of jobs faster and put more emphasis on individual satisfaction and development. Movement, change, and challenge become the motivating factors behind job selection and retention.

Strategies for working with Generation Y

• Provide access to technology. Generation Y-ers know how to use technology and they are good at it. They can use this ability to improve their (and your) work environment. 
• Establish mentoring as a means of providing supporting direct feedback. Generation Y-ers have grown up with more parental involvement and structured time from adults. Therefore a 'community if learners approach,' where workers are supported through activities such as mentoring, job shadowing, and shared product assignments may be viewed by Generation Y-ers as less intimidating. They want to participate in tasks and learning experiences that support their growth, are relevant, and can be applied immediately. 
• Support their values by inviting input in decision making. Generation Y-ers are used to being active participants in family and other decision-making matters from an early age. They bring a similar expectation of active participation and decision making into their work environment. 
• Individualize and customize career and growth opportunities. Generation Y-ers are innovative. They are used to change, personally and professionally, and have experienced change at home, school, in the community, and at work. 
• Provide training and skills development that can be connected with broader work applications. Generation Y-ers are goal oriented. They have high expectations for themselves and those around them: employers, family members, and peers.

Creating a supportive work environment

Above all else, involve your staff.

• Upgraded use of technology in the program
• Rethinking use of current technology to facilitate conference calls among staff, parents, and professionals to save time and travel, and technology-based games - to ass dimension to children's learning opportunities.
• Involve Generation Y-ers in policy-making processes. 
• Use 15 minutes of staff meetings for staff sharing of innovative ideas they would like to explore.
• Create a staff training plan that includes transferable skills such as customer relations, team development, public speaking, and critical thinking. 

Source: ccie.org

Tough Topic: Talking with parent's about their child's development

Talking to a parent about their child's development can sometimes be an uneasy topic. How the situation and communication style is approached can make the difference between a meaningful conversation intended to help a child be successful and alienating a parent.

Obstacles to Communication
Fear: It can be difficult for parents to hear unpleasant news about their child.
Defensiveness: Parents naturally want to protect and defend their children. When uncomfortable information is shared with parents about their child, their first response may be defensiveness.
Anger: Uncomfortable feelings can turn into anger. A parent's feelings of fear and/or defensiveness can manifest in angry outbursts.

Steps to Effective Communication

• Institute a parent Involvement plan: A well written plan...
• Helps to ensure communication occurs on a regular basis.
• Articulates the important role that the parent plays in the child's development.
• States the program's goals and philosophy in working with children.
• Puts into writing how communication will occur.
• States the times that the teaching staff will be scheduling conferences.
• Lists the volunteer opportunities and how parents can become involved in the program. 
• Validate the parent's role: When speaking with a parents, it is important to remind them of the positive effect they have on their child.
• Share some real life classroom stories that reflect this.
• Help parents recognize their attributes and that together a stronger team is formed. 
• Call on parents for their knowledge of their child.
• Provide proof: When there is a need to speak to a parent about a child's behavior or development, provide support for what you are saying. 
• Share information/observations gained during class time. 
• Have developmental screening and assessment data available.  (Remember, you should never make a diagnosis unless you are licensed to do so.)
• Be specific when describing the child's behavior and/or your concerns. 
• Show the parent work samples or observations. 
• Be positive
• Separate the child from the behavior
• Remind the parent that your goal is to help their child be successful
• Consider the child's strengths when developing an action plan
• Stay on task - describe the concerns or unwanted behavior, discuss appropriate expectations,  and then develop a plan on how to get there together. 
• Help the parent be successful
• Have ideas ready that parents can use at home to help their child. 
• Bring written information or handouts to the meeting. 
• Encourage parents to spend quality time with their children. 
• Invite the parent to volunteer in the classroom.
• Create a safe place
• Set an appointment time that is convenient for the parent, with a low chance of interruptions. 
• Provide a safe and respectful environment.
• Ensure that others cannot overhear your conversation. 
• Use open communication
• Maintain an open stance both physically and verbally.
• Show the parent that you are actively listening and understanding. 
• Repeat what you hear the parent say (active listening).
• Document what is said and any decisions made during the conversation. 
• Availability of resources
• Offer parent support groups
• Invite local specialists to come in and talk
• Offer a resource library
• Have staff regularly attend workshops and conferences to ensure that they have the necessary skills to work with families. 

