Professional Development for Early Learning Educators

Integrating the arts into the early learning classroom is uplifting for students and educators. Find professional development opportunities that give educators the tools to develop and use arts-based strategies in the classroom.

Upcoming Opportunities

Workshop

Let the Pictures Move You: Using Books with Few Words to Inspire Movement and Language in Children

Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 

Cost: Free 

Location: ESD 123, 3924 West Court St Pasco WA 99301

Come learn how to use picture books as an inspiration for creative movement for everyone! Incorporating basic dance concepts, music, and literature. Teachers will be introduced to movement-based experiences that foster language and literacy development in the classroom. This workshop is designed for educators of children 3-5 Years old. 

Presenter: Maria Tripodi, Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist 

Conference

2025 Infant and Early Childhood Conference  

Dates: May 5–9, 2025 

Cost: Free 

Location: Virtual

The Infant and Early Childhood Conference (IECC) plays a critical role in providing high quality training opportunities in Washington State. The annual conference will offer a wide variety of topics covering many aspects of early childhood education and support. This year, the conference will continue to be held via a virtual platform to allow for a safe and flexible learning environment! The conference provides high quality, evidence-based workshops, and networking opportunities for families and providers to come together to learn, share and advocate on behalf of all young children. 

Presenters: Various 

Workshop

Increasing Student Engagement through Arts Integration 

Dates: Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 4:30-6:30pm 

Cost: Sliding scale, $0-$40 

Location: Talbott Event Center, 4202 S. Regal St, Spokane, WA 99223 

Arts integration is a powerful approach for engaging students and increasing their understanding of academic content. In this hands-on workshop, faculty from the Washington State Teaching Artist Training Lab (TAT Lab) will demonstrate how even simple arts lessons with minimal materials can: 

• Help students expand their thinking on a topic 

• Bring students’ lived experiences and full selves to academic content 

• Engage multiple learning types in inclusive ways 

• Develop flexible thinking and soft skills that support learning 

Presenter: Teaching Artist Training Lab (TAT Lab) 

Conference

SAVE THE DATE! 

ART OF BELONGING OSPI Migrant & Arts Education Programs State Conference 

Dates: August 13-15, 2025
Location: Yakima Convention Center, 10 N 8th St, Yakima, WA 98901 

Info/Registration: Coming soon 

2022 Arts Uplift!

Arts, Access, and Inclusion in PreK-Grade 3

We had over 80 attendees and 16 presenters gather virtually over the three days to focus on expanding accessible and inclusive arts instruction in their early learning communities.

“Reignited my motivation to integrate the arts in my classroom.” -Attendee