Free Professional Development Workshops for Early Childhood Educators
In partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood and Ready At Five, Arts for Learning Maryland will host a series of SIX FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS for early childhood educators and child care providers with our Wolf Trap-trained artists.
Through engaging theatre, music, and dance activities, participants will learn simple strategies for integrating the arts into their classroom and daily home routines.
FEBRUARY–MAY 2023
Participants can earn up to 9 Core of Knowledge hours through MSDE's Office of Child Care.
Professional Development Institute Workshops
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Remembering the Joy: The Power of an Arts-Integrated Classroom
with Valerie Branch, Caroline Ferrante, Mary Fields, and Laura Schandelmeier
Experiencing joy can be transformative and contagious! In this 90-minute interactive workshop, Arts for Learning Maryland teaching artists will use dance, song, and theatre as vehicles to foster meaningful social-emotional connections and joyful PreK/K classroom experiences. Participants will leave inspired to replicate strategies learned and teach Maryland Early Learning Standards in artfully joyful ways.
Participants are encouraged to bring a scarf or flexible fabric to this workshop!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Moving With Math Session #2: Total Physical Response (TPR)
with Laura Schandelmeier
Ms. Laura is back for part two of our three-part series Moving with Math. In this 90-minute session, participants will learn about the total physical response (TPR) and how it can be used to teach geometry vocabulary in the PreK/K classroom. When teachers intentionally connect movement with language, learning, memory, and recall are more effective. Participants will also learn child-directed strategies that teach problem-solving, counting, patterns, and more!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
From Potlatch to Potluck: Creating Classroom Community
with Caroline Ferrante
Teaching Artist Caroline Ferrante will demonstrate how to use music and theatre strategies that create brave and culturally responsive spaces. Through the lens of First Nations, participants will learn to use rhythm instruments, movement, songs, dance, and creative drama in ways that celebrate Indigenous cultures and support children’s self-regulation.
Participants are encouraged to bring egg shakers, maracas, and/or any household item that makes a sound when you shake it!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Moving With Math Session #1: Introduction to the Elements of Dance
with Laura Schandelmeier
Join Teaching Artist Laura Schandelmeier in the first of a three-part series—Moving with Math. In this first 90-minute session, participants will learn the Elements of Dance. PreK/K teachers can use this foundational skill to teach self-regulation strategies, one-to-one correspondence, and decoding. Join in learning how to keep your students moving and learning simultaneously!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Moving With Math Session #3: Number Bonds, Sets, and Patterns
with Laura Schandelmeier
Join Ms. Laura for the third and final 90-minute session in the series Moving with Math. PreK/K teachers will learn how dance can help children embody math concepts in this last session. Participants will learn math concepts such as number bonds, counting on, sets, and patterns using children's literature, dance, and chants.
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Give Me a Beat! Using Steady Beat to Explore Syllables
with Mary Fields
Join Teaching Artist Mary Fields as she introduces strategies for teaching PreK/K students about their big, beautiful brains. When children gain a better understanding of their brains, it fosters self-regulation and positive well-being. Through this 90-minute workshop, participants will learn strategies for teaching syllabication and writing literacy-inspired songs.
Professional Development Institute Workshops
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Remembering the Joy: The Power of an Arts-Integrated Classroom
with Valerie Branch, Caroline Ferrante, Mary Fields, and Laura Schandelmeier
Experiencing joy can be transformative and contagious! In this 90-minute interactive workshop, Arts for Learning Maryland teaching artists will use dance, song, and theatre as vehicles to foster meaningful social-emotional connections and joyful PreK/K classroom experiences. Participants will leave inspired to replicate strategies learned and teach Maryland Early Learning Standards in artfully joyful ways.
