About Toolbox Training

Since its formation in January 1998, Toolbox Training has strongly advocated that proper training of afterschool workers and child care providers must incorporate a wide spectrum of methods including workshops, resources, and consulting.

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About Dave Whitaker, the Founder: Entered the child care/afterschool field in 1987 Has been a trainer, consultant, author, program coordinator, and lead teacher Has worked with preschoolers, kindergartners, school-agers, and middle schoolers Has worked in school, church, center, and recreation-based facilities Master in Education (Lesley University, Cambridge, MA) with a focus on Creative Arts in Learning and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication Served on the Missouri School-Age Community Coalition and Missouri Accreditation state boards Past faculty for Concordia University (St. Paul, MN) in the School Age Department

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Workshops: Delivered hundreds of workshops at the national, state, and local levels Dozens of topics including behavior management, parent communication, and lesson planning Oversaw more than a dozen trainers in developing and delivering more than 200 workshops as the Caring Communities Trainer for the Local Investment Commission Certified Youth Works Methods trainer for the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality

Click the “Workshops” link or above triangle for a full listing.

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Resources: More than a dozen books on topics such as multiple intelligences, games, and transition activities Has developed materials for School-Age Notes, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Missouri Accreditation, and Head Start While at the Francis Institute for Child and Youth Development, he co-authored a series of modules designed to assist participants in achieving the Youth Development Credential.

Click the “Books” link or above triangle for a full listing.

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Consulting: As part of the Quality Matters initiative sponsored by the United Way of Greater Kansas City, coached programs in using the Program Quality Assessment tool developed by the Weikart Center Certified by the Weikart Center as an External Assessor As a trained ASQ (Assessing School-Age Quality) Advisor developed by the National Institute of Out-of-School Time (NIOST), Dave helped sites pursue and achieve National AfterSchool Association (NAA) accreditation. Helped programs receive National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation and Missouri Accreditation

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