TAASPYC News

The Biggest Voice for the Littlest People!

July 30, 2023

#TAASPYC

2023-24 Membership Photo

Vision Statement

TAASPYC is the leading professional organization that provides the highest quality resources for Early Childhood advocates to support and empower our youngest scholars and their families.

Mission:

TAASPYC’s mission is to support early childhood leaders in their pursuit of developing strong programs for our youngest scholars. We are committed to providing these leaders with access to current research-based practices and valuable opportunities for networking. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, we aim to empower early childhood professionals to create nurturing and inclusive environments that optimize the growth and development of every child.

A Note from Our President

Dear Early Childhood Leaders,

We find ourselves standing at the threshold of a brand new school year. The end of summer need not be a lament for the days gone by; instead, let us embrace the opportunity to sow the seeds of excitement and possibility for the year ahead. It is a time for renewal, for revitalizing our commitment to leading those who are responsible for shaping young minds, and for reigniting the passion that brought us into the field of education. With each passing day, we are presented with an extraordinary chance to inspire, to mold, and to make a lasting impact on the lives of Texas children. We are not merely educators; we are the guardians of potential, the architects of dreams, and the catalysts for the boundless creativity that resides within each child.

As you prepare to lead your centers, campuses, and departments, remember the power of a warm smile, the comfort of a gentle touch, and the magic of laughter that fills the air. These are the intangible ingredients that lay the foundation for a thriving and engaging learning environment. Let us approach this new school year with hearts open to innovation and minds eager to explore new methodologies. Together, we can create an atmosphere where play is central, curiosity flourishes, where questions are encouraged, and where mistakes are embraced as opportunities for growth.

As leaders in early childhood education, we have the privilege of shaping the future leaders, thinkers, and changemakers of our world through our leadership and the impact we have on teachers, assistants, fellow administrators, and our superiors. Embrace this upcoming school year as a canvas yet to be painted, a story yet to unfold, and a melody yet to be sung. Together, we can create a symphony of learning, nurturing, and transformation that will echo for generations to come.

Let us stand united in our mission, supporting one another in the pursuit of excellence. Lean on the collective wisdom and experiences of your fellow leaders, and together, let us create an ecosystem where every child thrives and blossoms. Thank you for your unwavering dedication, your passion, and your boundless love for early childhood education. Together, we will make this school year a remarkable and transformative journey.

Wishing you all an inspiring and successful start to the new school year!

Warm regards,

Melanie Morgan, Ed.D.

TAASPYC Board President

2024 TAASPYC Symposium

Celebrate the Good

Now4Forever Early Childhood Conference Success!

The Early Childhood team from Region 10 hosted a most successful ninth Early Childhood conference recently at the Plano Event Center. Over 600 early childhood educators attended the conference this year, including professionals from childcare settings, school districts, and early childhood intervention programs. Early Childhood program leaders and aspiring leaders learned alongside their staff, adding skills, knowledge, and strategies to their repertoire. Shanta Bell and Michelle Watts-Paul, instructional coaches with Educational First Steps serving childcare centers, said that they were excited to take many of the session ideas back to teachers as professional development. Shanta was careful to observe the audience to see what engaged them most. Deloris Dowell, principal at Sherman ISD's Fred Douglass Early Childhood Center, said that among the reasons that she attends Now4Forever is the chance to network with other leaders and learning alongside her staff to keep current with topics in early childhood practice. Next year, Region 10 ESC staff will be hosting the 10th anniversary conference on July 16th and 17th and hope that early childhood leaders and professionals from the North Texas area will join them for their celebration of all things early childhood!

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Articles of the Week

One Teacher’s Ideas on How Administrators Can Support Teachers

The key point for school leaders, this teacher believes, is to focus on collaboration, inquiry, and active listening.

One Teacher's Ideas on How Administrators Can Support Teachers

The key point for school leaders, this teacher believes, is to focus on collaboration, inquiry, and active listening.

edutopia.org

9 Ways for Schools to Honor Teacher Needs This Year

Administrators can use these tried-and-true strategies to meet the needs of their staff—from planning time to bathroom breaks.

9 Ways for Schools to Honor Teacher Needs This Year

Administrators can use these tried-and-true strategies to meet the needs of their staff-from planning time to bathroom breaks.

edutopia.org

Early Childhood Leadership Podcasts

Reimagine Childhood

Listen to Reimagine Childhood on Spotify. What if we told you your work with young children is changing lives and having a lasting impact on our next generation? Welcome to Reimagine Childhood brought to you by Early Childhood Christian Network-where we equip you with the tools you need so you can confidently care for and teach young children.

open.spotify.com

The Everything ECE Podcast

Listen to The Everything ECE Podcast on Spotify. The Everything ECE Podcast, brought to you by Early Learning Foundations, is a podcast for early childhood educators and leaders. If you work in a child care, preschool or kindergarten setting, The Everything ECE Podcast will provide you with inspiration and actionable steps with professional and personal tips and tricks to find that ideal work-life balance.

open.spotify.com

Circle Time

The Early Years Podcast

circletimepodcast.co.uk

The Preschool Podcast: For Leaders in Early Childhood Education

The Preschool Podcast is a platform for learning from leading professionals in early childhood education. Check our latest episodes and subscribe!

himama.com

Podcast | Website

thatearlychildhoodnerd.com

Home and Classroom Podcast - Brightside Up

On Home & Classroom, we talk with experts & special guests about children's development, health, nutrition, play, growth, child care, parenting, and more. Shorties! is our weekly podcast featuring updates on what's happening at Brightside Up and in our child care community.

brightsideup.org

Upcoming Professional Learning Opportunities

Providing meaningful and well-done professional development for teachers and others in your school is an important element of quality…but doing it all ourselves can be exhausting! Check out some of these events to find excellent training for your staff—and mostly for no cost!

How to Get Even More Out of Conferences

Maximize conference learning with strategies that help you set goals, organize your time, and remember what you’ve learned after it’s all over.

September 11 (2PM ET): BUILDING A STURDY BRIDGE TO KINDERGARTEN (Register Now)

December 4 (2PM ET): 2023’S BIG WINS FOR LITTLE KIDS (Register Now)

Region 1

279422 - 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

8/2/23

The focus of this session is to get familiarized on the updated 2022 PK Guidelines and understand in depth the different domains that needs to be targeted in a PK classroom setting. The session delineates skills and end of the year outcomes that students are to achieve in prekindergarten, as well as research-based instructional strategies for early childhood teachers. It provides a means to align high-quality prekindergarten programs with Kindergarten Readiness. This session is intended for early childhood educators and administrators

https://apps.esc1.net/ProfessionalDevelopment/RegionOne/Home/SearchWorkshops?criteria=early%20childhood#collapse2794228_2_2023

278741 - Region One ESC ECI Reach for the Stars Childcare Conference

8/4/23

HHSC ECI has partnered with TWC Child Care & Early Learning Division to train and support childcare providers, Texas Rising Star mentors & TWC Infant Toddler Specialists to jointly serve eligible children. Learn how the brain grows and develops from conception to 5 years old and how to support healthy brain development, how to administer the ASQ-3 and ASQ SE to identify developmental and social emotional issues early on, and more! Conference is Free to attend.

https://apps.esc1.net/ProfessionalDevelopment/RegionOne/Home/SearchWorkshops?criteria=early%20childhood#collapse2787418_4_2023

