Children’s books can be used to teach new vocabulary and other pre-literacy skills, but they can also be used to teach children math concepts. In this training, we will discuss the math skills children develop before they enter kindergarten and how to support the development of math skills. We will explore two books, Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh and Crash! Boom! By Robie H. Harris and reflect on how these and other books can be utilized to teach children valuable math skills.

CDA Areas: 2 
VELDS: Approaches to Learning, Communication, Language and Literacy Development, Cognitive Development 
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving
Toddler: Engaged Support for Learning
PreK: Instructional Support
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Facilitated Exploration
Toddler: Facilitation of Learning and Development
PreK: Concept Development
Instructor: Stephanie Barker

Date: Saturday, 8/2
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Sherwood Regional Library (2501 Sherwood Hall Ln, Alexandria, VA 22306) 

This session will provide early childhood educators with a comprehensive understanding of the foundational skills necessary for early handwriting development. Participants will explore the stages of handwriting development, the importance of fine motor skills, and practical strategies for fostering emergent writing skills in young children. Educators will gain valuable tools and activities to support children's handwriting journey and lay a strong foundation for future literacy success.  

CDA Areas: 2 
VELDS: Foundations of Writing  
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Engaged Support for Learning 
PreK: Instructional Support 
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Facilitated Exploration 
Toddler: Facilitation of Learning and Development 
PreK: Concept Development 
Instructor: Bronwyn Dean

Date: Mondays, 8/4 & 8/11 
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Children's social and emotional development begins at birth, and these skills are valuable and necessary to navigate interpersonal relationships. We will take a deep dive into understanding the social and emotional development of infants and toddlers. We will discuss the importance of relationships, both with children and families. Then, we will focus on responsive routines and targeted strategies to help infants and toddlers learn social skills. Finally, we will focus on exploring the meaning behind challenging behaviors and how to respond appropriately to these behaviors.

CDA Areas: 3,4,7, & 8 
VELDS: Social and Emotional Development 
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Relational Climate 
Toddler: Positive Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Child Perspectives, Behavior Guidance  
Instructor: Stephanie Barker

Date: Tuesdays, 8/5, 8/19 & 8/26 
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

This session will provide preschool educators with a comprehensive understanding of pivotal joints and their significance in early childhood development. Pivotal joints play a crucial role in a child's physical, cognitive, and social development. By understanding the anatomy, function, and importance of these joints, educators can create supportive environments that promote optimal growth and development.

CDA Areas: 2 
VELDS: Physical Development  
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Engaged Support for Learning 
PreK: Instructional Support 
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Facilitated Exploration 
Toddler: Facilitation of Learning and Development 
PreK: Concept Development 
Instructor: Bronwyn Dean

Date: Wednesday, 8/6 
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Children need social and emotional skills to be successful in the preschool environment and beyond. We will explore how to build relationships with preschool-aged children and create environments that support social- emotional learning. We will also discuss how to create targeted supports to teach preschoolers specific social-emotional skills. In our final session, we will explore the meaning behind challenging behaviors and how to create a behavior support plan to support individual preschoolers.  

CDA Areas: 3,4,7, & 8  
VELDS: 
Social and Emotional Learning  
CLASS Support   
Domain(s): 
PreK: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization 
Dimension(s): 
PreK: Positive Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Student Perspectives, Behavior Management  
Instructor: Stephanie Barker

Date: Thursdays, 8/7, 8/21 & 8/28 
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

This session will provide EC educators with a comprehensive understanding of fine motor development in young children. Participants will explore the essential components of fine motor skills, learn effective strategies for promoting their development, and gain practical insights into addressing challenges related to fine motor delays. 

CDA Areas: 2 
VELDS: Foundations of writing  
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Engaged Support for Learning 
PreK: Instructional Support 
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Facilitated Exploration 
Toddler: Facilitation of Learning and Development 
PreK: Concept Development 
Instructor: Bronwyn Dean 

Date: Wednesdays, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27 
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Message Boards offer an interactive alternative to Calendar activities during circle time. We will explore how to effectively use a message board with children to enhance pre-reading skills and communication.  Message boards are tools that allow for student input and promote social-emotional learning.  

CDA Areas: 3 
VELDS:  Social and Emotional  
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Engaged Support for Learning 
PreK: Classroom Organization 
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Facilitated Exploration 
Toddler: Facilitation of Learning and Development 
PreK: Instructional Learning Formats 
Instructor: Bronwyn Dean 

Date: Wednesday, 8/25 
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 
Location: Reston Regional Library (11925 Bowman Towne Dr, Reston, VA 20190) 

In early childhood education, rest is often undervalued, yet it is vital for the well-being of both educators and children. This three-part virtual series explores how to build a culture of rest and restoration through adult self-care, restful classroom routines, and family engagement in healthy sleep habits. Participants will also learn how to adapt best practices in response to seasonal changes and environmental cues. This course includes an additional 4 hours of participation through extended learning activities on the Canvas platform.

