04/07/2016 | |
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm | TALK TO ME: Giving Voice to Characters and Children Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Judy Schachner, Author/Illustrator With over 20 award-winning picture books to her credit, Judy Schachner has learned a thing or two about creating characters that both children and grown-ups love. Come and listen to her humorous, heartfelt tale about the voices she hears in her head and the stories that give voice to her fans. |
04/08/2016 | |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | Mandated Reporter Training: Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse Town of Rye I Lisa Chrapowicz Do you know about the responsibilities and your role as a Mandated Reporter? Child care providers are "mandated" by law to report cases of suspected child abuse and maltreatment. This training will provide information regarding identification of physical and behavioral indicators, as well as a description of the legal framework for the NYS Child Protection System. |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | Unintended Hidden Messages In Our Early Childhood Classroom Libraries Town of Rye II Erica Vernold Miller What unintended hidden messages are lurking in your classroom library? This presentation takes a critical look at the quality of the children’s literature found in our early childhood classroom libraries and the unintended hidden messages that the inclusion and/or exclusion of particular texts send to our students and their families. |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | Movement Games for Social/Academic Development Grand Ballroom North Eric Gidseg Research (educational and neuro-biological) and experience have demonstrated the importance of movement in the education and development of young children. Additionally, there is a clear link between movement and language development. In this workshop you will learn how you can bring games, songs and chants into your work with children as well as the compelling reasons for this. Be prepared to have fun while learning activities that can enrich children's learning and development. |
8:30 am - 9:30 am | The Link to Academic Success: Understanding Play, the Brain, and Outdoors Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Dr. Marcy Guddemi, National Consultant Academic success starts with pretend play in the great outdoors! This session will focus on why all play is important, but not all play is of equal value; why the new neuroscience on brain development supports pretend play; and how the elements found in the outdoors encourage mature, intentional socio-dramatic play among children. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Children's Program Administrator Credential: You Can Do It! William Odelle Lynda Merchant This workshop will be an investigation of the procedure for applying for the Children's Program Administrator Credential offered by the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children. A completed portfolio will be shared and participants will explore one of the credential topics in detail. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | How to Reach Students on the Autism Spectrum AND the Parents Who Come With Them Westchester Ballroom 4D Barbara Boroson This dynamic session provides practical strategies to help young students on the autism spectrum meet the behavioral, social, and many other challenges of the inclusive classroom. Through compelling professional and personal anecdotes, this session also explores the precarious relationship between educators and parents, providing effective, empathic ways to broach difficult subjects and facilitate meaningful collaboration. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Learning to Love Leadership Elija Budd Tammy Wagner This workshop is designed to inspire early childhood professionals to embrace leadership. By learning about different management styles, early childhood professionals will walk away with a knowledge of how to tailor their approach to the variety of situations dealt with on a daily basis in the early childhood world. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Busy Brains: Brains at Work, Brains at Play Westchester Ballroom 3A Eileen Hall Overview of general brain development, typical development and the impact of stress and trauma. Strategies will be offered for fostering resiliency, higher level thinking skills, facilitation of learning and problem solving through play and appropriate program design. Slides of photographs of young children engaged in activities will focus small group discussions on methodologies for implementing the strategies. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | STEAM IT UP: Exploring STEM Concepts through the Arts John Brundage Joan Koster This hands-on multimedia, multi-sensory workshop will present ways to design and carry out developmentally appropriate science, technology, engineering and mathematical learning activities through the arts. Participants will participate in a variety of STEAM activities and leave with an appreciation for children’s need for sensory experiences, have the planning tools required, and the enthusiasm and passion for creating their own. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | A More Effective Independent Early Childhood Mentoring/Coaching/Consulting Practice Robert Barttell Ellen (Jaffe) Cogan Maintaining an independent practice requires skills and knowledge beyond ECE and clients, contracts, ownership of content, fees and payment, referrals, and definition of outcomes are some issues. Clarification before acceptance of the assignment helps us to help clients set realistic priorities and goals for our services and we will share expertise, sample contracts, issues and questions. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Fostering Language Development Westchester Ballroom 6D Kathleen Kiblin Language Development is critical to children's literacy learning. Listening carefully to children's language helps us understand their thinking. Participants will examine ways to promote children's language and thinking through the classroom environment, intentional planning and good literature. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Music, Movement and Body Percussion Grand Ballroom North Donna Longdon Together we will explore movement in new ways. We will use music and movement as a community builder and experience using our bodies and voices to create our own body percussion orchestral pieces. Participants will have an array of activities to implement with children that will create a fun learning experience melding mind, body and rhythm. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Promoting Positive Behavior Town of Rye II Lisa Tazartes Children use challenging behaviors to communicate when the demands of their environment are misaligned with their social, emotional, or adaptive capacities. This session will introduce a toolbox to help educators enhance social and emotional skills and reduce exclusionary discipline practices that includes strategies for: role modeling, strengthening relationships, communicating clear expectations, establishing structures and routines, and adapting to individual needs. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | It's Your Choice: Healthy or Toxic for Children Westchester Ballroom 5D Sue Kowaleski Heather Schwegler, Board Member, Family Child Care Association of NYS We can take steps to protect children where they live, learn and play. Understanding some of the children's products that can be harmful is the first step. Learn which materials may contribute to ill health effects, where toxicants can be found, and steps to protect children. This Eco Healthy Child Care® workshop will prepare you to make informed choices for children. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Great Expectations: Reading and Writing in a Preschool Program John Halsted Elaine Trotta During this workshop participants will review the components of literacy and discuss how they are implementing and scheduling activities throughout the day and how what they are doing relates to the Foundation for the Common Core for Prekindergarten. We will focus on the learning environment, materials, interactions and observations as they relate to early childhood. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | The NYS Freedom of Movement Certification Program Birch Ann Fraser, Infant and Toddler Specialist, Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country Sarah Gould-Houde, Infant Toddler Specialist, CDCCCC Investigate the benefits of maximum gross motor development in helping an infant to become self-confident, secure, and happy. Plan how to design care spaces to implement freedom of movement. Examine the newly established freedom of movement checklists and learn how to become a Freedom of Movement Certified program. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | New York's Early Childhood Advisory Council: “A Conversation About Early Childhood Services System Building in New York State" Poplar Sherry Cleary, Co-Chair Early Childhood Advisory Council, New York Early Childhood Professional Development Initiative Patricia Persell, Co-Chair Early Childhood Advisory Council, NYS Council on Children and Families The presenters will discuss and provide handouts on the work of the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) to build a high-quality system of supports and services for young children and their families. They will then lead a discussion about issues that participants are facing and how the ECAC can help them and their community initiatives succeed in their work. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Maintain Files That Make Your Licensor Smile Elm Lori Smith, HR Coordinator and PreSchool Director, Cub Care Children's Center Take the stress out of your next OCFS file review with this no panic approach to compliance focusing on staff orientation, employee/child documentation & file maintenance. We'll walk through a Quality Stars NY participating centers current internal system and provide you with templates, examples and resources to help you create a similar process to fit your needs. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Bounces for Babies and Tunes for Tots Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Hugh Hanley, ECE Music/Play Specialist, Circle of Songs In this workshop for infant and toddler teachers we’ll explore the joys and challenges of engaging these youngest children in music/play and the many ways that they benefit from a hands-on music/play experience in their early years. Teachers will come away with a repertoire of developmentally-appropriate bounces, songs and activities, and techniques for using them in the daily curriculum. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Partnering for Social Emotional Supports Oak Elizabeth Isakson MD, Co-Director , Docs for Tots This workshop will be addressing social emotional concerns in child care. In this program we will be discussing key ways in which partnering with other community organizations my help children at risk for social emotional difficulties, and how they may be supported. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | What is QUALITYstarsNY? Town of Rye I Ariel Davis, Project Coordinator, QualityStarsNY Mary Hayes, Quality Improvement Manager, QualityStarsNY Wondering how to get your program ready for QUALITYstarsNY? In this session, two Quality Improvement Specialists will discuss their approaches towards preparing programs for successful Self-study and Rating experiences and leveraging existing resources for program improvement. A panel of current QUALITYstarsNY participants will add invaluable insight to the session by discussing their first-hand experiences and offering helpful strategies and “lessons learned.” |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | The Character Bible: Collecting and Collaging Your Way to Story, Voice, and Character Westchester Ballroom B Judy Schachner, Author/Illustrator A collector of patterned papers, magazine photos, sketches, bits of ephermera, vocabulary words and quotes, award-winning author/illustrator, Judy Schachner, will share her process for creating books for children. It is a no pressure process that will inspire students to think outside the box and have fun with all kinds of writing projects. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | What Will My Day Be Like Today? Maple Teresa Adell, Group Family Daycare Provider (GFDC) Each day is different when working with young children. What is your day like? This workshop will show effective ways to manage the behavior in your program by using seven basic principles while helping children learn that they are lovable and capable. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Building Family Connections Westchester Ballroom C Marilyn Ballard A strong relationship between families and caregivers is the cornerstone of a quality program. Oftentimes providers feel unappreciated and taken advantage of. We will be exploring ways both families and providers feel valued and respected. You will leave having the tools to immediately use in your program to begin building those bridges between your program and home. |
12:30 pm - 1:15 pm | AfterSchool Works! NY Lunch and Learn Elm Lynn Siebert, Director of Education Services, Capital District Child Care Council Come to this workshop to learn the value of becoming a member of AfterSchool Works! NY, how you can get more involved with ASW and most importantly, learn about our great quality initiatives such as Accreditation and Credentialing. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Yogarate Grand Ballroom North Ron Shuali M. Ed., President, Creator, Author (Pronounced Yoga-Rah-Tay) The participants will be introduced to a movement system that incorporates age appropriate martial arts and yoga while teaching essential life skills like respect and belly breathing. The Yogarate class begins with the high-energy & respect-filled martial arts class and will flow smoothly into yoga with sun salutations finished with a calming meditation. By the end of the workshop, the participants will be able to teach a full 30 minute Yogarate class. Namastahyah! |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Using Pretend Play as a Valuable Tool for Children’s Learning Maple Diana Webb Children need pretend play to work out problems and develop strong social/emotional, language and cognitive skills. In this workshop we will discuss and experience pretend play and process all of the wonderful things that can be learned when children have time for self-directed, imaginative play. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | What's the Weather at Your Center? Looking at Your Organizational Climate Elija Budd Debbie Silver Each child care program has a unique personality and characteristics that affect the quality of work life for staff. This workshop, based on the work of Paula Jorde Bloom, will look at what makes up the organizational climate in your program, how to measure it and how improving it can increase staff morale, enhance program quality and perhaps even reduce teacher turnover! |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | New York State Pyramid Model Implementation Westchester Ballroom C Patty Persell Learn about the statewide implementation of the Pyramid Model. The goal is to increase the number of high quality early childhood trainers and coaches providing professional development to the early childhood workforce on social and emotional practices and partnering with families to support all children in developing social skills and positive relationships. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Green Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting in Early Care and Education Town of Rye II Carol Westinghouse Research has shown that some cleaning products used in child care programs contain chemicals that can cause asthma or trigger asthma episodes as well as other health issues. Children are particularly vulnerable to health effects from exposure to chemicals in cleaning products because of their size, stage of development and behaviors. Learn how to keep your facility cleaned, sanitized and disinfected without using hazardous products that are associated with asthma. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Strengthening Bonding and Attachment through Mutual Music Making for At-Risk Infants and Toddlers Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Elizabeth Schwartz The grownup/child bond is a critical component in early development. Mutual music making provides multi-layered opportunities to promote interaction, engagement, bonding and attachment for at-risk infants and toddlers and their grownups. This session will present current research on music and early attachment; outline specific qualities of music that foster bonding; and demonstrate music interventions and strategies that early childhood professionals can easily incorporate in their programs. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | New York's Child Care & Development Fund Plan for FY 2016-2018: A Closer Look Into the Impact on Child Care in New York State Westchester Ballroom B Janice Molnar The Office of Children and Family Services has submitted New York State's Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan for FY 2016-2018 to the Administration of Children and Families. The Plan focuses on the key areas addressed in the Child Care and Development Fund Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 and potential impacts on child care providers. This presentation will provide an overview of New York's CCDF Plan and proposed changes to Child Care Services in New York State. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Open-Ended Art: Challenges and Solutions for Directors Westchester Ballroom 4D Mary Ellen Bardsley Despite the promotion of open-ended art in the field of early childhood, teacher-directed crafts are still pervasive in early childhood programs. This interactive presentation will explore the value of open-ended art with an eye on professional standards and respond to challenges offered by practitioners. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Writing a Mini Grant Robert Barttell Valerie Halla, Mini Grant Chair, NYSAEYC Do you have an idea that could turn into an exciting project for a project but are short on funds? Then this is the workshop for you! All NYSAEYC members are eligible to apply for up to $500 to implement a project in their classroom or program. Come find out how to apply for a NYSAEYC Mini grant. We will guide you through the process. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Findings of the Higher Education Inventory Poplar Sherry Cleary, Co-Chair Early Childhood Advisory Council, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY The ECAC commissioned a study of New York State’s early childhood higher education and will share the findings and lead a discussion about the future of workforce development and higher education in New York. The ECAC is interested to hear what providers across the state need from our institutions of higher education to strengthen and deepen the skills that teachers and leaders need to support our youngest children in all early childhood settings. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | From Your Arms to Mine Birch Colleen Farrell M.S. Ed, Infant Toddler Specialist, Child Care Council of Suffolk All children enter your program with a family. To best serve the infants and toddlers in your care, you must develop meaningful partnerships with their families. Throughout this session, we will first discuss the three critical qualities that families look for in a caregiver as defined by The Program for Infant Toddler Care (PITC). We will then analyze characteristics of a strong partnership and the importance of maintaining the relationship when caring for their infant or toddler. Lastly, we will discuss effective strategies for resolving conflict. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Beyond Beautiful Smiles: Oral Health in the Child Care Setting Oak Melinda Clark, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Albany Medical Center Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood and insufficient access to oral health services is a reality for many young children. This workshop will review the vital role of child care setting in the primary prevention of oral health diseases and participants will discuss best practices and opportunities for oral health promotion, screening and referral. |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Multilingual Matters for Early Childhood Educators Westchester Ballroom 6D Teresa Signorelli The proposed talk will address the differences in mono- versus bilingual language development, the knowledge and skills needed to work with children from multilingual/multicultural backgrounds, an overview of legal and best-practices issues, and best practices for assessment such as ethnographic interviewing and dynamic assessment. |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Disability Sensitivity John Brundage Caroline Doty hand some of the most typical disabilities encountered in mainstream education. Participants will learn about basic functional impairments that many people with disabilities encounter. Ideas on ways to remain sensitive to a student's disability without defining the child through the disability will be discussed. |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Teacher Language & Young Children’s Socio-Emotional Development Westchester Ballroom 3A Liege Motta, Adjunct Lecturer, The City College of New York, CUNY Best practices in early childhood settings rest on a double foundation of relationships and language. Teachers have multiple responsibilities when choosing how to speak with children. We will explore these responsibilities, examine common language habits, and discuss ways to ask good questions that help develop higher-order thinking skills as well as model and scaffold clear, respectful, and responsive language. |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Building Strong Leaders Elm Amanda Meeson, VP of Programming, The Leadership Program Participants will assess and develop their own personal strengths and areas of growth as a leader while exploring how to effectively lead others as we work to develop a pipeline of leaders within our schools and organizations. Techniques and strategies will include observation and assessment tools, effective communication tips and recipes for developing effective and engaging team-time and professional development. |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Budgeting for Child Care Programs John Halsted Tom Copeland, Trainer, Author, Advocate, VOICE/CSEA This workshop will help both centers and homes better manage their money by creating and monitoring a budget. Participants will learn how to set and meet financial goals through a budget, control expenses, and plan ahead. |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | NAEYC Accreditation Boot Camp William Odelle Stephanie Dockweiler, NYS Accreditation Chairperson Camille Lachar-Lofaro, Vice President, QS2 Training and Consulting Get in shape to lead your program through the NAEYC Accreditation System. Report for duty to learn: the four steps of NAEYC accreditation, timelines, portfolios: classroom and program, surveys: family and staff, the visit to your program, and we'll provide answers to all your questions! |
1:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Relationships and the Data Cycle Westchester Ballroom 5D Lisa Beck, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute In this workshop, participants will humanize the data cycle, by looking at the critical role relationships play in observation, recording, reflecting and planning. |
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm | Using the Core Body of Knowledge (CBK) to Supervise Staff and Identify Professional Development Needs Town of Rye I Dana Benzo, Project Coordinator, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY The Core Body of Knowledge (CBK) provides a framework for supervisors to evaluate performance of individual staff and supports the planning of professional development to ensure that it is intentional and relevant to the strengths, interests, and needs of each teacher. Using the CBK Assessment and Professional Development Planning Tool, we will analyze various video clips to gather information to guide supervisory discussions, performance appraisals, and professional development plans. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Playing the Assessment Game Robert Barttell Debbie Johnson We will learn some basic games that can be used in a variety of ways to assess skills as they are being played. Games will include board games, and movement games that can be played with older toddlers, preschoolers and Kindergarteners. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Sing It!: Exploring Folk Music in the Early Childhood Classroom Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Caroline Moore Ingrid Ladendorf, Program Director, Summer Music Institute Director, The Diller-Quaile School of Music: Early Childhood Advisor, Rug Concerts Marissa Curry, The Diller-Quaile School of Music: Director of the Early Childhood Program In this workshop, we will explore the natural abilities of the very young child singer, and will showcase activities designed to build community, develop musical understanding, explore personal expression, and support the development of healthy, age-appropriate singing. World folk repertoire will provide the foundation for musical games and dances, ear-training exercises, movement, and singing. Come prepared to make music! |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Reignite Your Passion for Teaching and Learning Maple Chenoa Ruecking "Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire”-William Butler Yeats. Reignite your passion for teaching and learning in order to fan the flames of knowledge for the children in your care. Learn how joining an online learning community of your peers will help you to rediscover your love of learning and help you earn your NYS Infant-Toddler, Family or Children’s Program Administrator Credential. Join us as we demonstrate the virtual classroom via web-conferencing. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Crafting a Case for Collaborative Early Childhood Inclusive Classroom Settings: A Mosaic of Differentiated Instruction for Diverse Learners Westchester Ballroom 4D Sharon Medow This interactive workshop will provide participants opportunities to explore inclusion as a holistic pathway for supporting young children’s diverse abilities, interests, explorations and discoveries through experiential learning. Classroom applications, literacy strategies, project based explorations, infusing hands-on activities that embed differentiation as a framework that underpins teaching and learning as reciprocal processes will be shared. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Step by Step - Creating an Informative and OCFS Compliant Parent Handbook Elija Budd Deborah Fitzgerald Your parent handbook is an important reflection of your program, home-based or center-based, and should be a professional and thoughtful resource for families. Join us today to improve your parent handbook. We will be reviewing first impressions, welcome letters, handbook structure, mission, vision and philosophy, OCFS requirements and more. If planning ahead, please bring your handbook to this session. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Self Care: The Secret to Success for You and Your Staff Grand Ballroom North Beth Bierko As caregivers tending to the needs of young children, families, and those we employ or work with, we can forget to take care of ourselves, leaving us feeling stressed, depleted, even burned out. Experience six simple things to do to feel great and learn why offering these to your staff will benefit you, them and the children you serve. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | The Elements of a High Quality Program Town of Rye II Joann Toth, Quality Improvement Specialist, QualityStarsNY Kathy Moss, Quality Improvement Specialist, QualityStarsNY Using the QUALITYstarsNY standards as the basis for our discussion, we will explore the elements of a high quality program. Participants will gain basic knowledge of the standards and understand how they can be used to enhance quality programming for children and their families. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Membership in The Aspire Registry: Tools for Career Growth Poplar Amy Ludwig, Outreach and Communications Coordinator, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY Diana Diaz, Registry Manager, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute This workshop will provide an overview of The Aspire Registry for New York’s early childhood workforce. During this interactive presentation, we will highlight how to use the tools available to Aspire members to support career growth. Topics will include: using the Aspire Statewide Training Calendar, moving up the Career Ladder, and the value of a Professional Development Record. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Child Development: Developmental Surveillance, Screening and Referral in Early Care and Learning Oak Melissa Passarelli MA, Project Director of Developmental Screening, Docs for Tots Dina Lieser, Director, Docs For Tots and Community Pediatrics, NUMC We will share proven techniques, supports and tools to promote improved practices around developmental screening in child care. Our presentation will emphasize the relationship between early screening and referral school readiness and lifelong health as will techniques for improved communication with the medical home and enhanced parent engagement. |
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Responsive Caregiving Birch Jolie Ludwig, Infant Toddler Specialist Responsive care-giving involves the creation of a safe, structured environment with predictable routines and interesting materials to explore, utilizing sensitive, caring and dependable interactions with consistent adult caregivers. During this training participants will define responsive caregiving, identify the benefits of responsive caregiving, discuss strategies for providing responsive caregiving and explore ways to connect responsive caregiving practices to instructional support strategies. They will role play the characteristics of being a responsive caregiver during routines and then reflect upon and plan their own practice. |
04/09/2016 | |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | Say It, Don't Think It Town of Rye I Kim stewart Have you ever worked in a team where you feel like you do it all and your team watches you do it? This workshop will help its participants learn communication tips to get your team moving. Through interactive games, lively discussions, and taking a look in the mirror, participants will gain the skills to direct staff, listen to others effectively, and feel like their classroom teams can accomplish anything together! |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | Put Your Mask on First Town of Rye II Theresa Francois We live in a stressful time. As teachers/caregivers, many people and situations vie for our attention. In this workshop, attendees will identify their personal stressors, recognize the symptoms of stress, participate in stress reduction exercises, and learn specific tips to de-stress their lives. |
