August 11, 2020 Free Virtual PD Sessions Available Are you interested in hearing guidance from child development experts? Join Trying Together on August 19 and September 2 for our free virtual professional development sessions! Each session will offer one PQAS credit hour. Both sessions are a part of our interactive Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-In series that features guidance from child development experts, information on the highlighted topic, and opportunities for early learning professionals to share questions, experiences, and expertise. Available Sessions Magda Gerber’s Philosophy of Care for Infants & Toddlers Wednesday, August 19, 2020 | 6 – 7 p.m. Join Trying Together on August 19 to explore the core principles of Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophical approach to educaring for infants and toddlers in the early childhood setting. Participants will have an opportunity to engage in conversations around developmentally appropriate practice for infants and toddlers while reflecting on how to best create a safe, challenging, predictable environment for all children. Supporting Children’s Emotional Wellness with Digital Technologies Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | 6 – 7 p.m. More than ever before, early childhood practitioners play a critical role in supporting children’s social and emotional wellness. Join Trying Together on September 2 for a conversation on promoting children’s communication skills and emotional development through the use of technology and media. Participants will engage in discussion and reflection on their current practice and the impact of COVID-19. More Information For questions or more information, please contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
August 4, 2020 Magda Gerber’s Philosophy of Care for Infants & Toddlers Are you interested in learning how to create a safe, challenging, predictable environment for young children in your care? Join Trying Together on August 19 for our interactive session, “Magda Gerber’s Philosophy of Care for Infants & Toddlers.” About Connections and Conversations Virtual Check-Ins are interactive sessions that highlight topics of interest to the field of early childhood education. 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 the highlighted topic. In this session, participants will explore the core principles of Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophical approach to educaring for infants and toddlers in the early childhood setting. The basis of the RIE approach is respecting and trusting the individual child’s authentic self. Participants will have an opportunity to engage in conversations around developmentally appropriate practice for infants and toddlers while reflecting on how to best create a safe, challenging, predictable environment for all children. Participants will receive the course Zoom link via email within 24 hours before the start date for the course. For questions, contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, August 19 | 6 – 7 p.m Instructor: Katie Gullone CKC: K1.7 C2 Registrations must be submitted by Monday, August 17. Space is limited. Sessions will be offered biweekly and will offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be offered. Learning Objectives Reflect on the RIE principles and philosophical approach when caring for infants and toddlers. Discuss and analyze strategies that best support developmentally appropriate practice for infants and toddlers in the early childhood classroom setting. Registration To register for this session, complete our online registration form. 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 Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
February 11, 2020 Refugee Education Workshop Series: Putting Information into Action Join Dr. Xia Chao for the last interactive workshop of the 4-part series dedicated to helping educators understand the literacies, cultures, and needs of the Pittsburgh area’s refugee communities. About Through a grant from the National Geographic Society, Dr. Chao has conducted research over the past several years that explores the experiences and narratives of local refugee communities including the Nepali, Karen, and Somali Bantu. This workshop series seeks to incorporate the findings of Dr. Chao’s research in order to offer local educators insight into working with students from these communities and resources for supporting immigrant and refugee families in their interactions with the American educational system. This session will help educators learn specific strategies for teaching English learners. Registration To register, visit the Eventbrite page. Light refreshments and Act 48 credits will be provided. More Information For more information on the workshop series and content, please contact Dr. Xia Chao at chaox@duq.edu. For information about the event, ticketing, and logistics, please contact Taya Jackson at taya.jackson@theglobalswitchboard.org. Share this flyer with your network.
November 6, 2019 Refugee Education Workshop Series: Working with Refugee Students Join Dr. Xia Chao for the third of four interactive workshops in a series dedicated to helping educators understand the cultures, needs, and assets of the Pittsburgh area’s refugee communities. About Through a grant from the National Geographic Society, Dr. Chao has conducted research over the past several years that explores the experiences and narratives of local refugee communities including the Nepali, Karen, and Somali Bantu. This workshop series seeks to incorporate the findings of Dr. Chao’s research in order to offer local educators insight into working with students from these communities and resources for supporting immigrant and refugee families in their interactions with the American educational system. This session will help educators learn classroom practices to create an engaging and inviting classroom. Registration To register, visit the Eventbrite page. Light refreshments and Act 48 credits will be provided. More Information For more information on the workshop series and content, please contact Dr. Xia Chao at chaox@duq.edu. For information about the November event, ticketing, and logistics, please contact Taya Jackson at taya@changeagency.world. Share this flyer with your network.
