Step 2: OST Certificate Series

SD OST Move to Quality – Certificate and Credential Classes I

In 2002, efforts began to encourage South Dakota’s OST programs to work towards higher quality standards, and started the “SD OST Move to Quality’ initiative. This effort intended to provide consistent, ongoing opportunities for programs to improve the quality of their programs and staff. To meet the needs of OST staff and directors, Child Care Services has built a training program in a ‘stair step’ approach, which fits into SD Pathways to Professional Development System.

OST Certificate Series – In 2004-2005, Child Care Services worked with a national consultant who developed 60 more hours of enhanced OST curriculum, divided into four series of six workshops each. With the ‘core’ series (Step One) and the ‘Certificate Series’ (Step Two), OST directors and staff are now able to earn a SD OST Certificate from Child Care Services, which totals 75 hours of classroom training and the completion of four take-home OST projects. The South Dakota Department of Education has approved the OST Certificate Series training for Teacher Renewal CEU’s.

Certificate Series I School-Age Growth and Development: 
                                Linking Developmental Needs to Programming

Certificate Series II Building the Foundations for Human Relationships

Certificate Series III Developing and Implementing Quality OST Environments – Part 1

Certificate Series IV Developing and Implementing Quality OST Environments – Part 2

 

OST Certificate Series I
School-Age Growth and Development: Linking Developmental Needs to Programming
(Each Module is 2.5 hours)

• Module 1: Exploring the Continuum of Developmental Tasks of School-Age Children from 5 to 12 - Implications for Responsive Programming
  Exploring the continuum of growth and development and how to link developmental tasks to activity planning and implementation. Continuum of development to be explored – school-age children are: growing physically, developing new thinking abilities and skills, developing new social skills, expanding their world beyond home and family, moving towards competence, experiencing many new thoughts and feelings, moving toward independence.
• Module 2: Exploring Four Areas of Development - Implications for Responsive Programming
  Exploring perspectives on four traditional realms of development and how to link these realms to activity planning and implementation. Areas to be explored: Physical, Social, Emotional, Cognitive.
• Module 3: Exploring Developmental Needs and Characteristics of Different Age Groups – Implications for Responsive Programming
  Exploring characteristic traits of 5 – 7 year olds, 8 – 10 year olds, 11 – 12 year olds. Developing specific plans for implementing appropriate programming for each age group on an ongoing basis. Developing strategies for managing simultaneous activities for different age groups in settings that serve multi-age groups.
• Module 4: Exploring Individual Differences in School-Age Children – Implications for Responsive Programming
  Exploring differences in interests, abilities, talents, readiness, background, temperament and personal style, learning styles/multiple intelligences. Developing diverse activities to support individual differences and celebrate diversity. Assessing program infrastructure to ensure that space, schedule, staff roles, and staffing levels make it possible to respond to individual differences in a group setting.
• Module 5: Managing School-Age Children in Groups
  It is important for staff to understand how to select appropriate activity options and use effective management strategies that make it possible to offer a balanced variety of simultaneous activity options. This understanding will help staff plan and implement a program that effectively supports, nurtures, and guides individual differences and fosters positive interaction among children in groups.
• Module 6: Guiding the Behavior of Individual Children
  This knowledge and understanding will help staff develop strategies for creating programs that encourage individual children to develop self-discipline and self-direction, establish positive relationships with others, and exhibit respect for program materials and equipment and the rights of others.

Certificate Series II
Building the Foundations for Human Relationships

• Module 7: Observation Skills – What’s Really Going on Here?
  Exploring observation in daily life and formal observations in professional life. Exploring five types of observations – Running Observations, Anecdotal Observations, Checklists, Rating Scales, and Diary Observation Entries. Evaluating methods of observation. Examining principles for conducting objective observations. Examining objective and subjective observations – identifying “red flag” descriptions. Practicing observational skills.
• Modules 8: Human Relations Skill Development
  Identifying critical human relations skills. Assessing personal human relations skills. Developing knowledge, strategies, and techniques for improving human relations skills in areas such as: speaking, listening, cooperating, team building, problem solving, conflict resolution, and more.
• Module 9 & 10: OST as a Family Service
  Developing effective strategies and tools for involving parents and families, communicating with parents, keeping parents informed, and creating partnerships with partners. Exploring the 4 “A’s” of Parent Involvement – Examining ATTITUDES towards parents and how ATTITUDES affect relationships, ASSESSING the needs, interests, and concerns of parents, ACCOMMODATING the needs, interests, and concerns of parents, forming ALLIANCES with parents. Exploring the “Six Stages of Parenthood” and how OST programs can support parents of school-age children. Exploring opportunities for helping parents feel welcome and valued, helping parents connect with staff, helping parents network with other families, involving parents in policy-making, keeping parents informed through a variety of methods.
• Module 11: Building Relationships with School Personnel
  Communicating effectively with school personnel. Keeping schools informed about OST goals and services. Developing partnerships with schools around issues such as transportation, use of space, providing homework help, and other relevant issues. Becoming a resource to school personnel.
• Module 12: Growing as a Professional in OST Programs
  Exploring professional affiliations and organizations, learning opportunities, professional standards of conduct, the OST professional as child advocate. Developing a professional development plan. Learning strategies for maintaining a healthy life style and managing stress associated with the field.

Certificate Series III
Developing and Implementing Quality OST Environments - Part 1

• Module 13: Creating and Maintaining Safe OST Environments
  Designing safe indoor and outdoor environments. Developing procedures and routines to keep children safe and prevent injuries and accidents. Developing effective risk management strategies. Involving school-age children in developing safety rules and keeping themselves safe. Developing and using safety checklists. Ensuring safety on field trips. Promoting safety through program activities. Providing effective supervision.
• Module 14: Creating and Maintaining Healthy OST Environments
  Designing indoor and outdoor environments that promote good health and hygiene. Developing procedures and routines that promote good health and nutrition. Involving school-age children in developing good hygiene practices, habits, and routines. Developing and using health and hygiene checklists. Promoting health, hygiene, and nutrition through activities. Developing snack and meal plans and routines. Providing effective supervision.
• Module 15: Designing Effective Indoor OST Play and Learning Environments
  Assessing and evaluating program activity space. Designing floor plans. Creating environments for exploring a wide variety of materials and experiences. Planning environments where materials are easily accessible and encourage independent work and play. Planning environments that support multiple simultaneous activities. Designing attractive environments – being an “interior decorator.” Using effective strategies to operate in shared space. Involving children in shaping environments.
• Module 16: Developing and Implementing Effective Indoor Interest Areas
  Identifying and defining individual interest areas. Selecting materials and equipment for individual interest areas. Providing staff-directed activities in different interest areas. Promoting and facilitating independent learning and child-initiated activities in different interest areas. Proving multiple levels of supervision for effective management of indoor interest areas that support school-age child growth and development – physical, social, emotional, cognitive.
• Module 17: Developing and Implementing Effective OST Outdoor Environments and Interest Areas
  Identifying and defining outdoor play areas for large group, small group, and individual outdoor activities. Developing outdoor interest areas. Selecting materials and equipment for outdoor interest areas and portable prop stations. Providing staff-directed activities in different outdoor play areas – cooperative and competitive games. Promoting and facilitating independent learning and child-initiated activities in outdoor play areas. Providing multiple levels of supervision for effective management of outdoor play areas that support school-age growth and development in all areas – physical, social, emotional, cognitive.
• Module 18: Exploring Diverse Activity Formats, Planning Tools, and Staff Roles
  Exploring tools for defining purpose and scope of activities and developing plans for short-term activities, long-term projects, club activities, independent learning activities, community involvement activities, and field trips. Using Developmental Planning Wheels (ã R. Newman) to link themes and activities to developmental needs and tasks. Exploring diverse staff roles for implementing activities – leader, facilitator, observer, listener, teacher, helper, mediator, coach, cheerleader, etc.

Certificate Series IV
Developing and Implementing Quality OST Environments - Part 2

• Module 19: Involving School-Age Children in Activity Planning and Implementation
  Collecting advance information about children’s needs and interests from parents. Using informal observations and conversations to engage children in program planning. Designing and conducting child surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. Using suggestion boxes effectively. Creating additional innovative approaches to soliciting input from children. Establishing Leadership Clubs. Involving children in shaping and changing the program environment. Designing and conducting child satisfaction surveys.
• Module 20: Developing Activities That Encourager Creativity and Cognitive Development
  Using knowledge of school-age development to encourage creativity. Motivating children to be creative. Using long-term projects and independent activities to foster creativity. Working with children to plan creative activities. Using effective strategies for guiding the creative process. Using open-ended questions and related techniques to promote creativity and thinking skills. Providing creative experiences through the arts – visual arts, drama, music and movement. Exploring the use of reasoning, thinking skills in learning and creativity. Exploring strategies for designing an environment that encourages children to think and solve problems. Helping children use the scientific method to solve problems and further learning.
• Module 21: Creating Successful Clubs in OST Programs
  Exploring the purpose and importance of clubs – how clubs meet the developmental needs of school-age children. Identifying the components of effective clubs – what makes a club a club – and what makes clubs different from long-term projects. Using community resources to launch, support, and enhance clubs. Creating clubhouses – even in shared space. “Growing” clubs in program interest areas. Identifying resources for club development and operation. Working with children to plan and implement clubs.
• Module 22: Developing Activities That Support Character Development and Promote Social Interaction
  Exploring the links between activities and development of a positive sense of self. Developing activities that provide children with opportunities to reflect on who they are becoming. Developing activities that offer school-age children opportunities to: build “character muscles,” identify character traits they want to develop, choose the “best” course of action, set and achieve personal goals, develop an appreciation of individual and cultural differences, accept responsibility for actions, develop resourcefulness and reliability as they move towards independence. Exploring resources and strategies for creating social contracts and promoting a diverse, democratic OST environment.
• Module 23: Providing Homework Support
  Exploring different perspectives on homework – parents, children, staff, and school personnel. Exploring characteristics of OST environments that help children engage in homework activities. Identifying strategies for planning and implementing a homework support program. Identifying appropriate materials and resources for homework support programs.
• Module 24: Helping Children with ADD Succeed in OST Programs
  Exploring the potential mismatch between OST environments and the capabilities of children with ADD. Exploring individual differences among children with ADD. Identifying strategies and techniques for adapting OST environments and experiences to accommodate children with ADD. Exploring strategies for helping children with ADD manage their behavior in informal, OST programs.

  To request more information on the OST Credential trainings,
call (605) 333-0698 or email childsrv@sanfordhealth.org

8/20/2008