WORKSHOPS

Westchester Parenting offers interactive workshops and consultation for parents and educators.  Typically, workshops are 2-3 hours in length (can be split over the course of three weekly one-hour sessions) and scheduled at a mutually convenient time.  The following is a list of workshops, based on our areas of expertise, that we have created and presented. Please let us know if there is a topic you would like to learn more about, that is not listed below.

 

PARENTING WORKSHOPS

 

Topic: ADD and ADHD: The Attention Deficit Disorders

Workshop Summary: This workshop helps parents identify common symptoms associated with ADD and ADHD. In addition, different treatment approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, executive functioning coaching, and medication management are discussed.  Strategies for home and school are highlighted.

 

Topic: Fostering Resilience in Our Children  

Workshop Summary:  This workshop helps parents identify common academic, social and emotional challenges our children currently face and to discern when it is important to intervene on their behalf.  In addition, parents will be offered strategies to build resilience and support their children in learning to tolerate disappointment and frustration.

 

Topic: Raising Confident and Conscientious Children  

Workshop Summary:  This workshop highlights parenting strategies to help foster confidence and conscientiousness in children of all ages and genders.  Help your child find and pursue their passions, develop their moral compass, take healthy and developmentally appropriate risks and problem solve without compromising their integrity.  

 

Topic: Parenting in the Digital Age

Workshop Summary:  This workshop helps parents identify the role technology has in their family life, create values related to screen time and digital content, and establish boundaries and limits for screen use.  Various strategies, including family technology contracts, are discussed. We understand it’s not a one size fits all approach – parents are encouraged to develop strategies based their family’s individual values.   

 

Topic: Parenting a Strong-willed Child

Workshop Summary:  Does your child make unreasonable or irrational demands, exhibit angry outbursts, move at their own pace, or refuse to cooperate?  This workshop helps parents identify common “strong-willed” behaviors and offers parenting strategies to help decrease the battle that often results when limits are set.  

 

Topic: Anxiety – A New Childhood Epidemic?

Workshop Summary: This workshop discusses the increasing rates of anxiety in our youth. Know the symptoms and when to seek professional help for your child. Ways to reduce stress and promote calm and mindfulness at home, are discussed.   

Topic: Bullying

Workshop Summary:  This workshop helps parents identify common causes of bullying and highlights signs that often indicate a child is a bully or is being bullied. Several options are offered for ways to handle bullying at school and to know when to involve a school administrator.

 

Topic: Common Behavior Problems

Workshop Summary: Focus is on common behavioral issues including sibling rivalry, tantrums, homework struggles, and limiting television/screen time. Parents are offered strategies to help negotiate challenging situations at home. In addition, the importance of family time and limit setting is discussed.   

 

Topic: Is Your Child Really Learning Through Play?

Workshop Summary: Parents of preschoolers explore how children learn through play with hands-on activities that mimic classroom activities. Facilitators offer ideas for home activities to promote cognitive skills, problem-solving, language and socialization.

 

Topic: Typical Language Development- Preschool Years

Workshop Summary: Parents are presented with developmental milestones for speech and language in preschoolers. Facilitators make the connection between early language development and literacy skills needed for kindergarten. Common questions and concerns are addressed, and home activities are suggested.

 

Topic: Fine Motor Development and Sensory Integration

Workshop Summary:  This workshop is designed to inform parents about fine motor development and typical and atypical sensory integration issues. It describes preschoolers’ development of handwriting, hand grasps, self-help skills, and sensory input and regulation.

 

Topic: Demystifying the Myths: Is Special Education Really All About Labeling?

Workshop Summary: During this workshop, parents are able to share concerns and common perceptions of special education. They are given information about the referral process, special education services offered by the Department of Education, and parent’s rights. The benefits of inclusive settings are also addressed.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES FOR EDUCATORS

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Topic: Play-Based Assessment:  What are children learning through play?

Workshop Summary: Early childhood educators participate in the workshop using hands-on activities to observe and categorize play behaviors into areas of development (social-emotional, language, cognition and motor).

 

Topic: Understanding Preschool Special Education

Workshop Summary: Partner schools are given an overview of the special education process. We discuss typical concerns, identifying children in need of a referral, and the pre-school special education process.  It is an in-depth look at what inclusion is, as well as examining the supports and obstacles that exist for teachers, students, and families.

 

Topic: A,B,Cs of Behaviors:  Strategies to create a supportive classroom environment

Workshop Summary:  Educators learn to objectively define challenging behavior, examine its causes and create behavior modification plans to promote positive classroom environments. The workshop offers strategies to encourage positive behaviors while decreasing negative behaviors.

 

Topic:  Circle Time:  It’s time to gather around, learn and have fun!

Workshop Summary: Discussion about the primary purpose of circle time, for children to gather and share their experiences that are significant to them. Teachers are presented with guidelines for structuring and creating goals. This workshop also addresses transitions for the large group.  

 

Topic:  Sensory Integration: Much More than Just the 5 Senses

Workshop Summary:  This workshop is designed to help educators develop an understanding of sensory integration and sensory dysfunction in preschool children.  Participants learn about ways to identify sensory needs and how it plays a role in classroom behavior. Hands-on strategies to address specific sensory integration issues will be shared. Participants also learn techniques to modify the classroom environment and activities to address individual needs.

 

Topic:  Helping Children Manage Their Emotions

Workshop Summary:  Teachers are presented with social-emotional developmental milestones for children ages 3-6. Participants are asked to work in small groups to identify strategies for intervening with difficult behaviors were also discussed.

 

Topic:  Understanding and Working with ADHD

Workshop Summary: Teachers are presented with common symptoms associated with ADD and ADHD and how they manifest in the classroom. In addition, different treatment approaches, including classroom accommodations, executive functioning coaching, and medication management are discussed.  Strategies for home and school are highlighted.

 

Topic: Understanding Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Workshop Summary: Diagnostic criteria for Autistic Spectrum Disorders are discussed. Discussion about how sensory issues, communication/language issues, and challenging behaviors impact students in the classroom.  Behavioral Strategies for the Classroom are discussed in detail.