What You Will Learn
Young children from low-income families tend to receive less support for mathematical development in their home and preschool environments compared to their middle-class peers.
In WestEd’s Pre-K Mathematics Workshop, educators learn about these gaps and how to close them using a combination of thoughtful instruction and exercises implemented in the classroom alongside coaching parents to facilitate fun and challenging math activities with their children at home.
Early education program staff will receive technical assistance on how to sustain program-wide support for early math.
Workshop participants will:
- Receive tools and learn strategies to effectively meet the early mathematical needs of students and families
- Learn enhanced family engagement activities that help parents focus on their child’s mathematical development
- Receive a hands-on approach to learning effective early math instruction through active participation
- Learn how to implement the Pre-K Mathematics Curriculum aligned with the Head Start Framework, the Preschool Learning Foundations, and Common Core State Standards
- Receive assistance in developing sustainability plans through continuous improvement strategies
- Receive training and technical assistance in developing an effective professional development model, including on-site support
Service Details
Expert WestEd trainers will demonstrate and provide hands-on experience with an early math curriculum, Pre-K Mathematics, which has been found by the U.S. Department of Education to be effective in preparing children for standards-based mathematics in kindergarten. As part of the workshop, we will present research on the effectiveness of the curriculum.
WestEd offers several types of workshops and training:
- One-Day “Deep Dive” Trainings that focus on family engagement through the use of home activities
- Two-Day Workshops that focus on the first half of the Pre-K Mathematics curriculum and/or home activities; home activities are available in English and Spanish
- Four-Day Curriculum Workshops include training on the entire curriculum
Workshops take place at your designated site(s) and include an in-depth presentation by a professional development team, demonstration of classroom and home activities, and participant practice in small groups.
Curriculum and home activity materials are provided to you as part of workshop registration. Materials will be provided for all students in your classrooms.
Coaching is available to support your implementation efforts following workshop completion.
Training and technical assistance in sustaining implementation via continuous improvement methods also are available.
Example of a Classroom Activity
What Makes This Service Unique
The Pre-K Mathematics curriculum which serves as the basis for this service was created by WestEd researchers and developmental psychologists Prentice Starkey and Alice Klein through a rigorous and iterative design process. The curriculum was evaluated in randomized controlled trials and rated as effective by the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse.
Through a large validation study funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Investing in Improvement, WestEd developed an effective statewide training network that has been successfully implemented in a variety of early childhood settings, including large state preschool and Head Start programs in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
With federal funding, our team also developed a continuous improvement model to help programs sustain their implementation of Pre-K Mathematics within their local constraints.
The math content in Pre-K Mathematics aligns well with state and federal preschool learning guidelines and standards such as the Head Start Framework and the California Preschool Learning Foundations. In addition, it can be used alongside the Creative Curriculum and the Desired Results Developmental Profile.
Cost
Inquire about pricing for workshop participation.
Learn More
To learn more about this service, please contact Aspen Paskal at (510) 219-7719, [email protected] or [email protected].
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