Elected Officials and Offices 101 (09/06/23 - 07/31/24)

Determine which government officials represent you and the program you represent. Identify the interests and priorities of your senators and representatives. Connect with policy makers to collaborate and advocate for the best-interest of the child care field. This course is offered as part of the Care Fellowship Series.

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Legislation 101 (09/06/23 - 07/31/24)

Learn about the legislative process to demystify a subject that can appear intimidating. Discover the who, what, where, when and why of legislation including: how bills become laws, how to develop relationships while building coalitions and lobbying and what happens during legislative session. This course offers a brief introduction into the world of Early childhood…

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Intentional Inclusivity of Young Children and Their Families (09/06/23 - 07/31/24)

Explore the capabilities you have acting as an advocate for young children. Participants will delve into topics including race, gender, socioeconomic status and other major aspects of social identity. We will highlight how social identity impacts our ability to act on behalf of children and families. Via video excerpts from CARE alumni, guided self-reflection activities…

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A Brief History of Child Care and Early Education (09/06/23 - 07/31/24)

Explore the evolution of the child care field by studying significant milestones throughout its history. This will be a brief overview, encompassing events that took place from the pre 1930’s-era formation of the childcare industry, and spanning through post-COVID pandemic era childcare as we now see it in modern times. By learning about the major…

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MNCDA ETL Module 1-October 2023 (10/05/23 - 12/01/23)

This module includes MNCDA Class 1-5: MNCDA Class 1 Welcome to the Profession MNCDA Class 2 Creating a Welcoming Environment MNCDA Class 3 Safe and Sanitary Environments MNCDA Class 4 Welcoming Families: Creating Cultural Connections MNCDA Class 5 Welcoming Children with Special Needs and their Families

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WIDA & Early Childhood Development (09/16/23 - 12/31/23)

Explore the WIDA Early Years framework and its connection to the Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress. WIDA Early Years is a tool to support multi-language learners in early childhood classrooms, by identifying and celebrating their strengths while meeting their individual needs. WIDA Early Years has been aligned with the MN ECIPs to identify how…

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Welcome Aboard: Orienting New Staff Members (09/16/23 - 12/31/23)

Explore skills and strategies needed to create and implement a meaningful new employee orientation process that will lead to a high-quality workforce in an early childhood program. Identify benefits of a thoughtful and thorough employee orientation, the essential aspects of a strong orientation and induction process, and the practices that help new employees develop a…

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Mentoring In Early Childhood Programs: Part Two (11/01/23 - 11/30/23)

Apply mentoring communication strategies including building trusting and respectful relationships, using open-ended questions to build rapport, and giving and receiving feedback. Analyze the importance of culturally responsive practice and conflict resolution strategies related to the mentoring relationship. Understand resources available to mentors in early childhood programs. This is the second course in the two-part Mentoring…

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Mentoring In Early Childhood Programs: Part One (09/27/23 - 10/26/23)

Analyze the concepts, goals, and possible outcomes of becoming a mentor and mentoring in early childhood programs. Examine the roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees and the difference between mentoring and supervision. Understand and apply the ethical principles of mentorship, adult learning theory, the importance of appreciative advising and the role of reflection in…

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Understanding Behavior: Making Sense of What You See and Hear (09/16/23 - 12/31/23)

This 2-hour behavior guidance course will meet the licensed family child care annual training requirement. The objectives of the training are to help participants: learn about how very young children’s behavior is a form of communication and has meaning; and strategies to use to increase their capacity to support positive social emotional development through positive…

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