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Nurturing Young Children in Nature | Michele Lucia, EdD | Nurturing Young Children in Nature March 1, 2025 Handout (PDF) Back Michele Lucia, EdD Educators, join us Saturday, March 1 to explore Nurturing Young Children in Nature with Michele Lucia, EdD. Encourage outdoor play to improve young children's physical abilities. Develop strategies for teamwork , emotional regulation, and fostering independence. Explore how outdoor play boosts cognitive growth such as problem-solving and curiosity. Available at no cost to early educators in Indian River County Certificate of in-service provided/CEUs available from FLAEYC Breakfast and lunch will be provided Workshop will be held at First Presbyterian Church

Teaching What We Practice: Conscious Discipline Starts with Us | Angela Fraley | Conscious Discipline Teaching What We Practice: Conscious Discipline Starts with Us August 23, 2025 Handout (PDF) Back Angela Fraley Conscious Discipline Join us to uncover how connections with children shape their development and well-being. Explore the science of the attachment system to respond to young children in distress Understand the powr of "meaning-making" Discover the importance of connections with children Saturday, August 23 9 am - 3 pm Vero Beach Museum of Art Available at no cost to early educators in Indian River County CEUs available from FLAEYC Breakfast and lunch will be provided Join us for a chance to win workshop raffle prizes

The Pathway to Quality Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo April 1, 2021 I truly hope that you enjoyed our professional development workshop on “Ensuring High-Quality Early Learning: A Coherent Vision Matters” with Judy Jablon and Christine Shrader of Leading for Children . They began the day with this: 'Five out of ten children will fail.' That chilling statistic resonated deep within my heart and that is why I am now looking differently at quality and equity in classrooms. When you look at the picture at the bottom of the page, are you able to identify how we can ensure that all children succeed? Based on that picture above, how do we improve outcomes for all children? I found the introduction to the Coherent Path to Quality fascinating. We learned that the Path has three dimensions with eleven Simple Rules to follow. When we take the time to look at our Relationships & Interactions , the Emotional & Physical Environment , and Learning Experiences within our classrooms and then weave the rules in, the coherent path to quality can be achieved. At this point, you may be thinking that you are having a hard time incorporating successful new strategies into your classroom because the world has turned upside down and you can’t move forward. If that is the case, then please join us for our final professional development workshop of the year on Saturday, April 10th from 9:00 – 3:00. The amazing Kim Hughes, Master Instructor, from Conscious Discipline will be presenting How to Get Unstuck with Conscious Discipline . Join us as Kim presents new adult skills so we can manage our upset, offer self-care reflection for yourself and the families you support, and teach us how to coach ourselves, children, and families so we can feel our feelings in healthy ways. This will be Kim’s second appearance with Childcare Resources. Her upbeat enthusiasm will bring a smile to your face as she discusses Compassion Fatigue, Knowing Your Personal Triggers, Understanding & Internalizing Conscious Discipline’s 5 Steps for Self-Regulation, and delving into the Feeling Buddies Curriculum. Until next time, I wish you well! Paulette Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Conscious Discipline | Kim Jackson | Conscious Discipline Conscious Discipline April 9 2022 Handout (PDF) Back Kim Jackson Conscious Discipline Explore how to implement Conscious Discipline practices in your classroom. Reflect on where you are in your Conscious Discipline journey.

