This course is meant for those people who feel that if they knew more math and felt more confident about their math abilities, they would be better able to support children's learning. The exercises in the course are meant to give you a strong foundation in the mathematics of fractions. We'll also touch on decimals and percents and their connection to fractions. A wide variety of online and other resources that can be used with children are an integral part of our study. The course will be highly interactive and will reflect the kind of teaching we do at Bank Street College: student centered, learning through doing, problem solving, and connected to the real world.

Barbara Dubitsky, Ed.D., is the Director of the Bank Street College of Education's Leadership in Mathematics Program and a faculty member of the Bank Street Graduate School. She holds her Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Dubitsky has worked extensively in public and private schools to help teachers build their capacity to teach mathematics, and with school districts to help them create mathematics staff developers. Prior to Bank Street College, Dr. Dubitsky worked for many years as a public school teacher in grades 4-6, and as a mathematics teacher and mathematics coordinator at the middle school level.

Course timetable: February 22 through April 16, 2010.
1 CEU: $350 (not offered for credit)
Registration deadline: 2/22/10

The workshops/courses are asynchronous, that is, participants work at times that suit them best; however, there will be firm weekly due dates for assignments. The course instructor will act both as a leader and a mentor by offering regular support, suggestions, and direction. Click here to register.

This introductory course is for parents and caregivers who want to solidify their understanding of children and enrich their parenting/caregiving with some basic principles and approaches to guide their thinking and actions. Topics will be nested within child development principles such as the interaction between nature and nurture and thinking about what is universal and what is particular in children's development. Topics will include:

• Understanding how play promotes children's learning during and beyond the preschool years; and
• Using concepts of temperament to create a better "fit" for children at home and at school;
• Writing adult narratives of our own childhoods in conjunction with neuroscientific findings to examine how it may affect our current parenting styles;
• Studying issues of social cognition- such as bullying; and
• How children come to understand "race" and how parents can positively support that process

We will share thoughts about posted articles and videos, as well as engage in our own inquiry about children through selected activities that can be done at your convenience. We will not discuss or try to "solve" situations of individual children, but rather create common groundwork from which to learn more about children. We will share our learning through an online community over the four sessions.

Virginia Casper, Ph.D., is a developmental psychologist and teacher educator who has worked for over 30 years with children and families in early intervention and research. She is on the graduate faculty at Bank Street College of Education. Articles on her work on attachment, gender, and teacher-parent relations have been published in Teacher's College Record, Child Development, The Harvard Education Review and Zero to Three. She is the co-author of two books-- Gay Parent/Straight Schools: Building Communication and Trust (1999) Teachers College Press, and Early Childhood Education: Learning Together, (2009), McGraw-Hill. Dr. Casper has also worked internationally for the past decade in South Africa. She holds a doctorate from Yeshiva University and a Masters Degree from NYU. She is a parent of a 24-year old.

Course timetable: February 22 through March 25, 2010.
1 CEU: $350 (not offered for credit)
Registration deadline: 2/15/10

The workshops/courses are asynchronous, that is, participants work at times that suit them best; however, there will be firm weekly due dates for assignments. The course instructor will act both as a leader and a mentor by offering regular support, suggestions, and direction. Click here to register.

Ever wonder how a children's book gets published? Bank Street College Children's Librarian Lisa Von Drasek will tell you in this exciting overview of children's book publishing. What does an editor do? Do I need an agent? Is there a market for my idea? How do I submit my manuscript? What is a book proposal? What is the deal with self-publishing? We will follow the process of children's book publishing from manuscript to bound book in the bookstore.
Please note: This course is an introduction only. Manuscripts will not be reviewed.

Prior to earning her MLS, Lisa Von Drasek was a children's book buyer and worked at publishing houses in Sales and Marketing. In addition her work as the Bank Street College Children's Librarian, she has been a children's book reviewer contributing to Kirkus Reviews, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Barnes and Noble Review, Nick Jr., and The Bark. Her essays have appeared in Knowledge Quest, Library Journal, Teaching K-8 and Library Sparks. Ms. Von Drasek earned an MLIS from Pratt Institute, and her BS from Skidmore College. In addition, she has taken post-graduate courses at Bank Street College.

Course timetable: January 29 through February 12, 2010.
1 CEU: $300 (not offered for credit)
Registration deadline: 1/22/10

The workshops/courses are asynchronous, that is, participants work at times that suit them best; however, there will be firm weekly due dates for assignments. The course instructor will act both as a leader and a mentor by offering regular support, suggestions, and direction. Click here to register.

This course provides a comprehensive view of PDD and the diagnoses that fall under it (Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, PDD/NOS, etc.). You will learn how these learners with PDD learn, how you can modify the environment and curriculum to meet their needs, how to promote their socialization and acceptance, and how to work constructively with parents and school personnel for the children's benefit. Specific strategies for teaching will be reviewed, including Applied Behavior Analysis, TEACCH, Picture Exchange Communication systems, and using Verbal Behavior and visual supports. Assessment techniques and methods of recording progress will be addressed so that IEP goals can be developed and supportive methods of teaching can be executed.

