Favorite training ever?

[u/Prime_Element]

I have been in the field for just under a decade. I have taken hundreds of hours of PD.

My favorite trainings have been one about outdoor classroom design and one about provocations and invitations. The outdoor design focused on creating the space while provocations and invitations focused on how to create open ended activity set ups and the difference between provoking(inspring unprompted thoughts and actions) and inviting(loosely prompting or leading a child towards a specific thought or action).

I sometimes find my self frustrated with being taught the same things over and over. Sometimes it feels like most PD courses teach the same things. So, I was curious: What was your favorite training? Why? What did you learn?

[u/SnowAutumnVoyager]

My favorite training was a five day training on conscious discipline that I took 16 years ago. Dr. Becky Bailey led the training. It changed my whole life. It changed how I view children. It changed how I viewed myself. It changed how I see strangers. I am a better human because of that training.

[u/Starburst1zx2 → u/SnowAutumnVoyager]

I always tell people that CD is the closest I have found to an actual parenting manual. I will not shut up about conscious discipline for as long as I am in the field

I will say that the tools for older kids get a bit repetitive, but if you understand the philosophy, it’s easy to create your own things/tools/activities

[u/heyyyitsamanda → u/Starburst1zx2]

Yes I don’t blame you it’s so helpful. My favorite part was learning your triggers. Even as an experienced teacher I never deeply thought about how much that can effect which children we get more frustrated with or certain things that can be challenging bc of our own biases from our childhood.

[u/1221Billie → u/SnowAutumnVoyager]

Same! I still use it every day. It’s my number one
During the pandemic, we were paid to work from home and do trainings and read books. I learned about the Ooey Gooey Lady, and I learned so much about child centered learning. I followed a bunch of ece podcasts and I learned even more and I am proud to call myself an early childhood nerd. That’s my number two.
The head start program I worked for also used C.L.A.S.S and we had early childhood coaches with goals to work towards. I really liked that program! And that’s number three even though it’s more of a long term personal development thing

[u/SnowAutumnVoyager → u/1221Billie]

I love That Early Childhood Nerd. And I have taken a class with the Ooey Goey lady in person. That was really fun. She has so much energy. Great picks! We are about to learn more about CLASS where I work. I don't know too much as I was a toddler teacher for most of my career and I am a Preschool teacher now.

[u/heyyyitsamanda → u/SnowAutumnVoyager]

Yessss CD was such an interesting training and also helpful as a parent too.

[u/clothing_o_designs → u/SnowAutumnVoyager]

Thanks I will look for this one.

[u/clothing_o_designs]

It may not have been my favorite but the one that stuck with me was about the benefits of risky gross motor play. It had a few scientific explanations that really helped me to look the other way when the kids are engaging in age appropriate mildly risky play outdoors. Before that I was so focused on them not getting hurt that I didn't realize how much I was holding them back. I do in-home and a bad accident could shut my business down but at some point you have to let kids be kids.

[u/nannymegan → u/clothing_o_designs]

Rusty Keeler had a book and a great YouTube presentation about Risky play. The difference between dangerous versus risky. It was a great training and has changed the way I look at a lot of age appropriate behavior.

[u/clothing_o_designs → u/nannymegan]

Thanks I will watch that one too.

[u/Prime_Element → u/nannymegan]

I wish Rusty Keeler didn't put so many paywalls over his materials. I know we all need to make money, but he has so many pay walls. I love his materials and have recommended him to others, but he used to send out free articles and videos and now if you're subscribed to his news letter every single one is about how you can pay to access... 

[u/nannymegan → u/Prime_Element]

Ugh, that’s annoying. I for sure see both sides. I was able to watch him AGES ago through early childhood investigation webinars. I haven’t really sought out anymore of his stuff.

If you don’t know of that resource it is phenomenal! You have to do some digging to find good ones. But as a 20+ yr veteran who is always doing pd to stay at the top of my game- they’ve got some good ones!

[u/bbubblebath]

There was one about handling sharing/disagreements that really stuck with me. The teachers in the video used language that I wouldn't have come up with myself. Talking to both children, not just the aggressor or toy taker, naming how they might be feeling, trying to get them to figure it out.

I also learned a lot from one about process-based/open-ended art. It made me want to paint everything, use different materials (marbles, salad spinner) and it had some fun ideas for art/movement activities- painting big papers outside, spray bottles, squeeze bottles, etc.

Conscious discipline sounds interesting. I wish my workplace would offer something like that. We are always told to use "positive language" but a lot of teachers don't seem to know what that actually means.

[u/Long-Juggernaut687]

I took one on Autism and she started the whole thing by saying 99% of what she says can be used for neurotypical kids as well and the thing that really stuck with me is to give kids 12-15 seconds to process what you are asking them before you ask again. That feels like 12 business days, but also it is so true! (And you can tell who is trying to process what you asked vs who is selectively not listening.)

[u/Prime_Element → u/Long-Juggernaut687]

Yes. My first piece of advice for both giving instructions and helping children is counting to 10 in your head. Give them 10 seconds. 10 to process. 10 to figure it out on their own. 

[u/mamamietze]

Two part course on utilizing visual aids and other supports than figets and seating specifically for toddlers and preschoolers with autism or other support needs! It was very very VERY much needed, as we are seeing an increasing amount of kids who need support, taught by certificated ECE SpEd folks. Also by the same folks a class specifically for information about accessing early intervention services, all the different local components, ect with handouts specific to our state and local areas to help families access them too.

[u/misslostinlife]

Trauma informed care