The Poster and Round Table Session will be from 1:30- 2:30. Please review the following, a broad range or topics offered during that time. Conference participants will be able to choose to join a Round Table Discussion or to view Poster Presentations. The offerings will be listed in your Institute Program on the day of the event. However, reviewing the offerings now will make your decision-making easier.
Poster PresentationsHealthy Eating! Healthy Shopping!
How can your program utilize grocery tours and cooking classes in order to support families in healthy eating? Learn ways to support families. Presenter: Yara Saad The Power of Active Transitions Embed active transitions throughout the day to stimulate children’s brain and facilitate development. Presenter: Amy Fieldman HANDOUT Critical Thinking in Early Childhood Learn how to engage children in meaningful activities that promote higher level thinking skills. Presenters: Laura Bell & Janelle Ali 9-5-2-1-0 Campaign Learn how to create an awareness of the 9-5-2-1-0 Campaign with the families in your program and learn ways to engage them in healthy practices. Presenters: Jessica Forsty & Christina Molinski Getting Ready for School Through Bus Safety Learn how one program takes a proactive approach to transitioning young children into the school day. Presenters: Laura Cook & Mia Lee HANDOUT Kids and Cameras Students can learn more about themselves through digital cameras which allow them to make connections to the larger world. Come and see what kids in my classroom did. Presenter: Maggie Mack HANDOUT Touch Screen Babies Learn the variety of ways we use iPads to support the learning of infants and toddlers. Presenters: Tamra Calvin & Caitlin Sheldon HANDOUT Early Learning Second Step See how our program utilized Early Learning Second Step to facilitate children’s social-emotional development. Learn some practical ways you can implement such strategies into your program. Presenters: Jill Ellis & Melanie Dunn-Chadwick HANDOUT Literacy Leaders Learn how to create opportunities for literacy development through play and during transitions. Come see how we involved families. Presenters: LaTonya Monroe & Ivory Smith Loving to Learn in a Mentally Healthy Classroom The key features of a mentally healthy come alive in a summer program. A picture is worth a thousand words—come see! Presenter: Dianne Cameron HANDOUT Problem-Solving Using Metaphors Learn about a proactive approach to helping build parents’ capacity for problem solving. Find out how to become more of a “gardener” and less of a “mechanic.” Presenter: Barbara Benzmenova & Mariana Tafur Early Literacy Project Learn about this pilot program where teachers work to increase their understanding of high quality, research-based, early literacy practices including using data to plan and implement literacy activities. Presenter: Adam Kline & Stephanie Phillips HANDOUT Building Language Skills During Story Time Speech and Language Clinicians share high impact strategies that teaching teams can use to facilitate language development during story times. Presenter: Kelly Guggolz & Lisa Sborofsky HANDOUT 1 HANDOUT2 Parent Orientation: Gateway to School Readiness Learn about how one program restructured their Parent Orientation. Large and small groups build relationships, enhance communication, and offer increased opportunities for parent engagement. Presenter: Guillermo Gomez & Patricia Abbott Male Engagement: Fostering School Readiness The Head Start Male Involvement Program is instrumental in sharing early childhood education information with parents, local communities and other organizations. Come see the approaches one program uses to engage males. Presenter: Tom Collins HANDOUT Round Table DiscussionsPromoting Working Memory
Discuss with colleagues about how you promote children’s working memory. This conversation will include different ways to help children make plans, follow plans and review what they accomplished. Discussion Leader: Cindy Sweeder Data Based Decision Making Discuss data driven decision making and how it supports implementing evidence-based practices to meet school readiness goals. Share with colleagues the different types of data you use and how you choose strategies that are research-based that meet the specific needs of the children in your class. Discussion Leader: Amanda Schwartz Raising Emotionally Healthy Children Discuss how to nourish emotional health at home and at school. Share ideas about how teachers and parents can satisfy the critical emotional needs that all children have: to feel respected, to feel important, to feel accepted, to feel included, and to feel secure. Discussion Leader: Greta Chacon HANDOUT Documenting Children’s Learning Effective documentation tells the story and the purpose of an event, experience or development. Share ideas about how you document children’s growth and development and use document to extend children’s learning. Discussion Leader: Maura Burke Engaging Families in FPA’s Setting goals and working toward them can be challenging for families under stress. Discuss with colleagues how you approach family partnerships. Share successful strategies for engaging families and problem solve shared challenges. Discussion Leader: Bobane Doguemangue Responsive Classroom Practices Responsive Classroom is a research-based approach to education that increases academic achievement, decreases problem behaviors, improves social skills, and leads to more high-quality instruction. Talk with colleagues about your experiences with RC, including success and challenges. Discussion Leader: Edie Ryan HANDOUT Making Connections Continue the discussion of this essential life skill which involves putting information into categories- figuring out what’s the same and what’s different, seeking out how one thing relates to or represents something else, and finding unusual connections. How can you put this into practice in your work with young children? Discussion Leader: Debbie Porter Self-Directed, Engaged Learning Continue the discussion of this essential life skill which involves remaining a seeker of knowledge and skills. How can you put this into practice in your work with young children? Discussion Leader: Marisa Nelson |
Round Table DiscussionsEngaging Men in Early Childhood Settings
Research supports better outcomes throughout the lifespan for children who have men that are actively engaged in their lives. What is your program doing to engage males in positive school-family partnerships? Discussion Leader: Judith Wides HANDOUT Supporting Children and Families from Vulnerable Populations What is your program doing to support children and families from vulnerable populations? Let’s share our successful , innovative strategies and resources. Discussion Leaders: Stacy Ramsey & Cynthia Alban-Christiansen HANDOUT What’s health got to do with it? Come discuss the impact of chronic illness on school readiness and how we can support children and families. Discussion Leaders: Sally Borkowski & Lisa Forrester Family Style Dining Talk with colleagues about the many benefits of Family Style Dining. Discuss any challenges you may be having and share successful strategies with one another to promote this important practice. Discussion Leader: Everludes Lopez HANDOUT1 HANDOUT2 Home Visits Talk with colleagues about best practices for home visits. Share your success stories as well ideas for overcoming common challenges. Discussion Leader: Betsi Closter Parent Teacher Conferences Parent-teacher conferences are important tools for building strong bridges between the culture of home and that of the Early Head Start/Head Start program. Come discuss your successful approaches and work with colleagues to address challenges. Discussion Leader: Claudine Christie Linking Assessments and Lesson Planning Assessment can help teachers make good decisions about how to structure lesson plans and how intervene in ways that support each child's success as a learner. Come discuss your strategies and get new ideas from your peers. Discussion Leader: Joyce Yang Music, Movement, and Dance Discuss strategies for extending children’s learning through music , movement and dance. Share ideas with colleagues about how to promote school readiness through the arts. Discussion Leader: Wolftrap Artist Supporting Second Language Learners Talk with colleagues about best practices for supporting second language learners in the early childhood classroom. Exchange creative ideas and problem solve common concerns. Discussion Leader: Janna Heilgenstein HANDOUT Inclusion What does inclusion look like in your program? What is going well for children-- and for you? What are your next steps? Come discuss inclusion with folks from other programs. Discussion Leader: Idania Thomas and Pam Thomas Reflective Practice Reflective Practice is an important process in professional development that enables practitioners to achieve change. Participate in a discussion of reflection, collaboration, and regularity - the foundation for purposeful learning. Discussion Leader: Mary Ann Cornish HANDOUT Communicating Continue the discussion of this essential life skill which involves putting aside our own perspective so that we can understand the viewpoints of others and thus express ourselves and be heard. How can you put this into practice in your work with young children? Discussion Leader: Christine Scibetta Engaging Culturally Diverse Learners Engage in a discussion about understanding and honoring cultural differences. Discuss how you engage all children as learners in your classroom. Share your successes and ponder your challenges with colleagues. Discussion Leader: Nancy Bidus Sleep Matters Sleep plays a fundamental role in the physical, emotional, and behavioral health of young children. Come discuss the importance of sleep and how to be a sleep advocate. Share ideas with colleagues for children who have a hard time falling asleep. Discussion Leader: Anne Taggart HANDOUT Critical Thinking Continue the discussion of this essential life skill which involves the ongoing search for valid and reliable knowledge to guide beliefs, decisions and actions. How can you do put this into practice in your work with young children? Discussion Leader: Barbara Havens Focus and Self Control Continue the discussion of this essential life skill which involves paying attention, remembering, thinking flexibly, and exercising self control (not going on automatic, but doing what you have to in order to pursue a goal). How can you put this into practice in your work with young children? Discussion Leader: Susan Martin Successful Transitions to School Successful transitions are a key to student success. Exchange ideas with peers about how to ensure successful transitions for children and their families. Discussion Leader: Susan Anselene HANDOUT Technology Research indicates that appropriate and effective use of technology can support and increase the development and learning of young children. Share ideas with colleagues about the variety of ways you use technology in school and home settings. Discussion Leader: Thomas Hill School Readiness and Community Partnerships Developing community partnerships is essential for improving the delivery of services to Head Start children and families. Discuss the role that the program plays in the community and share ideas about building or strengthening partnerships. Discussion Leader: Debi Fulcher Perspective Taking Continue the discussion of this essential life skill which involves understanding that other people have different likes, dislikes, intentions, thoughts, and feelings than you do. How can you do put this into practice in your work with young children? Discussion Leader: Brenda Winter Stress A few stressors can be manageable for young children and adults alike, but the effect of multiple stressors can be cumulative and significant. Discuss the impact of stress on young children as well as how we as early childhood educators can support the mental health of young children and ourselves. Discussion Leader: Manal Abukishk HANDOUT |