Author: RWS Developer

Creating Realistic, Specific & Measurable Goals with Families

Family Service Workers and Home Visitors are the first point of contact for our families. Establishing a good working relationship with each family is the foundation for effective & comprehensive work with families. Have a good working relationship with families is key in a successful goal setting process. As staff invite each family to participate in the goal setting process, having a partnership in place with each family is essential.

We believe that individualized Family Partnership Agreements are living documents and must be reflective of the people involved in setting the goals. It is important that Family Partnership Agreements are intentional, purposeful and based on the strengths and needs of each family. Family Partnership Agreements are about the relationship with the family – not the form it is written on.

This highly interactive training is an opportunity for your Family Service Workers and Home Visitors to learn new strategies as it pertains to effective goal setting with families – and practice those skills during the training.

This practice-based training will address how to set realistic, meaningful & measurable goals as well as create individualized Family Partnership Agreements. The training includes addressing topics such as:

  • Build the relationship first. Engage and build connection with families by allowing adequate time for conversation and listening with an open mind. Hearing what families are saying is vital. It is important that staff spend time getting to know each family member as an individual and work to establish a comfort level with each one. This time allows staff to discover what the family is all about and what is important to them. The key is to begin this relationship at application and enrollment, building it consistently and authentically.
  • Initiate “rich” conversations with families. This training teaches the participants the stages of a helping relationship. Initiate “rich” conversations with families that get to the heart of where families are and where they want to be. This includes the family’s own timeline for goals and needs. Create a safe environment for parents to share their strengths and open up about areas of challenge. Know what questions to ask families in order to gain critical information to set goals.
  • Create goals that are specific, realistic and measurable. We believe that Family Partnership Agreements are not just something to complete in order to check it off of your to-do list. Family Partnership Agreements are living documents that must be intentional and individualized for each family. As this process is often something that is uncomfortable for staff, this training includes suggested language to use when setting goals with families as well as a hands-on demonstration of the process. Staff should work in partnership with parents to create goals that are realistic and measurable – and broken down into specific steps that can be attained. This training includes implementing this through the SMART goal setting process.

Work with parents to set them up for success throughout the goal setting process. Recognize parents’ role as their child’s first and most important teacher.

Are you looking for on-site, custom designed training on “Creating Realistic, Specific & Measurable Goals with Families”? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

CLASS Training Specifically Designed for Head Start Teaching Staff

High CLASS scores in each of the domains are essential in Head Start. High scoring classrooms are a great indicator of positive teacher/child interactions as well as effectively supporting children’s learning and development. This leads to successful CLASS Reviews as well as best practices in the classroom.

Our custom designed CLASS training includes specific examples and strategies in terms of the Head Start classroom. We will address best practices as it pertains to teaching behaviors and interactions. This training will address what high scoring domains and dimensions look like and what they don’t look like. It includes a description of the dimensions, indicators and behavioral markers in terms of the Head Start classroom – including what a “7” looks like in each domain.

We offer highly interactive, practice-based CLASS training that includes items such as:

  • How to be responsive to children & encourage child-directed activities;
  • Strategies to maximize learning time & foster children’s problem solving skills;
  • Lessons to expand children’s language;
  • Strategies to manage children’s challenging behaviors;
  • Specific examples of what to say to children to help them think critically.

Effective CLASS training consists of keeping the Head Start teaching staff highly engaged by utilizing a “learning by doing” approach. It’s based on the principles of adult learning which results in high impact learning. This hands-on strategy allows the teachers to take back the information that they learn in the training and implement it in their classrooms. Adult learning is most effective when the participants can see, feel and experience the information that is being presented.

Are you looking for highly interactive & practice-based CLASS training designed specifically for Head Start teaching staff? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Creating Your Program or Agency’s Community Assessment

Program planning is an important piece of a successful Head Start or Early Head Start program.  A current & comprehensive Community Assessment is one of the key documents to have for effective program planning. A comprehensive Community Assessment is also needed to write your Refunding Application, your Recompetition Grant Application and to maintain programmatic compliance. Your Community Assessment is a key document that drives decision-making in your program.