271083 - Best Practices in Evaluation of Preschool Children

8/24/23

Evaluation of preschoolers is different than testing older students. It requires different tests and more flexibility. In this training, participants will explore differences in assessment tools, discuss the needs in preschool assessment, and best practices in early childhood evaluations.

https://apps.esc1.net/ProfessionalDevelopment/RegionOne/Home/SearchWorkshops?criteria=early%20childhood#collapse2710838_24_2023

279343 - Early Childhood Leadership Meetings

9/1/23

11/3/23

12/15/23

2/2/24

3/8/24

5/24/24

The purpose of these meetings is to disseminate information provided by the Texas Education Agency to district Early Childhood Coordinators/Directors. These meetings provide opportunities for participants to learn about statewide initiatives, discuss current research, and learn about best practices being implemented in early childhood programs throughout our region.

https://apps.esc1.net/ProfessionalDevelopment/RegionOne/Home/SearchWorkshops?criteria=early%20childhood#collapse2793439_1_2023

Region 2

Creating Emergency Operations Plans

August 3, 2023

The Education Service Center is proud to conduct a workshop dedicated to the writing of mandatory Emergency Operations Plans. Ed Bradshaw, School Safety Readiness Specialist from the Texas School Safety Center will conduct a writing workshop to assist you in submitting your Plans/Annexes to the State.

Child and Adult Food Care Program Training (CACFP)

Texas Department of Agriculture-Food & Nutrition is sponsoring Contracting Entity training through the Regional 2 Education Service Center in Feeding Infants in Their First Years, Menu Planning for Child Care, Planning Nutritious Snacks for Child Care, Kitchen Math, Food Buying Guide (Child and Adult), Food Production Records (Child and Adult), Record Keeping (Sponsor and Sites), Healthy Recognition Award, Enrollment and Eligibility, Intro to CACFP, and Civil Rights Training.

CACFP Budget, Management Plan & Recordkeeping - August 16th

CACFP Meal Pattern for Child & Adult Care - September 20th

Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL)

September 6 - 8, 2023

Advancing Educational Leadership (formerly known as Instructional Leadership Development) training is a three (3) day, state-developed training designed to prepare school leaders with the knowledge and tools necessary for instructional leadership. AEL will address the following areas:

Curriculum and Instruction
Data Gathering and Analysis
Goal Setting
Effective Conferencing Skills
Conflict Resolution Skills
Team Building Skills
Teacher Coaching and Mentoring

Region 3

Follow the Yellow Brick Road through the New Pre-K Guidelines

8/1/23

The new Pre-k guidelines have been released and are required to be implemented the 2023-2024 school year. This workshop will lead Pre-k 3 and Pre-K 4 teachers through the new Pre-k Guidelines. We will explore the guidelines, the child behaviors and expectations for each of the 10 domains and skills.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_r3/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=501048

Region 4

Differentiation and Scaffolding Using the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) by CLI [Virtual, Synchronous]

9/14/23

This session addresses the importance of differentiated instruction to ensure learning is easily accessed by all children in the classroom, as well as providing scaffolding to progressively move children toward stronger understanding and, ultimately, greater independence in the learning process. Teachers will learn about the differences between differentiation and scaffolding and practice a variety of scaffolding techniques. As they consider what scaffolding techniques may be needed based on their TX-KEA data, teachers will practice adjusting scaffolds when planning.

Special Note: Participants must use TX-KEA. Participants need a computer, reliable internet access, and a CLI Engage account. Participants must be able to access their CLI Engage account successfully prior to the start of the session. Participants will need to print handouts prior to the training.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=1764572

Teaching and Screening Early- The Why and How of Dyslexia Screening in Kindergarten and First Grade (VIRTUAL)

10/3/23

10/18/23

11/1/23

The Dyslexia Handbook (2021) requires dyslexia screening of all Kindergarten and First Grade students in the state of Texas. In this 3-day session, participants will learn the characteristics of dyslexia and how they manifest in the young child. Participants will also explore the necessary components of initial instruction and how to address characteristics of dyslexia in the classroom.

Important Session Information:

Participants must attend all three days of the course for credit.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=1759635

Exploring the Revised 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

10/6/23

The 2015 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines have been revised by educators across Texas and the Texas Education Agency. Together, they looked at scientific research for child development to update information and align the revised 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines to the Texas Essential Skills and Knowledge (TEKS) for K-12. The guidelines define ten domains of early childhood development and provide behaviors and skills in each domain that children should exhibit by the end of prekindergarten. The TX PK Guidelines are appropriate for all academic settings including general education or special education programs.

In this session, we will explore the revised guidelines and examine the skills for both PK3s and PK4s. Participants will discuss the learning domains, and how to adjust the expected rigor of skills based on student learning level, as well as receive instructional strategies to support student success for each learning domain.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=1745509

Forget the Box: We are Thinking Out of This World Virtual An Introduction to UDL

10/10/23

Houston… We have a problem! Are you overwhelmed from trying to plan for the various learner needs in your classroom? Travel out of this world for a space themed introduction to Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Participants will engage in mindshifting activities while exploring how to use the UDL framework to assist in identifying and removing curriculum barriers. Explore multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge. Engage in multiple means of action and expression, to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know. Understand multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, and increase motivation.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_04/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=1765158

Region 5

Winter Make - N - Take for the Early Childhood Teacher

10/12/23

"Run Run as Fast as You Can!" You don't want to miss this make and take workshop! Just in time to explore Gingerbread and Winter activities for your upcoming themes!

This workshop is for both General Ed and Special Ed early childhood teachers. We will explore inclusive learning and show you how to set up a classroom for "All" students. This workshop will include using literature books and how they can bring the love of learning alive to your students. Come join us as we make several activities that can be used by all of your students in the early childhood classroom. We will show you how these activities can be differentiated to meet the needs of students at different levels.

https://txr5.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=469246

If He Could Do Better, He Would Do Better (Pyramid Model Tier 2)

11/7/23

Recommended for ECSE and Pre-K Teachers

This session will discuss promoting children's success through building relationships and creating supportive environments, as well as social emotional teaching strategies.

This session will cover the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social and Emotional Competence and Addressing Challenging Behaviors - Tier 2.

https://txr5.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=463989

If He Could Do Better, He Would Do Better (Pyramid Model Tier 3)

12/5/23

Recommended for ECSE and Pre-K Teachers

This session will discuss promoting children's success through building relationships and creating supportive environments, as well as social emotional teaching strategies.

This session will cover the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social and Emotional Competence and Addressing Challenging Behaviors - Tier 3.

https://txr5.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=463990

Small Moves, Big Gains: Teacher Habits That Help Kids to Talk More, Think More, and Achieve More – Book Included

2/15/24

This unique training will equip participants with 23 small moves they can make immediately
to support students ability to talk more, think more, and achieve more. All the moves are both modeled and practiced throughout the session. Additionally, participants will dive into the role of habits in teaching. We will survey current research about how habits are formed and directly connect that to action steps for the classroom.

https://txr5.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=469205

Region 6

PreK Guidelines Update What's New for the 23-24 School Year

9/13/23

Come learn about the changes to the PreK Guidelines. We will explore all content area and highlight changes and Instructional Outcomes.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_06/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=526434

C.I.R.C.L.E Training. - An Essential Training for Teachers of Young Children

9/19/23

10/10/23

The CIRCLE Pre-K Foundations Training provides a comprehensive look at prekindergarten instruction to support kindergarten readiness. This 7-module training was developed to target areas of prekindergarten learning and instruction.

