Trainers who are approved to train on DHS-owned SUID and AHT courses must attend a mandatory Zoom meeting to continue to train on these courses. Read the DHS memo and learn the details.
ATTENTION APPROVED TRAINERS ON DHS OWNED SUID and AHT COURSES:
The DHS-owned SUID and AHT courses have been reviewed and updated. In order to continue training this content in-person, we will be holding a required live, virtual trainer meeting on Zoom for trainers already approved on the courses and who continue to meet the trainer criteria. Trainers are expected to train the courses in-person for Child Care Aware. The meeting will be between 60-90 minutes and is offered at no-cost to you. Trainers will be expected to keep their cameras on during the meeting and there will be an online quiz at the end of the meeting. An 80% passing score will be required to continue to be approved on the course(s).
You are required to attend one of the following virtual sessions:
Wednesday September 11, 2024 – 1:00-2:30 pm
Thursday September 19, 2024 – 6:30-8:00 pm
Please use this link to register for your preferred meeting time, the deadline for registration is Monday September 9. Refer to the memo from DHS (below) or contact tarss@umn.edu if you have any questions.
Storytelling/story acting is a special teaching strategy that harnesses the power of stories to help children build language and social-emotional skills. Download our tip sheets to learn more.
Our evidence-based tip sheets for early childhood professionals break topics down into two parts: theory (Introducing It) and practice (Applying It). This set of tip sheets explores storytelling/story acting as a way to help children build language and social-emotional skills. Many early childhood educators make use of stories in their classrooms, whether reading from a book or sharing stories spontaneously. Storytelling/story acting is a special teaching strategy that harnesses the educational power of stories. Our tip sheets explain how to do it and why it works.
Introducing It: Using Storytelling/Story Acting in the Early Childhood Classroom explains the strategy and the science behind it.
Below is a list of resources referenced in Introducing It: Using Storytelling/Story Acting in the Early Childhood Classroom.
Wolf, M. (2007). Proust and the Squid. Harper Collins.
Bamkin, M. Goulding, A. and Maynard, S. (2013) The children sat and listened: storytelling on children’s mobile libraries. New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship, 9(1), 47-48. doi.org/10.1080/13614541.2013.755023
Goldin‐Meadow, S. (2009). How gesture promotes learning throughout childhood. Child Development Perspectives, 3(2), 106–111. doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2009.00088.x
Eiteljoerge, S. F., Adam, M., Elsner, B., & Mani, N. (2019). Word-object and action-object association learning across early development. PLOS ONE, 14(8). doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220317
Babayiğit, S., Roulstone, S., & Wren, Y. (2021). Linguistic comprehension and narrative skills predict reading ability: A 9‐year longitudinal study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(1), 148-168. doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12353
Snow, C.E, Burns, M.S., & Griffin, P. (1998) Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
Cooper, P. M., Capo, K., Mathes, B., & Gray, L. (2007). One authentic early literacy practice and three standardized tests: can a storytelling curriculum measure up? Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 28(3), 251–275. doi.org/10.1080/10901020701555564
Reese, M. H. T. & Meuwissen, A., (2023, September). Evaluation report: Creative Play, spring 2023. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Early Education and Development, University of Minnesota.
Catch up on CEED staff’s latest presentations, accomplishments and honors!
Infant Mental Health Journal has named its top 10 most-cited papers, which include a study by Research Associates Alyssa Meuwissen, PhD, and Christopher Watson, PhD, IMH-E® (who retired from CEED in 2021). The paper that made the top 10 list is their 2021 article “Measuring the depth of reflection in reflective supervision/consultation sessions: initial validation of the Reflective Interaction Observation Scale (RIOS™).” Both Meuwissen and Watson were primary authors of the RIOS™. The RIOS™ is a tool that helps researchers study how reflective supervision works. It also helps them measure different aspects of a reflective supervision session. For this article, Meuwissen and Watson studied reflective consultation sessions attended by a sample group of child welfare workers. Their goal was to find out how well the RIOS captured the content of the sessions.
