The Maine Department of Education’s Early Learning Team, in the Office of Teaching and Learning, supports educators (teachers, administrators, and community providers) across the birth through early elementary years, with technical assistance, online tools, and professional learning opportunities.
During the 2024-25 school year, in addition to ongoing technical assistance, the team will be offering online professional development opportunities, a monthly newsletter, and monthly office hours. See below for details:
Challenging Behavior and Early Childhood Environments Learning Modules: Utilizing the IRIS Center Early Childhood Environments and Early Childhood Behavior Management Modules, the Early Learning Team is offering the field a learning opportunity through the Maine Department of Education’s EnGine platform. This 6-week module will take a deeper dive into Early Childhood Environments and Early Childhood Behavior Management: Developing and Teaching Rules offered by the IRIS Center. The sessions will meet in person on 10/29/2024 and again for the final session on 12/10/2024 at 3:30-4:30pm via zoom. There will be weekly asynchronous learning activities in-between the week 1 and week 6 in-person sessions. A limited number of participants will be allowed in each session with hopes of offering the learning opportunity again in Winter 2024. – Register for this opportunity here.
Monthly Virtual Newsletters: Delivered to your inbox each month, the World of Early Learning newsletter will spotlight topics in early childhood education to support your work through a birth to third grade focus. The newsletter highlights communities, schools, and partnerships, and shares an ongoing list of upcoming events and professional development opportunities across our state. Subscribe to the World of Early Learning Newsletter and/or update your Maine DOE subscriptions here.
Early Learning Team Office Hours: Online office hours will be held on the second Thursday of each month. Each monthly topic will correspond to the prior month’s newsletter (see schedule below). Attendees are also encouraged to bring questions and needs for discussion and guidance. Save this zoom link – it will be used each month (Meeting ID: 851 6655 0471).
|
Office Hour Date
3:30-4:30pm |
Topics for Focus | Newsletter |
| 10/10/24 | Classroom Environment | September |
| 11/14/2024 | Challenging behaviors | October |
| 12/12/2024 | Inclusion in Early Learning | November |
| 01/09/2025 | Kindergarten Entry Inventory | December |
| 02/13/25 | Maine Instructional Programs/Purposeful play | January |
| 03/13/25 | Data and Assessment | February |
| 04/10/25 | Supporting Allied Arts | March |
| 05/08/25 | Transitions through grades | April |
| 06/12/2025 | First 10/community schools | May |
We are looking forward to supporting the field with these offerings and other future professional development opportunities.
For more information and questions, please reach out to Nicole Madore, Early Childhood Specialist, at nicole.madore@maine.gov or Marcy Whitcomb, Public Pre-K Consultant at marcy.r.whitcomb@maine.gov
