November 3, 2021 Instructional Implementations of Interventions That Address Today’s Diverse Classroom Join EdWeb.net for the upcoming webinar, “Instructional Implementations of Interventions That Address Today’s Diverse Classroom”. In this edWebinar, join Dr. Bonnie Cochran, Dr. Tonya Clarke, Jay Hillman, and Dr. Jessica Talada to hear what other district leaders from around the country are implementing in anticipation of the wider range of learning needs teachers will be facing this school year. The presenters will be exploring the best ways to select evidence-based solutions, designing flexible implementation models, and supporting teachers for accelerated student learning. Additional Information The learning loss as a result of the pandemic is no longer hypothetical. All students have been affected and educators are facing a larger number of students who need in-classroom interventions. This urgency requires all educators to find the right solutions that can address this gap knowing that: All students have been affected in some way Math and reading learning have seen the largest declines in scores Students who were one to two years behind have even larger instructional gaps Proven solutions that can be implemented in the classroom in flexible ways have to be considered for students to catch up
Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education Join edWeb.net for their upcoming webinar, “Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education“. This edWebinar will present a fresh take on trauma-informed practices, with takeaways for teachers, school leaders, and anyone else who is invested in making change in education. Alex Shevrin Venet, author of Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, will introduce participants to the key understandings of the Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education framework, sharing stories from her work as a teacher and supporting schools with trauma-informed education. Participants can expect to leave with a new understanding of their role in trauma-informed education and ideas for how to get started. This edWebinar will be of interest to PreK-12 educators, school leaders, district leaders, chief equity officers, and at-risk coordinators. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.
June 4, 2021 Free Virtual ECE Courses Available These virtual professional development sessions explore a range of early childhood topics. Register to build on your professional knowledge, meet professionals in the field, and advance your career. Virtual Session List Creating an Inclusive Space for Children and Families Wednesday, June 9, 2021 | 6 – 7 p.m. | Free This session will focus on identifying components of an inclusive learning environment, including a discussion on optimal use of space, materials, and room arrangement in an ECE classroom. This course is a part of Trying Together’s Connections and Conversations series. Needs Assessments for PD Planning Wednesday, June 23, 2021 | 6 – 7 p.m. | Free Need help planning your professional development? Join Trying Together on June 23 to engage in conversations that will assess needs for professional development planning. Registration Process To register, use the hyperlinked event titles above. Some registrations will take place on the PD Registry. If you do not have a PD Registry account, complete this form to create one. Ask A Question For questions about our professional development sessions, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org. For PD Registry questions, contact pdregistry@pakeys.org.
January 21, 2021 Helping Children Befriend Their Emotions Join Youth Yoga Project and the Children’s Museum in a two-hour workshop to learn how to support the emotional health of children ages three and up. This workshop will help educators build a greater understanding of the important role of emotions and imagination in the classroom. About By becoming more familiar with their emotions, and learning an emotional vocabulary, students are able to process and manage their emotions instead of allowing their emotions to overwhelm them. Through mindfulness, children learn accessible ways to befriend their emotions. This workshop is open to all educators who would like to learn strategies to incorporate these concepts into their work with students. Learn how mindfulness can be used as a practical tool for pre-k-12 students to build emotional awareness in children and teens. Educators will leave with specific strategies to empower their students to develop emotional awareness and emotion processing tools through mindfulness. Registration To register, visit the online registration page. Registration closes on January 29, 2021. Each participant will receive electronic workshop materials from Youth Yoga Project prior to the workshop. Two hours of Act 48 credit will be available for Pennsylvania educators. More Information For questions, please contact Taylor Dozier at tdozier@pittsburghkids.org.
