December
7, 1999
The
Irving B. Harris Training Center for Infant and Toddler Development
is an educational non-profit center dedicated to the training and
continuing education of individual working in the field of infant
and toddler development. Housed at the Institute of Child Development
at the University of Minnesota, the
Harris Center is a University/community partnership with a twofold
mission: to serve as an information resource for the University and
to maximize the ability of professionals and organizations to better
serve infant and toddler populations. Parents and professionals who
work with very young children and their families have a challenging
and exciting task. Research from all areas of child development illustrate
unquestionably the special significance of the very early years. The
children who are the healthiest and most successful later in life
are the children whose development is supported from birth. With professional
training and education, parents and those who work with young children
can capitalize on the opportunity during the first three years of
life.
November
17, 1999
New
Study Links Quality Child Care With Future Success. A
27-year longitudinal study released on October 21, the "Abecedarian
Project Age 21 Follow-Up", provides further evidence that quality
child care with significant adult interaction beginning at an early
age greatly improves the prospects for disadvantaged children. The
study was by far the most in-depth to date and tracked 57 infants,
nearly all from low-income black families, who received full-time,
high-quality education intervention in a child care setting from infancy
through age five. The Abecedarian Project was unique in that it tracked
a group of infants into early adulthood rather than beginning at aged
two or older and continue only into kindergarten.
October
18, 1999
Fall
is here and conferences related to children, youth and families abound!
Here we feature two of the many quality conferences happening nationally
and locally in Minnesota.
Fathers
Matter! Strategies for Engaging Fathers in Children's Learning.
A live, interactive teleconference for educators and family service
providers. Fathers -- all fathers, not matter what their income or
cultural background -- can play a critical role in their children's
education. Research shows that when fathers are involved, their children
learn more, perform better in school, and exhibit healthier behavior.
Even when fathers do not share a home with their children, their active
involvement can have a lasting and positive impact. This two-hour
national satellite event will offer ideas and strategies for teachers,
school principals, child care providers and other, giving them the
tools they need to successfully involve fathers in children's learning,
including learning readiness to learn at school, at home, and in the
community. Hosted by US Secretary Richard W. Riley and US Secretary
of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala. October 28, 1999
2:00 ET.
Children's
Human Rights. This conference has been designed according
to the principles of "Open Space Technology," to allow participants
to develop concrete strategies for improving children's rights in
Minnesota. To open the conference, presenters will offer an overview
of the Convention and its relevance to Minnesota. By the afternoon
of the first day, participants will be breaking out into self-created
"Open Space" work and planning groups. The work done in these groups
will shape the course and outcome of the conference. The conference
is scheduled for November 8-9, 1999.
Providing
Balance to Promote Resiliency in Children. St. David's Child Development
and Family Services will be holding its eighth annual symposium for
parents and professionals on November 9 and 10, 1999. The event theme,
"Providing Balance to Promote Resiliency in Children", will provide
effective strategies in achieving balance and relieving stress for
children and families. CEU credits approved. For more information,
call 612/939-0396 St. David's Child Development and Family Services
will be holding its eighth annual symposium for parents and professionals
on November 9 and 10, 1999. The event theme, "Providing Balance
to Promote Resiliency in Children", will provide effective strategies
in achieving balance and relieving stress for children and families.
November 9 at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Robert Brooks, author of The Self Esteem
Teacher, will deliver an insightful lecture entitled "Fostering Family
Closeness and Respect". November 10, Dr. Brooks along with Dr. David
Elkind, author of The Hurried Child and Dr. Martha Farrell Erickson,
Director of the University of Minnesota's Children, Youth and Family
Consortium will hold an all day workshop for parents and professionals.
For more information, call 612/939-0396. CEU credits approved.
October
6, 1999
Dr.
Marti Erickson, Director of the Children, Youth and Family Consortium,
recently talked about the difficulty
of a toddler adjusting to having a new baby in their home. This
is not an easy time, as anyone who has experienced this transition
will tell you. In this Growing Concerns column, Dr. Erickson
explains more about how parents can assist in making this transition.
September
8, 1999
Dr.
Marti Erickson, Director of the Children, Youth and Family Consortium,
has spoken a lot about the importance of family-school partnerships
and its effects on children's' learning. We have pulled together select
articles on family-school partnerships to help you and your child's
school become true collaborators in successful education.
Family involvement
and children's achievement: What does research tell us? There
is a large body of information that tells us family involvement is
important for children's achievement in school and for their healthy
development. This is true for children in elementary, middle, and
high school. Family members are children's first and primary teachers,
so it is important for families, schools and communities to work together
to support children's learning and development.
Lessons
from our Seeds of Promise Initiative. In 1996 the Danforth Foundation,
based in St. Louis, Missouri, granted the University of Minnesota
funds to support a 2 1/2 year initiative to "improve the learning
outcomes for children in our urban communities" by bringing together
schools, communities, families, and the resources of the University.
Coordinated through the Children, Youth & Family Consortium, the Seeds
of Promise initiative forged a relationship with Wilder Early Education
Center in Minneapolis' Powderhorn community and Jackson Magnet Elementary
school in St. Paul's Frogtown community. Early in the process, both
schools identified family involvement as their primary focus. Over
the years of the Seeds of Promise initiative all members of the partnership
have faced challenges and celebrated successes. Here are some of the
Lessons Learned.
