ABORIGINAL HEAD START (URBAN AND NORTHERN COMMUNITIES) NATIONAL NEWSLETTER

FALL/WINTER 2001

INSIDE THIS ISSUE.

• La Tuque, Quebec Opens New Facility
• Sheshatshiu AHS Project NWT - Paulatuk News
• Saskatchewan AHS Forum 2000 - "Developing Favourably Together - A Forum for Consensus"
• High/Scope Update
• Computers in the Classroom - Good or Bad?
• Starting Small - Fostering Kindness in the Classroom
• Will I Grow Out of It - Speech and Language Development
• Milestones and Warning Signs
• Parent Talk
• Babies Need Dad to Be Involved
• National AHS Evaluation Update
• 1999-2000 Graduations - Belated Best Wishes
• Winnipeg Little Red Spirit/Mis Ko Mune Dous/Miko Manitosis Inc
• Beauval AHS
• Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Conference - "Language Across The Community"
• Resources Canada's Child Health Record
• Rainbow Fun
• Keeping Active
• AHS Video

NATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP 2000

The 5th National Aboriginal Head Start Training Workshop 2000 was held in Ottawa, Ontario October 12-14 at the Marriott Hotel. The theme of the 2000 Workshop was "Parental Involvement... The Journey to Success." The agenda included topics intended specifically for AHS parents/caregivers or for AHS staff, as well as topics of interest to all.

John Kim Bell, founder of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, delivered a keynote speech and launched the second AHS video entitled "Celebrate the Dream." His message focussed on the AHS program and its relationship to the work that he is doing with the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, which celebrates career achievement and positive role modelling in the Aboriginal community. Mr. Bell discussed how AHSbenefits children with its emphasis on parents and said that without parental involvement, there would be no program. A banquet and cultural evening was held Friday, October 13. Inuit singer Susan Aglukark was the special guest,and delivered a speech on her experiences as a mother and her support of the AHS program's wonderful work for our future leaders in Aboriginal communities across the country. At the urging of the audience, Susan performed a beautiful a cappella solo of Amazing Grace in Inuktitut. A hoop dance, shawl dance and Inuit throat singing were also part of the cultural evening.

This year's workshop featured the highest number ever of presenters from within the AHS program. The Comox Valley (British Columbia) AHS site's workshop on parent councils, and Donald DesRosiers – (Dad's Program)originally with the Val d'or (Quebec) AHS site – workshop on a fathers' program, were two popular examples of this. The workshops presented by project staff, parents and elders were all well attended and received by participants.

LA TUQUE (QUEBEC) AHS OPENS NEW

Our story began in 1995 when a small group of parents and the La Tuque Aboriginal Friendship Centre had a vision. Like so many of you who are reading this article, we had the dream of opening a Head Start program in our own community.

In January 1996, the Friendship Centre began preparing a proposal to Health Canada, applying for the Aboriginal Head Start program. We believed that through the program we would be able to respond to the real needs of Aboriginal families living in this region.

Our project was accepted in June 1996. After whirlwind activity for three months, we found and renovated a building, hired staff, formed community partnerships, developed the children's curriculum and parents' program and last, but definitely not least, registered children and their families. We may have taken Health Canada by surprise but we held our official inauguration on September 21, 1996 - only three months after project approval!

Our school-readiness program soon became a success and we received letters and praise from parents and kindergarten teachers applauding us for a job well done. Our flexible parent involvement program, which provides a variety of opportunities for parents - from structured events such as parent workshops to more informal activities such as arts and crafts - encouraged more parents to participate. Also, our toddler and infant program enabled us to work more with the younger children. All of our educators were of Aboriginal descent and were enrolled in a recognized college training program for educators working in Native child care services, offered through the St-Felicien college.

But it wasn't long, however, before we noticed that many of our parents were furthering their studies or going back to work and needed a full-time program for their children. Others, who were dissatisfied with community child care services, were also interested in a full-time program.

With the belief that we should consistently strive to provide the highest level of service to our children and their families, our little centre quickly became too small to meet the needs of our families. Our vision began to grow.

Our expanded vision, however, was not just a larger centre but a complete child care and family centre with a variety of speciality services for children and their families under the same roof. Like any other growing project, money was of great concern, so we approached the Quebec Child and Family Ministry, requesting a permit and financial aid to open a child care centre. This now enabled us to receive financial assistance and support from the federal and provincial governments.

Our next goal was to find a new, larger building. We wanted to purchase the old Indian residential school for symbolic and economic reasons. Wanting it and getting it were two different things, however. It took us nine long months and many sleepless nights to finally close the deal. In the meantime, we had sold our smaller centre and were living out of boxes during summer 2000 while renovations were made on our new building, which we did not yet officially own. It was a risk, but we had lots of support and confidence that things would work out.

On September 28, 2000, exactly four years and one week after our first official inauguration, an enthusiastic crowd helped us celebrate the opening of our new centre, which has plenty of room for many more visions and dreams.

