EcoLand Early Learning Center Provides Hands On Discovery and Engagement

Attention Region 7 Kindergarten Teachers!

Region 7 ESC is excited about a new no-cost opportunity available to young students in the region.  EcoLand is currently open to PreK/ Headstart teachers, however, in the fall of 2015 the center will also host Kindergarten classes.  

EcoLand Early Learning Center is an early childhood learning center located in the city of Kilgore and is available for use by Region 7 teachers.  The center features nine multi-sensory interactive learning centers where children are able to learn about the earth through investigation.  

EcoLand’s exhibits are equipped with activities designed to prepare students for higher level critical thinking that is crucial in the classroom.  

An Ecoland Teacher certification is required prior to students attending in the 2015-2016 school year.  The certification training is currently available online: Click here to register today!

To learn more about the EcoLand experience click here, or for more information, contact:

Amber Johnston

Elementary ELA Specialist

Region 7 Education Service Center

1909 North Longview Street

Kilgore, Texas 75662

Phone: (903) 988-6817 ajohnston@esc7.net

More than Half of U.S. Public School Students Live in Low-income Households

An article written by Rebecca Klein this month, states that for the first time in the history of our country, more than half of U.S. public school students live in low-income households, according to a new analysis from the Southern Education Foundation.

"Overall, 51 percent of U.S. schoolchildren came from low-income households in 2013, according to the foundation, which analyzed data from National Center for Education Statistics on students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. Eligibility for free or subsidized lunch for students from low-income households serves as a proxy for gauging poverty, says the foundation, which advocates education equity for students in the South.

Preparing for instruction with children in poverty requires special considerations.  

Why not consider a book study on this critical topic:

"Teaching with Poverty in Mind" Online Book Study

"Teaching with Poverty in Mind" by Eric Jensen, a veteran educator and brain expert, takes an unflinching look at how poverty hurts children, families, and communities. This book demonstrates how schools and teachers can improve the academic achievement and life readiness of students who are under-resourced.  View session #044572, which starts in April.

“No longer can we consider the problems and needs of low income students simply a matter of fairness," the report says. "... Their success or failure in the public schools will determine the entire body of human capital and educational potential that the nation will possess in the future."