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>> WELCOME BACK TO PUBLIC SQUARE, AND I WANT TO TURN
TO DAN AND TALK ABOUT CYFD'S ROLE IN ALL THIS.
ALL THE PRE-K PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE REQUIRE FAMILY
ENGAGEMENTS, AS I UNDERSTAND.
>> YES. >> SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
LIKE? IT REQUIRES IT, BUT HOW DO
YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN? >> WELL, I THINK IT'S
ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR A CENTER-BASED CLASSROOM
PROGRAM TO ENGAGE PARENTS. BUT I THINK THAT AS YOU
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS SHARING WITH
PARENTS HOW THEY CAN ENGAGE THEIR CHILDREN IN THEIR
LEARNING WHEN THEY GO TO THE SUPERMARKET, OR WHEN THEY'RE
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, OR WHEN THEY'RE READING THE
MCDONALD'S SIGNS, AND HELPING PARENTS UNDERSTAND
THAT LITERACY AND READING BEGINS VERY EARLY, AND THEY
CAN HELP SUPPORT THAT BY HELPING TO SET THE TABLE,
HELPING TO SORT THE SOCKS ON A SATURDAY MORNING.
THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES THAT
PARENTS CAN USE TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S LEARNING.
>> EARLY CHILDHOOD EFFORTS GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY
IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. >> WE GOT SOME, YES.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU AND FOR EXPANDING?
>> THIS YEAR, PARTICULARLY, IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE
FOR MANY YEARS WE ALL HAVE HAD TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE
AND CONVINCE LEGISLATORS THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD IS
IMPORTANT. IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT WE HAD
TO DO THAT THIS YEAR. THE CHALLENGE WAS TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHERE THE MONEY WOULD COME FROM.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WITH HOME VISITING
MONEY, PRE-K MONEY, CHILDCARE MONEY IS RESTORE
SERVICES, EXPAND SERVICES, AND CREATE NEW SERVICES IN
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNSERVED.
>> WHY DID THE LEGISLATORS FEEL THAT EARLY CHILDHOOD
WAS IMPORTANT THIS YEAR WHEN THEY HADN'T FELT SO
NECESSARILY IN THE PAST? >> I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF
A LOT OF THE WORK THAT PEOPLE SITTING HERE HAVE
DONE, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE HAD LEGISLATORS GOING
ON HOME VISITS WITH HOME VISITORS, WE'VE HAD
LEGISLATORS SPEND TIME IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOMS,
THE YDI AND OTHER PROGRAMS, AND WHEN YOU SEE
HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMS AND THEN YOU GO TO PROGRAMS THAT
ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR QUALITY, IT BECOMES OBVIOUS
TO PEOPLE THAT QUALITY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MAKES A DIFFERENCE, THAT AN
UNDERSTANDING OF COGNITION MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND THEY
WANT TO KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT THAT.
>> MY THEORY, FROM A MEMBER, WAS THAT ONCE THE
THREAT OF HAVING TO ATTACH THE PERMANENT FUND CAME
ALONG, AND THE THREAT OF HAVING THE LEGISLATURE ALLOW
THE VOTERS TO DECIDE HOW TO SPEND $150 MILLION, THERE
WERE A FEW MORE BONES THROWN OUR WAY FOR $10 MILLION OR
$20 MILLION. IT'S A MEMBER'S CYNICAL
VIEW, BUT ... >> WELL, SINCE ELLEN IS THE
NON NEW MEXICAN HERE, THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO FUND ALL
THIS BY TAPPING INTO OUR LAND GRANT PERMANENT FUND.
IT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE
WAS MORE MONEY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD.
SO THAT'S ONE THEORY. >> I THINK IT'S AN
INDICATOR THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT, AND NOT ONLY
IMPORTANT, BUT CRITICAL, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF
CHILDREN THAT AREN'T DOING WELL IN NEW MEXICO.
