Understanding how children and youth learn is the foundation of everything that happens in your programs. As the Training & Curriculum Specialist, you play a critical role in ensuring all children and youth in your program develop to their full potential. This lesson will introduce you to the concept of cognitive development and provide information about what to expect in this course.

Every child develops at a different rate, but children and youth usually follow predictable patterns in how they grow and learn. Your role is to ensure staff members recognize and use their knowledge of child development. This lesson will review typical cognitive development from birth to age 12. You will learn about developmental milestones and how to ensure staff members understand cognitive development.

Relationships are critical for development from birth through childhood and adolescence. This lesson will focus on ways you can help staff members interact with children to support play, exploration, and learning.

You have an important role in ensuring your program environments are high quality and developmentally appropriate for children and youth in your care. This lesson will help you work with adult learners as they design meaningful environments for all children across the age groups.

As a training and curriculum specialist you play an important role in supporting and encouraging a staff member’s ability to design developmentally appropriate experiences and activities. This lesson will help you work with adult learners as they plan experiences across the age groups.