Tonight, Thursday, June 17, 2021, the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties Coordinating Council will have a public meeting. There have been questions raised about the Buffett Early Childhood Institute’s Professional Development for All (PD for All) Spring Series on Anti-Racism. We welcome all questions and seek to eliminate any confusion about the focus of the series. Below you will find two resources:
1) Frequently Asked Questions regarding our Professional Development for All (PD for All) Spring Series on Anti-Racism as well as context for the program.
2) Professional Development for All (PD for All) 2020-21 Overview and an At-a-Glance List of all PD for All program themes since the beginning of the program
The Buffett Institute is focused on ensuring that every child has the opportunity to develop, thrive, and succeed in school and life. Additional information about anti-racism work in Nebraska can be found at the Nebraska Department of Education and the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Learning Community Coordinating Council Public Meeting
1. What is the focus of the Buffett Institute’s work?
The vision of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute is that Nebraska will become the best place in the nation to be a baby. We work with others to transform the early life experiences of children from birth ─ age 8 by strengthening and improving their early care and education. We are committed to helping all children and families, especially those living in poverty, those growing up under conditions of high stress and challenge, and those who have been denied opportunities to succeed in school and life.
The Institute has two signature programs, Closing the Opportunity Gap and Elevating the Early Childhood Workforce, both of which are devoted to improving early care and education for all children. Our work falls into four areas: research, practice, policy, and outreach.
2. Why is early childhood important?
Research documents that what takes place between birth and Grade 3 can have a significant impact on a child’s entire life course. Key brain circuits are built, language is developed, and ways of interacting with others are established. If this essential foundation is in place by third grade, children have the “tool kit” they need to engage in increasingly complex learning, problem-solving, and productive and caring relationships.
3. What is the Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan?
The Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan is a metro-wide initiative facilitated by the Buffett Institute on behalf of the 11 Omaha area school superintendents. It is conducted in partnership with the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties. The aim of the Superintendents’ Plan is to close or reduce opportunity gaps for young children birth through Grade 3. The plan was mandated in 2013 by the Nebraska Legislature (LB 585), which called for the development of an early childhood plan for children living in high concentrations of poverty.
4. How is the effectiveness of the Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan measured?
One of the requirements of the Learning Community is an annual evaluation report on the Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan. Reports over time show a positive set of outcomes, including progress in children’s learning opportunities, classroom practice, and family engagement. Colleagues at the University of Nebraska─Lincoln and the Munroe-Meyer Institute collaborate with the Institute to collect, analyze, and report annual data.
5. What is Professional Development for All (PD for All)?
PD for All is an important but small part of the much larger Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan. It has been offered to early childhood professionals since the inception of the plan in 2014. It consists of a series of free professional development workshops open to all early childhood professionals who serve young children and families, birth through Grade 3, and all others in the Omaha metro area with an interest in the early years. The series introduces well-documented, evidence-based research and practices to practitioners and gives participants an opportunity to form professional networks in order to learn from one another.
6. Why is the Institute offering PD for All sessions focused on race?
Over the past year participants in PD for All—early childhood professionals—requested information to understand effective educational practices for use with young children and families in combating racism, provide equitable instruction to children of different races and ethnic backgrounds, and respond to questions raised by their students about race and racial incidents.
9. Is there evidence of race-based disparities in early childhood education?
Decades of research demonstrate that teachers’ perceptions of difference in their pupils—no matter how irrelevant to education—can result in different and inequitable responses and treatment of those pupils. Early childhood care and education is no different. The Buffett Institute is focused on ensuring that every child has the opportunity to develop, thrive, and succeed in school and life. Through active coaching in the classroom, seminars, webinars, and other means of inquiry, we are committed to examining, understanding, and reducing disparities, whether they are attributable to poverty or perceptions of ethnicity and race, or other circumstances.
7. What is the Institute’s definition of anti-racism?
Anti-racism means to be actively opposed to racism.