CDA Areas: 1, 2, 6, & 7 
VELDS: Approaches to Play and Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Health and Physical Development 
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving   
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support and Engaged Support for Learning    
Pre-K: Emotional Support and Classroom Organization 
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Relational Climate and Teacher Sensitivity  
Toddler: Positive Climate, Teacher Sensitivity and Facilitation of Learning and Development  
PreK: Positive Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Student Perspective and Instructional Learning Formats 
Instructor: Bernice Mayfield   

Date: Wednesdays, 8/6, 8/13, & 8/20 
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Cultivating Calm: The Power of Leadership Resilience Series helps early childhood leaders manage stress and build resilient teams. Each one-hour session begins with a nature-based mindfulness practice and offers practical tools from leading resilience and trauma-informed frameworks. Join one or all sessions to gain strategies for self-regulation, staff support, and psychological safety. Extended-learning options are available for deeper exploration and professional development credit. 

CDA Areas: 6 
VELDS: Approaches to Play & Learning, Social & Emotional Development, Communication, Language & Literacy Development, Health & Physical Development, and Cognitive Development 
CLASS Support 
Domain(s): 
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Emotional and Behavioral Support 
PreK: Emotional Support 
Dimension(s): 
Infant: Relational Climate 
Toddler: Positive Climate 
PreK: Positive Climate 
Instructor: Deborah Weigand  

Date: Wednesdays, 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, & 8/27 
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 

These sessions introduce early childhood educators to the foundational knowledge of the eight sensory systems and how they influence children’s daily experiences, learning, and behavior. Educators will learn how each system works individually and in combination to support children’s development and regulation. We will explore how children process sensory information, what happens when processing is over- or under-responsive, and how these sensory differences manifest as behaviors in the classroom. Educators will learn how to adjust environments, routines, and activities to foster regulation, comfort, and participation for all children. 

CDA Areas: 2,3,4, & 8 
VELDS: Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Health and Physical Development, Cognitive Development 
CLASS Support  
Domain(s):  
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Emotional Behavioral Support, Engaged Support for Learning 
PreK: Emotional Support, Instructional Support 
Dimension(s):  
Infant: Relational Climate 
Toddler: Regard for Child Perspectives, Facilitation of Learning and Development 
PreK: Regard for Student Perspectives, Positive Climate 
Instructor: Leah Pagala 

Date: Tuesdays, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19 & 8/26 
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

We invite early childhood educators to pause, reflect, and reconnect with their purpose before the start of a new school year. Through guided reflections, restorative activities, and intentional goal setting, educators will leave feeling rejuvenated in their values and ready to foster joyful and nurturing learning spaces for children. This session will focus on fulfilling the heart of the classroom, our educators.  

CDA Areas: 1, 3, & 6 
VELDS: Approaches to Learning 
CLASS Support  
Domain(s):  
Infant: Responsive Caregiving Toddler: Emotional Behavior Support 
PreK: Emotional Support 
Dimension(s):  
Infant: Relational Climate 
Toddler: Positive Climate 
PreK: Positive Climate 
Instructor: Leah Pagala 

Date: Wednesdays, 8/6 & 8/13 
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Visual literacy, or the ability to carefully look at images or symbols and interpret meaning, is an important skill for preschoolers to develop. Art observation is an engaging and natural way to foster visual literacy in young children. In this workshop, we will discuss Harvard Project Zero’s “See-Think-Wonder" thinking routine and consider how to use this technique while looking at art with preschoolers to foster visual literacy.

CDA Areas: 2 & 8  
VELDS: Approaches to Play & Learning  
CLASS Support  
Domain(s): 
PreK: Instructional Support  
Dimension(s): 
PreK: Concept Development, Quality of Feedback, Language Modeling  
Instructor: Melody Passemante Powell 

Date: Thursdays, 8/7 & 8/14  
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

This course provides a practical framework for understanding and supporting challenging behaviors in young children through a developmental perspective that includes family and community factors. Participants will learn the importance of empathy, distinguish between reactive and proactive strategies, and incorporate loving rituals into daily routines. The course concludes with a reflection on personal biases and self-regulation, guiding participants to create individualized behavior support plans rooted in empathy and structure. 