By welcoming parents onto our team, we help eliminate barriers and gain allies who have valuable information about the child and the motivation to do what is necessary to help their child succeed. As parents grow to appreciate that your goal is to help their child be successful, they will become more open and willing to work with you on your focal point, the child. 

Source: www.ccie.org

Staff Management: Thriving on Feedback

When you open yourself up to receiving feedback from your staff, you're sending a clear message to them that their thoughts and input matter, allowing you to cultivate positive relationships with them.

In order to get consistent feedback that you can thrive on, it's important to have systems in place to help you collect, digest, and respond to feedback. Common tools that you can consider incorporating into your "feedback system" include suggestion boxes, feedback forms, regular one-on-one meetings, and, of course, regular direct and honest feedback when there are issues that need to be resolved.

Handling the feedback you receive:

• Refrain from defensive reactions
• Remember that the way people communicate often has more to do with them than it does with you
• Respect confidentiality
• Model the process from top down

Establish a feedback system:

• Educate your staff about the feedback tools you use
• Inform staff on what happens next
• Take action on the feedback you receive. 

Source: www.ccie.com

Popular Tech Tools & Apps

Technology Tools for Educators
www.techandyoungchildren.org/educators

Cools tools for schools
cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/collaborative+tools

Go2Web20
www.go2web20.net

21 Things for the 21st Century Teacher
21things4teachers.net

Keeping Food Safe to Eat

Use Safe Handling and Storage Techniques

• Be aware of the condition in which perishable foods are purchased and delivered. Inspect foods to make sure frozen foods are frozen solid and refrigerated foods are the appropriate temperatures.
• Improper temperature control before and after purchasing or delivery can shorten a food's shelf life. 
• Date incoming food items. Rotate stock properly. Placing oldest food out front will encourage the use of foods on a "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) basis. 
• Keep a daily log of temperature readings. Temperature logs should be maintained for cooking, cooling, holding, and reheating procedures and for refrigerators and freezers.

How quick do bacteria grow? The following numbers will give you an idea.

Bacteria Double...

At this temperature...    In this amount of time....

90 F                                every 30 minutes

70 F                                every hour

60 F                                every 2 hours

50 F                                every 3 hours

40 F                                every 6 hours

32 F                                every 20 hours

28 F                                every 60 hours

How Does It Feel?: Child Care From Families' Perspective

One of the challenges of working with young children is finding ways of working effectively with their families. In How Does it Feel? author Anne Stonehouse challenges the reader to look at situations in an early childhood program from families' perspectives.

Encouraging programs to move beyond traditional parent and family involvement, this book contains insights on what it takes to create and maintain effective partnerships that benefit young children the most.

Click here to find the book!

Finger Foods & Snack Ideas

Finger Foods & Snack Ideas

• Apple wedges
• Banana slices
• Bread sticks
• Cabbage sticks
• Cauliflower florets
• Celery sticks
• Cherry tomato halves
• Dried apples
• Dried cranberries
• Dried pears
• Fresh peach wedges
• Fresh pineapple sticks
• Halved grapes
• Hard-cooked egg halves
• Green pepper sticks
• Meat cubes
• Nectarine wedges
• Pizza wedges
• Pretzels, hard or soft
• Raisins
• String cheese
• Tomato wedges
• Turnip sticks
• Bagel quarters
• Berries
• Broccoli florets
• Carrot sticks
• Cucumber sticks
• Cheese cubes
• Cinnamon toast fingers
• Dried cherries
• Dried peaches
• Dry cereal
• Fresh pear wedges
• Graham cracker strips
• Halved meatballs
• Grapefruit sections
• Green beans, whole
• Melon cubes
• Orange sections
• Plum wedges
• Rice cakes
• Trail mix
• Zucchini sticks