Across the 7 modules, teachers will experience multiple demonstration lessons and will have numerous opportunities to practice lessons and activities which can be immediately implemented in the classroom.

Each participant will receive a teacher's manual containing essential classroom management strategies, aligned hands on activities, and a wealth of practical information for helping children develop a strong educational foundation. Topics of this training include: Best Practices, Language Development, Alphabet Knowledge, Phonological Awareness, Written Expression, Reading Aloud, and Math.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_06/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=531721

Professional Learning Series - Early Childhood

(Thursday, September 21, 2023 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM) - Setting Up for a Successful Year
(Tuesday, October 24, 2023 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM) - Utilizing Learning Centers
(Tuesday, December 5, 2023 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM) - Explicit Whole Group Instruction in Pre-K

This 3-part learning series is designed to support setting up and structuring your Pre-Kindergarten classroom, implementing learning centers, explicit whole group and purposeful small instruction and engagement and instructional strategies.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_esc_06/catalog/conference.aspx?conference_id=532033

Region 7

Early Childhood Special Education Update Summer 2023

August 7th

This meeting will provide information updates for teachers who work with students receiving Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) services and Special Education Services in self-contained settings. Topics of discussion will vary based on the needs of the participants. Any current and updated state and federal regulations related to special education, law, and assessments will be shared. This is a great time to share ideas and network with fellow ECSE teachers. Attendees will be able to participate in this webinar in their district via the Zoom link provided in the registration confirmation email.

Diving into the Revised Pre-K Guidelines

September 21st & 22nd

In 2022, TEA's EC Division revised and clarified our Pre-K Guidelines. What impact will these changes have on our 2022-2023 instructional practices and recently adopted curricular materials? Join us for a two-day session as we examine and discuss any adjustments and clarifications made in the ten Pre-K domains. We will also provide time for you to explore your current curriculum's alignment and collaborate to discuss any areas that may need adjusting or supplementing.

Cut the Chaos...Create a Calm ECE Classroom!

September 26th

Have you had a day start off well, hit a big bump, and wondered, 'What just happened?' This workshop will teach or remind you of all the basics of early childhood classroom management from visuals and layout to routines and rituals. Conscious Discipline and developmentally appropriate practices will be the the cornerstone of this session. This workshop will be held in Garrison ISD and open to surrounding districts in the Region 7 Academic Content Coop.

Capturing Kids' Hearts

September 27th & 28th

A relationship with one caring adult has the power to impact student welfare and success. Bus drivers, teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, principals, interventionists, and other school staff have a direct and daily influence on positive student outcomes. 'Capturing Kid's Hearts' shows them how to create high-achieving centers of learning by strengthening students' connectedness to others through enhancing healthy bonds with staff and establishing collaborative agreements of acceptable behavior. Participants will learn how to build meaningful, productive relationships with every student and every colleague; how to develop team-building skills and social contracts with students, and how to create a safe, effective environment for learning. ***This is a 2-day training*** Participants are required to attend both days to get credit.

Region 8

Pre-Kindergarten Progress Monitoring

9/7/23

This session will prepare prekindergarten teachers to use the CLI progress monitoring tool to assess students. Participants will learn about each measure and have the opportunity to practice administering the assessment.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=370012

Prekindergarten Guidebook Training for Teachers

9/19/23

This training will cover the new PK guidebook for teachers.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=369235

Revised Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

9/20/23

This training will review the Revised 2022 Prekindergarten Guidelines.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=369238

Revised PK Guidelines: Social and Emotional Development and Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

10/5/23

The prekindergarten guidelines were revised in 2022. Teachers are required to implement these guidelines in 2023-2024 school year. These "Revised PK Guidelines" sessions will provide information regarding the revisions as well as allow teachers to take a deep dive into their curriculum resources to ensure coverage.

Important Session Information:

Participants in this session will take a thorough look at their curriculum resources to ensure coverage of Domain 1 (Social and Emotional Development) and Domain 2 (Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication) in the revised 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=370014

CIRCLE Foundations Training (2-Day) CIRCLE Training for Prekindergarten Teachers

10/11/23 & 10/12/23

CIRCLE Foundations Training is an interactive 2-day professional training for teachers of young children. The following components will be addressed:

Best Practices .
Language Development
Phonological Awareness
Book Reading
Math
Written Expression
Letter Knowledge

This workshop is perfect for special education teachers and general education teachers.

The CIRCLE Pre-K Foundations Training provides a comprehensive look at
prekindergarten instruction to support kindergarten readiness. This 7-module training
was developed to target key areas of prekindergarten learning and instruction.
Across the 7 modules, teachers will experience multiple demonstration lessons and
will have numerous opportunities to practice lessons and activities which can be
immediately implemented in the classroom.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=369231

Revised PK Guidelines: Emergent Literacy - Reading and Writing

11/9/23

The prekindergarten guidelines were revised in 2022. Teachers are required to implement these guidelines in 2023-2024 school year. These "Revised PK Guidelines" sessions will provide information regarding the revisions as well as allow teachers to take a deep dive into their curriculum resources to ensure coverage.

Important Session Information:

Participants in this session will take a thorough look at their curriculum resources to ensure coverage of Domain 3 (Emergent Literacy: Reading) and Domain 4 (Emergent Literacy: Writing) in the revised 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=371135

CLI Progress Monitoring Data Driven Instruction Pre-Kindergarten

11/14/23

This workshop is designed to support teachers as they look at their data and plan instruction.

Important Session Information:

In this half-day training, participants will take a thorough look at their beginning of the year CLI Progress Monitoring data to determine the skill levels of their students and the necessary grouping for small group instruction. Participants will also utilize CLI Engage to make plans for that instruction while in the workshop.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=375320

Managing Your Classroom: Understanding, Preventing and Responding to Challenging Behavior For Prekindergarten and Kindergarten

11/30/23

Classroom management is a must and it includes everything that happens before, during and after the school day. Consistent routines, procedures and expectations help facilitate student success and will directly impact student behavior. These "Managing Your Classroom" workshops will support participants' understanding of student behaviors and provide strategies for managing your classroom while guiding students toward making positive choices in your classroom and in their lives.

Important Session Information:

In this session, participants will explore numerous practical, indispensable tips for responding to the needs of children, for building relationships with children and their families, and for preventing challenging behaviors. Teachers with be provided with information that enables them to understand why children behave the way they do and will be presented with evidence-based strategies to address challenging behavior.

https://txr8.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=371137

Region 9

NEW Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines Training

August 3, 2023 9am - 4pm

These workshops are beneficial to any employee in the Early Childhood setting.

Participants will dive into the NEW Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines. The new guidelines offer educators the information and support to prepare all children for success in kindergarten. The intended use of the guidelines is to provide guidance for planning quality learning experiences for children three to five years of age. The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are designed to help implement effective instructional practices and learning experiences designed to inform decisions that pertain to curriculum and instruction. The implementation of the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines will begin in the 2023-2024 school year.

Novice Prek Teacher 3 Day Series

10/9/23

11/6/23

1/29/24

New and "newish" Prek teachers are invited to join this 3 day adventure. Sessions will include PK best practices, TEA updates, and time to collaborate with each other. Session topics will be participant driven. This is recommended for teachers who are in their first 5 years of teaching Prekindergarten. Teachers must attend all 3 days to receive credit.

