The first years of life are crucial to the health, brain development, and future of a child. Early experiences affect learning as well as social and emotional development crucial to well being and future success. What children know and can do when they start school helps determine their success in the classroom, workplace, and throughout their lives. The Region 2 State Support Team provides support in the areas of regular and special education, focusing on children from birth through age 8, regardless of their educational setting. Professional development and technical assistance are provided to teachers, administrators and parents in school districts, Head Starts, County Boards of Developmental Delay, Help Me Grow and community preschool and child care programs in Erie, Huron and Lorain Counties. These services focus around Ohio’s Early Learning Program Guidelines and the Early Learning Content Standards as well as compliance with state and federal law.
We believe:
Children are competent and resourceful learners;
Children can and do make meaning of complex ideas and concepts;
Children want to and do contribute to their own learning;
Learning takes place through social interaction;
Learning experiences can be tailored for different periods in a child’s life and also for the contribution to the intellectual and social child of the future;
Learning experience can take place in the context of play as well as through structured activities in the hands of competent teachers;
Families have the right to participate in their child’s educational journey;
Families desire to be competent parents;
Families have a right to educational experiences that recognize their cultural, linguistic and racial identity;
Teachers hold a position of power and by sharing the power contribute to the
learning of all;
Teachers grow in confidence and competence through relationships and connections with children, families, peers and community services; and
Teachers, by virtue of their position, have an obligation to do the very best for children within their care.
From: OELSR Early Learning
Program Guidelines
