Episode 3 Casey Craft-Cortez/Infant Toddler Specialist

Dishing Daycare Dirt

Today I interviewed Casey Craft-Cortez from the YWCA. Casey is an infant Toddler Specialist and have over 10 years in the ECE field.

• Getting back to the basics in the classroom. Just getting down on the floor with the kids.
• We are a reactive society and we discuss moving out of a reactive state to more of a proactive state.
• The important of nurturing, consistency, and responsiveness.
• Focusing on the good moments. It is easy to get caught up in what a child does “wrong”, but that is just a little snapshot of who they are. They need us to help them learn to self regulate
• Importance of reflections.
• Difference between challenging behaviors and hot buttons.
• We Can't train away challenging behaviors we have to improve our skill set .
• Her program is an amazing FREE resource for all centers and teachers. I encourage everyone to visit the YWCA website link in the show notes. I will not disappoint! ****Ask kids what happened, not what is wrong

Resources:

· YWCA Metropolitan Chicago: https://ywcachicago.org/
· National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI): https://challengingbehavior.cbcs.usf.edu/about/index.html
· Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/books/powerful-interactions-2
· Illinois Early Learning Guidelines & Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards:
o https://illinoisearlylearning.org/ielg/
o https://www.isbe.net/documents/early_learning_standards.pdf
o https://illinoisearlylearning.org/ields/
· Rita Pierson: Every Child Needs (Deserves) a Champion! TED Talk:
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw
Judy Jablon powerful interactions.
Finding your why for coaching/teaching: Book