Participants are encouraged to bring a scarf or flexible fabric to this workshop!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Moving With Math Session #1: Introduction to the Elements of Dance
with Laura Schandelmeier
Join Teaching Artist Laura Schandelmeier in the first of a three-part series—Moving with Math. In this first 90-minute session, participants will learn the Elements of Dance. PreK/K teachers can use this foundational skill to teach self-regulation strategies, one-to-one correspondence, and decoding. Join in learning how to keep your students moving and learning simultaneously!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Moving With Math Session #2: Total Physical Response (TPR)
with Laura Schandelmeier
Ms. Laura is back for part two of our three-part series Moving with Math. In this 90-minute session, participants will learn about the total physical response (TPR) and how it can be used to teach geometry vocabulary in the PreK/K classroom. When teachers intentionally connect movement with language, learning, memory, and recall are more effective. Participants will also learn child-directed strategies that teach problem-solving, counting, patterns, and more!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Moving With Math Session #3: Number Bonds, Sets, and Patterns
with Laura Schandelmeier
Join Ms. Laura for the third and final 90-minute session in the series Moving with Math. PreK/K teachers will learn how dance can help children embody math concepts in this last session. Participants will learn math concepts such as number bonds, counting on, sets, and patterns using children's literature, dance, and chants.
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
From Potlatch to Potluck: Creating Classroom Community
with Caroline Ferrante
Teaching Artist Caroline Ferrante will demonstrate how to use music and theatre strategies that create brave and culturally responsive spaces. Through the lens of First Nations, participants will learn to use rhythm instruments, movement, songs, dance, and creative drama in ways that celebrate Indigenous cultures and support children’s self-regulation.
Participants are encouraged to bring egg shakers, maracas, and/or any household item that makes a sound when you shake it!
MSDE Core of Knowledge Hours: 1.5
Give Me a Beat! Using Steady Beat to Explore Syllables
with Mary Fields
Join Teaching Artist Mary Fields as she introduces strategies for teaching PreK/K students about their big, beautiful brains. When children gain a better understanding of their brains, it fosters self-regulation and positive well-being. Through this 90-minute workshop, participants will learn strategies for teaching syllabication and writing literacy-inspired songs.
Workshop Presenters
Art Form: Dance
Valerie Branch graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance. She has experience touring as a performing and teaching artist both nationally and internationally. Valerie has brought dance into schools throughout South Africa and St. George’s, Grenada, and has received an invitation from the Danish Embassy to participate in a Cultural Arts Program Exchange Visit to Denmark. As a Master Teaching Artist with Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts and a Teaching Artist Fellow with Arts for Learning Maryland, her mission is to bring dance to schools throughout the DMV area and beyond.
Art Forms: Music + Theatre
Multi-disciplinary artist and educator Caroline Ferrante brings twenty years of classroom experience to her arts-integrated classes, workshops, and performances. Ferrante earned a Masters Degree in Curriculum Design and loves to explore the social-emotional power of the arts to develop empathy and cultural competency. Ferrante celebrates her Potawatomi and Pawnee ancestors through music, movement, and creative drama.
Art Form: Music
Happiest on stage and in the classroom, Mary Fields is a Teaching Artist and facilitator throughout the state of Maryland. Mary strives to bring high quality Arts Integrated Education access to a variety of students, despite race or socioeconomic background. Mary is the creator of Write Now Music and Movement, an Arts Integrated literacy program designed to give students opportunities to learn and strengthen existing literacy skills through songwriting and performance. In addition to creating arts-integrated programming, Mary currently serves as mentor/performer with The Urban Choral Arts Society, based in Baltimore, MD., and performs as a Soprano Chorister with The Carter Legacy Singers.
Art Form: Dance
Wolf Trap master teaching artist Laura Schandelmeier conducts residencies, facilitates professional development workshops, and teaches artist trainings regionally and nationally. She was one of eight Wolf Trap teaching artists to participate in a pilot program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts for the purpose of aligning residency strategies and content with PreK arts standards. Currently, she is participating in Early Childhood STEM Learning Through the Arts, a research project funded by the Department of Education that teaches PreK and Kindergarten math standards through the arts. Laura received her certification as an arts integration specialist from the Teaching Artist Institute in 2008 and certification as a teaching artist in Washington, D.C. in 2009. Laura Schandelmeier is a choreographer, performer, teacher, and co-artistic director of Dance Box Theater, Inc. with her husband and collaborator, Stephen Clapp.
