Workshop: Connect with Families: The K.I.D.S. Method

As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• KNOW families and the value of doing so
• INFORM families effectively about the program and their children
• DISCUSS challenges with families using the building blocks of interaction, the C.O.P.E. method, and ways to create a P.A.C.T. for dealing with kids’ choices
• SUPPORT families by developing a family corner to offer resources for families

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Check out this video of the Power Point presentation from this workshop for an idea of what you can expect:

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To have this delivered as an on-site workshop contact Toolbox Training.

Check out the workshops tab for a full list of titles.

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Workshop: Assessing Program Needs

This workshop allows participants to:

• Recognize qualities of good afterschool programs
• Assess their own programs
• Develop a plan to address a need in their programs

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Check out this video of the Power Point presentation from this workshop for an idea of what you can expect:

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To have this delivered as an on-site workshop contact Toolbox Training.

Check out the workshops tab for a full list of titles.

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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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Child-Care Related Links

Here are various child care-related links that may help you.

• Activities for Children
• Education, Training, and Curriculum
• Grants
• Organizations and Projects
• Supplies and Materials for Children

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Activities for Children

• Creative Drama and Theatre Education
• Family Crafts
• Fun Brain
• Funology - The Science of Having Fun
• Games Kids Play
• Hobby Science
• Puzzlemaker
• Recipe Source - Kid Recipes
• Talented Kids

Also make sure and check out Toolbox Training's activity books!

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Education, Training, and Curriculum

• The Activities Club
• Concordia University – Department of School-Age Care
• Developmental Studies Center
• High/Scope Educational Research Foundation
• Kansas Child Care Training Opportunities
• Love and Logic
• Project Construct
• Teaching Strategies
• Wheelock College

Also make sure and check out the workshops and books here at Toolbox Training!

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Grants

• Afterschool.gov
• The Foundation Center
• National Education Association Foundation
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• The Spencer Foundation
• The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
• World of Knowledge Foundation

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Organizations and Projects

• Afterschool Alliance
• Bringing Yourself to Work
• Child Research
• Council for Professional Recognition
• Missouri Accreditation
• Missouri Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Ed. – SAC/After-school
• Missouri School-Age Care Coalition
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• National Network for Child Care
• National School-Age Care Alliance
• Partnerships for Children (Greater Kansas City area)
• 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Zero to Three

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Supplies and Materials for Children

• Constructive Playthings
• Discount School Supply
• For Kidz Only
• Free Spirit Publishing
• Gopher Sport
• Mindware
• Nasco
• Zany Brainy

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Quality Assessment

Super Hero Training
Originally published in The KC SAC Connection, issue 5: autumn 2001
Becky Gunn, Sprint

Looking both ways, ensuring that no one was watching, he stepped into the phone booth and within seconds was back on the street taking flight with a graceful leap. Superman was on his way to save another child in distress.

Wouldn't it be great if we could step into a phone booth and transform our personal powers with a change of wardrobe? Unfortunately, for the average Clark Kent, changing the way we do things and demonstrating new skills takes time and practice.

It is a truth that we see every day with children. Few children are potty trained overnight and even the smartest of tikes can't tie their shoes after only one showing of loop-wrap around-loop. We don't expect children to learn without repetitive practice, and yet we aren’t so patient with ourselves.

As supervisors, we send employees to trainings and expect them to return with new skills and knowledge that they put into practice immediately. As training attendees, we often have the same expectations. We hope that a day's training will transform our lives. When we return to our programs remembering only 15% of what the trainer said, we blame the training.

Training often fails due to unclear goals on what participants want from the training and poor follow through after the training.

What makes training successful is practice. I once heard that "training is the place where employees come to practice their jobs." Truly effective implementation of training means that employees demonstrate the skills back on the job that they learned in training. A good training event should include 1/3 lecture and 2/3 practice.

Successful implementation only happens if supervisors are clear with employees on expectations of the training and follow up with employees after the training event.

The following steps mean an extra time commitment from supervisor and employee, but will increase training effectiveness tenfold.

1. The supervisor and employee meet for 15 minutes before an employee attends training to discuss the objectives of the class and how the employee might use the new skill or knowledge.

2. After a training, employees should write down one or two action items to implement back on the job.

3. This action plan is shared with the supervisor and time frames are added to ensure the plan is carried out. Note: If the action plan includes physically changing the program, then it may only have to be implemented once. If the action is to practice a different technique to discipline children or a different method of conducting transitions then time to practice these new skills should be built into the plan before the supervisor observes the new technique in action.

In an economy that demands we scrutinize program budget dollars, we need to ensure we get the highest return on the dollars we spend. For training dollars, that insurance comes when we supervisors and front line staff take an active role in implementing new skills and observing how they are improving our programs. At least this is the only solution I know until the super hero phone booth is sold at a retailer near you.

Becky Gunn has been in the training and performance field for 10 years. She has worked with Sprint as a Performance Consultant in the Information Technology Department, a Project Manager on the Program and Process Management team, and as a Process Consultant for the Process Design Center. She is also a Past-President of the ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement).