Powerful Interactions®: A Framework for Transforming Everyday Interactions with Children into Powerful Interactions®
Presenter
- Steve Castar, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute
Session / Time
- Breakout Session II
- 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
- Bedford Room
Description
In this workshop, participants will learn about Powerful Interactions®, a framework designed to support, enhance, and deepen the power of the interactions early childhood educators have with children every day. Participants will experience how to take a breath, step back, and take a careful look at how they interact with children. We will examine specific examples, discuss strategies, and identify action steps for implementing a stance of Powerful Interactions® in your work with children..
“The topic of teacher-child interaction has been very much in the forefront of early childhood dialogue for several years. As you’ll see throughout this [book], there is extensive research to support the importance of enhancing the quality of interactions with children.” (Judy Jablon, Powerful Interactions: How to Connect with Children to Extend Their Learning, 2011)
Goals / Content / Intentionality
By the conclusion of this session, participants will:
- develop a clear understanding of Powerful Interactions®,
- identify specific strategies and action steps to implement Powerful Interactions® in their work with children and,.
- identify resources to support the implementation of Powerful Interactions®.
My hope and intention is to present the ideas of Powerful Interactions® as an inspiration for early childhood professionals to reflect on and examine the quality of everyday interactions they have with children.
Take-Home Messages
- The quality of teacher/child interactions makes a significant difference to children’s development and learning.
- Being able to use what we know about children from observing and talking with them to create optimal learning opportunities for engagement, exploring, thinking, and communicating.
- Thinking carefully about your interactions is important because research shows that who you are, and how and what you say and do as you engage with children, makes a difference in what they learn about themselves, others, and the world (Hamre & Pianta, 2005).
Presenter Bio
Steve Castar, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute
Steve Castar, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute
As an educator for the past 43 years, Steve Castar has worked in a variety of roles and capacities. He has worked with children and adults in public/private elementary schools, private/public preschools and day cares, and family child care settings as both a classroom teacher and a building administrator. In all of these roles his work has revolved around observing children and creating curricula that follow children’s interests while fostering discovery, joy, and wonder in the world. Steve holds two master’s degrees from Bank Street College of Education in supervision & administration and N-6 elementary education. For the past 10 years he has supported adults, helping parents, teachers, and school administrators develop their skills and capacities to work with the young children in their lives. Currently as an Early Childhood Coach for the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute, Steve works as a coach with classroom teachers and school administrators to bring the same sense of joy and exploration to their work with children and teachers.