A quality child care/Head Start centre does not just happen; it requires hard work. We have an empowered parent committee and staff committed to providing outstanding services on a continuous basis. By carefully planning, listening to parents and others in the community, working as a team and continually looking for ways to improve services, we have built a centre we are proud of. But more importantly, our pride comes from knowing that we are helping to build a healthy to build a healthy community where our little ones will one day be able to say they are grateful that we stood together and joined hands and joined hearts, so that they would have the opportunity of a brighter future.
Submitted by Évike Goudreault Director of CPE Premier Pas La Tuque, Quebec October 2000

SHESHATSHIU, LABRADOR, AHS PROJECT

EDITOR'S NOTE: The community of Sheshatshiu, Labrador has been in the news a great deal recently because of the tragedies of dozens of children found to be sniffing gasoline, and the high incidence of suicide. We wanted to let our readers know that an Aboriginal Head Start site will soon open in Sheshatshiu and we hope to help the Sheshatshiu Innu improve the situation for children and families in their community.

Excerpt from the Sheshatshiu AHS Operational Proposal Shakastueu Mitshuap (The Rising Sun Early Childhood Development and Family Resource Centre)

Since the beginning of time, the sun has been revered by all humankind as a symbol of the continuity of life. Children, like the first rays of a new sunrise, come directly from the Creator and offer humankind generations for the future. The sun rises and sets each day and is steadfast in its consistency, as is the continuance of childbirth.

As Innu people, we believe that with each new sunrise comes the promise of hope, renewal and rebirth. We believe that with each new child born, there is a promise of a new beginning. As long as there are children and restored hope, there will be future for our community. With the birth of a child, all things begin anew.

Like the vibrant rays of a new sun, children shine their energies on all people. They see only the promise of a bright day, and there is no worry of gathering clouds. Children are pure in spirit and they, like the sun, share that energy to warm us, to encourage us,and to give us strength.

The time of sunrise is the time of stirrings. All children, for those who listen with their heart, carry the same stirrings - the impetus toward something better, greater and more satisfying. The key to the future is in our children and we must guard them well.

Thus, the community of Sheshatshiu welcomes the arrival of Shakastueu Mitshuap as a new beginning for the families of our community. We look forward to our new sunrise, to being warmed, encouraged and strengthened by our children. We look forward to the promise of tomorrow's new beginning by providing opportunities for our children today.

The Sheshatshiu Innu Band Council developed an operational proposal for an AHS program in March 1999. The Family Resource Centre and Aboriginal Head Start program will be funded by Health Canada in partnership with the Newfoundland government and Human Resources Development Canada; 23 children will be served through AHS. Construction of the facility began in summer 2000 and a tentative date for the opening of Shakastueu Mitshuap is set for February 2001.
Submitted by: Teresa Jeffery, Public Health Agency of Canada Atlantic Region

PAULATUK ABORIGINAL HEAD START Isksaqtuak Inuvialuktun

Paulatumi Mikiyuayaat Paulatuk, Northwest Territories

Last year's program was a huge success, the highlight of which was the Graduation Ceremony. All the gowns, flowers and many of the decorations were handmade by the parents and staff. The whole community pitched in to help. Three children moved on to Kindergarten and seven children are returning.

For the 2000-01 year, we have 10 children registered, three of whom are new this year. We held our open house a little differently this year: we invited parents on specific days so they could meet with staff and ask questions one-to- one. Our first week of classes began September 11. Five staff run our programs. The coordinator oversees the program, connects with parents through home visits, and coordinates other services offered through the program. The program's main caregiver. with support from other staff, plans and implements a program based in tradition and culture. Two elders share a position, taking turns to come in and speak Inuvialuktun and share stories and traditions with the children. The Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre provides funding for this position. The territorial government's Healthy Children's Initiative provides funding for a half-time worker who assists with developmental tracking of the children and supports children with challenges.

This program year started with a mini-cultural camp. The staff set up a tent outside, and for three days while weather permitted, the children took part in traditional activities for the whole program day.

Our open-door policy to all community members brings in lots of visitors, such as elders, older children after school, parents, the community health representative, and visiting regional health and social service professionals. We are really encouraging elders and other people who speak Inuvialuktun to visit. We find the more people around using the language, the more the children understand and use Inuvialuktun.

The program offers a variety of other services with funding from the territorial government's Healthy Children's Initiative. Nutritional Bingo is held once a month for the community, with nutritional information and program updates given out throughout the evening. Adults take home nutritional prizes. There is an open morning sewing group for the mothers of the children in the AHS program. We will soon be starting the Parent's Day Out program again for the winter. This drop-in service gives parents a chance to bring their children ages 0-6 to spend some time socializing, playing and listening to elders' stories. It is held every Saturday afternoon, and the community responded really well to it last year. Special events such as National Children's Day and Family Week are celebrated with family luncheons, games, prizes, and special times for families to meet with staff.

SASKATCHEWAN AHS FORUM 2000

"Developing Favourably Together - A Forum for Consensus"
The first-ever conference for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Head Start projects took place in La Ronge, Saskatchewan on August 22-25, 2000. The Kikinahk Friendship Centre hosted the event, which was attended by most Saskatchewan projects.

Sophie Staley, Saskatchewan Provincial Manager of the Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada, welcomed participants and introduced other Health Canada staff. Cate Harrington, Children's Program Manager, was also present. Brad Martin, Program Officer from the National Office, gave the keynote address on the progress of AHS in Saskatchewan.

