I just absolutely love the online arena.
That’s why in 2018 I started hosting the Transform Challenging Behavior Online Conference.
I created that event with the aim of bringing you high quality professional development without having to travel, without having to stay at a hotel, and without having to pay the price of an expensive conference registration.
(That saves you, your center, or your school at least $1000).
One of the reasons I like ONLINE LEARNING is because almost everyone can do it…
…Whereas, so many early childhood teachers and programs don’t have anywhere close to the amount of money it takes to travel to a conference.
PLUS, you can learn in your jammies if you want to!
Now, some say there’s no place for online learning now that “we’re back in person”. (BUT for those of us doing online teaching and learning way before Covid that just doesn’t ring true).
Or, that only in-person PD results in real learning.
We have a whole host of myths circulating about the conditions necessary for learning and development.
People say real learning only happens in person. Or, that true professional development takes a long time.
Or, that you can only really learn something by ::insert super specific circumstance::
But, in my experience these things are simply just not true!
Sure, some things do take time.
Sure, certain people may not feel they can - or may not want to - learn online...and, some things do take time. In some cases certain people may learn better under certain specific circumstances.
But there are just as many examples - if not more - providing evidence to the contrary!
People everywhere learn all sorts of things in all sorts of ways, every day.
For example, all the best and most useful information I’ve learned about giving presentations I actually learned from an online public speaking course. I LOVE online learning so I could list for DAYS the number of things I’ve learned online.
I also know all sorts of early childhood teachers who have learned new ideas, shifted their thinking, and put new strategies into practice as a result of online learning.
For example, during the past online conferences the Transform Challenging Behavior Facebook group was positively blowing up with teachers reporting a change in perspective about all sorts of things related to challenging behavior and beyond.
We also heard from teachers all over the world who saw something in one of the videos and immediately put what they learned into action, reporting positive results - everything from using a puppet to connect with a hard-to-reach child...to de-escalating a tantrum...to trying new songs for smoother transitions...to creating a cozy corner and allowing a child who had experienced trauma to sit there rather than come to circle.
What about you, what have you learned ONLINE?
Was it from a video, an article, an interview or from an actual course?
Bonus points if your answer has something to do with early childhood.
Double bonus points if you can tell me what you learned (and how you implemented it!) from the previous Transform Challenging Behavior Online Conferences.
...but I’ll happily read any answer to that question!
Please tell us what you’ve learned online in the comments, below….
And if you’re up for more online learning…
Check out our Transform Challenging Behavior Online Conference Library.
You can get essential information on everything from trauma-informed practices to social emotional skills to figuring out the cause of challenging behavior and so much more from the most recent set of conference sessions/interviews!
