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Early Learning Book Chats

Join Gryphon House authors as they discuss the latest early childhood research and new strategies for teaching and caring for young children. The Early Learning Book Chats FREE webinars also earn participants a CE credit for every webinar they view.

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Upcoming Events

WEBINAR: How a Mindfulness Lens Can Transform Our Learning Environments

EdWeb Webinar

Oct. 14, 2020 ‐ 2:00 pm

Imagine feeling a sense of calm and focus, and transmitting that positive energy to children regardless of what is happening in the external world. The purpose of this edWebinar is to critically examine the joy and power of presence in education. Dr. Elizabeth Joy Erwin, Professor of Education at Montclair State University, will discuss: Why we have so much to learn from children, especially the youngest ones How to develop a culture of mindfulness and how to maintain it over time Simple mindfulness practices to engage in starting now Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to practice mindfulness together with young children. By discovering how to integrate simple ideas and practical strategies to calm the body and quiet the mind, educators can select the exact tools they want to ensure all children learn and thrive. Additional benefits of attending this edWebinar include thinking more expansively about the connections between social justice and mindfulness and exploring why reflective inquiry can transform our own learning and teaching. Through a variety of diverse educator, family, and child voices, participants will gain knowledge and tools for a wide menu of classroom-based and individualized mindfulness practices (i.e., breathing, meditation, yoga, guided imagery). This edWebinar will be of interest to preK-5 teachers, librarians, therapists, and school and district leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

WEBINER: Crying and Laughing: The Emotional Development of Infants and Toddlers

EdWeb Webinar

Oct. 28, 2020 ‐ 2:00 pm

Emotional health is critical to the development of young children. These are emotionally challenging times for young children, infant and toddler professionals, and families that require specialized knowledge on how to help young children and ourselves express emotions in healthy ways. In this edWebinar, Donna Sasse Wittmer, Ph.D. provides ten keys that early childhood professionals can use to support infant and toddler emotional development and learning. When these keys are used, they are the foundation for helping children develop emotional competence. This edWebinar emphasizes the knowledge and skills that enable you to be a compassionate infant and toddler professional who provides the emotional nourishment that young children need and who supports children’s emotional well-being. Educators will learn how to: Understand the power of emotions and the importance of relationships Know the goals for children’s emotional competence Understand brain development and the importance of emotional competence Know how and when children develop their emotional skills Use relationship-building strategies that support emotional competence Use teacher-child interaction strategies to build emotional competence Craft an emotionally rich, caring curriculum and environment Learn strategies to support children’s feelings and temperaments Understand the different types of emotional stress Know and appreciate your importance This edWebinar will be of interest to pre-K teachers and school leaders. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

WEBINAR: School’s Out: Challenges and Solutions for School-Age Programs

EdWeb Webinar

Nov. 18, 2020 ‐ 2:00 pm

Professionals who work with school-age children in out-of-school environments often struggle with ways to keep the children engaged in programs that run before and after the structured school day. Children have varied needs, and program staff are often dealing with challenges such as a restrictive environment, mixed groupings, and varied schedules. Within the context of child development, this edWebinar, based upon the new book of the same title, offers a child-centered approach to developing activities that engage and enhance the program. Participants will explore a number of common challenges along with some possible solutions that can be adapted and applied in their work. Learning outcomes include: Review typical learning centers in a school-age program Explore developmental stages and how child development informs practice Discuss challenges and solutions related to environment and activities This edWebinar will be of benefit to practitioners in before- and after-school programs in a variety of settings. There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation.

WEBINAR: Preparing Childhood Professionals for the Worst-Case Scenario

EdWeb Webinar

Dec. 02, 2020 ‐ 2:00 pm

Emergencies and natural disasters are on the rise. In 2019, FEMA reported 101 declared disasters in the United States. These emergencies included earthquakes, tropical storms, fires, floods, severe storms, tornadoes, landslides, mudslides, extreme wind, and snowstorms. In 2020 alone, there have already been 181 declared disasters; many of them include the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Preschool Preparedness for an Emergency, the second book in the Preparing for the Unexpected series, will train childhood professionals for the worst-case scenario. During this edWebinar, Andrew Roszak, Executive Director for the Institute for Childhood Preparedness, will share the knowledge, resources, and actionable tools that educators need to prepare for, respond to, and recover from an emergency or natural disaster. This edWebinar will be of interest to preK-5 teachers, librarians, school and district leaders, and childcare providers. There will be time to get your questions answered at the end of the presentation. Attendance for the live presentation is limited to 1,000.