We create comprehensive & custom designed Community Assessments for Head Start programs, Early Head Start programs and agencies (including Community Action Agencies).  Our Community Assessments will meet the requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (and of your CAP or other program regulations). Since all of our services are custom designed to meet the specific needs of your program or agency, we will include any additional data that you request.

Our Community Assessments include:

  • Aggregating and analyzing a multitude of data sources;
  • Comparing current data with past years’ data;
  • Colorful graphs and charts illustrating the data;
  • Key findings for each piece of data;
  • Highlights & considerations for each major section;
  • Survey results of your Parents, Staff, Board of Directors and Community Partners.

Our user-friendly Community Assessments include an Analysis of the data, Methodology, an Executive Summary & much more. Call or email us for a free sample!

Are you looking for a Community Assessment for your program or agency? Give us a call today at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Training for Teaching Staff: Engaging Learners through Intentional Teaching

Effective learning is achieved when children are fully engaged. This occurs when children are actively involved and energized by what is being presented. The classroom environment should be one that captures children’s inquiry, promotes creativity and encourages problem-solving skills. Equally important is the intention on the part of the teacher.  Together, these strategies hold the key to successful learning for children.

Intentional teaching is always thinking about what you are doing and how it will foster children’s development.  In everything that teachers plan and implement in the Head Start and Early Head Start classroom, it’s essential that they are highly intentional. That is, they need to work with children’s outcomes in mind and seek out every opportunity to help children progress on their road to school readiness. This is accomplished through the learning experiences that teachers plan, the ways they interact with children and how teachers individualize for all children.

We believe that children need playful learning and meaningful play. It’s important that teachers intentionally integrate learning opportunities throughout the daily schedule. Intentional planning is the cornerstone to engaging interactions.

This highly interactive training will address how to teach with intentionality, including strategies to:

  • Be highly responsive to children and intentionally build relationships;
  • Integrate instructional interactions throughout the classroom centers and routines;
  • Match content with children’s developmental levels and emerging abilities;
  • Organize the classroom environment and closely monitor children’s experiences;
  • Maximize learning time through carefully planned transitions and routines; and
  • Use effective teaching strategies throughout the school day that keep the children fully engaged.

Are you looking for practice-based, on-site training on Engaging Learners through Intentional Teaching? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Successfully Managing Children’s Challenging Behaviors: Becoming Trauma Informed

Head Start classrooms today contain more & more children with extreme behavior issues as well as children with diagnosed and undiagnosed special needs. Teachers often report that despite trying many different things to manage children’s challenging behaviors, nothing has been effective. We have found that the origin of many children’s challenging behaviors is rooted in developmental trauma.

Many of our children come from hard places and have experienced trauma. Early experiences adversely impacts brain development. Developmental trauma impacts children’s attachment system and their ability to self-regulate. This often results in children acting out through a multitude of challenging behaviors. Becoming trauma informed (learning strategies and language that increases safety while promoting optimal brain development) is a key piece of successfully addressing children’s challenging behaviors.

Behaviorally challenging children are also relationship-resistant children. Instead of spending precious time trying to get challenging children under control, we can instead create a compassionate school culture. This strategy employs the natural power of connection between all members as a means of co-regulating behavior and teaching children to self-regulate.

We believe that successful behavior management training is based on shifting teachers’ daily practice from reward and punishment — to teaching, modeling and nurturing relationships within a positive school climate. This highly interactive training includes:

  • Understanding how developmental trauma impacts children’s attachment and their ability to self-regulate;
  • Defining teaching behaviors & interventions that improve children’s ability to pay attention and impulse control;
  • Learning to “meet children where they are” including specific strategies to reach challenging children in a way that builds trust and connection;
  • Exploring how these connections directly increase the ability to problem-solve, engaging students in interactions that facilitate effective learning;
  • Discovering how to connect with relationship-resistant children, reduce oppositional defiant behavior and increase cooperation and compliance.

