Conference Schedule
8:15 - 8:45 Registration/Visit Vendors
8:45 - 9:00 - Welcome and Overview
9:10 - 10:00 - Session #1 - Choose from the following options:
Where Do I Fit? Understanding Infant and Toddler Temperaments
Becky Tickle
Participants will gain self-awareness and insight into their own personality characteristics and traits. They will also learn the three temperament styles of children and strategies for responding to them.
Early Childhood Opportunities at VMNH
Jessica McAllister
Are you curious about the natural world? From dinosaurs to grizzly bears, participants will explore fun and exciting ways to introduce natural history to young children. Using the five senses, we will shape scientific stories about the world around us. You will also learn about the many opportunities VMNH offers for the early childhood audience.
Playground Safety & Supervision
Talitha Kirby
Participants will learn safety procedures and strategies that can be used to ensure that children have a safe outdoor environment. Tips on preparing first-aid kits, checklists, and attendance sheets will be given. Participants will be updated on licensing procedures for outdoor play and ways to facilitate safe play and learning outside. Participants will also learn strategies used to supervise outdoor play while interacting with the children.
Forget Everything You Know About Technology
Margaret Fey
You think you know what technology is and how it works for you – but think again! It really includes everything that people create to solve a problem. This hands-on collaborative session will show participants how to think like an engineer and design a product to perform a simple task. You will bring home an easy lesson that uses ordinary household items for materials. Join us for a fun, mind-expanding workshop that takes technology to the limit.
10:10 - 11:00 - Session #2 - Choose from the following options:
Let's Communicate: Signing with Infants and Toddlers
Dr. Michael S. Hubler & Mrs. Lillian I. Hubler
Participants will learn how to use American Sign Language to enhance young children communication and learning. For infants and young toddlers signs will be taught to facilitate pre-verbal communication thus enhancing communication and reducing frustration on the part of the child, teacher, and parent. For toddlers sign language will be taught to enhance pre-literacy, concept understanding skills, and the ability to interact positively with their peers.
Teaching Through Play
Katlyn Oldham and Sharon Bell
“Learning through play” describes how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them. Through play, children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments. In this session, you’ll learn more about how children learn through play and what that can look like your students’ learning environment.
After School Opportunities at VMNH
Jessica McAllister
Are you curious about the natural world? From dinosaurs to grizzly bears, participants will explore fun and exciting ways to introduce natural history to young children. Using the five senses, we will shape scientific stories about the world around us. You will also learn about the many opportunities VMNH offers for the after school audience.
Take a Deep Breath and Listen to the Children
Eric-Gene Shrewsbury
Active listening is an essential tool when working with children. When we are stressed, however, it can be difficult to actively listen to the children and to be the best caregiver possible. During this session, we will discuss strategies to be a better active listener and some of the reasons it is difficult to focus when listening. We will also discuss and practice breathing exercises designed to help improve concentration and listening skills. Participants will also be provided with a list of resources for further reading.
11:00 - 11:20 Snacks
11:20 - 12:10 Session #3 - Choose from the following options:
Changing Perspectives: Functional Assessments and Interventions in Early Childhood
Lisa Terry
Participants will learn how to complete functional assessments and interventions for infants and toddlers. Participants will understand the value of gaining rich information from parents and identify when to refer a child to services. New ideas and strategies to involve the whole classroom while maintaining individualization will be emphasized.
It’s All About the Process: Preschool Process Art
Becki Vasquez
Participants will learn why it’s important for young minds to engage in process based art and how it can inspire and extend learning in all areas. We will explore ways to facilitate process art in the classroom, and maybe get a bit messy ourselves creating our own process art pieces.
Nurturing Environments 4 Youth: Relationships are Key
Amanda Christian and Leanne Martin
Join an interactive presentation that will give you the key to running successful programs with children: Building and maintaining healthy relationships. Learning the facts about the benefits of healthy relationships will help you redesign your methodology, starting with your staff. Find out how to get your staff engaged and implement the mindset of rapport and trust. Trust is the key to social and emotional growth within children that you serve. Learn quick and fun activities for your staff and children to develop the nurturing environment we all strive for!
Behavioral interventions for preschool and school-aged children
Cherie Arnn, Anissa Howerton, Shavonne Joyner
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a reputable and empirically supported treatment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ABA has been used by hundreds of therapist to teach communication, play, social, academic, self-care, work and community living skills, and reduce problem behaviors in learners with ASD. Many young children who receive early intensive behavior intervention are able to develop skills that allow them to independently participate in a mainstream school setting. During this session you will learn about procedures and interventions used in ABA programs such as positive and negative reinforcement, extinction procedures, sensory interventions, schedule boards, teaching and visual strategies, among others.
12:15 - 1:15 - Lunch
1:15 - 1:30 Door Prizes/ Keynote Introduction
1:30 - 2:30 - Keynote Speaker
Social-Emotional Academic Learning Competence
Dr. Michael S. Hubler and Mrs. Lillian I. Hubler
Come play and learn basic signs for pre-literacy concept understanding and social and emotional development through the use of fun story, songs, and games. Participants will learn about children’s social-emotional development and how to use music and games that provide a powerful foundation to enhance children’s learning, and pre-literacy concepts. This sign language workshop will teach teachers and specialist methods and practices to enhance their capacity to guide their children in a socially and emotionally journey through a positive, preventative, and effective instructional approach. During this workshop participants also learn to use sign language and other techniques to bring young children out of their emotional brain into their logical brain to enhance self-control, peer relations, express their feelings in a positive manner, and improve self-regulate their behavior.