Self-care looks different to each one of us. Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo August 20, 2020 This week’s newsletter focuses on the webinar Trauma and Culturally Responsive Self-Care for Early Childhood Educators featuring Julie Kurtz, Julie Nicholson, and Lawanda Wesley. The focus being on you , the educator, and how you can take care of yourself in order to respond to the needs of those around you. The topic of self-care has woven its way into many of the webinars in this year’s Transforming Challenging Behaviors Conference . In a previous newsletter, I wrote about Sandi Phoenix and The 5 Phoenix Cups (Safety, Freedom, Mastery, Fun, and Connection ). I hope you visited her website to see which cups are the ones that you need to be filled the most in order for you to be at peace. I also discussed Laura Fish and Mindfulness . One of her main points being that we need to be able to identify what brain zone we are in to successfully deal with children. Finally, Antoinette Taylor asked you if you were willing to put down some of the many plates that you are juggling in order to lower your stress level. So let’s unpack this popular term of self-care and see what it looks like and means to you and what can we can learn from it. This concept has become extremely popular over the last decade in magazines and on social media, suggesting that in order to take care of others, you must first take care of yourself. However, very little thought has been given to different socioeconomic levels, race, and ethnicity. Easy answers such as get a massage, a manicure/pedicure, or take a yoga class are not viable for everyone. Self-care looks different to each one of us. The illustration below is a compilation of over 400 surveys from around the world as to what early educators thought of when they heard the term self-care. So what does self- care look like? Self-care doesn’t need to cost anything or be exciting, it just needs to feel right to you. Suggestions for Individual self-care : Read Take a walk Drink a cup of tea Write in a journal Call a friend or family member Take a nap Eat healthy Daydream Let go of negative thoughts Start a new hobby. Collective Group self-care might look like this: *The suggestions should be in compliance with COVID-19 restrictions of course. Attend church Donate your time or items to a food pantry Cook for your neighbors Join an online book club Shop for those who still cannot go out Make cards for nursing homes Volunteer or advocacy work for a cause you believe strongly in How does our level of self-care affect the children we are in contact with on a daily basis? This is where the concept of “mirror neurons” comes into play. Julie Kurtz shares, “Children borrow our calm to co-regulate themselves. We are the external Wi-Fi for the child’s internal world. So if we are calm, the classroom will be calmer. If we feel regulated, the children will be more regulated and that is the magic of mirror neurons.” How might self-care be incorporated into your child care site? The following flow chart illustrates how a child care center on the East Coast instituted a plan that allows the staff to acknowledge that they have been triggered without letting the children know. This unique idea eliminates shaming the child or children who have triggered the adult. Those of us who chose to be in this wonderful world of early education did so because we have a very high level of compassion. Our super power is helping others but our kryptonite is not helping ourselves . We give and give of ourselves until there is nothing left. This can lead to compassion fatigue , where our body literally breaks down from the various stressors in our lives. This may show up as migraines, tight jaw, digestive issues, and back pain. If you take away only one thing this week, I hope it is that you will treat yourself with the same loving kindness that you extend to others, because you are so deserving of that too! Until next time, I wish you well. Paulette Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Respect. That is a word I would have not have thought of when defining the meaning of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). Coach's Column Susan Roberts January 3, 2022 The December in-person workshop with Amanda Morgan was such a nice way to close out 2021. It was a great time to be with friends and colleagues for the first time in a year and a half! Amanda presented a powerful workshop on Developmentally Appropriate Practices: Why Our Children Don’t Need Pushing & What They Do Need Instead . There was good conversation about what early educators know about child development and the importance you play in each child’s life. Amanda was able to give facts and research that backed up the importance of play. She stressed the importance of teachers knowing the children they are interacting with and having the knowledge to provide them with meaningful and appropriate activities and interactions. Respectful teacher child interactions are critical. Respect. That is a word I would have not have thought of when defining the meaning of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). Amanda explained that we need to: Respect that childhood is a valuable and valid time for children to grow and learn so they can reach their full potential. Growing an adult human is a process that takes time, connection with others and much trial and error! Children need to connect with others, hands on experiences with various materials and opportunities to use language in order to learn about their world. We need to respect the larger developmental process. We know that skills are built upon a foundation. Developmental milestones are a guide to building a strong foundation. They are a blueprint we can refer so we can provide playful and meaningful learning opportunities for children to reach towards and practice skills they may have missed. We need to respect children as individuals. The developmental process is not set to a time schedule or calendar. I loved Amanda’s analogy of a budding tree. Not all buds blossom at the same time. But given the proper nurturing they will all bloom. Likewise, children, given a responsive respectful environment will bloom when they are ready. Amanda gave us so much to think about. But you may have been left with some questions. How do I provide my children with developmentally appropriate, play based experiences and still meet the standards set by my center? How can do I explain to my director, co teacher, parents that the children in my care are playing with a purpose and learning as they play? What does a DAP class look like, sound like, feel like and what are the results of playful learning? Well, I am happy to say that Amanda will be back on February 5th with Teaching with Intention & Powerful Play. Join us as she brings together what we know about developmentally appropriate practices, social emotional learning, and learning standards and milestones, to provide appropriate, lasting and playful learning for our little ones. Registration is open now! And let’s hope 2022 continues to give us opportunities to come together, learn together and become our best together! I am wishing you well! Susan Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Pathway to Quality | Judy Jablon | Leading for Children Pathway to Quality March 2021 Handout (PDF) Back Judy Jablon Leading for Children Explore how to provide the best early learning experiences to young children. Discover how to help you and your students thrive.

Kindermusik | Betsy Flanagan | Kindermusik January 2017 Handout (PDF) Back Betsy Flanagan

Talk With Me Baby & Yoga | | Talk With Me Baby & Yoga June 2018 Handout (PDF) Back *This workshop did not have an associated handout*

The start of a new year is a great time to set a positive tone and build strong foundations. Coach's Column Amanda Gooch January 1, 2025 Welcome to a Fresh Start in the New Year! As we embark on this exciting journey into another year, let's take a moment to reflect on our shared mission of fostering curiosity, creativity, and growth in our young leaners. A new year is an opportunity to refresh our classrooms, reset goals, and reinvigorate our passion for early childhood education. The start of a new year is a great time to set a positive tone and build strong foundations. Here are some strategies to kick off the year on the right foot: Revisit Routines : Reinforce familiar routines while introducing new ones that align with your goals for the year. Consistency helps children feel secure and ready to learn. Collaborate Goal-Setting : Engage children in setting simple, achievable goals. For example, ask them, "What is one thing you want to learn or do this year?" Celebrate progress along the way! Family Partnerships : Reach out to families with a friendly update about the classroom's plans for the New Year. Include suggestions for how they can support learning at home, as reading together or engaging in creative activities. Create a New Year's Wish Wall : Invite children or write their hopes for the year. Display their wishes as a reminder for their aspirations and as a way to foster a sense of community. As we step into this New Year, let's continue to nurture our young learners with care, creativity, and enthusiasm. Thank you for your dedication and commitment in the lives of children. Together, we can make 2025 a year of growth, joy, and discovery for all! Wishing you all the best, Amanda & Todd Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Stephanie , Higher Education Program Coordinator at Childcare Resources of Indian River Stephanie Harmody Higher Education Program Coordinator Credentialing | Higher Education Joined Childcare Resources in 2021 Contact 772-567-3202 ext. 114 Back