Deborah Ottman, who retired in June from her role as professional development coordinator, presented with Watson at the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health (MACMH) annual conference on April 30, 2024. Their presentation was called“Who You Are Is as Important as What You Do: The RIOS™ Reflective Practice Framework.” The two explored how reflective practice skills are often less about “doing” than about “being”: being mindful, non-judgmental, curious, and empathetic, for example. One participant called the session “impactful and powerful” while another commented, “I had heard of reflective practice before but I wasn’t super knowledgeable about what it is all about. I appreciated the overview…and most importantly the kind and helpful demeanors of the presenters. They were truly inspiring to talk about a topic that asks us to challenge ourselves about what it is that is going on for us in such a calm and respectful way.”
Left: Symposium attendees. Right: TARSS staff at the Symposium
The TARSS team organized the annual Trainer and RBPD Specialist Symposium which took place April 25-April 27, 2024, and drew more than 70 attendees. Participant comments included the following:
“I learned a lot of tools to use in my personal AND professional life!”
“For me it was my first conference after a long hiatus from this side of the field. I really appreciated the networking and felt recharged!”
“There was a great variety of breakout sessions to choose from.”
“Ideal space, great food, beautiful minds, opportunities to connect!”
The pie charts layered over the map of Minnesota show the estimated number of children under six with both parents working compared with the number of child care “slots” available in each region.
Ann Bailey, PhD, director of CEED, presented to the Minnesota Farm Bureau as part of its “Harvesting Solutions” webinar series on June 13, 2024. She presented on “The State of Child Care in Rural Minnesota,” describing the challenges facing the child care sector–as well as families seeking child care–in rural Minnesota. While there is a shortage of child care “slots” throughout the state, it is especially severe in greater Minnesota, where the past few years have seen a dramatic decline in the number of child care providers. In addition to describing the magnitude of the challenges, Bailey explained how access to quality early childhood education both improves children’s development and sustains the economy.
Curriculum Specialist Ashley Bonsen has held many roles in early childhood education, including teaching child development courses to adults. In her current role at CEED, she partners with the Department of Human Services to maintain a library of 300+ professional development courses.
TARSS Curriculum Specialist Ashley Bonsen joined CEED in July 2023. In this Q & A, she shares about her professional background teaching people of all ages, and she explains what people need to know about professional development for early childhood educators (ECEs) in Minnesota.
Can you talk a little about your professional background and how your career led you to CEED?
My first job out of college was as director of a Spanish immersion child care center. After that, I joined St. David’s Center for Child and Family Development as a care coordinator supporting children with disabilities and their families. Following that, I pivoted to teaching Spanish in public middle and high schools. I was teaching when the pandemic hit. That was a difficult time.
After the acute phase of the pandemic, I decided to explore teaching adults. I taught child development courses at St. Paul College, and I taught through a program from the YWCA of Minneapolis to help Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) obtain their Child Development Associate credential. In fact, I still teach at the YWCA. While I was teaching at these two locations, I also worked at an in-home child care program that a friend started. I worked every day of the week!
In July 2023, I was brought onto a project at CEED part time. I was hired to assist with the process of revising the Early Childhood Indicators of Progress (ECIPs), which are Minnesota’s early learning guidelines. I wanted to be part of updating the ECIPs because it is such an important and useful document. I used the ECIPs regularly with my YWCA and St. Paul College students.
The ECIPs project is ongoing, and in fall 2023, I transitioned into a full-time role at CEED taking on an additional set of responsibilities. As TARSS curriculum specialist, I work closely with Child Development Services, part of the state Department of Human Services (DHS). My job is to help maintain the DHS professional development curriculum library.
What does maintaining the curriculum library entail?
