Making Learning Fun With Everyday Data
Rachel Martinez, Sheri Harris • FOUNDERS I

Have you ever wondered how to use all the data you have collected on each child in your classroom to make learning fun? In this session, you will learn how to use everyday data such as CLI Engage milestone checklists, observations, and small grouping tools to create purposeful and playful lesson plans!

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 1: Child Growth and Development

From Junk to Art: How to Encourage Creativity in Young Children
Katie Childs • FOUNDERS II

Have you ever looked at the scraps of paper after a project and thought, “This is such a waste!” Or had a pile of bottle caps after sorting your recycling? Then this is the training for you! Learn the benefits of using recycled materials in art projects and how you can encourage the creativity of the young children in your care.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development

Managing Challenging Situations: Staying…Cool, Calm, and Collected
Gene Cambridge • FOUNDERS III

Workplace conflicts and violence have been on the increase over the past few years. These conflicts can happen between two staff members, two out of control parents, or a parent upset with a teacher. This workshop is designed to help you understand how to develop a plan of action to de-escalate the situation, as well as how to reduce conflicts in the workplace.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
“Practitioner Competency Area 7: Family and Community Relationships
Administrator Core Competency Area 4: Maintaining a Healthy and Safe Environment”

Effective De-Stressing Strategies for Life!
Rana Barker-Cummins • FOUNDERS IV

Stressed out? Burned out? Frustrated? Come learn three effective strategies that are proven to take the stress out of any situation life throws at you. Participants will learn how to neutralize arguments, back talk, and whining as well as create enforceable statements and guide others to solve their own problems. Join us as we learn and laugh at the same time!

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance

Handout: Decreasing Stress

Sense Your Way!
Kattya Barrera, Catherine Mendoza • CHAMPIONS I

We will provide background on exploration and discovery and important reasons to consider these in an infant and toddler classroom. The participants will also reflect on their own practice and identify areas that may need to be modified to meet the five senses in an infant and toddler classroom.

Best fit for: Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 1: Child Growth and Development
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development”

Early Identification: Considering a Parent Perspective
Molly Dye • CHAMPIONS II

In this presentation we will explore the unique perspective and position of early childhood practioners and their role in early identification of developmental disabilities. We will discuss how to document and identify concerns using tools on CLI Engage. We will then discuss having those tough conversations with families about developmental concerns. This presentation will be presented with a specific focus on helping practitioners understand the parents perspective.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 1: Child Growth and Development

Practitioners – Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance

Data Collection Begins with Purposeful and Intentional Observation
Dr. Carola Stead • CHAMPIONS III

As educators, we are constantly collecting data. Every interaction with a child provides is an opportunity for data collection. But are we collecting the appropriate data? What do we do with the data? Is it collected in a purposeful manner? This session addresses best practices in data collection and discusses the process of reflecting on intentional data collection, data sharing, and action planning.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 5: Observation and Assessment
Administrator Core Competency Area 3: Human Resource Leadership and Development”

CLI: Classroom Management Systems
Vanessa Moran, Adriana Sepulveda • CHAMPIONS V

We are going to discuss developmentally appropriate teaching practices, which include identifying five Classroom Management Systems and setting up your Classroom Environment.

Handouts:

• Classroom Environment ChecklistAnalysis
• Dr. Jeans Cheer Cards
• Module 1-Classroom Management

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 3: Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards

Building Number Sense in Early Childhood
Dr. Dawn Gatlin, Dr. Desiree Hickman • CHAMPIONS VI

This session will provide strategies on how to introduce activities to young children that can assist in the child’s development of number concepts (quantity and numeral). Easy-to-design materials and questioning strategies will be shared for participants to practice these strategies and activities.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development
Administrator Core Competency Area 5: Implementing a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum and Environment

Using Multiple Intelligences Theory to Foster Inclusivity in the Early Childhood Classroom
Emily Lian, Ed.D, Natsuki Hara • CHAMPIONS VII

Why do we define our students as “intelligent” only when they excel at testing? Early childhood educators can foster inclusivity in their classrooms when tapping into students’ strengths by using Dr. Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences, which posits that there is not just one standard measure of intelligence.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance
Administrator Core Competency Area 5: Implementing a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum and Environment

Handout: Multiple Intelligence in the Classroom

TX Early Childhood Coach Competency Pathway
Sabrina Canas, Paula Holder, Salvi Kumar • FOUNDERS I

Curious about the Coach Competency-Based Recognition Pathway, commonly known as the Coach Micro-Credential? Come and learn about what it is and how participating can improve your coaching practice. We’ll share tips for progressing through the pathway and how to create your own Coach Continuous Quality Improvement Plan.