2:30 Submit evaluation and pick up certificates
8:15 - 8:45 Registration/Visit Vendors
8:45 - 9:00 - Welcome and Overview
9:10 - 10:00 - Session #1 - Choose from the following options:
Where Do I Fit? Understanding Infant and Toddler Temperaments
Becky Tickle
Participants will gain self-awareness and insight into their own personality characteristics and traits. They will also learn the three temperament styles of children and strategies for responding to them.
Early Childhood Opportunities at VMNH
Jessica McAllister
Are you curious about the natural world? From dinosaurs to grizzly bears, participants will explore fun and exciting ways to introduce natural history to young children. Using the five senses, we will shape scientific stories about the world around us. You will also learn about the many opportunities VMNH offers for the early childhood audience.
Playground Safety & Supervision
Talitha Kirby
Participants will learn safety procedures and strategies that can be used to ensure that children have a safe outdoor environment. Tips on preparing first-aid kits, checklists, and attendance sheets will be given. Participants will be updated on licensing procedures for outdoor play and ways to facilitate safe play and learning outside. Participants will also learn strategies used to supervise outdoor play while interacting with the children.
Forget Everything You Know About Technology
Margaret Fey
You think you know what technology is and how it works for you – but think again! It really includes everything that people create to solve a problem. This hands-on collaborative session will show participants how to think like an engineer and design a product to perform a simple task. You will bring home an easy lesson that uses ordinary household items for materials. Join us for a fun, mind-expanding workshop that takes technology to the limit.
10:10 - 11:00 - Session #2 - Choose from the following options:
Let's Communicate: Signing with Infants and Toddlers
Dr. Michael S. Hubler & Mrs. Lillian I. Hubler
Participants will learn how to use American Sign Language to enhance young children communication and learning. For infants and young toddlers signs will be taught to facilitate pre-verbal communication thus enhancing communication and reducing frustration on the part of the child, teacher, and parent. For toddlers sign language will be taught to enhance pre-literacy, concept understanding skills, and the ability to interact positively with their peers.
Teaching Through Play
Katlyn Oldham and Sharon Bell
“Learning through play” describes how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them. Through play, children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments. In this session, you’ll learn more about how children learn through play and what that can look like your students’ learning environment.
After School Opportunities at VMNH
Jessica McAllister
Are you curious about the natural world? From dinosaurs to grizzly bears, participants will explore fun and exciting ways to introduce natural history to young children. Using the five senses, we will shape scientific stories about the world around us. You will also learn about the many opportunities VMNH offers for the after school audience.
Take a Deep Breath and Listen to the Children
Eric-Gene Shrewsbury
Active listening is an essential tool when working with children. When we are stressed, however, it can be difficult to actively listen to the children and to be the best caregiver possible. During this session, we will discuss strategies to be a better active listener and some of the reasons it is difficult to focus when listening. We will also discuss and practice breathing exercises designed to help improve concentration and listening skills. Participants will also be provided with a list of resources for further reading.
11:00 - 11:20 Snacks
11:20 - 12:10 Session #3 - Choose from the following options:
Changing Perspectives: Functional Assessments and Interventions in Early Childhood
Lisa Terry
Participants will learn how to complete functional assessments and interventions for infants and toddlers. Participants will understand the value of gaining rich information from parents and identify when to refer a child to services. New ideas and strategies to involve the whole classroom while maintaining individualization will be emphasized.
It’s All About the Process: Preschool Process Art
Becki Vasquez
Participants will learn why it’s important for young minds to engage in process based art and how it can inspire and extend learning in all areas. We will explore ways to facilitate process art in the classroom, and maybe get a bit messy ourselves creating our own process art pieces.
Nurturing Environments 4 Youth: Relationships are Key
Amanda Christian and Leanne Martin
Join an interactive presentation that will give you the key to running successful programs with children: Building and maintaining healthy relationships. Learning the facts about the benefits of healthy relationships will help you redesign your methodology, starting with your staff. Find out how to get your staff engaged and implement the mindset of rapport and trust. Trust is the key to social and emotional growth within children that you serve. Learn quick and fun activities for your staff and children to develop the nurturing environment we all strive for!
Behavioral interventions for preschool and school-aged children
Cherie Arnn, Anissa Howerton, Shavonne Joyner
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a reputable and empirically supported treatment for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ABA has been used by hundreds of therapist to teach communication, play, social, academic, self-care, work and community living skills, and reduce problem behaviors in learners with ASD. Many young children who receive early intensive behavior intervention are able to develop skills that allow them to independently participate in a mainstream school setting. During this session you will learn about procedures and interventions used in ABA programs such as positive and negative reinforcement, extinction procedures, sensory interventions, schedule boards, teaching and visual strategies, among others.
12:15 - 1:15 - Lunch
1:15 - 1:30 Door Prizes/ Keynote Introduction
1:30 - 2:30 - Keynote Speaker
Social-Emotional Academic Learning Competence
Dr. Michael S. Hubler and Mrs. Lillian I. Hubler
Come play and learn basic signs for pre-literacy concept understanding and social and emotional development through the use of fun story, songs, and games. Participants will learn about children’s social-emotional development and how to use music and games that provide a powerful foundation to enhance children’s learning, and pre-literacy concepts. This sign language workshop will teach teachers and specialist methods and practices to enhance their capacity to guide their children in a socially and emotionally journey through a positive, preventative, and effective instructional approach. During this workshop participants also learn to use sign language and other techniques to bring young children out of their emotional brain into their logical brain to enhance self-control, peer relations, express their feelings in a positive manner, and improve self-regulate their behavior.
2:30 Submit evaluation and pick up certificates