When 2020 came to a close, we were able to reflect on its benefits and challenges. While GATE was challenged cancelling in-person early childhood educator seminars, the youth education community as a whole benefitted as more organizations offered online educator training. Teachers of the very young can now search online for #ECE Webinars and find numerous training experiences. Many free of charge and some have STEM as a focus like the five below links. #OpenYourGATE #earlySTEM #earlyed #earlychildhood #earlychildhoodeducation
Top 5 Early Childhood Education Webinar Sites
- Early Childhood Investigations – Why go to a conference when sites like this are now available. High quality early childhood education at your fingertips. Sessions have detailed description of topic and presenter(s). Plus each session is sponsored so cost is, well, zip. Make sure to support those sponsors who support ECE educators. https://www.earlychildhoodwebinars.com/
- EdWeb offers CE certificates in childhood education through both live links and recorded sessions. They provide a wide array of webinar topics. You can search for age or domain specific training like literacy, socio-emotional or elementary. The link below lists more educational options for teachers that jumped online during 2020. https://home.edweb.net/top25edwebinars-2020/
- Hatch is a tech business, supplying early learning technologies for classrooms and other learning centers. Webinar and blog post options available for home and work educators. Plus, training opportunities for center employee groups. Check out their website for info. https://www.hatchearlylearning.com/resources/webinars
- NAEYC offers a variety of subject options for education of young children. Certificates are available for any that require proof of training. More online is available to national and local chapter members. Here is a link to their webinar recordings. https://www.naeyc.org/events/trainings-webinars/recorded-webinars
- NAEE provides environmental education and nature based learning options. Just the stuff we love. Check out what they have available for professional growth and, of coarse, for homeschoolers. https://naaee.org/eepro/learning/webinars-workshops-training/early-childhood-stem-nature-based
CHALLENGES MET – GATE’s Learning & Edu-Care Project was further challenged by stay-at-home mandates limiting wilderness outings and youth explorations. As a result, local environmental education efforts were introduced online with mixed reviews. Mobile STEM Lab outreach to children under 10 continued with activities and supplies delivered to homes within Kern County. One child’s story will be posted soon on our Success Stories page. Check back for it.
LOOKING FORWARD – GATE again joins in Give Big Kern, coordinating it with our annual Earth Day Fundraiser in Spring. Also in Fall 2021, GATE will join Giving Tuesday efforts. Send us a message to add a fundraiser in your community. Visit our donation page to help now. Also, we begin our biggest ever push for volunteer involvement with both in-person and online opportunities. Plus, GATE volunteers will actualize our online publicity campaign with video stories, social media outreach and more. #DoGood #Volunteer #OpenYourGATE
Remember – help us help others. Join our efforts in any way you can. Thank you.
Guardians Around The Earth 