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Training for early elementary staff puts focus on children's developmental needs
By Regan Hill
Toi Degree of Family and Consumer Sciences at Rowan County Cooperative Extension shows different items that early childhood educators can use to promote better eating habits in the classroom during the Color Me Healthy seminar.
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Published: November 9, 2009
One of the more difficult tasks facing early childhood educators and foster parents is dealing with children's emotions — especially the negative ones.
During a training session at the Foothills Regional Conference for Early Childhood Educators on Saturday, participants learned how to use social stories and visuals to manage behavior in their classrooms.
"We have to be accepting of the negative emotions," said Kim Mitcham, director of Barium Springs' free pre-kindergarten program. "Until I do that, I'm failing to teach them emotional intelligence."
The child care providers, foster parents and teachers at the Iredell County Agricultural Resource Center also discussed obesity, emotional development and safe food for children during the training session.
"It helps some of the teachers," said Cosandra Duffy, with East Spencer HeadStart in Salisbury. "It is useful to bounce ideas off each other."
Statesville resident Maria Gant said she also attended classes at the agricultural extension office in 2008 and found the topics interesting and informative for her job with Celeste Henkel Elementary School's Prime Time program.
The courses also help attendees further their careers and learn more about how to engage children, she said.
Completion of the workshops will help the 84 participants fulfill some of the contact hours required by N.C. Division of Child Development, said Ann Simmons, Iredell County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.
Simmons said foster parents, early childhood educators and child care workers are required to take continuing education classes annually. The number of hours necessary depends on whether the person has a degree in early childhood education.
Childcare workers have the option of attending community colleges, such as Mitchell, to earn their associate's degree or certificate in Early Childhood Education, Simmons said. According to the N.C. Division of Child Development, lead teachers need to earn the N.C. Early Childhood Credential.
Individuals must enroll within six months of being hired at a child care facility and then have 18 months to complete the requirements.
The fifth annual conference was sponsored by the cooperative extensions in Alexander, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell and Rowan counties.
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