ECE Ambassadors Use Expertise to Train Area Providers

Milwaukee Succeeds’ Early Childhood Education (ECE) Ambassadors are once again sharing their talents – this time by serving as trainers on an early learning platform called Teaching Strategies GOLD. They recognized the need for such trainings during their summer outreach visits and immediately began prepping and planning their lessons. Their first session on September 29 drew 11 employees from Proveedoras Unidas and Yimma’s Bright Beginnings Daycare, providing comprehensive, hands-on instruction that was tailored to the providers’ needs.

About Teaching Strategies GOLD

Teaching Strategies GOLD – or TSG – is an assessment tool that focuses on the whole child. It allows educators to capture and document observations within everyday interactions. These observations help them get a sense of what the children in their care know and how they can successfully build on that foundation.

TSG, which was designed specifically for early educators, informs individualized instruction for each early learner. Different color bands and levels pinpoint where every child is, guiding teachers to the Creative Curriculum activities that will best support their development and learning. It also allows educators to share resources with families, creating a rich family partnership in the learning process.

Not only does this drive better learning outcomes, but it also helps providers and centers identify which practices and activities are working to advance students. These can then be adopted across-the-board to help even more students reach their full potential.

"Creative Curriculum is research-based, especially suited for a family daycare,” said Yimma Davila-Castro, owner of Yimma’s Bright Beginnings Daycare. “It includes bilingual ideas and information to share with the families.”

Carmen Hernandez, the founder of Proveedoras Unidas, agrees. “[This] is an essential tool for early childhood educators,” she shared. “It helps them keep track of their teaching through documentation and provide families with evidence of their children's progress.”

Determining the Need

Throughout the year, the ECE Ambassadors have been engaging in conversations, events and outreach activities with many Milwaukee-area providers. During these sessions, they’ve been actively looking for ways to support the sector. Yimma provided them with the perfect opportunity when she mentioned the need for TSG trainings.

The TSG trainings that are currently available are both costly and difficult to follow, Yimma told them, particularly because they take place online. Since three of the current ECE Ambassadors – plus Community Engagement Fellow Anna Smerchek – were already experienced ECE trainers familiar with TSG, they knew this was something they could help with.

“In-person training has been on their wish list for some time, and it was fabulous that we could deliver this resource to our ECE partner!” said Anna.

“I really enjoy being able to sit and do one-on-one with the educators,” shared Ambassador and ECE trainer Kim Diaz. “It's fun being able to show someone else something new to explore.”

The Trainings

The Ambassadors used their expertise to create a thorough PowerPoint training guide, as well as an in-person lesson for ECE directors and employees. They debuted this training at the end of September for 11 ECE professionals, with plans for more trainings in the coming weeks. Ultimately, the Ambassadors hope to train Yimma’s full staff on the TSG system.

"As a childcare provider we try to offer quality service to our children and their families,” said Marisela Carpio of Proveedoras Unidas. “This training moves us forwards to our high-quality improvement.”

This training also counts toward educators’ continuing education hours. Lenisa, an ECE Ambassador and trainer, is also a certified Wisconsin Registry trainer, and helped attendees catalogue their hours. These hours help them increase their Wisconsin Registry Career Level and professional credentials, which can lead to higher positions within the ECE sector.

“By providing training support to ECE educators, I can assist with equipping them to feel confident in the important work that they are doing every day,” said Lenisa. “It’s an awesome feeling, because it truly takes a village in supporting children.”

Fellow Ambassador and ECE trainer Arati Hernandez feels the same. “It was wonderful to be able to provide our Spanish-speaking ECE educators with a hands-on, engaging trainings,” she said. “We are excited to continue these trainings to ensure our Spanish-speaking centers are provided with the support they need to succeed!”