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Trainings for Organizations

Presentation and Training Modules

From in-service teacher preparation days to engaging keynotes and conference breakout sessions, Hilltop faculty and partners offer highly sought-after workshops and training modules. These sessions, adaptable for faculty, staff, college students, administration, or boards, cover a range of topics crucial to professional development. Whether it’s tailoring the content to your organization’s needs or adjusting the duration to suit your schedule, we’re flexible. If you have a specific topic in mind that’s not listed below, feel free to reach out and inquire about a custom workshop tailored to your organization’s unique requirements!

Training Offerings:

Emergent Curriculum and Reflective Practice

While the term “emergent” may not immediately align with “planning,” creating a curriculum that dynamically arises from children’s questions demands thoughtful intention and reflection. This session goes beyond traditional notions of lesson planning, offering concrete examples of structures, tools, and dispositions that foster a responsive and dynamic curriculum for young learners. Drawing from practices at Hilltop Children’s Center in Seattle and the early learning programs of Aotearoa New Zealand, we’ll explore strategies for implementing an emergent curriculum in your own classrooms and schools. Additionally, we’ll delve into ways of actively involving families in the learning process, examining potential models for collaborative curriculum planning, documentation, and assessment throughout the school year. Join us to explore the alignment and key components of Emergent Curriculum and Reflective Practice.

Time: 2 to 6 hours
Target Audience: Program Supervisors, Mentor Teachers, Educators, Subs / Floaters / Teaching Assistants, Education / Curriculum Director, College Level Students

Reflective Leadership

Adapting to the ever-evolving political and social landscape of our time requires Early Childhood Education leaders to not only integrate experiential learning into their practice but to also continually refine the assumptions and theories guiding their work. This facilitated session is designed for those seeking to move beyond mere “management” to fostering socio-cognitive conflict and intellectual growth as a leader.

In this 2-3 hour reflective session, we will invite participants to consider their ideas and definitions of leadership, reflect on who they who they are as a leader and the impact they hope to have, and to explore the various leadership styles one can bring into an early learning program. Join us as we engage in meaningful conversation, seeking growth and transformation in our approach to educational leadership.

Learning Objectives:
*Participants will explore the role of critical thinking and reflection tools in team-building, decision-making, and creative problem solving
*Participants will reflect on the power of being “a joyful role model” and explore how to create trust amongst your team with transparency
*Participants will identify strategies that support strong teams and sustainable systems: creating shared goals, practicing constructive feedback, and applying a growth mindset

Time: 2 to 3 hours
Target Audience: Program Supervisors, Mentor Teachers, Directors, Administrative Staff

Supporting Well-Being and Belonging through Anti-Bias Education

As educators, nurturing children’s healthy social-emotional development and fostering their competence as citizens in our diverse world is a shared goal. Introducing Anti-Bias Education in our classrooms and schools not only promotes social learning for children but also sharpens our own awareness of equity issues. For those uncertain about where to begin or how to build confidence in facilitating Anti-Bias education, this workshop provides a constructive space. Join us to review the foundational principles of equity-focused education, share concerns and ideas, and initiate steps toward implementation in our programs and communities. We will explore the objectives of Anti-Bias Education, discuss environments conducive to social learning, and offer strategies to enhance cultural competence for children, families, and educators. Together, let’s consider how to align Emergent Curriculum with key principles such as Identities, Social Responsibility, and Diversity.

Time: 2 to 6 hours
Target Audience: Program Supervisors, Mentor Teachers, Educators, Parents and Guardians, Subs / Floaters / Teaching Assistants, College Level Students

 

Environmental Provocations as Invitations to Learning

In this session, we’ll unravel the art of creating intentional “provocations” through a range of educator behaviors, curriculum materials, and environmental choices in our classrooms. Discover how intentional and responsive presentation can infuse meaning into materials, fostering learning across developmental domains and supporting an emergent curriculum. Join us for a deliberate and thoughtful exploration of how educators’ intentional decisions can extend and amplify the creativity, well-being, and agency of children.

Learning Objectives:
*Participants will assess various types of learning materials and how they can support or impede a child’s learning process
*Participants will identify and reflect on the various elements of the learning environment that impact a child’s growth and identity development
*Participants will explore the many facets of ‘classroom materials”: types, accessibility, flexibility, impact (social-emotional, anti-bias, culturally responsive, reflective of children’s learning)
*Participants will reflect on how they as the teacher are showing up in that space and how that impacts children’s learning & identity development

Time: 2-3 hours
Target Audience: Program Supervisors, Mentor Teachers, Educators, Coaches, Education / Curriculum Directors, College Level Students, Subs / Floaters / Teaching Assistants

Reflective Practice to Support Playful Inquiry

Planning for play and cultivating inquiry in early childhood education involves a structured and intentional approach, as discovered by educators at Hilltop Children’s Center. While play and inquiry are inherent to young children, fostering a curriculum that is truly responsive to their questions and pursuits demands specific protocols for reflection and study. This session shares examples of practices that support an emergent curriculum, including Hilltop’s Responsive Planning, In-Depth Investigation, Pedagogical Documentation, and Collaborative Conferences. Join us to explore how these practices can create a pedagogy of play and instill an attitude of inquiry not just in children but also in educators and families. Learn how intentional planning can elevate the learning experience for young minds.

Time: 2 hours to 6 hours
Target Audience: Program Supervisors, Mentor Teachers, Educators, Education / Curriculum Directors, College Level Students, Subs / Floaters / Teaching Assistants

Frequently Asked Questions

Who conducts your Trainings for Organizations?
Hilltop faculty and staff lead our trainings. Depending on the scope of the training, it might be facilitated by an individual or by a team including Hilltop Leadership, Educators, Program Supervisors, or Mentor Teachers.

Where are Trainings held?
Workshops can be held at our Hilltop Outreach Institute facility in Fremont (Seattle), at your organization’s site, or virtually. We also offer in-person Study Tours and Inquiry Visits, which combine faculty-led presentations with classroom observation time and a tour of Hilltop.

Do you travel?
Absolutely! While our home base is in Seattle, we’ve conducted presentations in various cities across North America including Vancouver, BC, Portland, OR, Chicago, IL, and Toronto, ON. For training at your site, travel and lodging reimbursement will be added to the final cost.

What is the cost of your Trainings?
Our pricing is based on training content, length, number of participants, and location. Generally, our 2-hour workshops are priced at $500 and our full-day workshops (around 6 hours of content) start at $2000. We work closely with all our clients to discuss options and find the best way to meet your training goals within your budget.

What can we expect during the Training?
Our approach is to offer dynamic trainings which are hands-on and interactive, combining presentations, activities, small group discussions, and self-reflection.

Can we combine Trainings?
We’re flexible and can combine trainings or create additional content to best suit your needs. Reach out to us at institute@hilltopcc.org to explore the options together.

Can we obtain credits for professional development taken with Hilltop?
Upon request, Hilltop is able to offer STARS/MERIT training hours for Washington State early learning professionals who attend our training sessions. Please note that we need at least a 3-week window to get STARS eligibility approval for all trainings.

If you live & work outside of Washington, we can provide a certificate of participation that you may use as documentation to arrange professional development credits through your local college or state agency.

Do you provide translation services?
For services like ASL, SEE, and Video Remote Interpretation, we contract with our partners at HSDC (Hearing, Speech, Deaf Center Seattle). Please submit your request for an interpreter at least 2 weeks in advance of a Hilltop training. All of our presentations, handouts, and materials are in English, with most videos being closed-captioned.