How to Connect with Young Children on Virtual Platforms

Oct

15

October 15, 1:00 pm

After the device and wifi, it still comes down to our engaging practices and the quality of the relationships we build.

Description

This workshop will focus on developing on-line rituals and strategies that help children feel engaged and “seen,” and ways to strengthen relationships with families, and with and between children. COVID-19 has interrupted educational routines, rituals, and crucially, in-person relationships. On-line teaching has been especially challenging in terms of engaging young children who learn experientially, and usually, in close physical proximity to others. Virtual teaching is complicated by a digital divide that leaves many families – like ones in the MEP student cohorts – without adequate access. Due to the pandemic, many best practices are not in our control, however our flexibility, welcoming rituals, engaging practices, and optimistic closures can surprisingly mitigate barriers and allow us to reach across the screen and connect with each child.

The content in this presentation is geared towards serving the migrant populations in New York State as defined under Title I, Part C and the approved State Service Delivery Plan, and may NOT be appropriate to all situations.

Objectives/Learning Targets

Strengthening Relationships across – and despite – digital platform connections
Imbedding a positive identity, anti-racist lens into all content
Building a toolbox of strategies for gaining and sustaining young children’s attention
Covering academic content through engaging practices

Presented/Developed by

Ellen Leopold, M.ED., Children’s Institute

About the Presenter

Ellen Leopold, M.Ed., has been a Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health Consultant at Children’s Institute since 2005, where she has consulted with Rochester, NY, elementary schools, preschools, childcare centers, parents, and grandparents on ways to support young children’s learning, and social and emotional growth. In 2015, Ellen was selected as a Pyramid Model Master Cadre Trainer and Coach by New York State. She developed the social and emotional content on the NYS-MEP website. Ellen is thrilled to be partnering with the MEP team again on their mission – which is so critical to the education, care, and welfare of NYS children and families.

Special Instructions

Please print the first handout below, which is the PowerPoint notes copy of the presentation for use during the workshop. You can save the others for reference.

Workshop Follow Up

Thank you for your interest in the October 15, 2020 workshop, How to Connect with Young Children on Virtual Platforms. Ellen Leopold and Caitlin Orbanek from the Children’s Institute sent some workshop follow up information for you. Below please find lyrics for the weather songs Ellen shared, and the links Caitlin shared in the chat box for both the morning and afternoon sessions.

In addition, we have added an attachment below with the sample question cards, shared by Linda (Mid-Hudson METS) during the morning session.

Resource Links from the chat box: