CareLinkRDC Training

all Biddeford classes are held at St Louis Child Care 229 Pool St unless otherwise noted.

****Please note that registration for online training must be completed 2 weeks prior to beginning date of course****

Please call or email Staci Fenderson, CareLink Receptionist, with any questions or comments.

Online Courses are offered using a software called “Moodle.” The way the course works is after you have registered, your name is sent to the course administrator, who enters your name and email address as a course participant. She will also create a “key” that you will use to grant you access to the course. You will go to the site (all specifics will be provided after you sign up) and register inventing a password for yourself.

The course when opened will give you specific directions about the assignments. The assignments may require you to look for something online, read a resource that has been mailed to you, read a document that is linked to the site (you click on the icon for these), or write. When you write you will either write in the online journal that can be read only by you and the instructor or you will be instructed to email your assignment to the instructor. You will get the assignments back with comments, (journal assignment feedback can be read in your journal). This work can be done at any time you choose. When you have completed all the modules, the instructor will mail you a certificate. The course will last a few weeks longer than the number of modules in the course. So a 18 hour course will have 6 module and will last 6-9 weeks. Specific closing dates will be emailed to you by the instructor. It is best to keep up with the assignments. People who get behind (not completing a module a week), often don’t complete as it gets overwhelming. There may also be times when you can “chat” with other participants and the instructor on the site. And there will be questions and comments posted as threads that you may be asked or invited to respond to. The course will require approximately as many hours of work as you will get credit for. So an 18 hour course will actually take approximately 18 hours of work to complete.

Ask yourself if online courses are for you. You must be able to organize yourself and manage your own time. You must be a self starter. You must be somewhat comfortable with your computer. You have to be able to open PDF files, navigate using a browser, attach documents and open attachments, & send emails. You also have to have a reliable internet connection and computer available on a consistent basis.

If you have other questions call or email: Michael Sandberg - 324-0735 x112 or michael@carelinkrdc.com.

