Courses for Early Childhood Educators

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and sensory issues are terms we hear more and more frequently as we care for and work with young children. It seems more children have sensory needs or issues that disrupt their lives and the learning environments they are in throughout the day. This course will cover what SPD is, why is it occurring more often, and how you can help a child with sensory issues cope in your home or the early childhood classroom.

Early childhood programs often provide transportation to ensure that children receive essential and comprehensive services. This course will help you ensure young children are safe and minimize the potential for problems by providing information on developing and following transportation policy and procedures. This course is presented in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association's Training West.

Children are much more vulnerable than adults to exposures of hazardous materials; young children account for more than half of poison exposures reported every year. This course provides information for programs to help them follow policy and procedures for safe use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. This course is presented in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association's Training West.

Participants will study kindergarten readiness from the perspective of children, parents, and early educators. They will explore specific activities to help children transition to kindergarten.

About six percent of young children have a food allergy, and reactions can be severe or even life-threatening. All staff are responsible for recognizing and helping avoid exposure to allergens. This course is presented in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association's Training West.

In addition to fostering computational thinking, teaching coding to our younger students can also effectively enhance math, storytelling, and literacy development while encouraging younger students to improve problem-solving skills. In this course, learn developmentally appropriate ways to seamlessly integrate coding curriculum into the Early Childhood classroom and teach young students the tools they need to become successful future coders.

New research and a fresh outlook by the American Academy of Pediatrics confirm that screen time for young children is rapidly increasing at younger ages. This course will provide strategies for staying current on this rapidly evolving topic. In addition, it will provide attendees with tools for supporting caregivers of today’s youngest and most vulnerable media users. Participants will also hear reputable research findings related to the impact of technology on early child development.

It is essential for early childhood educators to gain knowledge about pediatric health promotion and obesity prevention. To ensure the success of pediatric health promotion and obesity prevention programs, carry over must occur between schools, daycares, the home environment, and community recreation. This course equips educators with a plethora of creative, fun, budget-friendly physical activities combined with academic concepts and recyclables that can be easily incorporated into a variety of settings including schools, daycares, clinics, and the home environment.

Staff may be required to administer medication or treatment to a child in their care. Clear policies on giving medicines, both prescription or over-the-counter, can help staff meet children’s needs, communicate with families, and prevent mistakes. This course is presented in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association's Training West.

A disaster or emergency situation can occur anytime and anywhere, often without warning. Through this training, participants will explore potential disaster/emergency situations in early childhood programs and appropriate responses to those situations. This course is presented in partnership with Region 9 Head Start Association's Training West.