>> SO GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT PERCENTAGE OF KIDS ARE
GETTING EARLY CHILDHOOD EFFORTS, INTERVENTIONS,
CARE. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE DOING, AND THE REASON THAT WE GOT A NEW FEDERAL
RACE TO THE TOP FUNDING -- >> AND WHAT IS THAT FUND?
>> WHAT IT'S FUNDING IS ACTUALLY IMPROVING THE
QUALITY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES IN THE STATE AND
CREATING A SYSTEM OF QUALITY.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED LOOK FOR THE STARS, AND SO
WE HAVE QUALITY RATING CRITERIA THAT ARE ATTACHED
TO ALL THE CHILD CARE PROGRAMS IN THE STATE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS, WE'RE REVISING THAT BASED ON
NEW RESEARCH, AND SO WE'RE CALLING IT A FOCUS, BECAUSE
WE WANT TEACHERS TO FOCUS ON CHILDREN'S LEARNING AND
TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN.
>> BUT DO WE KNOW? DO WE HAVE A SENSE?
WE'RE NOT REACHING EVEN -- IT'S CERTAINLY NOT
UNIVERSAL, BUT IN TERMS OF WHATEVER WE WANT TO CALL
IT -- >> WE'RE NOT, BUT ACTUALLY
WHEN YOU THINK OF ALL THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD SETTINGS, IF WE COULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF
THE SETTINGS WHERE CHILDREN ALREADY ARE, WE'RE PRETTY
FAR ALONG. WE WOULD BE REACHING THE
GREAT MAJORITY OF CHILDREN. >> WE WOULD?
PEGGY, I'M SORRY. >> I WANTED TO GO BACK TO
WHY THE CHANGE IN THE LEGISLATURE, SO I'M KIND OF
GOING BACK. BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT IS
THEY'RE LISTENING TO THEIR CONSTITUENCY.
THESE PARENTS THAT ARE GETTING EXPOSED TO
HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMMING, OR THEY'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW,
THEY'VE GOTTEN -- THEY'VE BEEN BITTEN AND THEY'RE
BEING EMPOWERED. AND I KNOW THE MOMS FROM MY
COMMUNITY WERE WRITING LETTERS.
THEY HAD A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE IN SPANISH, OR MAY HAVE BEEN IN
VIETNAMESE, THEY WERE STILL WRITING THE LETTERS AND
SAYING, WE NEED THIS SUPPORT, WE NEED THIS
BECAUSE IT'S CHANGING OUR LIVES.
AND I THINK, HOW WONDERFUL IS THAT.
THAT'S POWERFUL. >> WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE
LAST 12-13 YEARS IN THE RESEARCH THAT'S COME FORWARD
FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD IS PHENOMENAL, AND IT'S BEEN
THAT RESEARCH I THINK THAT HAS HELPED TO SHIFT OUR
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE SEE CHILDREN AND HOW WE NEED TO
MEET CHILDREN'S NEEDS. AND WITHOUT THAT BODY OF
RESEARCH, WE CAN'T REFUTE THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO BE
DOING MORE AND BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN, BECAUSE IT
SAYS SO, AND WE KNOW WHAT CHILDREN CAN ACCOMPLISH IN
THESE YOUNGER YEARS. SO I THINK IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO REALLY BE MINDFUL OF THAT RESEARCH AND
HOW THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE OUR INTENTIONS.
>> ONE THING ELLEN TALKS ABOUT IS THE SURROUND
STRATEGY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MEETING
THE MULTIPLE NEEDS OF A FAMILY TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS
OF EARLY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. HOW MUCH IS THAT HAPPENING
WHERE WE'RE ADDRESSING THESE MULTIPLE NEEDS?
BECAUSE WE'RE IN A POOR STATE AND I THINK THAT'S WHY
I THINK THIS IS RELEVANT. FAMILIES HAVE A TON OF NEEDS
HERE. >> SOME FAMILIES NEED FULL
DAYCARE, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR PRE-K PROGRAM
EMBEDDED IN A CARE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES EARLY MORNING
OR LATE AFTERNOON CARE. AT THE PUBLIC EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT, OUR PRE-K PROGRAMS ARE HALF-DAY
PROGRAMS, TYPICALLY, AND MANY PARENTS DROP THEIR
CHILDREN OFF AND PICK THEM UP.