June 3, 2019 Implicit Bias, Cultural Humility, & Parent Engagement Workshop Join the Partnerships for Family Support Office of Child Development on June 27 for their Implicit Bias, Cultural Humility, & Parent Engagement workshop. This training is for staff of centers in the Allegheny County Family Support Network. About This interactive workshop explores various strength-based strategies to increase immigrant and refugee parent engagement. Participants attending this training will have the opportunity to reflect on their current practice, understand and apply the cultural humility perspective when designing and implementing parenting activities, and identify specific steps to enhance their knowledge and skills in working with diverse families. Learning Objectives Participants will: Reflect on how social stereotypes impact their work with immigrant and refugee families; Apply a cultural humility perspective to analyze scenarios and propose solutions that respond to the characteristics and interests of immigrant/refugee families; and Discover key strategies and best practices to develop relationships with diverse families, support families in their parenting, and advocate with them for culturally relevant services and resources. More Information To learn more and register, visit the Eventbrite page.
April 11, 2019 Walk In The Woods – Earth Day Edition Join science teacher Brock Perkins and Winchester Thurston School North Campus Director Heather Capezzuti as they celebrate Earth Day. With energizing and interactive outdoor learning activities, and a walk through the woods on their 7-acre campus, it’s a fun event for the whole family. Registration This event is free but registration is required. Register online or by calling 412.578.7518 or emailing admission@winchesterthurston.org.
March 28, 2019 Work Together Wednesday’s Join the Carnegie Science Center every Wednesday during the Month of the Young Child (April) from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for a series of collaborative building activities inside of their Little Learner Clubhouse. All Little Learner Clubhouse activities are included with the purchase of general admission. Children under the age of 2 receive free admission. About the Little Learner Clubhouse Aspiring scientists age 6 and under and their families are invited to explore this nature-inspired hub for free-play and hands-on activities! Located on the fourth floor of the Science Center, Little Learner Clubhouse is a colorful gallery featuring a variety of interactive exhibits designed to foster scientific curiosity, including: The Clubhouse The Learning Tree The Water Table The Tomato Stand The Book Cove The Baby Garden The Button Wall Buy Tickets and Learn More Individuals interested in purchasing tickets online, learning more about the Little Learner Clubhouse, or viewing available ticket discounts can do so by visiting the Carnegie Science Center website. Discounts are available for Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cardholders, active military members, veterans, and more. Discounts require specific verification. Please see their website for details. Ticket Costs: General Admission Adult: $19.95 General Admission Adult 65+: $14.95 General Admission Child: $11.95 General Admission Child Under 2: Free Carnegie Science Center Membership Holders: Free
March 20, 2019 Mission Impossible: Black Child Play as Necessity & Resistance Overview YUIR (Youth Undoing Institutional Racism), a youth-focused intergenerational anti-racist community organizing group, is hosting “Mission Impossible: Black Child Play as Necessity and Resistance,” an informative and interactive workshop on the different ways that Black children, particularly children living in poverty, play. About the Workshop The workshop will work with participants through dialogue, physical play, and multimedia presentations to analyze the ages and stages of play necessary for holistic child development, as well as the racialized and classed ways in which play is deprived as Black children age and grow. Finally, the group will consider the ways that Black children use play to respond to and protest against institutionalized racism. Learn More Learn more about YUIR by visiting their Facebook page.
February 5, 2019 Open Wide the Circle! Musical Games for Early Learning Fun Musical games can provide so many rich benefits to children’s social and cognitive development! This interactive workshop will model how educators can integrate musical games in their early childhood classrooms to support their students at various levels of play. During this engaging workshop, educators will participate in a variety of musical games, including parallel play games, circle and line games. There will be plenty of fingerplays, too! Educators will be able to identify connections to early literacy and math concepts. Act 48 and PQAS credit hours available. Register for this event here.
