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 19, 2021 Finding Joy through Playful Learning Join Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network, Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative, and Trying Together from February 3 – 10 for a virtual conference bringing together educators, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss and share best practices to support children and families in learning through play. About Finding Joy through Playful Learning aims to bring together educators, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who have a variety of experiences related to education, play, and learning. The conference will take place via Zoom over the course of several days covering six topics related to playful learning. The goal is to generate dialogue among different stakeholders and share best practices to support children and families in learning through play. Act 48 and PQAS credits are available. PPID and PD Registry numbers will be collected during the sessions. Available Sessions Rethinking Education During and Post COVID-19 Wednesday, February 3, 2021 | 3 – 5 p.m. Join featured speakers Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Dr. Scott Miller, and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for discussions of how playful learning can change education during and after COVID-19. Featured Speakers: Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek (Temple University, Brookings Institution), Dr. Scott Miller (Avonworth Primary Center), and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. How Play Can Improve Mental Health and Wellbeing Thursday, February 4, 2021 | 9 – 11 a.m. Hear from Sarah Grubb, Cindy Eggleton, and Sheba Gittens about play’s role in mental health and wellbeing. Featured Speakers: Cindy Eggleton (Brilliant Detroit), Sarah Grubb (ELRC Region 5), and Sheba Gittens (University of Pittsburgh). Addressing Equity Issues Through Playful Learning Thursday, February 4, 2021 | 3 – 5 p.m. Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims and Dr. Mandy McGuire will present their work on using play and playful learning to address inequity. Featured Speakers: Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims (PaTTAN) and Dr. Mandy McGuire (University of Texas at Dallas). Activating Communities Around Playful Learning Tuesday, February 9, 2021 | 3 – 5 p.m. Ariana Brazier, Justin Forzano, Shari Hersh, Gamar Markarian, and Sarah Siplak, will discuss what it means to activate communities and how their communities inform the work they do. Featured Speakers: Ariana Brazier (ATL Parent Like a Boss), Justin Forzano (Open Field), Shari Hersh (Mural Arts), Gamar Markarian (New School), and Sarah Siplak (Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative). Using Technology to Strengthen the Way We Learn and Play Wednesday, February 10, 2021 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Learn about technologies and applications from Katie Gullone, Megan Rooney, Javier Maisonet, and Project Rangeet. Featured Speakers: Elias Blinkoff (Temple Infant & Child Lab), Katie Gullone (Trying Together), Javier Maisonet (Math Talk), Simran Mulchandani (Project Rangeet), and Megan Rooney (La Escuelita Arcoiris). Replicable and Low-Cost Ideas for Playful Learning Wednesday, February 10, 2021 | 3 – 5 p.m. Explore low-cost and replicable ways to encourage playful learning from Shannon Merenstein, Amy Kronenberg, Rebecca Fabiano, and Aishwarya Narayana. Featured Speakers: Rebecca Fabiano (Fab Youth Philly), Amy Kronenberg (Learn to Earn Dayton), Shannon Merenstein (HATCH Art Studio), and Aishwarya Narayana (HUME). Registration To register, visit the online registration page. General Admission tickets cost $55 and include admission to all sessions. Single session registration is also available for $10 per session. The following discount codes are available for early educators who wish to participate in individual sessions or the entire series: EDU-ALL for $25 price for all six workshops EDU-CHOOSE for $5 per workshop Attendees will receive the Zoom link for each day’s session prior to the start of the event. More Information For questions, contact admin@playfullearninglandscapes.fun or 267.468.8610.
January 11, 2021 Fund My Future Information Session Attend this online information session to learn about Fund My Future, a savings program that offers chances to win prizes and cash in monthly raffle drawings by depositing small amounts into your child’s savings account. About With the support from the Pennsylvania State Treasurer, Fund My Future is now available to all families in Pennsylvania to save for college and other post-secondary goals. Fund My Future provides a prize pool that makes the saving experience fun. This program is open to Pennsylvania residents who have children or grandchildren between the ages of birth to 18. Your child will benefit from the savings, and you benefit from the fun! Participants will have the chance to win a door prize. Registration To register, complete the online registration form. More Information For questions, please contact Fund My Future at 833.728.3946 or via this online form.