ATTENTION: Teachers who need mentor hours to meet their required "additional qualification" for Prekindergarten and attend this series can receive coaching hours.

The Power of Purposeful Play

11/7/23

Get ready to strengthen learning experiences for your students through the power of purposeful play! This session will utilize the book Play Like A Pirate by Q. Rollins as a springboard for creating unique play routines in the classroom that will bring meaning and FUN to learning. PLAY: (noun) Activity engaged in for enjoyment and recreation, especially with children. Let's take this definition of play to a new level together focusing on engagement and enjoyment all while sealing the learning of critical standards in the early childhood/PreK classroom. All participants will receive a free copy of Play Like A Pirate. Target Audience: Early learning/PreK and ECSE teachers

Region 10

2022 TX Prekindergarten Guidelines

8/29/2023

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) states, “The new guidelines offer educators the information and support to prepare all children for success in kindergarten. The intended use of the guidelines is to provide guidance for planning quality learning experiences for children three to five years of age. The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines are:

designed to help educators identify the types of knowledge and skills that are typical of PK-aged children
to be used noting that there is considerable variability in development among children
intended to help with implementing effective instructional practices and learning experiences
designed as a resource to inform decisions that pertain to curriculum and instruction.”

Participants will examine the former and updated version of the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines in the form of collaboration and games to become familiar with the new layout and terminology used in the 2022 Texas Pre-K Guidelines.

https://txr10.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=2653766

Early Childhood Special Education Play Based Assessment

8/29/20239:00 AM - 4:00 PM

8/30/20239:00 AM - 4:00 PM

This learning opportunity will provide content, materials, and strategies to assist early childhood educators who support students with special needs.

Important Session Information:

Play-based Assessment is a functional, observational assessment for young children from birth to six years of age. A collaborative team that includes family members observes cognitive, sensorimotor, communication, and emotional and social development. This dynamic assessment process involves use of observational guidelines, age tables, and intervention planning tools.

https://txr10.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=2652773

Early Childhood Special Education Supervisor Lunch & Learn Collaborate, Network & Grow with other ECSE leaders

9/20/202311:30 AM - 1:30 PM

These sessions focus on compliance and topics specifically related to our young learners with disabilities.

Important Session Information:

Grab your lunch and join us for the ECSE (Early Childhood Special Education) administrator and supervisor collaboration meetings. These sessions focus on compliance and topics specifically related to our young learners with disabilities. Join us for the opportunity to learn and network with your peers.

https://txr10.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=2653499

Spicing-up Your Seven SUPER Centers with Thematic Learning for Early Childhood

2/29/20249:00 AM - 4:00 PM

High-quality Early Childhood Special Education classrooms provide students with opportunities for exploration and discovery through the use of hands-on experiences in learning centers. The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines suggests that the following seven super centers are most effective for little learners: ABC, Creativity, Construction, Library and Listening, Math and Science, Pretend and Learn, and Writing. Activities within the seven super centers should be planned, purposeful, and playful in order to ensure they target skills students need to be successful and builds on the student’s current level of understanding. During this make and take session, participants will create thematic fall activities that can be immediately taken and implemented into an Early Childhood Special Education or Prekindergarten classroom. Participants will collaborate to align these activities to the Prekindergarten guidelines and use the Early Childhood Outcomes Document to scaffold activities for all learners.

Important Session Information:

A high-quality Early Childhood Special Education classroom provides students with opportunities for exploration and discovery through the use of hands-on experiences in learning centers. It is important to target skills students need to be successful while building on the student’s current level of understanding. During this make and take session, participants will create thematic activities that can be immediately taken and implemented into an Early Childhood Special Education or Prekindergarten classroom. Participants will collaborate to align these activities to the Prekindergarten guidelines and use the Early Childhood Outcomes Document to scaffold activities for all learners.

https://txr10.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=2653598

Region 11

Early Childhood STEM Series: Storybook STEM - 31156

7/31/23

Your favorite storybooks come to life for students as they investigate intriguing topics based on the stories and characters. Explore a variety of ready-to-go investigations based on popular children's books. Create your own based on one of your favorites to share. We will all live happily ever after with a new collection of STEM activities for our classrooms.

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/31156/56925

Early Childhood STEM Series: Loose Parts - 31404

7/31/23

Loose parts provide rich opportunities for learning, as they not only support all the developmental domains (cognitive, social, physical, and emotional) but also support the curriculum in an integrated fashion. The open-ended nature of loose parts provokes possibilities, allowing children to engage in creative and imaginative play that supports their learning and development. In this session, participants will have the opportunity to explore and experiment with loose parts and learn how to support students' academic and emotional development in a fun and engaging way.

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/31404/57331

Pump Up Productivity in Centers! - 31168

8/2/23

Are you struggling with centers setup and management in your early childhood classroom? Are you unsure how to align your center's activities with your content and guidelines? If so, this session is for you! At the conclusion of the session, you'll be prepared to implement effective learning centers in your classroom that encourage opportunities for students to turn their play into rich, productive learning experiences that broaden and deepen their knowledge. You'll also learn ways to keep centers interesting for your students with minimal weekly effort on your part!

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/31168/57052

Strategies for Calming in Early Childhood Virtual - 31179

8/3/23

Join us for this virtual 90-minute session to learn about the best-practice strategies for helping our youngest learners find calmness when they need it most. These students often experience big emotions, and there are proven strategies that educators can implement to help students calm their bodies and their brains to be ready for learning. Come prepared to actively engage and practice during this session.

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/31179/57513

Community Circles in Early Childhood Virtual - 31139

8/3/23

Building a classroom community directly affects how students feel about coming to school and learning each day. Connected students are ready to learn and interact with each other in ways that benefit the class as a whole. Join us to learn more about conducting community circles with students in the early grades (Pre-K-Grade 2).

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/31139/57092

Early Childhood: CIRCLE Progress Monitoring Assessment Tips & Tools Virtual - 28438

8/29/23

Building on the CLI Engage online administration training, this session will provide an overview of the CIRCLE Progress Monitoring assessment, guidelines for administration, and an overview of available reports. Learn about practical tips and tools for a successful assessment experience.

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/28438/57748

Early Childhood: Tips and Tools for the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) Virtual - 29857

8/29/23

repeated 9/7/23

Building on the CLI Engage online administration trainings, this session will provide an overview of the TX-KEA assessment, guidelines for administration of the assessment, and an overview of the available reports. Learn about practical tips and tools for a successful assessment experience.

https://registration.esc11.net/catalog/sessions/29857/57735

Region 12

Increase Engagement in the Prekindergarten Classroom Make-and-Take

7/31/23

Engagement is critical for all students, but it can be especially important for our youngest learners. Explore scaffolded supports that motivate prekindergarten students with the yearning to learn and try new things through their own productive struggle. Discover useful strategies for call-backs, wait time, and developmentally appropriate questioning and prompting. In this "make-and-take" session, we will create engaging props and materials to be used in the classroom for activities such as finger plays, sensory bins, and more!

https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=312303

Nurturing Social and Emotional Development in Pre-K

8/31/23

In this session, participants will deepen their understanding of social and emotional development and learn how to promote healthy social-emotional growth in their young learners. This session aims to assist teachers to better understand effective instructional practices and learning experiences that strengthen cognitive skills, as well as social and emotional competencies required for school readiness and success in life. We will dive into child outcomes for the following skills: self-concept, self-regulation, relationships with others, and social awareness.

The session will provide opportunities for collaboration, reflection, and goal-setting to apply new learning to individual classroom contexts. By the end of the session, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of how to promote social and emotional development in the Pre-K setting, and feel empowered to implement these practices in their classrooms. They will be able to create a learning environment that fosters the growth of resilience.

https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=339265

Building a Strong Foundation for Emergent Literacy Language and Communication Domain

8/31/23

This session focuses on helping educators understand and implement the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines for the Language and Communication Domain.

Through hands-on activities and group discussions, teachers will learn about the importance of early language and communication development and how it impacts a child's overall academic success. The content will be divided into the following skills: listening comprehension, speaking (conversation), articulation, vocabulary, and sentence structure. Teachers will gain a collection of practical strategies to use in the classroom.

Participants will leave the workshop with a deeper understanding of the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines for the Language and Communication Domain and the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively support young learners in developing their language and communication skills.

https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=339266

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Community of Practice

9/4/2023 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

9/11/2023 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

9/18/2023 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

9/25/2023 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

10/2/2023 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

10/9/2023 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM

If you are interested in expected learning opportunities but also like to reflect and share experiences by brainstorming and examining, join this virtual community of practice. Each week a topic will be presented and participants will have an opportunity to communicate and share information to identify solutions to common challenges.

Topics will include the following:

High Quality Learning Environments

Social and Emotional Supports

Curriculum Modifications

Embedded Learning Opportunities

This is a virtual session. The link to join the Zoom will be emailed to registered participants the afternoon prior to the first session, and again the day of the session.

https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=338541

So Many Words, So Little Time: Teaching Vocabulary Efficiently

3/26/24

The simple truth is that when it comes to learning vocabulary, nothing beats exposure and use—in every possible learning modality. ” (Pearson)

Having a rich vocabulary helps with language development, reading comprehension, and written expression. Early childhood students and second language students need some extra help from teachers to learn crucial vocabulary needed to be successful with both social and academic language. In this session, educators will learn routines for teaching vocabulary words in effective ways for easy retrieval and correct use for oral expression in K-2 classrooms.

https://txr12.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=338755

Region 13

TXSSC EOP Review

August 7, 2023

Join Ed Bradshaw from the Texas School Safety Center (TXSSC) for an informative and personal session on the annexes for the fall review. This half-day session is designed to provide valuable insights into the Basic Plan and Severe Weather, Hazmat, and Railroad annexes, offering you the knowledge you need to enhance school safety.

During the session, Ed Bradshaw will start with a comprehensive presentation that delves into the intricacies of the Basic Plan and its relation to Severe Weather, Hazmat, and Railroad situations. You'll gain a deeper understanding of how these annexes contribute to a well-rounded Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) that ensures the safety of students and staff.

One of the session's highlights is the opportunity for district personnel to receive individual attention. Ed Bradshaw will be available to review your annexes and Emergency Operation Plans personally, offering tailored advice and guidance specific to your district's needs. This hands-on approach will help you fine-tune your plans and make them more effective and efficient.

We encourage you to bring your Emergency Operation Plans to make the most of this session. This will allow you to receive personalized feedback and recommendations directly from Ed Bradshaw, leveraging his expertise and experience in school safety.

Don't miss this invaluable opportunity to enhance your school's emergency preparedness. Join us for one of our engaging half-day sessions and leave with the confidence and knowledge to create a safer environment for your students and staff.

Building Strong Foundations: Practical Strategies for New Teacher Success

Calling All New Teachers: Join Our 3-Day Professional Development Series!

Are you a New, Traditionally Certified or Alternatively Certified K-12 Teacher? Come and Grow with us in a 3-day series during which you will learn specific strategies to promote classroom management, maximize instructional time, and leverage data. You will leave with the tools needed to support success for you and your students.

The course is specifically tailored to meet the needs of new teachers who are looking to establish strong foundations for their teaching careers.

Session dates:

Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Region 13 Early Childhood Circle Time Success: Decrease Behavior, Increase Engagement (ONLINE)

Struggling to hold your students' attention during Circle Time? Looking for an easy way to organize your instructional routine? This online course explores the advantages of teaching with visuals, developmentally appropriate activities, and using best practice techniques during Circle Time. When students are engaged, communicating, and given choices, unwanted behaviors will decrease. Support emergent literacy and pre-math concepts in this online workshop. Purchase corresponding materials or make your own. There are free material downloads throughout the course, print, make and go!

STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics in Early Childhood

When should young children start learning about STEAM?

The answer is NOW. It is never too early to start on a journey towards developmentally appropriate activities that make learning fun.

In this ONLINE course, participants will learn how to use their students' natural curiosity about the world around them to build a fun foundation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.

Objectives:

Develop an understanding of why STEAM is a natural and important part of the early childhood classroom.
Provide examples of developmentally appropriate lessons that can be easily implemented in the classroom that integrate the Preschool Guidelines and TEKS into the STEAM experiences.
Differentiating for many abilities within one STEAM experience.
Inspire educators to playfully engage in STEAM activities with their students.

Region 14

First 21 Days of Small Group Training and Differentiating Small Group Reading Instruction K-3

July 31, 2023

8:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Session 112555

How do you train students to work in stations, while you pull a small group for differentiation? Come find out what Texas teachers have used for over a decade to make the process easier. This is an updated training from the original First 21 Days of Small Group Instruction. We will learn the basic procedure in the morning and then explore differentiation utilizing data & interventions in the afternoon.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) 101 - Administration

August 2, 2023

Session 113003

This class is intended to present an administrative overview of the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The subjects and policies in this course will provide the fundamental knowledge to participate in the CACFP, but additional study may be required.

Oh Baby! Feeding Infants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

August 5, 2023

Session 113098

Giggling babies make us smile, too! Join us as we explore how feeding infants the right foods at the right time keep their hearts and their tummies happy. All the while, clear communication with parents and guardians and documenting infant meals correctly keep the smiles coming all around.

Region 15

Safety-Care Initial (Crisis Prevention)

8/1-2/23

Safety-Care provides staff with crisis behavior skills they need to confidently, safely, humanely, and respectfully enhance the lives of students who sometimes exhibit violent or otherwise challenging behaviors. The result can be a dramatic improvement in safety, fewer injuries, and decreased liability. Day 1: Prevention, de-escalation, and physical safety Day 2: physical management, and post-incident procedure Participants are required to get approval from district administration (principal, sped director, or immediate supervisor). Due to the physical elements of STT participants must have the following physical abilities in order to participate: • ability to comfortably perform a series of flexibility exercises • ability to maintain a balanced stance with feet shoulder-width apart and weight on the balls of the feet • ability to perform three fundamental movements of STT (i.e. steps, shuffles and pivots)

Safety-Care refresher (Crisis Prevention)

8/3/23

Safety-Care provides staff with crisis behavior skills they need to confidently, safely, humanely, and respectfully enhance the lives of students who sometimes exhibit violent or otherwise challenging behaviors. The result can be a dramatic improvement in safety, fewer injuries, and decreased liability. This training in a summary of the initial Safety-Care. Due to the physical elements of STT participants must have the following physical abilities in order to participate: • ability to comfortably perform a series of flexibility exercises • ability to maintain a balanced stance with feet shoulder-width apart and weight on the balls of the feet • ability to perform three fundamental movements of STT (i.e. steps, shuffles and pivots)

Wild About Kids

8/26/23

Texas A&M Agrilife hosts a conference for early childhood teachers.