Course Name	Course Description
The Amazing 3 Hour Puppet	Make a "muppet" type full body girl puppet in just 3 hours! Come join the fun and bring home a new friend! Some simple sewing required. Bring a sewing needle or your own sewing machine. An additional $20.00 materials fee payable at class time. Space limited to the first 10 people. Don't miss this opportunity!
Building Collaborative Relationships with Families	This training is the first module of a new curriculum developed by zero to three called, "Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect." We will be offering other sections throughout the year. The focus of this module is on communication and self awareness; being aware of your own assumptions and trying to become more aware of those of the parents, as well as increasing your communcation skills.
Building Peaceable, Nonviolent Early Childhood Settings*	This training used to be called "Building Peaceable Classrooms," but since it isn't really limited to use in classrooms it was decided to rename it. Many of us have children in our care, who may have witnessed violence (first hand or through the media); we may also have children who can themselves become violent with each other or maybe even with us! This workshop looks at the impact of violence on children and explores ways to guide children toward feeling and being more nonviolent and peaceful. Be sure to come with situations, you'd like to discuss!
Caring for Infants Toddlers and their Families*	Working with infants and toddlers takes a very special kind of person. One of the field's big wigs has even coined a special term, educarer, to refer to those who work with these ages. You have to focus on forming nurturing relationships as well as finding ways to stimulate the imaginations and interests of a group that might include wildly different individuals. Children this age change so fast! One day they are barely moving and the next they are walking and reaching to new heights! Special consideration has to be given to how to provide safe, healthy and, yet, stimulating environments. At the same time, parents expect to be more involved in making decisions for their children when they are this young. Come explore guidelines and practices that will help you provide quality care for this age group.
Caring for the Abuse Affected Child*	Many children today are affected by abuse. They might be abused themselves or they might be in homes where abuse is occurring. Come learn how to recognize when different types of abuse might be happening, where you might send people for help, and how you might work directly to help both the child and the family. This training will be offered by four specialists; one from a child care background, one involved with substance abuse treatment, one experienced in domestic violence, and a representative from the department of human services. The breadth of experience represented and the interplay between the different ways of looking at situations, makes this training uniquely valuable.
Child Transportation Safety Course	This is the course required of providers who hope to regularly (more than once a month) transport children. It will give you a thorough grounding in issues of car seat safety and, if you bring your vehicle and car seats, there will be a chance to do some hands on practice installing them correctly. There is more to learn than you might expect. Come and help children travel more safely!
Curriculum & Development for the Preschool Aged Child-Center Based*	This course is designed to help people who work with preschoolers in larger groups, think about some of the issues specific to this style of work. Attention will be paid to building cooperative teaching teams , designing appropriate, safe, healthy, learning environments, scheduling, building partnerships with parents, and managing larger groups constructively.
Curriculum & Development for the Preschool Aged Child-Common Core*	No matter what setting you work in, if you work with preschool aged children, there are some issues that are the same. Even though they are all individuals, preschoolers follow a predictable pattern of development. They learn in similar ways and require us to become experts in some specific skills. This course will explore these commonalities and help us all become better at planning, developing and implementing curriculum to better meet their learning needs; cognitive, social, and emotional.
Ecohealthy Child Care	A relatively new national program is being introduced to Maine! This program will make you more aware of the environmental risks to children in a child care setting The goal is to limit children's exposure to toxins and to make our child care environments healthier and more green. Not only will you receive information; some of it quite surprising about health risks, but you will also be introduced to a national certification program in which you can participate if you so choose. Your facility could be certified ecohealthy; and it's name can be posted on the organizations web siyte as a certified program!
Fostering the Social and Emotional Development and Competence of Young Children*	This is a MRTQ core knowledge course. It focuses on helping children develop social skills and self confidence. We are not just talking about the children who fit in well, but also those with "difficult" behaviors. In fact, this course was developed to provide an in depth look at why children act out and how we can intervene and work preventively to diminish a child's social difficulties. We are trying to increase their social and emotional intelligence!
Foundations of Health, Wellness, and Safety	This course will look in greater depth at issues related to the safety, wellness and health of young children Time will be spent focusing on nutrition education, managing environmental hazards, using personal care routines to keep children healthy, and accommodating to the needs of children with chronic conditions. People who attended the pilot were amazed at how much they learned.
An Information Session of the Quality Rating System and other State Initiatives	Many of you have voiced confusion about the initiatives being rolled out in the state. During this session, I will attempt to describe what each is and how it will be working for at least the foreseeable future. So if you are confused by the letters regarding the Quality Rating System, the Infant Toddler Credential, the MRTQ registry, the voucher system and the Quality Certificates, come and bring any questions you have. Credit will be given for two hours of training.
