NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development Shares Expertise with Fellow South Florida Educators

Research has demonstrated that children clearly benefit from top-quality, early childhood programs, providing better outcomes both socially and academically. However, state-funded prekindergarten programs in Florida rank in the bottom 30% nationally for quality by the National Institute of Early Education Research. The A.D. Henderson Foundation and Nova Southeastern University’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development (MSC) are working together to change that.

Under a two-year grant from the Foundation, MSC launched the Innovative Instructional Institute (i3) community outreach initiative to help address this educational disparity. “It is well documented that children who start kindergarten behind their peers academically and socially experience compounding challenges that prevent them from catching up,” said Lorraine Breffni, Ed.D., executive director, Early Learning Programs, MSC.

Over the initial year of the i3 project, MSC ‘s lead teaching staff provided in-depth training to Jack & Jill Children’s Center lead instructors on how to create meaningful learning experiences using open-ended natural and found resources.

In addition, monthly training was held at MSC’s i3 – a specially-designed training environment. A key element covered how to implement the Constructivist Approach in early childhood classrooms. Mentors at MSC were paired with mentees at Jack & Jill to implement these techniques. They also focused on the following:

• How to ask questions to encourage children’s learning,
• How to add “invitations” in the classroom that ignite children’s curiosity, and
• How to create a community of learners where teachers wonder and learn alongside children.

Now, in the second year under the grant, the impact is expanding. The lead Jack & Jill and MSC teachers have teamed up as peer mentors in at least 16 community-based, early childhood programs in Broward County.

Breffni added, “Sharing our expertise as a team will surely benefit a large number of South Florida preschoolers. We are so thankful to the A.D. Henderson Foundation for supporting this outreach effort.”

“We support programs to improve early childhood education in Broward County,” said Monica Menahem,  program director, A.D. Henderson Foundation. “One of the best ways we can do that is by funding high-quality teacher training through grants like this one with MSC.”

Please contact Nathalie Sloane, director of development, Nova Southeastern University, to further contribute to programs like these. Sloane can be reached at nsloane@nova.edu or 954-262-7123.