Free KidSmart Training Connects Technology
to the Early Childhood Classroom
 Since 1998, IBM has donated over 45,000 Young Explorer computer units, which are computers housed in brightly colored, kid-friendly Little Tikes furniture, equipped with award-winning educational software to help children learn and explore concepts in math, science and language. The computer centers also help children learn important socialization skills such as how to work together and share. The IBM KidSmart Early Learning Program is now being implemented in 60 countries, serving more than 10 million children worldwide.
IBM has contracted with the Council to provide free training on the KidSmart Early Learning Program so that teachers can bring the full range of interactive learning activities into their classrooms. The training is available to the community-based programs and school district PreK classes that recently received a Young Explorer unit through the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, which administers IBM’s distribution in Westchester County.
The training will be conducted by Colleen Sharif, the Council’s Professional Development Coordinator and Laura Cleare, Infant Toddler Specialist. Ms. Sharif and Ms.Cleare are most enthusiastic about KidSmart, which “gives children an effective jump-start in their education by strengthening their exploration and socialization skills, which will better prepare them for future success in school.”
In addition to basic overview training, Ms. Sharif will also offer an intermediate level workshop for KidSmart recipients interested in looking more deeply at integrating the software with classroom curriculum.
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Anyone interested in receiving the training should contact Colleen Sharif
at (914) 761-3456, ext. 113.
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Making Middle School Programs Cool
On Thursday January 14, over 50 professionals who work with middle school youth attended Making Middle School Programs Cool: Surviving and Thriving in the Middle School Years. This three hour workshop was funded by IBM Global Work/Life Fund. Presenters Jutta Dotterweich, Project Director for the NYS Advancing Youth Development Partnership and the Training Coordinator for the ACT for Youth Center of Excellence at Cornell University and Janis Whitlock, Director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Self-Injury Research Project in the Department of Human Development, School of Human Ecology at Cornell University gave attendees a spirited and robust delivery of the nuts and bolts of adolescent development and how program developers can create stimulating, supportive, satisfying and developmentally appropriate programs that appeal to youth and their parents. Some attendees commented that “the workshop targeted issues and concerns that we have for our adolescent children” and “what I learned helped me better understand the youth I work with.” Materials and resources were provided to assist programs with planning and presenting programs that meet the needs of the children.
This regional training served as the basis for local training in the surrounding counties of Rockland, Sullivan, Orange and Southbury, CT. Funds are available for technical assistance and local training to those who attended. For additional information, contact Susan Edelstein at susane@cccwny.org.
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