
To register, you need to have a Zoom account, you can create one here. If you are a UT Austin employee, you will need to use your EID email (YourEID@eid.utexas.edu) to register.
Participants will register one time for all sessions. You can come to as many (or as few sessions) as you would like. Training certificates for child-care licensing will be available after the institute concludes. Be on the lookout for more information!
If you have any questions, please email us at labschool@utexas.edu.
Day One

Using Brain Science to Become a Better Teacher
Focus is on using basic brain science to understand how the brain works and how this understanding can lead to more effective guidance and discipline in the classroom. Brain-based discipline strategies are provided and discussed in detail.Lara Pauley, MEd | Assistant Professor of Practice

Making the Most of Learning Through Guided Play
Guided play capitalizes on learning opportunities during free play and unites child-initiated play with subtle adult instruction. In this session, educators will examine the research-based benefits of guided play and explore the role of the teacher and environment in guided play experiences. This session will explore ways to use guided play to deepen the learning occurring in the classroom and incorporate content knowledge into play.Sarah Ozuna Brown, MS | Assistant Professor of Practice

Social Emotional Arts
Visual artmaking is more than a means of creating aesthetic objects. It is a type of meditation, a stress release, and a form of non-verbal communication. In this session, we will explore the theory of Social-Emotional Arts through several techniques, activities, and manipulatives that you can incorporate into your classroom. This session may also be useful for parents and individuals seeking self-regulation through art.Elizabeth Porter, MFA | Assistant Professor of Practice

Day Two

The Therapeutic Value of High-Quality Early Learning Programs: An Untapped Resource for Addressing Young Children’s Mental Health Needs
Mental health issues are on the rise in very young children, and there are not enough clinical providers to address these needs. But many young children attend early care and education programs. High-quality programs embody numerous elements of therapeutic care, making them untapped resources for addressing young children’s mental health needs. Throughout the pandemic, early childhood professionals were flooded with training opportunities around trauma-informed care. But little attention has been paid to how routine practices in high-quality programs can positively impact children’s mental health. This session will describe key features of effective therapy with young children and connect them to best practices in early care and education. The benefits of cultivating high-quality programs and leveraging daily practices to address children’s mental health needs will be explored.Amy Bryan, PhD | Associate Professor of Practice

Blocks Are Not Just for Building
The blocks center is often one of the most loved areas of an early childhood classroom. But what are they learning while they build? Could they be learning even more during block play? During this session we will talk about different ways to set up a block center, how to freshen up the center, and how to infuse academic content into it.Becca Rosenfield, MEd | Assistant Professor of Practice

Books, Books, Everywhere!: Incorporating Books Throughout the Classroom
Reading should not be confined to the book corner! This session will answer the question: how can I incorporate books into various content areas throughout my classroom? We will tie concepts found in several modern, culturally diverse, and lovable books to specific activities that can be brought into your classroom. We'll focus on content areas that don’t typically get the reading treatment including science, math, and sensory.Lily Kress, BS | Administrative Associate

Adriana Threet, BA | Assistant Teacher