IN OTHER CASES, OUR PROGRAMS ARE IN RURAL AREAS AND THE
CHILDREN ARE GETTING ON BUSES, AND THEY'RE HAVING A
BUS RIDE TO THAT SCHOOL AND THEY'RE SPENDING, YOU KNOW,
THREE HOURS IN SCHOOL AND THEN RIDING HOME, BECAUSE
MOM AND DAD DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, AND IF THEY
DID HAVE TRANSPORTATION, THEY PROBABLY COULDN'T
AFFORD THE GAS THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO BRING THAT
4-YEAR-OLD INTO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
SO I THINK BETWEEN THE TWO AGENCIES, WE LOOK AT WHERE
WE HAVE PROGRAMS, WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MEET THE
NEEDS OF THAT COMMUNITY, AND HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE.
>> HOW MUCH DOES P.E.D. INCORPORATE THE NEW
DISCOVERIES IN BRAIN SCIENCE?
I GATHER THERE IS A LAG, NOT JUST IN NEW MEXICO, BUT
GENERALLY, BECAUSE IT'S ADVANCED SO QUICKLY AS A
FIELD, RIGHT, AND SOMETIMES LARGE ORGANIZATIONS DON'T
CHANGE AS QUICKLY. >> THAT'S TRUE.
AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT P.E.D., WE HAVE 89 SCHOOL
DISTRICTS IN OUR STATE, AND SO GETTING THAT INFORMATION
OUT ACROSS ALL THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS -- AND SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS, WE'RE BRINGING TEACHERS
TOGETHER REGIONALLY. WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF
INSTITUTES FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 3rd GRADE TEACHERS
LOOKING AT RESEARCH, NOT JUST BRAIN RESEARCH, BUT THE
LATEST LITERACY RESEARCH, AND BRINGING THOSE TEACHERS
TOGETHER SO THAT THEY CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR
COLLEAGUES. MANY OF OUR RURAL TEACHERS,
THERE MAY BE ONE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER IN THE
DISTRICT, AND SO THAT KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, HE OR
SHE NEEDS SOMEONE TO TALK TO, SOMEONE TO BOUNCE IDEAS
OFF, AND OUR GOAL IS TO INCLUDE OUR PRE-K TEACHERS
IN SOME OF THOSE, TO SCHEDULE IT SO THAT OUR
PRE-K TEACHERS AND OUR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS ARE
HAVING TIME TO INTERFACE. >> I THINK THAT IN NEW
MEXICO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IS, WE'VE
REALLY STAYED TRUE TO EARLY CHILDHOOD PRINCIPLES, AND I
THINK IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
>> IN WHAT WAY? >> I THINK WE REALLY VALUE
PLAY, AND CHILDREN'S PLAY, AND FINALLY, WE HAVE A LARGE
BODY OF RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY AS
LEARNING, AND THAT PLAY THROUGH LEARNING, AND I
THINK THAT WE HAVE FELT VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS. >> I THINK EVERY YEAR, IT
GETS A LITTLE BETTER. I THINK THAT MORE ABOUT
MENTAL HEALTH, ABOUT DEVELOPMENT, ABOUT
CHILDREN'S NEEDS MAKES IT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC, AND I
THINK WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO SEE AT THE LEGISLATIVE
LEVEL THAT THEY HAVE THE MANDATE FROM THEIR VOTERS
THAT PUT THEM IN OFFICE TO REFLECT THIS IN WHAT THEY'RE
DOING, AND THAT'S A POSITIVE.