Susan Varsames, MSEd, has taught children with learning disabilities for 20 years. She is the founder and owner of the Holistic Learning Center in Eastchester, NY, where she works with individual students, lectures, trains parents and professionals, and is a consultant for school districts. Ms. Varsames earned a MSEd in Early Childhood Special Education and a BS in Educational Psychology, both from NYU.

Course timetable: March 1 through April 16, 2010.
1 CEU: $350 (not offered for credit)
Registration deadline: 2/22/10

The workshops/courses are asynchronous, that is, participants work at times that suit them best; however, there will be firm weekly due dates for assignments. The course instructor will act both as a leader and a mentor by offering regular support, suggestions, and direction. Click here to register.

This course shows you how to provide rich art experiences for young children in a variety of settings. Your work with art materials and consider the contribution of art to children's learning and development. Other topics to be discussed include: setting up art areas; selecting, presenting, and storing materials; planning a meaningful sequence of art experiences; how to make appropriate comments on children's work; and ways to make art an integral part of the curriculum.

Timothy Lightman, M.Ed, is currently serving as Principal at the Smith College Campus School, a K-6 laboratory school in Northampton, MA. He has worked for over twelve years in the field of education as a curriculum consult, graduate supervisor in the Preservice Inclusive Elementary Education Program at Teachers College, and as a teacher and researcher at Bank Street College and the School for Children. Mr. Lightman has an MEd in Special Education and an MS in Early Childhood and Elementary Education both from Bank Street College of Education. He also has a BA in American History from New York University.

February 5, 6
Friday, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturday, 9:30 am - 5 pm
1 CEU $395 / 1 credit $1120
Materials fee $25
Registration Deadline 1/29

Good classroom management is at the heart of effective teaching. This course is aimed at teachers in regular and special education settings who want to learn how to organize their classrooms to help students realize their maximum potential while also keeping their classes on track. It includes a step-by-step approach for setting up and carrying out a behavior modification strategy. This course is intended for instructors with less than five years experience, but even more experienced professionals will come away with new techniques to add to their repertoire.

Debbie Zlotowitz is the Head of the Mary McDowell Center for Learning, an elementary school for children with learning disabilities in Brooklyn, NY. Ms. Zlotowitz has a SAS from Bank Street College and a MS from Buffalo in Exceptional Education with additional certification in reading. In addition, she holds a BA from SUNY Buffalo in Speech Pathology and Audiology.

January 8 and 9
Friday, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturday, 9:30 am - 5 pm
1 CEU $395/ 1 credit $1120
Materials fee $10
Registration Deadline 12/23

This workshop is an introduction to the principles, tools, and materials of bookbinding. Students will begin by making several types of decorative paper. You will then use this paper to construct a variety of books appropriate for classroom use. These include traditional bindings, accordion-fold books, Japanese side-sewn books, and a few whimsical non-traditional books. Students will discuss the usefulness and age-appropriateness of different types of books, as well as how to overcome limitations such as materials and budget constraints. Learning how to integrate bookmaking projects into the classroom curriculum is a major focus of this course.

Susan Seitner, M.A., taught at The Dalton School, where making different kinds of books was an important part of her first grade classroom. As the school librarian, she brings bookmaking experiences to teachers through faculty workshops and to children through after school classes and special projects. Ms. Seitner has an MA from Teachers College, Columbia University and a BA from Goucher College.

April 16, 17, 23 and 24
Fridays, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturdays, 9:30 am - 5 pm
2 CEU $790 / 2 credits $2240 / 3 credits $3360
Materials fee $25
Registration Deadline 4/9

Children love to move! This participatory course demonstrates engaging strategies that can integrate movement ˘ children≠s natural language ˘ into the early childhood curriculum in schools and other settings. Using scarves, songs, music, and children≠s literature, we will explore how kinesthetic teaching techniques provide a springboard for the development of body and group awareness, spatial and numerical concepts, language and pre-reading skills. Creative movement activities can ease transitions and classroom management issues as they heighten self esteem, nurture creativity, and build community in the classroom. 

Susan Griss, M.A. a dancer, educator, and curriculum consultant, is the author of Minds in Motion: A Kinesthetic Approach to Teaching Elementary Curriculum. She is on the faculty of Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, and she is co-director of the Arts and Curriculum Institute, part of Concerted Effort which works in the NY State capital region. Susan has been teaching creative movement to children in public schools for over 20 years. Ms. Griss has an M.A in Dance and Choreography from New York University and a B.A from Smith College.  

March 19 and 20
Friday, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturday, 9:30 am - 5 pm
1 CEU $395 / 1 credit $1120
Materials fee $5
Registration Deadline 3/12

This course is designed for leaders in all stages of their professional careers.
We will:

Explore ways to create a positive school culture that promotes collaboration and community,

Address the needs of teacher development for programs targeted for children ages 3-10 years,

Discuss concrete ways to motivate teachers both individually and collectively,

Identify and implement consultants, teacher evaluations and everyday training tools,

Discuss tenets of an effective meeting,

Work to promote family partnership and

Consider the potential of physical space in an educational setting.

