We're partnering with fabulous trainers to provide some really great information for those of you who work with children in Head Start, ECEAP and childcare.
Each course will be a deep dive - 10 hours of instruction over 4-5 days in a single week.
You can register a la carte for individual classes, or for a package! STARS credit and clock hours available for everything.
Limited scholarships available too!
Purposeful Interactions through Play-Based Learning
Presenter: Patti Jo Wilson, Ron Mohl Lakeshore
Date/Time: 8:30-10:30 June 15-19 (10 hours total)
The importance of play for a child’s healthy development is grounded in a strong body of research. In this webinar, we will dive into the research to gain a clearer understanding of how play promotes cognitive, physical, social and emotional development in children. We will learn how to effectively plan and promote intentional play activities to allow children the opportunities to spark their curiosity. Powerful interactions, expanded feedback, and using juicy words do not just happen. As teachers, we must become facilitators who encourage children to expand their learning. We will define the components of high-quality language modeling and identify ways that teachers can use self and parallel talk, open-ended questions, expansion/extension, and use of advanced language while being an intentional partner in play.
As teachers, we must become facilitators who encourage children to expand their learning. Teachers who intentionally plan concepts that are interesting and allow children to experiment and explore their environments not only deepen their learning but also expand their world. We will discuss ways to promote students’ higher order thinking skills through intentional play by providing opportunities for children to use analysis, reasoning, and creativity when solving problems. We will also learn ways to connect concepts across activities to bring concepts to life and allow children to apply them to the real-world or their own life.
Day 1-2: ECERS-3 Overview; Best Practices in the Classroom
Day 3: Diving Deeper into Language Modeling through Intentional Play
Day 4: Diving Deeper into Concept Development through Intentional Play
Day 5: Diving Deeper into Quality of Feedback through Intentional Play
Relationships and Resilience! Understanding the Neuroscience of Trauma and ACE’s to Build Healthy Children, Families and Communities.
Presenter: Mary Virginia Maxwell, M.Ed., LMHC
Date/Time: 2:30-4:30pm, June 22-26 (10 hours total)
Science tells us that children exposed to multiple adversities, both in their home and in their neighborhood, have a far greater likelihood of challenges later in life. Science also tells us the more healthy relationships a child has the more likely he will be to recover and thrive. In this interactive training we will learn how early experiences affect the development of brain architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. We will discuss the impact of trauma, toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences on behavior and the ability to form trusting relationships.
By examining the toxic stress response, and how it differs from two other stress responses, positive and tolerable, we will learn techniques and strategies for how the toxic stress response can be prevented or even reversed.
Finally, we know during this unique time of the COVID 19 pandemic our families are experiencing high levels of stress and profound adversity. It is literally a different world for many of us. We will explore specific tools to help children cope and develop resilience. And we will emphasize compassion and focus on our own self care so we can intentionally show up to buffer adversity and boost resilience.
“Relationships matter: the currency for systemic change was trust, and trust comes through forming healthy working relationships. People, not programs, change people.”
Bruce D. Perry, M.D. Ph. D. Child Trauma Academy
Family Financial Coaching: Debt and Credit
Presenter: Devin Stubblefield
Date/Time: 2:30-4:30pm, June 15-19 (10 hours total)
ECEAP and Head Start/EHS family advocates and home visitors will be faced with a host of challenges when our families return in the fall, and understanding how to coach parents and grandparents on financial goals and setbacks is challenging at the best of times. This course will give you the tools to help families navigate this complicated system and emerge stronger.
The following topics are covered in this training:
- Financial Psychology and the Post Pandemic New Normal
- Loans and Debt – The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
- The Credit Profile and Modern-Day Creditworthiness
Participants will be introduced to financial competencies for each topic and will engage in facilitated discussion to foster familiarity and applicability during conversations with families. The application of the financial content in this course is centered around events that could have a major impact on family financial wellbeing that they may already be experiencing or anticipate experiencing going forward.
The curriculum for this customized course is curated from the financial content of the National Financial Educators Council (NFEC). The NFEC financial literacy curriculum and presentations are engaging and fun, yet also meets the Framework for Teaching Personal Finance guidelines – a research-based set of components is aligned with INTASC standards. This programming has been widely recognized for its ability to connect with students and inspire participants of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds to take positive financial action.
Developing Language and Literacy Skills in Young Children
Presenter: Cathy Cole, ECE Consultant
Date/Time: 2:00-4:00pm, June 15-19 (10 hours total)
Early childhood teachers play a key role as children develop language and literacy skills. In this course participants 1) become familiar with each of the components of language and literacy development; 2) develop an understanding of how to implement effective strategies to support language and literacy development in young children and; 3) learn how to intentionally and purposefully plan language and literacy learning for each classroom area (including outdoors), during individual and group activities and within daily routines. Through a variety of teaching approaches participants will gain insights that will be of immediate, practical use in their preschool classrooms.