>> I ALSO THINK ONE OF THE CRITICAL CHANGES HAS BEEN
THE ACCEPTANCE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OF
UNDERSTANDING THAT WITHOUT CHILDREN WHO ARE FUNCTIONING
WELL AND WHO CAN LEARN, AND WHO KNOW HOW TO FUNCTION IN
SOCIETY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYBODY TO RUN THEIR
BUSINESSES. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU
LOOK AT RETURN ON INVESTMENTS, IT'S
UNBELIEVABLE THE ROI YOU GET FROM STARTING AT EARLY
CHILDHOOD WITH PROPER EDUCATION.
>> THERE IS A COMPARABLE BUY-IN FROM OUR MILITARY.
THERE WAS A STATEMENT THAT CAME OUT --
>> THAT'S TRUE. >> DID YOU GUYS HEAR ABOUT
THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO? THEY WERE DOING A STUDY OF
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO IMPROVE THINGS IN THE
MILITARY, HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THAT WE HAVE HAD SO MANY
TRAINING PROBLEMS WITH RECRUITS COMING IN, AND THAT
THE THRESHOLD FOR WHAT IT TAKES TO BE ELIGIBLE TO JOIN
THE MILITARY KEEPS GETTING LOWER, AND THEY SAID, WELL,
THE ANSWER IS WE NEED TO START EMBRACING EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. TALK ABOUT JUST A WHOLE
SYSTEM'S GRASP IT TAKES TO COME TO THAT CONCLUSION.
BUT THEY'RE RIGHT. >> WHAT I HEAR ALL THE TIME
IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS THAT PEOPLE GET OUT OF
SCHOOL WITH A FILL-IN-THE-BUBBLE MENTALITY
WHEN WE NEED INNOVATIVE THINKERS, THAT PEOPLE JUST
COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER WHEN WE NEED PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK
IN TEAMS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS
UNLESS THERE'S PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, THAT
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY, BUT WITH
SO MUCH INFORMATION THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO
THINK CRITICALLY. I THINK THAT WAS WHAT LED TO
THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS.
WE NEED DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE TO THRIVE IN OUR
SOCIETY, AS WELL AS IN OUR WORKPLACE.
>> HOW DOES THAT JIVE WITH THE HEAVY EMPHASIS ON
TESTING, NOT JUST IN NEW MEXICO BUT THE REST OF THE
COUNTRY? I DON'T KNOW IF BRENDA YOU
CAN ADDRESS THAT. >> IN NEW MEXICO, A FEW
YEARS AGO WE RE-THOUGHT HOW WE EVALUATED MOST OF OUR
STANDARD BASED ASSESSMENTS TO HAVE A COMPONENT THAT IS
SHORT ANSWER. IT'S PROBLEM SOLVING.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, THAT WE
HAVE TO VALUE PROBLEM-SOLVING, WE HAVE TO
VALUE CREATIVE THINKING, WE HAVE TO VALUE THE PROCESS
THE CHILD GOES THROUGH TO COME UP WITH THE ANSWER.
I ALSO THINK WITH THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT JUST MADE ME CHEER AS A FORMER
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER WAS THE PHRASE, "WITH PROMPTING AND
SUPPORT," WHICH FITS RIGHT INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE KNOW
ABOUT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, THAT THOSE KIDS NEED THE
MODELING. THEY NEED THE SUPPORT BEFORE
THEY'RE RELEASED AND REQUIRED TO DO THIS ON THEIR
OWN. >> CAN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF
OUR VIEWERS, ONE OF YOU DEFINE QUICKLY THE COMMON
CORE STATE STANDARDS? IT'S A PHRASE WE HEAR A LOT.
>> COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED
BY 46 OF THE 50 STATES IN THE COUNTRY, AND RIGHT NOW
WE HAVE THEM IN BOTH ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND IN MATH.
SCIENCE WAS JUST RELEASED THIS WEEK.
AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THOUGHT ABOUT, WHAT
DOES A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE NEED TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO
DO TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE WORKPLACE, OR IN COLLEGE, OR
IN THE MILITARY, OR IN LIFE, AND THEN BACKWARDS PLAN
THAT. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE
AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL,
ELEMENTARY LEVEL, ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO 3rd GRADE.
