Dismantling Anti-Blackness in Multiracial Families

News

July 22, 2020

Dismantling Anti-Blackness in Multiracial Families

Join EmbraceRace on July 28 for “Raising Multiracial Children, Part 2: Dismantling Anti-Blackness in Multiracial Families” as they explore how to actively reject white supremacy and anti-Blackness in multiracial families.

About

During the second webinar of this two-part series on anti-racist parenting and multiracial children, presenters will discuss anti-Blackness and how anti-Black messaging shows up in multiracial families (including non-Black families). Referencing recent examples from social media, presenters breakdown three common myths that perpetuate anti-Blackness within multiracial families and describe how these myths negatively impact the identity development of multiracial Black children specifically.

To conclude the series, presenters will offer tangible steps that parents and caregivers can take now to actively reject white supremacy and anti-Blackness and build resilience as a multiracial family. Questions and comments are welcome.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

Antiracist Dialogues for Action: Antiracist Out-of-School Time Programs

News

July 17, 2020

Antiracist Dialogues for Action: Antiracist Out-of-School Time Programs

Are you interested in learning, sharing knowledge, and working together with fellow changemakers to dismantle racism and injustice? Join ELIE Circle on August 12 for “Antiracist Dialogues for Action: Antiracist Out-of-School Time Programs.”

About

On August 12, ELIE Circle will hold the second virtual meeting of the Antiracist Dialogues for Action – convenings for out-of-school time educators (e.g., afterschool staff, librarians, teaching artists, researchers) to learn, share knowledge, and work together to dismantle racism and injustice.

The dialogues consist of the following:

    • a 30-minute presentation providing context, research, and historical perspectives on main dialogue topics;
    • a 45-minute small group dialogue on a related subtopic for participants to a) share collective knowledge and b) work with other educators to determine goals and next steps; and
    • a 15-minute closing and larger group share out.

All dialogues are designed for educators which includes those that are working directly with young people in any capacity and those at out-of-school-time organizations without direct contact. These dialogues are categorized in two categories: Educators and Youth Work.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism

News

July 10, 2020

Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism

Are you interested in learning how to help early learners with autism engage with remote instruction through evidence-based practices? Attend the webinar “Remote Learning for Early Learners with Autism” on July 16.

About

While remote learning allows students to continue their education, it can be challenging for young students with autism and other developmental disabilities to attend to the screen and engage with the curriculum. In this webinar, STAR Autism Support Training Specialist Elizabeth Curtin will discuss strategies to help early learners with autism engage with synchronous remote instruction through evidence-based practices.

A focus of this presentation will be on teaching skills in receptive language, expressive language, social and play, and pre-academics. This webinar will include video examples of teachers coaching caregivers to provide consistent instruction to their students. Participants will also learn strategies on teaching students to be more independent in daily functional routines.

This webinar is best suited for pre-k through elementary teachers and school leaders. Time for questions will be provided.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. Registration to attend the live presentation is limited to 2,000 people. A recording of the session will be available to those who sign up to receive it via email and to those who attend the live event.

Virtual Service Delivery Webinar Series

News

July 9, 2020

Virtual Service Delivery Webinar Series

To support family-facing providers in their online work with children and families, Brazelton Touchpoints Center is offering a series of free one-hour webinars and an online learning community that will explore how to manage the challenges posed by virtual service delivery and share strategies providers have found for building and sustaining strong relationships with families virtually.

About

In partnership with Parents as Teachers and the Rapid Response Virtual Home Visiting (RR-VHV) Collaborative, Brazelton Touchpoints Center will build on lessons learned from virtual home visiting, adapted for all family-facing providers.

All professionals who work with families of young children—including those who work in health care, early care and education, early intervention, child welfare, and family support—are encouraged to attend these webinars. Brazelton Touchpoints Center is pairing the webinars with an online learning community where webinar participants can engage with one another and BTC facilitators on topics and strategies discussed in the webinars.

Featured Webinars

    • Engaging Families Using a Strengths-Based Approach in the Virtual World
      Wednesday, July 22 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Register
    • Partnering with Families Virtually
      Wednesday, August 5 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Register
    • Providing Staff Support and Supervision Virtually
      Wednesday, August 19 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Register
    • Developmental Screenings on Your Screen
      Wednesday, September 2 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Register
    • Challenging Conversations with Families Virtually
      Wednesday, September 16 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Register
    • Taking Care of Yourself as a Virtual Service Provider
      Wednesday, September 30 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Register

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the Brazelton Touchpoints Center website. Participants can register for the entire series or for individual webinars.

More Information

For questions, email touchpoints@childrens.harvard.edu.

CDA Community of Practice

News

July 7, 2020

CDA Community of Practice

Are you an early educator who is interested in advancing your career? Join Trying Together starting July 14 for our six-week online course, “CDA Community of Practice.”

About

This online course is intended for individuals who have completed the necessary hours and requirements for a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. During this community of practice, participants will explore the current theory, research, and best practices related to early childhood. Participants will focus on the completion of portfolio requirements, as well as preparation for the CDA credential exam.

This course will be hosted on Zoom. Participants will receive the Zoom link via email from the course instructor. For questions, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org.

Course Details

    • Timeline: July 14 – August 18, 2020 (Six Weeks)
      Sessions will be held every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.
    • Instructor: Theresa Hetler, Workforce Development Strategist
    • Course Type: Online (Zoom Meetings)
    • Registration Deadline: Friday, July 10

Registration

To register for this course, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org. Space is extremely limited. Registrations must be submitted no later than Friday, July 10.

