The Steering Committee for the Success by 6 United Way regional early childhood initiative will offer a three-workshop series, "Small Steps Big Successes" at Valparaiso University beginning Jan. 31, for all parents, caregivers, childcare providers and early childhood educators, announced Dr. Mary Jane Eisenhauer, committee chair and Purdue University North Central assistant professor of Early Childhood Education.
The workshop series is free and open to the public. Registration is limited to the first 75 participants. There is a limit of five staff members per agency. There will be a gift for any staff attending all three sessions.
"This series was conceived in response to feedback we received at the PNC annual early childhood conference as participants asked for additional training sessions, as well as something in Porter County," said Eisenhauer. Eisenhauer, as part of her Indiana Campus Compact Faculty Fellowship, is working with Success by 6, the speaker series is intended to create a system of professional development for the region's early childhood network, allowing educators and child care providers to learn, network and communicate throughout the year.
PNC students enrolled in the Nurturing & Guiding the Young Child class will be volunteering at the workshops as well.
Small Steps Big Successes sessions will meet in the Valparaiso University Neil Science Center, Room 224, located just east of the Harre Student Union. The sessions are:
Session I: Monday Jan. 31, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Infant Toddler Training. "The Great Discovery: Searching Beyond Behavior and Toddlers to Uncover Meaning" presented by speaker Lisa Henley, program director of the Child Care Quality Initiative at the Indiana Association for Child Care Resource and Referral.
Session II: Monday Feb. 21, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Children with Special Needs Training. "Managing Challenging Behaviors in Children with Special Needs: 'Does 'Special Needs' mean 'Special Privileges'?" with speaker Melissa Khosla, OTR/L, a pediatric occupation therapist with a master's degree in child development from the Erikson Institute.
Session III: Monday March 28, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. - Preschool Training. "Thinking Outside the Box: Looking Beyond What You Know" presented by Dana Jones, early childhood specialist at the Indiana Department of Education working with the Developmental Preschools and Title I Preschools.
To attend, RSVP to Kimberly D. Hendricks, Workforce Development Services, Inc., Child Care Resource & Referral at 219-882-0033 ext. 321 or 866-582-2229 or fax: 219-882-9253.