KINDER MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMY: PROBLEM SOLVING AND DISCOURSE DAY 1

9/12/23

In the Mathematics Achievement Academy: Problem Solving and Discourse, Kindergarten training, participants will identify actions of a proficient problem solver and build knowledge and understanding of these: a problem-solving heuristic, mathematical discussions, formative assessment strategies that focus on making student thinking visible to the student and to the teacher, and five practices that support mathematical discourse to strengthen student voice and agency. You must have successfully completed an original Mathematics Achievement Academy (K/1, 2, or 3) and currently be a teacher of record at Kinder. Please bring an electronic device.

Please also register to attend the afternoon session, Kinder Success with Blended Math Academy.

You will also need to attend Day 2 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on October 24, 2023.

Leading Through & Through Leadership Series: Observation Feedback and Coaching

9/12/23

Leading Through & Through Leadership Series: Observation Feedback and Coaching If you want to accelerate the growth of both teachers and students, this workshop is for you. Observation, Feedback and Coaching provides a strong, purposeful framework which will you develop your teachers through clear and research based progression of action steps that will dramatically impact not only student learning, but achievement as well. Additionally, we will discuss how to identify the highest leverage action step, provide the most effective feedback, and to coach your teachers to greatness. Lastly, we will look at your calendar and ensure that you have created a calendar which will help you to be successful in making observation and feedback a priority within your schools.

Aspiring Administrators Academy

9/21/23

The goal of the Aspiring Administrator Academy is to build future administrators in their current skill set and prepare them for their role as an administrator. Workshop topics will include building capacity within yourself and your staff; “all” things that principals must know and understand (Special Education, 504, Title I, CNA, CIP, STAAR Accountability, Interviewing and hiring; Scheduling your day; Culture and Routines; Professional Development) and lastly, to understand your role as the instructional leader of the school. The Academy is designed to equip you, as an aspiring administrator, to refine and extend your knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to lead a successful school.

Leading Through & Through Leadership Series: Lesson Alignment and Formative Assessment paired with Data Driven Instruction

10/24/23

Leading Through & Through Leadership Series: Lesson Alignment and Formative Assessment paired with Data Driven Instruction: Join the Region 15 Leadership team as we discuss what makes a strong lesson plan and why formative assessments are essential for student growth. We will also analyze any and all data (you choose) and learn how that data can be used to drive instruction. The afternoon will consist of chatting with others who have learned why data is so important, how to implement and run a data meeting and how to plan your schedule ensuring data meetings take place. A day you do not want to miss…this will truly make a difference in your how school performs.

Region 16

Setting Up for Success in ECSE

8/2/2023

Beginning the year on the right foot is imperative. In this session we will think about room design, classroom visuals, scheduling, and IEP considerations for curriculum planning for your ECSE students. Whether this is your first year in Early Childhood Special Education, or you are an old pro; this is the session for you as you start a great year in your classroom.

https://www.escweb.net/tx_r16/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=942705

We're All in the Sandbox Together

9/18/23

Early Childhood teachers have students that have a wide range of levels and abilities. Often Pre-K teachers welcome students to their classroom who demonstrate possible special education needs that have yet to be recognized. How can we get our class off to a great start for all of our students as we meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities and what role do we as teachers play in the special education referral process? How can we include all students in class and have successful learning environments?

https://www.escweb.net/tx_r16/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=963982

Region 17

The Importance of Play in ECSE and General Education Early Childhood Classrooms

8/1/2023

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

According to Mr. Rogers, play is the work of children. Come explore ways to incorporate planned, purposeful play into the everyday learning for all general education and ECSE classrooms.

https://txr17.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=923871

Prekindergarten Teacher Professional Learning Community

9/14/23

Come learn about and share all the amazing things going on in the Region 17's Prekindergarten Classrooms! We will explore best practices, differentiated learning strategies, and the newest research about teaching young children.

A Bright Beginning - Lessons and Activities for Literacy and Math

9/20/23

A Bright Beginning is an Early Literacy Program for 3 and 4 year old children in the Texas migrant program. A Bright Beginning is a high-quality, research-based resource aligned to the Revised Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines, centered on cross-curricular themes. It has been designed for specific age and developmental ranges and includes both content and language objectives. The home-based component includes lessons with emphasis on parent involvement. The center-based component includes lessons with extended curriculum connections in the areas of Phonemic Awareness, Read Aloud, Writing, Math, Science/Social Studies and Home Connections.

This workshop is for migrant educators serving students in A Bright Beginnings Program. A Bright Beginning is an early literacy program for 3 and 4 year-old children in the Texas Migrant Program. A Bright Beginning is a high quality, research based resource aligned to the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines centered on cross-curricular themes.

Prekindergarten Teacher Professional Learning Community

10/17/23

Come learn about and share all the amazing things going on in the Region 17's Prekindergarten Classrooms! We will explore best practices, differentiated learning strategies, and the newest research about teaching young children.

Region 18

Let's Explore the NEW 2022 PreK Guidelines

8/2/2023

In this session, participants will explore the changes made to the PreK Guidelines, as well as the "why" and the research behind the changes. Participants will also gain ideas and strategies for implementing the changes that were made to the various modules.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.escweb.net/tx_r18/catalog/session.aspx?session_id%3D510458&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1689384096609050&usg=AOvVaw1xL-LVt_XE6xUVFaY4PXNG

Building A Sense of Wonder

8/30/2023

In this session, participants will experience science through the eyes of a child and discover ways to facilitate wonder through hands-on, interactive, engaging activities. Participants will leave with ideas and materials ready to immediately implement in their own classroom.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.escweb.net/tx_r18/catalog/session.aspx?session_id%3D509357&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1689384096609398&usg=AOvVaw1GlgTmWx8hrKZrgZk7ijfH

Region 19

The Importance of Social Emotional Learning In the Pre-K Classroom

8/22/20238:30 AM - 12:30 PM

SEL skills are crucial to develop in the early years, in this session teacher will dive deep into the importance of explicit instruction to help aid in the development of Social Emotional abilities.

https://txr19.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=199427

Power of the Read Aloud in the Early Childhood Classroom PK-2

9/7/20238:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Engaging read-alouds go beyond reading a book from cover to cover. They involve pausing to ask questions and offer explanations, reactions, and comments. Using research-based information teachers will learn how to utilize their Read Aloud effectively in order to maximize the effectiveness of Read Aloud time.

https://txr19.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=199435

GT and the Early Childhood Student PK - 2nd

11/16/20238:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Using research-based strategies, teachers will investigate the best practices that address the needs for the GT-Early Childhood students. Educators will learn to add rigor and differentiation to meet the needs of our youngest GT learners and will be able to implement strategies that will help enhance the classroom environment to meet the needs of GT students.

https://txr19.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=199421

CIRCLE Foundations Training CIRCLE Infant & Toddler Foundations Training Day #1

This 2-Day training will provide Infant & toddler teachers with relevant information in the following areas: Social and Emotional Development, Language and Communication Development, Cognitive Development, and Developmental Milestones

This training consists of two days:

Feb 26, 2024 from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM and
March 7, 2024, from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM

You must attend and register for both days.