Steps to Creativity

"To approach a workplace problem creatively, we need to be fluent, flexible thinkers," says author Michael Michalko in his book Cracking Creativity, reported in Work & Family Life (July 2011). As he sees it, fluency just means coming up with lots of ideas, and flexibility means looking for new ways to think about a subject — any subject. Here’s Michalko’s five-step process:

Defer judgment. Get your juices flowing, but wait to decide which ideas are worth developing.

Generate lots of ideas. Most of your ideas may end up being discarded, but all it takes is one or two good ones to make a difference.

List ideas as they arise. A good idea can disappear the minute you get dis tracted by your daily routines. Keep a written record of your ideas and musings.

Keep on tweaking. Elaborate and improve on the ideas you and your coworkers have generated. Look for novel combinations, surprises, and new perspectives.

Do something different. Good ideas need time to incubate. Tap into your subconscious. Take a walk. Visit an art gallery. Then return to thinking about the problem and see what new ideas emerge.

Be Aware of Choking Hazards When Selecting and Serving Foods

Keep in mind that young children - especially ages 2 to 3 years - are at risk of choking on food. They remain at risk until they can chew and swallow better by about age 4. Always supervise children during meals and snacks.

Foods that may cause choking include:

• Hot dogs
• Raisins
• Whole grapes
• Chips
• Raw celery
• Nuts and seeds
• Chunks of meat
• Marshmallows
• Popcorn
• Cherries with pits
• Raw carrots
• Peanut butter (spoonfuls)
• Round or hard candy
• Pretzels
• Large pieces of fruit with skin

Some foods can be offered if you change the form. For example...

1. Cut hot dogs lengthwise into thin strips.
2. Steam carrots or celery until slightly soft, then cut into sticks.
3. Cut grapes or cherries into small pieces.

Source: USDA.gov

Keeping Food Safe to Eat: Cook

Follow Directions

• Follow the directions on the food labels to ensure that proper cooking methods, time, and temperature are used. Also, refer to recipes for specific cooking instructions. 

Cook Thoroughly

• Cook poultry and meat to the doneness temperature and time recommended by the label or recipe.
• To make sure that meat and poultry are cooked all the way through, use a food thermometer.
• Calibrate thermometers on a regular basis.

Cook Completely

• DO NOT partially cook foods. Partial cooking may encourage bacteria to grow before cooking is completed.
• Cook foods to minimal required internal temperatures for safety.
• Minimal Internal Temperatures (Based on the 2005 FDA Food Code)
• 165 F for 15 seconds: Pourltry stuffing, stuffed fish, pork or beef, pasta stuffed with eggs, pork, casseroles, reheating leftovers.
• 155 F for 15 seconds: ground meats, beef, lamb, veal, pork, pasteurized eggs held on steam table, cubed or Salisbury steaks, fish nuggets or sticks
• 145 F for 15 seconds: Seafood, beef, pork, veal, steaks & roasts (medium rare), eggs cooked to order and serve immediately.
• 135 F for 15 seconds: Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables and fruits that are going to be held on a steam table or in a hot box. 

Keep hot foods above 135 F

• Bacteria can grow rapidly between 41 F and 135 F, which includes room temperature. This is known as the danger zone. 
• Avoid holding foods in this temperature danger zone. If the serving of a hot food must be delayed, keep it at a holding temperature of 135 F or above. 
• In addition, limit the amount of holding time. Do not hold a food in the temperature danger zone for longer than 2 hours. After 2 hours, discard the food.

Source: USDA Recipes for Child Care

Seen the new "My Plate?"

