ECE Trainings

Core of Knowledge Trainings for Maryland Child Care Providers

Stephanie Schaefer is an MSDE-approved Trainer for Core of Knowledge (COK) trainings and Continued Trainings on Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Maryland. Stephanie also works as a preschool teacher and as a consultant to nonprofit organizations.  (See Stephanie’s bio.)

Trainings Stephanie currently provides:

Training Flyer

• Making a Difference for Young Children: Public Policy Advocacy – (3 hours, COK, Professionalism). How can early childhood education professionals educate policymakers about the importance of child and youth care services? This introductory training will define advocacy and identify key considerations for child care professionals in communicating effectively with policymakers to advocate for children. Participants will identify their own skills and determine how these skills align with advocacy strategies.  Approval Number CKI-155685.
• NEW!  Maryland SEFEL Pyramid Model Preschool Classroom Training – (24 hours, COK (12 hrs Child Development, 10 hrs Professionalism, 2 hrs Community)) This training is based on research done at the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning, CSEFEL. The Center developed evidence-based, user friendly training modules to help early childhood educators promote children’s social emotional development and address the challenging behavior and mental health needs of children in child care and Head Start.
  • Module 1: Promoting Children’s Success: Building Relationships and Creating Supportive Environments
  • Module 2: Social Emotional Teaching Strategies
  • Module 3A: Individualized Intensive Interventions
  • Module 3B: Individualized Intensive Interventions: Developing a Behavior Support Plan
• Making Access Happen:  Developmentally Appropriate Practice – (6 hours, COK).  Provides training in four topic areas: developmentally appropriate practice; positive guidance of behavior, forming positive relationships, and physical environment for developmentally appropriate practice.  Training content is described further here: http://olms.cte.jhu.edu/mah-learning.
• Basic Health and Safety  – (5 hours, COK, Health, Safety, Nutrition) Fulfills new MSDE requirement. Beginning on July 1, 2017, this workshop is required as pre-service training for all childcare center staff, including directors, teachers and aides, as well as home day care providers. Learn about basic safety and health guidelines for both indoor and outdoor areas.
• Early Learning Assessment – (12 hours, COK (8 hours Professionalism, 4 hours Child Development))  The Early Learning Assessment (ELA) is a formative assessment tool designed by the Maryland State Department of Education to assess children ages 3 – 6. Successful completion of this training enables FREE access to this tool for Maryland educators. Educators who complete this training before October 30, 2017 may be eligible to receive a $100 stipend per person to help pay for the training.
  The ELA is based on research-supported Learning Progressions that are aligned to early learning standards. Formative assessment using the ELA is intended to be a ongoing process through which early childhood teachers collect and use assessment information to tailor instruction to the individual needs of each child. This training focuses on formative assessment, observation, and use of the ELA tool.

Featured Training

Making a Difference for Young Children: Public Policy Advocacy.

Advocacy Training Flyer

How can early childhood education professionals educate policymakers about the importance of child and youth care services? This introductory training will define advocacy and identify key considerations for child care professionals in communicating effectively with policymakers to advocate for children. Participants will identify their own skills and determine how these skills align with advocacy strategies.  Approval Number CKI-155685.

For more information, contact Stephanie at schaefer.research at gmail.com or 240-441-3280.

What early childhood providers are saying about this training

When Stephanie offered this advocacy training to family child care providers and child care center staff in September 2017, the participants’ responses to a survey about the training were unanimously positive.  100% of survey respondents who took the training (17 people) said that the instructor was ‘definitely effective’ in teaching this class.  (read more in the Advocacy Training Evaluation Summary.)

Their comments on Stephanie as an instructor:

• Very knowledgeable and professional.
• Stephanie is so motivated, enthusiastic person.  She brings so good materials. Thanks!
• The presenter was great.  She explained very well. 
• Super!
• She has lots of important information. 

Additional Places Stephanie Trains

From time to time, Stephanie also provides trainings on behalf of these MSDE-approved training organizations.

• Family Services, Inc.
• Silver Spring Day School Training Institute
• Montgomery County Child Care Resource & Referral Center

Stephanie also has provided trainings for local programs and organizations, including the Montgomery County Organization of Child Care Directors (OCCD), and the Forcey Christian School.

Additional Training Resources