5 hours/.5 CEU

Karen Darby

Everyone gets angry.  All early education professionals have had or will have experiences with anger and aggressive behavior as well as children who act aggressively.  These behaviors are a concern because handling the situation involves more than one child.  Have you had children with aggressive behaviors in your classroom or program?  How do you handle these types of situations?  Which behaviors do you consider to be unacceptable and actually aggressive.  Attend this learning event to discover the myths and facts about childhood violence, help children describe physiological changes caused by stress in their bodies, summarize the levels of agitation, state possible reasons for anger and aggression in young children and lastly, create possible strategies and solutions for coping with angry and aggressive behaviors.

5 hours/.5 CEU

Karen Darby

Are you puzzled by autism spectrum disorders? Do you need strategies for your classroom for children with limited communication and social skills? Individuals on the autism spectrum have a neurobiological condition which makes them all quite unique.  In this learning event recognize, explore, and investigate characteristics of individuals of all ages in child care settings who have been identified on the autism spectrum, explore stimming behaviors and the reasons that individuals with autism utilize those behaviors and identify strategies and tools to use for communication, social skills, and as well as types of interventions for behaviors.

Karen Darby

Karen Darby

How do you feel about your body?  Did you immediately answer “Great!” with a smile?  If not, don’t worry, you’re not alone.  Body image is a very common issue for children, youth, and even adults.  Media sources portray a specific body type wherever we are and it’s easy to see how children, teens and adults can feel bad about their bodies and physical characteristics.  Building a positive body image can counteract the negative images that  may be felt  or the images that we compare ourselves to.  Attend this learning event to discover the definition of body image, factors that influence body image, gender differences that affect body image, and strategies to improve self esteem. 

Karen Darby

The impact that auditory processing disorder can have on a child reaches from their ability to read to their social interactions with others.  How often do you have a child ask you to repeat something that you’ve said, have you thought that a child wasn’t really listening, or that a child gives you an answer that is complete off topic?  We’ve probably all experienced this and some children have difficulties processing incoming information more so than others.  Attend this learning event to discover the skills involved in auditory processing, describe the possible indicators of auditory processing disorder, participate in a simulation to create your own definition, and identify classroom accommodations for children with auditory processing difficulties.

Karen Darby

Has a child said to you, “My ____ (mom/dad) is in jail.”?  What was your response? Do you feel like you are ready to answer all of the difficult questions that children may ask when they experience the incarceration of a family member?  How many children have a parent or family in jail/prison?  Are you aware of all of the emotions that children feel when they experience the incarceration of a family member?  What happens when the family member is released from jail/prison?  How does that affect the child and the family?  The incarceration of a family member is an extremely difficult situation and has been identified as an “adverse childhood experience” or ACE.  This learning event will equip early education professionals with ways to contribute to the lifelong success and positive outcomes of children with an incarcerated family member. 

After attending this learning event, participants will be able to describe the social-emotional impact of the incarceration of a family member on a child, compose responses to frequently asked questions regarding the incarceration, summarize the relationship between family member and children upon reunification and release, and list ways for early educators to contribute to the lifelong success of children with incarcerated family members.

Children’s Health and Safety Essentials (CHASE) is a combination of multiple health and safety topics that are required by the Child Care and Development Fund and is also a great training for newly hired staff as they complete employee orientation training as it covers the foundations of safety, health and care of all children in early education settings such as active supervision, indoor and outdoor spaces, handwashing and table washing, sanitation concerns, prevention and control of communicable diseases, responding to emergency situations, transportation safety, hazardous materials and their storage, creating a first aid kit, choking hazards, allergies, and medication administration.  This is a great refresher course for all staff and it will help new hires become acquainted with the facility and facility policies. Enroll today to embark or continue your journey into providing high quality care as an early learning professional!

What exactly is the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and what do you need to know about it?  Do you feel slightly overwhelmed by all of the different assessment types and sometimes get confused about what to do?  You are not alone.  Attend this learning event for an overview of the CLASS and begin to feel more confident and equipped with information to help you succeed.
     This learning event is designed as an introductory overview to the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS).  Participants will gain an understanding of the areas and dimensions captured by the PreK CLASS and why the CLASS is used in North Carolina’s Quality Improvement efforts as well as define the CLASS observation process.

Do you struggle getting children interested in reading? Do the children understand all of the different functions and forms of print?   There are a variety of different ways that the children demonstrate their knowledge and use of the components of literacy. This learning event will explore those classroom activities to create a deeper understanding of what children are learning as they gain knowledge through play.  The teacher’s role is more than facilitator, it is an active participant and role model in the children’s learning and love of literacy. 

  Growing up with two or more languages can happen in many ways.  Regardless of the circumstances, all children are at some stage of developing language, especially those under 6 years of age in early care and education environments.  All young children need support of their entire language spectrum, whether they speak their first language fluently or are beginning to learn their second language.  Developmentally appropriate early care and education focuses on a child’s early language experiences.  Participants in this learning event will be able to define key terms used with dual language acquisition, describe the four main reasons that children need support of their home language while in early care and education settings, identify the stages of first language and second language acquisition, and create practical strategies for supporting dual language learners.

No one wants to get the flu. Do you get a flu shot (influenza vaccine) to help prevent keeping yourself from getting the flu each year? That can often be a controversial question. How old does a child need to be in order to receive a vaccination for influenza? Among children, influenza vaccination remains especially important for those younger than 5 years of age and those of any age with an underlying chronic medical condition such as asthma, juvenile diabetes, cardiac disease, immunosuppression, or neurological disorders. These children are at higher risk of serious complications if they get the flu.

Participants attending this learning event will be able to identify signs and symptoms of influenza, describe how influenza is transmitted, and list strategies for prevention and control of influenza in early care and education environments.

Have you been told that an assessment is upcoming?  Do you worry whether or not you will merely just survive the day or do you want your classroom to thrive and shine brightly?  It is important to learn the details and stay current and know what is expected during an Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scales-Revised Edition (ECERS-R) assessment.  It’s acceptable to ask questions and to ask for help!  This learning event is designed to give participants foundational knowledge of the ECERS Revised Edition to start building a solid core and firm groundwork to get started on preparation.

It is recommended that participants have a copy of the ECERS R.

 Participants will be able to discuss the items and indicators as described in the ECERS Revised Edition, describe furnishings, arrangement of space, and materials recommended for a high quality learning environment, define frequently used terms in the ECERS R, and ultimately reflect on their own classroom and practices in regard to the ECERS R to implement a high quality environment.

This interactive self-paced online course is focused on using the FCCERS R as a tool to promote designing and self-assessing of quality family child care homes. Use of the FCCERS R as a self-assessment tool is an incredible benefit to a program as an on-going process to maintain quality.  Attend this learning event to explore the different indicators and items found in the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scales, Revised Edition, define the common terms found throughout, list materials and supports needed to create a high quality family child care home environment, and reflect on your own practices and arrangement to overcome challenges, set goals and sustain quality for yourself and the children in your program.  The benefits of sustained quality will show through the children’s desire to attend and through their behavior in your program! 

How many questions do you ask a day?  How many questions does the average 5-year-old ask every day?  Questioning can encourage language development and critical thinking skills.  Other than open ended questions, which we know are great ways to build relationships and learn about the children, what other types of questions and questioning strategies do you use?  This learning event will guide participants through the stages of language development for children birth to 5 years old and select quality children’s books that will promote and extend children’s language development.  Early educators will also have the opportunity to reflect on their own teaching strategies to focus on language, learning and higher order thinking skills.

Every day, bloodborne pathogens are the result of infections by disease-causing microorganisms.  There are specific actions and procedures that must be taken to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) Standards.  These procedures make every workplace safer, but they are also necessary to keep every employee safe from risks of bloodborne pathogens.  You might be wondering if you are at risk and what are the diseases that are most commonly transmitted through bloodborne pathogens?  What do you do in an actual incident involving blood or body fluids?  Does your facility have an exposure control plan?  Participants attending this event will be able to answer these questions as well as identify the bloodborne pathogens of primary concern, list ways that bloodborne pathogens can enter a person’s body, sequence the steps in proper removal of disposable gloves, and select the most appropriate responses in an exposure incident simulation.

