Valley Forge Educational Services

Professional Development and Parent Learning Events 2011-2012

These professional development and parent learning events are open to interested educators, parents and members of the community. Except where noted, registration is required.

If you or your organization would like to sponsor one of these programs, click here.

Professional Development Series 2011-2012

The Professional Development Series includes workshops and conferences for educators and professionals. PA ACT 48 credit is available.

Understanding Learning and Learners
Friday, May 18, 2011, 8:30am-3:30pm
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Cost: $125
5.5 ACT 48 hours
Register for session: May 18
Flyer

Discover how students’ unique learning profiles can affect their school performance and get ideas to align your instruction with the learning profiles of your students. You will be introduced to the “neurodevelopmental framework” that is the content foundation of the AKOM approach to learning and learners. Teachers leave with strategies for managing attention, memory, language, social and higher order cognitive thinking.

Speech and Language: The Key to Child Development
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
6:30pm-8:30pm
Presenter: James Coplan, M.D.
Location: VFES Conference Center
Cost: $10
2 ACT 48 hours
Register

Dr. Coplan will describe normal speech and language development in young children, review the importance of distinguishing between “delayed speech” and delayed language, identify diagnostic implications of various patterns of speech or language delay and discuss developmental disorders that frequently present as “delayed speech,” as well as best practices for intervention.

Language Development in the Preschool Years: The Link to Literacy
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
1:00pm-2:30pm
Presenter: Jolynn Thomas, MS, CCC-SLP and Nancy Allard, MA, OTR/L
Location: VFES Activities Center
Cost: The Luma Center offers this workshop to early childhood educators and preschool teachers free of charge.
2 ACT 48 hours
Register

Language Development in the early years builds the foundation skills for reading, “the gateway to learning.” Learn about the importance of language development in the early years and how to facilitate language and early literacy skills.

Delayed Auditory Processing and Implications for Language Development
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
6:30pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Timothy Roberts, Ph.D.
Location: Education Center/Cafeteria
Cost: Free for parents; $10 ACT 48 credit processing for educators
2 ACT 48 hours
Register

Flyer

Learn about the latest advancements in brain technological imaging and how MEG technology is used to understand and diagnose symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children with ASD often exhibit difficulties processing sound and speech. MEG technology can be used evaluate and tailor treatment. Timothy Roberts, Ph.D., will help parents understand the implications of a scan, treatments available and recommendations for future treatment tailoring and pharmaceutical evaluation.

Teaching All Kinds of Minds
Monday, June 18 – Wednesday, June 20, 2012, 8:30am-3:30pm each day
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Cost: $375 until May 31, 2012; after this date $399
17 ACT 48 hours
Register
Flyer

Discover how students’ unique learning profiles can affect their school performance and get ideas to align your instruction with the learning profiles of your students. This course approaches the science of learning through academic themes (e.g., reading and writing) and provides tools and activities for next-day classroom use. Through this course, you’ll gain a better understanding of your learning profile, explore All Kinds of Minds’ neurodevelopmental learning framework to learn how the mind functions, and consider how this new insight can support your classroom and school priorities. Through interactive discussions, case studies and reflection, you’ll develop skills to identify strengths and breakdowns in student learning, link them to a student’s unique learning profile and effectively select instructional strategies that leverage a student’s strengths and help him or her overcome barriers to learning. Appropriate for grades K-12; curriculum is suited to mixed grade level groupings.

About All Kinds of Minds:
The AKOM approach synthesizes decades of research about how students learn. Participants learn about the neurodevelopmental constructs responsible for learning and academic performance and develop the skills and confidence to identify a student’s learning profile, differentiate instruction and better meet diverse student learning needs. AKOM is a realistic approach for teachers to collaborate to manage strategies, and help students leverage their strengths for social and academic success. View how AKOM has helped this teacher.

Parent Learning and Outreach Events 2011-2012

Speech and Language: The Key to Child Development
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
6:30pm-8:30pm
Presenter: James Coplan, M.D.
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Cost: $10 per family
2 ACT 48 hours
Register

Flyer

Children Who Learn Differently Series
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Cost: $25/workshop
Flyer

This series is designed to help parents equip their children with the “survival skills” to become better students. The workshops in this series can help nurture a partnership between parents and teachers to support success in school and at home. When you register, we give you the option of including your child’s teacher’s contact information. If you would like, we will send a letter to the teacher advising him/her of your attendance and offering him/her the option of attending at no charge.

Session 4: Learning and Self-Esteem
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
6:00pm-8:00pm
Register

Flyer

Success has been described as “a vitamin that every kid must take in order to thrive during his or her school years.” This workshop will explore how learning strengths and weaknesses contribute to a child’s self-esteem. Participants will learn strategies and communication techniques to support learning and self-esteem and learn strategies and communication techniques to support children whose learning differences are contributing to poor school performance and low self-esteem.

