Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Training

    Posted 11-02-2021 10:40 AM
    Does anyone close the daycare during the year for a day to complete training for your staff?  We are only closed on major holidays, but I've been thinking of closing for a day to have a training day for my staff to get their hours in for their PDL.  We are based in Oklahoma.


    Thanks,
    Laura

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    Laura Davis
    Director
    FIRST KIDZ ACADEMY
    Marlow OK
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  • 2.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-02-2021 10:52 AM
    Hi Laura,

    We us MLK day as one of our training days during the year and then we close 1 Friday each August, usually about two weeks before public school starts, and use that day as a training day as well as a day for the teachers to reset their classrooms for the Fall.  We have this worked into the holiday schedule that we give our parents.  We typically get a total of 16 hours in for those two days.

    Hope this information is helpful.

    Tim Kaminski
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond, TX

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    Tim Kaminski
    Director/Owner
    Gingerbread Kids Academy
    Richmond TX
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  • 3.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-03-2021 08:35 AM
    We close to students one day each fall.  Faculty are required to get at least half of the year's trainings completed (they choose trainings based on their Professional Development Plan already in place).  The remainder of their required PD would need to be completed on their own time.  When we choose the date for closing, we do try to make it coincide with either a National NAEYC Conference or our State Training Institute ... just in case we are able to attend that, which hasn't happened for a few years :(

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    Merilee Mescher
    Heartland Child Development Center
    Council Blfs IA
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  • 4.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-03-2021 08:49 AM
    PD in centers is very difficult to arrange. The day is long and except for lunch or nap, it is hard for teachers and assistants to get together to develop their skills and understandings. This is one area that impacts quality. It also impacts reflection on the classroom practices.

    When I was the Director of a coop school, we had PD days built into the schedule but we were not providing the kind of comprehensive childcare that many of you are providing. We did not open at 7 AM and close at 6 PM. During the height of the Pandemic, the school in which I am a member of the Board had teachers meet on Zoom to discuss classroom issues and do PD.

    I am concerned that the infusion of financial help that might enable more paced PD will not happen.

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    Nora Krieger, PhD
    Associate Professor Emerita/Past Chair NJEEPRE
    Bloomfield College/NJ Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia
    Highland Park, NJ
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  • 5.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-03-2021 10:58 AM
    Hello! I am in charge of presenting our Professional development workshops with Bringing Books to Life through the Nashville Public Library. The schools we serve usually take off a few days late summer, as Tim mentioned, for PD and to re-do their rooms for the upcoming school year. Also the fall break training times seem to be picking up as well. Those are very busy for us scheduling school requested workshops. I also started doing a 3rd Saturday live zoom teacher training, 2 hours every month during the pandemic. We are continuing with this as it seems to be a good solution for teachers who do not have time to stay after school for PD or the school cannot close for a day. It's been helpful for teachers to know they can count on a time every month to get their literacy hours in, (TN requires 6 hours of literacy based training) while staying at home. With our program, everything we offer is free of charge, and our zoom trainings are open to anyone. Perhaps your local library also offers a service like this, if you cannot close for a day of PD? We give certificates and our trainings are certified by TrainTN, so I would make sure whatever PD you choose has gone through the local system for certification.

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    Susan Frizsell
    Curriculum Coordinator
    Nashville, TN
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  • 6.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-03-2021 12:37 PM
    Hi Laura,

    We close three days per year for professional development of staff. This is largely for the global trainings or company initiatives that everyone needs to attend. This doesn't include individual development that is done throughout the year. We instituted the professional development days a few years ago. There was minimal pushback from parents who overwhelmingly understood why we were doing it and appreciated our efforts. The teachers and staff love these days. I encourage you to consider adding professional development days to at least cover your state's minimum required training. In any case, you're required by law to pay people for their training. 

    Scott

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    Scott Bohnert
    Indianapolis IN
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  • 7.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-03-2021 12:47 PM
    One of the things we did on our pre-set PD days was to visit other schools, which I set up. as the director, in advance. This provided an avenue to widen our perspectives on teaching and learning.

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    Nora Krieger, PhD
    Associate Professor Emerita/Past Chair NJEEPRE
    Bloomfield College/NJ Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia
    Highland Park, NJ
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  • 8.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-04-2021 09:11 AM
    Yes, we build in 4 PD days a year that we are closed, so staff can focus on training. Each day usually has 5 hours of training and the rest of the day they can work on rooms or have meetings with colleagues in other rooms. Our state mandates 16 hours per year of PD, but our school requires 20, so that is fulfilled in this structure. We've changed the days somewhat over the years, but there is usually one in February, one in July, one in December during our school's winter break, and this year we've closed the day before Thanksgiving, because we are usually low on children that week anyway. However you do it, we've found parents are very understanding of the need and with advanced notice like putting it on the school calendar months ahead of time, they can plan, and it's really no big deal. With a full day, you can build in team building activities and meals, and the staff just really enjoy it. It's worth it, make it happen if you can.

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    Amy Gottschamer
    Executive Director
    Googols of Learning Child Development Center
    Lawrence KS
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  • 9.  RE: Training

    Posted 11-08-2021 04:42 PM
    We build 4 days into the calendar year for PD.  One in October, February, August, June, and August.  We have a school age program so the June day allows for any updating before the summer.  The August allows for any training before the school year.  The October and February we do any training the staff as a whole needs....and if there are some who are not needing an update we use this time to get things done around the center......or in the past we have used those days to arrange visits to other centers to gain and share ideas.

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    Lara Miller
    Director
    St Bernard's Child Care
    Omaha NE
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