Workshops were presented on all aspects of project operations, including board roles and responsibilities, financial accountability, provincial legislation, incorporation, health and safety standards, and traditional holistic programming. Feedback from participants was extremely positive, and many expressed a desire to have gatherings of this nature in the future.

HIGH/SCOPE UPDATE

During the 1999-2000 fiscal year, 20 days of "Lead Teacher" training was delivered to Aboriginal Head Start staff from across the country by the Training of Trainers (TOT) instructors. Training in the AHS High/Scope approach was completed across the country in March 2000. In total, 64 participants were involved in the training sessions, 47 of whom received certificates of completion for completing the full 20 days of training. The successful participants are now beginning to implement the approach in their classroom. This can take anywhere from six months to a year before the trainee is ready to have an observational study conducted. The study is a one-day observation on the trainee and the environment of the class by certified trainer through the use of a research instrument called the Program Quality Assessment (PQA). The High/Scope PQA is an effective tool for rating the quality of centre-based Head Start programs and identifying the training needs of the AHS staff. Since the training finished, certification of some trainees may be at hand. The standards for High/Scope Teacher Certification are:

• Completion of Lead Teacher Training Program (LTTP) or equivalent training or experience
• Classroom observation - Sections I through IV of the High/Scope PQA administered by a High/Scope Certified Trainer; average score of 4.5 and no item below 4.0 (High/Scope recommends that the PQA be administered by a High/Scope Certified Trainer from outside the agency.)
• Child Observation - Anecdotal notes plus High/Scope Child Observation Record (COR) for two children based on a minimum of three months of data
• Planning - Daily Team Planning Form and Team Planning Narrative explaining how the teaching team uses the form to plan based on children's interests and development and the High/Scope key experiences
• Professional Development Narrative written by the teacher explaining how he or she reached his or her current level of expertise, including the High/Scope LTTP or equivalent training
• Application form, PQA and supporting documentation to the International High/Scope Registry
• High/Scope Teacher Certification lasts for three years. The standards and forms for re-certification are the same as for initial certification.

The National Office offered scholarships to interested trainees from AHS sites to assist in covering the costs of training materials and certification registration, and some regional offices were also able to make financial resources available to cover costs of training sessions. Currently, the National Office is collecting data to evaluate the AHS High/Scope training which will outline the direction of future training in the High/Scope approach.

High/Scope workshops were part of the National Training Workshop held in Ottawa on October 12-14, 2000. High/Scope trainers Lisa Roberts and Roberta Whiskeyjack facilitated the workshops: Lisa Roberts is a Métis woman who is the Program Supervisor at Niwasa Head Start in Hamilton, Ontario. She holds an early childhood education (ECE) diploma, a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Education and has taken the High/Scope Trainers program. Roberta Whiskeyjack was born in Skookumchuk, British Columbia and currently lives in Edmonton. She is a member of the Saddle Lake First Nation, Alberta. She has an ECE diploma and holds a General Studies degree through Athabasca University. She is a certified High/Scope trainer. The following workshops were presented at the National Training Workshop:

"High/Scope - "No Problem"
- Learn how to problem solve with your children in a fun, effective way. Participants were able to practise new ways to deal with problems your children face. The facilitators will also discuss sibling rivalry and share new ways to deal with this issue.

"High/Scope - Getting Involved"
- This workshop looked at different ways to connect with parents at AHS sites. Participants learned how to deliver interesting and fun workshops with staff and parents, using the Parent Connections Manual.

"High/Scope - Straight Talk"
- Participants obtained information on how to talk to their children and build meaningful relationships with them. Sharing in conversations and really talking to children can help build a safe and loving home environment. This workshop looked at different ways to communicate and build those strong parent-child relationships. Facilitators also reviewed the High/Scope theories on interacting with children.

If you would like further information on High/Scope, please contact Program Officer Brad Martin at (613) 957-6488, e-mail: Brad_Martin@hc-sc.gc.ca.

COMPUTERS IN THE CLASSROOM - "GOOD OR BAD?"

ARE COMPUTERS GOOD FOR YOUR CHILDREN?
This is currently the question being asked around educational learning facilities. The debate has all of us thinking about the pros and cons of our children using computers at preschool age. The following excerpts from recent newspaper articles provide some perspective on the issue:

Computerized learning does not make kids smarter, warns Alison Armstrong, co-author of The Child and the Machine: Why Computers May Put Our Children's Education at Risk. Armstrong reports that information does not exist that assures us early exposure to computers is a guarantee of positive intellectual outcomes. Interaction with adults, with children, with animals, with the wind and with the sky will help feed a child's future. Interaction with a computer screen offers little, she says.

Armstrong says that computer companies' marketing tactics often promise enhanced reading or arithmetic skills. Studies do exist that support their claims, many of which are funded by computer companies themselves. She says that not enough evidence exists to suggest computer use among very young children has a positive outcome.

"Educators fall into this trap - if you have more computers in the classroom and more connections to the Internet, kids are going to be smarter, I don't think that's true," says Kevin Stevens, assistant history professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Stevens says, "The Internet is a wonderful tool and allows access to much information. But the point is you can't equate access to more information with education."

The International Alliance for Childhood, a newly formed national task force on computers, which includes health professionals, educators and psychologists, challenges the idea that children should be immersed in technology at early ages.

Elementary school teachers using the new tools in the classroom are questioning a recent study that calls for young children to take a "time-out" from computers. "The reason we're calling for a time-out is we think we need to get more information before we put a computer in front of each kid," said Edward Miller, co-author of the study - Fools Gold: A Critical Look at Computers in Childhood - and an education policy analyst based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"With some kids, it's a way for them to get excited and learn," said Beth Lang, who teaches second and third grades at Lakewood Elementary School in Overland Park, Kansas."To me, it's just like a book. It's such a part of our everyday use."

Miller claims more research still needs to be done before technology becomes the centerpiece of classroom learning. "The simple fact that kids are excited by computers is not enough to make computers the central focus of the classroom." Judy Hamilton, CEO of Classroom Connect, which offers Internet-based curriculum and teacher training, said it is simply too early in the training process to call for a time-out. "It's a step process," she said."First you have to give them the equipment. Then you have to train the teachers. We're just at the beginning."

"Our children today are much more screen-oriented than nature-oriented," said Lowell Monke, an assistant professor of education at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, who supports the Alliance for Childhood's findings. "They're shifting away from the physical world and the social world."

According to the Alliance for Childhood, major health hazards can result from overuse at an early age, including repetitive stress injuries, eye strain, obesity, social isolation and, for some, long-term damage to physical, emotional or intellectual development.

"When you look at the research, you find that there's very little evidence of significant gains in schooling," says Joan Almon, a former kindergarten teacher who is the national coordinator for the alliance.

"Children very naturally start to be exposed to computers; that's the trend of a contemporary society," says Ni Chang, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. "Children need computer skills," she says. "I personally think that software, if selected properly, will help preschoolers learn. The child should acquire knowledge at the same time as having fun."

Technology adds an extra element missing from traditional books. For example, if a child doesn't understand a particular word on the screen, he or she can highlight it and the computer will read it back. "(With) paper and pencil, (kids) don't get immediate feedback," says Dara Feldman, an early childhood instructional technology specialist and head of the Technology and Young Children project, a program for researchers to share the best technology practices for children from birth to age 8.

"A lot of research has shown that when children are paired together to work on a computer, they have a richer discussion," Feldman said."The computer can be a great tool to nurture social skills like asking questions, taking turns, and sharing." Using the Internet, preschoolers can learn about other cultures, and interact with children from around the world. Government programs such as U.S. Head Start, which helps primarily lower income children, have also embraced technology. "Computer literacy is as critical to children today as literacy was to their parents and grandparents," wrote Helen Taylor, associate commissioner of the Head Start bureau, in the February Head Start Bulletin. "The computer doesn't exercise the brain and body together in the same way that normal childhood play does," says Jane Healy, an educational psychologist and author of Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds - For Better or Worse. "For normally developing children, I believe that they are better off without computer activities until they are about 7, says Healy. Kids are meant to be avid learners, not waiting for the next screen to pop up. [Children] need to imagine out of their own mind, not by using prepackaged icons."

"I do not think that there can be any justification for putting a child this young at the computer," says Deborah Quilter, author of The Repetitive Strain Injury Recovery Book. Quilter stressed that even with an ergonomic workstation there is risk of injury because RSI is a cumulative problem."Parents, through their own ignorance, may end up paying for it with a child that has a permanent disability early in life," she says.

While technology proponents believe that ergonomics are important, Chang dismissed Quilter's argument. "I haven't read any research about that," Chang says, but she acknowledged that setting up the computer on child-size furniture is important, and computer time should be limited to 30 minutes. Technology proponents add that the computer should be used as a supplement to other preschool activities, not a replacement for them."It's not a zero-sum game," says Elliot Soloway, an education and computer science professor at the University of Michigan."Kids don't play outside or use the computer: They do both." These comments appeared in the articles listed below and are summarized for this issue:
Computerized Learning
(The Globe and Mail, April 18, 2000)
Headline: Technology Versus Creative, Physical Play
(Edmonton Sun, August 13, 2000,)
Do Students Need a Computer Time Out?
(Times, Rebecca S. Weiner, September 29, 2000)
Kids, computers bad mix - study
(The Chronicle-Herald, September 15, 2000)
Technology: How Young Is Too Young?
(From: http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,37876,00.html by Katie Dean, Aug. 15, 2000)

STARTING SMALL - FOSTERING KINDNESS IN THE CLASSROOM

Early Years Are Learning Years

For most young children, being a classmate - at child care, at a place of worship or at school - constitutes their first active participation in an ongoing social structure outside the family. The vision of community that these experiences provide can colour a child's ideas and expectations about equity, cooperation and citizenship for a lifetime.

Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance in Preschool and the Early Grades is an innovative multimedia resource that illustrates how promoting empathy in young children can be achieved in the early years through various teaching methods.

The book component features seven early childhood classrooms (preschool, kindergarten and primary) in which teachers are helping young children build inclusive, caring communities across differences that too often divide. Each classroom narrative is followed by research-based "reflections" addressing specific themes or developmental aspects of teaching tolerance. Practical applications are also provided for incorporating the concepts into activities.

Following are examples of methods used in Starting Small. Parents will also find these strategies helpful at home.

