Morning Session IV: 10:45 am - 12:15 pm

Interactive Training — Advanced
Ida A. Collier, BA
Parent Educator, Center for Effective Parenting

This workshop focuses on the spectrum of parenting responsibilities (time, budget, health, child and stress management). It addresses general strategies and offers parents techniques and tools to assist with sustaining a positive environment. Requires the facilitator to become aware of the resources designed to provide assistance in the parent’s community. The facilitator should have two options for parents to connect if needed. Also, tools, currently utilized in today’s culture, will be introduced to parents to help organize the above areas. This session should particularly benefit those who deliver/facilitate parenting classes to parents.

(D-2) "Information Systems Development for Beginners"

Interactive Training — Introductory
Bob Strickland, Client Referral Network Coordinator
Madison & Washington County Community Partnership

Repeat (See Description A-2)

Interactive Training — Part 2 Advanced
Mark Edwards, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, UAMS
Center for Effective Parenting, Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Continuation (See Description C-3)

Interactive Training — Advanced
E. Dee Austin, Ed. S., Parent Educator
Center for Effective Parenting

This workshop will explore training parents in action-reaction process to adolescent behaviors in three parts. Part I: The Land-Mine Years — emotional upheavals, power struggles and more. Part II: The Double-S Sword — from self-esteem to suicide. Part III: Tools to Use — critique and review of 3 video series, books, cassettes, and activities.

Case Studies/Model Programs — Introductory
Lynn Donald, Program Manager
Family Support Program
Artie Herdon, Service Coordinator
Developmental Disabilities Services

This presentation will highlight a model program of family supports for parents of children with developmental disabilities started in 1988 by the state of Arkansas. A look at philosophy driving the family-focused and family responsive program will emphasize the involvement of parents on the board of directors as policy-makers and goal setters. The emphasis on respect for the rights and experience of parents who can raise children with disabilities will engage participants in a meaningful discourse about programs promoting parent empowerment and parents’ participation in directing programs that serve them and their children. This session should particularly benefit those involved in working directly with parents to increase their sense of personal power and ability to handle their own life situations and those of their children.

Policy Issues — Introductory
Richard Huddleston, Research Director
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families

Mr. Huddleston will discuss how the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition has built a statewide network of more than forty organizations and hundreds of individuals to influence state legislation in the areas of health care, family economic self sufficiency, child care, juvenile justice, and other topics affecting children and families. This session should particularly benefit those trying to establish coalitions or legislative efforts around the issue of parent education.

Training of Trainers — Introductory
Carol Chase, Instructor/Lead Teacher
Laverne Nelson, Research Associate
School of Human Environmental Sciences
University of Arkansas

Fun, developmentally appropriate activities ensure optimal learning experiences for young children. Activities will be presented to foster growth in physical, social, emotional and cognitive domains. Included will be exploring art, beginning literacy skills, making musical transitions, starting scientific inquiry and many other practical, field-tested tips gleaned from experienced teachers of preschoolers. This session should particularly benefit individuals who work directly with parents or teachers of young children.

Theoretical Models, Introductory to Intermediate
Karen Rudd, BS, CFCS, M.Ed.
Adjunct Professor, Instructor, Southern Arkansas University and Quapaw Technical Institute

This session will be an introduction to the need for appropriate nutrition at each stage of our lives, including the importance of good nutrition during the early developing years and weight management of children. There will be an emphasis on the importance of vitamins and minerals and their direct correlation to many diseases. There will be resources for use with preschoolers, elementary, high school and adults with time for discussion. This session should particularly benefit those who work with parents of all age groups.

Interactive Training — All skill levels
Mardi Crandall
Instructor & Director
Infant Developmental Center
University of Arkansas

Parents who understand how children feel are better equipped to parent. However, it’s difficult for adults to feel as children do. It is even more difficult to teach parents in the affective domain. This session will help parent educators understand the importance of interactive training and give them examples of interactions that they can use in their own parenting classes. This session should particularly benefit those who work with parents of infants through elementary-aged children.

Case Studies/Model Program — Introductory
Patricia Taylor Kienzle
Elementary Counselor
Farmington Elementary School

This workshop from the Arkansas 1997 Christa McAuliffe Fellowship is presented in a serious, yet lighthearted manner. It was designed to supplement the theme: Life is like a pickle, sometimes sweet and sometimes sour. Door prizes and handouts reinforce the seven points of P I C K L E S. Participants receive reproducible information and ideas on adapting material to their own situations. This session should particularly benefit those who are interested in relationship skills for parents of toddlers through teenagers that are also effective with adults.