Introduction to Early Childhood Education*	Ever wonder about where all those terms, theories, and concepts about children and child care come from? Did you know that Child Care has been around since the mid sixteen hundreds? Learn about the history of the field and the perspectives of some of the field's movers and shakers. Child care really is a profession!
Introduction to Infant Mental Health*	Infant mental health is an inter-disciplinary field concerned with maximizing the emotional, physical, social and cognitive well-being of zero to five year old children and their caregivers. This course will give an overview of the field while also providing specific information on attachments, temperament, relationship building, use of self, principles of infant mental health practice, assessment, identification and support of family strengths. Anyone who works with young children will find it particularly enlightening and useful.
Introduction to Puppetry	Learn basic puppetry manipulation techniques to enhance storytelling and creative imaginative play in the classroom. Each participate will construct two simple types of puppets to use with their students.Patterns will be provided that children could contruct on their own.
Maine's Early Childhood Learning Guidelines	Maine’s Early Childhood Learning Guidelines have been approved by Maine’s Department of Education and Department of Health & Human Services. They were drafted to describe what young children, 3-5, should learn before they go to kindergarten. Instead of describing what facts children should know, they talk about the skills those children should develop. They can be used as a way of charting progress and/or a tool for designing curriculum. This training introduces you to the tool and has you practice using it. This course involves homework and you will get 6 hours credit for completing it.
Many Eyes, Many Voices; Talking About Difference Through Children's Literature*	This workshop was developed by people working with the Maine Humanities Council. It emerged from their deep commitment to the value of quality children's literature and its potential for helping children and adults discuss important issues. You will be exposed to a large collection of books that can be used for opening conversations about difference as well as learn techniques for building on those literacy experiences. The workshop is best taken after the "Weaving Diversity…" workshop described above. Together, they make a powerful combination that will help participants be more effective in their work with children!
Operating a Family Child Care Business*	This eight part curriculum is designed to develop and improve basic business management skills. Learning activities and take home action steps encourage participants to practice what they learn to improve the bottom line. Some of the topics are: Balancing Work and Family, Tips on Writing Contracts and Policies, Creative Marketing Ideas, Recordkeeping, Increasing Business Profits, and Growing the Business.
Orientation to Center Based Care	This training serves as a basic overview of working in center-based early childhood programs. Topics focus on the role and requirements of the early childhood educator, the needs of young children, the components of quality early childhood programming, and options for pursuing additional training in the field.
Partners in Caring - Families and Caregivers*	We know that building strong, positive relationships with parents is very important. Our reputation in the community depends on it! So does our ability to really meet the needs of children, especially those needing extra supports or services. At the same time, most of us in the child care field have, at one time or another, had difficulties with a parent or parents. This training is designed to help us enhance communication and create the kind of long term relationship that will allow us to work together to benefit the child(ren).
Peaceable Stories*	The Peaceable Stories workshop is an initiative of the Maine Humanities Council’s Born to Read program designed to help preschool educators use books and conversation to introduce children to peaceful co-existence, conflict resolution, and nonviolent communication. We will use a carefully selected set of children’s books to explore ideas with participants about how to use books to nurture empathy, cooperative play and effective communication. All participants receive a set of books and an Activity and Resource Guide.
Supporting Maine's Infants and Toddlers: Guidelines for Learning and Development*	This training module was written and designed to guide providers through the history, creation, and use of this publication, which outlines learning and development from birth to three. The modules focus on orienting providers to the document and on developing understanding regarding its use in a provider’s work with infants and toddlers and their families. During this training, participants will use various tools and strategies to collect evidence of children’s development, and to plan curriculum using Maine’s guidelines for infants and toddlers as a guide.. Participants willncomplete a portfolio/case study of one infant/toddler to practice the ideas being discussed.
Teach my Child How to Read	The ability to read is the gate way to being a lifelong learner! What can we do to motivate and nurture infants, toddlers and preschoolers – prereaders – to develop into proficient and enthusiastic readers?This workshop will examine child development mile stones as well as pre reading and reading skills needed. Participants will create easy to implement activities that provide children the opportunities to develop specific reading skills. A strong emphasis on setting up the environment and developmentally appropriate adult and teacher directed activities will be presented. This workshop is suitable for both family child care providers and center based staff.
Three “P’s” of Providerhood	Let’s look at our child care work with a slightly different perspective. How many words about our profession can you think of that start with “P”? Participants will have ample time to discuss and share with other providers about many aspects of our work that is close to our hearts and minds.
Weaving Diversity into our Work With Children and Families*	This six hour class, usually taken in conjunction with "Many Eyes, Many Voices" (described below) is designed to help us appreciate the importance of valuing diversity. Part of that work is appreciating the ways our personal experiences, upbringing and, in fact, personality can make it hard to understand how others see the world. Another part is translating that understanding into practice, making our care setting accepting of all. This is very exciting and valuable work and I am sure everyone will benefit greatly from attending!