Affirming Identity
Lead discussions and activities that openly value racial and ethnic diversity in the classroom (e.g. compare and contrast skin colours and affirm the beauty of all of them).

Nurturing Justice
Design learning activities that help children explore the concepts of fairness and justice. For example, use dramatic play, interviews and puppets to talk about social and moral dilemmas, or read selected children's literature to discuss or act out hypothetical social and moral problems.

Fostering Gender Equity
Break down gender stereotypes through your own actions (e.g. a female teacher fixing a wagon or a male teacher mending a doll's dress). It is also important to inspect books, posters and bulletin boards for gender balance.

Building Friendship Skills
Have children draw pictures of themselves playing with friends, and label and display their work.

Facing Prejudice
Take an active role against hurtful situations that occur among children. For example, if a child uses a racial epithet, determine his or her understanding of the term. Explain that such words are mean and make people feel bad.

Encouraging Self-Discipline
Create "Peace Tables" where children can work out their own conflicts, or role play conflict situations and include a variety of ways to solve problems.

Responding to Special Needs
Invite guests with special needs to present activities in your classroom; focus on their "regular" traits first (such as job and family) and the activity that they will lead. Create a relaxed atmosphere for questions and answers about disabilities and other matters.

Coping with Loss
Provide opportunities for children to commemorate loss through play and work activities, such as making memory gifts, planting a flower or a tree, lighting a candle, or creating a mural.

ORDERING INFORMATION - The Starting Small resource kit is available for $25 (US). Send a request for the Starting Small resource kit with a cheque or credit card authorization to: Starting Small: Teaching Tolerance 400 Washington Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 ATTN: Order Department

WILL I GROW OUT OF IT?

(Note: the following is a guide is to be used with the thought in mind that each child is unique in every stage of development)

Milestones and Warning Signs for Speech and Language Development, 2 Years to 5 Years

Age 2 to 3rd birthday

1. combines words in 2-3 word sentences, such as "me do it"
2. follows simple directions (e.g."Put the teddy-bear to bed")
3. answers simple questions (e.g."What's your name?""Which one is the big doll?")
4. can put a toy "in", "on", "under" when asked
5. answers simple questions about objects (e.g."Which one do we eat?")

Warning Signs

1. Does your child show frustration when trying to talk?
2. Do you have difficulty understanding your child's speech?
3. Does your child put 2 words together?

Age 3 to 4th birthday

1. follows 2 related directions (e.g. "Close the book and give it to me")
2. tells first and last name
3. understands questions about a picture story (e.g."Where did the bunny go?")
4. reasons – answers "What do you do when you are hungry/cold?"
5. tells a short story (e.g."Two kids played ball")
6. sentences are usually 3 and 4 words long
7. gives direction such as "Fix this for me"
8. asks many questions: "what," "where," "why"

Warning Signs

1. Is your child's speech difficult to understand?
2. Are your child's speech skills not at age level described?

Age 4 to 5th birthday

1. follows 3 related directions, such as,"get your crayons, make a picture, give it to the baby"
2. speaks sounds accurately except perhaps for l,r,s,k,th,ch,sh,th
3. more reasoning – answers questions such as "What do you do when you are sleepy/thirsty?" or "What should you do if you hurt yourself?"
4. describes objects and events
5. can show you "top,""bottom" and several colours
6. can give meanings of words

Warning Signs

1. Does your child not use complete sentences?
2. Does your child stutter?
3. Does your child seem unable to follow directions?

Early detection of difficulties at any age can make learning to talk easier. If your child shows any of the warning signs listed for his or her age group, please contact the Speech-Language Pathologist at your Local Health Unit for more information.
By Alberta Health

Parent Talk

The following speech was delivered by Kwanlin Dun member, Shirley Dawson, during a community feast at Ashea Headstart Whitehorse, Yukon in February 2000.

Welcome elders, parents, teachers, invited guests and children. For those who do not know my son, his name is Jeremy. Jeremy has been participating in the Aboriginal Head Start program since December 1998. Becoming a parent of the AHS program has been very rewarding for Jeremy and myself. Through Head Start, I am able to see my son`s progress alongside other children. First, I would like to say that AHS allows all children of First Nation ancestry to develop culturally, socially and mentally in a safe and happy environment.

The most important learning tool that AHS has brought to my son is the ability to learn and speak the native language and culture. Twice a week, the children of AHS receive native language lessons by a First Nation instructor. The children also learn to play traditional hand games, sing songs and learn about the Wolf and Crow Clan System.

It is through the AHS classes that my son is able to interact with other children his own age and learn to become outgoing and eager for social play. With the aid of a teacher, Jeremy is able to use a computer to help him learn and understand such things as memory games, puzzles and dinosaurs, just to name a few.

As a parent of the AHS program, I try to ensure that Jeremy receives the full benefits of Head Start by attending regularly. As a result, Jeremy is able to exceed in areas of gross and fine motor, speech and language skills. My son and I have also have the opportunity to nurture long-term friendships with other children and parents within the program. AHS not only promotes cultural learning but it also follows the Canadian and Indian Food Guides and ensures each child is provided with a well-balanced diet.

Finally, I would like to say to those parents who may have children at home to please take advantage of our wonderful Head Start program, offered through the Kwanlin Dun First Nation Health Program. AHS allows children to experience the world outside their homes in a safe and happy environment.