7:00 am - 8:00 am | Movin’ in the Morning: Large-Motor Music/Play Movement Activities for Toddlers and Preschool Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Hugh Hanley, ECE Music/Play Specialist, Circle of Songs Start the day with movement activities from the early childhood oral tradition. Bring your video recording device so you can learn them and use them in your early childhood classroom. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Engaging Your Mind through Creativity in Learning in Child Care Westchester Ballroom 5D Dr. Olga Zbarskaya The goal of this presentation is to offer various techniques that should be incorporated in child care and professional development for the child care providers to promote their creative abilities and involvement. The offered methods evolved from many years of quantitative and qualitative research, conducted by the author, on learner engagement and creativity. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Leading a Center Where Hope Grows Elija Budd Kate Dust Leading a center does not just include making sure plug covers are in place and paperwork is in order. Leading a center includes strategies where hope, happiness and health grows for all. Who you are as a leader of a center that supports changes in children's lives, difficulties your families face and the struggles of our profession has profound impact. Children, staff and families grow strong under your leadership building skills in resilience and optimism. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Author Studies with Preschoolers Westchester Ballroom 4D val halla Learn how to get children familiar with children's books and their authors. Ideas will be given and brainstorming in small groups will be done. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Set Up for Success: Making the Most of your Toddler Classroom Westchester Ballroom 3A Amber Stacy This workshop will focus on setting up your toddler environment for success and bringing out the best in your terrific twos! This workshop will include a presentation on the use of thoughtful classroom arrangement, a balanced classroom schedule design, appropriate expectations, and dynamic activities to promote engagement while preventing challenging behaviors. Small group discussions on common toddler challenges and guiding behaviors will also be included. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Becoming Your Best Self: The Social and Emotional Value of Play William Odelle Fern Fisher Play skills help children become the articulate, creative, critical and flexible thinkers they will need to be to learn in school, manage in the world and lead fulfilling lives. Through playful activity we will discover ways teachers can facilitate play, foster interactive learning, increase communication, nurture resilience, support self-regulation and observe the benefits of social and emotional learning. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | The Bank Street Curriculum: Equality, Inclusion, Reflection, and Nurturing a Community Maple Kristina Satchell Gabriel Guyton, Instructor, Bank Street College Using presentation and small groups, we will offer teachers a foundation in the philosophical and methodological fabric of the Bank Street Developmental-Interaction Approach (DIA), emphasizing whole-child, relationships, environment, and teachers’ roles. Additionally, we provide practical methods to integrate DIA practice into daily interactions and environments in infant/toddler classrooms to create equal, inclusive and reflective learning environments. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Cooperative Games and Activities Grand Ballroom North Jane Brown Move and groove for the full 90 minutes of this workshop. Come ready to practice activities for preschool and/or school age children. Identify activities to use in your classroom that will encourage more cooperation among the children and share your cooperative activities with others. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Family Feud: A Mandated Reporter's Review Westchester Ballroom B Sue Kowaleski Heather Schwegler, Board Member, Family Child Care Association of NYS Do you think you know everything you need to know as a mandated reporter? Test your knowledge and review the responsibilities in a game show format. And remember...never, ever shake a baby! Come join the feud! |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Coaching Tools to Ignite and Sustain Staff Development Robert Barttell Emilie Gay Learn coaching tools that will help you provide support and guidance to teachers moving through a change process towards greater effectiveness. Learn the three types of listening and asking powerful questions. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Improv in the Classroom: Be a Stand-Up Teacher! Birch Nancy Picart, Director, Small Wonders Child Care The prepared classroom Environment is a crucial element when teaching very young children. Spontaneous and improvisational activities entice children's curiosity which enables them to approach new things in a positive way. This workshop will focus on music/movement and active play for educators which will encourage them to work with children as they joyfully explore their world with newly discovered resilience. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Building a Career As a Coach Poplar Helen Frazier, Coach Coordinator, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY In this session we will discuss what makes coaching an effective form of professional development; the types of early childhood coaches (Master Teacher and other embedded coaching models, short term, long term coaches); developing your practice as a coach using the NYS Coaching Competencies and Powerful Interactions as a coaching model; and sustaining your career as a coach. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Brighten the Day with Music/Play Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Hugh Hanley, ECE Music/Play Specialist, Circle of Songs In this workshop we’ll engage in a variety of music/play songs and activities and explore why they are beneficial to young children at different stages of their development from birth to age 6. We’ll examine the ways that teachers can use these activities in the curriculum and in their daily interactions with children. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Developing an Individualized Plan of Care for a Child with Special Health Care Needs Oak Dina Lieser, Director, Docs For Tots and Community Pediatrics, NUMC This interactive workshop will partner Health Care Providers, Child Care Health Consultants and Early Care Providers to develop Individualized Health Care Plans for children with special health care needs. Special consideration will be provided to medication administration and communication with the child’s medical home. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Lifestyles of High Quality Early Childhood Programs and the Role of Continuous Quality Improvement Elm Mary Hayes, Quality Improvement Manager, QualityStarsNY Ariel Davis, Project Coordinator, QualityStarsNY What distinguishes high quality programs from the rest? This presentation will review the key principles of continuous quality improvement and discuss how program culture and specific practices can set the bar for success and make the difference for children, families and staff. Current QUALITYstarsNY participants will enrich the discussion with reflections on their experiences and the strategies that helped them achieve their goals. |
8:30 am - 10:00 am | Relationships and the Data Cycle –Focus on Observation and Recording Westchester Ballroom C Zoraima Rosario-Rolon, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute Steve Caster, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute In this workshop, participants will discuss how to use observation and recording to build stronger relationships with children. |
