Forum Presentation
Reflect and Learn First, Teach Second: How to Support Educators Begin and Continue the Journey of Cultural Competence and Strengthening Family Partnerships
This presentation reviews current research highlighting the importance of family partnerships to support children’s learning and development through a culturally competent lens. Participants use self-reflection strategies to begin understanding their personal role in building culturally competent family partnerships. Participants utilize free video, print, and online resources to practice planning professional learning experiences that enable educators to practice similar self-reflection.
Presenter Biographies
Tamarra is co-director for WestEd’s Desired Results Training and Technical Assistance Project. In this role she has designed and provided thousands of hours of teacher, administrator and coach training on effectively utilizing formative assessment for TK and kindergarten teachers across the nation. Prior to joining WestEd in 2012, Tamarra taught infants, toddlers and preschoolers in state-funded programs. She directed nonprofit childcare centers for 10 years and served as a Professional Growth Advisor for the Child Development Training Consortium. Tamarra earned a BA in Early Childhood Education at California State University Sacramento and an MS in Education with an Early Childhood Curriculum option from California State University East Bay.
Heidi has spent the last nine (9) years working with the California Preschool Instructional Network first as a Special Education lead and second as the WestEd CPIN Manager for Research and Development. She leads the development and application of Adult Trainings for the California Preschool Foundations and Frameworks. She has presented on Scientific Inquiry, making in the Preschool Classroom, Integrated Learning and Play Based Science to both State and National Audiences including NAEYC PDI, NAEYC, NHSA, and SRCD. Heidi Mendenhall earned her Child Development Master of Arts degree from California State University Sacramento with a focus in physiological influences and neurological predictors on memory.