Please bring your computer.

https://txr19.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=199410

Circle Time Success Increase Engagement

3/27/20248:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Teachers will learn strategies and activities to enhance circle time effectiveness. Using research-based science educators will learn to utilize activities that target areas of need to maximize Circle Time for all learners.

https://txr19.escworks.net/catalog/session.aspx?session_id=199425

Region 20

Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL) - 3 Day Training

8/8-10/23

Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL) Certification training is a three-day face-to-face training required for administrators who provide teacher evaluations. This certification is a co-requisite to the T-TESS Appraiser Certification.

Next Level Communication

8/8/23

Whether you spend your day communicating with executives, students, colleagues, technicians, families, or community members, in this session you will level-up your communication skills. Participants will build confidence to engage in even the most difficult conversations as they examine their core values, practice skillful listening and effective questioning, and experience the power of acknowledgement and validation.

Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO/SPPI 7) for Teachers and Administrators

September 12th

This virtual session is for Teachers AND Administrators. Since the fall of 2007, school districts in Texas have been responsible to assess and report the progress of all preschoolers aged 3-5 with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). This workshop explains the history behind the Early Childhood Outcomes and how it relates to the State Performance Plan Indicator 7 (SPPI 7). Participants will learn to complete the Child Outcomes Summary Form (COSF) as well as the process involved in reporting data to TEA and how to interpret district outcomes data.

*Session #94715 ECO in the Early Childhood Classroom covers application of Early Childhood Outcomes in the Preschool/ECSE Classroom. It is recommended that Teachers take both sessions in order to obtain a full understanding of the Early Childhood Outcome process.

Early Childhood Outcomes (ECO) in the Preschool Classroom

September 14th

The Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines offers detailed descriptions of expected behaviors across multiple skill domains that should be observed in four-to five-year-old children by the end of their prekindergarten experience. Since the fall of 2007, school districts in Texas have been responsible to assess and report the progress of all preschoolers aged 3-5 with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). This session will bridge the connection between Pre-K Guidelines and Early Childhood Outcomes. Participants will learn how to align each Prekindergarten guideline to one or more of the three Early Childhood Outcomes in order to drive instruction to ensure student success.

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) 101

September 20th

October 25th

ECSE 101 is a *FACE TO FACE* training (09/20/23 and 10/25/23) designed to build a foundation for all first year ECSE teachers. Participants will learn about special education as it pertains to the early childhood settings. A variety of developmentally appropriate activities will be discussed to target the diverse needs in the early childhood/ ECSE setting. LRE Settings and Federal Regulations will also be addressed. On site campus visit is provided between days 1 and 2 to support implementation.

Targets TEA Strategic Priority Reading and Math

* Please note this is a multi-day workshop. Participants must attend all days to receive credit.

Nature Connection for Optimal Outdoor Learning at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens

2/6/24

The environment is the third teacher and often student engagement is increased when students feel a strong sense of belonging and contribution to their classroom. Outdoor learning is no different. In this session, participants will learn how to develop a sense of belonging in the outdoors and foster student ownership for outdoor learning environments. Participants will leave with an understanding of the benefits of building a reciprocal relationship between student and nature that will lead to rigorous and vigorous outdoor learning.

Not Location Specific PD Opportunities

Making Peace with War Play: Exploring Consent and Power in the Preschool Classroom, by Mike Huber

August 3, 2023

1:00 PM

Play is self-chosen, self-directed, and imaginative. But what if children choose to play in ways we are uncomfortable with? It is very common for preschool children to engage in gun play or war play. Children who have a hard time joining social play often find success in this type of play. Unfortunately, teachers often ignore this type of play or ban it completely, but neither approach meets the needs of children. This type of play offers children a explore and experience power and consent.

In this webinar, early childhood expert and author Mike Huber will help us step back and look at war play to appreciate how it can be an important mode of self-expression for some children.

Leading Program Culture Right from the Start: Create positive learning culture in your early childhood program

August 16th

1:00 pm

Early Childhood Education is a profession of learning; learning how to guide and support young children; learning how to lead programming and curriculum; learning how to lead a center; learning how to best support families. That list could go on and on about learning how to do something, but have you considered how to develop and nurture the learning culture at your center?

Program or classroom culture is the set of fundamental beliefs, values, and assumptions that the staff, families, and children share. Positive program culture is critical for helping young children feel safe, trusted, trusting, included, and inclusive so they are free to explore and learn. Join Kelly Hansinger and Melony Gibson from Bright Horizons Family Solutions as they walk you through the steps to facilitate positive learning culture in every classroom through modeling, coaching, and mentoring. You will learn how to define or redefine your center’s learning culture, develop orientation plans for new staff, and grow your team to be ‘stars where they are!’

In this inspiring session, you will learn to:

Define what a learning culture is and identify its benefits to your team and to the program.
Understand and implement andragogy – turning adult learning principles and practices into professional development opportunities.
Evaluate your orientation program and resources to best prepare new educators.
Begin to create a learning pathway for your team.

Using Coaching as a Professional Development Strategy to Impact Continuous Quality Improvement in Early Childhood

In this recorded session we will differentiate professional development facilitation strategies typically used to impact the learning and effectiveness of staff, educators, and providers. These strategies include teaching/training, consulting/TA, mentoring, and coaching. We will examine how coaching specifically leverages other professional development strategies to ensure the successful implementation of quality practices.

Additionally, we will define and differentiate transactional coaching and transformational coaching. Transformational coaching moves the focus of implementation of professional practices beyond merely creating goals and action plans, to fostering deeper reflection of how attitudes, motivation, and habits impact professional practices and meaningful outcomes that ‘stick’ over time. The purpose of coaching is to help people examine what they are doing in light of their intentions and to foster practices that will help them ‘get better at getting better’ to create continuous quality improvements that will positively impact children and families.

Ethics in Action

This recorded training was provided to ECE teachers and our pilot site staff members. Key topics include reflections of a teacher's impact, the NAEYC Ethical Code of Conduct, ethical responsibilities, core values, and applying ethics. Through the training, participants practice applying ethics in child, family, and co-worker scenarios with guided coaching and reflection.

An Introduction to the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework

"An Introduction to the Protective Factors" is a Resource for Action that guides those who work with children and families. The curriculum builds an understanding of the importance and power of partnering with parents, caregivers, and professionals that serve children and families to promote positive outcomes for them and their children. Taught by Early Learning Ventures' child care partnership specialists.

Free NAEYC Webinars

The largest and oldest organization for early childhood professionals, NAEYC has a variety of free webinars. Check out the link below to find something perfect for your staff or to support individuals.

https://www.naeyc.org/events/trainings-webinars/recorded-webinars

Online Learning & Professional Development from CLI Engage

CLI Engage hosts many online professional development courses for early childhood teachers, administrators, coaches, and parents. After completing an online course on CLI Engage, users can receive a certificate certifying their completion for either Continuing Professional Education hours (CPE) or Child Care Licensing clock hours.

Create a Class Culture of Makers, Inventors, and Creators with Makerspaces (Self-Paced Online Course)

Kickstart your makerspace with an understanding of what a makerspace is all about, suggestions to fill your makerspace, storage ideas, funding opportunities, resources to explore, and most importantly, developing the maker mindset.

Note: This is an online self-paced course. While it may have a different end date, once registered, you will receive an email with a link to the google classroom to begin your coursework. Once all assignments are submitted, you will receive credit.

