Upcoming Events

Five Things Every Early Childhood Teacher Needs to Know Before Monday

Date: 2026-12-15 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
What are the five ideas that can immediately improve your teaching—starting the
very next day? This practical, engaging workshop focuses on the essential
principles that every early childhood educator needs to understand in order to
create calmer classrooms, stronger relationships, and more meaningful learning.
Together, we'll explore why behavior is communication, how child development
shapes expectations, the powerful influence adults have on children's behavior,
the importance of building relationships before correcting behavior, and how to
replace punishment with guidance that teaches lifelong skills. Participants will
leave with practical strategies they can begin using on Monday morning to
support children's social-emotional development while creating classrooms
where both children and teachers can thrive.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Making Inclusion Meaningful for All Children

Date: 2026-12-14 | Time: 6:30 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
This training focuses on creating and sustaining high-quality inclusive learning
environments that support the participation, engagement, and success of all
children. Participants will explore evidence-based practices that promote
belonging, individualized support, positive interactions, and meaningful access to
learning opportunities for children with diverse abilities, backgrounds, and needs.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Courtney Hatcher, Provider Recruitment and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Extending Preschool Children's Thinking, Session 8 - Reflecting on Learning and Planning for the Future

Date: 2026-12-02 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
In this final session, students will reflect on the knowledge and teaching
strategies they have developed throughout the course while considering how to
apply them in their own classrooms. Participants will revisit key concepts -
including high-level questioning, play-based learning, social-emotional
development, documentation, and intentional classroom design - share
successful implementation experiences, and identify goals for continued
professional growth. The session concludes by reinforcing the Pyramid Model as
a framework for supporting children's social-emotional success and encouraging
students to continue creating engaging, child-centered learning environments.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.5 Hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Program for Infant Toddler Care, Module 4 - Culture, Families, and Providers

Date: 2026-11-17 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
This training focuses on culture and its implication for families and providers.
Participants will learn how family experiences, knowledge, and childrearing
beliefs and practices can be incorporated into early care and classroom settings.
Cultural expectations and biases will be explored, and participants will have the
opportunity to increase their cultural awareness in terms of how their
assumptions may affect their family structures, diversity in social, cultural,
linguistic, or religious backgrounds influence family approaches to parenting in
children birth to three, each other, and the community. Participants will gain an
understanding of how relationships among caregivers, infant/toddlers, and
families can impact other child-family, child-practitioner, and practitioner-family
relationships.
Cost
FREE
Duration
3.0 Hours
Trainer
Jamie Nichols, Infant and Toddler Child Care Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Centers, Session 4 - Staff Recruitment and Retention

Date: 2026-11-12 | Time: 6:30 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
The Strengthening Business Practices for Centers training addresses basic
concepts in fiscal and operational management of child care programs. The
purpose of this training is to strengthen childcare provider’s foundational
knowlede of fiscal terms, concepts, and practices. It encourages providers to
realize the importance of fiscal planning to the sustainability of their business
operations. It provides tips and best practices in fiscal, organizational, and
financial goals and human resource documents in order to help break down the
fiscal processes into manageable steps.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Courtney Hatcher, Provider Recruitment and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Extending Preschool Children's Thinking, Session - 7 Making Children's Learning Visible

Date: 2026-11-11 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
In this session, students will explore strategies for extending children's thinking
through multiday explorations, creating inclusive learning environments, and
documenting meaningful learning experiences. Participants will examine ways to
foster diversity and belonging in the classroom, design purposeful classroom
displays that reflect children's interests and learning, and use documentation to
capture growth, inquiry, and development. Through discussion and practical
activities, students will learn how intentional documentation can strengthen
teaching, engage families, and celebrate children's learning journeys.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.5 Hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Turning Chaos Into Calm: Finding the Starting Point

Date: 2026-11-10 | Time: 11:30 am | Location: Zoom
Description
We’ve all walked into classrooms where it feels like everything is happening at
once. Children are dysregulated, transitions are difficult, staff are overwhelmed,
and it’s hard to know where to begin. This training is designed to help
participants slow down, identify what is truly contributing to the chaos, and create
a realistic plan for bringing order back into the classroom.
Cost
FREE
Duration
1.5 hours
Trainer
Lisa Dole, Mental Health Consultant and Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
American Heart Association CPR

Date: 2026-11-07 | Time: 9:00 am | Location: Rend Lake College Marketplace, Room 222, Mt. Vernon, IL

Description
This basic face to face training will certify participants in American Heart
Association CPR and meets both Illinois Child Care Licensing and Health and
Safety requirements for the Child Care Assistance program.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.5 Hours
Trainer
Chris Laskowski, Certified Trainer
Target Audience
Other Details
American Heart Association - First Aid

Date: 2026-11-07 | Time: 12:00 pm | Location: Rend Lake College Marketplace, Room 222, Mt. Vernon, IL

Description
This basic face to face training will certify participants in American Heart
Association First Aid and meets both Illinois Child Care Licensing and Health and
Safety requirements for the Child Care Assistance program. This training does
meet the requirements for the Anaphylactic Shock training.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Chris Laskowski, Certified Trainer
Target Audience
Other Details
Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Centers, Session 4 - Staff Recruitment and Retention

Date: 2026-11-05 | Time: 6:30 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
The Strengthening Business Practices for Centers training addresses basic
concepts in fiscal and operational management of child care programs. The
purpose of this training is to strengthen childcare provider’s foundational
knowlede of fiscal terms, concepts, and practices. It encourages providers to
realize the importance of fiscal planning to the sustainability of their business
operations. It provides tips and best practices in fiscal, organizational, and
financial goals and human resource documents in order to help break down the
fiscal processes into manageable steps.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Courtney Hatcher, Provider Recruitment and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Extending Preschool Children's Thinking, Session 6 - Supporting Emotional Development Through Intentional Thinking

Date: 2026-11-04 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
In this session, students will explore practical strategies for supporting young
children's social-emotional development while creating engaging, inquiry-based
learning experiences. Participants will examine the stages of emotional
development, evidence-based practices for teaching emotional regulation, and
the Pyramid Model for fostering positive behavior. The session also introduces
long-term studies and the intentional use of featured materials to spark children's
curiosity, deepen investigations, and encourage higher-order thinking through
meaningful questions and play-based exploration.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.5 Hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Program for Infant and Toddler Care, Module 4 - Culture, Families, and Providers

Date: 2026-11-03 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
This training focuses on culture and its implication for families and providers.
Participants will learn how family experiences, knowledge, and childrearing
beliefs and practices can be incorporated into early care and classroom settings.
Cultural expectations and biases will be explored, and participants will have the
opportunity to increase their cultural awareness in terms of how their
assumptions may affect their family structures, diversity in social, cultural,
linguistic, or religious backgrounds influence family approaches to parenting in
children birth to three, each other, and the community. Participants will gain an
understanding of how relationships among caregivers, infant/toddlers, and
families can impact other child-family, child-practitioner, and practitioner-family
relationships.
Cost
FREE
Duration
3.0 Hours
Trainer
Jamie Nichols, Infant and Toddler Child Care Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
The Power of Play: Teaching Young Children Through Meaningful Play

Date: 2026-10-28 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
Play is far more than fun—it is the primary way young children learn. In this
engaging training, participants will explore the research behind why play is
essential for healthy development and discover how skilled teachers can support
and extend children's learning as it naturally unfolds through play. Participants

will examine the connection between play and cognitive, language, social-
emotional, and physical development while learning practical strategies for

observing, interacting, asking meaningful questions, introducing new vocabulary,
and thoughtfully scaffolding learning without interrupting children's curiosity or
ownership of their play. Whether in dramatic play, blocks, art, sensory
experiences, or outdoor exploration, teachers will leave with new ideas for

creating environments and interactions that foster curiosity, creativity, problem-
solving, and joyful learning.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Strengthening Business Practices for Child Care Centers, Session 3-Marketing Your Child Care Program, Session 4 - Staff Recruitment and Retention

Date: 2026-10-22 | Time: 6:30 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
The Strengthening Business Practices for Centers training addresses basic
concepts in fiscal and operational management of child care programs. The
purpose of this training is to strengthen childcare provider’s foundational
knowlede of fiscal terms, concepts, and practices. It encourages providers to
realize the importance of fiscal planning to the sustainability of their business
operations. It provides tips and best practices in fiscal, organizational, and
financial goals and human resource documents in order to help break down the
fiscal processes into manageable steps.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.0 hours
Trainer
Courtney Hatcher, Provider Recruitment and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Extending Preschool Children's Thinking, Session 5 - Active Learning Through Movement, Nature, and Everyday Routines

Date: 2026-10-21 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
In this session, students will examine how physical activity, outdoor learning, and
mealtimes contribute to preschool children's overall development and critical
thinking. Participants will explore the importance of gross motor development, the
benefits of outdoor play beyond the traditional playground, and strategies for
creating meaningful learning experiences during everyday routines such as
meals. Throughout the session, students will practice designing intentional
questions based on Bloom's Taxonomy to extend children's thinking during
movement, nature exploration, and family-style dining experiences.
Cost
FREE
Duration
2.5 Hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Program for Infant Toddler Care, Module 3: Learning and Development

Date: 2026-10-20 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
This session explores brain development, early learning and language
development, and appropriate curriculum planning for infants and toddlers.
PITC’s view of infants as active, self-motivated learners is explained and the role
of the caregiver in supporting infants’ desire for exploration is considered. The
perspective that is presented can be summed up in the following way: “All
children are born wired for feelings and ready to learn” when provided nurturing
relationships and a peaceful but engaging environment that supports all learners,
including infants with special needs. Engaging discussion and activities support
participants learning.
Cost
FREE
Duration
3.0 Hours
Trainer
Jamie Nichols, Infant and Toddler Child Care Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details
Social-Emotional Development and Positive Behavior Outcomes, Part 2

Date: 2026-10-19 | Time: 6:00 pm | Location: Zoom
Description
When it comes to behaviors, it’s all about social-emotional development. During
this training, we will reflect on developmentally appropriate social and emotional
techniques, how they impact and reinforce positive attachment relationships, and
how they lead to changes in behavior. Caregiving relationships will be shown to
support emotional regulation and social skills by modeling and encouraging
positive behaviors in young children. By using visuals, group discussions, and
case studies, you will be able to support meaningful social and emotional growth
within your child care program. Through examing your own beliefs, reflecting on
various theoretical perspectives, and considering the realities of child care
programs, we will share tools that support culturally relevant ways to implement
social and emotional learning.
Cost
FREE
Duration
3.25 hours
Trainer
Paula Schicker-Johnson, Provider Services Coordinator and Quality Specialist
Target Audience
Other Details