Balancing Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Visit: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

Keeping Food Safe to Eat

• Adequately restrain hair by using a hairnet or hat. 
• Wash hands frequently and properly, for at least 20 seconds with soap and hot water. Use a separate hand sink, not sinks used for food preparation or dish washing. Always wash hands after touching hair or face. 
• Use disposable towels when drying hands. Discard disposable towels after each use. 
• Cough or sneeze into disposable tissues only, and wash hands afterwards. If you sneeze on food or food production areas, discard the food and clean and sanitize the food production area. 
• Persons with colds or other communicable diseases should not be permitted to work in food preparation areas. 
• All superficial cuts should be covered with a bandage and a disposable glove. 
• Any person with an infected cut or skin infection should not be permitted to work with food. 
• Use disposable gloves properly and avoid touching skin, carts, refrigerator, freezer, or over doors or any unclean surfaces. Throw the gloves away after using or touching anything other than food. 

Keep equipment and facilities clean and sanitized

• Keep all equipment such as cutting boards, can openers, grinders, slicers, and work surfaces clean and sanitized. Sanitize equipment and work surfaces between use with raw and cooked foods. Check with local health department codes for a list of sanitizing agents.
• Use plastic cutting boards. Purchase an adequate number of cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination during food production. 
• Wash and sanitize cutting boards in a dishwasher whenever possible. Air dry. 
• Use a "three-compartment sink"to manually wash and sanitize dishes, pots, pans, and utensils. 

Commercial sanitizers can be used instead of bleach. Test the chemical sanitizer concentration by using an appropriate test kit. Check local health department codes for a list of sanitizing agents. 

• When using a mechanical dishwasher, follow manufacturer's directions for proper wash and rinse temperatures. 
• Air drying is recommended: drying with a towel swabs contaminants over the surface.

Source: Team Nutrition USDA

Find gloves, paper towels, tissues, and many other child care supplies at www.purefuninc.com!

Web Resource

Your Gateway to Federal Food Safety Information!
www.foodsafety.gov

Serve More Dry Beans & Peas for Healthier Schools

Dry beans and peas are an inexpensive way to boost the nutritional content of school meals!

Key Issues:

• Dietary fiber from dry beans and peas (legumes) are part of a healthy diet and help to lower the risk of heart disease
• Dry beans & peas:
• Are excellent sources of plant protein
• Provide other nutrients such as iron, potassium, folate, and zinc.
• Are naturally low in fat and sodium.
• Have no saturated fat or cholesterol.
• The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating three cups of beans a week, based on a 2,000 calorie meal plan.

Recipe for Success:

• Choose the easiest form! Use canned, pre-cooked beans to simplify recipes and reduce cooking times.
• Power up recipes with more beans! Add dry-packed or canned beans and peas when preparing casseroles, stews, and side dishes. Make chili more interesting by combining kidney and pinto beans.
• Serve satisfying soups. Attract students and teachers with low-sodium split pea, lentil, minestrone, or white bean soup, Use pureed beans to thicken soups and sauces.
• Spice up your menus with Southwest flair! Offer black bean enchiladas, low-far refried beans, or tacos with whole pinto beans.
• Have a bean taste test! Let students sample dishes that use dry beans and peas as a main ingredient. Some ideas include: Veggie burgers, Taco Pizza with refried beans, Cowboy Beans, Hummus, or Lentil Pilaf.
• Spruce up the salad bar! Offer canned garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, black beans, or a mixture of all three!
• Use colorful garnishes like dices fresh green pepper or red pepper rings to ad eye appeal and showcase your favorite bean dishes.
• Bring back a classic! Pair baked beans as a side dish with oven-baked chicken to bring back memories of a summer cookout!

Did You Know?