Virtual Vitality Cafés If your family receives Early Intervention and/or Family Support services in Pennsylvania, join other families virtually for conversations focused on self-care, health, and wellness. About Café sessions are intended for family members of children enrolled in Early Intervention Services or Family Support Services. To support participation, a stipend of $40 will be offered. A child care reimbursement will be offered if needed to participate in the Cafes. Information on how to access the stipend/reimbursement will be provided after registration. Forms to be submitted for the stipend will be provided at the end of each Café. Virtual Vitality Café Dates Virtual Vitality Cafés will be held on the following dates: January 27, 2021 | 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. February 24, 2021 | 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. March 24, 2021 | 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Receiving Support Support for families of children who are deaf/heard of hearing is provided from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. For other families of children receiving EI services that do not have diagnosed hearing loss and children receiving Family Support Services, support is provided by The Office of Child Development and Early Learning. This will require ALL participants to pre-register and indicate what program(s) your child is receiving services and whether or not your child has a diagnosis of hearing loss. Registration To register, complete the online registration form. Any accommodations (language or ADA) must be requested at least two weeks in advance of each cafe, during the registration process. Families are encouraged to join as many sessions as they would like to attend. More Information For questions, call The Alliance for Infants and Toddlers at 412.885.6000.
Webinar: Learning in a Pandemic Join the U.S. Department of Education for a discussion on the state of student learning during the pandemic and tools that families and teachers can use to support student learning now. This event will educate parents and teachers on the state of learning today and how you can better support your students during the pandemic. About This forum will review the most updated research on the state of student learning today and share personalized platforms you can utilize to support student learning immediately. Institute for Education Sciences Director Mark Schneider will moderate a discussion with national leaders in the research field, Stanford’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes and NWEA, as they review findings on national learning loss. Then, Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development Jim Blew will moderate a discussion on the power of individualized learning platforms with two examples for how to approach personalized learning for your students, Gooru, and New Classrooms. Registration To register, visit the online webpage. Registrants will receive an email containing a personalized access link. More Information For full details, visit the event webpage. Information provided by the U.S. Department of Education
December 22, 2020 From Self-Care to Best Practice in a Trauma-Impacted World Save the date! From March 5 – 6, 2021, First Up is hosting their virtual conference “Hope and Healing: From Self-Care to Best Practice in a Trauma-Impacted World.” About This conference is being carefully curated by the First Up team to provide a break, a safe space, and a chance for all participants to come together to fill their cups with the things they individually need. For some, that may mean a strategy for managing challenging behaviors in the classroom, for others it may mean instruction in a technical/professional skill, or a chance to move their bodies and focus their minds on the present moment. This virtual conference will feature short breakout activities that can be experienced with the whole family. Registration First Up will provide more information on registration in January. For now, save the date! Submit A Presentation Proposal First Up is currently accepting proposals for presenters. If you are interested in presenting, download this RFP form and return it to Becca Tyrell at rebecca.tyrrell@firstup.org no later than January 15, 2021. More Information For questions, please contact First Up at 215.893.0130 or info@firstup.org.
Virtual Community of Practice Meetings Are you interested in discussing topics of interest and current trends with fellow professionals in the early childhood field? Join Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 for their virtual Community of Practice sessions! About ELRC Region 5 offers Communities of Practice (COP) for early learning professionals to discuss topics of interest, current trends in the field, and offer insight and inspiration to one another. In January, the COP virtual sessions will give providers the opportunity to discuss their school-age care program successes, needs, and questions. Participants will be given the most current school-age care updates, information, resources, and professional development opportunities. Available Sessions Saturday, January 9, 2021: School Age Child Care Check-In 10 a.m. | Zoom Meetings | Attend the Session Thursday, January 21, 2021: School Age Child Care Check-In 10 a.m. | Zoom Meetings | Attend the Session 1 p.m. | Zoom Meetings | Attend the Session More Information For questions, contact elrc5@alleghenycounty.us or 412.350.3577. Share this flyer with your network.
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.