December 23, 2020 Using Ages and Stages Questionnaires® as a Screening Tool This event is full. Please continue to monitor our website for future Ages and Stages Questionnaires® professional development sessions. Are you interested in learning how to use Ages and Stages Questionnaires® as a screening tool for children ages three months to five years? Join Trying Together on January 18 for our virtual course, “Using Ages and Stages Questionnaires® as a Screening Tool.” About During this course, participants will learn how to use the ASQ® and ASQ:SE® as a screening tool for children ages three months to five years. The session will provide information on how to administer and score the screener and share results of the screener with families. Information about additional resources for making referrals to services will be included if needed. Session Details Session Date: Monday, January 18, 2021 | 6 – 8:30 p.m. Instructor: Pamela Zimmerman Core Knowledge Area: Assessment CDA Content Area: Observing & Recording Behavior Registration Deadline: Saturday, January 16, 2021 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 pdregistry@pakeys.org for more information. More Information For questions or more information, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
December 22, 2020 Registration Open For UnConference: Exceptional Care Are you interested in learning about the role collaboration plays in creating inclusive environments for young children? Join Trying Together and The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh in January for “UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion.” About Young children thrive and grow in their natural learning environments, including children with developmental differences. Educators play a critical role in creating an inclusive and diverse environment for children to feel a sense of belonging, to feel valued as a member of the classroom, and to feel empowered to learn to their full ability. UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion dives into the importance of working together—with a collaboration between teachers, intervention specialists, and parents/caregivers—to provide this environment for children to learn and grow in differentiated ways yet feel included in the group. What Do I Receive? PQAS and/or Act 48 hours. Networking with colleagues. Interactive workshop sessions. Refreshed or refined thinking about our work with young children. Featured Sessions Keynote: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion Tuesday, January 19, 2021 | 1:30 – 3 p.m. Presented by: Trying Together and Children’s Institute | Keynote Speaker: Wendy Pardee During the keynote session, Wendy Pardee, President, and CEO of The Children’s Institute will share how they created a collaborative environment that provides a positive view on early intervention in an effort to bring different parties together in the best interest of the child. The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring an educator, parent, and intervention specialist. Transition and Educational Support in the Early Childhood Environment Thursday, January 21, 2021, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Kristina Berg and Loreleigh Elders, DART Early Childhood Educators are an active and critical part of a child’s early intervention team that is often lost in the process of transition and service planning. This presentation will provide an overview of the early intervention process, as children age out of the Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Program and transition into Preschool Early Intervention Support. We will provide practical examples and resources of ways to support children and families through the transition process, as well as ways to adapt the preschool classroom environment in order for all children to be successful. Creating and Building Inclusive Support Teams for Children Friday, January 22, 2021, 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by: Serena Washington, Trying Together When thinking about what a team/collaboration approach looks like when working with children and families we must be open to asking the following questions: Why is it important to build a team for a child(ren)? What does the team/collaboration approach look like? Who and what do we need on the team/collaboration? How do we work and communicate as a team? In this workshop, join us for a robust discussion and learn strategies for creating an inclusive team to support your children. How to Assess Your Students Needs: Using the ASQ through the Lens of Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Program Tuesday, January 26, 2021, 1:30 – 3 p.m. Presented by: Gloria Rodriguez-Ransom, The Pennsylvania Keys Through the expertise of the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) program, participants will receive an overview of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires with a particular emphasis on assessing children’s social and emotional development. The developmental screening tools ASQ3 and ASQ:SE 2 are designed for children ages three months to five years and designed for use by early childhood educators and health care professionals. Attendees will learn how to administer and score the screener and share the results of the screener with families and professional colleagues. In addition, recommendations for suggested resources will be shared if additional services are needed. Overview of Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Services in Allegheny County Referral Through Transitioning Out of 0-3 Services Wednesday, January 27, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presenters: Erica Balint and Vonna May-Miller, Alliance for Infants and Toddlers In this workshop, presenters will discuss how the child’s 0-3 Early Intervention (EI) team collaborates with families and child care staff so that all have an understanding of how the EI system in Allegheny County operates and supports children. This session will give an overview of how children are referred and become part of the EI system. Information will include how a child is referred, eligibility criteria, evaluation process, service planning, and implementation along with transitioning out of 0-3 services. Catering to The Whole Classroom: Lesson Development and Implementation That Speaks to Every Child Friday, January 29, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by: Daile Fordoski, Lyasha Bishop, LaRae D. Cullens, The Learning Loft There is not one lesson in any learning environment that is one size fits all. It is the educator’s responsibility to develop ways in which a lesson can benefit every child in a classroom. This workshop examines strategies for planning and implementing inclusive activities for children of varying developmental levels. Participants will have the opportunity to practice these skills by dissecting a pre-made lesson and sharing ideas and strategies of accommodation that can be applied in their setting. Registration This is a free Virtual UnConference. Participants must register in order to receive links to each workshop session via email. To register, complete the online registration form. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How Do I Attend this UnConference Virtually? The sessions will be hosted using the web-based video conferencing platform Zoom. Please download Zoom to your device of choice prior to the start of the UnConference. UnConference hosts will send out all workshop links via email at least 24 hours before the start of the event. Please monitor your email inbox. How Do I Receive Credit? To receive credit, participants must attend the UnConference and complete the attendance link at the end of each workshop you attend. Once completed, Jasmine Davis, Professional Learning Program Manager at Trying Together, will process your credit. If you have questions specific to receiving credit, please email jasmine@tryingtogether.org. More Information For questions about the UnConference, contact Yu-Ling Cheng at conference@tryingtogether.org. For additional information, visit our UnConference page. Share this flyer with your network.
UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion Are you interested in learning about the role collaboration plays in creating inclusive environments for young children? Join Trying Together and The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh in January for “UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion.” About Young children thrive and grow in their natural learning environments, including children with developmental differences. Educators play a critical role in creating an inclusive and diverse environment for children to feel a sense of belonging, to feel valued as a member of the classroom, and to feel empowered to learn to their full ability. UnConference: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion dives into the importance of working together—with a collaboration between teachers, intervention specialists, and parents/caregivers—to provide this environment for children to learn and grow in differentiated ways yet feel included in the group. What Do I Receive? PQAS and/or Act 48 hours. Networking with colleagues. Interactive workshop sessions. Refreshed or refined thinking about our work with young children. Featured Sessions Keynote: Exceptional Care with a Team Approach to Inclusion Tuesday, January 19, 2021 | 1:30 – 3 p.m. Presented by: Trying Together and Children’s Institute | Keynote Speaker: Wendy Pardee During the keynote session, Wendy Pardee, President, and CEO of The Children’s Institute will share how they created a collaborative environment that provides a positive view on early intervention in an effort to bring different parties together in the best interest of the child. The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring an educator, parent, and intervention specialist. Transition and Educational Support in the Early Childhood Environment Thursday, January 21, 2021, 6:30 – 8 p.m. Presented by: Kristina Berg and Loreleigh Elders, DART Early Childhood Educators are an active and critical part of a child’s early intervention team that is often lost in the process of transition and service planning. This presentation will provide an overview of the early intervention process, as children age out of the Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Program and transition into Preschool Early Intervention Support. We will provide practical examples and resources of ways to support children and families through the transition process, as well as ways to adapt the preschool classroom environment in order for all children to be successful. Creating and Building Inclusive Support Teams for Children Friday, January 22, 2021, 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by: Serena Washington, Trying Together When thinking about what a team/collaboration approach looks like when working with children and families we must be open to asking the following questions: Why is it important to build a team for a child(ren)? What does the team/collaboration approach look like? Who and what do we need on the team/collaboration? How do we work and communicate as a team? In this workshop, join us for a robust discussion and learn strategies for creating an inclusive team to support your children. How to Assess Your Students’ Needs: Using the ASQ through the Lens of Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Program Tuesday, January 26, 2021, 1:30 – 3 p.m. Presented by: Gloria Rodriguez-Ransom, The Pennsylvania Keys Through the expertise of the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) program, participants will receive an overview of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires with a particular emphasis on assessing children’s social and emotional development. The developmental screening tools ASQ3 and ASQ:SE 2 are designed for children ages three months to five years and designed for use by early childhood educators and health care professionals. Attendees will learn how to administer and score the screener and share the results of the screener with families and professional colleagues. In addition, recommendations for suggested resources will be shared if additional services are needed. Overview of Infant/Toddler Early Intervention Services in Allegheny County Referral Through Transitioning Out of 0-3 Services Wednesday, January 27, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presenters: Erica Balint and Vonna May-Miller, Alliance for Infants and Toddlers In this workshop, presenters will discuss how the child’s 0-3 Early Intervention (EI) team collaborates with families and child care staff so that all have an understanding of how the EI system in Allegheny County operates and supports children. This session will give an overview of how children are referred and become part of the EI system. Information will include how a child is referred, eligibility criteria, evaluation process, service planning, and implementation along with transitioning out of 0-3 services. Catering to The Whole Classroom: Lesson Development and Implementation That Speaks to Every Child Friday, January 29, 2021 | 10 – 11:30 a.m. Presented by: Daile Fordoski, Lyasha Bishop, LaRae D. Cullens, The Learning Loft There is not one lesson in any learning environment that is one size fits all. It is the educator’s responsibility to develop ways in which a lesson can benefit every child in a classroom. This workshop examines strategies for planning and implementing inclusive activities for children of varying developmental levels. Participants will have the opportunity to practice these skills by dissecting a pre-made lesson and sharing ideas and strategies of accommodation that can be applied in their setting. Registration This is a free Virtual UnConference. Participants must register in order to receive links to each workshop session via email. To register, complete the online registration form. More Information For questions about the UnConference, contact Yu-Ling Cheng at conference@tryingtogether.org. For additional information, visit our UnConference page. Share this flyer with your network.
December 16, 2020 The Power of Positive Relationships Are you interested in learning about the importance of positive relationships? Join Trying Together on January 6 for our free virtual workshop, “Connections and Conversations: The Power of Positive Relationships.” 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 with child development experts while interacting with early learning practitioners to share questions, experiences, and expertise about how positive relationships create a work environment that people want to be a part of. Session Details Session Date: Wednesday, January 6 | 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Instructors: Allison Robinson Core Knowledge Area: Communication CDA Content Area: Social and Emotional Development Registration Deadline: Monday, January 4, 2021 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 will be 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, contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
December 4, 2020 OCDEL Professional Development Survey The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is requesting the input of directors and owners of certified child care programs in the Professional Development Survey. About Responses to the online survey will assist OCDEL in understanding the number of staff who will need Pediatric First Aid and CPR training in the upcoming year, and to understand providers’ knowledge of the role of Professional Development Organizations (PDOs). The survey can be completed in less than ten minutes and collected information about: the number of teaching staff at a child care program, the number of staff certified in Pediatric First Aid and CPR, and awareness of and connections to Early Childhood Education PDOs. Complete the Survey Directors and owners of programs holding a DHS Certificate of Compliance are encouraged to complete the online survey. Survey responses must be submitted by Thursday, December 17, 2020.
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.
