Professional Learning

CLASS in Florida: Data Review and Improvement Strategies

Mamie Morrow, M.Ed. | CLASS Specialist and Janet Ranaldi, MBA, Regional Director (FL/GA), Teachstone

Target Audience: Administrators, Directors

In this session, a team from Teachstone will share both Florida and Region IV CLASS data by domain for the last three years looking at trends and patterns in both the region and state. We will discuss possible reasons for data changes over the years as well as strategies for improvement. Attendees are invited to schedule CLASS Consultations with Teachstone at the conference as a way to discuss specific needs and further explore Improvement Strategies.

Monkey Bars and Little Monkeys: A Curriculum to Teach Safety and Injury Prevention in Early Child Care and Head Start Centers

Target Audience: Administrators, Directors, Teachers: New, Teachers: Experienced, Training & Technical Staff

Jennifer Takagishi, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, University of South Florida

In this workshop, the presenter will showcase novel ways to present the injury prevention curriculum created by the American Academy of Pediatrics entitled "Safety and Injury Prevention in Early Childhood Centers." The presenter will explore opportunities for training staff and advocating for safety in Head Start centers. The presenter will showcase other means in which the curriculum has been shared with early child care educators and answer questions. The participants will break into roundtables to discuss ways to bring this curriculum to their centers. After a large group review of these ideas, the participants will consider opportunities to use this curriculum to advocate for safety and injury prevention in their centers.

Social Media Training = Essential!

Target Audience: Administrators, Directors, Family Support, Teachers: Experienced

Teresa Durdaller, Association Vice President of Communications, Lutheran Services Florida

Investing in social media marketing is a must in 2019! But to engage in these platforms, you need a strategy and a training session. Join us for a fast past 90-minute workshop where you will become a believer in the power of social media. You will understand the social media universe from Twitter to Facebook to LinkedIn and beyond. We will even evaluate the way you portray yourself on social media. And hey you might even come up with a hashtag or video spot that has the potential to go viral!

Take Training Skills to New Heights

Target Audience: Directors, Training & Technical Staff

Cynthia Krosky, CSP, LCSW, President, Achieving Corporate Excellence, Inc.

Increasing professional knowledge and skills is more successful when presenters understand how to improve interaction and retention by setting the tone for training that increases engagement. Understand how to identify audience needs and adapt accordingly. Pointers range from the subliminal message of the room to the words spoken to the way material is presented. A resource handout will be used to increase knowledge and improve delivery methods.

Conducting Effective Policy Council Meetings

Target Audience: Administrators, Directors, Training & Technical Staff

Melvin Gravely, CEO, The Gravely Group

Participants will receive handouts and resources that represent current trends in parent policy council/committee guidance and conducting productive meetings. Provide participants with a prescription for success by giving them the necessary tools to build a strong working relationship with their partners. The participants will be using the Head Start Performance Standards and Roberts™Rules of Order as a resource.

Compliance to the Rescue

Target Audience: Administrators, Director Service Providers, Directors, Teachers: New, Teachers: Experienced, Training & Technical Staff

Michele Ashley, Compliance Specialist, Mid Florida Community Services Head Start & Early Head Start

Have no fear; your Compliance Specialist is here. Staff file monitoring is an essential component of maintaining a compliant status for HS, EHS, DCF, and OEL. This session will inform you regarding a well-oiled system that assists with monitoring staff files from onboarding new employees, tracking credentials, degrees, courses, and exams will not be unnoticed. Staff can create a positive environment by implementing a system to eliminate those pesky staff file DCF non-compliance.

Individualizing Professional Development and Mentoring to Help Teachers Implement The Creative Curriculum® and GOLD® with Fidelity

Megan Alexander, Customer Success Manager, Teaching Strategies®

This session is sponsored by Teaching Strategies®

Target Audience: Administrators, Directors, Teachers: New, Teachers: Experienced

This session aims to give coaches, mentors, and administrators a greater understanding of the coaching role along with practical strategies for improving their work with teachers and caregivers at all levels of implementation. Participants will discover ways to enhance the quality of their coaching and tailor it to the individual strengths, needs, and opportunities they observe in their programs through the use of Teaching Strategies® Coaching to Fidelity resources.

Pop Up Professional Development

Michelle Toral, Head Start Section Manager and Dr. Maite Riestra-Quintero, Chief of School Readiness and Early Childhood Programs, Miami-Dade County Community Action & Human Services Department

Target Audience: Administrators, Training & Technical Staff

Pop Up Professional Development is a new twist on providing much needed professional development to staff members who are short on time and motivation.  Learn how Miami-Dade County's Head Start and Early Head Start program have motivated teachers to attend a variety of professional development opportunities that are relevant, meaningful, and full of strategies that are ready to implement.

T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Program and Child Care WAGE$® Program - Professional Development Opportunities for Early Childhood Educators

Kiki Peters, Child Care Wage$ Florida Program Coordinator and Denise Bishop, Vice President of Outreach, Innovation, and Training, Children’s Forum

Target Audience: Directors, Teachers: New, Teachers: Experienced

The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Program and Child Care WAGE$® Program links training, compensation, and commitment to improving the quality of early care and education experiences for young children. This presentation will provide participants with an overview of both programs including the application and award process, navigation through the program websites highlighting resources and tools available, and an opportunity to ask questions and clarify information.