{"id":3413,"date":"2021-10-15T11:06:29","date_gmt":"2021-10-15T16:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kidswinmissouri.org\/?p=3413"},"modified":"2021-10-15T11:07:40","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T16:07:40","slug":"do-you-want-to-know-the-secret-ingredient-of-head-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kidswinmissouri.org\/do-you-want-to-know-the-secret-ingredient-of-head-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Do you want to know the secret ingredient of Head Start?"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Jeff Goldammer, Director of Head Start and Early Head Start and 30-year Head Start veteran, Economic Security Corporation in Joplin<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

October is Head Start Awareness month. \u00a0What do people need to know about Head Start?<\/p>\n

Some people will want to know that Head Start was established in 1965 and has served more than 38 million children, birth to age 5 and their families, since its inception.<\/p>\n

Others will want to know that Head Start promotes school readiness for children in low-income families by offering educational, nutritional, health, social, and other services.<\/p>\n

Some may even want to know that in Missouri, Head Start is funded to serve around 15,000 children and pregnant women in centers, family homes, and in family child care homes in urban, suburban, and rural communities throughout the state.<\/p>\n

But, I\u2019m pretty sure that what most people really want to know is this:\u00a0 \u201cWhat is the secret ingredient that makes Head Start special?\u201d<\/p>\n

Learning about a secret is an especially cathartic experience.\u00a0 There is anticipation, suspense and wonder.\u00a0 What could it be?\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0The secret can be totally unexpected or something you suspected all along.\u00a0 Once you know, you can decide to either keep the secret or share it with someone else.\u00a0 The secret of Head Start should be shared with everyone.<\/p>\n

Working in Head Start for more than 30 years, there were many times that I thought I knew what the secret of Head Start was.\u00a0 But only recently have I discovered the truth.\u00a0 At first I questioned it, but I have come to the conclusion that there is no doubt about it.<\/p>\n

Are you ready?\u00a0 I\u2019ve stalled long enough\u2026.The secret to Head Start is joy.\u00a0 That\u2019s right J-O-Y.\u00a0 Why joy?\u00a0 Let me share a quick story.<\/p>\n

I first started learning about joy while researching why children in Finland performed so well on international tests.\u00a0 This occurs despite only a half day kindergarten that children start at age six and a lack of urgency in teaching reading until children are age seven. What I found is that the national curriculum for young children in Finland focuses on \u201cchildren learning with joy\u201d. \u00a0I was surprised to find that joy is explicitly written into the curriculum as a learning concept.\u00a0 Joy is a fundamental belief for the people of Finland.\u00a0 \u00a0In fact, there\u2019s an old Finnish saying– \u201cThose things you learn without joy you will forget easily.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

The contrast is striking.\u00a0 In Finland, the focus is on \u201cchildren learning with joy\u201d.\u00a0 In the US, we\u2019ve had Common Core Standards, the 30 Million Word Gap, No Child Left Behind and the inclination to push rigorous academic expectations down to younger and younger age groups.<\/p>\n

While trying to wrap my head around this, our Head Start program set up a number of parent focus groups designed to get feedback to improve the program and services.\u00a0 As parents started talking about their experiences in Head Start, imagine my surprise to hear several of them talk about how the program brings them joy!\u00a0\u00a0 As first one and then another parent talked about the joy the program brought to them, soon all the parents in the group were nodding their heads in agreement.\u00a0 This response was repeated when we brought other parents together at other focus groups.\u00a0 It even happened again the next year.\u00a0 I expected parents to be generally satisfied with the program, but I did not expect them to say \u201cthis program brings me joy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Head Start should definitely be in the business of bringing joy.\u00a0 We serve the families in our community who are most in need.\u00a0 The parents and their children often struggle in ways we are not even aware of.\u00a0 Families are faced with traumatic stress, poverty and other risk factors.\u00a0 They could use a little joy.<\/p>\n

Our Head Start program made it a priority to bring joy to parents.\u00a0 The first conversation we have with a parent is to ask what they want their child to accomplish during their time in Head Start.\u00a0 Then, we work all year to make that happen.\u00a0 We make sure that all our staff know and are engaged in this effort.\u00a0 We track it and measure our success.\u00a0 We report back to the parent and celebrate our success with them.<\/p>\n

We also want the children to \u201clearn with joy\u201d, just like the children in Finland.\u00a0 We spend the first 60 days in the classroom focusing solely on social-emotional skills.\u00a0 The whole school readiness approach depends on the relationships that are built at the beginning of the school year.\u00a0 We make it a priority to teach friendship, kindness and forgiveness.<\/p>\n

Bringing joy to parents and children is also satisfying and enriching for staff.\u00a0 Whether you are a teacher, cook or bus driver, you want to make a difference for children and families.\u00a0 It\u2019s easy to see when you bring joy to someone.\u00a0 There may be jobs that pay more than Head Start, but few where you can so easily bring a little joy into a person\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

So, now you know the secret ingredient to Head Start.\u00a0 But bringing joy can be the practice of any organization.\u00a0 It can be easy to get frustrated with regulations, rules and policies, but when you are focused on bringing joy to children and families, you have a higher purpose and a real-life focus.\u00a0 How can you bring joy to children and families where you are?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Jeff Goldammer, Director of Head Start and Early Head Start and 30-year Head Start veteran, Economic Security Corporation in Joplin October is Head Start Awareness month. \u00a0What do people need to know about Head Start? 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