Highlighted Training Topics

 Planning learning experiences that are grounded in children’s authentic interests and developmental needs is essential for the success of all early childhood classrooms.  In this 5-hour training, participants will engage in interactive discussions and hands-on activities that help them to understand the need for consistent and authentic observation of the children in their classrooms.  Throughout this course participants will follow planning cycle starting with the most important step of making objective observations.  From here, participants will learn to document their observations, and will use their observations to plan engaging learning experiences for the children in their classroom.  

 Early childhood theorists Piaget, Erikson and Vygotsky emphasized the importance of play in supporting children’s development. Research tells us that young children learn best in an active, hands-on and “minds on” environment that provides them with developmentally appropriate materials, activities, and quality interaction with others[1]. Interesting and engaging learning centers within early childhood classrooms provide children with creative play opportunities. These learning centers can serve to support children’s language development, problem-solving skills, social and emotional skills. Set up appropriately, learning centers provide each child with the opportunity to work at his/her developmental level and to be successful.

In this 5-hour training, participants will explore the value of learning centers in the preschool classroom, discuss ways in which learning centers should be created, maintained and adjusted according to the interests of the children, identify developmentally appropriate materials that should be included in centers and the role of the educator in observing, documenting and creating learning centers.

[1] NAEYC. (2016). A high-quality program for your preschooler. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/high-quality-program-for-preschooler.

The Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool, or "TPOT™", was developed by The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) and The Technical Assistance Center on the Social-Emotional Interventions for Young Children (TACSEI).  The TPOT(add TM) is an instrument to measure practitioners' implementation of teaching and behavior support practices associated with the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social and Emotional Competence of Young Children (as cited in the TPOT™ for Preschool Classrooms Manual,  2014).

In this training, participants will be introduced to the TPOT™ Observation Tool for Preschool Classrooms. 

In this 1.5 - 2 hour workshop, participants will reflect on children’s social and emotional learning, explore the Pyramid Model by Tiers, participate in reflection activities for each Tier, and set goals based upon these reflections. Following this section, the presenter will explain the observation process, interview with the teaching team and the follow up coaching session. 

Any early educator can share stories of the multitude of challenges throughout a young child's day in an early education and care environment.  Many factors can contribute to challenging behavior and interactions with other children and staff, including children's developmental levels, environmental factors, family dynamics, and unique child needs.  And yet, "children need to feel that they belong in the classroom—and it is incumbent upon their teachers to make them feel welcome and safe. As early childhood educators, we are perfectly situated to give children the caring support they need to see themselves as worthwhile and capable of loving, being loved, and being successful in school and in life."[1](Edge, 2019)

This five-hour training will address a broad scope of how educators can support children who find particular challenges in an early learning environment.  In this widely encompassing training, educators will affirm a commitment to building supportive and nurturing learning environments and identify concrete strategies to apply to their work with children, families, and colleagues.  

"What’s Love Got to Do with It? Relationships and Reflection in Early Childhood Programs", Edge, E.E. (2019). Young Children, NAEYC.

[1] "What’s Love Got to Do with It? Relationships and Reflection in Early Childhood Programs", Edge, E.E. (2019). Young Children, NAEYC.