Workshop Presenters
Art Form: Dance
Valerie Branch graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maryland College Park with a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance. She has experience touring as a performing and teaching artist both nationally and internationally. Valerie has brought dance into schools throughout South Africa and St. George’s, Grenada, and has received an invitation from the Danish Embassy to participate in a Cultural Arts Program Exchange Visit to Denmark. As a Master Teaching Artist with Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts and a Teaching Artist Fellow with Arts for Learning Maryland, her mission is to bring dance to schools throughout the DMV area and beyond.
Art Forms: Music + Theatre
Multi-disciplinary artist and educator Caroline Ferrante brings twenty years of classroom experience to her arts-integrated classes, workshops, and performances. Ferrante earned a Masters Degree in Curriculum Design and loves to explore the social-emotional power of the arts to develop empathy and cultural competency. Ferrante celebrates her Potawatomi and Pawnee ancestors through music, movement, and creative drama.
Art Form: Music
Happiest on stage and in the classroom, Mary Fields is a Teaching Artist and facilitator throughout the state of Maryland. Mary strives to bring high quality Arts Integrated Education access to a variety of students, despite race or socioeconomic background. Mary is the creator of Write Now Music and Movement, an Arts Integrated literacy program designed to give students opportunities to learn and strengthen existing literacy skills through songwriting and performance. In addition to creating arts-integrated programming, Mary currently serves as mentor/performer with The Urban Choral Arts Society, based in Baltimore, MD., and performs as a Soprano Chorister with The Carter Legacy Singers.
Art Form: Dance
Wolf Trap master teaching artist Laura Schandelmeier conducts residencies, facilitates professional development workshops, and teaches artist trainings regionally and nationally. She was one of eight Wolf Trap teaching artists to participate in a pilot program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts for the purpose of aligning residency strategies and content with PreK arts standards. Currently, she is participating in Early Childhood STEM Learning Through the Arts, a research project funded by the Department of Education that teaches PreK and Kindergarten math standards through the arts. Laura received her certification as an arts integration specialist from the Teaching Artist Institute in 2008 and certification as a teaching artist in Washington, D.C. in 2009. Laura Schandelmeier is a choreographer, performer, teacher, and co-artistic director of Dance Box Theater, Inc. with her husband and collaborator, Stephen Clapp.
Professional Development Institute
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
All workshops focus on educators that are working with early childhood-aged children ranging from 3-6 years old. If you work with children that are slightly older or younger than that age range, you are still welcome to attend and consider the accommodations you would make for the children in your care.
All workshops in this professional development institute are virtual. Upon registration, you will receive access to the zoom link PLUS a calendar invite.
None of the workshops will be recorded to protect the integrity of our artists’ work and ensure that all participants can participate fully and authentically without fear or judgment.
The Arts for Learning Maryland Professional Development Institute is completely FREE! You do not need to pay anything!
Core of Knowledge (COK) Hours Questions
The Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) Division of Early Childhood offers opportunities to individual child care providers who want to increase their qualifications through the Maryland Child Care Credential Program. Arts for Learning Maryland can offer MSDE-approved training hours to participants through this Professional Development Institute. If you have any questions on whether or not you are eligible, please check with your supervisor.
Participants seeking COK hours will receive 1.5 hours for each workshop they attend. If you attend all 6 workshops, you will receive a total of 9 COK hours. If you only attend one workshop, you will receive 1.5 COK hours.
No! However, it is highly recommended that participants attend as many workshops as possible, as they scaffold upon one another, providing deeper insight into arts integration for Early Childhood Educators.
To receive COK hours for the workshop you attend, participants are required to have their cameras on and participate fully in the workshop. At the beginning of each workshop, attendees will be asked to sign in, and at the end of the workshop, attendees will be asked to fill out a short evaluation form.
Since this is a Professional Development Institute that includes 6 workshops over the course of 4 months, participants will receive their certificates at the end of the Institute–no later than June 9, 2023.
Additional Questions?
Feel free to contact Valerie Branch, [email protected], Director of Maryland Wolf Trap Early Learning Programs, for further assistance and information.
Thank You to Our Partners!
