Early Education Newsletter
March 2021
I-LEAD
NEED I-LEAD HELP? HAVING TROUBLE ACCEPTING YOUR INVITATION? NEED ASSISTANCE LEARNING TO NAVIGATE I-LEAD?
We can help! Reach out to our Program Engagement Specialist, Kristi, at 812-231-8902 or kburkhart@casyonline.org. If you have any questions about how to activate your account or you are not receiving your invitations, we can help! We can assist you in getting your account started, understanding how to navigate I-LEAD, inviting staff, finding professional development, and more.
REPEATING A TRAINING IN INDIANA LEARNING PATHS?
Tip: If your child care program's training plan asks educators to retake training courses annually, here is a tip; they can take a screenshot of the course’s completion page that shows the date and time stamp on the computer. They can then share this with you for proof of completion.
HAVE YOU COMPLETED AN INDIANA LEARNING PATH'S COURSE AND DON'T SEE YOUR CERTIFICATE?
- Did you obtain the minimum passing score required to earn a certificate? Some courses have post-test assessments and a minimum score is required to earn a certificate.
- If you completed training and did not receive a passing score, you will not receive a certificate. The course will still give you a congratulatory screen that you've completed the course, but if you didn't meet the minimum score, you still will not receive a certificate. You should be able to retake the quiz and/or you may find it necessary to retake the training.
- Many courses get to the congratulatory page and may require you to reopen the resources and web links, located at the top right of the training. Then, exit the course and refresh the page. This typically will generate the certificate.
- The "Child Abuse and Neglect” course has a new "I agree" button that you must click to generate the certificate (assuming you met the minimum score).
- Recently educators have completed a course but not received a certificate, because they have taken the training from the training catalog and haven't registered for the training. Check to make sure it shows registered in the "My Training" section of your account.
Professional Development
Hope, Mattering, and Moving Forward
With so many complications in today’s world, it’s important to make sure our students remain hopeful for the future. But how do we instill hope in our students?
To give students hope, we must ensure that they feel seen, heard, valued, and essential. Students must know how much they matter so they can be empowered—both in their education and in life. The message of mattering is simple yet powerful. As educators, we should be making sure each and every student hears this message because no student should ever feel like nobody cares about them.
This expert panel of presenters will offer insight into how educators can ensure that every student feels like they truly matter, how to practice and teach hope, and why this message is so important for students to move forward. For more information click here.
Reimagine Opportunities for Your ECE Business! by Kathy Ligon
March 4, 2021
2:00 PM Eastern Time
Supporting Teachers in Nature-Based Programs, by Sheila Williams Ridge and Sarah Sivright
March 10, 2021
2:00 PM Eastern Time
Supporting teachers, children, and families in nature-based requires offering a depth of pedagogical and administrative leadership as well as frequent and clear communication and opportunities for dialogue. Join Join Sheila Williams Ridge, Author of “Nature-Based Learning for Young Children“, and Sarah Sivright, to discuss how to balance the needs of children, families, and staff in creating policies and procedures to lead during a time of crisis and beyond.
Whether you are considering increasing your outdoor learning as an option to keep children safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic or to meet the developmental needs of the children, this webinar will parse the role of administrators in nature-based learning environments. Click here for more information
IYI’s Advancing Equity Summit
Are you interested in learning more about creating equitable environments for all children and youth? IYI invites you to join, virtually, on March 18, 2021 for the Advancing Equity Summit.
Together, you will learn from national experts as they address barriers to success and identify equitable and actionable steps for ensuring opportunity and access for all Indiana youth and children.
Scholarships are available to all Indiana youth-serving professionals that cover the full registration cost. Simply register to claim your scholarship.
Conversation topics you could take part in include:
Racial Justice
Immigration
Disability Service
School Discipline
LGTBQ+
Juvenile Justice
Digital Divide
Mental Health
To learn more about session topics, click here.
We look forward to seeing you there! To claim your scholarship, register here!
2021 Indiana Summit on Out-of-School Learning
2020 was defined by its challenges - a global health crisis, social injustice and unrest, and prolonged isolation from one another. As a result, we've all had to shift the way we work, the way we connect, and even the way we think.
