News

March 14, 2023

Gee Whiz Education Providing Free Onboarding Training for Product Users

Gee Whiz Education, a family child care curriculum company, is providing free onboarding training to product users.

Offered through a series of recorded webinars, training is available on YouTube and continually accessible to child care providers who use Gee Whiz Education.

Each webinar is 30 minutes, and providers have the opportunity to follow up with session presenters via email.

Onboarding Training Details

Gee Whiz Education Onboarding Training consists of four recorded webinars designed to help providers use Gee Whiz:

Language Offerings and Webinar Captions

Non-English speaking providers can take the training in their native languages by turning on captions. To turn on captions:

  1. Click the “Watch Now” button to start the video.
  2. Once the video begins, pause it and click the CC symbol on the bottom of the display.
  3. Then, click the gear/cog symbol to the right of the CC symbol.
  4. Click “subtitles/English” from the resulting pop-up box.
  5. Then, click “auto translate” and choose the language you want.

Learn More

A link to printable Certificate of Attendance will be made available to providers who complete a short assessment after each webinar.

To learn more, visit the Gee Whiz Education website or view the training flyer.

News

October 1, 2020

Remix! New Ways to Play Using STEM Provocations

Are you interested in stimulating curiosity in your classroom to build children’s STEM skills? Join Trying Together on Monday, October 12 for our online course, “Remix! New Ways to Play Using STEM Provocations.”

About

In this course, participants will explore building early Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills by using classroom resources in fun new ways, with materials you already have. Re-energize your science table, or bring STEM play into a new classroom area using research-based (and kid-tested) recommendations.

Session Details

    • Session Date: Monday, October 12, 2020  |  5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
    • Instructors: Jasmine Davis and Wendy Brenneman
    • Core Knowledge Area: Curriculum and Learning Experiences
    • CDA Content Area: Safe, Healthy Learning Environment
    • Registration Deadline: Saturday, October 10, 2020

Registration

To register, visit the course PD Registry page. Space is limited. Participants will receive the course Zoom link via email within 24 hours before the start date for the course. PQAS and Act 48 credit available.

If you do not have a PD Registry account, please complete this online form to create one. If you are unable to create an account, please contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org for more information.

More Information

For questions or more information, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.

News

September 15, 2020

Advancing Anti-Racist Instruction in K-12 Curriculum

Are you interested in learning concrete strategies for implementing anti-racist content in your school or district? Join EdSurge on October 14 for their webinar, “Advancing Anti-Racist Instruction in K-12 Curriculum.”

About

In this webinar, participants will learn how educators, schools, and districts can and should intentionally interrogate representation within their curriculum and support anti-racism more broadly. In a time when actively anti-racist content is urgently needed in virtual and in-person classrooms alike, representative voices, diverse perspectives, and unheard narratives can still be hard to find in instructional content.

Hear from a panel of experts and education leaders about concrete strategies for implementing anti-racist content in your school or district, across subject areas and grade levels. Participants will also hear from school and district leaders about strategies for taking a multi-pronged approach.

Learning Objectives

During this webinar, participants will learn how to:

    • support anti-racism during remote learning;
    • develop robust instructional content that promotes anti-racism;
    • build an anti-racist culture and safe community in virtual and in-person spaces;
    • support teacher training on anti-racism; and
    • create buy-in for school and district-wide anti-racism efforts.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

News

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.

News

July 10, 2020

Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism

Are you interested in learning how to help early learners with autism engage with remote instruction through evidence-based practices? Attend the webinar “Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism” on July 16.

About

While remote learning allows students to continue their education, it can be challenging for young students with autism and other developmental disabilities to attend to the screen and engage with the curriculum. In this webinar, STAR Autism Support Training Specialist Elizabeth Curtin will discuss strategies to help early learners with autism engage with synchronous remote instruction through evidence-based practices.

A focus of this presentation will be on teaching skills in receptive language, expressive language, social and play, and pre-academics. This webinar will include video examples of teachers coaching caregivers to provide consistent instruction to their students. Participants will also learn strategies on teaching students to be more independent in daily functional routines.

