Early Childhood Leadership Institute

QM Small Group Coaching Group 1: Session 11
2023-09-07 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)

QM Coaching Session
2023-09-12 13:00 - 14:30

Community of Practice Multi-topic
2023-09-18 10:00 - 11:00

FY24 QIS Forum 1
2023-09-19 09:30 - 11:30

ECLI Virtual Workshop: Practical Strategies for Embracing Behaviors in the Classroom
2023-09-21 13:00 - 15:00
The Early Childhood Leadership Institute (ECLI) provides ongoing professional development to professionals within New Jersey’s Quality Rating and Improvement System and Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies. Professional development opportunities include orientation, trainings, communities of practice and learners, forums, and small group and 1-on-1 Supervisor coaching. The ECLI Virtual Workshops are a way to engage in conversations with experts of specific topics, whose extensive experience provides a broader lens through which professionals can think about the work they do each day. These workshops support practice in providing an opportunity for professionals to learn from one another, interact with others who are experts in the field, gain perspectives outside of their own context, and continue to build capacity on topics they identified through survey feedback.
The ECLI Virtual Workshop series is comprised of independent workshops throughout the year in which professionals can choose workshops that are most interesting to them based upon workshop descriptions. Each two-hour virtual workshop will be structured as a guided discussion, allowing the participants to engage in thoughtful conversation with the presenter and to process concepts with each other. ECLI gathers questions each participant submits during registration that is related to the topic and provides these to the presenters who can use them for creating content that is meaningful and tailored to the audience. Workshops are facilitated through the online platform ECLI uses for all their virtual professional development and are audio and video recorded to have as a resource for all professionals.
In keeping true to adult learning principles, registration is voluntary, allowing professionals to choose topics that are most relevant to their current needs and interests. Due to the conversational nature of the workshops, each workshop is limited to 30 participants. Due to this, professionals are encouraged to register early and only register for a workshop that they can commit to by attending on the identified date and time and fully participating utilizing both video and audio. Upon registration, participants will submit at least one question for the presenter. Registration is by invitation only and all invitees will receive an email with registration and complete event details prior to each workshop.

Thursday, September 21, 2023 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST
Title: Practical Strategies for Embracing Behaviors in the Classroom
Managing and supporting behavioral needs in the classroom setting continues to be a daily challenge for individuals working with diverse students. This workshop will focus on a variety of concepts that surround child behavior. Participants will learn foundational principles of behavior as well as practical application skills and strategies.
Presenter: Michael Humphries

QM Small Group Coaching Group 2: Session 11
2023-09-28 13:00 - 14:30

Community of Learners (DEI)
2023-10-02 10:00 - 11:30, 2023-12-18 10:00 - 11:30

Core Concepts Sessions: Current Topic - Culture Renovation
2023-10-17 10:00 - 12:00
Nicole Hylton, MS
2 Hour | October 17, 2023 10:00 am-12:00 pm | virtual | Registration ends 10/3/23
Early childhood programs are experiencing staffing issues like no other time in our field’s history. Directors may feel they have little to no control over key factors that contribute to the staffing crisis – staff wages, benefits, classroom support. What can they do? Program culture is one factor well within their control that plays a vital role in whether staff want to stay and if they thrive in their program. This virtual session will explore elements of workplace culture, the importance of a healthy workplace culture and what it looks like, and explore the five keys to building a healthy workplace culture (communicating purpose and values, providing meaningful work, focusing leadership on people, building meaningful relationships, and practicing constructive conflict management) with strategies to help support early childhood programs.

Core Concepts Sessions: Deeper Topic 2.0: Thinking Out Loud Together: Creating Leaders in the ECE Field
2023-10-24 10:00 - 12:00
Kate Bunoza, MS
2 Hour | October 24, 2023 10am-12pm | virtual | Registration ends 10/10/23
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”-Sheryl Sandberg. How does great leadership really make people better? Ownership and sustainability of quality early childhood practices is an essential focus and outcome now more than ever. In this two-hour virtual training, we will briefly review the 2023 Spring Biannual training’s practice of the Leader-Leader model by David Marquet and dive deeper into exploring how to inspire and unlock leadership potential at all levels through the model’s three key pillars: Control, Competence, and Clarity. Participants are welcomed to be intentionally curious to question and discuss common challenges of building capacity in early childhood program staff and discover concrete strategies for implementation of the model within participants’ roles through shared content, reflection and activities.

QM & STAS Core Concepts Sessions: Deeper Topic 2.0: Shifting the Paradigm Part 2: Becoming a Trust & Inspire Leader
2023-10-30 09:30 - 11:30
Jen Cortes, MS
While we know that leading from a trust and Inspire paradigm is needed for bringing out the best in ourselves, our teams & organizations, and others we support, how do we actually do this within our day-to-day work? In this deeper dive of Shifting the Paradigm, participants will explore fundamental beliefs for building their own capacity, examine three stewardships that are paramount to being a Trust and Inspire leader, and identify practices for embedding them within their role. Participants will also consider common barriers when making this monumental shift and strategies for addressing these challenges.

DEI Session 1: Exploring Power and Advocacy in Early Childhood Systems
2023-10-31 10:00 - 12:00
Exploring Power and Advocacy in Early Childhood Systems
2 Hour | October 31, 2023 10-12pm | virtual
Ebonyse Mead, PhD
During this session, participants will learn about addressing DEIB in early childhood systems. Specifically, content related to power and advocacy will be introduced to help participants develop a greater understanding in envisioning a transformed early childhood system. Participants will receive concrete strategies for promoting equitable practices within early childhood systems.

