June 21, 2023 Application Period for Early Intervention Leadership Development Program Now Open Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania is now accepting applications for their 2023-2024 Competence and Confidence Partners in Policymaking Early Intervention (C2P2 EI) Cohort. All applicants must submit their applications by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 11, though the program will begin at the end of September 2023 and run through May 2024. About C2Pc EI C2P2 EI is a free leadership development opportunity for families of children who are currently receiving early intervention infant, toddler, or preschool services. It supports successful applicants in attending four, two-day, in-person sessions, and four virtual sessions (eight sessions total) which give them knowledge and skills to advocate for EI. Throughout the sessions, participants will: learn about the infant/toddler and preschool early intervention system. connect with other families. build skills to advocate for their family and others. Consequently, applicants must commit to participating in all eight sessions. The in-person sessions will be held at the DoubleTree Conference Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, expenses, including lodging costs, mileage, and childcare reimbursement, will be provided to participants. Eligibility Eligible applicants must: have a child between birth to age five who is currently receiving Pennsylvania infant/toddler or preschool EI services. have a desire to explicitly advocate for themselves and others. commit to participation in all eight sessions. Apply Interested individuals should apply using the online C2P2 EI 2023-2024 Application Form. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 11. Accordingly, Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania will notify applicants of their acceptance by September 1. Learn More This program is funded by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and Bureau of Early Intervention and Family Supports, with support from Temple Institute on Disabilities. To learn more, view the flyer or visit the Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children website. Please direct any questions to Sarah Holland at sholland@parenttoparent.org.
May 3, 2023 Inclusion Series: Partnering with Families to Support Inclusion Sharing developmental concerns with families can be challenging, but there are strategies that program staff can use to support families to learn about and act on these concerns. Join the Office of Head Start and its National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning (NCECDTL) for this webinar exploring how program staff can engage families in ongoing conversations about their child’s development that are responsive to family concerns and priorities. Attendees will hear from families about their questions, concerns, and priorities when a concern was first raised about their child’s development. Session Details Tuesday, May 23 | 3 – 4 p.m. Virtual Register Learn More This webinar is offered with English and Spanish captioning. To learn more, visit the NCECDTL website.
April 12, 2023 BabyTalks Series: Supporting Infant and Toddler Peer Relationships Children are born with the amazing ability to form strong bonds with their caregivers, but how do we help infants and toddlers prepare for peer relationships? Join the Office of Head Start and their National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning for this webinar, and learn how infants’ and toddlers’ experience with others shapes their understanding of themselves and their relationships with peers. This webinar will have English and Spanish captioning. Webinar Details Thursday, April 20 | 3 – 4 p.m. Virtual Register Learn More In this webinar, Beth Zack, Ph.D., and Marley Jarvis, Ph.D., from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning will present research on how children build peer relationships. Attendees will discover the importance of creating spaces where children feel like they belong and how this helps children understand themselves and others, as well as explore strategies and resources that help infants and toddlers build a strong foundation for a lifetime of healthy peer relationships. To learn more, visit the “Supporting Infant and Toddler Peer Relationships” registration page.
March 13, 2023 MOYC Ages & Stages Developmental Screening In recognition of Month of the Young Child (MOYC), ELRC Region 5 will host a series of developmental screenings throughout April, at no cost to families. Screenings will be conducted using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). Screening Details Monday, April 3 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. ELRC Region 5 304 Wood Street, Suite 400 Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1928 Wednesday, April 5 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m . Hosanna House 807 Wallace Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15221 Monday, April 10 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. ELRC Region 5 304 Wood Street, Suite 400 Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1928 Learn More To learn more about ASQ screenings, visit the ASQ website or view the event flyer.
October 21, 2022 Building Relationships with Preschool Children Healthy social and emotional development during the preschool years is foundational to children’s development in all other areas. Research shows that fostering positive relationships in the early years is key to that healthy development. Nurturing and responsive relationships are also the foundation of the Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) framework. This webinar will discuss the importance of social and emotional development for preschoolers. Learn ways teachers and family child care providers can use the PBS framework to build relationships with the children in their care. Key topics discussed during this webinar include: The importance of social and emotional skills as the foundation of healthy child development, Practical strategies through the PBS framework that foster healthy relationships with preschool children. Register now.