You could say I’m the keeper of the courses. DHS has a library of more than 300 professional development courses for ECEs. I work closely with Kami Alvarez, professional development policy specialist at DHS, to update and maintain those courses. That means compiling documentation on curriculum, tracking changes to the courses, and providing technical writing maintenance. I provide DHS with a curriculum delivery analysis as well. That analysis shows any gaps in the courses that are available. It states what the demands of the field are so we can address those needs. Additionally, I help determine when and how courses are revised.
How do you figure out the timing of revisions and how much to revise?
I look at the “expiration dates” for all of the courses that will be expiring in the next fiscal year. I then work with DHS to prioritize what courses need to be rewritten, what courses need updates, and what courses need to be retired. I look at a variety of data about each course: I look at course participation rates, I review feedback and suggestions from DHS partners such as Child Care Aware, and I also review feedback from trainers and participants. Trainers know course content backward and forward, so their perspective is very important. Participants have an opportunity after taking a DHS course to fill out a survey about the course and how the trainer did. Taking all of this data into account, I decide whether a course needs to be updated, or even completely rewritten.
What is the process for revising courses?
I make small revisions myself based on direct feedback, such as repairing broken links and correcting typos. For more substantial rewrites, DHS hires course writers. Keep in mind that many courses are offered in Spanish, Hmong, and Somali as well as English, so there’s a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into revisions. The state has a translation service and we’ve hired a translation firm to check our work over as well. Of course we want to make sure everything is translated accurately, but we also want to make sure the content is culturally appropriate. As an example, a course might talk about using utensils, but in a given community, hand feeding might be more appropriate. The challenge with translations is that from an equity standpoint, we want all DHS courses to be available in all the major languages spoken in Minnesota. From a logistical standpoint, though, that means DHS’ 300-plus courses are actually 1,200-plus courses.
In terms of the impact that revising a course can have, both the Active Supervision and Health and Safety courses were revised earlier this year. Both of these courses are licensing requirements. That means ECEs must take these courses in order to get and maintain a license to provide child care. As you can imagine, this means there is a lot of demand for these courses. It also means rewriting them was a big deal! It affected trainers as well as ECEs. Trainers who delivered the old courses needed to be trained to deliver the new ones. We call these events “trainings of trainers” (TOTs). A TOT is a training on how to deliver a particular DHS course.
What is the biggest area of growth for you in your position?
Getting familiar with the library of courses that DHS has to offer. I want to have information top-of-mind so that I can work more spontaneously rather than opening up documents and searching for information.
What would you like the public to know about professional development for ECEs?
One thing that can be confusing for people, myself included, is all the systems and organizations at play: state agencies, Develop, Achieve, TARSS, and so on. So sometimes, what we have to do is set aside the systems piece and just focus on the fact that in this state we value education. We want to be leaders in education, not just in K-12 but in early childhood. We believe in the importance of a wonderful and robust early childhood education. We want to make sure the professionals we are putting in those early childhood classrooms are equipped to handle whatever comes at them during their day. We want them to have the best possible training and information to do and sustain their jobs for as long as possible. Having high-quality, supportive professional development is a piece to help that. In Minnesota, we have a great catalog of courses that are provided, some at no cost, to ECEs. If an educator likes the idea of that, thinks that’s inspiring, and wants to be a part of it by becoming a trainer or a course writer, they can talk to me!
TARSS asked trainers what supplies they need for their work. Here’s what the 44 survey respondents said (scroll down for a text version of the infographic).
Play is more than just having a good time. Play helps children grow physically, cognitively, and socially. Download our tip sheets on the importance of play to learn more.
It’s easy to know play when you see it, but have you ever really thought about what defines an activity as play? Children engage in different kinds of play at different stages. Play is fun, but it’s so much more: it helps children learn and grow in many ways. Our evidence-based tip sheets for early childhood professionals break topics down into two parts: theory (Introducing It) and practice (Applying It). Introducing It: The Importance of Play in Early Childhood discusses various types of play. It also talks about the ways in which play supports children’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth. Applying It: Incorporating Play to Support Learning and Early Childhood Development shares tips on setting up an environment that encourages children to take part in all kinds of play. Download these free resources below!
