Day Two—Wednesday, June 19

8:30  – 10:00 AM Complimentary Coffee & Bagels

10:00 – 11:30 AM  Welcome to Bank Street

Dr. Virginia Roach, Dean, Graduate School, Bank Street College

Keynote Address: Isaura Barrera, PhD and Lucinda Kramer, PhD For the Sake of Our Children: From Divisions to Connections

11:30 AM – 12:45 PM  Lunch in the Bank Street cafeteria or neighborhood restaurants

1:00 – 3:15  PM  Wednesday Afternoon Workshops

Choose ONE workshop

10. What to Do When Seeing Red or Feeling Blue: Helping Toddlers and Twos Manage Their BIG Emotions

Gabriel Guyton, MA, MSED, Head Teacher, Bank Street Family Center; Laura Martin, ITFS, Mental Health & Disability Specialist, Head Start/Early Head Start

This presentation addresses emotional self-regulation in toddlers and twos for both typically developing children and those with delays. The workshop will begin by briefly addressing key concepts in the emotional development in toddlers and twos. Then, through interactive discussion and case studies, participants will learn strategies for fostering and facilitating self-regulation.

 11.  Assistive Technology for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities

Mary Beth Frey, Technology Resource Specialist, UCP of NYC, Tech Works Center

Assistive technology for children in Early Intervention is a little-known and sometimes misunderstood resource that can help infants and toddlers increase, maintain, or improve development in cognitive, motor, communication, self-care, and social/emotional skills. A wider range of aids and devices exists that might benefit YOUR child.  Whether a simple home-made solution or a more complex and expensive device, assistive technology can help our little ones develop, learn, and have fun. Come learn all about it and try some of the devices!

12. Theories and Implications for Out- of-Home Care

Raquel Plotka, PhD, Pace University

This workshop explores attachment theories and current research regarding the impact of out-of-home care on the process of attachment formation during the first years of life. In addition, this workshop explores best practices in out-of-home care in order to facilitate and promote secure attachments between children and caregivers.

13. The Developmental Individual-Difference Relationship -Based  (DIR) Floortime Model From a Theoretical and Practical Perspective

Tamara Sewell, PhD, Faculty, Bank Street College; Maya Sackheim Krueger, GraduateStudent, Bank Street College

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the developmental individual-difference, relationship-based (DIR) model as an intervention and method of analysis in order to collaborate effectively with families and clinicians and develop a comprehensive intervention plan. We will explore the use of the DIR model for infancy/early childhood in building relationships and expanding interactive behaviors (shared attention and meaningful engagement) to lay the foundation for higher-order symbolic thinking and relating.

14.  The ABCs of Wellness for Caregivers

Khadijah Muhammad, Director, Early Head Start Health Federation of Philadelphia

As teachers and home visitors, we give so much to the children and families with whom we work that sometimes we neglect the most important person: ourself! Using each letter of the alphabet, this workshop will give you practical strategies to support your health and wellness. That makes 26 ways to stay well!

15.  Supporting Infant/Toddler Dual Language Learning

Valeria Erdosi, Executive Director, The King’s Daugh- ters Day School; Karen Nemeth, EdM, Founder and Lead Consultant, Language Castle LLC

Infants and toddlers need developmentally appropriate support of their home language and culture while also learning English. Join this discussion as leaders share ideas for preparing the environment, supporting teachers, and working with families of infants/ toddlers who are dual language learners.

16. Outings with Infants and Toddlers

Lisa Laflamme, Lead Teacher, Roosevelt Island Day Nursery; Pamela Stark, Director, Roosevelt Island Day Nursery

How can we as teachers support hands-on exploration of the community by the youngest children? What are ways to make sure outings are developmentally appropriate and safe? What are unique features of your school’s community that are ripe for exploration? What happens when you expand your infant/toddler classroom into the world outside of your school?

17. You Say “Salaam” and I Say “Shalom”: Working with Observant Families from Diverse Religious or Cultural Backgrounds While Supporting Their Children in Your Care

Cynthia Soete, Infant/Toddler Specialist for New Jersey First Steps, Programs for Parents, Inc., CCR&R for Essex County; Mary Lou Allen, Infant/Toddler Specialist/Consultant for New Jersey First Steps, Programs for Parents, Inc.

This session will focus on meeting the essential needs of infants and toddlers in care while supporting the well-defined and differing cultural demands of their families. Participants will explore ways to connect with observant families while maintaining a balance of best practices for infant care.

18. Explore How Young Children Learn through Block Play

Deborah Severin and William Harrison, Early Childhood Educators, City and Country School; Block Connection Workshop Facilitators

We will look at children’s exploration of the material in an educational environment/classroom setting as well as the developmental stages through which children progress as they work toward representational structures. We will discuss the ways in which block building reflects and supports children’s understanding of the world and provides them with a concrete manner in which to express this understanding.

19. Helping Young Children Get to That “Just Right” Place

Chad Kordt-Thomas, Child and Family Therapist, Private Practice, San Francisco

Using vignettes, we will discuss developmental milestones and where a particular child’s development is at any given time. We will also explore where the child looks best—under what conditions—and what s/he is like at different times, in different places, and with different people.

20. Inviting Environments for Infants and Toddlers

Dawn Marsala, MSEd, Bank Street Family Center; Gabrielle Gainen, MSEd, Bank Street Family Center

This workshop will focus on how the environment influences the way in which young children learn, create relationships, and access materials. Universal design, the Reggio Emilia philosophy, safety, and classroom organization will be discussed.

3:30 – 4:30 PM  Panel Presentation

The Benefits and Challenges of Inclusive Infant/Toddler Programs