Education Coordinators are involved in providing daily training and technical assistance.

COORDINATING TRAINING
ACTIVITIES

If training or technical assistance is being provided by a consultant, coordination before, during, and after the training event will enhance its success. This may involve identifying specific objectives for the training session, finding the consultant and negotiating a contract, preparing both the trainer and the trainees, handling logistics, participating in the training itself, conducting follow-up events, and tracking all training events. A good deal of thought and attention to details is required to ensure that training is effective and on target.

HIRING CONSULTANTS

If an Education Coordinator does not know, or has not used, the services of a particular consultant before, it is wise to talk with other programs where the consultant has worked. Credentials alone do not ensure that an individual can train well and be responsive to the needs of the local program.

The Education Coordinator will want to identify and contact training consultants several months before a training session is scheduled. There are several issues to be clarified as early as possible:

A consultant agreement should be sent as a follow-up to this discussion to formalize the terms of the contract. The Resource Papers contain a sample consultant agreement that can be adapted (VII-l 1).

PREPARING THE CONSULTANT

Consultants should be given an opportunity to learn about the program itself, the needs to be addressed, and the participants who will attend the session. In this way, they can focus their skills and expertise on meeting specific program needs and can select training approaches that are likely to be well received and successful.

Information that should be communicated to trainers can include:

Take the time to answer any questions the trainer has and to discuss plans for the training; such time is well spent. The more clarity there is about what is expected and needed, the more likely that the training will be appropriate and helpful.

PREPARING TRAINEES

Some attention should also be given to preparing the participants who will attend the session. Here again, clear communication is important to ensure that participants show up for training on time and well-prepared. Information that would be helpful to trainees may include:
 verification of enrollment in training (who will attend);

The last suggestion can greatly enhance participation in a training session. For example, if the session is on room arrangement, participants might be asked to draw a floor plan of their room and bring it to the session to be analyzed as part of the training. If the training will be on supportive guidance, the staff might be asked to bring specific examples of children whose behavior is particularly challenging.

PLANNING LOGISTICS

Materials needed and the environment itself should be considered in advance. If the training will take place in a location unfamiliar to the Education Coordinator, a visit to the site is important to determine the number of people the room can accommodate and to check lighting conditions, accessibility of rest rooms, etc. Reserve the space, if necessary.

Materials and equipment like those listed below should be ordered or reserved in advance:

Other logistics might include ensuring that staff and parents have transportation to and from the training site, and that there are contingency plans for bad weather.

THE TRAINING EVENT

The day of the training, the Education Coordinator will want to go to the training site early to prepare the environment and meet with the trainer. Attention to the following is important:

A brief meeting with the trainer before the session will enable the Education Coordinator to: The Education Coordinator's presence at the training session sends an important message to staff and parents who are participating. It validates the importance of the training, lets participants know that their attendance and involvement is being noted, and ensures that everyone receives the same information. If the trainer needs support because a particular approach isn't eliciting a response or the suggestions are inappropriate for Head Start, the Education Coordinator, knowing the participants and understanding Head Start requirements, can pose a question or provide guidance that will enhance the training. When consultants reinforce what the Education Coordinator has been saying to staff, the workshop provides a forum for further defining and validating beliefs and approaches that underlie the Education Component's services.

At the end of the session, evaluation instruments should be distributed, completed, and collected. Any other forms, such as attendance sheets and expense forms, should be collected as well.

Attendance sheets are important for tracking implementation of the training plan. Evaluation forms, including those completed by participants as well as by the trainer, provide important information on how well the training was received, what worked, and what didn't. This information can be used in planning future training activities. Sample evaluation forms appear in the Resource Papers (VII-12-15).

FOLLOW-UP

Follow-up is important for two reasons: to determine whether the information and skills gained during a training session are actually used on the job, and to reinforce and support learning.

The effect of the training can be evaluated by sending a questionnaire to the participants or by observing staff
members on the job to determine whether they are applying what they have learned. Feedback on these observations can be helpful to the staff member and afford another opportunity to reinforce concepts and skills.
Education Coordinators can support the application of new skills and knowledge by:

CONDUCTING TRAINING

Many Education Coordinators conduct training sessions for education staff and sometimes for staff from other programs. The latter is an excellent way for programs to pool resources and share expertise.

Although it is often refreshing to bring in an outside consultant with a new viewpoint and approach, there are advantages to having training conducted by the Education Coordinator. No one knows the Education Component and the staff better than the Education Coordinator. Therefore, the training offered is likely to be appropriate, specifically designed to meet identified needs, and to build on individual strengths of the staff involved.