Mussi Cho.
Submitted by Diana Knopp
(adapted from the March 2000 edition of the Kwanlin Dun Newsletter)

BABIES NEED DAD TO BE INVOLVED

New research recognizes the importance of fathers, and the need for him to get involved, as early as during pregnancy, said Jean-François Saucier, a professor of psychiatry at Université de Montréal and child psychiatrist at Ste. Justine Hospital.

"It is important for both parents to exchange their dreams, their fears, and their plans to manage and care for the baby," said Saucier, chairman of the seventh congress of the World Association for Infant Mental Health, held in Montreal in August 2000. New studies show maximum development of the infant brain depends on simultaneous stimulation provided by two adults. Right from birth, the newborn's brain is forced to adapt to two separate individuals and establish a distinct relationship with each which provides a far more complex, stimulating and rich environment.

The congress heard research presented by a team from Lausanne, Switzerland that disputed an old theory that children age two or under could handle only one relationship at a time. "The team discovered that even at two months, the baby is capable of managing a complex triadic relationship, that is, both parents at the same time," Saucier said. The impact of such research is expected to challenge conventional wisdom about the role of the father. Simultaneous interaction and stimulation by both parents is believed to be crucial for a child's later development. "Not only for the intelligence, but even for the emotional and social development. You start right away - in the first week," Saucier said. Social skills, for example, will develop far more quickly with both parents' involvement so that when baby starts child care, "he or she is much less stressed in a strange environment and much less likely to want to stay close to Mommy."

Experts in child development are telling fathers to get involved immediately. However, some mothers are less than impressed. "Sometimes the mothers are scared that fathers aren't skillful enough to physically care for the baby. They'll supervise the father," Saucier said. But it's now well known that there's no such thing as maternal instinct and mothering and fathering are learned en route. "It's an old myth that mothers know (instinctively) how to take care of their babies. It's not true. She has to learn like everybody else with a new thing. And if you're motivated, you learn very quickly." The idea that children need their mothers more than their fathers is based on traditional gender roles, he said. He gave the example of the standard established in 17th-century France by the nobility, and later copied by the lower classes, that children be reared by women only.
The Montreal Gazette August 7, 2000

NATIONAL AHS EVALUATION UPDATE

PROCESS EVALUATION:
All Aboriginal Head Start sites are required to take part in National Program Evaluations. The Process Evaluation gives us information that describes the projects and their activities and provides us with statistics and descriptive information that is useful for program design and improvement, and for policy decisions.

Highlights from the Second National Process Evaluation were presented at the National Training Workshop in Ottawa in October. A report on the findings will be ready in early winter and will be circulated to all AHS sites.

IMPACT EVALUATION:
The other important piece of information we need to know about AHS is "What are the effects of program participation for children, families and communities?" "Is AHS effective in meeting program goals?" Parents, staff and community members need to know that this program is having a positive impact, as well as identifying areas where it is less effective. There is also an obligation for the program to be accountable to the federal government by showing that AHS is a worthwhile investment. The Impact Evaluation will be conducted in a number of representative sites (probably 12), with initial testing starting in fall 2001. The actual sites where the studies will be carried out have yet to be determined.

The Impact Evaluation is designed to demonstrate what the effects of the program are on children's health and other aspects of early childhood development, including school readiness, and to describe the changes parents experience as a result of their participation in the program. Local evaluations, and stories told by parents, staff and other community people tell us that both children and parents are growing in general knowledge, self-esteem and cultural identity. Families are reporting that they are more confident in their parenting skills, and that they notice positive changes in their children's behaviour and development.

Early childhood development receives a lot of attention in the media these days as researchers show the importance of the early years in children's lives. When we demonstrate that AHS is having positive effects on children's development, we are in a better position to secure support for the program from families and from governments. Therefore, it is important that we evaluate the indicators of success that are meaningful to everyone, in a manner that respects the confidentiality and cultural sensitivities of the participants, and that give us powerful evidence of positive changes that can be attributed to program participation. Some of you may have been involved in the community focus groups that took place in 1996, when Aboriginal evaluation consultants visited a number of sites to gather suggestions from community members regarding their perceptions of indicators of success. Their input was very valuable in directing the present evaluation process.

Most demonstrations of the effects of early childhood programs measure capability and progress using testing that appears to be aimed at children with urban, middle-class experiences that do not take into consideration the experiences or values of many Canadian Aboriginal children and their families. The AHS Impact Evaluation will be developing and piloting methods of testing children that will be more relevant to Aboriginal families, and will involve training community members to do the evaluations. The pilot testing will take place in four to eight AHS sites in spring 2001. This is a very complex and exciting project, and we will try to keep you up-to-date on all impact evaluation activities.

We have been very pleased with the support and cooperation of the projects in completing their questionnaires and responding to follow-up questions. The information we gathered from you has been not only interesting, but also valuable to our efforts to build a stronger AHS program. Thank you again, and we will try to give you more time next year!

Lynne Robertson
Evaluation Analyst
National Office

Belated Best Wishes

CONGRATULATIONS to all the children and families that graduated in the 1999-2000 school year. Thanks for all the hard work and dedication of the Aboriginal Head Start staff, parents, children, community members and volunteers involved in the success of the program. The following are a couple of examples of last year's graduating classes:
Mis Ko Mune Dous/Miko Manitosis Inc. "Little Red Spirit" Winnipeg, Manitoba 1999-2000 Head Start Graduation

The children and families from Little Red Spirit AHS successfully completed their fourth school year.

With beaming children and proud parents, Little Red Spirit and their community paraded down West Broadway to march their graduates to higher education halls of learning. They were received by the entire staff and student bodies of their neighbourhood elementary school, Mulvey (Winnipeg School District #1), to celebrate another year of learning. With an exchange of gifts between the Grade 1 students and Little Red Spirit graduates, an Honour Song and a Friendship Dance was held for all to participate. We then returned to Little Red Spirit for our Convocation and Annual Graduation Feast. We at Little Red Spirit are continually learning from our project's success. As we look back starting with just a few people, a positive influence within the community can snowball to where numerous people get involved and share in the experience.

Beauval AHS program Beauval, Saskatchewan 1999-2000 Head Start Graduation

Each year at the end of our preschool program, we close off with a graduation, usually at the end of May. This year graduation was held on May 28 with a total of 13 graduates.

First on the agenda was the Grand March with the children adorned in capes and gowns, followed by presentations of diplomas and gifts. Sweaters were bought by money raised from parents and staff and were given to each child. An AHS logo was imprinted on them for a cute keepsake. Some children were awarded additional gifts for their excellent attendance. A few parents were also presented with special gifts for their contributions through parental involvement.

Closing ceremonies included a play performed by the children, photos, a delicious meal and farewells. Everyone had an enjoyable and commemorative evening.

7 TH STABILIZING INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES CONFERENCE

"LANGUAGES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY"
This series of conferences gives Aboriginal practitioners, scholars and elders opportunities to discuss issues and possibilities for the development of Indigenous languages around the globe. Canadians have been active participants in previous conferences and have greatly benefited from the contact with people of like needs and interests in the past.

Rena Morrison (National Office Senior Program Officer) and three Aboriginal Head Start Culture and Language teachers (urban, rural and northern) represented AHS at the "7th Stabilizing Indigenous Language Conference" in Toronto, May 12-14, 2000. The AHS panel - Connie Gauchier, Peavine (Alberta) AHS site; Isabelle Osawamick, Toronto AHS site; and Rosemarie Meyok, Kugluktuk (Northwest Territories) - along with Rena Morrison, made a presentation entitled "Aboriginal Head Start Sites for the Promotion, Celebration and Retention of Aboriginal Languages." The conference, one of a series, was organized by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). The AHS National Office provided financial support; the conference was successful largely because of the goodwill, expert services and voluntary efforts from many people.

The theme, "Language Across the Community," is important because of the understanding that languages live and grow because of their usage in all aspects of daily living. This conference, which originated in the southwestern United States seven years ago, brought together some 500 participants from Canada, the United States, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Belarus, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.

Resources

Canada's Child Health Record
Canada's Child Health Record (CCHR) is a healthy child development tool for parents which promotes awareness of the importance of a child's good health at an early age and facilitates a process by which information is available to monitor a child's health and development. This resource was developed by Health Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Public Health Association, Canadian Paediatric Society, Canadian Institute of Child Health and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Proctor & Gamble (Pampers brand) recently joined this partnership to provide the corporate funding to support printing and distribution of the CCHR.

The CCHR is a practical cheque-sized booklet that will help parents keep track of information such as the child's birth, growth, development, immunizations, serious injuries and other health and development issues. It will encourage parents' and caregivers' overall responsibility for the record keeping of the children in their care.

The CCHR can be used by parents to share information with health and social services providers about their child's development and health needs. This is especially important for young parents, parents unfamiliar with the health system in Canada and parents who move to a new community.

The CCHR was evaluated through a process that included a review of child records in Canada and internationally; questionnaires to health and social service providers and government representatives; content reviews of the CCHR with parents and health and social service providers; and design reviews with focus groups of parents and health and social service providers.

The CCHR is being distributed to parents of newborn infants in hospital gift packs, and will be available through pediatricians' and physicians' offices. Parents can also obtain copies of the CCHR by calling 1-800-Canada. The CCHR is being made available to community-based programs such as the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, Community Action Program for Children and the Aboriginal Head Start Program. Over 2,000 copies of the CCHR have been distributed by AHS National Office to Aboriginal Head Start sites across the country.

RAINBOW FUN

A physical activity program for young children

What is Rainbow Fun?

1. a ready-made, adult-led, physical activity program for children three years of age or older
2. gives children a complete physical workout in just 20 minutes
3. includes many activities so that a varied program can be introduced

Rainbow Fun is easy to use:

1. requires no program planning
2. comes in a rainbow-coloured binder – folds into a stand-up easel for viewing
3. requires no equipment – can be used indoors and outdoors
4. easy to follow – activities are explained clearly and are demonstrated through photographs

How does Rainbow Fun work?

Rainbow Fun has six sections, one for each colour of the rainbow. Together, they provide a complete physical activity workout.

Red - warm-up and stretch
Orange - heart and lung workout
Yellow - muscle strength
Green - balance and coordination
Blue - cool down
Purple - stretching and relaxation

Why was Rainbow Fun developed?

