Educators Participate In Early Childhood Conference

By Tanjua Damon

Educators spent some time acting like the children they teach last week as they took lessons on various techniques that could help them around their own classrooms.

The 31st Connecticut Early Childhood Education Conference, entitled “Growing Together 2001,” brought 125 participants and 25 presenters at Middle Gate School April 25. The conference was for Region 5, which includes towns in Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Middlebury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Oxford, Roxbury, Sherman, Southbury, Watertown, and Woodbury.

Workshops were held for children ages birth to eight years old to provide teachers, child care providers, preschool teachers, parents, and administrations an opportunity to gain more information about particular topics and a place to communicate and share ideas with colleagues.

“I think the educators who participated really enjoyed it,” Middle Gate Principal Judith Gallo said. “I think people who participated have a lot of new ideas to use now and in the fall. It was really energizing for the school.”

Educators were offered two sessions in which they could learn about math, literature, writing, phonemic awareness, conflict resolution, software, bullying, puppetry, creativity, and classroom management.

Donna Wols is the co-owner of Tender Years Preschool in Nonnewaug and she attended the Preschool Conflict Resolution workshop provided by Tracy Roberts of Newtown Youth Services. Ms Wols will put into action “Talk Less, Do More” with the children at Tender Years.

“Very informative. It was very helpful to get new creative ideas for how to deal with the problems with little ones,” Ms Wols said. “New ideas of how to positively engage the kids in solving their own conflicts so it’s not so much the teacher doing it, but the kids.”

St Rose preschool teacher Paige Robinson wanted to find ways to have families get more involved so she signed up for the Family School Collaboration workshop. She learned more about the daily report card, which she has been working on with her families.

“I liked it. I need to engage parents more,” she said. “I have been using the daily report card. It was nice to see that it was done all around. I learned a lot more about it.”

Sandy Hook School first grade teacher Kristine Feda also found the workshops informative. She participated in the “Effective Classroom Management Strategies” workshop.

“It was very informative. It was nice to see the professionalism in our district,” Ms Feda said. “It was a good chance to meet people and talk with people I don’t get a chance to.”

Charlene Yacovelli, a kindergarten teacher at St Rose School, was pleased with the hands-on materials that she could take back to her classroom and try with her students.

“I love it. I learned a ton of information. I can’t wait to try it on my kids,” she said. “It was great. I got hands-on materials I can use in the classroom.”

Trinity Day School music teacher Barbara Chamberlain participated in the “And You Thought You Were Having Fun” workshop that connected educators with music that can be used in the classroom as well as crafts that can be made into useful tools for kindergartners.

“It’s wonderful. I’m a music teacher so I like music and movement very much,” Ms Chamberlain said. “I usually go to these yearly. I do singing so I thought it would be great.”