The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers

1. The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers

2. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Timeline • March 22, 2010: Grant awarded to MassAEYC • March 22nd to June 30th: MassAEYC gathered current knowledge, research, and best practice to develop draft • July 1st: Initial draft submitted to EEC for review • EEC gave comment and MassAEYC revised the Guidelines • August 16th to September 2nd: MassAEYC holds focus group comment sessions jointly with EEC across state • August 24th: Revised draft Guidelines and survey posted on EEC website • September 25th: comment period ends • September 25th to October 31st : MassAEYC revises Guidelines and finalizes them with EEC staff • October 31st : Final Draft submitted to EEC and Board • Board votes on Guidelines at November Board meeting • November 1st to December 31st: Implementation phase • January 1st: Guidelines in effect

3. The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers:Overview of Guidelines

4. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers : Purpose • Provide a comprehensive view of the development of infants and toddlers while documenting experiences that support their development (birth to 33 months) • To use as a resource for infant and toddler programs, educators, families, higher education, and communities

5. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers : Focus • New brain development research • Strength based approach values • Family partnerships are Key • Communicate interrelated nature of domains • Describe how programs and educators can best support and interact with infants and toddlers • Create a learning continuum • Relationships are key factor in development and learning

6. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers : Principles • Family as defined by culture is child’s primary support • Learning is embedded in child’s culture • Child develops at own rate • Child has own personal learning approach • Nurturing occurs through respectful & responsive relationships • Learning is interconnected in each domain • Learning occurs by informed, reflective, curious adults • Play is the foundation for learning • Rich, responsive language experiences, in families’ language prime child for academic success

7. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers : Format • Table of Contents • Introduction to Guidelines • Younger/Older Infants (0-8 mos., 6-15 mos.) • Younger /Toddlers (12-4 mos., 22-33 mos.) • Beyond the Basics: Best Practices • Appendix • Each section arranged by developmental domains: • Physical and Well Being • Social and Emotional • Cognitive • Language and Communication • Approaches to Learning NOTE: Footnotes, references, bibliography to be added

8. The Massachusetts Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Research, Development and Review

9. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Research & Development Phase • Knowledge, research and Best Practice: • Review of Guidelines from 22 States • Meetings with Infant and Toddler Experts • Consultation from National Center for Infants Toddlers and Families (Zero to Three) • Meetings between developers and EEC

10. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Review and Comment Phase • Internal EEC staff including licensing staff gave comment • Focus groups across the state were jointly facilitated by MassAEYC and EEC • Guidelines are posted online with a survey • in total, over 350 people have reviewed and commented on the Guidelines

11. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Focus Groups • 7 Focus groups across the state were jointly facilitated by MassAEYC and EEC including: • MassAEYC family child care conference • A focus group in Springfield for Spanish speaking family child care educators • Over 260 educators were reached: • Family child care educators, • Center based directors • Infant and toddler educators • Higher education, • Head Start, • Early Intervention • other community organizations gave comment

12. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Focus Groups • Constructive comments from the focus groups include: • Could have more about spending time in containers (consumerism isn’t helpful for parents in making decisions about good equipment purchases) • Could have more about biting • The document is written for educators • Please have a way to search words in document on line • Would like something about the universality of sign language • Would like something about the universality of music. More about music • More on feeding • More about using the outside playground • Add finding a safe place for tummy time • Repeating supportive learning experiences limits the teaching. Please add new strategies • Use healthy lifestyle instead of obesity • Needs more on special needs. Look at CSFEL for more on inclusion

13. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Online Review 62 people have responded to on line survey The survey will remain posted until September 17th Respondents come from a variety of settings:

14. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Online Review Most respondents to survey tell us they work with toddlers and infants

15. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Online Review • 97% agree that directions for using the document are clear • 97% agree that the supportive learning experiences can be used in their work with infants and toddlers • 100% agree that information in the document is easy to find • 94% agree that the document is culturally sensitive • 97% agree that the document is responsive to children with differing abilities

16. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Online Review • Constructive comments include: • Document is too long. People may skip over materials • I would like more examples of activities to help parents or caregivers interact better with children • More resources in the appendix • Would like more specific supportive learning examples • Language may be unfamiliar with some groups making the guidelines not very user friendly • There should be some specific resources for various cultures • Would like more specific information about children with identified special needs • Maybe too much information condensed into this one document • Would like more on natural environments in the classroom • Would like something about including men as teachers, volunteers and fathers in best practice section • Educational jargon may be difficult for parents and some community members

17. The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers: Comment Period • Your comments are appreciated • Please forward comments to: janet.mckeon@massmail.state.ma.us