Best fit for: Coaches
Practitioner Core Competency Area 9: Professionalism and Ethics

Developing Oral Language Skills in the Bilingual Early Childhood Classroom
Teresa Razo • FOUNDERS II

In this session, participants will be able to learn the history of bilingualism and to use strategies to effectively develop a bilingual child.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development

Celebrating Diversity in Kids and Families (And in the Workplace)
Gene Cambridge • FOUNDERS III

Teachers are often faced with children from diverse cultural and generational backgrounds. This workshop is designed to help participants understand the impact of understanding diverse families and how to reduce the risk factors in children and increase the protective factors by developing resilient children.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 6: Diversity and Dual Language Learners
Administrator Core Competency Area 6: Instituting Family and Community-Centered Programming

Child Care Emergency Preparedness Training
Militza Mezquita, Fernanda Albuquerque • FOUNDERS IV

Childcare Emergency Preparedness (CCEPT ) is designed to help child care providers develop and implement an emergency plan in their child care program. This session will help you to create a written plan that addresses childcare emergency needs and continue to communicate, practice, and update their emergency plan on a regular basis

Best fit for: Administrators/Directors
Administrator Core Competency Area 1: Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization
Administrator Core Competency Area 4: Maintaining a Healthy and Safe Environment

Creating Planful, Playful, and Purposeful Learning Environments for Infants and Toddlers
Neatrice Russell, Terri Bledsoe • CHAMPIONS I

High-quality classroom environments are a critical foundation for early childhood programs. They provide engaging focal points that enrich teacher-child interactions and inspire children’s independent play and exploration.

Best fit for: Infant/Toddler Teachers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 3: Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards

Teaching Together: Family Engagement That Empowers Diverse Learners
Keisey Fumero, Sarah Surrain • CHAMPIONS II

Empowering culturally and linguistically diverse families as partners in their children’s educational support team creates opportunities for schools and families to work together towards improving academic achievement. During this session, we will share evidence-based practices for educators to build relationships with families and set goals for aligned home-school learning opportunities. This session highlights the value of empowering families by embracing different cultures and linguistic backgrounds. We provide bilingual resources for educators to use and share with linguistically diverse families in their community.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 6: Diversity and Dual Language Learners
Practitioner Core Competency Area 7: Family and Community Relationships
Administrator Core Competency Area 6: Instituting Family and Community-Centered Programming

An Evidence-Based Guidance Strategy That Works and How to Implement It!
Preeti Jain • CHAMPIONS III

Using general praise statements, such as “Good job!” or “That’s great!” can result in short-term behavior gains. However, it is not as effective as BSP – Behavior Specific Praise. BSP is an evidence- based strategy that has been well researched for its effectiveness in improving classroom behavior and environment. In this session, you will learn about the benefits of this strategy and when and how to use it. We will explore scenarios and practice various strategies. When applied, you will notice a positive change in your classroom climate! Participants will be provided with handouts and practical guidance for applying BSP.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance

Writing With a Purpose for Pre-K 3s and 4s
Mandi Thomas, Adrienne Ellis • CHAMPIONS v

This training empowers early childhood teachers to align purposeful writing activities with TEA’s prekindergarten guidelines to produce authentic student-centered products. With opportunities to explore emergent writing stages, teachers will practice assessing work samples and creating action plans for individualized student improvement. Teachers will discover three ways to collaborate with families by sharing student-centered work, an individualized action plan, and providing activities for authentic writing experiences at home.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency 4: Supporting Skill Development
Practitioner Core Competency 5: Observation and Assessment

Let’s LOL: Children Who Laugh Together Learn Together
Barbara Lynn • CHAMPIONS VI

Brain research reminds us that pleasurable learning lasts longer. Appropriate opportunities for humor relax our brains and body and relieve stress. This session will focus on discovering books, songs, movement, finger plays, and cooperative games that incorporate humor while teaching preschool children readiness skills. Learning and laughter go hand in hand!

Handout: 2023 Books that Invite Humor and Joy

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 1: Child Growth and Development
Administrator Core Competency Area 5: Implementing a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum and Environment

Guiando el Desarrollo del Lenguaje en Programas Preescolares (Guiding Language Development in Preschool)
Laura Montez, Veronica Delgado, MS • CHAMPIONS VII

El lenguaje es importante para comunicar necesidades y deseos, y nos conecta en forma social. Es la forma en que expresamos sentimientos, respondemos a preguntas y conversamos con los demás. Para los niños, el lenguaje se relaciona directamente con el éxito en otras áreas del desarrollo y es una parte esencial del aprendizaje y el crecimiento. En esta capacitación aprenderá cómo apoyar el desarrollo del lenguaje y la conversación de los niños utilizando diferentes estrategias que puede implementar en su aula.

