Early Childhood Workshops

A Place of Our Own Workshop Descriptions
Workshops facilitated by WVIZ/PBS ideastream Early Childhood Outreach Services
Each session is 3 hours

Conflict Resolution
Participants will learn how to help children develop lifelong strategies that they can use to resolve without being aggressive or violent.  Differences between discipline and conflict resolution will also be discussed.

Language and Literacy – Creating a Print Rich Environment
Participants will learn how to help children build their language and literacy skills by taking advantage of opportunities that already exist in their daily routine and by surrounding the children with opportunities to read and write.

Language and Literacy – Storytelling
Participants will learn how easy it is to become a storyteller as well as develop an understanding of how telling stories helps children build language and literacy skills.

Play and Creativity
Participants learn about what children learn from free play, why free time is important, and how caregivers can provide opportunities that help children build social and problem solving skills.

Preventing Childhood Obesity
Participants will learn how to stop the epidemic of childhood obesity in its tracks, with easy-to-do strategies that help children eat healthy and keep their growing bodies in shape.

Supporting Children with Special Needs
Identifying special needs can be difficult as well as figuring out how to include children with special needs into regular routines. Participants will learn how inclusion benefits all children.

Using TV to Help Children Learn
Participants learn how to help children develop healthy viewing habits, and get the most from their screen time.

Major funding for A Place of Our Own is provided by BP, First 5 California, and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  A Place of Our Own is a production of KCET/Los Angeles in association with Sesame Workshop and 44 Blue Productions, Inc.

- Infant Toddler Workshops -

Infant Toddler Guidelines Module 1: Overview
By exploring the Guidelines, participants will deepen their understanding of how children learn and how developmental domains impact one another.  The six developmental domains, Physical Health, Emotional, Social, Motor, Language, Cognitive Development, of infants & toddlers will be addressed through the lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity.  The impact that routine care has on all developmental domains wick be discussed.

Infant Toddler Guidelines Module 2: Physical Health CDA Area 1
Through lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity, based upon Ohio’s I/T Guidelines, participants will learn how children’s physical health impacts development. Care giving strategies to help young children achieve optimal physical health while allowing children to explore and connect with the world around them will be discussed.

Infant Toddler Guidelines Module 3: Emotional Development CDA Area 3
Through lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity, based upon Ohio’s I/T Guidelines, participants will further deepen their understanding of the emotional development of infants and toddlers, including the importance of attachment, and how children develop self awareness and self regulation. Participants will discuss how this knowledge can be translated into emotionally supportive care giving practices.

Infant Toddler Guidelines Module 4: Social Development CDA Area 3
Through lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity, based upon Ohio’s I/T Guidelines, participants will gain a better understanding of how the connection of infants and toddlers to adults and children around them shape their interactions, skills, and abilities.  Care giving strategies to support social development will also be shared.

Infant Toddler Guidelines Module 5: Motor Development CDA Area 2
Through lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity, based upon Ohio’s I/T Guidelines, participants will study typical, as well as variations in, small, large motor and oral motor development. Care giving strategies to enhance young children’s motor skills, exploration and learning through movement will be discussed.

Infant Toddler Guidelines Module 6: Language Development CDA Area 2
Through lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity, based upon Ohio’s I/T Guidelines, participants will examine the progression of language development and the areas of language development (Comprehension, Expression, and Social Communication). Early Literacy Foundations will also be discussed.  Care giving strategies to support language development will also be discussed.

Module 7: Cognitive Development CDA Area 2
Through lecture, video, group discussion, & small group activity, based upon Ohio’s I/T Guidelines, participants will examine cognitive development including the six Discoveries of Infancy. The Discoveries are Grouping/Categorizing, Cause & Effect, Problem Solving, Memory, Space, and Imitation. Care giving strategies to support cognitive development will also be discussed.

Ohio’s Ready to Learn
Workshop Descriptions
For classes through June, 2009

Phase One – Exploring Literacy and Language
This workshop provides examples of intentional teaching and learning experiences for children to extend the range and scope of Ohio’s Early Learning Content Standards, particularly in the area of phonological awareness. Participants will also be introduced to the Child/Home Early Language & Literacy Observation tool (CHELLO) and demonstrate ways to engage children in conversations that develop creative and critical thinking skills.

Phase Two – Learning Discipline -2
Based on a curriculum designed by Family Communications, Inc., (Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) this session looks at discipline as a time for teaching, rather than a time for punishment. As participants reflect on their own attitudes and practices, the impact of the discipline/communication/relationship cycle on children’s behavior will become apparent.

Phase Three – Assessment Using the ASQ:SE
Social-emotional development has a significant impact on learning. Participants will be introduced to The Ages & Stages: Social Emotional Questionnaire (ASQ:SE) and will show evidence of knowledge about its benefits, scoring, appropriate referral recommendations as well as be able to suggest appropriate follow-up activities.