Head Start Orientation Basics

Online • On-Demand • 1 PD Hr

This one-hour dynamic course provides the basic information required to work or volunteer in a Head Start or an Early Head Start classroom.

Overview Course Outline

Overview

Head Start Orientation is a one-hour long course that provides critical information required to work or volunteer in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms. The course covers core topics to support children’s well-being and school-readiness skills. Head Start Orientation helps programs quickly expand their temporary staffing capacity by preparing new substitutes and volunteers to have high-impact interactions with children.

In addition to providing an introduction to Head Start policies, procedures, and guidelines, Head Start Orientation prepares learners to successfully implement positive strategies such as active supervision and positive redirection.

This course is a great first step for individuals who are seeking long-term placements or increasing their involvement. This course is recommended to be paired with Head Start Basics.

Start Date: On-Demand

Course Level: Beginner

Requirements/Prerequisites: None

Target Audience: Instruction and Effective Practice, Parents and Families

Course Meeting Times: None

Completion Timeline/Duration: One Month

Head Start Alignment:

Supports programs in meeting Part 1302: Program Operations, Subpart I-Human Resources Management requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards to ensure staff and volunteers are qualified and supported to effectively provide services.
Supports programs in meeting Part 1303.4: Federal Financial Assistance, Non-Federal Match, and Waiver requirements in which “a grantee must contribute 20 percent as non-federal match each budget period.” Volunteer time can be calculated into dollar amounts.

Course Outline

Module Topics:

Head Start Program
Mandatory Reporting
Professionalism
Active Supervision
Positive Redirection

Learning Objectives:

Be prepared to succeed as a substitute teacher or volunteer in Head Start’s classroom environment.
Learn how to implement positive strategies, such as active supervision and positive redirection, which support children’s wellbeing and prevent and address challenging behavior.
Understand how HSPPS reflect science and best practices to ensure high-quality services.
Understand the importance of being a mandated reporter and learn how to recognize signs of abuse, neglect, and mistreatment.

Course Author

Zuly Vazquez

Zuly is the Associate Manager of Early Head Start Programs at NHSA. She has worked with Head Start, and Early Head Start programs for over a decade, specializing in training, mentoring, coaching, facilitation, curriculum implementation, and management. She worked for several years in the classroom, providing high-quality education to children from different cultures, traditions, and ethnicities. She is a former EHS/HS parent. She has vast experience supporting and providing technical assistance to teachers, family child care providers, education specialists, and families in large EHS/HS programs in Florida and Georgia. Over her career, she designed a supplemental Christian early childhood curriculum, bilingual online lessons, and classroom observation tools and has facilitated early childhood education courses in English and Spanish at the college level. As an active early childhood advocate, she is a board member of her local NAEYC affiliate and Family Child Care Home Alliance of Georgia. She is a senior advisor of Latinas United for the Children of America.