Talaris Institute Announces Launch of Online Training Program for Early Learning Professionals

SEATTLE, July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Talaris Institute announced the nationwide launch of its Parenting Counts online professional training.  The comprehensive online training for early learning professionals focuses on the social and emotional development of children from birth to age five. The training is being offered free, with a facilitator's guide, to the first 500 individuals who register between July 6-19th at www.ParentingCounts.org/professionals.

The goal of this dynamic and interactive program is to provide early learning professionals with the knowledge and skills to help parents and caregivers raise socially and emotionally healthy children.  Talaris has dedicated the past year to developing the training, which takes the best of their videos and content, combined with the latest research on new topics.

Key features of the online training can be described as follows:

• Comprehensive – This program focuses on the whole child within the family context.
• Interactive – The training includes over 40 scenarios, 60 videos, and 75 learning activities illustrating concepts and key messages for all learner types.
• Research Based – Research citations provide credibility and allow further exploration into specific topics of interest.
• Easy to use – Teaching tools help learners to create lesson plans and activities and capture new ideas from the training.
• Practical – Resources are designed to make teaching easier in a variety of parenting audiences, saving time and preparation.
• Accessible – The training provides learners with the ability to learn online at their own pace.

"We often hear that access to affordable professional training is a significant barrier to advancing the field of early learning and improving outcomes for children," said Katie Simons, Executive Director of the Talaris Institute. "With the Parenting Counts online professional training, we are now eliminating that barrier and hope to continue to make an impact with our early childhood development products and research."

The training is composed of 25 modules that focus on four pillars of development:

• Pillar One: Physical and Brain
• Pillar Two: Social and Emotional
• Pillar Three: Learning and Cognitive
• Pillar Four: Communication and Language

Professionals will learn how to understand the relevance of the four pillars of early learning, the relationship that each of the four pillars has with one another and will understand the core concepts and scientific research behind each pillar and the program. In addition, professionals will be able to explain the importance of early childhood development on child outcomes as well as what it means for a child to be socially and emotionally healthy. As advocates, professionals can then teach parents the importance of the core concepts and tools to increase their knowledge, confidence and positive parenting behavior.

The individual training will be available for $299, which includes access to the online training for six months after enrollment as well as certificate of completion for learners who complete all 25 modules. Participants can purchase continuing education credits separately. In order to receive a continuing education certificate, participants must pass assessments with a minimum of 80% and complete an attendance/evaluation form by pillar. In total, the pillars represent approximately 20 hours of training.

About Talaris Institute

The Talaris Institute is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization with a mission to support parents and caregivers in raising socially and emotionally healthy children ages birth through five.  Founded in 2000, the Talaris Institute has sponsored early childhood development research initiatives, including the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (ILABS) at the University of Washington, led by some of the preeminent researchers in the field.  The Talaris Institute has also partnered with PBS stations across the country with the brand "Parenting Counts" which has led to continued growth in the depth of research and sophistication of communications tools provided to a larger number of parent-serving organizations.  Previously, the Talaris Institute partnered with the Gates Foundation and the State of Washington to launch a major public-private partnership for early learning named Thrive by Five and helped establish a new Department of Early Learning for the state. To learn more about Talaris Institute, please visit www.talaris.org. Resources for parents and early learning professionals are available at www.parentingcounts.org. Talaris is on Facebook.

About Parenting Counts

Parenting Counts is the research-based family of products developed by Talaris Institute to support parents and caregivers in raising socially and emotionally healthy children. As a source of trusted information, Parenting Counts offer a complete product line of high-quality, research-based, easy-to-use tools and materials to help make a difference in the lives of parents and children. For more research-based parenting information please visit www.parentingcounts.org  

SOURCE Talaris Institute