8:30 am - 11:30 am | "That's Just for Girls": Challenging and Engaging Gender Stereotypes, Expression, and Play in Early Childhood Westchester Ballroom 6D Katherine Schaffer, Research Associate, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY In this workshop, we will talk about gender identity development in young children. Through discussions of how rigid gender roles and stereotypes can limit children's growth and self-expression, we will collectively develop and role-play strategies to facilitate expansive gender performances and limit the perpetuation of gender stereotypes. We will also discuss how to work with family members who are struggling with their children's gender non-conforming dress or behaviors. |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Pedagogy of Care: Creating Cultures of Caring Town of Rye II Carol Garboden Murray Caring is the well spring of curriculum excellence. The Pedagogy of Care starts at the sink - with diaper changing, hand washing and serving food - and although these tasks are perceived as simple or mundane, caring contains the hidden power to transform our teaching into the highest educational practice. Through interactive reflection we will discover ways to define the Pedagogy of Care and show that caring and teaching are inseparable. |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Intentional Curriculum Planning Using the NYS Early Learning Guidelines John Brundage Dana Benzo, Project Coordinator, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY Committed early childhood educators use the lens of child development to help chart the individual and unique path experienced by each child in the classroom. Using the NYS Early Learning Guidelines as a tool, we will analyze the development of children through video clips and then brainstorm intentional learning experiences to optimally facilitate their growth. |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Taxes and Record Keeping - 2015 and 2016 John Halsted Tom Copeland, Trainer, Author, Advocate, VOICE/CSEA This workshop will identify new tax rules that affect family child care providers. Participants will learn about what is deductible, the significant changes in depreciation rules, and the three most important record keeping rules for 2016. |
8:30 am - 12:00 pm | Cuddling, Consciousness, and Cognition: The Significance of Emotional Engagement on Development and Learning Town of Rye I Keith Pentz, National Early Childhood Specialist, Kaplan Early Learning Company Emotional engagement that stems from loving and caring interactions, the creation of relationships, and a stimulating environment has a direct and significant impact on a young child’s development and learning. The shaping of a “mind” and how the child will respond to life events is forever guided by the touches, gazes, caresses, cuddling, language, songs, and playful experiences during the first years of life. The society of tomorrow is being held in our arms today! |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Curb Appeal Westchester Ballroom 5D Connie Neuroth First impressions are lasting impressions! What do parents see, hear and smell at that initial contact? Come learn practical ideas- based on parent feedback- on how to present yourself and your day care more professionally. Case studies, group activities and discussion. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Learn & Play: Using Music and Movement to Educate, Entertain and Inspire Young Children Grand Ballroom North Beth Bierko Come experience the joy of music. Learn how music and movement are critical tools for brain development, learning and fun. Gain confidence using music and movement to teach curriculum, assist in classroom management and build community among students, staff and families. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Integrating Early Identification, Behavioral Support, and Social Emotional Learning Efforts within a Multi-tiered Framework Robert Barttell Chris Huzinec Young children who have challenging behavior are highly likely to continue to have problems with socialization, school success, and mental health concerns into adolescence and adulthood. This presentation examines how behavioral assessments, best practices in classroom management, evidence-based behavioral supports, and social/emotional learning instruction can be coordinated within a program wide positive behavioral support system to improve student outcomes. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Including Children with Differing Abilities in Your Classroom Westchester Ballroom 4D Stephen Hernandez The move towards inclusion and the increased enrollment of young children with disabilities in early childhood settings has added another dimension to the challenges of running a successful early childhood program. This presentation will discuss the best practices and identified strategies that early childhood teachers can employ in order to address the needs of diverse learners in their classroom. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Good Leadership: Prerequisite for High-Quality Programs Elija Budd Toni Liebman According to the Core Body of Knowledge, “Providing vision, expressing high expectations and demonstrating mutual respect for all parties are hallmarks of great leadership.” In a session combining lecture, discussion and activities, participants will examine and assess their leadership behavior and formulate new ways to improve the climate of their centers. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Meeting High Standards in a Play-Based Program William Odelle Jackie Zaita, Early Childhood Specialist, Child Care Council of Suffolk Emily Torres M.S. Ed, Bilingual Early Childhood Specialist, Child Care Council of Suffolk Is Pre-K the new Kindergarten? Are you feeling pressured by parents, directors or administrators to meet the NYS Pre-K standards? Join us to explore how to apply those standards in a playful, developmentally appropriate program. We will also discuss how to communicate the connection between standards and play. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Getting Organized Maple Bonnie Caldwell, Early Learning and Care Representative, CSEA Wendy Nashid-Jackson, Early Learning and Care Representative, CSEA Providers are responsible for lots of paperwork! This class will help you become more organized to stay in compliance with OCFS, CACFP, and DSS regulations and procedures. We will help you set up an organized system that will allow you to compile your documents and forms required by the state while easing the stress. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Hidden Hazards on the Playground Westchester Ballroom 3A Heather Sweet, Center Educator/Certified Playground Safety Inspector, CDCCCC Supervising children as they explore their physical skills on the playground is one crucial part to ensuring their safety. Playground safety needs to be assessed on a regular basis. Discover ways to enhance the safety of your programs playground while continuing to encourage children's physical development. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Strengthening Families from the Beginning: Introducing the New York State New Parent Kit and Website Poplar Susan E. Perkins, Senior Associate, Early Childhood Initiatives Now New York State babies can come with instructions. Introducing the New Parent Kit, with materials to guide parents’ ability to build a nurturing, healthy relationship with their young child. This session includes a chance to view the components of the Kit, and the new companion website, as well as inform the distribution process and content of the website. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Guiding and Supporting School-Age Behavior Birch Darla Fulmer, FDC/SACC Registrar, Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. Why do children “misbehave?” Why do I have behavior problems in my classroom? In this workshop, we will discuss these questions and explore ways in which we can prevent and manage these challenges. We will look at how the physical environment and program structure can affect the children’s behavior and examine the basic program elements. By making just a few changes, it is possible to change the dynamics of your group. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Increasing Nutrition and Physical Activities in Your Child Care Program Oak Phyllis Trigg MA, RDN, CDN-Eat Well Play Hard with Day Cay Homes Nutritionist for Child Care Council of Nassau, Child Care Nassau This workshop will address screen time reduction, improved nutrition, increased physical activity and breastfeeding promotion in childcare and the convergence of healthy living practices. Participants will learn about tools and techniques to achieve OCFS standards for promoting healthy practices in the early care and learning environment |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | STORY BOXES: Looking Beyond the Book, Thinking Inside the Box Westchester Ballroom B Amanda Layton Whiteman, DC/MD/VA Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist, Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts Akua Kouyate-Tate, Senior Director of Education, Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts Discover how story boxes facilitate a range of early childhood developmental domains and enhance children's learning in the classroom while utilizing a variety of learning styles and intelligences. Learn how creating a box full of found objects and a little imagination can provide dance, teatrical, and creative experiences. In this workshop, educators explore tools to enrish and extend children's literature using a form of Wolf Trap Coffee Can Theater to ingnite a way of thinking that will allow the teacher to see the book beyond the page and bring it to life with creative arts experiences. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Getting Ready for QUALITYstarsNY: How to Prepare Your Program for Success in New York’s Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS) Elm Joyce Guimaraes, Quality Improvement Specialist, QualityStarsNY Karin Sperb, Quality Improvement Specialist, QualityStarsNY Wondering how to get your program ready for QUALITYstarsNY? In this session, two Quality Improvement Specialists will discuss their approaches towards preparing programs for successful Self-study and Rating experiences and leveraging existing resources for program improvement. A panel of current QUALITYstarsNY participants will add invaluable insight to the session by discussing their first-hand experiences and offering helpful strategies and “lessons learned.” |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Yogapalooza with Bari Koral: How to Immediately Incorporate Yoga Into Your Classroom with Music, Beloved Activities, Tips, Tools and Creative Relaxation Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Bari Koral, Yoga, Music & Movement Specialist and Child/Family Recording Artist A trip to the moon? Yoga with a Dancing Bear?! Discover a wonderful world of songs and activities that expose children to yoga & movement. At our session, we will turn from caterpillars into butterflies, pop like popcorn, grow from seeds into apple trees, sleep like ponies in the barn and much more. We will learn many powerful & fun breathing tools you can use everyday to help children self soothe, self regulate, relax and focus. Everyone will be encouraged to participate in the fun while we play songs that build confidence, strength, balance and coordination. We’ll end our workshop with some relaxation that help children (and adults!) recharge, improve social skills, transitions and increase emotional well-being. Guaranteed to get you moving, this fun session features music and well as open discussion. |
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Relationships and the Data Cycle –Focus on Family Engagement Westchester Ballroom C Stefanie Straker, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute Grace Nam, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute In this workshop, participants will discuss concrete strategies to build family engagement in the data cycle on an individual, classroom and program level. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Overview of the New York State Training and Technical Assistance Professional (T-TAP) Credential Oak Avril Mills Dana Benzo, Project Coordinator, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY Come to this information session on the New York State Technical Assistance Professional Credential and learn about the different endorsements available to providers of professional development. This session will give participants information on the development and evolution of this credentialing system as well as the goal of improving and assuring the quality of professional development in our state. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | A Partnership: Working with Parents of Children with Challenging Behaviors Westchester Ballroom B Dennis Conheady We will look at family systems, parent expectations of the child care provider and how to develop a positive relationship with parents. You will practice what to ask, say and do at a parent conference. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Enhancing Readiness, Pre-Writing, and Pre-Keyboarding Skills with Technology Westchester Ballroom 6D Diane Eldridge Technology can be embraced and used to enhance handwriting skill development. This session identifies the importance and benefits of explicit handwriting instruction, provides multi-sensory strategies to help children build handwriting skills, and provides hands-on, developmentally appropriate teaching strategies to enhance handwriting instruction with current technology. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Art from the Heart: Hands-On Art that Promotes Critical and Creative Thinking John Halsted John Funk This workshop is a Make and Take workshop where the participants create six art projects that encourage critical and creative thinking. Participants will learn about developmentally appropriate art projects, how to set up hands-on art projects, and how art can support learning standards. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | "Help Me to Help Myself": Fostering Independence in Early Childhood Education William Odelle Teresa Perez We will discuss the Montessori approach to guiding children towards independence. We will offer strategies for teachers on how to adapt these ideals for their own programs. We will demonstrate how to use observations to guide our instruction and eliminate obstacles that may be hindering a child in achieving independence. This workshop will include video clips, pictures and group discussions. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Powerful, Playful, Poetry Westchester Ballroom 3A Lynne Panagakos Participants will engage in hands-on poetry and literacy activities to enhance their classrooms. The presentation is constructed to align with the NYS Common Core Learning Standards including but not limited to Domain 4; Communication, Language and Literacy and Part B; Reading Standards for Literature, in addition to critical thinking skills and reading strategies, all to promote both higher order thinking skills and autonomy. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Music in Make-Believe: Developing Creativity through Children's Stories & Folktales Grand Ballroom North Caroline Moore Ingrid Ladendorf, Program Director, Summer Music Institute Director, The Diller-Quaile School of Music: Early Childhood Advisor, Rug Concerts Marissa Curry, The Diller-Quaile School of Music: Director of the Early Childhood Program Musical make-believe is an exciting setting for learning, and serves all developmental areas. When we enliven stories, we ignite the imagination through singing, movement and improvisation. Come celebrate the young child's natural propensity for music, by expanding your ability to facilitate collaborative, joy-filled, storytelling experiences. We will explore character, mood, movement, form, and will transform your day! |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Children in Temporary Housing and Early Childhood Education Programs Robert Barttell Jennifer Pringle This presentation will give an overview about enrolling and serving children experiencing homelessness in early childhood education programs. It will explore: the impacts of homelessness on young children; strategies child care, Head Start, and pre-k programs can use to better connect children experiencing homelessness with early childhood programs; and collaborative strategies they can use with community partners to better support children experiencing homelessness. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Keeping It Real in the Early Childhood Classroom: Authentic Assessment, Accountability and Achievement in a Common Core Climate John Brundage Aki Ohseki In this interactive presentation, participants will critically examine the current educational climate that is pushing young children toward standardized curriculum and assessment. Discussion topics will include reimagining what achievement and accountability should be in early childhood, and collaboratively exploring strategies for keeping assessment practices (and thereby, instruction) authentic, meaningful and developmentally appropriate. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Advancing Racial Equity in Early Childhood Policy & Practice Elija Budd Megan Madison New research on racial colorblindness, implicit bias, and microaggressions is shedding light on some of the ways well-intentioned people perpetuate social inequalities--often unconsciously. In this session, we will review this literature and then use that knowledge to develop best practices and action plans, enabling participants to better align their intentions with their impact going forward. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Get Your Game On! Town of Rye II Lenny Grozier Participants will explore the power of play-based instruction through the implementation of cooperative learning games and identify the developmental benefits for young children. Several low-cost and do-it-yourself game ideas will be made available along with tips for enhancing family partnerships in the learning journey. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Communicating Effectively Westchester Ballroom 5D Cecilia Scott-Croff The presentation covers relationships and creating an inclusive classroom. An interactive discussion group that focuses on creating a cohesive work environment. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Migration Studies in Preschool: A Metaphor for the Students' Journey Westchester Ballroom 4D Elizabeth Carlson Autumn is a time when change is in the air for many creatures, including preschoolers. A curriculum examining animal migration can support children’s awareness of their own educational journeys. This workshop will explore the content of migration studies of monarch butterflies, humpback whales, puffins, and sea turtles and advantages offered by each. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Jazz For Young Children - The Jazzy Gingerbread Man and Other Jazzy Tales Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Louise Rogers, Music Specialist, Medical Center Nursery School Susan Milligan, Storyteller, Medical Center Nursery School Explore activities and techniques for teaching jazz to young children in this hands-on interactive workshop for both music and classroom teachers. Jazz basics such as scat singing, rhythmic patterns, and the blues will be introduced in this unique blending of storytelling and jazz. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Birth-2 Certification Trends and How to Support Our Educators Poplar Christina Cowens Gholson M. Ed, Lead Advisor Career Development Services Center, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute (PDI) / CUNY This workshop will cover trends in Birth-2 Certification as well as some of the barriers and facilitators that educators currently face. In addition, the presentation will outline materials and strategies that support teachers seeking Birth-2 certification in New York State. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Transition Techniques Birch Erin Broderick, School Age Educator, CDCCCC Transitioning children from one activity to the next can be tricky. Come learn some techniques to help transition your children more effectively. Participants will learn what makes transitions successful, how to introduce transitions, and get to participate in some exciting transition activities. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Playful Explorations: Building a Foundation for Learning Town of Rye I Keith Pentz, National Early Childhood Specialist, Kaplan Early Learning Company This session looks specifically at play as a strategy to facilitate and be used as a vehicle for beginning to learn any content area (STEM/STEAM - science, technology, engineering, arts, math) in the infant and toddler classroom. In addition, the session contains lots of information on how to generally enhance brain and cognitive development in infants and toddlers. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Employee Handbook Maple Ed Gresco, Early Learning & Care Representative, CSEA Bonnie Caldwell, Early Learning and Care Representative, CSEA This class will help you identify the difference between an independent contractor and an employee. Participants will learn the Federal/New York rules to follow when hiring employees. Participants will gain the knowledge they need to create an employee handbook that includes employee qualifications, hiring process, pay/benefits, job responsibilities, and employee policies. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Transitions: Time for a Change Elm Vicki Messina, Special Needs Consultant, Westcop Transitions can be difficult for all involved. This training provides specific strategies and suggestions to make transitions within the classroom easier for everyone. Participants will receive handouts when they attend the training. |
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Relationships and the Data Cycle –Focus on Emergent Curriculum Westchester Ballroom C Eva Kovacs, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute Sarah Longwell-Stevens, Early Childhood Coach, NY Early Childhood Professional Development Institute In this workshop, participants will discuss how to use data about the whole child to create meaningful, engaging curriculum. |
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm | Inspiring Learning Through the Performing Arts in the Early Childhood Classroom Westchester Ballroom 1A & 2A Amanda Layton Whiteman, DC/MD/VA Wolf Trap Master Teaching Artist, Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts Akua Kouyate-Tate, Senior Director of Education, Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts Discover how Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts integrates the performing arts into early childhood curriculum to cultivate literacy development, creative thinking, and self-expression in young children. Participate in the process of creating child-initiated choreography through observation, discovery, and exploration of the natural world and the inherent connections to the elements of dance. Learn how New York City Wolf Trap is supporting curriculum development through interactive storytelling in New York state. |