November 20, 2020 Tuition-Free Courses Available for ECE Professionals Are you an early learning professional who is interested in earning an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or Child Development Certificate? No- and low-cost options are available for eligible professionals in Pennsylvania through the Professional Development Organization (PDO). Professional Development Organization The Professional Development Organization (PDO) is a grant-funded educational collaboration among four universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and numerous partner universities, colleges, and community programs across the state to advance the career pathways of the early childhood workforce. PDO funding covers tuition, expenses, and other supports to help eligible early childhood educators earn credit-bearing credentials and degrees. Tuition-Free Courses Tuition-free courses are eligible for early childhood professionals who: are Pennsylvania residents, work in a Keystone STARS program, and work a minimum average of 25 hours per week over an entire work year (during non-COVID times). To determine your eligibility, complete the online application. Once your eligibility is confirmed, a PDO Liaison from your region will contact you to discuss your professional development options. Available Pathways The following pathways are available to advance your academic and professional development: Child Development Associate Certificate (CDA) Associate’s Degree, Early Childhood Education Bachelor’s Degree, Early Childhood Education Steps To Take If you are interested in taking advantage of this limited-time opportunity, complete these three steps: Apply for Tuition Assistance Complete the application. Once submitted, an ECE Liaison will contact you to confirm your eligibility for tuition assistance, guide you through the application at a PDO partner university, college, or program, and help you register for classes. Be sure to check your spam folder as it may contain an email from your ECE Liaison. Apply to a Partner School or Program Before you apply to a school, be sure to speak with an ECE Liaison who can help you navigate any fees that may be waived. Among the supports available to students is a free 24/7 tutoring service. View the full list of partner schools and programs. Register for Classes Class offerings at all schools and programs may change each semester. Check with an ECE Liaison or the school for details. View this document for examples of available classes. More Information For more information, contact Mimi Loughead at mimi@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
September 18, 2020 What We Can Learn from Children About Mindfulness Are you interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how to practice mindfulness together with young children? Join Gryphon House on October 14 for their webinar, “What We Can Learn from Children About Mindfulness to Transform Our Learning Environments.” About During this webinar, Dr. Elizabeth Joy Erwin, Professor of Education at Montclair State University, will discuss why we have so much to learn from children, especially the youngest ones; how to develop and maintain a culture of mindfulness; and simple mindfulness practices to engage in starting now. By discovering how to integrate simple ideas and practical strategies to calm the body and quiet the mind, educators can select the exact tools they want to ensure all children learn and thrive. This webinar is best suited for PreK-5 teachers, librarians, therapists, and school and district leaders. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
English Learners: Strategies for Digital Learning Are you interested in learning digital learning strategies to support English Learners in your online classroom? Join Digital Promise on September 30 for their webinar, “English Learners: Strategies for Digital Learning and the Language of Academic Content.” About During this webinar, speakers will share research-based learning strategies and supports that address learner variability, the shift to digital, and the specific challenges and opportunities for English Learners. Additionally, speakers will: provide a framework for teaching the language of content, with a focus on math and science examples; examine how to translate word walls, manipulatives, sentence frames, and many other research-based strategies to a digital-learning environment; highlight the importance of family-teacher-student partnerships that help learning happen; and explore research-based factors of learning that have an impact on all English learners. This webinar is best suited for K-12 teachers and administrators, especially those who teach English Learners; instructional coaches; ELS coordinators; EdTech coordinators; and other school and district leaders. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
August 24, 2020 Early Childhood Garden Education Program Available Interested in integrating garden and cooking activities into its classroom curriculum? Submit your application today for Grow Pittsburgh and the Sampson Foundation’s Early Childhood Garden Education Program. About Grow Pittsburgh and the Sampson Foundation are offering an Early Childhood Garden Education Program for early childhood centers across the Pittsburgh region. Gardens are outdoor classrooms that are adaptable to most play yards and are designed to fit the space and needs of each center. The program will integrate garden and cooking activities into the classroom curriculum to support the development and education of the whole child. The partnership aims to support educators in teaching their students how to grow, cook, and eat fresh food while celebrating the cultures and experiences of their families and city. To learn more about the program, view the full description. Eligibility To be eligible for this program, early childhood centers must: complete and submit the application (parts 1-6, including photos); be located in Allegheny County; be an early childhood facility (includes: family, group, and center) licensed in Pennsylvania; have at least five organized and motivated people in your garden leadership group (can include staff and parents, but must include at least three teachers interested in supporting the program), exceptions made for smaller facilities; have signatures of support from both the director and head custodian; have a sustainable site for gardening on the property that gets at least six hours of sunlight a day with supporting photos for the completion of Part 3 (Grow Pittsburgh can provide support); have enrollment that includes at least 50 percent of children receiving subsidized funds through CCIS, CACFP, Head Start, or Pre-K Counts. If your program doesn’t meet these criteria, please submit as much information as possible and program hosts will work to help you in alternative ways. Submit An Application To apply, complete and submit the application. Applications can be submitted via email at victoria@growpittsburgh.org or postal mail at: Grow Pittsburgh 6587 Hamilton Ave #2W Pittsburgh, PA 15206 More Information For general application questions and assistance, please contact Victoria Thurmond at 678.977.9389 or victoria@growpittsburgh.org.
