News

November 2, 2022

New Opportunities Available to Families to Help Impact Early Learning in PA

Two new exciting opportunities are available for families to share their experiences and make an impact in Pennsylvania’s early learning.

P3D/PDO Family Voices

Parents as Partners in Professional Development (P3D), with the Pennsylvania Professional Development Organizations (PDO), are recruiting a cohort of families to participate in P3D/PDO Family Voices.

Family members of young children who attend an early childhood program in Pennsylvania are invited to apply. P3D/PDO Family Voices seeks a diverse group of families who have experiences with many aspects of early childhood services in Pennsylvania like child care, PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start, Early Intervention, Home Visiting, etc.

Reimbursement for travel and child care costs are provided to participants.

Learn More about P3D/PDO.

Applications are due Friday, November 18, 2022 and all applicants must agree to attending the full day virtual training on December 6, 2022. Access the P3D/PDO application.

Interstate Family Engagement Leadership Collaborative

Families are invited to serve on the Collaborative Action for Family Engagement (CAFE)’s Interstate Family Engagement Leadership Collaborative.

As a critical partner in the early childhood field, families are invited to serve in a leadership capacity on CAFE’s Advisory Board to share their expertise to implement high-impact school, family, and community engagement strategies.

Family Leaders will commit to an estimated two hours a month for meetings, and compensation/reimbursement is provided for a stipend and mileage.

Reimbursement for mileage will be offered for any in-person meetings or training. Please direct any questions to Jessica Webster (Pennsylvania Advisory Council).

Learn more about CAFE Interstate Family Engagement Leadership Collaborative.

Applications are due Friday, November 11, 2022. Access the CAFE application.

 

News

August 4, 2022

Teacher Tom’s Play Summit 2022

Tom “Teacher Tom” Hobson of Teacher Tom’s Blog will be hosting a five-day Early Childhood Development Conference from Saturday, August 13 to Wednesday, August 17 geared for early childhood professionals, parents, and grandparents. This free conference will feature twenty session covering topics such as insights, ideas, and practical tools; elevating respect for early childhood professionals; the art & science of play-based learning; and many more.

Each day of the summit, participants will receive an email with a link to that day’s sessions at 12pm EST. Sessions will be available for viewing during a 24-hour window. Lifetime access to each session is available for purchase after registration.

Register for free before August 13 to secure your spot.

News

February 21, 2022

Everyday Interactions Matter: Deep and Simple in School Age Care

Child care providers in Allegheny County may participate in a free, 15-hour course, “Everyday Interactions Matter: Deep and Simple in School Age Care”.

Sessions will take place via Zoom on Tuesday evenings from March 1 to March 29, at 6:30 – 8 p.m.  Additional self-paced homework will be assigned via Schoology. Registration is available on the Trying Together website.

Receive Credit

All 15 hours must be completed to get PQAS and/or ACT 48 credit. If you are interested, we encourage you to register very soon! The link below gives details and dates for this course. If you successfully complete all 15 hours of the series PD, you can use these hours to matriculate into 1 stackable credit at Carlow University.

Course Description

The primary ingredient of quality in school age settings begins with the “everyday interactions” between educators and children. These simple and ordinary moments that take place during play, transition, and daily routines form the foundation for learning and growth.  

In this five-week course, school age learning professionals will engage with the Everyday Interactions Matter approach through a process of careful observation, discussion, and self-reflection. Educators will evaluate the impact their ordinary interactions have on child development and the overall quality of programming in their learning communities.  Course experiences offer school age educators the chance to cultivate professional self-awareness and community building.  Through the Everyday Interactions Matter approach, educators recognize powerful moments of connecting, sharing, learning, and belonging in their everyday interactions with school age children.

About Everyday Interactions Matter

Everyday Interactions Matter (EIM) is a professional development initiative designed to help early childhood educators learn and grow from their own practice. Through a strengths-based process of observation, discussion, and reflection, educators take a close look at the everyday moments they share with children. Video footage of adult-child interactions serves as the raw material for facilitating professional growth.

News

Everyday Interactions Matter: Deep and Simple in School Age Care

Child care providers in Allegheny County may participate in a free, 15-hour course, “Everyday Interactions Matter: Deep and Simple in School Age Care”.

Sessions will take place via Zoom on Tuesday evenings from March 1 to March 29, at 6:30 – 8 p.m.  Additional self-paced homework will be assigned via Schoology. Registration is available on the Trying Together website.

Receive Credit

All 15 hours must be completed to get PQAS and/or ACT 48 credit. If you are interested, we encourage you to register very soon! The link below gives details and dates for this course. If you successfully complete all 15 hours of the series PD, you can use these hours to matriculate into 1 stackable credit at Carlow University.

Course Description

The primary ingredient of quality in school age settings begins with the “everyday interactions” between educators and children. These simple and ordinary moments that take place during play, transition, and daily routines form the foundation for learning and growth.  

In this five-week course, school age learning professionals will engage with the Everyday Interactions Matter approach through a process of careful observation, discussion, and self-reflection. Educators will evaluate the impact their ordinary interactions have on child development and the overall quality of programming in their learning communities.  Course experiences offer school age educators the chance to cultivate professional self-awareness and community building.  Through the Everyday Interactions Matter approach, educators recognize powerful moments of connecting, sharing, learning, and belonging in their everyday interactions with school age children.

