Don’t we say this every year?  Here it is, the second week of August and we are all wondering..where did the summer go?  Did you accomplish everything you set out to accomplish this summer?  Did you take that much needed family vacation?  Complete that project you just knew you would get done THIS summer?  Did you get to relax?  Or were you like the rest of us running around nuts, still hoping to get that in before the summers over all the while watching it slip through your fingertips?  Oh well..there’s always next year, right?  Now is the time to look towards the new school year.  What are your goals for this year?  Did you attend a training last year or over the summer that you plan to start implementing?  Do you have a change you plan to make in your classroom?  What are your excited about this year?  We want to hear from you.  Chime in on anything, let us know what you accomplished this summer OR  what you are looking forward to with the start of the new school year!  And remember…STAR NET is here when you need us!

The IRC just has released a list of ELEVEN professional development opportunities for this summer.  Among the offerings are, Work Sampling System Illinois, Introduction to the High/Scope Approach, and Introduction and Implementation to the Creative Curriculum Preschool 4th Edition just to name a few.  Click HERE to view the entire list.

Remember–These are NOT STAR NET workshops.  All registrations must be sent to the Illinois Resource Center, but just like STAR NET all of the IRC’s workshops are FREE!  Why pass up a great opportunity?!

We have come across a new resource that may be of some interest to many of you.  It’s called Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings by Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Mary Louise Hemmeter and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak.  “Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings takes an innovative and much-needed approach to preparing future teachers of young children.  Responding to the reality that most early childhood teachers will work in settings that include children with and without disabilities, the authors have blended the best thinking from the fields of early childhood education and early childhood special education, advocating for practices that likewise blend a variety of evidence-based, effective approaches to meet the needs of all young children.  While recognizing the need to differentiate teaching to meet individual needs, this book repeatedly makes the point that the same features of early childhood classsrooms and the same teaching strategies that promote positive development in typically developing children also benefit children with disabilities.”

If you are out and about in St. Louis this weekend there is an exhibit you may want to check out.
What: Things that Matter: Art by Children with Autism
Why: Help support these young artists by purchasing your favorite piece.
When: Fri., May 23 – noon to 5 p.m.; Sat., May 24 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (The exhibit runs through Sept. 13.)
Where: AT&T Gallery of Children’s Art, The Sheldon Art Galleries, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis
Cost: Free
Info: 314.533.9900 or www.thesheldon.org/galleries.asp

Happy Spring to everyone out there in Region IVland!  Spring is such a magical time of year!  The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, the earth is shaking, the rain is POURING!  It is also the time when we begin to see brand new baby critters running around and here at the Region IV office you will find the same.  Well, not baby critters but a brand new new training calendar will soon be born!  Cheryl is working very hard on it and we hope  to have it up on the web this summer.  There is one event that I would like to bring to your attention now.  On August 7 & 8, 2008 Region IV will be hosting Barbara Doyle at the Williamson County Pavillion in Marion.  Barbara will be giving a two-day workshop titled Successful Teaching and Supports for Very Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  We expect this to be a very popular workshop so don’t hesitate to sign up as soon as possible.  We will be sending out an email blast with the registration form very soon.  If you are reading this message and have not received an email blast feel free to contact us for more information. 

Here are a list of the topics we plan to cover this year:
Autism                                    Creative Curriculum and Children with IEPs
Parent Involvement                 Storytelling
Transition                               Aggressive Behaviors
Preventing Burnout                 Math and the IELS
Brain Development                 Sign Language
Special Education Process for Educators
Itinerant Teaching
CSEFEL 

Hopefully you see something that interests you!  Be on the lookout for the training calendar!  We hope the end of your school year goes smoothly!  Have a great summer!   

Tom Chapin, a Grammy Award-winning musician perhaps best known for children’s music, has released a new song titled Not on the Test. The song satirizes the American education system’s renewed focus on rote teaching, in which tests have become the sole reason to teach and learn. Music, art, drama and sports were what kept Chapin engaged in school. In addition, these subjects make the teacher’s (and the student’s) job easier and infinitely more rewarding. Unfortunately, they are also what have been cut from curriculums across the country as Chapin explains lightheartedly in song. Listen to the song at http://www.notonthetest.com

I was looking for suggestions to help my granddaughter learn to calm herself, overcome fears and relax to fall asleep. 

 When searching the Internet, I came across several books by Maureen Garth.  She has written several books – originally to help her own daughter Eleanor with similar issues.  She was three when Maureen started the series, which ‘grew along with Eleanor. 

The earliest books: ‘Starbright’, ‘Moonbeam’, ‘Sunshine’ are written with young children in mind.  Since my granddaughter is a bit older, I chose her last book in this series:  ‘Earthlight’.

 I ordered it from Amazon.com and can’t wait to share the book with my daughter and grandchildren!

Maureen has also written other books specifically directed to teenagers and adults.

This is the first official post of the STAR NET Region IV blog.  I guess you could say that we are now “bloggers!”  We hope that you will enjoy our blog as a helpful addition to the STAR NET Region IV website.  This is the place where you are going to find interesting little early childhood tidbits and helpful information for those of us lucky enough to be in the Southern Illinois early childhood community.  We appreciate your comments and encourage you to leave comments, just remember to be respectful of others.  And don’t forget to check the comments, someone in our community may have some helpful information to share as well.