Childcare Professionals
One of the key features of quality early childhood programs is the training and experience level of the staff. Effective early childhood professionals have a strong background in education and development, building specialized early childhood competencies. Smart Beginnings SE and Crater workshops and self study training options align with state early childhood standards. Content for our workshops is based on the expectation of the VA Star Quality Initiative (VSQI) pdf and Milestones of Child Development The intent of our training and education programs are to improve the quality of early childhood professionals, because we know that children with access to high quality learning experiences are more likely to acquire the skills they need to enter kindergarten ready to succeed and adapt to new learning and social environments.
Our Educator Training sessions are specifically designed for:
- Infant & Toddler Teachers
- Pre-school & Pre-K teachers
- Adminstrators & Directors
- Home-based childcare providers
Select categories below to access related training materials.
Environment and Instruction (ITERS & ECERS)
These articles relate to topics for organizing and setting up a high quality early learning environment. Content in articles aligns with Standard 4 on the Virginia Star Quality Initiative and Environmental Rating Scales (ITERS & ECERS).
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ESL: English Language Acquisition
These articles relate to strategies for working with children who are not native English speakers, and include information on how to help children make progress in understanding and speaking English.
Language and Literacy
These articles are about how adults can help young children develop language and literacy skills. Topics include listening & speaking, phonological awareness & alphabet knowledge, print awareness & concepts, comprehension & vocabulary and early writing.
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Math
Articles about developmentally appropriate math activities for young children, aligned with the VA Milestones for Development & Foundation Blocks
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Quality Interactions (CLASS Related Articles)
These articles relate to dimensions of the Classroom Based Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) that is used for Standard 2 in the Virginia Star Quality Initiative. Articles describe ways teachers can provide high levels of instructional support to encourage higher levels of learning in young children.
School Readiness
Articles related to better understanding the importance of school readiness.
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Social and Emotional Development
Articles about developmentally appropriate math activities for young children, aligned with the VA Milestones for Development & Foundation Blocks.
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Nurturing Learning series
Nurturing Learning in One-Year-Olds: Arts and Creativity
Can one-year-olds truly be creative? If we step away from artistic expressions of creativity for a moment and just think about the essence of creativity, the answer is a loud “Yes!”
Nurturing Learning in Two-Year-Olds: Arts and Creativity
When you think about art with two-year-olds, think about how to create meaningful art experiences that fit well in the busy world of twos.
Nurturing Learning in Three- and Four-Year-Olds: Arts and Creativity
During the preschool years, young children blossom in their ability to experiment with new ideas, including new ways of creating with art materials.
Nurturing Learning in One-Year-Olds: Language and Literacy
The most obvious of all of the many remarkable changes between a child’s first and second birthday is that they begin talking. As exciting as those first words are, though, they are only a slice of the language gains that one-year-olds make.
Nurturing Learning in Two-Year-Olds: Language and Literacy
Verbal communication between or with twos needs a lot of support to succeed, especially when there is a conflict of wills. But twos feel excited and powerful when they’ve succeeded in using words to connect with a friend or caregiver in a meaningful way.
Nurturing Learning in Three- and Four-Year-Olds: Language and Literacy
The ages of three and four are busy times for language and literacy learning, including developing the ability to comprehend and tell narratives, becoming much more skilled at conversation, and beginning to understand the mechanics of written language.
Nurturing Learning in One-Year-Olds: Mathematical and Scientific Thinking
By the time babies have reached their first birthday, they have logged thousands of hours of watching, listening, touching, tasting and smelling everything around them, as their rapidly developing brains have been noticing differences between things.
Nurturing Learning in Two-Year-Olds: Mathematical and Scientific Thinking
The age of two in children can be trying for caregivers, but it’s also an age in which children are gaining a remarkable amount of knowledge about how the world works.
Nurturing Learning in Three- and Four-Year-Olds: Mathematical and Scientific Thinking
Preschoolers are rapidly developing the mental abilities to think in mathematical and scientific ways in order to explore and understand their favorite topics.
Nurturing Learning in One-Year-Olds: Play and Music
Play is the central activity of young children and is the main way that young children explore, interact with, and enjoy the world around them, whether it’s an infant playing with her toes or a five-year-old playing superhero.
Nurturing Learning in Two-Year-Olds: Play and Music
What does play look like in two-year-olds, and how can caregivers support their inborn curiosity and creativity?
Nurturing Learning in Three- and Four-Year-Olds: Play and Music
Play is self-directed, pleasurable, internally motivated activity that children control. How caregivers support it depends on the age of the child.
Early Childhood Consultants
Yolanda Satchell is a contractual early childhood consultant, and we are happy to have her services available to First Connections VA as a CDA Course Instructor and trainer.
She is the founder of the early childhood organization known as P.A.C.E. (Professional Advising & Career Empowerment). As a CDA Program Specialist, she is available to assist you with your Child Development Associates (CDA) credential questions.
Contact her at (804)721-8536 or [email protected] for complete program information and CDA assistance.
Jean McNeil has been working in the early childhood field for over 35 years. She can assist your program with any technical assistance, mentoring, or coaching needs you have. Jean is also a certified CLASS mentor and rater.
Please contact her at (804) 304-4062 or [email protected].
