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Trying to encourage a child’s independence can be challenging, but The Academy at NHSA is here to help. Whether you’re looking to understand the emotional development of infants and toddlers or learn how to encourage a child’s self esteem, this course is for you! In just one month, you will gain a 360-degree understanding of Independence in Infants and Toddlers. 
At its core, Developing a Sense of Independence in Infants and Toddlers is all about helping children embrace who they are. Our course covers everything you need to know about becoming independent in and outside the classroom. It will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to confidently support and advocate for the children and families you serve.

Course Information

• Start Date: Available on-demand
• Course Level: Beginner
• Requirements/Prerequisites: Only for staff who have not completed the CDA course with The Academy
• Target Audience: Instruction and Effective Practice, Leadership and Management, Parents and Families, Program Operations, Support Services
• Course Meeting Times: None
• Completion Timeline/Duration: One month

Alignment with Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF)

• This course for teachers aligns closely with Head Start Early Learning Outcome Framework (ELOF). It provides strategies for promoting language development, social-emotional learning, and cognitive growth in the classroom. Educators gain tools for fostering literacy, empathy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among students. We also emphasize the importance of family engagement in the learning process. By addressing these key areas, our course equips educators to meet Head Start standards effectively, nurturing the holistic development of their students.

Learning Objective:

• Understand the emotional development of infants and toddlers.
• Know the importance of promoting children’s sense of self, how-to guide in developing a child’s self-esteem, hot-to guide children in expressing their feelings, as well as how to help a child to flourish.

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Course Author

Zuly Vazquez

Zuly Vazquez is the senior manager of Early Head Start Professional Development. 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 Head Start parent and has vast experience supporting and providing technical assistance to teachers, family child care providers, education specialists, and families in large 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 part of the advisory committee of her local NAEYC affiliate, the Family Child Care Home Alliance of Georgia, and Latinas United for the Children of America.