Many of the steps involved in planning for a consultant also apply to training conducted by the Education Coordinator. Specifically, Education Coordinators will want to clarify what needs are to be addressed, the objectives of the training session, who will attend the session, how participants should prepare for training, and the logistics of the session itself. The Education Coordinator also will want to consider how adults in Head Start learn best, how to present the content, and what training strategies to use.

ADULT LEARNERS

Most Education Coordinators have participated in and led numerous Head Start training sessions. They have identified characteristics that seem to be common to many adult learners. In planning training sessions, many trainers have found it useful to remember that participants often learn best when they:

These insights into how learning can be enhanced challenge the trainer to design workshops that are well organized and that foster interaction. Trainers may consider using these techniques. Training is more relevant if concepts, principles, and strategies are applied to real situations. Good communication is an important aspect of effective training. For example, a trainer who states, "What I hear you saying is that Shawn's continual tantrums are disrupting the entire group and requiring a good deal of your time," may be rephrasing what a participant has shared to clarify, the concern before going on to discuss the problem and some solutions. Some techniques for effective delivery of training can be found in the Resource Papers (VII- 16).

Trainers each develop their own style of presentation and know which methods work well and which are less successful. A trainer who is uncomfortable with role plays will convey this uneasiness to participants and perhaps should use a different approach to present the same content. Good trainers recognize their strengths, preferences, and unique style.

PROVIDING RESOURCES

Resources may include written and audiovisual materials that define and extend the curriculum and the program's philosophy and expand on teaching strategies and other topics of interest to Head Start staff, such as communication, teamwork, or parent involvement. In Head Start, where the staff develops and/or adapts a curriculum that is appropriate for the children and families served, resource materials are valuable and provide ideas and guidance.

A resource center and a program newsletter are two vehicles for providing resources.

RESOURCE CENTERS

A resource center can hold books, journals, and multimedia materials relevant to the program. Staff should be asked to provide information on what should go in the resource center and what items are most useful. A resource center may be a simple shelf in the Education Coordinator's office or an entire room, replete with book cases, projectors, videotape players, and other equipment. In either case, it is a specific and central place known to all, where certain materials are located.

A resource center can serve three major purposes.

Resource centers include items such as curriculum materials, books, materials made by the staff or parents, tapes, or films. Thoughtful selection of resources is crucial if the center is to serve as a support for staff and parents. Consideration should be given to selecting resources that are most likely to be used. It is also important for staff and parents to understand how to use the materials.

To stimulate interest in the resource center, Education Coordinators might try one of the following ideas.

NEWSLETTERS

A newsletter contains news or information circulated at regular intervals to program staff and/or parents. The newsletter does not need to be a formal document with a logo, headlines, or extensive artwork. In fact, everyone will be more likely to read a newsletter if the paragraphs are brief and articles are separated by plenty of white space.

The newsletter can serve several functions. Although its primary purpose is to share information, it can also serve as an effective training strategy if it is used to:

ONGOING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

As noted throughout this Guide, Education Coordinators incorporate training and technical assistance into most of the activities involved in leading the Education Component. On-site visits are especially useful for assessing needs, providing feedback, and offering assistance and resources. Examples of how Education Coordinators can take advantage of these opportunities are given in each chapter as they apply to all aspects of the role being described.

Perhaps one of the most supportive and effective training strategies is the Education Coordinator's readiness to sit with the staff at a staff meeting or an impromptu session at a center to help a group articulate a problem and develop possible solutions. Serving as a sounding board, the Education Coordinator can ask questions to help the staff identify what is happening, why it is troubling, how they have attempted to deal with the situation, what the results have been, and what other strategies might be tried. The results of this process help clarify the real issues, provide creative strategies to deal with the problems, and, perhaps most important, let the staff know that they can depend on the Education Coordinator's support.

As an example, suppose a group of teachers is frustrated by the epidemic of inappropriate words used by their four-year-olds. The Education Coordinator might pose the following questions to help them think through the problem and arrive at possible solutions.

In addition to guiding the problem-solving session, Education Coordinators can share their own experiences and explain what worked and didn't work for them. On some topics, an Education Coordinator might not have a solution or specific guidance to offer. It is appropriate in these circumstances to promise to do some research and return to discuss the topic within a short time. Perhaps a consultant, another staff member, or a book may be found to help everyone learn together.

The Resource Papers (VII-17-18) include an excerpt from a pamphlet that describes a process for the staff to use in solving children's behavioral challenges and ar riving at possible teaching strategies.

PROMOTING PROFESSIONALISM AND
RECOGNIZING ACHIEVEMENT

Helping staff meet their professional goals is part of the Education Coordinator's role. To accomplish this, Education Coordinators often find themselves acting as a part-time coach, encouraging staff to identify and pursue goals; a part-time advisor, assessing options and offering suggestions and choices; a part-time counselor, allaying fears and offering encouragement; and a part- time advocate, identifying career opportunities and securing funding or other resource. The process for fostering professional development must be individualized and is most effective if carried out on a one-to-one basis that emphasizes the staff member's personal responsibility for defining professional goals.

FOSTERING CAREER ADVANCEMENT

The CDA Credentialing System offers career development opportunities for staff. In fact, the sixth CDA competency goal is based on the commitment to professionalism. Demonstrating the competency entails "seeking out and taking advantage of opportunities to improve his or her competence, both for professional growth and for the benefit of children and families." (CDA Competency Goal VI.)

Teachers, home visitors, and Education Coordinators demonstrate professionalism by:

Avenues Education Coordinators can use to foster career advancement include: DEMONSTRATING COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

Education Coordinators should not forget their own needs for career development. By attending conferences and seminars, enrolling in courses, seeking advice from others, and keeping up with developments in the field (as discussed in Chapter II), Education Coordinators demonstrate to the staff that professional growth is an ongoing commitment.


IMPLEMENTING TRAINING FOR PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS

All coordinators share the responsibility for providing training for parents, but the Parent Involvement Coordinator generally assumes the lead responsibility for planning and coordinating this training. Training for volunteers may be conducted by any coordinator or a staff member. If the volunteers will be working in the classroom, their training is the responsibility of the education staff or the Education Coordinator.

As in all training activities, the more they involve representatives from each group-staff, parents, and volunteers-the more enriching they become and the more everyone benefits.

TRAINING FOR PARENTS

Specific training requirements for parents are listed under the Education Component in the Performance Standards. Many of the topics are also required for staff training. Specifically, Education Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that training is provided in these areas.

1304.2-2(e)

(2) activities that can be used in the home to reinforce the learning and development of their children in the center;

(3) the observation and development of their children in the home environment and identification and handling of special developmental needs;

(5) child development and behavioral developmental problems of preschool children.

SHOULD PARENTS AND STAFF PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING TOGETHER?

There are many benefits of offering joint training to parents and staff. Each group views child development from its own perspective and can enrich the training sessions by sharing experiences and knowledge. When parents and staff participate in training together learning in both groups is enhanced.

However, not all topics are appropriate for joint training sessions. For example, if a training session addresses behavior problems exploring specific case examples, it would be best to hold the discussion as a part of a staff meeting.
 

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PARENT
TRAINING?

Education Coordinators are not responsible for providing all training for parents. Parents will participate in training sessions offered by other components on topics such as health and nutrition and participating in the self-assessment and the Policy Council/Committee. In these workshops, the Education Coordinator may be asked to participate or to help lead a session.

Because the education staff often develops strong ties with parents, especially in programs where children are brought to the center and picked up by their parents each day, one of the best strategies for offering parent training is to support the staff in working with parents. Teachers and home visitors are in the best position to integrate training into the everyday interactions with parents. For example, one of the best opportunities for training parents is to involve them in planning program activities and to include them as volunteers in the classroom. Many practical ideas for training parents are described in Chapter IV, under "Involving Parents in the Daily Program." Other opportunities are described below.

Center committee meetings provide an excellent opportunity for the education staff to work with other component coordinators to plan parent training sessions. Activities or discussion topics such as the following might be offered.

Workshops for parents can be planned and jointly sponsored by several centers that are in close proximity to each other. Based on informal assessment of parent's interests, workshops can be offered periodically during the program year.

Training for parents on how to use home visits is often neglected but potentially very powerful. Teachers and home visitors receive training on how to conduct a home visit, but most programs fail to prepare parents to make the most of this opportunity. A training session for parents, perhaps conducted jointly with the Parent Involvement Coordinator, could be offered early in the program year, perhaps as part of parent orientation to the program.

Parent education courses require a lengthy time commitment but offer an excellent opportunity for parents and staff to develop both parenting skills and mutual support networks. The Parent Involvement Coordinator would assume major responsibility for arranging and conducting the sessions, sometimes jointly with someone from the education staff. A teacher or a parent who has completed the course is often asked to lead the sessions. Packaged materials may be available from the regional office.

TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS

Head Start volunteers are very important to the program because they can provide individual attention to children and administrative support to the program. Volunteers can perform such activities as supervising individual and small group learning activities, overseeing outside play, reading stories, or just talking to the children. Volunteers are also valuable classroom resources who can share expertise or experiences with the children. Finally, volunteers can enhance the effectiveness of the staff. For example, a psychologist can provide advice on supportive discipline and a former librarian can help organize books and resources.

Head Start volunteers have a wide range of backgrounds and include community members, current and former Head Start parents; foster grandparents; retired senior program members; and college, university, or high school students. They bring to the program differences in age, experience, educational level, motivational level, culture, and reasons for working with Head Start. Because of this variety, volunteers are at different levels professionally, educationally, personally, and attitudinally and have different training needs. However, all volunteers should receive an orientation to the program, its philosophy, its goals, and their role in it.

Because volunteers have a unique role within the Education Program, they also deserve some special attention during their orientation period. The following ideas might be useful in planning an orientation for volunteers.

· Classroom Observation. Invite potential volunteers to observe a Head Start program for several hours or to come back once or twice to observe various parts of the day in order to decide whether or not they would enjoy being a classroom volunteer.

· Child Development. Give a brief orientation on child development using films, filmstrips, and other re sources. Volunteers need to understand the develop mental needs of the children with whom they will be working.

· A Typical Day. Give volunteers training on a typical day in the Head Start program so they understand what to expect, the purpose for each activity, and the daily schedule.

· Discipline. Provide training on positive discipline and how and why Head Start staff disciplines young children. Give them materials to browse through as well.

· Individual Interests. Ask volunteers to fill out a volunteer interest inventory sheet. Volunteers who are involved in activities they are interested in will be of great value to the program.

· Conunitment. Ask volunteers to fill out and sign a statement of commitment. This procedure enhances the chances that volunteers will be dependable. It is like signing a contract and reaffirms to volunteers what their roles and responsibilities are and that they are valued by Head Start.

Once volunteers have started working in the program, they should be included in other in-service training events if the content is relevant to their role. The more they are made to feel a part of the program, the more they will give.


STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL TRAINING

 

RESOURCES

DEVELOPING THE EDUCATION COMPONENT TRAINING PLAN

McDaniel, Donna. A Guide For Training. Community Development Institute, 15 West 10th, Suite 1101, Kansas City, MO 64105.

This manual describes the successful system for planning and implementing training and technical assistance developed by the Community Development Institute. A description of the system is accompanied by forms to use in conducting individual needs assessments, developing the local Head Start T/TA Plan, identifying resources, and evaluating the training.

Riley, Mary T.; Flores, Alfredo; and Tucker, Janie. PATHS: Providing Appropriate Training in Head Start: A Grantee Guide. The Texas Tech Press, Lubbock, TX.

This manual begins by defining the universe of Head Start trainees and then offers guidelines for designing and providing training for each target audience. It includes information on using program and staff assessments to determine training needs and explains how to develop a training plan. Specific suggestions on how to design training for rural, mid-size, and metro area programs are included.

IMPLEMENTING STAFF TRAINING

Davis, Larry N. Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Workshops. learning Concepts, 2501 N. Lamar, Austin TX 78705. 1974. $12.95-includes manual and "workshop staff packet."

This book is practical aid for part-time adult educators new to the field, as well as those whose training is in adult education. The book includes suggestions, forms, examples, and most importantly, rationale for planning workshops for adults. Topics covered include: needs assessment, writing competency-based learning objectives, selecting resources, designing learning methods, budgeting, making arrangements, and evaluating training. It includes a bibliography as well as a special section for administrators about staff development.

Exchange Press, Inc. Beginnings. Beginnings, P.O. Box 2890, Redmond, WA 98052. $20.00 for a four-issue annual subscription.

This magazine for teachers of young children focuses on the learning environment, combining current research and proven methods. A different topic is explored in depth each issue-a collection of viewpoints, resources, experiences, and ideas.

Orientation Packet for Head Start Staff, Parents, and Volunteers. Child Development Training Program, Department of Child Development, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. 1983.

This packet is a comprehensive resource of materials to introduce the reader to Head Start's way of working with young children and their families. Chapters include articles, booklets, tip sheets, checklists, and other materials about teaching and interacting with children and adults.

Training, the Magazine of Human Resource Development. Lakewood Publications, 731 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403. (800) 328-4329. $36.00/year; $54.00/2 years, $63.00/3 years.

This monthly publication covers presentation skills, motivational techniques, developing trends, technological advances, and available resources to help trainers be more productive.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A Guide for Operating a Home-Based Child Development Program, "Chapter 6: Training." Washington, DC: GPO (DHHS Publication No. (OHDS) 85-31080), 1985. For copies, contact: Publications, The Head Start Bureau, P.O. Box 1182, Washington, DC 20013. Free

This chapter serves as a guide for providing staff and parent training in the home-based option.

IMPLEMENTING TRAINING FOR PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS

Copeland, Margaret L. How to Design and Implement a Substitute Teacher Training Program for Head Start Parents. Rider College, Box 6400, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.

This book gives the reader some guidelines on how to develop and implement a substitute teacher program for Head Start parents. It gives a step-by-step procedure that includes a program needs assessment, a sales campaign, a 60-hour training program, substitute employment procedures, and more.
 
 
 
 Head Start National Library Collection | BMCC Home