Child care subsidies help qualifying families access high quality child care. New research shows that higher subsidy rates result in a better child care experience for these families.
New research shows that higher child care subsidies result in less disruption for families. Ann Bailey, PhD, director of CEED, and Elizabeth E. Davis, PhD, professor of applied economics, are leading a research project called Coordinated Evaluation of Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Payment Policies. Bailey, Davis, and their colleagues are looking at recent changes to Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). These changes include higher child care subsidy payment rates. “Subsidy payment rate” means the amount that CCAP pays child care providers for their services to qualifying families. The researchers want to know how subsidy payment rates affect families’ access to high quality child care.
Not all child care providers accept subsidies. Sometimes, that’s because the payment rate is lower than what they usually charge. In Minnesota, providers can charge families the difference between the subsidy payment and their usual price. Higher subsidy payments, then, may expand the number of providers who accept subsidies. It may also mean that families end up paying a smaller share of the cost of care. Both of these factors can mean that families have more child care options, leading to a better child care experience for subsidized families.
Davis and co-author Jonathan Borowsky, JD, PhD, published new findings from the first phase of the research project. They looked at data about participation in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) in Minnesota. They compared data from before and after changes in subsidy payment rates. They wanted to know if those changes would affect two things:
The length of time children received subsidized child care (known as stability), and
The length of time children received child care from the same provider (known as continuity)
The size of the subsidy payment rate changes varied across counties in Minnesota. Davis and Borowsky compared the experiences of families in places where CCAP payment rates went up more with families in places that saw smaller increases in payment rates, or no increases at all. They found that higher subsidies improved both stability and continuity of care. Families who lived in counties with larger payment increases were significantly less likely to drop out of the subsidy program. They were also less likely to switch child care providers.
Stability and continuity matter. Stable relationships and predictable child care arrangements support children’s development and wellbeing. They also support parental employment. Frequent disruptions can have negative effects on both children and the adults who care for them.
Inhibitory control is one of our executive function skills. It’s the skill that allows us to resist an unhelpful impulse or a temptation. Children learn inhibitory control over time, like other executive function skills. Adults can help! Our latest tip sheets explain that music offers fun opportunities to practice inhibitory control.
Inhibitory control is one of our executive function skills. It’s the skill that allows us to consciously direct our behavior, instead of acting on autopilot. It’s also how we resist an unhelpful impulse or a temptation. Executive function researcher Adele Diamond writes, “[I]nhibitory control makes it possible for us to change and for us to choose how we react and how we behave rather than being unthinking creatures of habit” (Diamond, 2013).
Inhibitory control is hard to say. (Really. Try it!) It’s also hard to master–especially for young children! Children learn inhibitory control over time, like other executive function skills. They learn best with help from trusted adults in their lives. So how can we help children practice inhibitory control? Our latest set of tip sheets suggests one fun strategy: using music! We created these free resources in partnership with expert educators at MacPhail Center for Music. The tip sheets explain the theory behind inhibitory control. They also give practical tips on using music in your work with children.
Early childhood educators and providers across Minnesota receive trainings that help them grow as professionals. The trainings are part of a large library maintained by Minnesota’s Department of Human Services (DHS). The people who lead these trainings go through their own trainings to learn how to do it. Those are called Trainings of Trainers (TOTs), and they are offered by the TARSS program at CEED.
Just recently, DHS updated its Active Supervision training, which is a very important required training for child care providers in Minnesota. 77 trainers applied to join the Active Supervision TOT in order to become approved to deliver this training. Learn more facts about this cohort of learners in the infographic below!
TARSS is excited to announce the Active Supervision TOT cohort
Representation
TARSS aims to establish a pool of trainers representative of the Minnesota population, with experience working with diverse communities and with the communities in which they live. Having a diverse cadre of trainers allows providers to access training near their homes and work and receive training from people who know their communities.
