Enhancement of Early Learning materials to promote diversity, multicultural, and inclusivity

Moderation state
funded
Grant Applicant
Cindy Maciel - Early Learning STEPP Program Manager
School Site
District
Grant Category
Misc.
Grant Date
2023-06-15T12:00:00
Description

We are asking for $4730 to split between our two early learning programs. This ask is to provide materials and equipment for both of our district early learning programs Sierra Teen Education and Parenting Program (STEPP) and Truckee State Preschool program. Every year our early learning programs, STEPP and Truckee Preschool do a self assessment of our environments using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale(ECKERS 3-5 yrs) and Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS 0-36 months). This tool helps us to look at where we need to make improvements and strengthen the environments for our early learning students. Through this assessment we look at health and safety, opportunities for stimulation and learning experiences, and building relationships with children, parents, extended families, and community. 
One area of focus for this upcoming year is to strengthen our cultural, diversity and inclusion opportunities and materials. Through this assessment we have noticed that we need to offer a wider range of opportunities in this area for our children and families in our programs. Through this ask we will be able to provide a variety of materials such as dolls, dress up materials, books, visual aids, art materials and equipment that supports the diversity of our families, community, and the abilities of all of our students. We will provide these items to both our preschool and infant toddler programs.

 

Benefits of Program

In our early learning programs we have the pleasure of not only working with the children but also with the families.Our early learning team must support consistently warm and caring relationships between families and their children, respect families' languages and cultures and incorporate their teaching practices, and the learning environment. Through this process we really get to know the families and the children’s home life. The benefits of enhancing our multicultural, diversity and inclusion in our classrooms helps our children develop a stronger sense of themselves and others. It exposes them to the familiarity of their own cultures and to those of their friends in our classrooms. It exposes them to a world outside of. It builds their confidence and security in their world and exposes them to other cultures, abilities allowing our littles learners to be ready for the bigger world. It sets them up to be empathetic and caring towards one another. When they hear their home language, see items that may represent their home and are able to participate regardless of their abilities it sets up a sense of self and belonging. 

 

 

 

Success of Program

There are a couple of ways we know we will be successful. First is helping to create a lens for our teachers to look at their classrooms and families with a view of how to best serve their community. It is important to see cultural, language, abilities and diversity as resources, not as deficits. When teachers embrace a lens for seeing how to best support our children and families it helps build a stronger connection and an environment for all children to thrive. Our early learning team must support consistently warm and caring relationships between families and their children, respect families' languages and cultures and incorporate their teaching practices and the learning environment. 
Second, it is important that when you create a learning environment that reflects and validates a child's family, culture, language, and abilities it shows them that they are valued and seen. In turn this helps to form positive self-concepts. Creating a culturally diverse inclusive learning environment helps expose children to a diverse way of being, instilling compassion, kindness, open mindedness, and empathy and teaches children how to treat people with respect, regardless of their background.  Celebrating our differences helps create a better sense of community and belonging. 

 

Implementation

We would implement this grant for our 2023-2024 school year. Once the grant is awarded we will reevaluate our findings from our EKERS/ITERS process and order the items needed to support our preschool and infant/toddler classrooms. These new materials will help to promote diversity, meet the cultural diversity of the families and children we serve while promoting inclusivity to all of our little learners.

 

Can you share this grant with your grade level or subject team?

We are sharing this grant with our early learning programs, STEPP, located on Sierra High School campus and Truckee Preschool located on Truckee Elementary campus. The grant will be implemented through the district early learning program manager. 

Sustainability
Our early learning programs are constantly assessing and improving the quality of our programs. The area of cultural, diversity, and inclusion will be met through this grant. We may have future asks for programming and materials based on other areas of our assessments and improving our overall programming.
Amount Funded
$4730.00
Individual Budget Items(s)
$1250 - Books - Diversity, abilities, multi-cultural, bilingual - Board/paperback books
$1200 - Dramatic Play - dolls, dress up, kitchen tools, food
$300 - Puppets
$500 - art and sensory materials
$250 - Visual Aides (Pictures, frames, labeling materials)
$500 - manipulatives (blocks, pointers, rattles)
Shipping
$400.00
Taxes
$330.00