Early Learning Professional Learning
The Early Learning team offers a variety of relevant and meaningful professional learning opportunities to support educators and leaders in providing high-quality instruction for young learners. Professional learning topics include learning environments, instructional practices, leadership, supports for diverse learners, and strategies for cultivating positive partnerships with families.
The professional learning content is designed to support educators serving infants and toddlers, preschool-aged children, and Transitional Kindergarten students across diverse learning settings, including center-based classrooms and family child care home programs.
Professional learning opportunities are updated throughout the year and can be found on the Early Learning Professional Learning Calendar.
- Instruction and Assessment
- Social Emotional Learning in Early Learning
- Leadership
- Family Partnerships
- P-3 Continuum
- Customized Professional Learning
- Early Learning Summer Institute
Instruction and Assessment
Early Literacy, Math and Science
Cultivating Engaging Environments in Early Learning Programs
Create learning spaces that truly inspire in Cultivating Engaging Environments in Early Learning Programs. This session explores best practices for designing and implementing effective learning centers, along with the key elements that make classroom environments functional, aesthetically inviting, and developmentally supportive.
California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN) Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations
CPIN Region 9 offers professional learning opportunities on the various domains of the CA Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF) including; Introduction to PTKLF, Approaches to Learning, Health, History-Social Science, Language and Literacy, Math, Physical Development, Science, Social and Emotional, and Visual and Performing Arts.
CPIN Count play Explore (cpe)
The Count Play Explore (CPE) professional learning workshops are interactive and hands-on experiences to bring STEAM concepts to life in early learning environments. Participants explore engaging approaches that integrate science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics while fostering creativity, inquiry, and exploration. Through meaningful learning experiences, educators will gain ideas and strategies to inspire young learners and strengthen connections between STEAM, families, and communities.
CPIN: The Powerful Role of Play in Education
Play is more than fun -- it is a vital tool for learning. Through play, children explore ideas, develop problem-solving skills, strengthen social-emotional abilities, and build a foundation for academic success. Play-based learning nurtures curiosity, creativity, and confidence, preparing children to thrive in school and in life. The workshop will discuss the publication, The Powerful Role of Play in Education. Participants will engage in strategies that address the different types of play that support children's learning and the impact of trauma on play.
CPIN: The Impact of Play and Supportive Environments on Children's Behaviors
Play and supportive learning environments are essential for children's healthy development. Through play, children develop self-regulation, cooperation, communication, and problem-solving skills. As children engage in play, their behaviors also provide valuable insight into how well the environment supports their developmental needs, reminding us that behavior is often a form of communication rather than simply something to manage. Participants will learn strategies that support educators in creating emotionally safe environments and use play-based approaches to strengthen children's social-emotional development and self-regulation.
CPIN: Conversations in All Languages
This professional learning explores the important connection between language and literacy development and social-emotional development. Participants will explore practical strategies for creating supportive, language-rich environments that value children's home languages and diverse ways of communicating while strengthening relationships, listening, and meaningful conversations.
Exploring Creativity: Nurturing Process Art Over Product Art in Early Learning Programs
This professional learning helps educators shift from product-focused activities to rich, process-driven experiences. Participants will learn the key differences between process art and product art, understand why process-focused exploration is essential for early learning, and gain practical strategies for implementing open-ended techniques that foster curiosity, creativity, and authentic expression. This workshop supports educators in fostering a creative mindset and designing environments where children can freely explore, experiment, and create without limits.
Assessment
Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) 2025 Part I and II Teacher Training
Part I: Participants will learn about the key updates to the DRDP (2025), including the new features and changes to the assessment. Participants will become familiar with accessing and navigating DRDP Online, understanding the reports available, and learning about the implementation process.
Part II: Participants will build on their understanding of the updated DRDP and explore how to effectively use documentation and evidence to support accurate developmental ratings. Participants will strengthen their understanding of rating practices, explore the importance of inter-rater reliability, and learn strategies to promote consistency and accuracy when applying the DRDP (2025). The training will also provide opportunities to deepen participants’ understanding of using DRDP Online and available reports to support the assessment process.
Multilingual Learning
Understanding and Supporting Multilingual Learners Series
This series will focus on practical strategies, resources, and leadership tools to support multilingual learners and enhance learning for all students. Topics include language development, engaging instructional practices, and effective scaffolds, along with the use of the CDE P-3 Multilingual Learning Toolkit and Preschool/TK English Learner Roadmap resources. The final two sessions focus on leadership structures, deepen understanding of language development models, and support a shared vision for multilingual success.