August 19, 2020 Virtual Back to Out-of-School-Time Conference Join Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School-Time (APOST) from August 24–September 10, 2020 for their Virtual Back to Out-of-School-Time Conference! About Over a period of three weeks, the Virtual Back to Out-of-School-Time Conference will offer relevant workshops to assist professionals in continuing to provide high-quality programming for youth during this challenging time. This Conference is open to any youth practitioner who desires to increase their skills in working with youth in out-of-school-time programs or mentoring relationships. If there is a workshop that you would like to attend but are not able to due to schedule conflicts, recordings and resources for all workshop offerings will be available for at least one month after all of the workshops have concluded. Available Workshops A Summer in Review: Conducting In-Person Programming in the Foreseeable Future Monday, August 24 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Wellness for Black Young People in a Racist Society during COVID-19 Tuesday, August 25 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. How to Handle Your Workforce Post COVID-19? – Organizational Skill Gaps with Leaner Staffing Wednesday, August 26 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Outdoor STEM in an Online Classroom Thursday, August 27 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. Keeping Kids Entertained and Learning During COVID-19 and Beyond Friday, August 28 | 1 – 2 p.m. Engaging Your Students with Project-Based Learning Online Monday, August 31 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. What You Need to Know about the Current Pandemic Tuesday, September 1 | 1 – 2 p.m. Lessons Learned: OST in the Virtual Space and Zoom into Hands-On Learning Wednesday, September 2 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Increasing Program Enrollment by Advertising on the Allegheny County Child Care Finder Thursday, September 3 | 1 – 2 p.m. Deep and Simple Interactions in OST Virtual Programming and Yes, And’ing a Virtually New Normal Tuesday, September 8 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. PBS 101 Middle School Track Wednesday, September 9 | 1 – 2 p.m. Making Academic Content Exciting with Narrative Games Thursday, September 10 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Registration To view all workshop descriptions and register, visit the full Conference Agenda. Registration links will be included at the bottom of each event description. More Information For questions, contact Jaron Paul via email at jaron.paul@unitedwayswpa.org.
June 19, 2020 Adaptive Dance | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Hosted by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Adaptive Dance is an online class series intended for children ages six and up with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or other sensory sensitivities. About The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) emphasizes creative movement principles and modified ballet technique in a welcoming and structured studio environment. Classes are taught by PBT School instructors experienced in adaptive dance and are limited to 15 students. Live music/percussion accompany each class. Caregivers may observe and/or participate in classes if they wish. This class is for children ages six and up. All classes will be held on Zoom. Each student that registers for the entire semester will also receive an adaptive dance kit to bring even more of the studio experience to their home. Session costs five dollars each or you can buy purchase all six sessions for 25 dollars. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre website. More Information For questions about the class or registration, email accessibility@pittsburghballet.org. Share this flyer with your network.
April 24, 2020 Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms Are you looking to better understand and embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches in your early learning classroom? Join Iheoma U. Iruka, Stephanie M. Curenton, and Kerry-Ann Escayg on April 28 for their webinar “Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms.” About In this webinar, the lead authors of “Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms” call all early education professionals to lean in as “sheroes” and “heroes” in the lives of children. The goal of this webinar is to ensure that participants understand and embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches by creating affirming culturally-rich classroom environments that protect children from psychological trauma and heals them from the inside out. Participants will learn how institutional racism is visited in the early childhood space and the roles of implicit bias, microaggression, and white privilege in undermining the excellence and learning of minoritized Black and brown children and for those who teach them. Participants will also learn about several tools and strategies. This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through elementary teachers, school and district leaders, coaches, trainers, and child care providers, owners, and administrators. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
April 20, 2020 STEM Activities for Toddlers | Webinar STEM Activities for Toddlers is a live, interactive webinar that explores ways to incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts into the toddler classroom. The course will discuss hands-on activities, including time outside to learn ways to weave in environmental science. About the STEM Webinar Two PQAS hours will be offered. Participants are expected to fully participate with their digital device microphones and cameras on. This is not a log-in and leave event. Arriving 15 minutes late may result in no credit for the session. Please note, no refunds will be provided for cancellation or no show. Learning Objectives of The STEM Webinar Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to: identify the elements of STEM; explain why STEM is important in the toddler classroom; and implement activities that incorporate multiple elements of STEM. Available Date To access this course, use the link below or enter the event ID on the Pennsylvania PD Registry website. May 1, 2020 | 2 – 4 p.m. | Event ID: 312719 More Information For questions, please contact Karen Rucker at 717.314.8368 or krucker@respectingchildren.com. For more events like this, click here. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key