CDA Areas: 1,2, 5,6, & 8 
VELDS: Approaches to Learning, Social and Emotional Development, Cognitive Development 
CLASS Support  
Domain(s):  
Infant: Responsive Caregiving 
Toddler: Emotional Behavioral Support 
PreK: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization 
Dimension(s):  
Infant: Relational Climate, Teacher Sensitivity 
Toddler: Teacher Sensitivity, Regard for Child Perspectives, Facilitation of Learning and Development 
PreK: Positive Climate, Regard for student Perspectives, Instructional Learning Formats 
Instructor: Leah Pagala

Date: Mondays, 8/18 & 8/25 
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

Estas sesiones presentan a los educadores de la primera infancia los fundamentos de los ocho sistemas sensoriales y cómo influyen en las experiencias diarias, el aprendizaje y el comportamiento de los niños. Se explorará cómo cada sistema funciona por separado y en conjunto, cómo los niños procesan la información sensorial, y qué ocurre cuando este procesamiento es excesivo o insuficiente. También se analizará cómo estas diferencias sensoriales se reflejan en el aula y cómo adaptar entornos, rutinas y actividades para apoyar la regulación, la comodidad y la participación de todos los niños. 

CDA Áreas: 3, 7, & 8 
VELDS: Enfoques de Juego y Aprendizaje, Desarrollo Socioemocional, Salud y Desarrollo Físico, Desarrollo Cognitivo 
Apoyo de CLASS  
Dominio(s):   
Bebe: Cuidado Sensible 
Niño Pequeño: Apoyo Emocional y Conductual, Apoyo Activo para el Aprendizaje 
PreK: Apoyo Emocional, Organización del Aula, Apoyo Pedagógico  
Dimensión(es)   
Bebe: Clima Relacional 
Niño pequeño: Consideración hacia las perspectivas del niño, Facilitación del aprendizaje y el desarrollo 
PreK: Consideración hacia las perspectivas del estudiante, Formatos didácticos para el aprendizaje 
Instructora: Lisseth Palacios   

Fecha:  lunes, 4, 11, 18, y 25 de agosto 
Hora: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 

Este curso ofrece un enfoque práctico para comprender y apoyar conductas desafiantes en niños pequeños, considerando factores familiares y comunitarios. Los participantes aprenderán a responder con empatía, usar estrategias proactivas y reactivas, e incorporar rituales de cariño. Los educadores crearán entornos estructurados con límites claros y compasivos que promuevan la seguridad y la conexión. También reflexionarán sobre sus prejuicios y autorregulación para crear planes de apoyo individualizados con empatía y estructura. 

CDA Áreas: 2, 5, & 6 
VELDS: Enfoques del aprendizaje, Desarrollo social y emocional, Desarrollo cognitivo 
Apoyo de CLASS  
Dominio(s): 
Bebé: Cuidado receptivo 
Niño pequeño: Apoyo emocional y conductual 
PreK: Apoyo emocional, organización del aula 
Dimensión(es): 
Bebé: Clima relacional, sensibilidad del docente 
Niño pequeño: Sensibilidad del maestro, consideración de las perspectivas del niño, facilitación del aprendizaje y el desarrollo 
PreK: Clima positivo, consideración de las perspectivas de los estudiantes, formatos didácticos de aprendizaje instructivo 
Instructor(a): Lisseth Palacios 

Fecha: Miércoles 6, 20 y 27 de agosto 
Hora: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 

In this 6-hour course, participants will focus on the importance of intentional teaching and providing responsive care to multi-age groups of children in their homes.  Family childcare educators will increase their knowledge of child development and how to implement daily learning experiences that are meaningful and beneficial for children. In addition, participants will learn how children benefit from planned activities that are responsive to children’s interests and include age-appropriate materials and a child-friendly environment. Participants must attend all three sessions to earn a certificate.

CDA Area: 2 
Instructor: Ginny Holloway

Date: Tuesday, 8/5, 8/12, & 8/19 
Time: 7: 00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.  

En este curso de seis horas, los participantes se enfocarán en la importancia de la enseñanza intencional y el cuidado responsivo para los niños en su programa.  Los educadores de cuidado familiar infantil aumentaran sus conocimientos sobre el desarrollo infantil y como implementar experiencias de aprendizaje diario que sean significativas y beneficiosas para los niños.  Además, los participantes aprenderán como los niños se benefician de las actividades planificadas que responden a los intereses de los niños e incluyen materiales apropiados para su edad y un entorno acogedora para los niños. Los proveedores deben asistir a las tres sesiones para obtener crédito. 

Áreas de CDA: 2 
Instructoras: Kamini Jassal and Patricia Quezada 

Fecha: Miércoles, 8/6, 8/13, & 8/20 
Hora: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. 

Think employee benefits are out of reach for your childcare business? Think again. Our upcoming webinar featuring experts from the Business Benefits Group will reveal how benefits brokers can make securing a comprehensive benefits package accessible and affordable. We'll demystify the complexities of employee benefits, business insurance, and retirement planning, highlighting how a strategic approach is crucial for safeguarding your business's future. Join us to explore how aligning with a benefits broker can attract top-tier talent and fuel your workforce's growth—all within your entrepreneurial budget.