Now it's up to us to decide how we want to move forward.
In the spring of 2021, the Indiana Afterschool Network will host its 10th annual Indiana Summit on Out-of-School Learning – Indiana's premier conference designed specifically for out-of-school time providers. This year's Summit will be a virtual event. The Summit brings together youth programs, schools, and community partners to connect, explore new ideas, access valuable resources, and transform learning beyond the school day for Indiana's youth. Together, we can navigate this period of uncertainty and take time to recharge, reconnect, and – most importantly – take action.
IYI’s Professional Development Grants
IYI’s Professional Development Grants program offers up to $750 in financial assistance for youth workers to access continuing education that they might not otherwise be able to attend. These funds are available to help promote the healthy development of children and youth by providing access to training and course work that IYI does not or cannot offer. Grants may be used for conferences, training, workshops, or tuition reimbursement intended to improve your ability to do your job and your agency’s ability to serve and support children and youth
Applications are available now and will be accepted beginning January 18 through February 19, 2021. For more information click here.
Resources
Start a bit of Spring early!
Winter is fun, but by the middle of February who isn’t ready for some sign that spring is coming? If you have a sunny windowsill, you have the perfect setup for growing your own spring greens while you wait for the buds to burst outside.
Carrot tops are the best to start with—they’re super easy and the fern-like, green foliage looks very beautiful. Simply place the top inch of a carrot in a shallow dish of water. Make sure to check the water daily. With some warmth and sun, you should see some little green sprouts appear in a few days, which makes it a perfect project to do with children. You can experiment with other veggie scraps—a beet top or a celery stump also have great results. For more ideas and other resources from Community Playthings click here.
Focus on DAP: Joyful Learning in a Tough Year
Supporting Medically Fragile Children and Their Families
Before 11-month-old Leshawn even entered the classroom at the Early Childhood Lab School, Julia, the program coordinator (and lead author), and her staff (including Amy, the second author) wondered whether being in group care would be a good fit for him. Diagnosed at birth with a diaphragmatic hernia, Leshawn had a team of specialists working with him. He had been hospitalized for most of his early infancy and was being fed through a gastronomy tube (G-tube) which, his mother feared, might be yanked by another infant. Unwilling to let his mother leave his side, Leshawn showed intense separation anxiety.
If the program enrolled this medically fragile infant, staff would have to be aware not only of his medical needs but also of his unique social and emotional needs arising from hospitalization. Fortunately, Julia’s training in a specialty known as child life in hospitals enabled the program to include Leshawn in the classroom and tailor the curriculum to his needs. Read more here.
Resources for Families
Family Webinar: What to Look for in a Quality Afterschool Program ~ March 4th at 12:30pm
Quality afterschool programs understand that children and youth in different age groups have different academic, psychological, and physical activity needs. Learn what to look for to make sure you pick the right program for your kids.
Presented by: Keith Monfreda, Training and Development Manager with IAN
Register to attend live or receive the recording.
Family Webinar: Reasons for Resilience ~ March 11th at 2pm
In life, we often go through many ups and downs. We have experiences that don’t always go the way we would want them to. As adults, we need to understand our influence in helping children handle stress and learn how to bounce back from difficult situations. Join CASY's Family Engagement Specialists as we talk about ways to help children learn to be resilient and how it will benefit their overall well-being.
Register to attend live or receive the recording.
Nonfiction Books – Just the Facts But Not Just for Older Kids
Add Some True Stories & Fun Facts to Family Reading Time
Reading together is a part of many families’ day. At bedtime, before naps, during wake-up… books help create calm, connected routines. Books also give us great chances to help little ones learn. A lot of the time, our choices may involve silly characters or made-up stories. Those fiction books are delightful and fun for sure, but they aren’t the only option! More information here!
Stay Connected:
Email: help@casyonline.org
Website: www.casyonline.org
Location: 1101 South 13th Street, Terre Haute, IN, USA
Phone: 800-886-3952
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CASY.Inc
Twitter: @CASYTerreHaute