Young children, including infants and toddlers, are spending more time in front of multiple types of technology and digital devices than ever before, making screen time an inevitable part of children’s daily routines. In this training, we will review the current guidelines on screen time exposure for infants/toddlers and young children, the impact of screen time on infant and toddler learning and behavior, and strategies to assist families and early care and education providers with alternatives to screen 

Linda Reeves, Behavior Consultant CCRC

Each early care and education program exists within a unique community, with its own challenges and values. When we form partnerships with community agencies and resources, everyone wins. In this session, we’ll share success stories from other programs who have benefited from engaging with their communities. Participants will begin to develop tailored plans of action to create new collaborations and expand existing partnerships in their own communities. 

Kim Thomason

Stress impacts each of us differently, including young children. Adverse experiences over time can even alter the way our brains function. In our youngest citizens, stress and trauma impact learning, developing relationships with the people around them, and ways they interact with others. In this session we will look at sources of stress and the behaviors children might exhibit in stressful situations. We will also explore strategies that early childhood professionals can practice to support children’s academic and social - emotional growth and development by building positive experiences that lead to improved skills and behaviors.

Dr. Christine John

We all have differing experiences with many people which shape our view on the world. In this session, we will take some time to define terms such as bias, implicit bias, and microaggressions. We will look at our diverse experiences and how our implicit biases my affect our relationships and interactions with our colleagues, children, and families. During this session, we will engage in activities that require self-reflection and discussion regarding our own behaviors and biases. We will learn to put aside our biases to look at “difficult” situations through a new lens, so that we can be an effective educator.

Ron Mohl

TIER II

This course will provide an introduction to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and the hallmark traits seen in early childhood, specifically infant/toddler and preschool ages 3-5. Perspectives on these challenges and traits will be presented by individuals who parent and/or work with children who exhibit them. Information from individuals who are experts in the FASD field will be shared as well. Interventions applicable to use in the childcare setting will be included, in addition to resources that are available to assist childcare providers.

Karen Gilbert, Nurse Health Consultant

While always a challenge in our field, the need to recruit new talent and retain current staff is of growing concern as wages rise in other sectors, creating greater competition from other employers. In this session, we’ll address these challenges by generating ideas to support new ECE professionals: what’s working? How can we do more? Professional development not only provides necessary information and skills but can also build affiliation with the profession. Mentoring can address feelings of frustration and isolation, common to new teachers. Participants will add tools to their toolbox for creating a positive workplace culture and help educators feel more confident in providing consistent quality care and education. 

Kim Thomason

It is no secret that educators experience high levels of stress. Teachers report sources of stress include work demands, limited access to resources and materials, and a lack of training and support. While some things are out of the educators’ control, a positive work environment can build a climate of acceptance and genuine care for the people we work with and the families we serve. In this session we will discuss myths associated with mental illness while learning about the symptoms of stress. We will discover the impact that stress has on educators physically and mentally. Then we will identify strategies to build a resilient workforce for our children and their families.

Dr. Christine John

How do we advance equity in our classroom? In this session, we will define important terms including diversity, equity, and inclusion and dive into the recommendations set by NAEYC on how to create a caring, equitable community of engaged learners. Using the ERS tool through the lens of NAEYC’s recommendations, we will define what a high-quality learning environment is and how to engage all children in meaningful, open-ended learning activities. We will also discuss effective teacher-child interactions to not only build nurturing relationships with all children, but to scaffold children to meet their individual needs.

Ron Mohl

TIER II

Infant/toddler meal planning, introducing solid foods, how to encourage toddlers to try new foods, and fun food activities for toddlers.

Renee Stonebraker, CCHC

BFCCD RENEWAL

Shannon Valles, ECS Choices

GC

This training reviews common injuries for infants and toddlers, including falls and poisonings, preventive measures to reduce the risk of injury, and playground safety.  

Harmony Vance, CCHC

Join us for an official tour of the model classrooms!

During this interactive session, we will visit each area

of the room and discuss the importance of that area

on development as well as furnishings and materials to

include in the space. You can ask questions, take pictures, and reflect on how you can incorporate ideas in your classroom.

WV Infant/Toddler Specialist Network

Our collective goal for children is for them to have physical and emotional wellbeing. Beginning at infancy and throughout their childhood we are the meaning makers. This session will focus on the Conscious Discipline three Brain States and how understanding the basics provides the knowledge and tools to bring healthy meaning to their everyday experiences.

Amy Spiedel

Humans are born hard wired for connection, however the time and quality of connection is essential. Learn to maximize meaningful moments of connection with each child as well as encourage the connection of children with their peers. 

Amy Spiedel

We often hear it’s never too early to read to a baby, but why is that? Research shows that shared reading helps infants and toddlers learn new words and understand the language they hear. These learning benefits are stronger the earlier that shared reading is started and the longer it continues. A 2017

study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that the quality and quantity of shared reading in the early years predicted a child’s vocabulary at age four. Research shows that reading books with a child beginning in early infancy can boost vocabulary and reading skills four years later, before the start of elementary school. In this session, we will discuss effective strategies to make shared reading a meaningful

experience to support the development of language, literacy, and vocabulary to build a strong foundation for school readiness skills.

Elda Perez

Container baby syndrome (CBS) has become a primary issue effecting infants and toddlers in the last 15 years. This session will review the causes of, implications for child development, and measures to prevent CBS.

