June 29, 2020 Creativity Concepts Are you interested in learning about the role creativity plays in your early learning program? Join Trying Together on July 15 for our online course, “Creativity Concepts.” About This course will serve as an introduction to creativity and children’s developmental stages with arts learning. The course instructor will share ideas for visual art, music, movement prompts, and activities. A supply list will be shared before class for those interested in participating in hands-on artmaking. All registrations must be submitted by Monday, July 13. Space is limited. Course Details Session Date: Wednesday, July 15 | 6 – 8 p.m. Instructor: Alison Babusci CKC: K11.C2 CDA Subject Area: Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development. Two PQAS and ACT 48 hours available. Registration To register and learn more, visit the course webpage. More Information For more information, contact Community Engagement Assistant Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
June 19, 2020 Adaptive Dance | Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Hosted by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Adaptive Dance is an online class series intended for children ages six and up with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) or other sensory sensitivities. About The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) emphasizes creative movement principles and modified ballet technique in a welcoming and structured studio environment. Classes are taught by PBT School instructors experienced in adaptive dance and are limited to 15 students. Live music/percussion accompany each class. Caregivers may observe and/or participate in classes if they wish. This class is for children ages six and up. All classes will be held on Zoom. Each student that registers for the entire semester will also receive an adaptive dance kit to bring even more of the studio experience to their home. Session costs five dollars each or you can buy purchase all six sessions for 25 dollars. Registration To register and learn more, visit the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre website. More Information For questions about the class or registration, email accessibility@pittsburghballet.org. Share this flyer with your network.
May 12, 2020 Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: Encouraging Play within Early Childhood Classrooms “Play acts as a mechanism into courageous, creative, and rigorous thinking in adulthood.” (T. Bruce,., 2013) The benefits of children’s play can be life-lasting, as long as the experiences are developmentally appropriate, positive, and engaging. This free online course focuses on children’s play and the role of play in early education settings. Participants will take part in varied individual and group activities that pertain to the definitions, developmental mechanics, and functions of play as well as new strategies for encouraging play within children’s earliest classrooms. Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 27 at 5 p.m. Course Information Timeline: May 29 – June 19, 2020 Trainers: Chasta Shaw and Alicia Sebastian CKC: K2.14.C1 Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ.3.4.10 CDA Subject Area: Advancing children’s physical and intellectual development. Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available. Registration To register, please visit the event registration page. More Information For more information, contact Jasmine Davis at 412.567.3933 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org.
Working with Diverse Families: Supporting Dual Language Learners In this online course, participants will engage in an interactive session to build and strengthen knowledge working with diverse children ages birth to five and families. In order to support early childhood practitioners serving this population, this session will focus on current research, strategies when teaching dual language learners, and techniques to engage families. Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 26 at 5 p.m. Course Information Timeline: May 28 – June 18, 2020 Instructor: Mimi Loughead CKC: K3.1 C2 Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ. 3.4.3 CDA Subject Area: Building Productive Relationships with Families. Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available. Registration To register, please visit the event registration page. More Information For more information, contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
Just Breathe: Discussing Ways to Relieve Workplace Stress Everyone with a job feels the pressure of work-related stress at some point, even those who love what they do. While we can’t always avoid on-the-job tension, we can take steps to manage work-related stress. This online course introduces its participants’ potential relief strategies for workplace stress. Through varied group discussions and engaging exercises, we invite each participant to identify and define stress through a uniquely personal lens, reflect upon their personal role in the creation and reduction of stress, and think of personal and group strategies for relieving stress. Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 20 at 5 p.m. Course Information Timeline: May 22 – June 12, 2020 Instructors: Sarah Byrne Houser and Mimi Loughead CKC: D6.4 C1 Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ. 3.4.5 CDA Subject Area: Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism. Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available. Registration To register, please visit the event registration page. More Information For more information, contact Rosie Hogan at rosie@tryingtogether.org.