8. Why is anti-racism work important in early childhood?
In early childhood education, anti-racism is a set of practices, attitudes, and beliefs that create greater equity for all children. In early childhood, anti-racism focuses on how one teaches, interacts with children and their families, shows respect for difference, and reflects dignity in difference. The Institute’s goal is to embrace equity and fairness for all children, including raising awareness and offering assistance in eliminating the root causes of failure for children of color.
10. What is Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory was developed in the mid-1970s. It has contributed to understanding the determinants of racism and inequality, including the ways in which racism is embedded in political systems and power structures in society.
11. Does the Buffett Institute teach Critical Race Theory (CRT)?
No. CRT is a theory. PD for All consists of practical methods for educating young children.
12. Does PD for All supersede district curriculum and review?
No. Instructional materials and resources fall within the jurisdiction of each school district. PD for All is a supplemental professional development opportunity made possible by the Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan that takes place in collaboration with the 11 school districts of the Omaha metro area in partnership with the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL – 2020-2021 OVERVIEW
Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska
In partnership with the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties
Professional Development for All (PD for All) is a series of free professional development workshops open to early childhood professionals in the Omaha metro area as part of the Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan. The series introduces leading-edge research and innovative practices to support equity, quality, and continuity in early care and education for young children, birth through Grade 3.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Buffett Institute and our partners were able to provide a series of timely, relevant, and engaging learning opportunities for early childhood professionals through two online webinar series during the 2020-2021 school year: Technology in the Early Years and Anti-Racism in Early Childhood Education. These webinars offered participants the chance to learn from a wide range of local and national experts, and they expanded the reach of PD for All to professionals who, for a variety of reasons, were previously unable to attend our in-person events.
Themes and topics for the webinar series were identified and refined based on input from many stakeholders. In May 2020, the Institute sent out an online survey to learn more about the interests and preferences of our participants, and 229 early childhood professionals responded. Our partners at Educational Service Unit 3, who support early childhood professionals in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, also surveyed their stakeholders and shared results with us. Additionally, we consulted the Superintendents’ Early Childhood workgroup and principals at the 10 School as Hub full implementation sites and sought feedback from the Learning Community Coordinating Council at meetings in September 2020, November 2020, and March 2021.
PD FOR ALL FALL WEBINAR SERIES
Technology in the Early Years
Over half of the educators who responded to our PD for All survey indicated that they were interested in learning more about strategies for distance learning. In fall 2020, nearly all early childhood educators were thinking about the impact of digital technology on young children’s learning and development.
The fall PD for All webinar series aimed to support the use of digital technology in ways that can help children thrive in the pandemic and beyond. This series was co-developed and led by Dr. Chip Donohue, founding director of the Technology in Early Childhood Center (TEC) at Erikson Institute and senior fellow at the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Digital Media.
Webinar 1: Technology in the Early Years special event
Thursday, Oct. 29
7 – 8 p.m. (CDT)
This webinar offered support to families, educators, and community members as they navigated the “new normal”. Following a brief presentation by Dr. Donohue, Amy Mart, director of professional learning at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, moderated a panel discussion with Donohue; Anne Karabon, assistant professor of early childhood and STEM education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha; Gwen Gideon, director of the Omaha Early Learning Center at Skinner; and Keeley Bibins, parent and educational facilitator at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute. The conversation explored how intentional and appropriate use of technology can:
• Support healthy child development
• Promote early learning and early literacy
• Encourage social-emotional development
• Create quality, continuity, and equity in children's learning
480 individuals registered for this event.
In a follow-up survey:
• 93% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the webinar helped them understand new information and ideas.
• 95% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to use what they learned in the webinar.
• 94% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that after the webinar they knew how to use digital technology in ways that support children’s learning and development.
