Professional Development Programs

Take a look at the Trainer News: An e-resource for PITC, NBC, ETL, and Ounce Trainers

Eager to Learn

Eager to Learn is an online learning program of the Minnesota Child Care Resource and Referral Network designed to provide quality, affordable, educational opportunities for people who care for children. Child care providers and other early childhood, and school-age professionals, as well as parents and other family, friends or neighbors, can enjoy learning valuable information from the comfort and convenience of home.

Click here to visit the Eager to Learn Web site.

Not by Chance

Child Care that Supports School Readiness

Supporting children's school readiness in child care settings takes careful planning, knowledge and attention to each child's individual needs. A newly released training entitled, Not by Chance: Child Care that Supports School Readiness, will provide knowledge of three tools used in Minnesota's early childhood and school age care and education system.

Click here to find out more about Not by Chance.

The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (ITTI training)

PITC Logo The Program for Infant Toddler Care Training (also known as Infant Toddler Training Intensive, or ITTI, training) is designed for people who care for infants and toddlers. Child care providers, infant toddler teachers, parents, grandparents, and others who work with young children or want to learn more about babies and toddlers will benefit from this nationally-renown ed training curriculum.

The goal of PITC training is to help caregivers recognize the crucial importance of giving tender, loving care and assisting in the infants' intellectual development through an attentive reading of each child's cues. The PITC's videos, guides, and manuals are designed to help child care managers and caregivers become sensitive to infants' cues, connect with their family and culture, and develop responsive, relationship-based care. The training materials provide the foundation for a style of care in which caregivers study the infants in their care, reflect on and record information about the children's interests and skills, and search for ways to set the stage for the child's next learning encounters.

Certified PITC (ITTI) trainers are available to train in communities across the state. PITC training can be taken for in-service hours, the training can count for CDA training requirements, and in some cases the training can be used towards college credit. To find PITC (ITTI) training near you, visit www.mnstreams.org or click on the map and contact the Child Care Resource & Referral agency that serves your area.

To learn more about the national effort, visit www.pitc.org/

PITC (ITTI)  Courses  available online!

PITC (ITTI) courses are also available via the Internet. Courses delivered through the MN CCR&R Network's Eager-to-Learn online program, are taught by WestEd certified PITC trainers and can be taken for in-service hours, CEUS or in some cases, college credit.

Read more [PDF]. Visit Eager-to-Learn

Credit for Trainings

For information regarding credit for Early Childhood trainings visit www.metrostate.edu/ecap.

Infant Toddler Links

The Ounce Project

The Ounce Scale is an observational assessment tool for evaluating infants' and toddlers' development from birth to age 3 1/2. Its purpose is twofold: (1) to provide guidelines and standards for observing and interpreting young children's growth and behavior, and (2) to provide information that parents and caregivers can use in everyday interactions with their children.

Click here for information on The Ounce Project.