CYFC's
Family School Partnership Policy Forum Summary Focusing on the
key question "How can we make family involvement a value, not
just an event?", the experts offered a variety of perspectives
on how school districts and schools can show their support for integral
family involvement in schools.
U.S.
Department of Education's Partnership
for Family Involvement in Education . Because family participation
in children's learning is often influenced by work schedules and time
constraints, it is crucial that businesses, community and religious
organizations, and especially families and schools support parent
and employee involvement in education. To encourage such support,
the Department of Education administers the Partnership and offers
resources, ideas, funding, and conferences relevant to family involvement
in education.
August
11, 1999
Raising
Children to Appreciate Diversity. Dr. Marti Erickson, Director
of the Children, Youth and Family Consortium, talked about how to
raise children who appreciate diversity. The Consortium has created
a list of places and events
in Minnesota where families can take their children to learn about
the many cultures that now make up our population. In addition, we
have produced a short list of children's books
reflecting ethnic diversity.
July
15, 1999
The International
Conference on Adoption Research, hosted by the Minnesota-Texas
Adoption Research Project and cosponsored by the University of Minnesota's
College of Human Ecology, Department of Family Social Science, School
of Social Work, and other organizations on and off campus, will be
held at the Radisson Metrodome Hotel August 10 - 14, 1999. The purpose
of the conference is to review the latest research in the adoption
field, with an eye to enhancing the quality of research and theory
in the area, thereby contributing to more solid research-based policy
and practice. Attendees will be from England, Spain, the Netherlands,
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Belgium, as well as the US They
include university faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, state
officials, adoption agency staff, adoption educators, and others.
This is the first time such an international interdisciplinary conference
has been held. The complete conference schedule, including registration
information, is posted on our website: http://fsos.che.umn.edu/mtarp/internat.htm
June
14, 1999
Books
about Dads and Kids.. As
Father's Day approaches, many people are looking for good
books to read with their children that focus on fathering.
FatherNet, our theme area that focuses on the role of men
in the lives of children, has a list of suggested books originally
developed for the national Father to Father program. The list
has been updated to incorporate new additions. Enjoy!
May:
No postings listed
April
21, 1999
Talking
to Children About the Colorado School Violence.
We have listed a few key sites that can help practitioners and parents
in the wake of this tragedy.
Growing
Concerns. Consortium Director Marti Erickson responds to a reader
in her column who writes: Our children have been terribly distressed
lately by the news stories about kids being kidnapped or murdered.
Actually, we are distressed too! What can we do to help our kids feel
safer? This article is very helpful in light of the recent tragedy.
The
National Association of School Psychologists has a useful piece
that can assist educators in talking to children about coping with
disasters. While written for teachers, the information can be utilized
by parents as well and tailored to meet individual needs.
Parents
should talk to children about shootings. Parents should "check
in" with their school-age children to see how they're feeling
about the Colorado school shootings. "We need to know what children
are thinking or feeling and be prepared to support them," says
Ron Pitzer, family sociologist with the University of Minnesota Extension
Service.
Message
from Colorado shootings: don't ignore troubled teens. All teenagers
need to have someone reach out to them. Written by Joyce Walker of
the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Use
Colorado school shootings as a reason to talk to kids about violence.
Children react strongly to news accounts of school violence such
as occurred in Colorado this week. Horrible as that event was, it
may trigger worthwhile discussions between parents and children, according
to Madge Alberts, children, youth and families program leader with
the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Young
people need special attention during crisis. Written by the University
of Minnesota Extension Service, this short piece discusses how parents
can communicate about disaster with their children.
Minnesota
Safe Schools Survey. Conducted by the Attorney General's Office,
the Safe Schools Survey indicates that more students believe violence
is decreasing in their schools than believe it is increasing. In 1997,
53% of respondents reported feeling "safe" at school, up
from 46% in 1996. Sixty percent of the respondents feel that their
schools are doing an adequate job with their violence prevention efforts,
which represents an increase from 52% in 1996.
Unlearning Violence. From
1995, Unlearning Violence is the Minnesota Department of Education's
(now Department of Children, Families and Learning) violence prevention
plan for schools and communities. It is the culmination of interviews
with 600 Minnesotans who are practitioners in prevention, education
and related fields. The plan reflects review of current literature
as well as a survey of practices across this state.
Re-posted
March 15, 1999
February 21, 1999
Just
In Time Research. As a land grant institution,
the University of Minnesota has a three-fold mission: teaching, research,
and outreach. An essential element of our work is assistance in framing
public policy discussion in Minnesota on issues of critical importance
to children, youth, and families. University researchers can best
do this by conducting rigorous intellectual inquiry, leading to innovative
ideas, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of life for
all citizens in our state.
We
are pleased to present you with an example of the work that researchers
from around the university community are doing on this subject. The
Just in Time Research project, produced by the Hubert
H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, the University of Minnesota Extension
Service, the Children, Youth, and Families Consortium, as well
as the university research community, is a model of what fine minds
can do when working in collaboration to produce fascinating and thought-provoking
results on matters regarding children, youth and families.
Re-posted
January 1, 1999
December 5, 1998
Consumer
Product Safety Commission: There has been much news lately
about the safety of some portable cribs and children's toys. CPSC,
an independent Federal regulatory agency, helps keep American families
safe by reducing the risk of injury or death from consumer products.
Visit often to share lifesaving information. Be an informed and smart
consumer for you and your family.