WHAT SEVERAL OF US IN THIS ROOM HAVE STARTED TO THINK
ABOUT IS, NOW, HOW DO WE INTEGRATE THE SCIENCE OF
EARLY LEARNING TO CONTINUE THAT BACKWARD PLANNING, IF
YOU WILL, ALL THE WAY TO BIRTH?
SO HOW DO WE LEVERAGE WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CHILD
DEVELOPMENT AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT TO HELP PARTNER
DEEPLY WITH FAMILIES, AND ENGAGING PARENTS AS LEADERS,
TEACHERS AS LEADERS, AND PRINCIPALS AS LEADERS IN
MOVING THAT WORK FORWARD. >> AND THERE YOU ARE THE
ONE STATE THAT HAS TRIED TO LINK CORE COMMON STATE
STANDARDS WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD.
SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN A LOT OF STATES IN THIS
COUNTRY WHEN WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE
PROBLEMS THAT YOU ALL HAVE REALLY BEEN A LEADER IN.
>> WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD GUIDELINES, AS WELL AS
COMMON CORE, I'VE DONE THIS CROSSWALK WITH SEVEN
ESSENTIAL SKILLS. >> THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS
WHO HAVE HAD AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SEVEN ESSENTIAL
SKILLS, SO THEY KIND OF HAVE THAT UNDER THEIR BELT AND
HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH IT, AND THEN THE COMMON CORE
STATE STANDARDS CAME AROUND AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT
TOGETHER A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO -- OR NO, JUST LAST
MONDAY, TO LOOK AT HOW THESE TWO THINGS INTERSECT.
THEY SAW THAT THERE WAS A WAY, A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT
CURRICULUM THROUGH THESE SEVEN ESSENTIALS SKILLS.
>> THESE ARE THE SKILLS ELLEN OUTLINED THAT CHILDREN
NEED TO KNOW TO BE WELL-ROUNDED LEARNERS?
>> RIGHT, AND ONE OF THE BIG SHIFTS THAT HAPPENED WAS
THAT SUDDENLY THESE ADULTS RECOGNIZED THAT THESE ARE
NOT ONLY EARLY CHILDHOOD SKILLS, THESE ARE SKILLS WE
ALL NEED. WE NEED THEM AS ADULTS,
BECAUSE OTHERWISE CHILDREN ARE NOT GOING TO GET THEM.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
WE HAVE TO PRACTICE THEM, AND IT'S A LIFELONG
LEARNING. >> I REALLY THINK A KEY
PIECE TO THIS WHOLE CHAIN IS DEFINITELY SECONDARY
EDUCATION IN OUR TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS,
BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I WENT THROUGH MY PROGRAM, IT WAS
K-8, AND I TOOK MAYBE ONE CLASS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEVELOPMENT, AND WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT, WE NEVER
THOUGHT ABOUT IT. IT WAS, WHAT DO I DO WITH
THE 5 YEAR OLD TO THE 12 YEAR OLD?
I MEAN, THAT WAS MY WHOLE CORE THING.
THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK THAT THEY NEED TO DO IS THEY
NEED TO DO MORE ABOUT FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
SO I THINK TEACHERS THINK, OH, I HAVE MY 25 KIDS AND
THAT'S WHO I'M GOING TO WORK WITH.
YOU ALSO HAVE THEIR PARENTS, YOU HAVE THEIR GRANDPARENTS,
YOU HAVE THE NI�O, THE NI�A, THE STEPMOM, THE OLD
GIRLFRIEND, YOU HAVE EVERYBODY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE TALK ABOUT THAT ENOUGH, AND
THEY'RE NOT PREPARED, BECAUSE I KNOW MY NOVICE
TEACHERS STRUGGLE WITH THAT. THEY HAVE A HARD TIME
COMMUNICATING. I HAVE TO DO TWO
CONFERENCES, AND I HAVE TO DO THEM WITH MOM AND THEN I
HAVE TO DO THEM WITH DAD, AND THEY CAN'T BE AT THE
SAME TIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T TALK.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE PREPARING TEACHERS TO DO
THAT. >> SO THEY NEED TO CHANGE
THE POST-SECONDARY CURRICULUM.
