Cultivating Compassionate Children

Sunday, April 13. 2:00pm-3:30pm. Shaw Room.

Description

In this interactive workshop we will explore through media, reflection, and discussion the profound effect of relationships on children’s development. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other family and friends will learn ways to nurture social and emotional development through daily activities and interactions with children in their lives. Cultivate compassion in your child with materials and resources to sustain you as a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, and with new knowledge about community resources such as Play & Learn groups. Presenters speak English, Spanish, Mandarin & Cantonese.

Presenter Bios 

Paula Steinke, Lisa Conley, Deadru Hilliard, Child Care Resources

Paula Steinke manages the Family, Friend & Neighbor Program at Child Care Resources, a non-profit organization in Seattle, Washington. The goal of the program is to build a system of support for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other extended family caregivers through developing collaborations with community partners. Paula has a vision of universal parenting education as a community norm, defining “parent” as anyone in a significant relationship with a child. She believes her vision can be achieved through strengthening communities simultaneously at grassroots, program and policy levels. Paula embraces the inherently ambiguous, frequently chaotic nature of working toward system change, and finds joy in working with many different communities and organizations. Her core value is compassion. She believes every moment holds within it an opportunity to learn; the challenge lies in finding, then accepting, the lesson.   

Mercedes Cordova-Hakim, SOAR, Helping Kids Reach for the Sky

Born and raised in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, Mercedes began her studies and career as a paralegal in Mexico and later continued her education in California in the fields of art, early childhood education and human services. Mercedes acquired extensive experience working with migrant and refugee communities in Los Angeles and Watsonville, California, and moved to Seattle in 1996. During her 25 years of service, she has acquired extensive experience working with multilingual and multiethnic communities. Her work experience includes: Head Start (Teacher/Family Service Worker), Family Friend and Neighbors Services (Program Coordinator), The Seattle Public Library (Senior Cultural Communities Coordinator), WSL Spanish Language Outreach (Trainer), Community Organizer (various communities in King County) and presently serves as a Program Manager for UWKC/SOAR. Currently, Mercedes provides consulting services and works with grassroots groups in matters related to Diverse and Cross-Cultural Issues, Emergent Parenting Classes, Need-based Community Services (Spanish), Community Outreach, Leadership and Civic Engagement with Spanish-speaking communities. She enjoys working with families and individuals in multicultural and diverse settings and favors the utilization of new culturally-appropriate and innovative practices/resources to better serve families and help children reach their utmost potential.

Marcy Miller, Jon Whalen, Neighborhood House

Marcy Miller is a Home-Based Services Manager from Neighborhood House in Seattle. She has worked in Early Childhood Education for the past 12 years; with experience as a Child Care Director, and working in both Early Head Start and the Parent-Child Home Program. She holds a BA degree in developmental psychology.   

Hueiling Chan, Chinese Information & Service Center

As Clinical Director of the Chinese Information & Service Center, Hueiling has more than 20 years experience serving immigrant children and families. With her deep understanding of both traditional Chinese culture and American culture, she has created means to mobilize parents and caregivers to bring forth positive changes to enrich the learning environment for their children. She is the author of “Parenting Training Manual.”

Kathleen To, Swedish Medical Center

Kathleen To has been privileged to work with families, seniors, refugee and immigrant families, teen parents, and children of many ages. She has taught ESL, ABE-GED, parenting information, parent leadership, cultural competency, and survival skills to New Arrival refugee and immigrants. She managed a refugee resettlement social service agency; a home-based early childhood literacy program; a Head Start program in White Center; and trained Head Start, Early Head Start and ECEAP Family Service Workers for many years. She remains a learner more than a teacher, and an eternal optimist. Currently, she is managing an interpreter program at Swedish Medical Center. 

Gina Lewis, Early Childhood Consultant

For over twenty-five years Gina Lewis has been working with and learning from young children and their teachers and family child care providers. Her approach to life is being continually inspired by the principles and practices of the Schools of Reggio Emilia and the Courage and Renewal work of Dr. Parker J. Palmer. 

Tim Ryan, Ryan Educational Resources

Tim Ryan has been involved in early childhood education for over 20 years in the Greater Seattle area. Many of those years have been with the Head Start and ECEAP programs for less privileged families. The past eight years he has been working with fathers and father figures and their families to encourage and support male involvement in children's lives. He teaches at Overlake Hospital and Bellevue Community College, and works with the Puget Sound Educational School District on a program called Men Count. He also plans conferences for FACES (Families and Children Early Support).