Today, many things discourage children from being physically active, such as TV, computers, cars, safety issues. In the last 10 years. children have become less active and childhood obesity has doubled. This is a major concern for children's lifelong health. Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, prevents heart and bone disease and enhances children's self-esteem, social skills and academic performance.

Rainbow Fun really gets children moving!

• increases physical activity programming
• helps children gain skills, confidence and improved fitness
• decreases planning time
• improves physical fitness of program leaders

Who is using Rainbow Fun?

Rainbow Fun makes it easy for programmers to include physical activity into a range of settings. Rainbow Fun is being used by organizations such as Boards of Education, the YMCA, municipal Children's Services, and Parks and Recreation Divisions.

Who developed Rainbow Fun?

Toronto Public Health developed the Rainbow Fun concept, and produced the program in partnership with Toronto Parks and Recreation and Halton Region Departments of Health, and Social & Community Services. Margaret Good of the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) provided consultation, advice and technical support.

AHS National Office was able to provide AHS-sponsoring organizations with a copy of the Rainbow Fun guide in September 2000.

KEEPING ACTIVE

Everyone agrees on the importance of physical activity for children, but translating theory into practice can be a problem. Parents and caregivers can play an important role in encouraging a variety of activities that will get kids moving.

Benefits Young children explore the world through their whole body. They naturally want to run and jump, climb and balance. Apart from the obvious health benefits of stronger muscles and denser bones, such activities also improve coordination, making it less likely that children will fall and injure themselves. Being in good physical shape influences mental performance. Studies show that children who are physically active tend to concentrate better and have increased creativity and problem-solving skills. Emotional well-being is also affected. Vigorous exercise helps get rid of tensions resulting from stress or anger, and an improved body image increases self-esteem. When you make activity a family affair, having fun together enhances the bonds between family members.

Barriers Certain elements of modern family life create barriers to getting enough exercise. In many circumstances, parents are afraid to let their children "go out to play" without close supervision. Children in apartment buildings need someone to take them to the park, which may not be near by. Not all child care settings have indoor spaces large enough for running and jumping. Schools, under curriculum pressures, have often reduced the time and resources allocated to quality physical education.

Meanwhile, adults and children spend more time going places in a vehicle instead of walking. In addition, TV, video games and computer games take up more of children's free time. Not only are they not building muscles (other than in their fingers), but they also are frequently snacking on fatty foods while they're sitting there.

Lack of space, equipment, time, money, good weather ("it's too hot/too cold out!") - it takes energy to get past these excuses!

Encouraging activity

Here are a few ways to provide opportunities for children to follow their natural urge to move.

1. Be a positive model by staying active yourself: regular exercise will help reduce your stress level too.
2. Make a family activity out of a game of catch, a bike ride in the neighbourhood, playing tag in the park.
3. Minimize competition. When they lose the game or the race, many children lose their motivation to participate.
4. Provide access to spaces, both indoors and outdoors, with room to move and with play equipment that challenges children at their developmental level.
5. Learn about what activities are appropriate for your children's ages. In general, younger children need less structured activities, played for shorter periods. Older children will appreciate working on the skills and rules of particular games.
6. Allow for children's different interests, talents and rates of development.
7. Use your imagination: an obstacle course in the basement or backyard (overturned chairs, tunnels made from cardboard boxes); a game of catch with bean bags (dried beans in an odd sock, tied off with an elastic).
8. Consider the exercise potential in activities like gardening, shovelling snow and washing the car.
9. Find out about programs available in your neighbourhood: family swim times, kiddy gymnastics, sports programs during school breaks.
10. Choose child care that devotes adequate time and space to developing children's big muscles, not just fine muscle control. This means 30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous play. Pressure your children's school to offer a minimum of 2_ hours a week of quality physical education.
11. Limit time on TV, computer and video games.

Most of all, have lots of fun working up a sweat together.

This resource sheet was developed by the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs and was prepared in part with information from the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

NEW AHS VIDEO AVAILABLE

HEALTH CANADA IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE that a new 23-minute video on the Aboriginal Head Start program, called "Celebrate the Dream," is now available from the National Office. Health Canada, with the support of the National Aboriginal Head Start Committee, felt that the fifth anniversary of AHS (which started in 1995) warranted the production of the video to show potential participants and the general public what the program is about.

Using examples from across the country, "Celebrate the Dream" gives an overview of the Aboriginal Head Start philosophy - one that uses a holistic approach to foster the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical growth of children, and recognizes parents and caregivers as the child's primary and most influential teachers.

CHIKAK communications in Winnipeg, Manitoba was contracted by Health Canada to produce the second AHS video. The video focusses on the best practices of AHS sites. The sites profiled in the video are the Tungasuvvingat Inuit Head Start in Ottawa, Ontario (an urban Inuit site); Four Feathers Head Start in Winnipeg, Manitoba (an urban site serving primarily First Nations children and families); and Buffalo Lake Head Start in Buffalo Lake, Alberta (a northern Métis site). The video also features footage from the 1999 AHS National Training Workshop in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The video was launched at the 2000 AHS National Training Workshop.
Copies of the video are available free from the AHS National Office; contact Program Officer Brad Martin.