Barbara Sorrels, EdD is an early childhood specialist, educator and consultant with a heart for developmentally appropriate practice for children of all ages. She is committed to providing professional development and training in best practices grounded in the lasted information available in educational practice, brain research and child development. In 2007 she founded The Institute for Childhood Education for the purpose of providing professional development and consulting services in best practices for school districts, Head Start Programs, childcare providers and other professionals who work with children. In recent years her work has focused on trauma responsive education and care for children who have experienced maltreatment and trauma. After recognizing the extent of need for trauma responsive education, she founded the nonprofit, Connected Kids to provide additional services.
Dr. Sorrels’ passion for helping children began at the age of 14 in Washington, D.C., when she volunteered at a hospital caring for abandoned babies. In the decades since, she has used that passion to raise awareness about the needs of our society’s most vulnerable children.
Prior to founding The Institute for Childhood Education, Dr. Sorrels served as a classroom teacher, founder and director of two early childhood centers in Washington DC and Ft. Worth, Texas. She served as assistant professor of early childhood education at Oklahoma State University, teaching undergraduate and graduate classes. She founded Connected Kids, a non-profit serving kids.
Credentials
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Doctor of Education (EdD) in Early Childhood Education - Oklahoma State University
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Master's Degree - Southwestern Seminary
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Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education - University of Maryland
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Subject Matter expert by the T4PA Center of the US Department of Education
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Trained in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)
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Trained in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics and Education
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Certified expert witness in Child Development & Trauma for numerous Oklahoma counties
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Author of Trauma Sensitive Care for Infants, Toddlers and Twos, Reaching & Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma, Nurturing Healthy Attachment (with Cathy Chalmers) & Ready or Not Here Comes School
Mission
To provide professional development, training, and consulting in best practices and trauma responsive education to school districts and early childhood programs.
Vision
To develop systems of education and care both locally and nationally that support the education and care of the whole child and the development of human flourishing.
Values
Trauma Responsive Education
Children who experience maltreatment and trauma deserve trauma responsive educational practices that prevent re-traumatization and support the development of resilience and human flourishing. Research based practices. Lifelong learning is embraced as I continually seek evidence to support or alter my philosophies and training which requires a dynamic, ongoing and evolving methodology. My teaching is based on available research from education, child development and brain science.
Relationship based practice
We are born to connect and live in relationship with others. Effective teaching practices with children leverages the power of connection; screens and technology are judiciously used to enhance teaching and learning and not take the place of relationally based teaching.
The whole child
Quality education is wholistic in that it seeks to support the development of all aspects of human development including cognitive, physical, social and emotional aspects.
Services
Dr. Sorrels offers customized training for school districts, Head Start Programs, childcare entities and agency personnel based on individual needs of organizations. She provides key notes, conferences and workshops, on-line training and consulting.
TRAINING PACKAGES
Fellowship: Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma Fellowship (offered through Connected Kids)
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35 clock hours of training
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Different versions are offered for Pre-K, Kindergarten; Elementary School; and Secondary
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Includes information on
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The impact of trauma on brain development, attachment, self-regulation, sensory processing, cognitive development and social/emotional development
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Practical strategies for developing relationships, behavior and guidance, self-regulation and academic progress
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Creating Effective Learning Environments (3 through 5-year-olds)
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20 clock hours of training
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Includes information on organization of space, time and materials
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Organization and implementation of interest centers: art, manipulatives, blocks, science, library, math and dramatic play
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Importance of outdoor play
Foundations of Child Development (Birth through age 8)
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35 clock hours
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Includes discussion on the following developmental theories: attachment, psychodynamic, systems, behaviorist and constructivist.
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Teaching on Piagetian theory and Vygotsky
PRESENTATION TOPICS
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The Power of Relationships
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Houston we Have a Problem: Developing Self-Regulation
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Characteristics of children who have a history of trauma
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The impact of a screen-based childhood vs. a play-based childhood
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The power of play and play based learning
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Characteristics of an environment that heals
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Growing resilient children
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Basic principles of brain development and how trauma disrupts healthy growth and development
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The stress response and how it manifests in classroom behavior
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The power of rhythm and how to create a rhythmic classroom
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The importance of an emotionally safe environment and how it is achieved through safe teacher/child relationships and belonging
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Strategies for connecting with children
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The four basic attachment patterns and how they manifest in classroom behavior
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How understanding attachment patterns help you teach more effectively and connect with children
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Making the paradigm shift with regard to discipline: from reward and punishment to instruction and correction
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How to discipline without shame and create positive explanatory narratives
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Understanding self-regulation and how it develops
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How to use bibliotherapy to develop self-regulation strategies
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Understanding sensory processing and the impact on learning and self-regulation
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How to create and implement a “calm down room”
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How to create and implement sensory baskets
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Why children put on “life jackets” and how to help children take them off
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How trauma impacts learning and cognitive functioning
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Determining relevant curriculum
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Learning to read: the key to overcoming trauma
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The emergent reader
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The block center: Design and implementation
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The dramatic play center: Design and implementation
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The art center: Design and implementation
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The library center: Design and implementation
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The manipulative center: Design and implementation
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The science center: Design and implementation
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The math center: Design and implementation
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Teaching children to think
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Competent staff development: relationships, autonomy and competence
ONLINE COURSES
Dr. Barbara Sorrels has developed a series of online courses for teachers, administrators, counselors, and other professionals that qualify for Professional Development and certified CEUs by the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Social Workers.
Participants will receive a signed certificate with name of course and clock hours for their appropriate Board upon completion. Classes can be taken through a desktop of through the Teachable app from a phone or tablet at the participant's own pace and convenience.
For help with logistics regarding School District or organization participation, please contact us.