Professional Development for PK & K Teachers

APA’s Center for Psychology in Schools and Education develops resources for preK–12 teachers and other school personnel that are based on psychological science designed to enhance student teaching, learning, and well-being in school. The purpose of the teacher professional development program is to benefit the education communities in better understanding the importance of and incorporating psychology to improve student and teacher experiences.

These professional development programs are based on existing modules that are available for free on the Center for Psychology in Schools and Education website. All programs have been reviewed and approved by APA’s Office of Continuing Education in Psychology to offer CE credits for educators and/or psychologists.

Online PD Training from ChildCare Education Institute

ChildCare Education Institute (CCEI) offers online professional development courses for teachers and child care providers that meet state training requirements and are awarded IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CCEI’s professional teacher development courses are designed to provide students with generally accepted childcare practices and training based on research in the field of early childhood education. Our online professional development courses for teachers and childcare providers are written by early childhood experts, including authors Rae Pica and Dr. Pam Schiller, to name a few.

Kaplan Webinars

Kaplan Early Learning Company delivers free professional learning and connects you to industry experts. Our free professional learning community helps early childhood educators share resources, tools, best and practices to create healthy and creative learning environments to support learning and development.

39th Annual International Conference on Young Children w/ Special Needs & Their Families

This is an excellent conference opportunity and it is nearby for 2024:

DEC's 39th Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and Their Families September 17–20, 2024, New Orleans, LA

This group often sponsors conferences on inclusion or focused on teaching children with special needs. https://ectacenter.org/events/conferenc-es.asp

Porch Play Chat Conversations

The International Play Association was formed in Denmark in 1961. The US organization began in 1973. The mission is to protect, preserve and promote play as a right of all children. Advocacy is one of their main objectives and they have an e-journal, annual conference, and a newsletter, along with Porch Play Chats, Speaker Symposium, and other events. Below is a list of upcoming Chats.

July 31, 2023 Porch Play Chat with Ross Thompson The Art of Storytelling and Its Role in Supporting A Play Based Place
August 14, 2023 Porch Play Chat with Rixa Evershed on Monster Witch Play How Children are Processing the Pandemic
August 21, 2023 Porch Play Chat with Vivien Geneser and Josh Thompson - Play As Equity
August 28, 2023 Porch Play Chat with Ellen Cogan - Exploring Music as Play
September 2, 2023 Porch Play Chat with Richard Cohen - Embodying play with children

Revised 2022 Prek Guidelines

TAASPYC 2023 Sponsors

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For non-Smore users. If you're a parent, teacher, friend, coworker, or relative and you'd like to subscribe to or "follow" a Smore user's newsletters, this help

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Texas Association of Administrators and Supervisors of Programs for Young Children

Email: taaspyc1@gmail.com
Website: https://www.taaspyc.org/
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Twitter: @TAASPYC1

TAASPYC News

The Biggest Voice for the Littlest People!

July 30, 2023 July 30, 2023

#TAASPYC #TAASPYC

2023-24 Membership Photo 2023-24 Membership Photo

A Note from Our President

2024 TAASPYC Symposium 2024 TAASPYC Symposium

Now4Forever Early Childhood Conference Success!

One Teacher’s Ideas on How Administrators Can Support Teachers

One Teacher's Ideas on How Administrators Can Support Teachers

9 Ways for Schools to Honor Teacher Needs This Year

9 Ways for Schools to Honor Teacher Needs This Year

Reimagine Childhood

The Everything ECE Podcast

Circle Time

The Preschool Podcast: For Leaders in Early Childhood Education

Podcast | Website

Home and Classroom Podcast - Brightside Up

How to Get Even More Out of Conferences

279422 - 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

278741 - Region One ESC ECI Reach for the Stars Childcare Conference

271083 - Best Practices in Evaluation of Preschool Children

279343 - Early Childhood Leadership Meetings

Creating Emergency Operations Plans

Child and Adult Food Care Program Training (CACFP)

Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL)

Follow the Yellow Brick Road through the New Pre-K Guidelines

Differentiation and Scaffolding Using the Texas Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) by CLI [Virtual, Synchronous]

Teaching and Screening Early- The Why and How of Dyslexia Screening in Kindergarten and First Grade (VIRTUAL)

Exploring the Revised 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

Forget the Box: We are Thinking Out of This World Virtual An Introduction to UDL

Winter Make - N - Take for the Early Childhood Teacher

If He Could Do Better, He Would Do Better (Pyramid Model Tier 2)

If He Could Do Better, He Would Do Better (Pyramid Model Tier 3)

Small Moves, Big Gains: Teacher Habits That Help Kids to Talk More, Think More, and Achieve More – Book Included

PreK Guidelines Update What's New for the 23-24 School Year

C.I.R.C.L.E Training. - An Essential Training for Teachers of Young Children

Professional Learning Series - Early Childhood

Early Childhood Special Education Update Summer 2023

Diving into the Revised Pre-K Guidelines

Cut the Chaos...Create a Calm ECE Classroom!

Capturing Kids' Hearts

Pre-Kindergarten Progress Monitoring

Prekindergarten Guidebook Training for Teachers

Revised Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

Revised PK Guidelines: Social and Emotional Development and Emergent Literacy: Language and Communication

CIRCLE Foundations Training (2-Day) CIRCLE Training for Prekindergarten Teachers

Revised PK Guidelines: Emergent Literacy - Reading and Writing

CLI Progress Monitoring Data Driven Instruction Pre-Kindergarten

Managing Your Classroom: Understanding, Preventing and Responding to Challenging Behavior For Prekindergarten and Kindergarten

NEW Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines Training

Novice Prek Teacher 3 Day Series

The Power of Purposeful Play

2022 TX Prekindergarten Guidelines

Early Childhood Special Education Play Based Assessment

Early Childhood Special Education Supervisor Lunch & Learn Collaborate, Network & Grow with other ECSE leaders

Spicing-up Your Seven SUPER Centers with Thematic Learning for Early Childhood

Early Childhood STEM Series: Storybook STEM - 31156

Early Childhood STEM Series: Loose Parts - 31404

Pump Up Productivity in Centers! - 31168

Strategies for Calming in Early Childhood Virtual - 31179

Community Circles in Early Childhood Virtual - 31139

Early Childhood: CIRCLE Progress Monitoring Assessment Tips & Tools Virtual - 28438

Early Childhood: Tips and Tools for the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (TX-KEA) Virtual - 29857

Increase Engagement in the Prekindergarten Classroom Make-and-Take

Nurturing Social and Emotional Development in Pre-K

Building a Strong Foundation for Emergent Literacy Language and Communication Domain

Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Community of Practice

So Many Words, So Little Time: Teaching Vocabulary Efficiently

TXSSC EOP Review

Building Strong Foundations: Practical Strategies for New Teacher Success

Region 13 Early Childhood Circle Time Success: Decrease Behavior, Increase Engagement (ONLINE)

STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics in Early Childhood

First 21 Days of Small Group Training and Differentiating Small Group Reading Instruction K-3

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) 101 - Administration

Oh Baby! Feeding Infants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Safety-Care Initial (Crisis Prevention)

Safety-Care refresher (Crisis Prevention)

Wild About Kids

KINDER MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMY: PROBLEM SOLVING AND DISCOURSE DAY 1

July 30, 2023

#TAASPYC

2023-24 Membership Photo

2024 TAASPYC Symposium

TAASPYC 2023 Sponsors