Do the children play outside in the communities near you?  Is it safe for them to do so?  Is there graffiti or tagging nearby?  Have you ever wondered if those are truly the signs of gang activity or just kids spray painting on the walls?  This learning event will help bring clarity to the appeal behind gangs as well as discussing if there are any positive role models in gangs. This course will also give insight into the indicators of certain numbers, signs, and symbols have meaning with different gangs.

Participants will discuss and feel the different reasons that children and youth join gangs, distinguish between the different characteristics of various street gangs, list strategies to identify early indicators of gang involvement or gang influence, and explore tips for parents and schools to help prevent or reduce gang activity.

This course is designed for anyone who wants to increase or refresh their knowledge of the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development.! Have you already taken the 5 hour Foundations course but perhaps it has been several years and you need to refresh your skills and memory? Or maybe you are new to the early education profession and you are just beginning to explore the Foundations book and you would like to be prepared before you attend a 5 hour class. This class is for anyone! You will discover the age levels covered in Foundations, locate the strategies for each domain/subdomain, and identify the guiding principles in Foundations.

Have you ever been confronted by a parent?  Have you ever wondered, “Why is this parent yelling at me?”  Have you ever thought, “No wonder the child acts the way they do!” From time to time all staff will be faced by a difficult, demanding, or overbearing parent. From behaviors such as challenging teaching styles to accusations of bullying; some parents can be very intimidating or even aggressive. This learning event is suitable for newly hired, seasoned staff, and administrative staff.  Join us today to examine effective ways of handling real-life examples of difficult situations. Real situations will be studied and appropriate solutions reviewed. Participants will discuss face to face communication strategies as well as telephone contact techniques. 

After attending this event, participants will be able to describe types and characteristics of hard to handle parents or families, provide appropriate responses to a variety of scenarios, differentiate between labeling behavior and describing behavior, define the active listening process and qualities of an active listener, list strategies that may diffuse a tense situation, practice reflect listening.

     Human trafficking is a real and growing problem in the United States and all over the world.  It is most likely happening in a location near you.  From rural to urban environments, predators prey on those most vulnerable.  Through a multitude of strategies and tactics these predators prey on children, teens and adults.  Human trafficking can be difficult to detect unless educators are trained to recognize the signs.  Can you differentiate between human trafficking and human smuggling?  Can you describe the types of human smuggling? Attend this interactive online, self-paced training at your convenience and learn about human trafficking that is happening! 

What do infants and toddlers gain from outdoor experiences?  What can early education professionals    like yourselves do to fully engage infants and toddlers in outdoor play and learning?  Attend this learning event to explore the multiple benefits of outdoor play and learning for infants and toddlers, design safe  outdoor play spaces, and create new strategies for outdoor learning experiences for the infants and toddlers in your care.

Are you wondering what exactly is mental health for infants and toddlers and why are we just now hearing about this so frequently?  What research foundations is this based on?  Why is infant mental health important to early educators?  How can early educators support infant mental health in their classrooms?  If you’ve been asking these types of questions, this training is for you!  By the end of this learning event, participants will be able to define infant mental health, state the research foundations for infant mental health,  describe any existing barriers that may exist for implementing infant mental health practices and identify the foundations of research for the origins of infant mental health.

Language development begins with children’s ability to understand what others are communicating to them.  Young children understand much more than they can say and then they gradually learn to express themselves through cooing, babbling, gestures, and crying.  Further development brings words, sentences and rules of grammar.  What is the role of the early educator throughout all of this and how do you create a learning environment to stimulate all learners?  Alignment of planning and activities with NC Foundations of Early Learning and Development (NC FELD) may feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be.  Align planning and development with language acquisition in this learning event!  We will also explore theories of language acquisition, the stages of language development and list strategies to create an intriguing environment for all learners.

Do you align your lesson plans with NC FELD?  Are you purposeful in planning activities?  Do you need help connecting the goals and indicators to the activities you’ve created?  Attend this learning event to discover NC FELD as a helpful tool for creating developmentally appropriate activity and lesson plans.  Leave knowing how to use children’s preferences while planning activities and align those activities with the goals and indicators in NC FELD.  Participants will also be able to define children’s preferences, match activities on a lesson plan to goals and indicators in NC FELD and view scenarios and align with goals and indicators in NC FELD. 

