Educator and Family Discussion Series
Our 2024 lineup promises transformative workshops facilitated by inspiring experts. Our knowledgeable presenters offer interactive learning experiences that cater to diverse audiences. In response to evolving needs, we’re excited to announce a hybrid format—virtual and in-person events—beginning in January 2024, ensuring accessibility at an affordable cost for all interested participants. Explore the array of engaging topics in our lineup, though please note that dates and titles may be subject to change based on presenter availability. Join us for an enriching journey of learning and growth!
Upcoming Trainings in 2024
January 2024
January 10th: Positive Discipline Workshop, Part 1 – “Inviting Cooperation & Finding Solutions through Power Struggles”, presented by Julietta Skoog
Bio: Julietta Skoog (she/her) is a Certified Positive Discipline Trainer with an Ed.S Degree in School Psychology and a Masters Degree in School Counseling from Seattle University with over 20 years of experience coaching families in Seattle Public Schools and homes all over the world. She is the Early Years Lead and co-founder of Sproutable, which offers grown-ups the tools, systems and strategies they need to cultivate powerful relationships, teach social-emotional skills, and set healthy limits and boundaries with all kids, from babies to teens. She draws from her real life practical experience working with thousands of students with a variety of needs and her own three children when coaching parents, bringing a unique ability to translate research, child development and Positive Discipline principles into everyday solutions.
Description: Power struggles can be frustrating as a parent, adult family member, or caregiver! Learn Positive Discipline tools to decrease and even avoid daily power struggles during transitions with children by inviting cooperation and creating routines together. Learn how to follow through once routines, limits, and agreements have been made through mutually respectful responses. Instead of focusing on consequences, parents can offer solutions to teach missing skills and avoid the punishment trap. These solutions are related, respectful, reasonable, and helpful.
February 2024
February 28th: Positive Discipline Workshop, Part 2 – “Celebrating Neurodiversity”, presented by Julietta Skoog
Bio and description available here on our Eventbrite page
March 2024
March 14th: Nurturing Identity – A Workshop for Supporting Gender Development, presented by Talcott Broadhead
Bio and description available here on our Eventbrite page
April 2024
April 2nd: Part 2 of Simple Tools for Healing Solutions: The Neurorelational Framework for Families & Educators, presented by Amelia Bolyard (continued from Part 1 workshop in November)
Bio: Amelia Bolyard (she/her) is a home-visiting Embodiment Coach, working with all family members, and specializing in work with children. Embodiment coaching is a method of helping children express stress through the body, helping parents support the full range of emotions in their children, and facilitating the increase of joy in their relationships. She does this work through Alta (Alternative Learning and Therapeutic Avenues), in a domestic violence shelter, with families reuniting after foster care, and with private clients. Amelia also trains on the NeuroRelational Framework, an equitable, trauma-informed approach to treating toxic stress, which is an underlying factor in many of today’s physical and mental health challenges. She has over 25 years of experience working with children and their families. Amelia is also the founder of Joy of Dance Experience and Mango Family Wellness.
Description: Child Embodiment Coach, Amelia Bolyard, will teach participants how to bring levity and efficacy into difficult moments and challenging relationships with the children in your life by incorporating the Neurorelational Framework (NRF). The NRF is an approach that intersects neuroscience with indigenous wisdom and resonates with everyone’s nervous systems, resulting in an increase of joy across families and communities.
May 2024
May 4th: Teaching Self-Regulation Strategies to Young Children, presented by Karin Boerger
Bio: Karin Boerger (she/her) is a parent coach who brings twenty years of experience working as a speech-language pathologist on transdisciplinary teams for families of young children. She supports and guides parents / guardians to look at things from all angles in order to come up with solutions to challenges. Karin draws from research on human and child development, psychology, cognitive science, and communication sciences.
Description: In this workshop, attendees will reflect on how to support young children in learning to self-regulate throughout their busy days between home and school. Using an anti-bias lens, participants will consider the whole child and the impact of the whole family system on their confidence and motivation to participate (or not) in routines and activities at home and at school.
June 2024
June (Date TBD): Supporting Well-Being and Belonging through Anti-Bias Education with Young Children, presented by Becky Krueger and Paty Ruas
Bios:
Paty Ruas (she/her/Ha’e) is a Mentor Educator at Hilltop Children’s Center. She has been working with young children for over 20 years, teaching since 2006, and is passionate about anti-bias education, community-building, and Indigenous and shamanic healing practices. She finds creative inspiration in nature, writing, and dancing, and believes in creating learning environments where children and adults feel respected, valued, and connected. Paty identifies as Latinx/Indigenous/White passing and Brazilian American.
Becky Krueger (she/her) is the Faculty Life Coach & Outreach Coordinator at Hilltop Children’s Center in Seattle, WA (Duwamish Land). She has been teaching, facilitating, mentoring, and coaching for over 15 years in Reggio-inspired and emergent curriculum preschools. Becky is passionate about trauma-informed coaching, living from a social justice & equity lens, and connecting with nature. She identifies as White and of European descent.
Description: 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.
July 2024
Following your registration, anticipate a confirmation email with the live training session link 48 hours before the scheduled date. In case it doesn’t appear in your inbox, kindly check your junk mail. If the link remains elusive, reach out to our institute team at institute@hilltopcc.org for assistance. Rest assured, a certificate for your webinar participation will be emailed to you within 5 business days after its completion. We’re here to ensure your seamless learning experience!
Past Trainings in 2023
Diversity: The Stories We Tell and The Ones We Don’t
“Out of Sight, Out of Mind: How Implicit Bias Impacts the Way We Serve Others”
“Anti-Bias Practices for Families of Young Children”
Parents as Healers: Liberatory Practices for Intergenerational Trauma