Bank Street’s Getting Ready for Pre-K

Submitted by Elizabeth McKenna ’05

July 25, 2014

This summer I am delighted to have been selected to participate in Getting Ready for Pre-K: An Institute for Educators, a groundbreaking opportunity for early childhood educators. The New York City Department of Education and Bank Street College are partnering in the rollout of a teacher training program for educators involved in the Universal Pre-K Initiative.

Over the past two days, Early Childhood educators, many of us who have a current or past affiliation with Bank Street College, gathered together for the first of two facilitator trainings led by Bank Street’s program developers, Nancy Nager and Nancy Gropper. The Dean of the Graduate School Virginia Roach welcomed us and shared her excitement. She expressed her appreciation for everyone’s time and expertise.

Educators, CBO directors, DOE employees, and many more, expressed their joy and excitement over the initiative and were thrilled to be part of the cohort who will implement the curriculum,

The facilitator guide focuses on the importance of welcoming the child and family to their new school setting, while supporting the needs of the individual child in the opening weeks of school.  Upon conclusion of the second facilitator training session on August 4^th and 5^th, 80 early childhood leaders will have been trained and ready to implement the Institute’s curriculum helping teachers across the city learn to develop a high quality prekindergarten leaning environment.

Bank Street’s commitment to play-based education remains paramount. What a unique and potentially transformative time for the schools, families and communities to celebrate the full potential of the four-year-old child.