Creating Space: Arranging Environments to Promote Positive Behavior

About This Webinar:

The environmental arrangement of a classroom, child care center, or family home can impact behavior.  This webinar provides practical strategies and resources early childhood practitioners can easily implement in their work.  Useful tools for navigating transitions, routines, and communicating expectations and rules are shared.  Presenters suggest ways to arrange learning centers, toys, and other objects to promote positive behavior for children with and without disabilities.

Continuing Education (CE) Credit

Continuing Education

• Early Interventionists and Early Childhood Educators: This webinar offers 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits through the Early Intervention Training Program (EITP) at the University of Illinois through 6/30/2026.
• Illinois Early Care & Education Providers: This webinar is a Gateways to Opportunity Registry-approved Training for early care and education professionals in Illinois through 6/30/2026.

Presenter

Jessica Hardy received her Ph.D. in early childhood special education from Vanderbilt University and her M.Ed. and B.A. from the University of Florida.  She taught in Portland, OR as a Head Start teacher and an early childhood special education teacher.  Jessica’s primary research interests are supporting social-emotional development; evidence-based instructional practices, particularly for teaching early math and science; and early childhood coaching and professional development.

Kiersten Kinder received her Ph.D. in early childhood special education from Vanderbilt University and her M.Ed. and B.A. from the University of Illinois. Before coming to Vanderbilt, she taught for ten years in the Chicago suburbs in early childhood inclusive and state-funded preschool classrooms.  Kiersten has been a lab school director and an instructional leader/coach in an early childhood center.  She is currently a Research Associate at Vanderbilt University and coordinates a large multi-year research study to support school district implementation of high-quality early childhood practices, such as the Pyramid Model, through training and coaching.

Intentional Design: Promoting Positive Behavior | Series

This four-part webinar series will focus on promoting positive behavior in young children. Throughout the series, our highly respected presenters will take us through important topics related to promoting positive behavior across home, preschool, and childcare settings for young children with and without disabilities.

Series Homepage

Event Materials

Webinar Slides (PDF)

Creating Space Blueprint (PDF)
(Download/Print this blueprint for use during the webinar)

Creating Space Checklist (PDF)

Classroom Chart (PDF)

Transition Planning Matrix (PDF)

Visuals for Use in Your Setting (PDF)

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com/Omar Medina Films