Elizabeth McKenna, MS.Ed, is Head of Early Childhood at the New Canaan Country School, where she designed a comprehensive innovative pedagogy of early childhood education. She has over twenty year experience in pedagogical innovation in independent schools and has studied the translation of pedagogy into international education. Her expertise includes teacher training, development of educational space, and humanizing the experience of educators and students, on which she has lectured and published. Ms. McKenna received  her MS.Ed from Bank Street College in Supervision and Administration and has a BS in Elementary Education from the University of Vermont, Burlington

February 26 and 27
Friday, 5:15 √ 9:00 pm and
Saturday, 9:30 am √ 5:00 pm
1 CEU $395 / 1 Credit $1120
Materials fee $10
Registration Deadline: 2/19


* course is to be held at the New Canaan Country School. 545 Ponus Ridge Road, New Canaan, CT (parking available).
Directions will be provided upon registration.

This course is designed to promote fluency in your early childhood assessment skills across all domains of development. We will review standardized tests [such as the DAYC (Developmental Assessment of Young Children) and the Beery VMI (Visual Motor Integration)] and help you polish your clinical observation skills. This course includes an overview of sensory integration processing and developmental domain integration. You will learn how one area of development influences others, and how a delay or disorder in one domain can impact on others. A holistic approach to development will be presented in a workshop format that includes group work, movement instruction, and video assessment.
Note: It is recommended you take this class before taking Applied Behavior Analysis.

Susan Varsames M.A.Ed, has taught children with learning disabilities for 20 years. She is the founder and owner of the Holistic Learning Center in Eastchester, NY, where she works with individual students, lectures, trains parents and professionals, and is a consultant for school districts. Ms. Varsames has an M.A in Early Childhood Special Education from New York University and a B.A in Education Psychology from New York University.

April 16, 17
Friday, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturday, 9:30 am - 5 pm
1 CEU $395 / 1 credit $1120
Materials fee $10
Registration Deadline 4/9

This workshop is designed to give you the basis for creating a standards-based, interdisciplinary gardening curriculum. Starting with the basics of how plants are built, how they grow, and how they reproduce, we will also suggest how best to care for them in a classroom environment. We will share lessons and activities that support science, math, social studies, and language and visual arts. Children's books and curriculum resources that extend teaching and learning about plants will be on display; bibliographies and webliographies will be among the printed material resources provided. To start the classroom garden off, each student will plant a variety of plants to take back to school.

Judith Hutton, MSEd, coordinates all aspects of Wave Hill's School partnerships with Bronx schools, including regular contact with school leadership, staff training and teaching. She also leads professional development workshops and seminars for teachers and other educational professionals through Wave Hill, New York City's Department of Education and at local and national conferences. Ms. Hutton earned a MSEd in Leadership in Museum Education from Bank Street College, an MA in Environmental Conservation Education from New York University, and a BA in Environmental Studies form SUNY Binghamton.

February 5, 6
Friday, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturday, 9:30 am - 5 pm
1 CEU $395/ 1 credit $1120
Materials fee $45
Registration Deadline 1/29

Research papers frequently hold untold terror for the students who must write them and the teachers who assign them, yet research can be an intellectually satisfying pursuit for students. This course takes the fear out of research in any subject area. You will learn about the writing process, cooperative learning strategies, the use of print and electronic resources, and classroom methods for managing whole-group as well as independent research projects. This course addresses the Language Arts Standards for upper elementary and middle school grades.

Sam Brian teaches in both Bank Street College's School for Children and the Graduate School. In addition, he is a writer and educational consultant, and also the Director of the Geography and Mapping Institute, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to staff development in the area of geography education.

March 12, 13
Friday, 5:15 - 9 pm
Saturday, 9:30 am-5 pm
1 CEU $395 / 1 credit $1120
Materials fee $10
Registration Deadline 3/5

So you want to write a children's book! Here is a workshop to help you get started, once and for all. In this friendly, supportive environment, class discussions will focus on all aspects of good story telling and good writing, including tone of voice, clear dialogue, characters who feel real, and beautiful language. You will return to your classes with a better understanding of the writing process so that you, in turn, can help each student to find pleasure in crafting a piece of writing in his or her voice.

Amy Hest is the author of more than 35 books for children of all ages, including In the Rain with Baby Duck (winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award), When Jessie Came Across the Sea (Christopher Award Winner), and Kiss Good Night (a New York Times best seller and Christopher Award Winner.) Hest's focus is on family relationships and she wants you to know that everything she writes is personal! Ms. Hest has a Masters of Library Science from C.W. Post College and BA from Hunter College.

February 27, March 6, 13, and 20
Four Saturdays, 10 am - 1 pm
No credit $460 (not offered for credit or CEU)
Registration Deadline: 2/20