Professor Michael Gerber and alumna Jamie Stratford of The Gevirtz School at UC Santa Barbara discuss Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool on Channel 8’s Line to Learning with Debby Davison

Professor Michael Gerber, Chair of the Department of Education, and Jamie Stratford, graduate of the Teacher Education Program at the Gevirtz School at UC Santa Barbara, discuss Reggio Emilia approach preschool on Cox Channel 8’s Line to Learning with Debby Davison. The show will air on Cox 8 daily at 7:30 pm and again on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:30 pm from November 17 through November 30.

The fee-based, preschool program is open to children ages 3-5 and priority is be given to families living in the Harding School neighborhood and to employees of the Santa Barbara School District. The program follows the acclaimed Reggio Emilia approach that provides highly engaging and student-centered learning. Jamie Stratford, M.Ed. and teaching credential, UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, is the teacher. The program also features healthy and nutritious meals from Harding School’s site-based, zero-waste cafeteria.

The preschool is one part of the Harding Early Childhood Initiative (HECI). The HECI is a partnership among multiple stakeholders committed to narrowing the achievement gap by developing high quality early learning experience in preschool through second grade. Members of the partnership include teachers, parents, community members, the principal, Santa Barbara School Districts administrators, professors and the dean from the Gevirtz School. Working together since spring of 2005, HECI has initiated new programs at Harding School. For example, the Bialis Family Foundation provided funding for a new separate preschool/ kindergarten playground where students develop social skills and emotional regulation through participation in developmentally-appropriate and structured outdoor curriculum. Through HECI, the GGSE has become a significant partner by providing direct support to classrooms. The HECI vision includes an early childhood major at UCSB with Harding as a lab school.

[Michael Gerber and Jamie Stratford are available for interviews; contact George Yatchisin at 805 893 5789]
– end –

School-wide Links
Courses Apply	Computing Contact

News

Professor Michael Gerber and alumna Jamie Stratford of The Gevirtz School at UC Santa Barbara discuss Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool on Channel 8’s Line to Learning with Debby Davison