Being Present
Presenter
- Helen Frazier, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute
Session / Time
- Breakout Session I
- 10 - 11 a.m.
- Bedford Room
Description
In this workshop, participants will consider the value of “Being Present” in their interactions with young children. Participants will learn strategies for pausing to be present with individual children in the context of a bustling learning environment.
Goals / Content / Intentionality
By the conclusion of this session, participants will:
- describe a serve-and-return interaction with children,
- identify the importance of being present during interactions with children, and
- describe how they will take time to pause with individual children.
My hope and intention for the workshop is that participants will know how important they are in the lives of young children. I hope that they will look for moments in their busy days to be present with children so they build connections and affirm children’s sense of self and belonging.
Take-Home Messages
- Young children learn through serve-and-return interactions with trusted adults.
- In the context of a busy learning environment, educators must be intentional about taking time to be present with children.
- Being present changes the quality of and the possibilities for the interaction.
Presenter Bio
Helen Frazier, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute
Helen Frazier, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute
Helen Frazier is the director of early childhood at the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute. She has worked in early childhood education as an infant/toddler, preschool, and kindergarten teacher, a special educator, a consultant, and a coach since 1998. At the Institute, Helen leads a team of expert coaches and screening and assessment specialists. Their work has included writing the New York City Division of Early Childhood Education’s Professional Development lane “Using Data to Inform Instruction,” the NYAEYC Interest-Driven Learning series, and the New York State Introduction to Coaching Early Childhood Professionals training. Helen collaborated with the New York Public Library to develop “Raising the Bar: Integrating Early Childhood Training into Librarian Professional Development.” She leads the New York State Coaching Workgroup and served on the New York State Early Childhood Blue Ribbon Committee and the New York City 0 to 3 Advisory Group. Helen holds a master’s degree in early childhood special education from Bank Street College of Education.
