April 13, 2023 Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheets for Educators and Childcare Providers Anxiety disorders cause people to feel frightened, distressed, or uneasy during situations in which most people would not feel that way. Left untreated, anxiety disorders can make it hard for students to get schoolwork done or study. It may affect their relationships with peers and teachers, too. In some cases, students with anxiety disorders miss a lot of school days. Or they may avoid school altogether. Nemours KidsHealth has compiled common anxiety disorder facts sheets that affect children. Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheets Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). With GAD, children have many worries and worry much of the time. They may also have physical symptoms, like headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, or tiredness. Phobias. A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear of a specific thing. Some kids have a phobia of dogs. Others have a phobia of spiders or snakes. A child with a phobia will go to great lengths to avoid the thing they fear. Social anxiety. Kids and teens with social phobia have an intense fear of being judged. It affects them in social or other situations. They will avoid situations where they may have to meet new people or perform. Selective mutism. Some students are too fearful to talk at all in certain situations. Kids and teens with selective mutism are able to talk, and talk well. But they are too fearful to talk in some situations outside their home or with people other than friends. Panic disorder. Some students have panic attacks, a sudden and intense episode of fear. They can include physical symptoms like a pounding heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Panic attacks can happen unexpectedly. Separation anxiety. It’s normal for babies and very young children to have some separation anxiety when they are apart from a parent or caregiver. But when separation anxiety lasts beyond the early school age years, students may have trouble coming to school. Educators and child care providers can also access the Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheet information in Spanish.
April 11, 2023 Dancing Our Way Through STEM Providing children with opportunities to explore creative movement can spark so many natural connections to STEM concepts. During this interactive workshop provided through the Trust Arts Education Center, early childhood and K-12 educators will participate in a variety of dance focused strategies that will deepen understanding in science math, ingenuity, and other fundamental STEM concepts. Participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate their own creative movement techniques that can support student’s STEM learning. Breakfast will be included. PQAS and ACT 48 Credit available. To learn more and register, visit the Trust Arts Education Center event page.
January 11, 2021 Webinar: Learning in a Pandemic Join the U.S. Department of Education for a discussion on the state of student learning during the pandemic and tools that families and teachers can use to support student learning now. This event will educate parents and teachers on the state of learning today and how you can better support your students during the pandemic. About This forum will review the most updated research on the state of student learning today and share personalized platforms you can utilize to support student learning immediately. Institute for Education Sciences Director Mark Schneider will moderate a discussion with national leaders in the research field, Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes and NWEA, as they review findings on national learning loss. Then, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Jim Blew will moderate a discussion on the power of individualized learning platforms with two examples for how to approach personalized learning for your students, Gooru, and New Classrooms. Registration To register, visit the online webpage. Registrants will receive an email containing a personalized access link. More Information For full details, visit the event webpage. Information provided by the U.S. Department of Education
November 13, 2020 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards: Apply Do you know an exceptional child care professional or are you one yourself? Apply for the 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards to nominate that person for a chance to win the Helene Marks Award, a $1,000 cash prize, and more! About In collaboration with the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF), First Up is hosting the 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards to honor exceptional child care professionals. In 1987, Kay and Fred Lokoff formed the TLLCCF to honor the memory of their daughter. Terri was a passionate child care teacher who knew the incredible value of Early Childhood Education and was committed to making a difference by giving children a strong start in their lives. Applications for the 2021 Terri Lynne Lokoff Teacher Awards are now available. Child care teachers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on U.S. Military bases and installations around the world are invited to apply. Fifty awards are presented each year. What Will Recipients Win? Every award recipient receives: a $1,000 cash prize, a trip to Philadelphia for the award ceremony (COVID permitting), and a chance to win the Helene Marks Award with the additional honor of being named the National Child Care Teacher of the Year. Application To apply, complete the online application. For those who would like to print and mail their completed application, a downloadable PDF version is available. Applications are due by January 29, 2021. More Information For more information, please contact Sharon Bell at Sharon.Bell@firstup.org.
November 12, 2020 Make the Most of Learning at Home With PBS KIDS Are you interested in learning how to develop a learning routine for your family and increase your child’s motivation to learn? Join PBS Kids on November 18 for their online event, “Make the Most of Learning at Home With PBS KIDS.” About With children across the country learning at home, parents and caregivers are facing new challenges. PBS KIDS invites parents and caregivers of children ages five to eight to come together for a discussion with educators, a child psychologist, and fellow parents. Get ideas on how to use PBS KIDS resources to encourage everyday playful learning. Presenters will answer questions and share tips on how you can maintain a strong connection with your child’s school, help your child stay motivated to learn, and develop a learning routine for your family. Registration To register for this event, visit the PBS Kids website.
