Chester-East Lincoln: Preschool children 'not quite ready'
better prepared by blended classes
By Todd Spellman -
Lincoln Daily News |
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[March 03, 2016]
For over a generation now, there has
been rising concern for the overall “readiness” of students who
start school in kindergarten. What “readiness” means varies only
slightly across the journals and research, and includes, but is not
limited to knowing basic colors, recognizing numbers, letters, and
shapes, being able to sit for a period of time and be attentive to
instruction or a story, as well as some specific large and fine
motor skills.
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 Parents have been using pre-schools for a long time to help make
sure their kids are ready. It is important to note also, that not
all daycare options have the ability to help prepare these young
students for what they will see in kindergarten.
This has given rise to some very intentional programs in the school
districts. The schools are being proactive with the kids in their
districts to try and assess younger kids for the expected ongoing
development - physically, academically and socially.
The term 'Early Childhood Education' (ECE) has both a general and a
technical meaning. Generally, it refers to all deliberate,
structured learning by children age five and under; specifically,
students ages 3 to 5 that have been identified as having a
disability within the educational setting. Students who qualify for
ECE generally come through Early Intervention (birth to three years
old), pre-school screenings, or an evaluation as requested by a
parent.
In the past, students in ECE have been educated in a self-contained
classroom.
Chester-East Lincoln (CEL) is having positive results with a new
model of early childhood education. This is the second year they
have combined the Pre-K and ECE classes.
 The Pre-K class has been made up of students who enrolled
voluntarily whose performance was in the expected range for their
age. According to Ashley Aper, CEL’s Special Education
Administrator, the combined three-year-old class and four-year-old
class are each about half Pre-K and half ECE students.
Aper explains that, “The program services three year olds two days a
week and focuses on routines, school behaviors, social development,
and some academic skills. The 4-year-old students attend three days
a week and continue focusing on the same concepts as the 3-year-old
students with more emphasis on pre-academic skills.”
Aper and CEL’s teacher for this combined class, Holly Grasch, are
excited about the progress they have made in the short time they
have been doing this program.
Grasch explains, “I really like the blended aspect, and at this
point I don’t think I’d ever want to change it back. The Pre-K
students are becoming role models for the ECE kids. So they, the ECE
students, now have someone to look up to and have positive role
models for expected behavior in class and help with academic skills
from peers who have mastered it already.”
Aper added, “The language development has been substantial.” Grasch
and Aper tell how more than one student was considered non-verbal
when they came in, and a few months of peer encouragement and
examples have helped them make great strides in communicating with
other kids, as well as grown ups.
Holly Grasch reads a story to her blended Early Childhood
Education and Pre-K class. The newer program is seeing
successes. Students are more ready for academics and the
classroom. |
The concept of blended learning environments where special
education students are no longer separated from the traditional
classes has been growing for many years now in the upper grades.
Qualifying special education students have an Individual Education
Plan (IEP) that outlines what services and support each one needs.
This allows them to participate in standard general education
classes with the help of a paraprofessional aide who has knowledge
of the student’s IEP accommodations. This is standard practice in
K-12 districts around the country. In recent years this model has
inspired districts like CEL to try it in their ECE/Pre-K programs as
well.
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While CEL is principally concerned with the students in their own
district, they do provide limited openings for those outside it to
participate as well. Aper says they currently have six
out-of-district students. Strict limits have been set to keep a
balance in the classroom and to assure that every student gets the
attention and time they need to progress and learn. The program must
also accommodate for the possibility of new students moving into the
district who need services, so a few empty slots are maintained for
just that situation.
The program has already seen early success, as Aper explains, they
have seen less need for support in the Kindergarten class. The
program is still very young, so only time will tell as they continue
the program and watch the earliest blended students progress through
the later grades, but early results are promising.
Early screening is key to getting younger children with deficiencies
identified and on track to receive the help they need. CEL and other
districts will do this screening annually, often in the Spring or
Summer, so adequate planning can be done for the fall start dates.
CEL will do their next screening on March 30.
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