Exploring Nature-Based Learning
Presenters:Region 10 TTA Network ECS Trainers: Katy Keehn & Amy Lomanto
Date/Time: 8:30-11:00am, June 22, 23, 25,26 (10 hours total)
During this virtual workshop, we’ll explore why nature-based learning is so important for young children in supporting school readiness, positive child outcomes and a love for the outdoor world. Using the latest information from the Head Start National Centers, we’ll spend time planning creatively to promote nature-based learning, exploring resources & materials to use in indoor & outdoor classrooms and reflecting on our current practices – challenges and successes.
Focus will include:
· An understanding of the current research regarding the benefits of outdoor play and time spent in nature.
· An exploration of how we can best prepare outdoor spaces that promote play, movement, and investigation of the natural world.
· An awareness of our roles in supporting unstructured/child-initiated play as well as structured/teacher guided play in nature.
· An investigation of how each early learning domain can be integrated into our lesson plans to support nature-based learning.
Join us as we discover all that nature has to offer – both for ourselves as teachers and learners, and for our children as explorers and adventurers.
Mind in the Making
Presenters: Debra Shope, M.A. & Brenda Hoge, M.Ed
Date/Time: 11:30am-1:30pm, June 22-26 (10 hours total)
If someone offered you a large marshmallow and told you that you could have more if you waited, would you be able to wait? Well, that is exactly what some scientists did with children in an experiment designed to measure how self-control contributes to future successful outcomes for children. Want to learn more? Then join us at Summer Institute and ensure to register for Mind in the Making (MITM). This training shows what caregivers can do to strengthen the seven essential life skills every child needs-Focus and self-control, perspective taking, communicating, making connections, critical thinking, taking on challenges, and self-directed, engaged learning. These skills have been linked to success in school and life and have been shown to be more important than IQ for future success. Join us for a training where we will give you specific activities that you can use to promote these skills in children so they can thrive!
Supporting Dual Language Learners and their Families
Presenters: Region 10 T&TA Network ECS Trainers: Yvonne Burke, Catherine Dennis, and Jenn Morejohn
Date/Time: 11:30am-2:00pm, June 22, 23, 25,26 (10 hours total)
During this course, participants will explore the foundational aspects of supporting Dual Language Learners and their families as we consider cultural humility and perspectives in caregiving. We will also highlight the research and benefits of multilingualism as a gift in a child’s learning and development and explore how program staff might utilize resources such as the Multi-Cultural Principles and the Big 5 within the Planned Language Approach to support DLLs and their families. This course is primarily focused on direct service staff who provide support to dual language learners and their families.
Classroom Management 101
Presenter: Tim Andrews, M.S.
Date/Time: 11:00am-1:00pm, June 15-19 (10 hours total)
In these fun and engaging webinars, we will examine the Pyramid Model, or Early Childhood Positive Behavior Supports. We will discuss strategies that serve to prevent challenging behavior in many of our early childhood environments as well as skills we can teach to children that serve to replace challenging behaviors. We will also look at strategies that can be used to support families and caregivers. This class will offer time for staff to action plan and consider changes for their environments. This class is appropriate for those who work in environments that serve children ages 3-5. Participants will leave with an understanding of challenging behavior and strategies and supports that reduce and prevent challenging behavior in the first place as well as an action plan for their environments.
Striving for Equity in Early Learning Amidst Covid-19
Presenter: Deborah Northern, M.Ed.
Date/Time: 8:30-10:30am, June 22-26 (10 hours total)
The field of Early Learning is a critical part of the education system that has been impacted significantly by Covid-19. As programs work to ‘re-assemble’ their services and systems, both challenges and opportunities manifest. Covid-19 has exposed and illuminated systemic inequities within our education systems on many levels. How might we take advantage of the programmatic and systemic disruption caused by Covid-19? How might we re-examine and shift our practices and procedures to ensure during this time and moving forward, children and families feel a sense of compassion, connection and care? In this research-based and engaging session, the focus will not be on Covid-19 itself but more importantly its impact on children, families and communities particularly those who have been historically oppressed, marginalized and disenfranchised. Session activity and discussion will utilize a racial equity lens to center a focus on unique and creative strategies and approaches to support parent/child relationships, family engagement and community partnerships during these current times and beyond.
And many thanks to our sponsor, Lakeshore Learning!