ECE Job Openings: 11/12 – 11/18 Are you looking to start or transition your career in the early childhood field? You’re in luck! Early learning programs in Pennsylvania are currently looking to fill positions. To view this week’s featured job descriptions, see the list below. Featured Jobs Preschool Specialist Kids Kademy II L.L.C. is looking to hire a reliable, nurturing, and dedicated individual to lead their Preschool Program. An ideal candidate would be knowledgeable about Keystone STARS. To apply, email your resume to erinc62301@yahoo.com. Infant/Toddler Room Assistant Teachers Carriage House Children’s Center is seeking Infant/Toddler Room Assistant Teachers who will be responsible in assisting with children’s daily activities under the guidance of a teacher. If you have previous experience working with young children and are interested in joining their inclusive learning community where all families, children, and staff feel welcome and respected, please apply. To apply, complete the online application. For questions, contact chcc@carriagehouse.org. Preschool Teachers Carriage House Children’s Center is seeking highly-motivated Preschool Teachers who value the importance of building strong relationships with children, understand how young children learn and develop, and are dedicated to creating a nurturing learning environment for every child. If you have previous experience working with young children and are interested in joining their inclusive learning community where all families, children, and staff feel welcome and respected, please apply. To apply, complete the online application. For questions, contact chcc@carriagehouse.org. Lead Young Toddler Room Teacher Carriage House Children’s Center is seeking a full-time Lead Young Toddler Room Teacher for their Infant/Toddler Program. If you have previous experience working with young children and are interested in joining their inclusive learning community where all families, children, and staff feel welcome and respected, please apply. To apply, complete the online application. For questions, contact chcc@carriagehouse.org. Submit a Job Description Each week, Trying Together publishes a news post that features employer-submitted job positions from early learning programs across Pennsylvania. Trying Together shares these posts online through our website, social media channels, and newsletter. To make it into next week’s post, please submit the Child Care Provider Job Post Submission Form no later than Wednesday, November 18. This form is intended for positions in the early childhood field. Job descriptions not related to the early childhood field will not be included. All job descriptions submitted after November 18 will be published in the next week’s news post. Please note that news post publication dates may vary due to state and federal holidays. For questions, contact Lainey Yockey at lainey@tryingtogether.org. Search Additional Jobs Are you interested in starting or shifting your career in early childhood care and education? Visit the ECE Hire website or sign up for their weekly newsletter for current job listings and helpful tips on interviewing, resumes, and more. To stay up to date on our featured positions and more, follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.
October 30, 2020 Strategies to Support DLLs and Their Families Are you interested in learning strategies to support dual language learners (DLLs) and their families? Join presenters Lea Ann Christenson, Ph.D., and Nadia J. Jones, Ed.D., on November 10 for “Strength in Diversity: Practical Theory and Strategies to Support DLLs and Their Families.” About This webinar will cover practical theory, easy-to-use advice, and strategies to support dual language learners and their families. In addition, participants will learn how to cultivate empathy, perspective, and high expectations for all children. The content of this webinar can also benefit English-only (EO) young children and their families. Time for questions will be provided. Featured Topics Participants will walk away with the conceptual understanding of the content which they can put to use in their classrooms, schools, and centers immediately. Educators will learn: demographics of young DLLs in classrooms today, the basics of second-language acquisition theory, effective teaching strategies and principles of instruction, how and why honoring the home language supports English acquisition, and tips for engaging the families of DLLs. Registration This webinar is best suited for anyone in the early childhood field, including teachers, instructional aides, administrators, and district office personnel. To register, visit the EdWeb website.
October 21, 2020 Benefits of Having a PD Registry Profile Do you have a Pennsylvania PD Registry profile? If not, you are missing out on features that could help you schedule professional development, request financial assistance, and more. What is the PD Registry? The Pennsylvania Professional Development (PD) Registry is an online system that functions as a “workforce registry” by tracking the professional accomplishments of registered individuals, providing important data about the early childhood workforce, and highlighting a consolidated list of available professional development opportunities. Data collected through the PD Registry—including data such as length of time in the field, education level, and wages—is also used to advocate for better education opportunities and higher wages for professionals in Pennsylvania. Benefits Early Learning and School-Age Professionals Through the PD Registry, early learning and school-age professionals can: track their employment, education, and training history; complete a professional development self-assessment to plan upcoming training; register for in-person and online professional training that offers PQAS and Act 48 credit; begin an application for financial assistance if eligible; keep track of CPR, First Aid, and Fire Safety expiration dates; and more. Program Directors Through the PD Registry, Program Directors can: track staff completion of Bureau of Certification and Keystone STARS training requirements; access verified staff qualifications for meeting Certification and Keystone STARS requirements; support staff with professional development planning; and register staff members for training using the statewide training calendar. Creating an Account If you don’t have an account, visit the PD Registry website to create one. For assistance, view this step-by-step tip sheet on how to create an account or contact pdregistry@pakeys.org. More Information Additional tip sheets and resources are available for new users, existing users, and program directors. For more information, view this document or visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
September 25, 2020 Honoring Each Person’s Experience to Support Mental Health Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center on October 19 for “Honoring Each Person’s Experience to Support Mental Health” to learn how to apply reflective practice and perspective-taking to your virtual work with children and families. About When working with families, especially within today’s current crises, it is important that everyone’s experience of a situation is heard and understood. This requires reflecting on all points of view: one’s own, the child’s, and that of their family members. In this webinar, participants will learn how to adapt and apply reflective practice and perspective-taking to their virtual work with children and families. This session is best suited for professionals who work with families of young children, including early care educators, family child care providers, mental health consultants, home visitors, pediatricians, early interventionists, and more. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event registration page. Space is limited. For questions, contact btcsitenetwork@childrens.harvard.edu.
September 21, 2020 Transitions and How Using Them Helps Are you interested in learning about strategies that help make transitions easier for children, families, and educators? Join Trying Together on October 14 for our online session, “Connections and Conversations: Transitions and How Using Them Helps.” About Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-Ins are interactive sessions that highlight topics of interest to the field of early childhood education. Participants engage in virtual discussions with child development experts and interact with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about the highlighted topic. Sessions offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit not provided. This session will highlight best practices that help make transitions easier for children, families, and educators. The course instructor will share strategies and suggestions and provide opportunities to analyze scenarios and share expertise. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, October 14 | 6 – 7 p.m. Instructor: Jasmine Davis CKC: Curriculum and Learning Experiences CDA Subject Area: Social & Emotional Development Registration Deadline: Monday, October 12 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 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. 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, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