About Everyday Interactions Matter

Everyday Interactions Matter (EIM) is a professional development initiative designed to help early childhood educators learn and grow from their own practice. Through a strengths-based process of observation, discussion, and reflection, educators take a close look at the everyday moments they share with children. Video footage of adult-child interactions serves as the raw material for facilitating professional growth.

News

February 16, 2022

Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change

Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center (BTC) for an virtual webinar series, “Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change.” Hear from luminaries who are working on the frontlines of current and emerging issues for children and families. Registration is required for this event.

Session Information

  • March 2, 2022 | Listening to Children and Families in Court

In this first conversation of BTC’s Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change spring series, the Honorable Judge Erica Yew will share what she has been learning over the course of her convention-shattering career, and the importance of listening to families and partnering with them to improve justice outcomes for all.

  • May 11, 2022 | Listening to Families Resettling in the US

On any given day, there are more than 80 million refugees around the world, nearly half of whom are children. Join Sesame Workshop’s Maria del Rocio Galarza, Vice President of US Social Impact, and Tara Wright, Senior Manager of Content Design for a conversation about how Sesame Workshop aims to support children, families and providers as they arrive and resettle in the US. through creating resilience-building resources and celebrating the unique strengths of different communities.

News

Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change

Join Brazelton Touchpoints Center (BTC) for an virtual webinar series, “Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change.” Hear from luminaries who are working on the frontlines of current and emerging issues for children and families. Registration is required for this event.

Session Information

  • March 2, 2022 | Listening to Children and Families in Court

In this first conversation of BTC’s Learning to Listen: Conversations for Change spring series, the Honorable Judge Erica Yew will share what she has been learning over the course of her convention-shattering career, and the importance of listening to families and partnering with them to improve justice outcomes for all.

  • May 11, 2022 | Listening to Families Resettling in the US

On any given day, there are more than 80 million refugees around the world, nearly half of whom are children. Join Sesame Workshop’s Maria del Rocio Galarza, Vice President of US Social Impact, and Tara Wright, Senior Manager of Content Design for a conversation about how Sesame Workshop aims to support children, families and providers as they arrive and resettle in the US. through creating resilience-building resources and celebrating the unique strengths of different communities.

News

Spark Creativity, Exploration, and Play: Structured Activity Time for Students

Join edWeb and Common Sense Education for an upcoming professional development session on integrating play into the school day. Registration is required for this virtual event.

About the Session

Bringing play into the school day isn’t just important for young learners but is also beneficial to older students. Play brings out creativity, facilitates the exploration of interests, and engages students in activities of their choice without academic pressures. “NavTime” is a structured activity time that provides students with the ability to play, have fun in a mentored space, and explore their individual interests while building relationships.

In this edWebinar, you will learn how your school can create this opportunity for students (and teachers) to bring joy into their day. Dr. Derek Fialkiewicz, Principal, and Heidi Carr, Teacher, both from Clark County School District in Nevada, will share:

  • Why they implemented NavTime at their middle school
  • Ways you can and/or your school can implement NavTime
  • The benefits to all stakeholders

This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, and education technology leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

News

February 10, 2022

Advocacy 101

The Advocacy 101 workshop gives an overview of the origin and need for advocacy in our region. Participants will receive an overview of the ELPA campaigns, how ECE programs are impacted by the budget process, and ways professionals and families can use their experience and knowledge to advocate. Participants should leave with foundational knowledge of the ELPA campaigns, and various advocacy actions they participate in or lead.

This session will be virtual via Zoom. Register online to obtain the Zoom link.

Objectives

  1. Gain knowledge of the what advocacy is defined of in regards to early childhood efforts.
  2. Discover what the early childhood landscape consists of in the state of Pennsylvania.
  3. Begin to learn about advocacy strategies and messaging to elevate the early childhood profession.

This course is available for 1.5 hours of PQAS credit (K6.5.C1).

Learn More

Learn more about the Early Learning Pennsylvania campaigns and sign up for public policy alerts on the training together website.

News

February 9, 2022

Sensory Strategies for Early Learners

Join the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for the upcoming virtual professional development session, “Sensory Strategies for Early Learners.”

This session introduces participants to the most common developmental delays in children, aged birth through five years. It will also share strategies for supporting children with developmental delays. Presenters will identify activities, strategies, and Library resources that can generate positive sensory experiences for all young children.

Registration for this event is available on the Carnegie Library website. For additional information, please contact info@carnegielibrary.org or call 412.622.3114

News

Every Child Ready to Read, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Join the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for the virtual professional development event, “Every Child Ready to Read,” on March 1.

Early childhood educators, community partners, mentors and informal educators will gain information about the life-long impact of developing early literacy skills. The workshop presents an overview of Every Child Ready to Read and enables participants to easily integrate early learning strategies and supports into their existing work with children.

Registration for this event is available on the Carnegie Library website. For additional information, please contact info@carnegielibrary.org or call 412.622.3114