Curry Ander, M.Ed. returned last March from Sicily, Italy and previously Cornwall, England where she was working in the Navy Child Development System as a large Center Director and Training and Curriculum Specialist. Among many other job titles Curry has held, she is now a Research Associate for the University of Maine's Center for Community Inclusion and Disabilities Studies, and has been a private consultant and trainer, an Accreditation Facilitator, and a preschool classroom teacher. Her favorite role has been and still is as a workshop presenter who can learn from the participants who take the time to attend and search for new ideas.

Kate Crowley has her Masters in Early Childhood Education and teaches at Southern Maine Community College and York County CDA. She also is a trainer at the Cromwell Center for Disability Awareness and an information specialist for the Autism Society.

Virginia Dearani is the founder of The Kalila Oon Center for Building Partnerships, that houses Roots & Fruits Cross-Cultural Preschool Program. Kalila Oon means “Beloved One” in Arabic and Gaelic reflecting Virginia’s ancestry and deep connection to diverse global spiritual traditions. Her work includes over ten years of violence prevention and peace education for people of all ages through experiential education, advocacy, and community bridge-building. Through staff development, team-building, and anti-oppression education she has consulted and trained various populations locally, nationally, and internationally.

Pat Delaney has been working to promote inclusionary practices over her 29 years of working in various roles in the early childhood community: child care teacher in a parent/staff cooperative, Head Start Education Supervisor, trainer for the Child & Family Institute, and Developmental Therapist with the Child Development Services of York County. Pat completed her graduate work through the Wheelock College "Teaching Young Children with Special Needs" program. Pat Delaney is currently a Literacy Coach with the Portland Early Literacy Collaborative.

Kim Field has been a family child care provider in the Buxton area for 19 years. Thirteen years ago she started working with Buxton fire and Rescue. Then, nine years ago, she added teaching CPR and First Aid to her other duties. People who have taken her training have found the combination of family child care experience and CPR ? First Aid expertise extremely helpful!

Staci Fortunato is the Statewide coordinator for Maine Safe Kids. They provide car seat safety trainings all over the state and train the technicians who do the local car seat safety checks.

Kathie Harper has been involved in the field of early childhood as a teacher, trainer, and parent for a good part of her personal and professional life. Her teaching experience ranges from working with two year-olds in a preschool setting to working with adults at the university level. Recently she has been working as a children's librarian and has developed some early literacy projects. She has always worked as an advocate for quality care and programming for children and the adults who work with them. Her own two children are now college age and Kathie is adjusting to the empty nest. She enjoys gardening and has just started a new career as a writer.

Sue Henri-MacKenzie is a single parent of 3 children with special strengths and needs. She has a BA in Psychology from Merrimack College and 25 years experience working with families and providers in the field of special education and community resources. She is fluent in American Sign Language. She has provided parents with individual support and workshops on various topics since 1988. Sue has been affiliated with Southern Maine Parent Awareness (SMPA) since 1988 and currently fulfills the role of educator/trainer and the title of Executive Coordinator.

Mary Hunter is a Family Resource & Support staff at Southern Maine Parent Awareness. She provides direct service to families and professonals requesting support around special needs and special education. Mary holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and managed Early Care & Education Centers for over 20 years. Her focus on individualized programming for children and families encouraged inclusion and collaboration in working with diverse populations.

Cindy Lozier, owner of His and Herbs Evergreen Cleaning; first conducted a workshop on Tick Awareness in 2005. She also offers Green Cleaning 101 workshops. Both are designed to respect the web of life. The Tick Talks focus on education and natural solutions to tick management and bite prevention. The Green Cleaning workshops aim to lessen our dependence on synthetic chemical cleaners, replacing them with natural processes.

Juliane McLellan, MS, has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine in Orono in Child Development. My Master’s Degree is in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College in Boston. This specialized degree is from one of the only four schools in the country that offer a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Leadership. I taught Preschool and Kindergarten for years and am certified to teach K-8 in the State of Maine. Currently, I am an Early Childhood Consultant, Education Specialist at Midcoast RDC, and an Adjunt Faculty member in The ECE Department at York County Community College.

Kay Mishkin lKay Mishkin lives on a quiet street in South Portland with her husband, son, and two cats. During the week her home also serves as a family child care business. She currently serves 8 children mostly 7-8 months old; all teething, all part time and all boys! Kay has operated her child care home since 1980, with a few breaks for resting up. It has always been her goal to convince people that family child care can be a professional undertaking as well as being personally rewarding.

Over the years, Kay has been an active member ]of the Maine Family Child Care Association and has presented training around the State of Maine, through out New England, and at some National conferences.