Webinar 2: Digital Storytelling
Saturday, Nov. 7
10:00 ─ 11:00 a.m. (CST)
This webinar provided information and strategies to support educators in using technological tools such as tablets and digital cameras to support children’s engagement, enhance communication with families, document learning, and promote educational equity for diverse learners. After a brief presentation by Dr. Donohue, three teachers shared examples of how they use technology as a tool to help children “show what they know,” and become authors, storytellers, and producers of digital media. Panelists were Alex Morgan, community outreach specialist at Boulder (CO) Journey School; Greg Morgan, mentor teacher at Boulder (CO) Journey School; and Laura Marr, preschool teacher at Liberty Elementary School in Omaha.
79 individuals registered for this event.
In a follow-up survey:
• 96% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the webinar helped them understand new information and ideas.
• 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to use what they learned in the webinar.
• 98% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that after the webinar they know how to use digital storytelling in ways that support children’s learning and development.
Webinar 3: Planning for Virtual and Blended Learning Experiences
Wednesday, Nov. 18
7:00 ─ 8:00 p.m. (CST)
This webinar examined the elements of effective digital teaching and learning with a focus on tools for engagement, the concept of “high tech with high touch," and the importance of promoting quality, continuity, and equity for all learners. Dr. Donohue provided an overview of research on effective online learning, and local educators and leaders shared the innovative practices that they used to effectively support student learning and development online. Panelists included Tony Gunter, principal at Kennedy Elementary School; Megan Rogers, Kindergarten/first grade teacher at Omaha Virtual School; and Mark Dowling, second/third grade teacher at Omaha Virtual School.
83 individuals registered for this event.
In a follow-up survey:
• 96% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the webinar helped them understand new information and ideas.
• 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to use what they learned in the webinar.
• 96% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that after the webinar they know how to enhance children’s social and emotional learning in virtual and blended learning environments.
PD FOR ALL SPRING WEBINAR SERIES
Anti-Racist Early Childhood Education: Principles, Practices, and Possibilities
In the wake of the summer 2020 racial protests, early childhood educators were eager for guidance about how to address issues of race and racism. Although it was not one of the topics listed on our PD for All surveys, many respondents chose to “write in” responses that indicated their interest in learning more about topics related to racial equity, bias, and anti-racism. In a survey of early childhood providers in the Omaha metro area conducted by colleagues at Educational Service Unit 3, respondents said they were interested in learning more about these topics. In our summer and fall webinar follow-up surveys, when we asked early childhood professionals to describe topics that would be of interest to them for future learning, racial equity was mentioned in 55 of 90 responses, making it the most common theme.
One of the nation’s leading experts on anti-racism in early childhood education, Dr. Kerry-Ann Escayg, is an assistant professor of education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Dr. Escayg worked with us to co-design and facilitate a three-part webinar series and our first-ever intensive learning cohort to support teachers in addressing these challenging topics. Due to the sensitive nature of this content, the Buffett Institute also hosted optional discussion groups following each webinar, where participants had opportunities to ask questions and discuss their learning with colleagues and Institute staff in informal conversations via Zoom.
Webinar 1: What Is Anti-Racist Education?
Wednesday, March 24
7:30 ─ 9:00 p.m.
This webinar featured a presentation by Dr. Terry Husband, professor of early childhood education at Illinois State University, who is a leading national expert on anti-racist education. In this session, he defined anti-racist education as both a philosophical and practical approach that seeks to identify, examine, and combat racial injustice in schools and the world. Participants were asked to reflect on whether their current actions are non-racist (quietly opposed to racism) or anti-racist (actively working to eliminate racial injustice). The presentation described several reasons why anti-racist education is warranted in schools and classrooms today and outlined a practical and multi-dimensional framework for enacting anti-racist education.
224 individuals registered for this event.
In a follow-up survey:
• 99% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the webinar helped them understand new information and ideas.
• 99% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to use what they learned in the webinar.
• 95% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that after the webinar they know what actions they can take to combat systemic racism in their schools and communities, compared with 73% before the webinar.
Webinar 2: Racial Socialization as Resistance to Racism
Wednesday, April 28
7:00 ─ 8:00 p.m.
When families work to help their children understand race and racism, they are engaging in a process known as racial socialization. To help participants understand how racial socialization can be used as a tool for anti-racism, this webinar offered the opportunity to learn from families who have experienced racism first hand. Dalhia Lloyd, family and community specialist at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, described the research on how children of color develop understanding of what it means to be a member of their racial group. The presentation highlighted the ways in which negative messages from media, school, and other sources can negatively impact children’s racial identity, and ways in which parents use racial socialization to resist and disrupt racist messages. Ms. Lloyd then moderated a panel of Black mothers who shared their experiences raising Black children in Omaha and the lessons they taught their children about what it means to be Black.
298 individuals registered for this event.
In a follow-up survey:
• 97% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the webinar helped them understand new information and ideas.
• 97% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to use what they learned in the webinar.
• 93% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that after the webinar they know what actions they can take to support anti-racist racial socialization practices, compared with 55% before the webinar.
PRIOR PD FOR ALL EVENT THEMES
Since its inception, PD for All has covered a broad range of topics that affect young children.
Summer 2020 Webinar Series
• Aug. 21: "Helping Young Children Cope with Strong Emotions"
• July 27: "Fostering Supportive Relationships for Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood"
• July 6: "Community Voices: Supporting Children and Families During Challenging Times"
o Guest presenters: Learning Community Center of North Omaha staff and parents (Jamalia Parker, Tameshia Harris, and Laura Contreras), Learning Community Center of South Omaha staff and parents (Nayeli Lopez and Mandy Phillips), and OPS Mount View Elementary School Principal Meg Searl
2019-20 Series
• Jan. 18: "Executive Function and Self-Regulation"
• Jan. 15: "Executive Function and Self-Regulation"
o Guest speaker: Learning Community Council Chairperson Susan Kelley
• Nov. 6: "Executive Function and Self-Regulation"
2018-19 Series
• June 8: "Children as Expressive Artists"/ "Los niños como artistas expresivos"
• April 6: "Children as Expressive Artists"
• Jan. 24: "The Art of Communication in Classrooms: Helping Children Find, Develop, and Use Their Voices for Learning"
• Sept. 20: "Harnessing the Power of Language and Communication to Build Children's Literacy Success"
2017-18 Series
• March 3: "Children as Researchers: Reading to Learn Can Start Early"
• March 1: "Children as Researchers: Reading to Learn Can Start Early"
• Jan. 27: "Children as Mathematicians: Early Math That Matters the Most"
• Jan. 25: "Children as Mathematicians: Early Math That Matters the Most" • Nov. 30 "Children as Authors: Guiding Children on Pathways Toward Strong Writing" • Oct. 7: "Children as Scientists: Scientific Inquiry for Every Child" • Oct. 5: "Children as Scientists: Scientific Inquiry for Every Child"
2017 Leadership Institute
• June 20: "School as Hub for Birth – Grade 3"
o Guest presenters: DC West Community School Principal Melissa Poloncic and DC West Elementary School Principal Duane Krusemark
2016-17 Series
• March 4: "Young Children as Active Learners and Thinkers: Integrated Learning Matters"
• March 2: "Young Children as Active Learners and Thinkers: Integrated Learning Matters"
• Jan. 21: "It's More Than Words: Young Children's Language, Thinking, and Learning"
• Jan. 19: "It's More Than Words: Young Children's Language, Thinking, and Learning"
• Dec. 2: "Engaging and Nurturing Young Children as Active Thinkers"
• Dec. 1: "Engaging and Nurturing Young Children as Active Thinkers"
2015-16 Series
• May 13: "Family Partnerships for Whole Child Development and Learning"
o Guest presenters: Staff and parent participants from the Learning Community Center of South Omaha
• March 2: "Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness for Whole Child Development and Learning"
• Dec. 4: "Social and Emotional Foundations for Whole Child Development and Learning"