Participant Characteristics
77 applicants
47% of participants have experience working in Family Child Care, 39% have expreience working in Child Care Centers, and 14% have experience working in Early Childhood Special Education.
Trainers accepted to the TOT train in English, Hmong, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Ukrainian
6 eligible trainer types are represented
46% are new trainers to Active Supervision
5 participants are from Northwest Minnesota; 3 are from Northeast Minnesota; 12 are from the Twin Cities metro area, 4 are from Southern Minnesota, and 4 are from West-Central Minnesota
How do you become an approved trainer within Minnesota’s child care training system? Trainer Gabrielle Stroad reflects on the process as well as the challenges and highlights of the job.
Gabrielle Stroad’s work experience in the early childhood field is varied and extensive. She worked her way up from being a classroom aide to director of a child care center, and later, she opened a family child care program. She even drove a school bus! In 2022, she added another role to her resume by becoming an approved trainer within the state child care training system. In this Q & A, she shares her perspective on becoming a trainer and advice for those considering it.
Gabrielle Stroad
You went from being an aide and teacher to being assistant director and then director of a child care center. Did you miss working with children when you took on a management role?
I still tried to be in classrooms as much as possible to be with my staff and the children. But I also loved managing a center, because I love connecting with people. I felt grateful that I had worked in all the positions I was managing. I had been in the aides’ and teachers’ shoes, and I could tell them, “I understand, and I am here to truly support you.” I enjoyed being able to talk with them about the “whys” of our work and help everyone focus on our purpose as educators and how we can help children and families. I do enjoy direct care though, and that’s why today, in addition to being a trainer, I am an ECSE paraprofessional in a preschool classroom.
What made you decide to become a trainer?
At the time, I was operating a family child care program, and I was working on finishing my two-year degree at the same time. Our family was starting to grow out of operating a child care program out of our home, so I decided to make a change. One of the things that I liked about being a center director and that I missed as a family child care provider was being able to work with a large number of educators and have an impact on more families. I remember running into a former employee and talking with her about her new job at a child care center. She told me, “I took everything you taught me and brought it to this new job.” It was amazing for me to hear that I inspired someone to bring even higher quality and more passion to their teaching. I feel I’ve learned so much from educators I’ve worked with in return. My hope in becoming a trainer was that I could reach people in that same way, and continue building that community of mutual support and learning.
What was the process like to become a trainer?
In my case, I would say that overall it was a little confusing. There was a hiccup because right when I was ready to apply, I learned about a change in requirements. It took me extra time to overcome that obstacle, but becoming a trainer was important to me. I believe it is important to make sure we have qualified trainers with the right credentials. However, there can be frustration when you have experience and knowledge but not credentials.
I’ve also heard from people in the field that sometimes they are put off when they see that a process like becoming a trainer has a lot of steps. What I would say to those folks is that the TARSS team and the Develop team are there for you. My grandmother used to say there are no stupid questions, and I’ve always been a person who’ll ask lots of questions. I’ll even ask questions that I know the answer to if I get the sense that others are not comfortable asking. I do feel that my willingness to ask questions helped me a lot in the process of becoming a trainer.
You were also able to take advantage of the TARSS Trainer Observation and Coaching program. How did that work?
[Mentor FCC Project Specialist] Molly Hughes set up the observation for me and was my coach. We had met before at the Trainer and RBPD Specialist Symposium–which everybody should go to! Molly is very personable and kind.
I had also met the trainer who did the observation before. That made me feel comfortable and confident. My observer had a positive and professional vibe. She had a couple of questions for me, then I did the training. Afterwards, the observer and I talked about next steps, and we had a great conversation about child care. I felt a sense of partnership, which I really appreciated. The observer then sent the observation tool to Molly. Soon after, I met with Molly to talk about how the training went. She picked out areas I was strong in and areas that I might want help with. She asked good questions and listened to me. I really felt heard. I’ve never felt like I was being timed by anybody I’ve talked to at TARSS. Everybody is generous with their time and very open to helping.