Cathy Paglio is the Family Literacy Coordinator at Windham Adult Education. She worked in Headstart as the Center Director/Lead Teacher for 22 years. Cathy also has her own business Workshops on Wheels, she will visit centers offering workshops for providers or Parent Groups.

Michael Sandberg is the education specialist for CareLink RDC. He has been in the field for over 30 years. He has been a classroom teacher for both preschoolers and school aged children, taught tea

Sanford	1/3/2009	9:00AM - 3:30PM	6	Michael Sandberg	$15
Biddeford	2/28/2009	9:00AM - 3:30PM	6	Michael Sandberg	$15
Sanford	4/4/2009	9:00AM - 3:30PM	6	Michael Sandberg	$15
Biddeford	6/6/2009	9:00AM - 3:30PM	6	Michael Sandberg	$15
Sanford	8/8/2009	9:00AM - 3:30PM	6	Michael Sandberg	$15

Course Name	Location	Dates & Times	Contact Hours	Presenters	Cost
CPR in the morning † First Aid in the afternoon †	Biddeford	2/7/2009 9AM- 11:30 CPR 12:00-2:30PM First Aid	6	Kim Field	$35 for one or $50 for both
CPR in the morning † First Aid in the afternoon †	Sanford	4/11/2009 9AM- 11:30 CPR 12:00-2:30PM First Aid	6	Kim Field	$35 for one or $50 for both
CPR in the morning † First Aid in the afternoon †	Biddeford	6/13/2009 9AM- 11:30 CPR 12:00-2:30PM First Aid	6	Kim Field	$35 for one or $50 for both
CPR in the morning † First Aid in the afternoon †	Sanford	8/29/2009 9AM- 11:30 CPR 12:00-2:30PM First Aid	6	Kim Field	$35 for one or $50 for both

Location	Course Name	Course Dates	Course Times	Contact Hours	Presenters	Cost
Online*	Operating a Family Child Care Business*	start 1/12/09	NA	30	Michael Sandberg	$25
Sanford	Caring for Infants Toddlers and their Families*	1/7/09, 1/14, 1/21, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25, 3/4, 3/11, & 3/18/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	30	Debora Schofield	$25
Biddeford	Supporting Maine's Infants and Toddlers: Guidelines for Learning and Development*	1/8/09. 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/26, & 3/5/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	30	Michael Sandberg	$25
Sanford	Curriculum & Development for the Preschool Aged Child-Common Core*	1/12/09, 1/26, 2/2, 2/9, & 2/23/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	15	Michael Sandberg	$20 for one or $25 for both Curriculum & Development Courses
Sanford	An Information Session of the Quality Rating System and other State Initiatives	1/5/2009	6:30PM to 8:30PM	2	Michael Sandberg	No Fee
Biddeford	The Amazing 3 Hour Puppet	2/10/2009	6:00PM to 9:00PM	3	Georgeann Tudisco	$10 + materials
Sanford	Ecohealthy Child Care	3/9/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	3	Michael Sandberg & Heidi Williams	$10
Sanford	Curriculum & Development for the Preschool Aged Child-Center Based*	3/16/09. 3/23, 3/30, 4/6, & 4/13/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	15	Michael Sandberg	$20 for one or $25 for both Curriculum & Development Courses
Online*	Introduction to Early Childhood Education*	Start 3/25/09	NA	9	Michael Sandberg	$15
Biddeford	Fostering the Social and Emotional Development and Competence of Young Children*	4/1/09, 4/8, 4/15, 4/29, 5/6, 5/20, 5/27, 6/3, 6/10, & 6/17/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	30	Michael Sandberg	$25
Biddeford	Partners in Caring - Families and Caregivers*	4/27/09, 5/4, 5/11, & 5/18/09	6:00PM to 9:00PM	12	Michael Sandberg	$15
Wells?- TBA	Caring for the abuse Affected Child*	5/25/09, 6/1, 6/8 , 6/13 (full day), & 6/22/09	6:00 to 9:00PM & 9:00AM to 4:00PM on 6/13	18	Michael Sandberg & others	$20
Online*	Orientation to Center Based Care	Start 8/12/09	NA	6	Michael Sandberg	$15