How many senses do you really have?  What are your senses telling you right now?  Do you know anyone picky, clumsy, extra sensitive or fidgety?  We all learn through our senses and sensory processing is how we make sense of information inside of our own bodies and information from the external environment.  Sensory issues affect all kinds of people and may be referred to as Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Integration Dysfunction.  This learning event will provide participants with information on behaviors and concerns that may be associated with SPD and will also focus on strategies to implement in the environment that may help all children, not just those diagnosed with SPD. 

     After attending this learning event, participants will be able to define sensory processing disorder, list associated concerns and behaviors, identify current research findings, differentiate between the various sensory systems, and create and implement age and developmentally appropriate teaching strategies.

How is mathematics taught in early care and education?  What are some strategies for effective, intentional instruction?  What are some ways to engage the families in developing the mathematical skills of the children?  Most importantly, what are some ways to make this fun so that the children want to learn math?  Children really are eager to explore mathematical concepts and it is our job to provide them enriching opportunities in the early care and education environment.  Talking, planning, and experiencing mathematics in everyday use will help children acquire a positive attitude, skills, and knowledge.  

Participants attending this learning event will discover the 5 components of mathematics, ways to involve families in children's learning process, discuss the teacher's role for each of the 5 components, dive into the research behind mathematics, its use and importance in early care and education, and design a strategy to assess children's learning for each component of mathematics.

Authentic assessment or natural assessment-how and when is this used in the early childhood classroom?  Every day!  It can be used as children interact with each other throughout the day, through play and in learning centers.  Opportunities exist and present themselves for teachers to capture children learning and exploring as it happens in their daily schedule.  By using every day materials, children will begin to show progression and mastery of the many skills and concepts they are learning but how, how often, when, and where do teachers document the children’s progress?  Can you determine if an anecdotal note or observation is written subjectively or objectively?  What is the importance of writing objective observation notes? 

Participants attending this learning event will be able to answer these questions, define authentic assessment, describe the 6 key practices for effective observation, and practice writing objective observation notes.

I could list the reasons why you are important, but there is only one you. You could list the reasons why you don’t want to live anymore. But I will counter that with but there is only one you. And you are important to someone. That someone is me. How comfortable are you talking to children and teens about suicide? Can you be the person that they turn to if they need someone to talk to? Can you be the person that cares when they feel like no one else does? What are the risk factors, warning signs or myths about suicidal youth? What are appropriate responses to suicidal youth? None of these are easy questions, why? This is not an easy topic. But it is rapidly evolving and as educators and mentors we need to be well equipped with tools and strategies to feel confident in our own abilities and knowledge. Attend this learning event to discover the facts and myths, the importance of a creating an environment that is safe and free of dangers, steps to approaching suicidal youth, along with identifying risk factors and warning signs of suicidal youth.

Food allergies and anaphylaxis  are a growing safety and concern that affects children and adults.  How many individuals do you know with some type of allergy?  What medications and precautions do they need to handle their allergic reactions? Although the number of children with food allergies may seem small in just one setting, an allergic reaction can be life threatening and have far-reaching effects on children and their families. What will you do if a child accidentally eats a food allergen while in your care? Being proactive and prepared for such an occurrence creates a safer, calmer, and higher quality environment than being reactive and unprepared! 

 By the end of this course, participants will be able to state the difference between and allergic reaction and anaphylaxis, identify major food allergens, distinguish between cross contact and cross contamination, and select strategies to create a safe and healthy environment for all children.

Does the thought of head lice make you itch and scratch?  Of course, it does!  Are you aware that the American Academy of Pediatrics has some new recommendations as of 2016 regarding the exclusion of children with nits from schools?  Does everyone with head lice experience symptoms?  Families and children experiencing head lice as well as classrooms need support along with treatment options that dispel the myths and misconceptions regarding head lice.  Attend this learning event to help support children, families, and classrooms and stop the nitpicking!

Participants attending this learning event will be able to describe the ways head lice is transmitted, define the stages of head lice growth, state common indicators of head lice infestation, and describe treatment and supports for families facing head lice.  Course requirements to earn the CEU certificate include attending online session, handouts, video vignettes, interactive online activities, and a passing a post knowledge assessment with a score of 90% or higher (multiple attempts allowed).

