If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
This course is designed to help teachers and staff understand how to help children in their care with generalized anxiety. These children often act out in ways that are mistaken as behavior problems. Course length – 2.0 hours.
The course helps answer the following questions:
What is anxiety?
What does childhood anxiety look like?
What are the types of anxiety?
What does generalized anxiety look like?
What does separation anxiety look like?
What does social anxiety look like?
What are some triggers for anxiety?
What are some symptoms of anxiety?
How can I help?
Desired Outcomes
Participants will gain an understanding of what different types of anxiety look like in early childhood.
Participants will learn tools they can use to help children with anxiety.
Participants will learn how to set up a safe place in their classroom.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
This course ventures into the importance and application of art in early childhood education. Course length – 2.0 hours.
It helps answer the following questions:
What are the key aspects of art in early childhood?
What are the primary benefits to children who create art in early childhood?
Why, for the benefit of your children, do you need to go beyond just providing a few essentials like crayons, markers and paper?
How can I best help the children in my care express themselves through art?
Why should art be experienced at times other than “art time”?
What are some “out of the box” art ideas I can use with my class?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Learn how children of all ages can create art and grow through artistic expression.
Be prepared to teach multiple methods of art to their age range.
Be able to explain the benefits of art in early childhood.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
COVID 19 has brought a lot of changes to early childhood education. Many centers and home cares have closed either temporarily or permanently. It has been a difficult time for everyone. This course provides detailed approaches and suggestions for dealing with all of the extra responsibilities that have come with COVID 19. Course length – 1.5 hours.
This course does not meet the Pennsylvania 10 hour Health and Safety course required by Department of Human Services. In addition, some of the information included in this course may or may not reflect current Health and Safety standards in Pennsylvania.
The course helps answer the following questions:
How should I handle drop off and pick up?
Should I allow visitors inside the center?
How can I keep the room and materials clean?
What ages need to wear masks?
What are the challenges of virtual teaching/learning?
What sensory materials can I use in these circumstances?
What are some books I can use to help the children deal with this unprecedented time?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Understand how to keep classroom materials clean and separate.
Comprehend the importance of maintaining social distancing within the center.
Be prepared to help the children understand why these new policies are needed.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
Transitions can be the toughest times throughout the day for teachers and children alike! We need to understand exactly why transitions are so difficult and how we can make these times work better for everyone involved. Children are extremely sensitive to change and we need to be sensitive to their needs. Course Length – 1.5 hours.
The course helps answer the following questions:
What is a transition?
Why are transitions difficult for teachers?
Why are transitions difficult for children?
How can we help children with special needs that have a particularly hard time with transitions?
What are some tips, methods and techniques we can use to make transitions smoother?
Desired Outcomes:
Participants will understand what transitions are.
Participants will comprehend what makes transitions difficult for children.
Participants will obtain multiple methods and techniques for making transitions smoother.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
A child’s “job” is to play! They learn best by playing freely and interacting with their friends. This course explores the five basic areas of child development and how a child can progress in those areas through free play. There are multiple printable resources including small posters about learning through play that you can print and hang to help everyone understand the importance of learning through play. Course is great for infant through school age. Course Length – 2.5 hours.
This course helps answer the following questions:
What are the five main areas of child development?
How do children strengthen their gross motor skills through play?
How do children strengthen their fine motor skills through play?
How do children strengthen their cognitive skills through play?
How do children strengthen their social and emotional skills through play?
How do children strengthen their speech and language skills through play?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Be able to define the five major areas of child development.
Understand how each area of child development can be grown through free play.
Obtain the skills to explain to parents the importance of learning through play.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
This course covers many aspects of nutrition and health for children from the perspective of the 5-2-1-0 initiative. They recommend at least 5 fruits and veggies per day, less than 2 hours of screen time daily, at least one hour of physical exercise per day and zero sugary drinks for children. We also discuss specific exercises for crossing the midline and yoga with children. For the hygiene portion we cover hand washing, germs and covering your cough. This course has a dozen printable resources including file folder games and recipes! Course is great for toddler through school age. Course Length – 3.0 hours.
This course does not meet the Pennsylvania 10 hour Health and Safety course required by Department of Human Services. In addition, some of the information included in this course may or may not reflect current Health and Safety standards in Pennsylvania.
The course helps answer the following questions:
Why do the children need so many fruits and vegetables?
What are some ways to get them to try new foods?
What is the problem with screen time?
What are midline exercises and why are they important?
How can yoga help children?
How can I help children understand how germs spread?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Understand the 5-2-1-0 concept and what each number means.
Gain knowledge of ways to teach children proper social hygiene.
Comprehend the importance of gross motor in early childhood.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
This course is packed with tips and activities on how to teach children from infants through school age how to have fun with letters and words. Teaching the formation of letters, letter sounds, words and a love of books is one of the most important gifts you can give a child. Great for children toddlers through school age. Course length – 3.0 hours.
We will answer the following questions:
Is there a right or wrong order to teach the letters of the alphabet?
What other skills are important to prepare for reading?
What are some good books for teaching the ABCs?
What are some fun games for teaching the ABCs?
What are some great activities for teaching the ABC?
How can I get children to look at books other than reading to them?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Understand the importance of teaching children the love of words.
Understand the best ways to teach letters and their sounds.
Possess the skills necessary to do multiple activities with children that encourage the love of letters and words.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
Positive Behavior Management speaks to the fact that all difficult behavior is not the result of poor choices. Sometimes children aren’t making poor choices but rather have unmet needs that we don’t understand. In order to meet these needs, we must have a basic understanding of what they are. The course includes several videos introducing books to use with the children to help them understand special needs in themselves or in their friends or family members. Course length – 2.0 hours.
This course helps answer the following questions:
What is sensory processing disorder?
What is autism?
What is dyslexia?
What is executive functioning disorder?
How can trauma affect children?
What are self-regulation problems?
What is proprioception?
How can I help children dealing with these issues?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Have a basic understanding of certain special needs they may encounter in children in their care.
Know what to look for when assessing whether a child in their care may have a special need.
Have the tools to better help the children in their care that have special needs.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
This course addresses your role in the vital development of a child’s healthy self-image. It’s purpose is to enable you to encourage that development in each child in your care. This includes building a child’s self confidence, social skills, emotional maturity and emotional control. It also addresses teaching a child about physical health and the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. It includes sections on “Self love”, “I know the parts of my body!”, “My body, my choice.”, “I want a healthy body.”, “My emotions.” And “Me and My Friends”. The course has printable resources to help you implement the things you will learn! Course length – 2.0 hours
The course helps answer the following questions:
How can I help children develop self confidence?
How can I encourage the development of social maturity and skills in young children?
How can I teach children about their emotions and emotional control?
What is the best way to teach children their body parts?
Are we finished teaching body parts when they are toddlers?
How do I talk to them about keeping secrets?
Should children feel obligated to give adults a hug?
How do I encourage young children to engage in taking care of their own health?
What is the best way to help children include others who may be “different”?
Participants who successfully complete this course will:
Understand the importance of teaching children to understand, love and respect themselves.
Be prepared to teach children to understand and embrace diversity of all kinds.
Learn how to guide children in making and keeping friendships with kindness and inclusion.
If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.
Blocks, math and manipulatives are sometimes three separate centers but often combined in a variety of ways. This course explores the materials that may be included in all three centers. Included are tips and activities for various ages to make the most of all three areas. This extended course covers everything that is in the one hour course with many additional ideas, activities and videos for each of the three areas. This course is great for infants through school age. Course length – 3.0 hours.
This course answers the following questions:
What materials should be in the blocks center?
What materials should be in the math center?
What materials should be in the manipulatives center?
What is the difference between a block and a manipulative?
How can I get more girls to enjoy the block center?
Should the centers be combined and if so, in what ways will that work?
What are some great activities for these centers for my age group?
Participants who successfully complete this course will be able to:
Create centers for blocks math and manipulatives with age appropriate materials.
Demonstrate knowledge of how to write lesson plans using these centers in ways to draw out every teaching opportunity.
Explain the importance of using math in all kinds of ways and not just in the math center.