Session 5: Building Home-School Alliances
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
6:00pm-8:00pm
Register

Flyer

Parents need to develop close, collaborative relationships with their child’s school, so that what is being learned at school can be reinforced at home. This workshop will address the value of building an alliance between parents, caregivers, educators and children. Participants will leave with strategies for effective conversations that support learning.

Previously Held Events

Read Naturally Seminar
Saturday, October 1, 2011, 8:30am-3:30pm
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Cost: $99 (Training only) or $199 (Training with all materials)
5.5 ACT 48 hours
Flyer

Read Naturally’s highly effective programs develop students’ reading fluency and support vocabulary and comprehension skills using the powerful, research-based Read Naturally strategy. This seminar, taught by Elaine Balum, a nationally recognized educator, will help you set up a new Read Naturally program—or maximize the effectiveness of your existing program—to help students improve their reading skills and test scores.

What Every Parent of a Child with a Disability Should Know About Bullying
Monday, October 3, 2011, Select one of two times:
9:00am-11:00am
6:30pm-8:30pm
Location: Valley Forge Educational Services Education Center

Any child can be a target of bullying, but children with disabilities can be especially vulnerable because bullies tend to pick on kids who seem “different.” Our training will help parents of children with disabilities define what bullying is and determine if their child may be a target. We will also explore specific, practical steps a parent can take at home to prevent bullying and steps to help stop bullying at school. Discussions will include federal recommendations to prevent school bullying, a simple explanation of the rights of a child bullied because of a disability, how to use a child’s IEP as an excellent tool for setting goals and objectives to manage bullying, and cyber bullying prevention strategies.

Work Incentive and Benefits Management Planning
Monday, November 21, 2011, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Register
Flyer

Are you or a family member unsure how employment income will affect SSI or SSDI benefits? Are you graduating from high school and need to understand how work may affect your benefits? Untangle the myths and misconceptions about earned income and Social Security benefits eligibility and continuation. Work incentive counseling helps individuals understand how work impacts Social Security benefits and assists them in maximizing federal and state work incentives. Sponsored by the Vanguard Transition Center.

Tough Kid Behavior: A four week book discussion for parents
Tuesday, October 4, 11, 25, and November 1, 2011, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Brain Balance Center of Wayne, 250 W. Lancaster Ave., Radnor, PA
Flyer

Parents, do you have a child that argues, throws tantrums or refuses to cooperate at school and at home? Participants in this four week evening book study will appreciate working through The Tough Kid Parent Book, a resource that helps everyone through difficult times, no matter how frequently they occur.

Helping Individuals on the Autism Spectrum Understand Death and Dying
Thursday, December 1, 2011 – 6:30-8:00pm
Location: VFES Education Center/Cafeteria
Register
Flyer

As difficult as it is for an individual without special needs to cope with the feelings of loss when a loved one dies, it can be significantly more difficult for an individual on the autism spectrum to grasp the reality and finality of death and, even more critically, to understand the acceptable practices of their family and community for expressing grief and mourning. Since the holidays can be so difficult for those who have recently lost a friend or family member and because talking to and teaching individuals on the autism spectrum, or with other special needs, about death can be a daunting task, VFES is offering this seminar to our parents and families and to the families of any individual with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or any cognitive or emotional disability with the hope of making this task easier. Kathleen Wilkins, Ph.D., Director of Clinical Services will be the presenter.

Children Who Learn Differently Workshops

Session 1: The Challenge of Homework
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
6:00pm-8:00pm

The workshop will investigate why some children find homework so demanding and will offer parents strategies for helping them during homework time. This presentation will describe the eight building blocks of learning, explain how the task of homework is affected by a child’s neurodevelopmental strengths and weaknesses, and offer strategies parents can implement to help their children.

Session 2: Organizing for Learning: Helping Students Better Manage Time & Materials
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
6:00pm-8:00pm

It can be frustrating to constantly search for or replace a child’s missing pencils, books, and supplies. Some children struggle with spatial organization skills and need additional support to remain organized and succeed academically. Learn strategies for helping children become better organized for learning.

Session 3: Paying Attention
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
6:00pm-8:00pm

Flyer

This workshop explores the three forms of attention control, the different parts of attention and the impact they have on learning. Understanding attention will enable participants to help children manage and strengthen their attention.

Other previously held events (2010-2011)

Calendar of Events

Pennsylvania ACT 48

We are an approved Pennsylvania ACT 48 services credit provider. Participants may earn ACT 48 credit by attending many of our events.

Consulting

We can be a resource to your organization’s professional development program. Services are tailored to meet your needs and planned to achieve successful outcomes. Services are offered by our Professional Development and Outreach staff and The Luma Center. Contact info@vfes.net.