New Semester Begins Tuesday, March 1

The spring term kicks off this week and the Early Childhood Club wishes all of its members a very successful semester!

There are some exciting things happening at KCC this month. The new free shuttle bus, which will begin running on the first day of classes, is already creating quite a stir among students, faculty, and staff. A long-awaited service, the shuttle will operate on weekdays between our campus and the local subway station. It will ease overcrowding on city buses, and allow KCC students to get to classes on time much more easily.

Our own Co-Vice President, Doreen Brittingham, was instrumental in helping the dream of a shuttle bus become a reality. She was honored last month with a "MY HERO Award" at the Student Life Conference for her many volunteer hours on this project.

Doreen was one of several KCC students who braved the cold weather to stand on the corner of Brighton Beach Avenue & Coney Island Avenue, counting the numbers of students who boarded city buses after departing the subway station. In one short time period, Doreen recorded that over 800 students required transportation to the campus for the final leg of their commute.

The statistics compiled by Doreen and the other volunteers were vital to the creation of the shuttle bus service, which Dr. Regina Peruggi made one of her first priorities when she became Kingsborough's president last year. The club is very proud of Doreen and all the other KCC students who helped make this wonderful new service possible.

The shuttle bus runs every 15 minutes and is free to all students, staff, and faculty. A KCC photo I.D. is required to board. For more details, please pick up a flyer at the Peer Advisor Booth outside the cafeteria.

Meet The Officers - Part One

The club elected a new slate of officers last month, and we would like to introduce two of them here. Without their hard work and dedication, our club would not be such a success!

Each officer was asked to write a little bit about themselves, including their goals and why they decided to become involved with the club. Our president and treasurer are profiled below, and you will meet our co-vice presidents and co-secretaries in the near future.

President

Hello. My name is Reyna Beth Richman, and I'm 22 years old. I feel that the early childhood community is a stepping stone for everyone's future in the world. Children are humorous, intelligent, sensitive, loving creatures. Our club provides a network for peers that are dedicated to children.

I first learned about the ECE Club when it was discussed in my EDC 20 class last spring, and was eager to be a part of it. I served as club secretary during the fall semester of 2004, and when our outgoing president, Omar Dyer, needed to resign in December (to spend more time with his two young children), I then decided to run for president of the club. I want to share my experiences and goals with other students who plan to have a career with children one day.

I have an outgoing personality, and I like working with people. I chair the monthly meetings, and oversee all of the club's projects and events. I have a lot of new ideas for our club, such providing help sessions for students to work on their portfolios and study together. I think our new portable professional resource library is great, and it was fun to put together.

Our club has several exciting projects planned for the coming spring semester, and I'm proud to be a part of it. I hope to see you at our next meeting!

Treasurer

Hello. My name is Anna Seale, and I'm 27 years old. I was born in Poland, and my major is Educational Studies. I hope to become a history or math teacher one day.

I am delighted to be treasurer of this club. I feel like I am part of a process that is helping to shape and strengthen the future of the education profession.

I enjoy working with numbers, and it is my job to keep track of the club's finances. I handle all of the receipts; place our orders; keep track of deliveries; and make sure we stay within our budget. We have made many wonderful purchases this year to publicize our club, and to help students learn more about the field of early childhood education.

There is a lot of paperwork with this job, but I have a good eye for detail and I enjoy it. The club began with virtually nothing last spring, but now we are well-stocked with supplies and resource materials to fulfill our mission. I am glad to have been a part of that process.

The club is a great way to strengthen my connection to KCC. I staffed our table at the Club Fair last fall, and I'm looking forward to working with all of the other officers on our projects this coming spring!

Brooklyn Reading Council Conference a Huge Success

The Brooklyn Reading Council held its 25th Annual Professional Conference on Friday, February 4th in the MAC Rotunda, and by all accounts it was a huge success. "It was well-organized, informative, and I enjoyed seeing the generations of teachers I will join once I graduate," said Doreen Brittingham, Co-Vice-President of the ECE Club. "I am particularly interested in the topic of struggling readers, since I was one as a child, and the workshop I attended on that issue was great." When asked if the all-day conference (which cost $15 for students) was worth both the time and expense, Ms. Brittingham replied with an enthusiastic, "Yes, yes, yes! I made connections with future peers, and I would definitely go again."

The conference drew a variety of educators from many different types of settings throughout the five boroughs. Public school teachers, day care teachers, reading specialists, college professors, school principals and parent coordinators were all in attendance. Many college students also participated, and KCC students were joined by student teachers from Brooklyn College, St. Joseph's College, and others. There were a variety of vendors displaying children's books, teaching materials, and other professional resources. The conference program contained dozens of workshops to choose from, and upon arrival each participant received a free canvas bag filled with goodies: posters for the classroom, a children's book, a calendar, literacy resources, and writing materials.

There were many opportunities to make connections with other early childhood and elementary school professionals, and there was much lively conversation during the delicious free breakfast and lunch. Our own table included KCC faculty and students, staff from the KCC Child Development Center, and teachers from various parts of Brooklyn.

The keynote address was given by Laura Kotch, Executive Director of Curriculum and Professional Development at the NYC Dept. of Education. A passionate speaker and advocate for early literacy, Ms. Kotch told her rapt audience, "All kids should have the opportunity to fall in love with books, regardless of where they live." Ms. Kotch told many wonderful anecdotes from her own teaching and parenting, and shared her belief that "reading is one of life's greatest pleasures." She believes that "literacy is a key to open the door and touch the lives of the children we teach," and she challenged each of us to "create children who treasure books as much as we do." Ms. Kotch is sensitive to the needs and struggles of today's teachers, but encouraged us "not to get bogged down in paperwork" and to "fight the good fight." Her passion for literacy is readily apparent, as when she described what a classroom library should look like: "It's not just two bookshelves...it's so much more than that. If done well, a classroom library will make your heart skip a beat." Ms. Kotch finished her speech to a well-deserved round of applause, and the conference was off to a terrific start.

If you were unable to attend with us this year, we hope that we will see you next February for the Brooklyn Reading Council Conference! If you want to learn more about teaching reading and developing early literacy, please visit the New York State Reading Association website at www.nysreading.org.

Job Openings in ECE

Are you looking for a job in the field of Early Childhood Education?

There are many positions available for students who are currently pursuing their teaching degrees. Assistant teachers, teacher aides, tutors, and substitute teachers are needed in day care facilities, preschools, after-school programs, and Head Start centers throughout the five boroughs. You do not need your associate's degree to work in these positions, but some college credit and previous experience with young children is desirable.

There are a variety of job openings, including part-time positions, posted on the bulletin board in the waiting area of the ECE faculty suite (room V115). They are sent to the club by the Day Care Council and the Bank Street College Job Placement Office, and are updated monthly. You are welcome to peruse these job listings at any time. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please e-mail us at profnleggio@aol.com. Good luck with your search!