Sheila Zickefoose, WVBTT & ICC

This session will focus on the professional growth of early education providers, the importance of identifying and setting individual training goals and how to make a professional development plan that works for you!

Jessica Wilcoxon, Brooklyn Conley, MarcyJo Evans, QIS

DC

Communicable diseases are common in child care settings. This training will provide information about how to recognize and treat common childhood infectious diseases. This includes information about symptom recognition and guidelines for exclusion.

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Lisa Galford, CCNHC

DC

During this session, you will learn fun ways to support the language and literacy development of infants and toddlers through effective and simple strategies. We will review and discuss ideas for hands-on activities, songs, rhymes, finger plays, and more to be added to your bag of tricks, to keep your children

learning and engaged while having fun!

Elda Perez

Container baby syndrome (CBS) has become a primary issue effecting infants and toddlers in the last 15 years. This session will review the causes of, implications for child development, and measures to prevent CBS.

Sheila Zickefoose, WVBTT & ICC

This session will include an overview of the most recent versions of the Environmental Rating Scales as well as information on how to use the results from the self-assessment to improve program quality through goal setting and the creation of action plans and professional development plans. This training will be applicable to staff and administrators of childcare centers, facilities, and family child care home programs. 

Jaime Price, Jessica Montalvo, Marcy Mueller, QIS

TIER II & DC

Improving children’s oral health is one of the most challenging and often neglected aspects of preventive health care. Untreated dental disease that starts in early childhood is progressive and can be devastating to long term health, educational achievement, and overall success. Early intervention with children is a vital component to developing good oral health habits and behaviors that can stay with a child for life.

Optimal oral health for children can be achieved through an effective partnership between the child, family, oral health professional and early childhood professional. This session is designed to help professionals working in programs (e.g., Head Start, home visiting, WIC) promote oral health in the course of promoting general health for children from birth to age 6 and their families.

Gina Sharpes

Research has shown self-regulation skills are the underlying proficiencies necessary for learning and success in school. These skills begin developing in infancy and their development can be supported both at home and in the classroom. We will discuss what self-regulation is and review/practice activities for infants and toddlers that will support its development. This session will explore ways these activities and self-

regulation development can be supported both at home and in the classroom.

Elda Perez

If you've ever asked yourself "why is this child behaving this way!" then this training is for you. During the training we will be discussing what behaviors challenge you, why children may act this way, preventative measures, resources available to help, and the detrimental affects of expulsion.  

Chrissy Pownell, Jodi Fortney, Kaylyn Jennings, and Maxann Hamrick, BC

What do you know about coaching? How can coaching support child care programs? Join this interactive session to learn more about coaching and how your staff and your program benefit from individualized, ongoing support.

Karen Platt-Davis

Music-based activity can be an engaging and important way for young children to learn at home in their natural learning environment. Learning is optimized when children participate in opportunities that are a part of “real life” with family members. Dr. Watson will share a variety of ways that music and sign language in the home environment contribute to a child’s development and well-being. This interactive session will incorporate signed songs and stories, correlated picture book suggestions, and practical tips for extending learning across the routines and environments of a child’s day at home.

Dr. Anne Watson

Between birth and age three, children rapidly achieve many important milestones that create the foundation for later growth and development. Children depend on adults to provide support as they begin to learn and understand the world around them. In this session, we will look at the role the caregiver plays in helping to foster children's learning and development. We will explore how to be responsive to a child’s cues

and providing support as children develop initiative, curiosity, imagination, persistence, which are necessary to explore the world around them and gain a sense of self and a feeling of belonging to a group. We will discuss strategies and activities to support communication, language, and physical development while engaging with infants and toddlers.

Teresa Pelham

BFCCD Renewal

This presentation uses the analogy of a honey bee to help you understand how children learn. Use the rich hands-on experiences and ideas in this presentation for fostering young children’s true understanding of their worlds through open-ended nature exploration. And, watch the young honey bees in your classroom fly to new and inspiring heights. ?

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Dr. Sandra Duncan

Join this interactive session to talk all things handbooks! Come with all your questions about parent and employee handbooks. Bring copies of your handbooks if you have them for reference. We will spend time exploring the 5 W's of handbooks, who, what, where, why, and how. 

Karen Platt-Davis

The author of the Baby Sing & Sign book series shares her easy and practical strategies for incorporating music, signing, and play into the daily lives of hearing young children and their caring adults. Learn the benefits of signing key vocabulary words for babies and toddlers. Anne’s engaging songs and fun-filled play activities support the language skills of young children at every stage of their development, including children who are talking. 

Dr. Anne Watson

The importance of play for a child’s healthy development is grounded in a strong body of research. In this session, we will dive into the research to gain a clearer understanding of how connecting indoor and outdoor play promotes cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development in children. Through music, sand, art, and more, we will learn how to effectively plan intentional outdoor learning

activities to engage children in play to spark their curiosity and engage their senses.

Teresa Pelham

What can the culinary world teach us about designing early childhood environments? Learn how creating beautiful plates of food is much like curating beautiful spaces for young children and walk away with 5 easy-to-implement design tips for increasing children’s engagement and enjoyment.  

Dr. Sandra Duncan

Providing care to young children is an intense and demanding job, no matter if you are the teacher, director, or cook. To provide a great experience for children, caregivers need to have resources to help them cope with the stress that occurs naturally in their daily lives and at work. Join this interactive session to learn more about well-being and practice some techniques to help combat stress and improve your wellness.

Karen Platt-Davis