Agrilife Extension Resources

Maintaining the health of young children – and setting them up with lifelong healthy habits – are critical elements of a quality early childhood program. This course provides an overview of the Texas Healthy Building Blocks recognition program for early care and education settings that have demonstrated a commitment to promoting early childhood health. It is aligned with the guidelines of the Texas Healthy Building Blocks recognition program.

Guidance and discipline issues are two of the most challenging aspects of any early childhood teacher’s work. Explore what contributes to problem behaviors and how to work with children to promote positive behaviors. Examine the effects of the classroom environment on children’s behaviors.

One of the most challenging aspects of child care is deciding upon a style of discipline that is appropriate, effective, and in the best interest of each child. Students will learn about the strengths and weaknesses of various disciplinary styles and explore strategies for setting and enforcing healthy limits.

Infants’ experiences early in life literally influence the physical structures of the brain, opening the way for patterns of thought and behavior for the rest of a child’s life. This 1-hour course addresses critical topics related to caring for the youngest and most vulnerable population of children, infants and toddlers.

Abusive head trauma is the leading cause of death in cases of child abuse in the United States. This 2-hour course will help you better understand the dangers of abusive head trauma and how to take steps to protect the children in your care from this type of abuse.

Learning centers provide early childhood classrooms the perfect environment for children to actively plan, try, pretend, and make new discoveries. Effective centers help children develop through play, by themselves and with peers. The purpose and process of how to develop, build and manage a center are discussed.

Each workplace interaction is an opportunity to build respectful professional relationships with parents and co-workers. Explore the causes of communication conflicts ,how to resolve them, and effective communication strategies to use with parents and co-workers.

Teachers encourage children to participate in experiences that actively engage them in communication, creativity, and problem solving. These core skills are critical in children’s cognitive development. Strategies for effective verbal interactions, encouraging problem-solving, and integrating the creative arts are explored.

Some of the most common challenging behaviors are biting, aggression, and non-compliance. Discover strategies to help children achieve positive behavioral outcomes and reflect on behavior management techniques.