This webinar is best suited for pre-k through elementary teachers and school leaders. Time for questions will be provided.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. Registration to attend the live presentation is limited to 2,000 people. A recording of the session will be available to those who sign up to receive it via email and to those who attend the live event.

News

March 20, 2020

Literacy in a Time of Rapid Change: Strategies & Resources for Virtual Learning

Join literacy experts, authors, and experienced virtual educators, Dr. Troy Hicks and Shaelynn Farnsworth, for the webinar, “Literacy in a Time of Rapid Change: Strategies and Resources for Virtual Learning,” as they discuss resources and strategies to best support remote teaching and learning.

About

In this webinar, presenters will explore ways to virtually teach and engage students in literacy learning by sharing curricular content, edtech tools, resources, communities, and tips to get participants thinking critically and creatively in this time of crisis. As educators are working to meet the needs of all students virtually, it is important to also be mindful of issues related to equity, accessibility, and student populations with special needs.

This webinar will be of interest to kindergarten through higher education teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, curriculum and instruction, TOSAs and coaches, assistant superintendents, and tech directors. There will be time to have your questions answered at the end of the presentation.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

News

March 17, 2020

Social-Emotional Learning and Equity: Follow the Data

Join Education Week on March 25 for their webinar, “Social Emotional Learning and Equity: Follow the Data.”

About

Providing equitable opportunities for young people’s social, emotional, and academic growth is paramount. Equity in education goes deeper than providing equal education to all students. Equity in education is providing each student with the education they need to live and thrive.

Hear the most recent findings of ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning and how SEL can be leveraged to promote equity. Get a first-hand look at some of the most recent data compiled, using measures of SEL achievement across diverse populations, and an understanding of which approaches yield the most substantive results. And briefly preview ACT’s SEL Solutions—evidence-based K-12 student curriculum, a suite of ELL options, educator professional development, and assessment—that align with CASEL’s 5 core competencies.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

*Information provided by Education Week

News

January 27, 2020

Medication Administration in ECE Settings | Webinar

Join the American Academy of Pediatrics on February 4 for their one-hour webinar to learn more about two medication administration training tools available for child care health consultants, early learning program directors, health managers, health care professionals, and others to use to help meet national early education and child care training requirements in the area of medication administration.

Learning Objectives

Participants will learn about:

    • the important role medication administration training plays in early childhood settings;
    • a new free online medication administration module for any early learning provider; and
    • a free, downloadable medication administration training curriculum that can be tailored for your audience’s needs.

Registration

This webinar is free and registration is required. To register and learn more, visit the event page.

News

December 10, 2019

The Basics of Creative Curriculum

By attending “The Basics of Creative Curriculum,” participants will explore how the environment, teacher, and family work together to provide a solid foundation for early learning experiences. Additionally, participants will learn how to manage their classrooms, create lesson plans, and systematically observe children using the Creative Curriculum Framework.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to:

    • understand the role of the environment, teacher, and parent have in a Creative Curriculum classroom;
    • evaluate their classroom management skills and tools using the Creative Curriculum framework; and
    • develop lesson plans based on children’s interests and developmental needs.

Available Dates

    • February 17, 2020 | 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Event ID: 308108
    • April 16, 2020 | 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Event ID: 308109
    • June 10, 2020 | 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Event ID: 308110

To register and learn more, visit the PD Registry website.

More Information

For questions, please contact Annie Skamangas-Scaros at 412.608.2594 or ecetacademy@gmail.com.

*Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key

News

December 9, 2019

Linking Standards, Curriculum Framework, and Assessment

Attend “Linking Standards, Curriculum Framework, and Assessment” to learn more about curriculum and assessment, and opportunities to link the two to Early Learning Standards. The event will discuss how to apply assessments to curriculum and to all key learning areas in a program. PQAS hours offered.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to:

    • identify the guiding principles of the Early Learning Standards;
    • develop curriculum to promote the key learning areas;
    • utilize information from assessment to aid in curriculum development; and
    • apply ELS indicators to the existing program curriculum.

Registration Dates

To register and learn more, visit the PD Registry website.

PD Registry Event ID: 308422

More Information

For questions, please contact Annie Skamangas-Scaros at 412.608.2594 or ecetacademy@gmail.com.

*Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key