WHAT I DO
As a PDIS certified trainer I offer numerous professional development opportunities throughout the year. There are upcoming opportunities, which you can view under “Training“. I am also available to train in person or online for your school.
Opportunities
Professional Development
- Examining Role Power in the Classroom for Teachers
- Examining Role Power for Directors and Administrators
- Stop Serving Juice: Examining the Role of Nutrition in the Classroom
- Product vs. Process: Doing Art that Matters
- Giving and Receiving Feedback: Skill Building Around Hard Conversations for Administrators and Coaches
- Put the App Down: Investing In Parent Relationships
- Managing Challenging Behaviors Through a Power Lens
- Unpacking Power, Punishment, and Consequences
- It's Not About Ice Cream: Self Care for Adults
- Conflict Resolution with a Power Conscious Lens
- Screens and Kids: Intentional Technology in the Classroom
- Risk Vs. Safety: Providing Challenges for our Challenging Children
Regular Offerings
Challenging Our Children: An Examination of Risk Vs. Safety
We hear about the importance of safety for children all the time. Of course, it’s vital and a huge part of parenting, teaching, and caring for children. However, there is such thing a being too safe. This training offers the chance to balance safety against a child’s need to take risks and explore their environment. There is room for both and by giving children the chance to take risks we will see fewer behavioral issues in the classroom as well.
This training is focused on the effects of nutrition for children in the classroom. This space unpacks how nutrition affects behavior and explores alternative eating options.
This 1 hour training is geared towards parents and teachers and administrators in Early Childhood Education.
Giving and Receiving Feedback: Skill Building Around Hard Conversations for Administrators
Difficult conversations are just that: difficult. This training focuses on supporting directors and coaches in building a culture of feedback in their centers so that these types of conversations can be just a little bit easier. There is an in depth introduction and a significant amount of practice.
This 2 hour training is geared towards administrators and coaches in the field of Early Childhood Education. This invaluable practice can be utilized by administrators and managers in other fields, we just ask you let us know in advance so we can be sure to include your unique experiences.
It’s Not About the Ice Cream: Self Care for Adults
Our culture has turned the term “self-care” into a farce about eating junk food, going shopping, and watching TV. But self-care isn’t really about junk food. This training rewrites our understanding of self care to include the idea that it’s not considered self care if there are short or long term adverse effects. With collective brainstorming and real conversations, participants will walk away with a plan for themselves to practice self care regularly. You cannot show up for others if you do not first show up for yourself.
This training is focused on supporting parents and teachers in creating real self care activities.
Managing Challenging Behaviors Through a Power Lens
What if we change the way we look at challenging behaviors from children? All behavior is communication, so in this training we will discuss what it is that children are trying to communicate with us and how we can support their needs. This is an introduction to power and how it is part of every relationship that we have. After getting these foundational concepts in place we look at challenging behaviors from children through a lens of power. Children are constantly expressing their needs through their behavior and one need children have is to feel a sense of autonomy and to claim their personal power.
This 2 hour training is geared towards parents and teachers in the field of Early Childhood Education.
Product vs. Process: Making Art that Matters
Not all art is created equally, and yet we can still walk into schools and see copy paste art on the walls. This process based art experience reminds us why we do art in the first place and how to move away from “Pinterest” art and back to learning art.
This training is focused on supporting parents and teachers in guiding process based art and generating ideas that can be both beautiful and creative.
Repairing the Harm: A New Approach to Conflict Resolution for Children
Conflict is a part of life, and everyone, both children and adults, make mistakes all the time, Yet “I’m sorry” doesn’t really fix anything, and fear of getting in trouble stops honesty or taking responsibility for actions. This workshop gives alternatives for resolving conflict that involves shifting the culture in an entire classroom or home. Together the goal is to focus on change and relationships.
This 2 hour training is geared towards parents and teachers in the field of Early Childhood Education.
Screens, Kids, and Alternatives: How Technology Affects Behavior
Technology has unique impacts on the human brain, even more so for young developing brains. This training takes a close look at technology in the classroom and home and how it is used. And not just by children! With apps and cell phones, adults are on technology too much as well. There is room for tech and this workshop unpacks when to use it and when to put it aside.
This training is focused on reevaluating how we use technology in our classrooms and our daily lives.
Stop Serving Juice: The Role of Nutrition in the Classroom
Behavior and nutrition are closely linked. We cannot expect our children to take in sugar or heavy dyes and then behave well in the classroom. Yet this is exactly what we do all the time. We have juice instead of fruit, and we reward children with candy and sugar. This works directly against us. There are 5 different Colorado Competencies that focus on nutrition, yet it takes a back seat in our classrooms. This training takes a dive into nutrition and how it affects behavior. We examine our current practices and will proactively implement more successful practices.
This training is focused on the effects of nutrition for children in the classroom. This space unpacks how nutrition affects behavior and explores alternative eating options.
Qualifications
I received my degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Traditional Eastern Arts (think meditation and tai chi) in 2013. I have been working with children since 2005 including in early learning centers, after school programs, babysitting, and as a consultant.
I have traveled to other countries to build schools and teach teachers, as well as children.
I am employed with Empowering Communities Globally where I help teach and coach teachers in the Early Childhood Field.
I am a certified Birth and Postpartum Doula through the International Doula Institute.
