Community Resource Mapping – Early Childhood
MAEC uses a strengths-based approach because we have learned that often times the best solutions come from within the communities in which our districts/schools reside. These key stakeholders include early childhood providers, districts, schools, communities, and families all who are seeking to improve school readiness. To this end, MAEC conducts community walks and community resource mapping to identify potential partners and allies for effective and efficient delivery of early childhood services.
Comprehensive Needs Assessment – Early Childhood
Beginning with a disaggregated data analysis of school readiness, program quality indicators, and demographic information, MAEC is able to effectively determine client strengths and areas of need. This collaborative inquiry approach enables MAEC to examine multiple sources of data. Using a culturally responsive and equity framework, further creates opportunities to develop operational action plans to tackle complex challenges that pose barriers to gains in early childhood.
Culturally Responsive Family, School, and Community Engagement – Early Childhood
A family is a child’s first teacher. When families’ partner with early childhood centers, schools, and community organizations, children thrive. To produce the best results for children, MAEC builds the capacity of families, early childhood providers, schools, and community organizations to collaborate, exchange ideas, and develop and implement policies and action plans. We build on the collaborative strengths of families, educators and early childhood providers so they can each contribute to the development and success of diverse young children.
Culturally Responsive Leadership – Early Childhood
Leaders set the tone and expectations of any organization. They do this by responding effectively to the diverse communities that they serve, being asset-focused, and proactive problem solvers. Culturally responsive leadership technical assistance provides a multi-dimensional framework that builds capacity of early childhood leaders who are culturally informed and highly skilled in culturally responsive practice.
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy – Early Childhood
Culturally responsive pedagogy is a method and practice of teaching in which early childhood educators and providers build on the assets that their children and families bring into the classroom. As the populations of our students grow more diverse, early childhood educators and providers must be better prepared to respond to their needs. This requires a greater understanding and knowledge of their students’ communities’ culture, strengths, and socio-political contexts. With this practice, childcare centers and schools can become hubs of learning focused on the well being of the children and families being served.
Policy & Procedural Reviews – Early Childhood
In educational systems, policies and procedures often inform practice. However, some policies or procedures may have unintended consequences when implemented that serve to further silo organizational efforts to close opportunity gaps. To address this challenge, MAEC provides state departments, districts, early childhood centers, schools, and organizations with policy and procedural reviews to ensure they are equitable, effective, and comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.