Meet Up: Social Skills Groups For Young Children

Social Skills Groups for Young Children.

Stemming from a recent Listserv conversation, 4 Directors of Early Childhood Education will be sharing the Social Skills Group programs they have in their programs and answering questions from participants on how to facilitate and/or create one in their own schools.

• FREE for Members
• $36.00 for Non-Members

Presented by Carol Paster, Dr. Paula Sayag, Kathy Kaberon, and Paula Katz

Dr. Paula Sayag

Paula joined Temple Beth Ami as the Nursery School Director in July 2009. Paula earned a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in “Human Development in Education” and a BS from Cornell University in “Human Development and Family Studies”.  She previously worked as the Early Childhood Specialist and Parenting Educator at the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning.  Before that, some of her favorite jobs were teaching “Mommy and Me” classes, supervising university student teachers, teaching undergraduate courses in human development, and working for 9 years at a sleep-away camp. Paula was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has spent most of her life in Montgomery County, Maryland. Paula lives in Brookeville with her husband, Danny. They have three sons, Jonathan, Eitan, and Eric.

Kathy Kaberon

Kathy Kaberon is Beth Emet's Director of Young Family Programs. She has been the administrator of Beth Emet's Early Childhood Program for the past 15 years. Her affiliation with the program began in 1988, when she enrolled her son and chaired Beth Emet's first Early Childhood Committee. She has over 20 years of teaching experience as a Jewish early childhood educator, and is a member of the Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) and Early Childhood Directors Council of synagogue-based Early Childhood Programs in the Chicago area. Kathy received her bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois and holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Education from National-Louis University.

Kathy and her husband, Dan, have been members of Beth Emet for over 30 years. As a Beth Emet congregant, she serves on the Soup Kitchen Steering Committee and the Ozerim Committee.

Kathy recently completed a fellowship with the Jewish Early Childhood Education Leadership Institue, studying models that combine Jewish values with the best in progressive Early Childhood Education.

Carol Paster

Carol Paster has been director of Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel’s Iris Family Center for Early Childhood Education in South Orange, New Jersey since 1988, after teaching for 7 years in their early childhood and kindergarten programs. A perpetual student, Carol holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art Education, a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education and has participated in the Jewish Early Childhood Education Certificate program at Gratz College. She has recently completed Matan Institute's Program for Directors, a two year-initiative to guide congregational schools in better meeting the needs of students with learning challenges. Carol was the only early childhood director to complete the program to date.

Utilizing her background in furniture design and construction Carol creates benches and tables for the preschool classrooms and also teaches woodworking classes. Carol also teaches kindergarten in her congregation’s religious school.

Carol is an active partner with The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life of Greater MetroWest, NJ. She is a leader in its Early Childhood Director’s Network and a pioneer in its Early Childhood Community of Practice (EC CoP). Carol’s innovative programs have been recognized by the community with several awards and grants (The Hoffman Award for Excellence in Jewish Education and LaZuz grants for family outreach programs.) Most recently she has been awarded a PJ Library Grant for Songleader Bootcamp to be held in February.

As one who has trouble resisting the urge to volunteer her time and energy, Carol has been on the Board of Directors of the ECE-RJ (Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism) serving as chair of their annual national conferences when held in Philadelphia and Morristown, as well as being co-chair of The Jewish Early Childhood Outdoor Education Conference held at Kayam Farm in Maryland. She has served as secretary for Habitat for Humanity Newark’s board of directors as well as co-chair of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build and was on the on the founding Board of Directors for Arts Unbound a non-profit organization for adults with disabilities.

A visionary, Carol has created a pilot-program partnership with Montclair State University’s Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health Center along with Jewish Family Services in order to provide supports to staff, parents and students with special needs. The early childhood center has built 3 Outdoor Classrooms and a Campground. They are listed as one of four nationally certified Outdoor Classrooms in the state of New Jersey.

Carol lives in West Orange, NJ with her husband Larry. Together they have 2 children.

Paula Katz

Paula Katz, Director of the Becker School at Congregation Emanu El Houston, has been the director for 16 years.  Paula has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, a Masters in Education Psychology with an emphasis in Counseling, and a Montessori Certification in Lower Elementary.  Paula taught for 14 years, and served as the Lower School Principal and Admissions Director at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School prior to becoming the director at the Becker School. 

Paula has served on an accreditation team with AdvancEd, and is a membr of the following professional associations: Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Kappa Delta Phi Education Honor Society, Union of Reform Jewish Early Childhood Directors, National Association of Education for Young Children, and Southern Early Childhood Association as well as actively involved in the local group of Jewish Early Childhood Educators.