Challenging Teachers Institute: Innovations in Learning

Discover the secrets of creating a resilient and innovative organization that inspires staff commitment, professional advancement, and organizational solidarity. Examine the principles of effective leadership and cutting edge management; methods for facilitating effective organizational change; strategies for building a staff team and creating commitment to program vision and goals; planning for staff professional development; techniques for identifying and meeting the needs of individual families; strategies for educating parents on program goals and philosophy and creating a family friendly environment.

Understand the influence of brain development and how to shape experiences that blend attachment, temperament, emerging language, and physical development to produce dynamic learning environments for infants and toddlers. Explore attachment theory and developmental milestones; individualize curriculum using formal and informal assessments; support language development; learn about temperament traits and ways to support social-emotional development; design learning environments that meet developmental needs of infants and toddlers; and explore ways to support families in a culturally sensitive manner.

Use child assessment to uncover the mysteries of early development; guide curriculum planning and transform teacher-child interactions into a catalyst that empowers children as learners; and rejuvenate classroom environments to support the child's emergent learning. Explore ways to individualize curriculum using formal and informal assessment; learn how social and emotional development influences academic success and how scaffolding learning experiences and skillful conversations promote learning; identify the elements of effective learning environments; capture the power of documenting learning; review typical child development and explore signs of developmental delays and learning disabilities; develop strategies that honor and authentically incorporate the cultural diversity of children and families enrolled.

Examine the critical role of early literacy and language and how it influences learning; develop an integrated approach that promotes oral language development, print concepts, and book knowledge; explore written language development; design a language and literacy rich environment and strategies that increase children's vocabulary and conceptual understanding, use skillful conversations with children to support oral language development; select and use language and literacy assessment tools to inform and individualize instruction.

Examine the principles of adult learning, the role and process of mentoring; and the best practices in early childhood care and education. Learn the competencies of effective mentoring; practice skills for mentor-coaching and communication approaches that create a safe and supportive environment; become a skillful active listener, and facilitate positive change. This course is for qualifying, highly accomplished teachers and directors. Application required.

Examine the dynamics of balancing process and compelling content while facilitating learner-centered, emergent learning. Experience how successful facilitation increases self-awareness and transforms behavior. Experiment with facilitation strategies in an authentic setting; design a teaching and learning space; transform principles of adult learning into powerful practices; assess the needs of the learning; create a heightened awareness. This course is for experienced trainers/facilitators.

Examine the elements of successful coaching partnerships. Compare and contrast coaching, mentoring, and technical assistance; learn the eight coaching skill areas and the underlying competencies that produce results; analyze and practice coaching skills that create respectful and supportive environment while honoring accountability and results. This course is for mentors, coaches, and technical assistance consultants.

Prepare for NAEYC accreditation by establishing a comprehensive and systematic plan to engage your whole program in the process. Unfold the NAEYC accreditation process; the structure of standards and criteria, requirements of each accreditation step, its tools and new procedures; and form a collaborative team to achieve accreditation. This course is designed for administrators preparing for NAEYC accreditation.

Clarify your program vision and goals; establish a partnership with parents; create an optimal environment and program of excellence for school-age a child that addresses socialization, learning, and emotional development. Examine the standards for best practices and determine the most effective approaches for staffing and professional development for high quality school-age programs. This course is for administrators and school-age program staff.