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Professional Development

The School of Education offers a variety of trainings, resources, and seminars to help you stay abreast of the latest educational research and best practices.

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Early Childhood Professional Development Training

These FREE training sessions are funded through grants awarded by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. For more information or to schedule a training, please call theUAFS Early Childhood Preschool Programat 479-788-7249 or 479-788-7605.
 
UAFS trainers will guide you through the use of each of the FREE Better Beginnings curricula that follow:
 
In-Practice Adventures in Learning (3 hours)
  • Designated Arkansas-approved curriculum
  • Comprehensive curriculum for children ages 3-5
  • Features 40 topics of study in nine focus areas
  • Activities support the learning goals as identified in the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS)
  • Guides participants through the process of developing weekly activity plans as mandated in the Arkansas Minimum Licensing Requirements
  • Provides an opportunity to create curriculum materials for the topic of study featured in the training

In-Practice Adventures for Toddlers (3 hours)
  • A comprehensive curriculum for children 18-36 months
  • Features 30 topics in eight focus areas
  • Activities support the learning goals as identified in the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS)
  • Guides participants through the process of developing weekly activity plans as mandated in the Arkansas Minimum Licensing Requirements
  • Provides an opportunity to create curriculum materials for the topic of study featured in the training
  • Easily transitions into the Adventures in Learning curriculum for children ages 3-5

In-Practice Connecting with Infants (3 hours)
  • A comprehensive curriculum for infants birth through 18 months
  • Activities support the learning goals as identified in the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS)
  • Focuses on responsive relationships and interactions between caregivers and infants
  • Guides participants through the process of developing weekly activity plans as mandated in the Arkansas Minimum Licensing Requirements
  • Provides an opportunity to create curriculum materials for infants with related activities

In-Practice Books and Movement: A Magical Mix (BAMMM) (3 hours)
  • Supplemental curriculum for toddlers and preschool children
  • A series of activity guides that:
    • connect literature and movement
    • utilize a children’s book to support one or more gross motor skills identified in the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS)
    • extend to movement activities suggested in the book
    • expand to include related curriculum activities and ideas for enhancing the learning environment
    • support programs in meeting physical activity requirements as stated in the Minimum Licensing Requirements for Child Care Centers

In-Practice Connecting Literature & Math (CLAM) - Component of STEM Curriculum -(3 hours)
  • Supplemental curriculum for preschool children
  • Provides a list of materials to consider when creating a hands-on math environment
  • Includes 14 curriculum guides that:
    • focus on strategies that provide children daily opportunities to experience mathematics through hands-on activities and teacher-guided experiences
    • use children’s books that focus on one or more mathematical thinking goals in the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS)
    • extend to related experiences in the learning environment and the daily curriculum
    • include ideas for assessment of children in achieving mathematical skills and concepts
  • Provides an opportunity to create curriculum materials for the topic of study featured in the training

In-Practice Creative Adventures with Literature (CAL) (3 hours)
  • Supplemental curriculum for preschool children
  • Integrates literature and the creative arts
  • Introduces children to the works of well-known artists and various techniques used by illustrators of children’s books
  • Includes 14 curriculum guides that begin with a children’s book and extends to related experiences in the visual and performing arts
  • Supports the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards (CDELS) Creativity and Aesthetics Domain

In-Practice Informational Books in the Preschool Classroom (3 hours)
  • Supplemental curriculum for children ages 3-5
  • A collection of curriculum guides that pair storybooks with informational books with a common theme or focus
  • Integrates three of the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standard (CDELS) Domains: emergent literacy, science and technology, social studies
  • Encourages children to think, express curiosity, and seek answers to questions they may have
  • Provides an opportunity to create curriculum materials for the topic of study featured in the training

In-Practice Story a Month (3 hours)
  • Collection of patterns that may be used as visuals for storytelling or story retelling
  • A total of 37 patterns for children’s books plus patterns for 12 Mother Goose rhymes
  • Storytelling characters created for use with a specific children’s book
  • Young children enjoy and need to hear their favorite stories and repeat the rhymes many times. The stories may be told and the rhymes recited ANY time of the year.
UAFS trainers will guide you through the use of each of the training sessions that follow:
 
Professionalism (4 hours)
  • Identify the characteristics of an early childhood professional
  • Examine ethical responsibilities to
    • children
    • families
    • colleagues

Families (4 hours)
  • Relationships with families
  • Daily exchanges with families
  • Written and verbal communication with families
  • Family program connections and engagement

Learning Environment (3 hours)
  • The physical arrangement of the environment
  • Materials and equipment in the environment
  • The social and emotional environment

A Supportive and Caring Community of Learners (4 hours)
  • The importance of teamwork in an early care and education program
  • Strategies that support teamwork
  • Strategies for building relationships
  • Building resilience in children

Program for Children (4 hours)
  • Classroom schedule
    • daily classroom schedule and routines
    • daily experiences in each classroom (curriculum)
  • Weekly activity plan sheets
  • Children’s portfolios

Children and Times of Transition (3 hours)
  • Daily transitions for all children (infants, toddlers, preschool)
  • Successful transitions for preschool children
  • When children transition into and out of a classroom or preschool program

Outdoor Environment (3 hours)
  • The importance of children and the outdoor environment
  • Safety in the outdoor environment
  • Outdoor activities