'Teacher, teacher!   I need a band aid.   I have sand in my eye. I've got a splinter. I fell down.  Her knee is bleeding!' How often do you hear these statements? Prevention and treatment of unintentional injuries is a major responsibility of early education professionals. This is all best achieved through proper procedures, best practices, and active supervision along with knowledge of facility policy. Participants attending this    event will describe best practices for various incidents aligned with facility policy, list commonly occurring incidents, and provide appropriate responses to scenarios that may occur and involve different types of  accidents or incidents in early care and education.

You have created some great professional development events and have been told, that now you need learning outcomes and pre/post surveys to accompany those events.  How do you decide what the  learning outcomes will be for an event?  What makes a      learning outcome measurable anyway? How do you measure them?  Do the pre /post surveys have anything to do with the learning outcomes? What strategies do you use to assess mastery of learner knowledge? If these are the questions you have been asking  and trying to get answered, let’s work together. Collaboration is going to be the key to success! 

Participants in this learning event will be able to identify measurable learning outcomes, describe the assessment         method used to determine mastery, and align pre/post surveys with learning outcomes.

Do you want to be seen as a professional?  How do you describe your job with young children?  The first steps in gaining recognition as early education professionals from others is to first recognize, describe, and conduct ourselves as professionals.  Be seen as a professional by creating a professional development plan, maintaining a professional development portfolio, and presenting yourself as a professional in a career with young children.

After this training, participants will be able to define professionalism in their own words, design a professional development plan based on performance outputs and appraisals using the 5 steps to creating a professional development plan and list the processes involved in creating and maintaining a professional portfolio.

Do you have children who are reluctant or restless at rest-time? Do you need new routines or strategies to add to your current rest-time ritual to make things run more serenely? Children who do not get enough rest may be inattentive, impulsive, and easily distracted, but how much sleep do children even need? Are they getting enough or too much? Find out the challenges that may be causing rest-time reluctance in this interactive online, self-paced/on demand learning event.

Abusive Head Trauma or Shaken Baby Syndrome is the leading cause of death in cases of child abuse in the United States.  Do you know why and how these injuries occur?  This learning event will provide a definition of abusive head trauma along with the immediate symptoms and long-term effects of shaken baby syndrome.  Participants who attend this event will also be able to list strategies to decrease the risk of shaken baby syndrome in an early education environment as well as communicate the danger of shaken baby syndrome to parents with accompanying strategies to reduce the risk to their children.

When does a baby’s first tooth break through the gums? How many primary teeth do most children and adults have? Is tooth decay an infectious disease? What do early educators need to know about oral care injuries and prevention? This training will provide the answers to these questions and more. Attend to learn about tooth development, promoting oral health and hygiene in ways that are more than tooth brushing, and also learn what to do in case of injuries and accidents involving oral care. This learning event will also provide information on activities, ideas and strategies to incorporate in your classroom,

Participants will identify reasons why oral health activities should be included in early care and education, discuss the importance of incorporating activities into their classroom that promote oral health as well as describe the role of the early educator in situations involving oral care injuries and injury prevention.

The practice of continuity of care involves ensuring  that each infant and        toddler interacts primarily with one or two adults in an early care and              education setting.  This creates many benefits for children, teachers, and parents.  Continuity enhances  communication, family partnerships, and children’s feelings of safety and  security.  Are you aware of the numerous benefits of continuity of  care for infants and toddlers?   Are there barriers to providing  continuity of care?  Attend this learning event  to be able to define  continuity of care, list the benefits, state the relationship between continuity of care and building relationships with families, as well as list strategies to     overcome barriers that may exist.

This interactive self-paced online course is focused on using the SACERS U as a tool to promote designing quality school age learning environments for all types of programs.  Using the SACERS U as such a tool is a benefit to a program, as well as an on-going process.  Attend this learning event to explore the different indicators and items found in the SACERS Updated Edition, define the common terms found throughout, list materials and supports needed to create a quality school age environment, and reflect on your own practices and room arrangement to overcome challenges, set goals and sustain quality for yourself and the children in your program.  The benefits of sustained quality will show through the children’s desire to attend and through their behavior in your program! 