Are you looking for highly interactive & practice-based Training on “Successfully Managing Children’s Challenging Behaviors: Becoming Trauma Informed”? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Effective Case Management: Training for Family Service Workers & Home Visitors

Family Service Workers and Home Visitors play an essential role in your program, especially in the area of case management. They begin by establishing a good working relationship with each parent. Effective work with families starts with an understanding of where parents are and where they want to go. Build connection with families by allowing adequate time for conversation and listening with an open mind. Create a safe environment for parents to share their strengths and open up about areas of challenge. It’s important that there is a system in place to link families to needed services and resources.

We see case management as a process that includes:

  • Establishing a good working relationship with the family
  • Implementing a goal setting process with the family
  • Linking the family to needed services and resources
  • Following up with the family regularly and maintaining good documentation and
  • “Closing the loop” to ensure that the family receives all needed services.

“Closing the loop” is a follow-up system that confirms that each family is linked to all needed services. The Family Service Worker or Home Visitor checks in with the family on a regular basis.  They assist the family in accessing services, follows up to ensure that the parent is satisfied with the services and provides guidance and support until all services are received.

Another key piece of case management is documentation. As we say, “if it’s not written down, it didn’t happen”. It’s vital that all interactions with the families and service providers are documented. Case notes must tell a story – from the initial referral… to all follow-up efforts… to delivery of services.

We utilize a strengths-based model, using each family’s individual strengths to assist them in achieving their goals. Families are the first and most important teachers of their children. They are our partners and play a critical role in their family’s development. Families have expertise about their child and their family.

This highly interactive & practice-based training will include:

  • Key concepts & strategies in case management
  • Successfully managing your caseload
  • Follow-up & connecting families to services
  • Documentation
  • Time management
  • Organizational skills

Looking for training on “Effective Case Management” for your Family Service Workers & Home Visitors?  Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Building Successful Relationships With Parents Through Motivational Interviewing

One of the most important roles of Family Service Workers and Home Visitors is to create effective working relationships with parents. We believe in meeting parents where they are. . .and creating a strong partnership with each parent in order to guide them to self-sufficiency. Home Visitors and Family Service Workers work closely with parents to identify their strengths and needs, set family goals and provide opportunities for parents to be fully engaged in the life of their child, including in their education.  Family participation is a powerful predictor of positive child outcomes and it directly impacts children’s school readiness.

Finding the right approach for effective work with parents starts with an ability to extend empathy… to understand where they are and where they want to go. We believe in engaging and building connections with families by initiating “rich” conversations. Create a safe environment for families to share their strengths and open up about areas of challenge. Take the time to work with parents to create solutions and offer support in a patient and helpful way. Discover what each family is all about and what is important to them – recognizing their strengths and needs.

It’s essential that Family Service Workers and Home Visitors have the needed skills in order to create successful relationships with parents. Motivational interviewing is one of those key skills.  Motivational interviewing is the process of helping people move through the stages of change. Motivational interviewing includes:

  • Learning how to collaborate and support change using specific skill-building techniques;
  • Improving how you show empathy through reflective listening.
  • Supporting a parent’s desire to change by learning how to establish discrepancy and rolling with resistance.

This highly interactive, practice-based training explores the principles and stages of motivational interviewing as well as motivators of change and transformation. Motivational interviewing is a great tool to have in your toolbox when establishing successful relationships with parents. Believing that a parent can change is powerful. However, supporting a parent’s belief that they can change themselves is empowering.

Are you looking for training on “Building Successful Relationships with Parents through Motivational Interviewing?” Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Creating Your Program’s Full Community Assessment

Your Community Assessment is one of the foundational elements of your program. It is used to make important decisions in your program regarding program design and service delivery. It is a critical document when writing your Refunding application, when writing a Recompetition grant application and when making programmatic decisions about selection criteria, enrollment slots, and types of services needed by children and families. It’s an essential document used for data-driven decision making and must include all needed data.