May 11, 2020 Professionalism – Styles & Dispositions in the Workplace This three-week online workplace professionalism course will allow early care and education professionals to communicate, reflect, and update the professional styles they may use or want to use to improve in the field of early childhood education. Today’s early childhood professional must demonstrate knowledge of the skills, styles, and dispositions required to succeed in the workplace. This requires a commitment to the profession, including commitments to their regular work environment and beyond. Using activities and resources, this course provides participants with strategies to adopt positive and ethical habits that will serve them personally and professionally. Limited spaces are available. All registrations must be submitted by May 20 at 5 p.m. Course Information Timeline: May 22 – June 12, 2020 Instructors: Jasmine Davis and Theresa Hetler CKC: K6.9 C2 Keystone STARS Alignment: SQ. 3.4.5 CDA Subject Area: Maintaining a Commitment to Professionalism. Three PQAS and Act 48 hours available. Registration To register for this workplace professionalism course, please visit the event registration page. Workplace Professionalism Styles & Dispositions For more information, contact Jasmine Davis at 412.567.3933 or jasmine@tryingtogether.org. For more on Trying Together’s professional development programs, visit our courses page.
April 27, 2020 How to Run Virtual Circle Time | Webinar Join HiMama on April 30 for their HiMama Helps webinar, “How to Run Virtual Circle Time.” About In this webinar, presenters will discuss how to start or improve a virtual circle time to engage families while distance learning. Topics will include the following: the planning process; what equipment you can use for virtual circle time; how to engage families while distance learning; and a question and answer session. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
April 24, 2020 Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms Are you looking to better understand and embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches in your early learning classroom? Join Iheoma U. Iruka, Stephanie M. Curenton, and Kerry-Ann Escayg on April 28 for their webinar “Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms.” About In this webinar, the lead authors of “Don’t Look Away: Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms” call all early education professionals to lean in as “sheroes” and “heroes” in the lives of children. The goal of this webinar is to ensure that participants understand and embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches by creating affirming culturally-rich classroom environments that protect children from psychological trauma and heals them from the inside out. Participants will learn how institutional racism is visited in the early childhood space and the roles of implicit bias, microaggression, and white privilege in undermining the excellence and learning of minoritized Black and brown children and for those who teach them. Participants will also learn about several tools and strategies. This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through elementary teachers, school and district leaders, coaches, trainers, and child care providers, owners, and administrators. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
April 20, 2020 Examining Underlying Causes of Challenging Behaviors Behind the Scenes: Examining Underlying Causes of Challenging Behaviors is a live, interactive webinar that examines developmentally appropriate behaviors, mistaken behaviors, and imitation. Emphasis will be on how adults and the environment contribute to behaviors. About Challenging Behaviors Two PQAS hours will be offered for Behind the Scenes: Examining Underlying Causes of Challenging Behaviors. Participants are expected to fully participate with their digital device microphones and cameras on. This is not a log-in and leave event. Arriving 15 minutes late may result in no credit for the session. Please note, no refunds will be provided for cancellation or no show. Learning Objectives on Challenging Behaviors Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to: describe factors that contribute to children’s behaviors; briefly explain Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the PBS Pyramid as they relate to children’s behaviors; and analyze the extent to which adult behaviors and environmental factors facilitate children’s behaviors. Available Date To access this course, use the link below or enter the event ID on the Pennsylvania PD Registry website. May 1, 2020 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Event ID: 312712 More Information For questions, please contact Karen Rucker at 717.314.8368 or krucker@respectingchildren.com. For more events like this, please click here. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key
Leave It at the Door: Managing Personal Stress in the Classroom Leave It at the Door: Managing Personal Stress in the Classroom is a live, interactive webinar that explores causes of stress and ways to manage that stress in an effort to move towards a healthy, balanced lifestyle in the classroom and at home. About Two PQAS hours will be offered. Participants are expected to fully participate with their digital device microphones and cameras on. This is not a log-in and leave event. Arriving 15 minutes late may result in no credit for the session. Please note, no refunds will be provided for cancellation or no show. Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to: identify common sources and symptoms of stress in adults, summarize ways to reduce stress in and out of the workplace, and implement stress management techniques to address personal stressors. Available Dates To access this course, use the links below or enter the event ID on the Pennsylvania PD Registry website. April 27, 2020 | 9 – 11 a.m. | Event ID: 312709 May 5, 2020 | 9 – 11 a.m. | Event ID: 312715 More Information For questions, please contact Karen Rucker at 717.314.8368 or krucker@respectingchildren.com. *Information provided by the Pennsylvania Key