March 9, 2020 Interviews with Ms. Barb and Families at the Frank Sarris Library Prior to the start of the Washington County Focus Week (March 9 – 13, 2020), Trying Together visited staff, families, and young children at the Frank Sarris Public Library in Canonsburg for a reading of Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.” At the event, library staff member Barbara Somma, aka Ms. Barb, led children and their caregivers through a series of activities, including fingerplays, dances, and a Dr. Seuss themed craft. The classroom included creative play items for the children as well, including a puppet show theater, “grocery market,” books, legos, and more. After the class, Trying Together had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Barb and two participating caregivers, Karen and Kim. Featured below are our questions and each interviewees’ responses. Interviews Barbara Somma, Class Teacher Barbara Somma, or as the children call her, “Ms. Barb,” brightens the day of each child and caregiver who attends her classes. Having a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Special Education under her belt, Ms. Barb spent the last 10 years as a dedicated staff member at the Frank Sarris Public Library. If you stop by the Library, you can catch Ms. Barb leading Storytime, Little Picassos, Wiggles and Giggles, and the Summer Reading Camp! Odds are, she will have a crowd of young children giggling and following her happily! What programming does Frank Sarris Library provide for young children and families? The Frank Sarris Library offers a plethora of programming for children and families! Monday through Friday, we have activities geared towards preschool level children like storytime, yoga storytime, art, and a class called Wiggles and Giggles that is focused on body movement. During the month of July, we also offer a Summer Reading Camp for children in Kindergarten through fourth grade that includes creative themes like Fairytale Science, Mysical Beasts, and Magic School. They’re all meant to spark each child’s imagination. We offer services all throughout the year though, including books for readers of all ages, creative “Grable Kits,” several e-resources, and more. How can caregivers make literacy experiences meaningful for their young children? I think by just reading to your children all of the time. Read for 20 minutes a day, every day with your children. As a mother of two, I would always read a couple books with them right before bed. It’s also important to get a library card! They’re free and the library has tons of free resources for young children and families. Why do you feel early childhood development is so important for young children? Early childhood development is the basis for everything a child needs in life! Children learn from meaningful experiences and repetition. As adults, we need to make sure we are providing the time and patience for those experiences! How do you see your role at the Frank Sarris Library supporting early childhood development in your community? I think my role is really important here at the Frank Sarris Library. We serve many families and it’s important that we provide children with safe places to go. All of the staff here at the Library serve as role models within the community. However, our Library is an untapped resource. There are so many services that community members could benefit from if they stopped by. Karen and Granddaughter Ellie How did you like today’s event? What piqued your interest in attending? Everything Ms. Barb does is truly amazing. I’ve been coming here for seven and a half years and I’ve brought all of my grandchildren. I was interested in attending because I wanted to make sure my grandchildren had social interactions with young children, and Ms. Barb allows the children to have these great social experiences! By coming here, my grandchildren have learned language concepts and vocabulary. Ms. Barb is so dynamic. She exudes engaging and creative energy in everything she does! What’s your favorite book to read to your child? Why? Ellie doesn’t have a favorite book, she really just loves to read! She is very into the alphabet right now! Kim and Grandson How did you like today’s event? What piqued your interest in attending? Ms. Barb is great! Attending this program is the best thing I have done with my grandson! We heard about the children’s programs here through word of mouth. We have been attending since he was about six months old. We love Ms. Barb’s music and freeze dancing! What’s your favorite book to read to your child? He loves reading Elmo and Mini Mouse right now! More Information This session was one of many free services that the Frank Sarris Public Library provides, with options available for learners of all ages. To learn more about their services, visit the Frank Sarris Public Library website! To learn more about the Washington County Focus Week, read our news post!
January 15, 2020 Breastfeeding Class Are you interested in learning more about breastfeeding? Attend Breastfeeding Classes at The Midwife Center for Birth & Women’s Health in Pittsburgh! About Whether this is your first baby or you have breastfed before, if you want to learn more about the new information available about breastfeeding, join The Midwife Center for their fun, informal classes. Partners are encouraged to attend, as well as any other family members. Classes designed for women who are between the 33rd and 37th week of pregnancy. Classes will feature information on: breast care and problems; positioning and latch-on; how often and how long to nurse; how to determine if your baby is getting enough; pumping and storing milk; and more! Registration To register for a Breastfeeding Class, download the Class Registration Form or call 412.321.6880. Please note that a scholarship fund is available for people who meet the income requirements. More Information For more information, visit The Midwife Center website.