January 20, 2022 Teaching Children Through a Trauma Lens Join Trying Together for the upcoming session, “Teaching Children Through a Trauma Lens”. Research continues to show the detrimental effects that complex trauma has on the developing brain with our most vulnerable population. Over time, these young children are at risk for developmental delays, limited positive relationships, and a host of other difficulties. Our early education classrooms can create safe, responsive, and equitable environments to assist in reducing these harmful effects. This presentation will identify different types of trauma, how young children with trauma may present in the classroom, and supportive strategies teachers can implement to foster environments that encourage healing. UnConference: Creating a Safe Place with Trauma-Informed Care This session is a part of Trying Together’s upcoming UnConference. Between February 8-18, expert-led workshops will share content related to trauma-informed care. We begin the UnConference with keynote speaker Dr. Veirdre Jackson and dive into how we can create an environment of healing through equity and trust. Following the keynote, workshop sessions include how to identify family stressors, how to provide responsive care-giving for children experiencing trauma, and an overview of the recently launched Rapid Response Team from Trying Together. Individuals can learn more and register on Trying Together’s website.
December 22, 2021 PNC Financial Management Course Trying Together is partnering with PNC Bank for a one hour professional development session on financial management. There will be a separate session offered for center-based programs and home-based programs (family, group, relative providers). The session content will include tools and tips on budgeting, bookkeeping, cash flow, and profit/loss. Space is limited; if you are interested, please use the link below to register. If you have any questions you can reach out to Allison Hritz, allison@tryingtogether.org. Registration PNC Financial Management for Home-Based Providers January 11, 2021 | 6:30- 7:30 p.m. PNC Financial Management for Center-Based Providers January 18, 2022 | 6:30 – 7: 30 p.m.
December 8, 2021 Loving Places and Learning Spaces for Infants and Toddlers Join PennAEYC and The Learning Lamp for their upcoming webinar, “Loving Places and Learning Spaces for Infants and Toddlers” on December 15. What makes up high-quality infant and toddler care? Learn the importance of attachment and relationships in learning and development, examine aspects of the ITERS and PA Early Learning Standards, and share ideas that support healthy infant and toddler development. This session is open to PennAEYC or Shared Services members. Space is limited and registration is required. Register for all 12 monthly sessions before December 22, 2021 for an early bird discount.
March 2, 2021 Study Opportunity: Parents Promoting Early Learning Are you interested in participating in a fun, compensated research study? Sign up for the University of Pittsburgh’s Parents Promoting Early Learning study! About Parents Promoting Early Learning studies how parents and their two-year-old children (up to 38 months) interact and how such interactions help prepare the child for school. Due to COVID-19, this study will be conducted online. Laptops and WiFi are available by request. Requirements Study participants will be compensated and must complete: two to three online video calls where the parent and child complete games and assessments, questionnaires and interviews about the child’s development and activities, and a one-year follow-up visit for more games and assessments. Enrollment If you are interested in enrolling, complete the study contact form. More Information For questions, please contact ppel@pitt.edu or 412.204.6845. Share this flyer with your network.
November 20, 2020 Open-Ended Questions Are For Everyone! Are you interested in learning about using open-ended STEM questions with early learners of all ages and abilities? Join Trying Together on December 9 for our online session, “Connections and Conversations: Open-Ended Questions Are For Everyone!” About Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-Ins are biweekly interactive sessions that highlight topics of interest to the field of early childhood education. Participants engage in virtual discussions with child development experts while interacting with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about the highlighted topic. Sessions offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be provided. In this session, participants will engage in virtual discussions via Zoom with child development experts while interacting with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about using open-ended Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) questioning with early learners of all ages and abilities. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, December 9 | 6 – 7 p.m. Instructors: Jasmine Davis and Wendy Brenneman CKC: Curriculum and Learning Experiences CDA Subject Area: Safe, Healthy Learning Environment Registration Deadline: Monday, December 7, 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 credit is 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 pdregistry@pakeys.org for more information. Session Rules and Guidelines These virtual discussions are designed to provide educators the opportunity to grow professionally and share knowledge on early childhood topics. During the meeting, participants should follow the guidelines below to ensure a successful virtual meeting for all participants. Please allow all participants a chance to speak. Listen respectfully and actively. Commit to learning about each other, not to debating the topic. Embrace differences of opinion as healthy and support each person’s authentic self-expression. Participants will be muted for the beginning portion of the session. Participants may use the “Raise Hand” feature in Zoom to request an opportunity to comment or ask a question. Individuals will be temporarily unmuted by the moderator. Participants may type a comment or question in the Chat or may send comments or questions directly to the moderator for them to share. To receive PQAS credit, you must complete an evaluation at the end of the session and include your PD Registry number. Have fun, make connections, and engage in the conversations! More Information For questions or more information, please contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