One thing that I appreciated about Molly was how she structured our coaching session. I’ve had coaches before who started out by asking me what I wanted to talk about. That’s a tough question, because when I’m new, I don’t even know where to start. Molly helped me figure out where to start and where to go next. Then we set a S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) goal to work on in between sessions and planned when it was best to next meet.
What are some of the challenges of being a trainer?
The biggest challenge is when you’re in front of people who aren’t interested in learning new things. I love to learn. I’m always the one sitting in the front row with my notebook taking notes and nodding my head. So it’s hard when I’m there to try and make an impact, and people choose not to be open to it. With that said, I’ve learned to give myself and the situation a lot of grace. I also accept it as a challenge and say, “How can I change that mindset?”
A related challenge is building a relationship with the people you’re training, especially when you’re delivering someone else’s content. I used to love leading training as a center director, so I thought it would be a smooth transition to being an approved trainer. It’s really different, though. You’ve got to build that relationship with your audience within minutes. You also have to feel comfortable enough to deliver the content effectively so you give participants something that will better their programs.
A final challenge is getting consistent training experience so that you can improve. Just like in any job, you get better with experience. Unlike many other jobs, though, trainers don’t train all day, Monday through Friday. Generally, I do about two trainings a month. This month I have three. But during my first year as a trainer I did 12 total. Because so much time passes between trainings, it can feel like it’s taking a long time to build skills and confidence.
What are some of your favorite parts of being a trainer?
One of my favorite things about being a trainer is also one of my favorite things about teaching children. I get a kick out of those “aha” moments, when someone makes a comment and the whole group says, “Oh, that makes sense, I’m excited to try that!” It doesn’t matter whether the idea came from the training content or from the participants’ experience. Seeing connections take place is amazing to me! I also love hearing people’s takeaways, even simple things like a new art activity they want to try. When you’ve been in the early childhood field for a long time, you tend to take certain practices and strategies for granted. It’s hard to remember what you didn’t know when you were starting out. I feel I’m most authentic as a trainer when someone asks me a question and I can say, “This is what I would do.” I love it when we’re able to make a connection between a real-life situation and the training content.
What would you tell someone who is considering becoming a trainer?
I would say, “You’re going to have a lot of fun. Let’s do it!” But I would also tell them that navigating the process can be hard. My biggest piece of advice is to connect with TARSS staff and join the TARSS professional learning communities (PLCs). It’s really helpful to make connections with other people who are becoming trainers. I’ve done the new trainer and course writer PLCs. I made friends and exchanged numbers with other trainers so we could brainstorm together and check in with each other. The key is to ask lots of questions and stay in touch.
What’s something you wish more people understood about the early childhood field?
One of the things I often think about is how capable and smart children are, and how intentional we need to be in supporting their development. Why is it so important that early childhood teachers understand child development? Well, think of a toddler who is building with blocks. You might look at that child and say, “They’re playing,” or “They’re making a mess.” But another way to look at it is to say, “Wow, they’re picking up blocks and balancing them. They’re making stacks of three blocks.” That child is developing their motor skills, working on early numeracy, and building confidence.
Another thing I like to tell people is that here in Minnesota we have a lot of support for early childhood. Think of all the organizations that exist to improve early childhood education in Minnesota–TARSS, Child Care Aware, Parent Aware, and many others. A couple of months ago I did a training in St. Cloud. One provider who participated hadn’t heard of Parent Aware, so I was able to share things with her that could benefit her program. Recently I did a training at a child care center where they didn’t know about the free coaching that the Center for Inclusive Child Care offers. I’m grateful for what we have here in Minnesota that other states don’t necessarily have, and I try to get the word out about it. Our state government and organizations like the ones I mentioned are putting resources into child care, because child care is important, and I hope that mindset keeps growing in everyone.