• MyPyramid includes dry beans and peas in both the Vegetable Group and the Meat and Beans Group. Beans and other legumes count as either a vegetable or as a meat alternate, but not as both in the same meal.
• Rinsing and draining pre-cooked canned beans reduces the sodium content. Or, soak and cook bagged dry beans without adding salt.
• Dry beans and peas provide an excellent source of plant protein and fiber, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc. Americans, especially children, often do not get enough of these nutrients.

Source: teamnutrition.usda.gov

Marketing: No longer an afterthought

Marketing is very important for the success of your childcare center. Here are a few steps to take to improve retention and grow enrollment.

Best possible services

First things first… good marketing starts with providing the best possible services. This is a critical foundation for any marketing effort.

Make a plan

Your plan can be as simple or as elaborate as you need, but at a minimum should include about five categories:

1. Your strategies (a description of what you will do)
2. A timeline for when you will undertake that strategy (remembering that marketing is a year-round endeavor)
3. Materials and resources needed to accomplish the strategy
4. A list of who is responsible or tasked with accomplishing the work
5. A description of the costs
6. Optional: You might also want to create a category for evaluating the strategy, determining how you will measure success.

Tools in the toolbox

• Print media (parent handbooks, business cards, brochures, press releases, advertisements, give-aways, etc.)
•  Electronic media (social media, e-mails, website)
• Staff (an often overlooked marketing resource)
• Parents (some of your best public relations specialists)
• Events (employer partnerships, school transition partnerships, open house, Kids’ Day, legislative tours, parent appreciation, etc.)

Print Media: Your printed materials do not have to be the most expensive ones out there, but this is definitely not an area to scrimp to save a nickel. Your printed materials are a reflection of you and your business. Your image should reflect professionalism. The content of your print materials is just as important as the appearance. Be sure materials are succinct, free of errors, and well written.

To get the professional image you seek without spending a ton of money, pay attention to other brochures and print materials that have caught your eye and develop a file of these. Also, check out the resources in your community; is there a school or college with a graphics design department?

At a minimum, be sure to have business cards, a brochure, and a parent handbook to share with the public and potential customers.

Electronic Media: Electronic media is very important for communicating with the parents of your school effectively. Social media is a free way to market your school and provide quality information for your parents.

If you do not have a website, create one. If you have one, make sure it is current and fresh.

If you have a facebook page for your school, use it! If you do not have one – be sure to get one! Facebook is a great way to communicate activities, menus, announcements, and accomplishments. If you post pictures of children, make sure you have the parent’s permission to do so.

Make sure electronic media updates are assigned to someone’s task list. Remember, if it’s everyone’s job, it’s no one’s job.

Be sure to use all of the easy-to-use tools at your disposal – you can bet your parents and potential customers are using them!

Staff: Your teaching and support staff can either be some of your best ambassadors or your worst nightmare. If your staff feels good about where they work, feels a sense of importance in the work they do, believes they’re treated fairly and respectfully, then they will sing your praises to existing and potential customers.

Build intentional strategies into your marketing plan to support your staff. Personal thank-yous, gift cards, massages, a day off, and small bonuses are some ways that staff knows that they’re important for you and the school. There is no substitute for a well trained, fairly compensated, and appreciated workforce in early childhood – your success is dependent on their success.

Parents: Have you considered referral incentives for your parents such as tuition vouchers for each new paid enrollment, thank-you cards, gift certificates to a nice restaurant? Get creative! Ask your parents what they would like and include their efforts in your marketing plan.

Events: Work on ways to get more out of your events. Invite your legislators to visit your program; provide photo opportunities for them and invite the media (newspaper, radio, and television).

Develop partnerships with nearby employers: provide tuition or registration fee discounts and advertise your partnerships in company newsletters. Are you a member of your local Chamber of Commerce? If not, consider joining to network with other business owners. Always keep on the lookout for opportunities to leverage your relationships in the community to support your program and the children you serve.

In conclusion, marketing is important for the long-term sustainability of your childcare center. Even if you provide the best services, you will not be successful if no one knows about it. Follow the above guidelines to get your marketing plan on track.