You are vital to helping children, no matter how young they are, develop their fine motor skills so that they can write when they are developmentally ready Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo June 11, 2020 Hi Everyone, Aahhhh……..the ongoing debate between educators, their administrators, and parents: "Why aren’t your students (my child) writing their names, letters, and numbers? They are going into kindergarten and must have this skill" - how many times have you heard that? Now wait, if you are not a Pre-K Teacher, please don’t stop reading. You are vital to helping children, no matter how young they are, develop their fine motor skills so that they can write when they are developmentally ready. Vanessa Levin is an early educator guru and a lifelong learner. Her blog Pre-K Pages has almost 1,000,000 (yes, one million) visitors a month! At the Transform Challenging Behavior Virtual Conference , she presented What to Do About Power Struggles Over Writing and Other Table Activities . When children refuse to write, they are trying to tell us that they have not developed the muscles necessary to do so. Take a look at the palm of their hand – is it concave or chubby? The chubbiness is evidence that they still need skills to develop handwriting readiness. Some of these include: Hand & finger strength Crossing the midline Pencil grasp Hand eye coordination Holding and moving the pencil with the dominant hand while the other hand helps holding the paper Visual perception Using just the thumb, index, and middle finger for manipulation, leaving the ring and pinkie finger tucked into the palm to stabilize the other fingers (as Dr. Gibbs calls them, the Sleeping Fingers) Goodness gracious, that is a lot for our little ones to accomplish! This cannot be done in one year – it starts with teachers of infants and continues up the ladder. So, we take these skills of writing and break them down into smaller parts and teach these parts. Once again, it is important to be very intentional when we design classroom activities – it is not fine motor skills time from 9:30AM – 9:45AM. These activities should be available to the children all day so that they can strengthen their skills. Well, how do we do this? If you know anything about Vanessa Levin, you know that she is such a strong proponent of play dough (check out her website for recipes). At the beginning of the year, she puts the play dough out by itself. Tools are not added until the children have gotten accustomed to using it. Then, she rotates in tools such as cookie cutters that vary according to the season or interest of the children. As the children use the play dough, they are developing their hand muscles and using their imaginations. She brings up very interesting points: Don’t assume that every child has played with play dough. Model how to use it correctly. Her big secret is that she does not care if the colors get mixed. If the children mix the colors and make a comment about it, that gives her an opportunity to teach the consequences of their actions. If you are worried about it getting on the carpet, put a tray, tarp or a shower curtain on the floor. With advances in technology, children often do not see the purpose of writing. We need to let them see us writing all the time. Show them how you write grocery lists, make cards, write letters, and take food orders. Vanessa Levin carries Post-it notes wherever she goes. If a child has an idea or question and she cannot get to it right away, she writes it on a Post- it and puts it on the wall. Put paper (unlined, lined, different colors and sizes) with crayons, markers, colored pencils, and golf pencils in all centers. Let them have unlimited access to these tools. As a child I loved to color. I have many fond memories of spending countless hours at the kitchen table with my Dad coloring. He would take out his handkerchief when he finished a page and rub it over the coloring. It gave it such a beautiful sheen. But I was lucky, I enjoyed it and had a connected adult in my life who enjoyed it also. Vanessa Levin made an interesting point: Not all children like to color pre-made coloring sheets. What is the intent of these pages? Is it to be creative or color within the lines? All of this drawing and scribbling at such a young age leads to writing. Children are using their imaginations. They are having fun and developing their fine motor skills. For children to use scissors, they must have gone through the following progressive stages: Crumpling - collect newspaper flyers, put them in large tubs and let them have it! Ripping – give them small pieces of paper first Snipping – tape strips of paper to a table and just have them snip, not cut all the way through Fringing – tape paper to a table and fringe to make grass Cutting – once they have mastered the above stages, let them cut through the paper Cut right angles Cut round objects The open and close skill is a complex one. Work fingers by: Putting googly eyes on a clothespin and let them be alligator eaters of pom poms Using the play dough extenders that you push dough out of Use tongs to transfer objects from place to place Legos are great at working on these skills Sticking spaghetti or pipe cleaners in a colander Take a walk through your favorite Dollar Store with an open mind to see what items you can turn into fun pre-writing skills Vanessa Levin concludes by reminding us that if you have done everything in your power that you think you could have done, and this child still has not taken to writing, he or she just needs more time. Remember, you are each child’s advocate. If not us, then who? Until next time, I wish you well. Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters