Workshops, PD, and Keynotes
All of HILLTOP EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES' work is tailored to your needs. Contact us today!
Our workshops, presentations and keynotes have been seen at conferences, seminars, at clients’ sites and online.
Depending on the time available, we can do more than one workshop in a day.
In a multi-day seminar series, we include several different areas. We have offered several of these workshops over two and three day sessions, some over time, weekly or monthly, some at professional retreats.
Workshops are offered on each area of a typical classroom, using hands-on materials when possible.
We are known for exceeding expectations. When you see ongoing positive change, you will be another happy client!!
KEYNOTES, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, PRESENTATIONS
No cookie-cutter speeches here. In a relatable, “tell it like it is” approach, the participants will be engaged, entertained, and leave being able to use what they’ve learned.
Here are key early childhood ideas: How will all of them work together?
- Children need to play throughout the day.
- Ongoing assessment helps us know where they are and what they need.
- Social/emotional development is critical for success.
- Learning activities should fit the needs of the actual children in the class. (Developmentally appropriate.)
- Children learning English and those with special needs are included.
- There are standards that have to be met (Head Start Performance Standards, NAEYC accreditation standards, etc.)
We can help you bridge the gap between understanding all of these ideas and making it happen in YOUR program!!
In a half-day, full day, or over multiple days, we can help you make it happen in your program, with your staff.
Preventing Challenging Behaviors
Our most requested workshps, tailored to each client’s needs. Since challenging behaviors can occur in every area and at every time of the day, we help you analyze and solve your most pressing problems. Prevention is SO much easier than dealing with the behaviors! (Yes, we also can help when they do happen.) We realize that some problems require greater intervention than one (or several) workshops or consultations can achieve. We can help you find additional resources, if necessary. Our results help you make major changes and make for happier children, staff, and families.
Language and Literacy - some of our workshops are:
- Integration of literacy throughout every area of the classroom
- Integration of literacy throughout every time period of the day
- Invigorating story time
- Language acquisition – speeding the time to learn new words by agreeing on common classroom terms
STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) concepts - some of our workshops :
- Math is more than counting: other components of mathematic learning for preschoolers.
- Piaget and math: keeping math expectations within children’s developmental abilities
- Integration of STEM throughout every area of the classroom
- Integration of STEM throughout every time period of the day
- Integration of STEM with other specific content areas – for example, math and dramatic play
- If they can’t count forwards to 5, how will they count backwards? More appropriate choices of math activities.
- Infants’ and toddlers’ explorations ARE science and math learning – We don’t need to TEACH them!
Click on the links below for further details about Curriculum and Administration Workshops.
Other Workshop or Presentation Topics:
Making the discovery area (science) work for children and for staff
Social studies, science and weekly planning – or science and/or social studies are not learned by making an “art” project.
Health and nutrition – implementing and improving family style, nutritious, culturally appropriate meals and snacks
Art – age and developmentally appropriate materials, media, environment -what NOT to say to children about their art
CURRICULUM – implementing an inquiry based curriculum. Note: none of the curriculum seminars, workshops, etc. provided by HILLTOP Early Childhood SERVICES are affiliated with or endorsed by any publishers of any currently available curriculum systems. Furnishing examples of constructivist curriculum titles and/or trademarks do not constitute endorsement of or connection to either the products or our services.
Based on constructivist curriculums such as Creative Curriculum, Bank St, High Scope and others and combined with the Project Approach, as well as Studies (Teaching Strategies’ name for the project approach), teachers learn that children really do learn more effectively when:
- Curriculum evolves from their interests and abilities – it is not preplanned by people who never met these children
- Children who are not interested in the central project are included in related activities or are engaged in another project
- Active learning includes movement and children’s spontaneous conversations
- The entire learning day is viewed as part of the curriculum including routines
- Learning is documented for and by the children
- VERY few whole group activities take place
- Children’s observational drawings are included
Preventing Challenging Behaviors
Challenging behaviors can be harmful to:
- the ones who are behaving this way
- others near them
- classroom and/or family peace
- the careers of those “in charge” of the classroom, the family, the program itself
Nobody likes these behaviors. We can help you to have far less of them by preventing them from happening! If you are frustrated by these behaviors, please let us help you.
- Relationships are deepened by meaningful conversations
- Families are involved and engaged in the learning process
- Cultural factors are included and appreciated
- Staff is involved and engaged in the learning
- The process skills involved in learning are consciously taught – usually individually or in very small groups of children who need exactly those skills
- Social competence and behavior skills are taught and encouraged daily
- Required standards and regulatory requirements are met and exceeded
- Learning is celebrated within the group and within the program as a whole
- Ongoing observations and assessments are reflected in curriculum experiences offered
The Triplets of Time, Space, and Learning
- Space and time for meals
- Classroom routines and transitions
- Strategies to reduce children’ waiting times
- Routines of the day
- Routines for special events
- If the wait is imposed, making it more fun
- Room arrangement and classroom management
- What’s on your walls? Making displays appropriate and meaningful to children
- Techniques to go with each area and the outdoors
- Appropriate expectations for ages and stages of development
- Age does not equal ability
- Integrating special needs children in a typical classroom
- Multi-age classes
- Active learning
The new director
- Being “too nice” may be harmful to your center
- Staff/staff or staff/parent conflicts
- Creating and nurturing a climate of change
- Working with Boards and/or being part of a larger organization entity
- TEAM BUILDING and OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
- Helping Staff help children to cope with death and other trauma