Best fit for: Coaches
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development

Construction Zone: Coaching to Bridge the Gaps
Sabrina Canas, Sheri Harris • FOUNDERS I

Have you ever been coaching and thought, “That’s not quite right?” When those moments arise, these are perfect opportunities to fill the gaps in a constructive way! Come learn practical methods that you can use to turn “That’s not quite right” to “You got it!”

Best fit for: Coaches
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance

Promoting Resiliency and Mental Health Among Young Children Through Play
Dr. Ronilda C. Henson • FOUNDERS II

This session includes discussion and hands-on practice with strategies for structuring caregiving relationships, the childcare environment, and daily interactions with children with the goal for increasing children’s levels of resiliency.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance

Cognitive Transitions: WHY Should We and HOW Do We Transition With Purpose?
Heather Brenton • FOUNDERS III

A large percentage of the day in a preschool classroom is spent in transition–moving from one place to another. Let’s go on a journey to figure out why it is important, as an educator, to take every moment available throughout the day and give it purpose. Not only will we dig into the “why” of cognitive transitions, but you will leave with a tool box of “how” ideas to implement in your own classroom.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 3: Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards

Handouts:

• 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines
• TSR Conference Final Brochure and References

Is Your Classroom Helping You Teach?
LaChelle Brooks, Kimberly Vaughn • FOUNDERS IV

The primary learners for this training will be early childhood teachers and administrators wanting creative ideas for classroom environment improvement. Participants will have early childhood educational backgrounds and/or work experience in the early childhood field.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors
Practitioners – Core Competency Area 3: Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards

Preventing and Responding to Challenging Behaviors in Infants and Toddlers
Elise Cohen, Nicole Carrington • CHAMPIONS I

In this training, participants will explore four challenging behaviors and reflect on how to implement positive strategies in the classroom.

Best fit for: Infant/Toddler Teachers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development

Facilitating Collaborative Parent/Teacher Conferences
Angela Magers • CHAMPIONS II

Join this interactive session to gain strategies for conducting high-quality parent/teacher conferences. Discover a personal awareness of listening skills and strategies and the importance of verbal and nonverbal choices. Build confidence in how to manage and guide the conversation. Learn how to utilize the Family and Teacher Goal Setting Tool to collaborate with parents and maximize parent/teacher conferences to build relationships and create value. Preparing the child for kindergarten readiness is a team effort!

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers
Practitioner Core Competency Area 7: Family and Community Relationships
Administrator Core Competency Area 6: Instituting Family and Community-Centered Programming

Bringing Activities to Life!
Laura Arredondo, Ashley Funderburg • CHAMPIONS III

This session will discuss how worksheets and flashcards can inhibit children’s learning and identify three learning opportunities that are missed if worksheets are used in the classroom. Participants will get time to modify a worksheet to provide a hands-on learning experience.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Coaches/Trainers/Mentors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 3: Learning Environments, Planning Framework, Curriculum, and Standards

Teaching With a Twist
Shanita Vital-Davis • CHAMPIONS V

Teaching With A Twist was designed to give the participants an out-of-the-box visual experience as well as an opportunity to learn through art and interaction. This session allows the participants to self-evaluate by examining conscious and unconscious behaviors in adults and adolescents. This session will also give participants effective and efficient tools to help children develop socially and emotionally. The benefit of this session will aide in building confidence in children as well as set the stage for fostering positive adult child relationships.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Infant/Toddler Teachers, Administrators/Directors, Coaches/Mentors/Trainers, Other
Practitioner Core Competency Area 2: Responsive Interactions and Guidance
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development

TSR Administrator Professional Learning Series (APLS)
Laura Prendergast, Rachel Martinez • CHAMPIONS VI

Administrators will learn strategies on how to have effective and reflective conversations with their staff following the Continuous Improvement Cycle.

Best fit for: Administrators/Directors
Administrator Core Competency Area 1: Establishing and Maintaining an Effective Organization

Pre-K: Etapas de la Rima (Stages of Rhyming)
Lydia Zarate • CHAMPIONS VII

A través de esta capacitación, los participantes aprenderán prácticas basadas en la investigación para apoyar el conocimiento de los maestros y practicar estrategias de instrucción clave de la Herramienta de Observación del Aula CIRCLE.

Best fit for: Pre-K/K Teachers, Coaches/Trainers/Mentors, Administrators/Directors
Practitioner Core Competency Area 4: Supporting Skill Development