>> ABSOLUTELY, AND PLUS ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND
THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST GOING TO WORK FROM 8:00 TO 2:00,
YOU MAY HAVE TO HAVE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM,
SATURDAY PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> WHERE DOES MAKING THAT HAPPEN LIE?
IS THAT P.E.D.? IS THAT THE SCHOOL OF
EDUCATION? >> THE TEACHERS UNIONS, AS
WELL. >> NOT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY
ISN'T IMPORTANT, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY MINDS BEING
ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY DO, BUT THERE IS A SHIFT
FROM ACCOUNTABILITY TO INTENTIONALITY, AND I THINK
THAT WHEN YOU'RE INTENTIONAL IN WHAT YOU DO, THEN
ACCOUNTABILITY JUST COMES, AND YOU CAN BE ACCOUNTABLE
FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND THERE IS MORE OF AN
EMPHASIS ON REALLY LOOKING AT THE RESEARCH, LEARNING
FROM THE RESEARCH, AND TRANSLATING THE RESEARCH
INTO PRACTICE. >> I WANTED TO ASK VICTOR,
AS YOU'RE LISTENING TO ALL THIS, WHERE DO YOU THINK THE
YOUTH VOICE MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO BE INCLUDED IN THE
DISCUSSION? BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT'S
NOT ALWAYS INCLUDED. >> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT EACH CHILD LEARNS DIFFERENTLY, SO I THINK
THAT'S WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT WAYS TO TEACH THE
CHILDREN. THE YOUTH VOICES ARE
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES LEARNING.
THEY'RE THE ONES LEARNING. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KNOW
HOW THEIR MINDS WORK, AND THEY CAN ASSIST THE TEACHERS
AND THEIR PARENTS, AND EVERYTHING IN PROCESSING ALL
THAT. >> IT WAS THE YOUTH VOICE
THAT LED TO "MIND IN THE MAKING."
I DIDN'T INTEND EVER TO DO "MIND IN THE MAKING."
IT WAS, WE DO A SERIES OF STUDIES THAT ASK YOUNG
PEOPLE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT THEY FACE
GROWING UP, AND IT WAS A STUDY ON YOUTH AND LEARNING
WHERE I FOUND TOO MANY KIDS WERE NOT JUST DROPPING OUT
OF SCHOOL, BUT DROPPING OUT OF LEARNING.
>> WHAT I'VE HEARD A LOT IS, WE'RE BORED IN SCHOOL,
THERE'S NOTHING FOR US TO DO.
THE STANDARD BASED ASSESSMENTS, I MEAN, I KNOW
THAT THEY'RE IMPORTANT, BUT KIDS DON'T SEE THE
CONNECTION IN THE CLASSROOM TO THOSE TESTS.
IN THE WORKSHOPS, WE DISCUSSED HOW EARLY
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENTS AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENTS WOULD BE
LESS EXPENSIVE THAN BUILDING THESE PRISONS.
>> YES. >> SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO
START FUNDING THOSE PROGRAMS INSTEAD OF SAYING, OH, THESE
YOUTH, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T READ BY 3rd GRADE, THEY'RE
GOING TO PROBABLY END UP IN PRISON.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A NEGATIVE WAY TO LOOK AT IT, AND IT'S
NOT A POSITIVE. WE'RE UNDERAPPRECIATED, AND
WE FEEL UNDERAPPRECIATED BECAUSE WE HEAR THE
NEGATIVITY INSTEAD OF SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN
DO. >> NOW THAT WE'RE WRAPPING
UP THE SHOW, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?
