EXCELS Webinars

Through engaging discussions, hands-on activities, and thoughtful self-reflection, participants will explore developmentally appropriate best practices regarding Circle Time. How can you shift your focus to social/emotional development? Do children have to sit crisscross applesauce in order to learn? Do you have to do weather and calendar during Circle Time? Find out these answers and more! Core of Knowledge Area: Special Needs (1 hour) & Curriculum (2 hours)

In this highly interactive training, participants will learn more about extending children's natural forms of self expression in three main areas; music and movement, artwork and storytelling. In each of these three areas, the literacy skills that children are acquiring or practicing will be discussed and by participating in a few activities, the audience will have an opportunity to see firsthand how these three areas naturally develop in children and how they also greatly enhance reading readiness. Core of Knowledge Area: Curriculum (2 hours); Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This training is designed to increase participants’ knowledge of stress and how to manage its symptoms. This training introduces participants to “good” and “bad” stress as well as other types of stress such as acute stress and post traumatic stress disorder, and participants will learn initial signs and symptoms of each type of stress. The participants will also be able to examine the similarities and differences of stress in infants, toddlers, preschool children, school-aged children, adolescents and adults. Core of Knowledge Areas: Health and Safety (2 hours) & Professionalism (1 hour); Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This informative and interactive training provides an understanding of personal/family, community and global traumatic events as well as how such events may possibly affect children in their development. Practical strategies are provided focusing on ways to help children feel safe, empowered, and eager to engage in regular activities. Core of Knowledge Area: Health, Safety and Nutrition (2 hours) & Special Needs (1 hour); Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This interactive training will build participants knowledge around how a young child’s brain develops. Participants will actively engage in “building a brain”, explore the importance of developing their own capacity, and learn specific strategies and interactions that grow healthy brains. After engaging with the content of this training, participants will have a better understanding of the core components used to support the growth of all learners. Core of Knowledge Areas: Child Development (1 hour) Professionalism (1 hour) Special Needs (1 hour); Level: Intermediate

This training explores best practices for working with children who are English Language Learners to help them be successful participants in their preschool setting, while supporting their ability to learn English. Participants will learn the stages of second language acquisition and ways to help support children as they move through each phase. Participants will also learn a variety of strategies for supporting children in the classroom and working with families to create a successful learning environment. Core of Knowledge Area: Special Needs (1 hour) & Child Development (1 hour); Level: Beginner to Advanced

During this training workshop participants will learn what visual supports are as well as how visual supports can be utilized in their classrooms to support an inclusive environment. This training workshop will discuss various benefits and the importance of utilizing visual supports in their classroom setting in efforts to assist children in being successful. Concluding this training, participants will be provided with simple materials to create visual supports as well as have an opportunity to complete a make and take visual supports activity. Core of Knowledge Area: Special Needs (1 Hour) & Curriculum (2 Hours); Level: Beginner

Observation is the key to changing children’s behaviors. Hands-on activities will allow providers to identify the function of behavior and strategies to help change the behaviors. Core of Knowledge Area: Child Development (2 Hours) & Special Needs (1 Hour)