Intentionality ACSI – Early Childhood March 2011 Beth Ackerman, EdD Notes at – http://works.bepress.com/beth_ackerman/ Email at – backerman@liberty.edu

Intentionality Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matt 6:33

Opposite of the Intentional Teacher…. the Accidental Teacher.

To act purposefully with a goal in mind and a plan to accomplish it Intentionality To act purposefully with a goal in mind and a plan to accomplish it

ACT PURPOSEFULLY Commit to Christ, children, and content Assess child’s development and yourself Respect your relationships Engage through a positive environment

COMMIT to CHRIST, CHILD, and CONTENT Christian Commitment Children Content

By just letting children play, they will emerge literate in grade 3. Avoid ECE stereotypes Drill and practice Developmental Teacher-directed Academics: literacy and mathematics Task-oriented Child-directed Social, physical, and artistic Spontaneous play DAP misinterpreted: By just letting children play, they will emerge literate in grade 3.

Maintain balance TEACHER-DIRECTED CHILD-DIRECTED Developmentally Intentional teacher CHILD-DIRECTED Developmentally appropriate practice

Commit to Christ, children, and content What are concrete ways that I can Commit to – Christ Children Content?

ACT PURPOSEFULLY Commit to Christ, children, and content Assess child’s development and yourself Respect your relationships Engage through a positive environment

ASSESS Child’s Development and Yourself Assessing Children’s Development Assessing yourself - reflecting and self-evaluation

5 Questions to Ask What am I trying to accomplish? What are my students' relevant experiences and needs? What approaches and materials are available to help me challenge every student? How will I know whether and when to change my strategy or modify my instruction? What information will I accept as evidence that my students and I are experiencing success? http://www.stchas.edu/departments/business-social-sciences/education/the-intentional-teacher.html

Assess child’s development and yourself When you return to your Center, What are some specific ways you can intentionally assess – Your Children’s Development You?

ACT PURPOSEFULLY Commit to Christ, children, and content Assess child’s development and yourself Respect your relationships Engage through a positive environment

RESPECT your RELATIONSHIPS Interacting with children Building Relationships with Families

Respect Your Relationships JOY (Jesus, Others, You) Speaking truth in Love (Eph. 4:15 Plan for healthy interactions Positive relationships don’t just happen

Respect Your Relationships As an intentional teacher, what are specific steps you can take to better respect your relationships?

ACT PURPOSEFULLY Commit to Christ, children, and content Assess child’s development and yourself Respect your relationships Engage through a positive environment

ENGAGE through a positive ENVIRONMENT Physical Environment Scheduling the Day

Engage through a positive environment What are ways to more intentionally create a positive environment?

Review Commit to Christ, Children, and content Assess Child’s Development and yourself Respect your relationships Engage through a positive environment

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. I Corinthians 9:24