>> PUT THE MONEY IN THE PLAYPEN, NOT IN THE STATE
PEN. [LAUGHTER]
>> SO IF WE COULD JUST THINK ABOUT ONE OF THE
TENANTS OF YOUR ACTION ITEMS, OR ONE OF YOUR ACTION
ITEMS, IT'S TO REWARD EFFORT AND CREATIVITY, NOT SUCCESS
ON A WRITTEN HANDOUT, RIGHT, AND WE COULD TAKE THAT IDEA
A LOT OF PLACES. WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE
LEGISLATURE, WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND WE
CAN GET PEOPLE IN CHARGE AND LEADERS TO THINK ABOUT, WHAT
ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH - PROTECT OUR STATUS QUO,
OR ARE WE TRYING TO MAKE A QUANTUM LEAP HERE.
SO IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE IS
SO IMPORTANT. >> AND YOU SAID IF WE COULD
MAKE -- WHERE KIDS ARE RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF EVERY PLACE
THAT THEY ARE, IF THEY COULD MAKE IT HIGH QUALITY, WHAT
IS THAT GOING TO TAKE? >> I THINK THAT PEOPLE NEED
TO BECOME AWARE OF THE FACT AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
CHILDREN ARE LIVING IN HOMES WHERE THERE IS TREMENDOUS
CHAOS AND TRAUMA, AND JUST AS PAM WAS SAYING, THAT
TRAUMA IS IMPACTING THEIR BRAIN NEGATIVELY, AND I
THINK ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AND THEN INVESTING IN MAKING IT
POSSIBLE FOR THOSE CHILDREN TO HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY
SO THAT THERE IS AN EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR
KIDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY GET TO KINDERGARTEN.
IT'S NOT EQUAL, AND THEY DON'T HAVE AN EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS. >> IT'S EVERYONE'S
RESPONSIBILITY, AND WHERE CAN YOU FIND YOUR NICHE,
WHERE CAN YOU FIT IN. IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER,
THEN HOW CAN YOU HELP GIVE FUNDING OR YOUR RESOURCES OR
YOUR TALENTS BACK TO PROGRAMS THAT YOU KNOW ARE
WORKING. IT'S JUST EVERYBODY'S
RESPONSIBILITY, AND WE CAN'T SAY, OH, IT'S THEM, IT'S
THEM, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS, IT'S BECAUSE OF
THESE PARENTS, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE POOR.
>> IT'S ALMOST LIKE EVERYONE FROM A VERY
PERSONAL LEVEL TO A SYSTEMIC LEVEL NEEDS TO ASK THE
QUESTION OF, HOW IS THIS EFFECTING CHILDREN, AND WHAT
CAN I DO. >> AND WHAT CAN WE DO
PERSONALLY, AS WELL, AND SYSTEMICALLY.
>> I THINK IT ALL GOES TO WHAT WE'RE LEARNING, AND
WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP AND WHAT ELLEN GALINSKY BRINGS
UP, IS THAT WE UNDERSTAND NEURAL SCIENCE SO MUCH
BETTER, AND WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY HAS A CERTAIN SET
OF DNA, BUT THE WAY OUR GENES ARE EXPRESSED ARE
INFLUENCED BY THE CHEMICALS THAT OUR BODIES ARE EXPOSED
TO, BE IT ADRENALINE CORTISOL, WHICH HAS NEGATIVE
EFFECTS, OR WE CAN HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN. SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT'S
CRITICAL, AND WE KNOW THAT NOW, AND IT'S HARD SCIENCE.
IT'S NOT ANY MORE TOUCHY-FEELY PSYCHOSOCIAL
ASPECTS. THIS IS REAL.
>> IF I HAD ONE WISH, IT WOULD BE THAT EACH OF US
KEEP THAT FIRE BURNING IN CHILDREN'S EYES FOR
LEARNING, BECAUSE WE NEED A SOCIETY WHERE PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO BE LIFELONG LEARNERS.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT TAKES, AND WE CAN DO IT TO
BE A BRAIN BUILDER. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
JOINING US ON PUBLIC SQUARE AND HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.