We create comprehensive Community Assessments for Head Start & Early Head Start programs as well as Community Action Agencies. They include all of the required items in the new Head Start Program Performance Standards (and, for Community Action Agencies, the regulations of your CAP programs). As all of our services are custom designed, we will include any additional data that you request.

Our Community Assessments include:

  • Aggregating and analyzing a multitude of data sources;
  • Comparing current data with past years’ data;
  • Colorful graphs and charts illustrating the data;
  • Key findings for each piece of data;
  • Surveys of your Staff, Policy Council, Board and Community Partners.

The Community Assessment will include an analysis of the data as well as an Executive Summary & much more – in a user-friendly format. Call or email us for a free sample!

Are you looking for a Full Community Assessment that will provide you with all of the data that you need to make critical programmatic decisions? We can take this off your to-do list and create it for you. Give us a call today at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

CLASS Training Using the “STAR” Method

Effective CLASS training consists of keeping the participants highly engaged by utilizing a “learning by doing” approach. It’s based on the principles of adult learning, which results in high impact learning. This hands-on strategy allows the teaching staff to take back the information that they learn in the training and implement it in their classrooms. Adult learning is most effective when the participants can see, feel and experience the information that is being presented.

We conduct highly interactive and practice-based CLASS training using the STAR method.

  • Specifics are presented.  Our trainings include specific content regarding the CLASS tool as well as strategies to increase CLASS scores. We share with the participants what CLASS observers will be looking for and what the expectations are regarding CLASS. The training includes a description of the dimensions, indicators and behavioral markers in terms of the Head Start classroom. We will address what high scoring domains and dimensions look like and what they don’t look like. The training will address best practices as it pertains to teaching behaviors and interactions.
  • Take a look.  Our CLASS trainings include opportunities for the participants to view video clips of high-scoring behaviors and low-scoring behaviors. We take each domain & dimension and show videos of what they should look like and should not look like. We will take time to discuss the video clips and talk with the participants about what they saw in the videos and how they can deliver high scoring behaviors in the classroom. The training will include exploring the behavioral markers, including what a “7” looks like in each domain and dimension.
  • Activities for practice.  Our CLASS training consists of keeping the teaching staff engaged by ensuring that the training is highly interactive. In addition to presenting the content, practice-based activities are implemented throughout the training. This strategy allows the teaching staff to have hands-on experiences with the new information in order to facilitate true learning. Adult learning is most effective when the participants can see, feel and experience the information that is being presented.
  • Reflection & Reminders.  In addition to content, videos and activities, the training consists of multiple opportunities for discussion. Small group and large group discussion about the videos and activities allows for active learning. Pair & share as well as question & answer sessions provide the participants with time for reflection. The training will include activities that result in the teaching staff having items to take back to their classrooms as reminders. Some of these items can be posted in the classrooms to remind them of things to ask children that are aligned with high scoring behaviors.

Are you looking for custom designed CLASS Training Using the “STAR” Method? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Successful Home Visiting: Utilizing the Home as a Learning Environment

The goal of home-based services in Head Start & Early Head Start is to strengthen the relationship between children and their parents. Home visiting is intended to support parents in their role as their child’s first and most important teacher and for parents to facilitate their child’s growth and development. We believe in strength-based practice as it pertains to home visiting… building on the individual strengths that each family has during home visits and socializations.

We often hear about Home Visitors bringing toys and materials into the home visit. While this is done with the best of intentions, we believe in using items found in each parent’s home. By using simple household items and everyday routines, it provides meaningful opportunities for children to grow developmentally. By utilizing things found in the home, parents can recreate these activities between home visits. This continues the learning and provides a great foundation for school readiness.

This custom designed training can also address other topics such as:

  • The Home Visitor as the Coach
  • Building strong relationships with families
  • Establishing boundaries
  • Safety & Awareness
  • Successful socializations
  • Adult education techniques
  • Working with challenging families

This training focuses on Home Visitors having the skills and confidence needed to coach the parent and empower them to support their child’s growth and development.

Are you looking for highly interactive & practice-based training on “Successful Home Visiting: Utilizing the Home as a Learning Environment? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.