Thinking on Your Feet: Crisis Preparedness and Response in Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms by Susan H Shapiro MS.Ed., Ed. D.

When an unexpected crisis disrupts the classroom, educators must make quick decisions, often with limited information and competing priorities. Whether responding to an emergency evacuation, a child's unexpected medical or sensory needs, or a crisis affecting families and the broader community, how can educators remain flexible, make informed decisions, and protect the well-being of every child?

Traditional emergency preparedness plans provide essential guidance, but they cannot anticipate every challenge, particularly in inclusive early childhood settings where children have diverse developmental, physical, sensory, and communication needs. Educators need more than established protocols; they need the confidence and critical-thinking skills to adapt their responses when circumstances change.

In this engaging webinar, Dr. Susan H. Shapiro will introduce the Education Crisis Framework (ECF), a practical approach to crisis decision-making that integrates immediate response, compassionate communication, and post-crisis recovery. Through real-world case studies and guided reflection, participants will explore the framework's Aviate, Communicate, Navigate model and its four reflective elements: Knowledge & Expertise, Community Compassion, Self-Compassion, and Community Impact.

Participants will examine how educators can make thoughtful decisions under pressure, respond to the individual needs of children and families, and support their communities through challenging situations. The session will also explore the importance of educator self-compassion and reflection in navigating the emotional demands of a crisis.

Join us to strengthen your ability to think flexibly, respond with confidence and compassion, and support safer, more resilient inclusive early childhood learning environments.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Identify key challenges and considerations when responding to crises involving young children with diverse developmental, physical, sensory, and communication needs in inclusive early childhood settings.

2. Apply the Education Crisis Framework's Aviate, Communicate, Navigate model to determine appropriate priorities and responses in hypothetical early childhood crisis scenarios.

3. Evaluate how the four reflective elements of the Education Crisis Framework—Knowledge & Expertise, Community Compassion, Self-Compassion, and Community Impact—inform crisis preparedness, decision-making, and post-crisis recovery.

Disclosure

Dr. Susan H. Shapiro is the author of the Education Crisis Framework (ECF) and receives royalties from her books, Crisis Leadership in Early Childhood Education: Lessons and Strategies for Leading Young Children Through Uncertainty and Developing Community-Based School Crisis Response: Case Studies for PreK–12 Classrooms, published by Routledge.