Which employees are more likely to stay and which are more likely to leave?  What is the average staff turnover rate in early care and education?  How does this affect you and your facility?  What steps are in your power to slow down the turnover rate of staff at your facility?  Participants in this learning event will discover the most common reasons employees leave, determine strategies for staff satisfaction using Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs and Hertzberg’s 2 Factor Theory, describe possible motivation for employees to remain, and list low cost, practical strategies that may increase staff morale. 

 What constitutes an involuntary tic?  Can these ever be controlled?  Is Tourette Syndrome a behavioral or neurological disorder?  Does Tourette Syndrome worsen as a child gets older?  What, if any, is the cause of Tourette Syndrome? This learning event will provide a tour of Tourette Syndrome including, but not limited to, symptoms, different types of tics, how it is diagnosed with the onset being between ages 3 and 9 years of age and importantly, the child’s perspective on how Tourette Syndrome makes them feel.  Attend this learning event to acquire practical strategies for children of all ages in early care and education environments with a focus on the school age years.

 After attending this event, participants will be able to describe the main characteristics and identify the impact of Tourette Syndrome on young children, as well as incorporate practical strategies into their environment

Have you grown weary of tattling?  Have you been searching for new, innovative strategies to use to combat tattling in your environment?  Tattling is developmentally appropriate, so let’s give the children a positive outlet and encourage them to TOOTLE!  What’s a tootle? The very opposite of a tattle!  Use tootles to encourage tattles to become positive remarks in and watch your environment become a more cooperative, kinder and happier place! Attend this online, self-paced/on demand learning event and discover all about tootles!

     Participants will leave this event with their own definition of a tootle, the steps in the process to teaching tootling as positive peer interaction, and be able to describe practical strategies and examples to start using right away!

Are your transitions always smooth or can they be a little rough at times?  Transitions can be stressful, for children and adults and provoke challenging behaviors.  Long periods of waiting with nothing to do, lining up, standing, or sitting; these types of activities can increase the likelihood of challenging behaviors.  How do you create a smoother transition time with fewer of those challenges?  Attend this learning event to gain some practical strategies to add to your daily routine!  Participants attending this learning event will describe the importance of smooth transitions and outline effective strategies for use in early care and education settings.

Participants must attend the required course length, read handouts, watch video clips, interact in online coursework, participate in interactive simulations as indicated by the instructor and pass a post knowledge assessment with a score of 90% or higher to earn the CEU course certificate (multiple attempts allowed).  The instructor has no proprietary interest in the design, development or marketing of this learning event.

Up in Smoke or Vape

Difficult situations arise in any early education environment. We’ve all heard “It’s not fair” or “No” or “But I’m the line leader” or “She won’t be my friend anymore”.  You won’t be able to avoid disagreements when you work with young children.  To cope, you need real world strategies.  Limit setting and behavior expectations that are age appropriate are a great help, but how do you establish those?   Participants attending this learning event will discover strategies and responses to daily dilemmas such as back talk, complaining, interrupting, and more!  Participants will describe potential causes of challenging behavior, identify appropriate strategies to help children achieve positive behavioral outcomes, select appropriate responses to difficult situations, and state several benefits of guiding children’s behaviors to create an environment with fewer difficult daily dilemmas!

´et’s face it, all diseases can be a little bit frightening. You hear it on the news, so do children who happen to be nearby and that can be even more frightening.  Does the Center for Disease Control have a registry for pregnant women?  What are the effects of Zika virus on unborn babies or is it too early to know?    If we feel anxious as adults, imagine how children must feel.  Overwhelmed, scared and confused, just to name a few!  Children can often be scared to ask questions or perhaps do not know the questions to ask and the terminology used may often be medical terms and hard to comprehend.   Together, as early education professionals, we can work with families and children to help children alleviate their fears and anxieties by first truly understanding the situation and terminology ourselves and then helping children talk through the situation.

´ Participants attending this learning event will be able to describe the Zika virus and its symptoms, how the Zika virus is transmitted according to current evidence, and identify preventative measures that may be taken in the early care and education environment and home environments to help eliminate the risk of Zika virus infection.