More Information

For questions, contact Theresa Hetler at theresa@tryingtogether.org.

Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms

News

July 6, 2020

Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms

Are you interested in learning how institutional racism becomes present in early childhood environments? Sign up to receive a recording of the live webinar “Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms: A Response to Racism in America” on July 8.

About

In this webinar, the lead authors of the newly released book, Don’t Look Away, Embracing Anti-Bias Classrooms, will participate in a roundtable discussion on how to explore and address issues of bias, equity, low expectations, and family engagement to ensure culturally responsive experiences. Equipped with the tools and strategies to promote classroom change, educators will be empowered to do the following:

    • learn how institutional racism becomes present in early childhood environments;
    • discover how implicit bias, microaggression, and white privilege can play a role in undermining the learning experiences of marginalized Black and brown children and those who teach them;
    • embrace anti-bias and anti-racist teaching approaches; and
    • implement best practices for creating culturally-rich and supportive classroom environments that protect children from social-emotional and psychological trauma by affirming personal healing.

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.

Registration

Live access to this event is sold out. Sign up to receive the event recording by visiting edWeb.net.

Transform for Tomorrow – Virtual Series for School Leaders

News

July 2, 2020

Transform for Tomorrow – Virtual Series for School Leaders

Are you interested in connecting with school leaders to discuss strategies for integrating justice and anti-racist systems into your school? Attend “Transform for Tomorrow,” a three-part virtual series for school leaders that explores how educational organizations can make plans for what comes next.

About

As a Superintendent or school leader, you are already preparing for what will be a very different 2020-21 school year. You are adjusting to new ways of preparing your teachers, educating your students, and supporting your parents. Have you also integrated matters of justice? Are you constructing anti-racist systems?

This three-part virtual series presents opportunities to share and learn from one another about how our schools might, together, make plans for what comes next, no matter what tomorrow brings.

Webinar Dates

    • Justice: Learning and Leading
      July 14, 2020 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Register
    • Justice: Teaching in STEM
      July 16, 2020 | 1 – 2 p.m. | Register
    • Justice: Learning and Strategizing
      July 21, 2020 | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Register

Registration

To register, visit the event webpage.

National Family Child Care Conference

News

June 30, 2020

National Family Child Care Conference

Are you interested in celebrating and exploring the field of family child care? Join the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) on July 17 and 18 for the 30th National Family Child Care Conference!

About

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAFCC will host its annual National Family Child Care Conference virtually on the evening of Friday, July 17 and all day on Saturday, July 18. The conference will feature:

    • live and on-demand workshops,
    • an opportunity to earn up to 24 hours (or 2.4 continuing education units) of training credit,
    • a Spanish track with four live sessions presented in Spanish,
    • a Black and Latina caucus where participants can discuss the things that are important to them, and
    • a virtual exhibit hall where participants can view vendors without leaving their homes.

Featured Topics

Live and on-demand workshops will cover a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

    • record-keeping and tax implications of COVID-19,
    • organizing a sustainable daily routine that supports health and wellbeing,
    • how to make your home a place of inquiry, play, and experimentation,
    • strategies for creating an environment that promotes a variety of social-emotional skills,
    • finding out and improving your business’ profit margin, and
    • recognizing early signs of mental illness in young children.

View the schedule and full workshop descriptions.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage. For questions, submit NAFCC’s online contact form.

Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary

News

June 22, 2020

Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary

Are you interested in learning how to maintain essential interactions with young children during this difficult time of masks and physical distancing? Join Trying Together on July 8 for our free online session, “Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary.”

About

The primary ingredient of early childhood quality begins with the “everyday interactions” between educators and children. These simple and ordinary interactions that take place during play, transition, and daily routines form the very foundation of learning and growing. How can educators uphold these essential interactions with children during this challenging time of masks and physical distancing?

Early learning professionals are invited to join Trying Together on July 8 at for our online module “Everyday Interactions Matter: Noticing the Simple and Ordinary” to engage with the Everyday Interactions Matter approach through a process of careful observation, discussion, and self-reflection. As a part of the “Connections and Conversations: Virtual Check-Ins” series, this session will encourage educators to recognize powerful moments of connecting, sharing, growing, and belonging in their everyday interactions with young children.

Learning Objectives

    • Observe video footage of children and their caregivers in authentic settings and describe positive interactions.
    • Recognize moments of connecting, sharing, growing, and belonging in everyday moments in the early childhood setting.

Registration

To register, visit the event webpage. Registrations must be submitted by July 6, 2020. Space is limited.

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 or Sarah Grubb at sarah.elrc5@alleghenycounty.us.

Virtual Series Overview

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.

Sessions will be offered biweekly and will offer one hour of PQAS credit. Act 48 credit will not be offered.

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.

Choosing Child Care | Virtual Workshop

News

June 16, 2020

Choosing Child Care | Virtual Workshop

Choosing high-quality child care is a complex process, and to many it may feel overwhelming right now. Join the Center for Women Pittsburgh, Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5, and Trying Together on June 28 for their virtual workshop “Choosing Child Care.”

About

Through this virtual workshop, participants will:

    • learn about the CDC guidelines that early learning professionals are incorporating into their programs;
    • hear questions they can use to ask providers about sanitation and physical distancing;
    • see a live demonstration a new search tool for child care in Allegheny County;
    • get tips on the application process, as well as what you need to apply for assistance; and
    • know how they can help advocate for needed changes to the child care system.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.