About
REACH will come to you!
Most agency directors and teachers say they want more training in managing challenging behaviors and helping children grow in their social and emotional development. But for many, specialized training is far away or “hard to reach.”
We go the distance so you don’t have to.
REACH provides training sessions at times that fit your schedule, toolkits with items to practice the skills and concepts taught, and personalized coaching through classroom visits, texts, and email.
Training
REACH brings training and follow-up coaching to your program. These services are available at no cost to eligible angencies.
Our six-month partnership helps
- Improve staff morale and enhance program quality.
- Increase support of children’s social an emotional development.
- Reduce staff stress.
- Reduce “problem” behavior in classrooms.
- Fulfill state license requirements for annual professional development hours.
Training Topics
The REACH partnership begins with two directors’ workshops followed by teacher trainings on these topics:
- A Nurturing Relationship With Every Child: Laying the Groundwork for Good Behavior
- Routines, Schedules, and Rituals: Tools for Effective Behavior Guidance
- Talking About Feelings and Solving Problems
- Positive Attention: How to Use it Effectively to Increase Good Behavior
- Choices: Giving Children the Power to “Be Good”
- Advanced Strategies: What to do when a Child Needs Extra Help
Results
Documented Improvement
We send independent observers into classrooms both before and after the REACH partnership.
For those who complete REACH we have documented these improvements.
Increased Overall Sensitivity, Teacher Warmth, and Responsiveness
- Teacher encourages children to exhibit prosocial behaviors
- Teacher speaks warmly to children
- Teacher pays attention to children as individuals
- Teacher talks to children on a level they understand
Decreased Harsh Punishment Like:
- Teacher speaks with irritation or hostility to children
- Teacher seems critical of children
- Teacher finds fault easily with children
- Teacher threatens children to try to control them
Want more details?
Download our FY24 Annual Report
Center Director:
“One of things I loved about REACH was it didn’t matter if you were brand new to the field or had 25 plus years in the field. There is something that everybody can learn from.”
Teacher:
“REACH gave you the concrete stuff. It gave you the tools to use and the steps of how to use them.”
Get Started
REACH is available to licensedearly care and education throughout Arkansas. We try to prioritize to centers that will benefit most.
If you are interested in partnering with REACH, Send us an email reach@uams.edu.
A REACH trainer will contact you. Once it is determined that REACH is right for your agency, the next steps are:
- You and the REACH trainer schedule Director Workshop 1. This workshop will include you and other administrators at your site.
- Upon completion of Director Workshop 1, you will be invited to fill out a Participant Agreement.
- You and the trainer will make a training schedule and invite your staff members to fill out a pre-training survey.
Contact
REACH
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Research and Evaluation Division (RED)
521 Jack Stephens Drive, Slot 530
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: 501-526-4239
Fax: 501-686-8421