CPIN: Conversations in All Languages
This professional learning explores the important connection between language and literacy development and social-emotional development. Participants will explore practical strategies for creating supportive, language-rich environments that value children's home languages and diverse ways of communicating while strengthening relationships, listening, and meaningful conversations.
Social Emotional Learning in Early Learning
- Social Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (SEFEL) PreK/TK - English Series
- Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Pre-K Spanish Series Serie de los modules sobre los Fundamentos Sociales y Emocionales de Aprendizaje Temprano Pre-K
- Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Series
Social Emotional Foundations in Early Learning (SEFEL) PreK/TK - English Series
This series covers the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Pyramid Model, a systematic framework designed to promote social and emotional competence, prevent challenging behaviors, and teach young children appropriate skills for managing their emotions in social situations.
Participants will gain strategies to support the key elements of the Pyramid Model, including building positive relationships, implementing preventative classroom practices, using social and emotional teaching strategies, and planning intensive individualized interventions. The series consists of four in-person meetings. Participants who attend all four modules will receive a kit of SEFEL implementation classroom materials.
Dates: September 26, 2026, November 14, 2026, January 23, 2027 and February 27, 2027
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (one hour lunch break, lunch is not provided)
Location: OCDE Building B, Room B-1011
Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Pre-K Spanish Series Serie de los modules sobre los Fundamentos Sociales y Emocionales de Aprendizaje Temprano Pre-K
Esta serie cubre el modelo de la pirámide de los Fundamentos Sociales y Emocionales del Aprendizaje Temprano (SEFEL). Este modelo proporciona un marco sistemático que se centra en promover la destreza social y emocional, prevenir los comportamientos difíciles y enseñar a los niños pequeños las habilidades adecuadas para controlar sus emociones en situaciones sociales
En esta serie de módulos, los participantes obtendrán estrategias que apoyan los elementos claves del modelo de la pirámide:
• Fomentar las buenas relaciones
• Implementar las prácticas preventivas en el aula
• Utilizar estrategias de enseñanza social y emocional
• Planificar intervenciones individualizadas intensivas
Los participantes que asistan a los tres módulos recibirán un kit de materiales de implementación de SEFEL para el aula. Esta serie de capacitaciones se llevará a cabo EN PERSONA.
Fechas: 24 de octubre del 2026, 5 de diciembre del 2026, 30 de enero del 2027, 17 de abril del 2027
Horario: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m
Localizacion: OCDE Aula B, Salon B-1011
Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Series
This professional development series focuses on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SEFEL) Infant Toddler Pyramid Model. This framework emphasizes the critical role of relationships in promoting healthy social-emotional development in our youngest learners. Participants will explore how responsive caregiving, intentional routines, supportive environments, and emotional teaching strategies all contribute to preventing challenging behaviors and fostering emotional growth.
Throughout the series, participants will deepen their understanding of infant and toddler behavior, learn to recognize emotional cues, and gain tools to support emotional literacy—even in the earliest stages of development. Emphasis is placed on observation, reflection, and relationship-based practices that are developmentally appropriate for children birth to age three. Participants who attend all four in-person modules will receive a kit of Infant Toddler SEFEL implementation classroom materials.
Dates: 10/17/2026, 12/12/2026, 2/13/2027, 4/10/2027
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Location: OCDE Conference Center, Building D
Leadership
Family Partnerships
Connected From the Start: Fathers and Male Figures in Early Learning Series
Fathers and male figures play an important role in children’s learning, development, and sense of belonging. Connected From the Start is a professional learning series designed to help early learning professionals recognize, value, and strengthen the meaningful contributions of fathers and male caregivers.
Participants will explore practical, culturally responsive strategies for building authentic partnerships, reducing bias, creating welcoming environments, and engaging fathers and male figures in children’s early learning experiences. Together, we will move beyond simply inviting fathers to participate toward creating a culture where they feel seen, valued, and connected from the start.
Dates: 10/6/2026, 12/8/2026, 2/2/2027
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., virtual
P-3 Continuum
P-3 Learning Progressions for Administrators
Leading the Continuum: P-3 Learning Progressions for Administrators
Strong readers are built across years, not grades. In this session, administrators and site leaders explore the California P-3 Learning Progressions in Language and Literacy Development, a resource that bridges the Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (PTKLF) and the Common Core Standards in English Language Arts. Participants will build knowledge of the developmental skills and concepts that span the P-3 continuum, build capacity to support educators in using aligned, culturally and linguistically sustaining practices across grade levels, and build a plan for strengthening cross-grade coherence at their sites. Leave with a deeper understanding of how leadership decisions shape the conditions for every child to become a confident, capable reader and writer.