ECLI Virtual Workshop | How to Have a Difficult Conversation
2023-11-14 13:00 - 15:00
Tuesday, November 14, 2023 from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST

Title: How to Have a Difficult Conversation

This interactive workshop develops skills and introduces practical processes that can be used during a difficult conversation. People are often reluctant to discuss difficult topics for fear of the consequences. Learn how to get to core issues within a conflict and find a resolution. Participants will explore the five styles of conflict management and enhance problem-solving skills. Attendees will practice effective questioning and explore the importance of open-ended questions. As a group, participants will discuss and illustrate how people “get stuck” in a position that is just at the surface, like the tip of the iceberg.

Presenter: Jennifer A. Clement

QM Small Group Coaching Group 1: Session 12
2023-11-16 13:00 - 14:30

QM & STAS Core Concepts Sessions: Current Topic: Psychological Safety in the Workplace
2023-11-17 09:30 - 11:30
Current Topic: Psychological Safety in the Workplace
Jen Cortes, MS
2 Hour | November 17, 2023 9:30-11:30am | virtual | Registration ends 11/3/23
In this virtual session, participants will learn what psychological safety is, understand the positive impact of having a climate of psychological safety and the negative impact of a workplace lacking in psychological safety. Embedded within the session are opportunities for participants to reflect on their own impact on psychological safety for others and explore strategies for how to support psychological safety within their role, the teams, and organizations within which they work.

QM Small Group Coaching Group 3: Session 12
2023-11-21 10:00 - 11:30

DEI Session 2: Exploring Power and Advocacy in Early Childhood Systems
2023-11-27 10:00 - 12:00
Exploring Power and Advocacy in Early Childhood Systems
Ebonyse Mead, PhD
During this session, participants will learn about addressing DEIB in early childhood systems. Specifically, content related to power and advocacy will be introduced to help participants develop a greater understanding in envisioning a transformed early childhood system. Participants will receive concrete strategies for promoting equitable practices within early childhood systems.

Leadership in Action - Fall
2023-11-28 10:00 - 12:00
ITS, QIS, TAS Colleagues
2 Hour | November 28, 2023 10-12pm | virtual | Registration ends 11/14/23
This session provides an opportunity for colleagues to share what they are learning and creating as they engage in PD activities both inside and outside of ECLI, such as from participation in coaching, attending Communities of Practice, conferences, or reading publications that enhance the work; as well as tools and resources created to support their own and other’s growth and learning. You will explore how you might use what is shared in your own practice, spark a new interest for delving deeper, and have an opportunity to ask questions of your peers for reflection and understanding.

QM & STAS Leadership in Action - Fall
2023-11-29 10:00 - 11:00
This session provides an opportunity for colleagues to share what they are learning and creating as they engage in PD activities both inside and outside of ECLI, such as from participation in coaching, attending Communities of Practice, conferences, or reading publications that enhance the work; as well as tools and resources created to support their own and other’s growth and learning. You will explore how you might use what is shared in your own practice, spark a new interest for delving deeper, and have an opportunity to ask questions of your peers for reflection and understanding.

ECLI's CCR&R Directors Community of Practice Quarterly Meeting
2023-12-01 10:00 - 12:00

Core Concepts: Back 2 Basics - Fall
2023-12-04 10:00 - 15:00
4 Hour | December 7, 2023 10-3pm | in-person at LRC-Central, Trenton, NJ | Registration ends 11/23/23
Building Strong Relationships
Nicole Hylton, MS
Strong relationships are the foundation of effective technical assistance and are key in supporting programs in doing the hard work of quality improvement. It’s important for technical assistance providers to take the lead in consciously cultivating these relationships. This 2-hour in-person session will explore a research-based model of trust building in relationships, the four elements of strong relationships (authenticity, trust, navigating power, and shared purpose) and take an in depth look at Humble Inquiry as a strategy for building and sustaining strong relationships.
Developing and Strengthening the Reflective Muscle
Kate Bunoza, MS
Developing as a continuous learner requires not just collection of needs and implementation of best practices, but also reflection as a habit. It involves consistent curiosity, vulnerability, and genuine self-awareness and analysis of process and purpose. This does not come naturally for everyone, and much like a muscle, it can be developed and exercised. As professionals in the ECE field, we have the opportunity to gauge where we are with our own reflective practice as well as ponder how to successfully aid program staff and directors with growing their “reflective muscle”. This 2-hour in-person session will explore the key elements and benefits of reflective practice, examine motivational interviewing strategies, and provide resources for your coaching toolbox.

Reflective Session - Fall: QM
2023-12-08 10:00 - 11:00
Reflective sessions provide opportunities for participants to meet with their colleagues to process and reflect upon content learned within training for embedding within their practice. Collaborating together and leveraging one another’s strengths and previous experiences promotes successful implementation of effective practices and empowers staff in their professional growth, both individually and collectively as a group. Participants have an opportunity to ask each other questions for deeper exploration, ponder concepts, and continue conversations around foundational skills, strategies and dispositions for improving practice.

Reflective Session - Fall: QIS
2023-12-11 13:00 - 14:00

FY24 QIS Forum 2
2023-12-12 09:30 - 11:30

Community of Practice: Multi-topic
2023-12-18 10:00 - 11:00

QM Small Group Coaching Group 2: Session 12
2023-12-21 09:30 - 11:00

ECLI Knowledge and Supervisor Orientation Series: Day 1 begins
2024-01-08

QM Small Group Coaching Group 3: Session 13
2024-01-09 13:00 - 14:30

ECLI Knowledge and Skill-Building Orientation Series: Day 1
2024-01-23 09:30 - 15:30

ECLI Knowledge and Supervisor Orientation Series: Day 1 ends
2024-01-29
