76th Annual SECA Conference

Making sure that families have their own voice in activities planned just for them is, first of all, respectful and second, the best way to encourage participation and host successful events. Using a specially designed template, participants will use the ideas presented to plan an event for implementation when they return home. Together we will share our best ideas and learn from one another to create some great take-home strategies. The free template and a curated resource list will be available after the session.

This session will provide early childhood educators information about the importance of building background knowledge. It will also demonstrate how educators can use literacy to and engaging activities to build background knowledge. The participants will then have the opportunity to create a short literacy lesson that builds background knowledge with a group that has a measurable objective and an engaging activity.

Have you ever tried to support a child who displays challenging or mistaken behaviors? Do you often struggle with helping dysregulated children return to a regulated state? As Early Childhood professionals we aspire to promote safety, security, and a sense of belonging in the classroom. By using evidence-informed pedagogical practices as a foundation, our presentation will explore best teaching practices for preschool-aged children. As professionals we know the importance of providing a calm and regulated space for young children through the implementation of social emotional learning and trauma-informed practice. The purpose of our session is to assist early childhood professionals in supporting children who may become dysregulated, defensive, and reactive in the classroom. When children experience heightened states of arousal, they exhibit one of four primary reactions—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. We will explore each of these responses in depth and provide resources for professionals as they navigate associated challenging or mistaken behaviors.

Some children fall down and pop back up and keep going, some lay on the ground and cry, waiting to be rescued. When exactly does this mindset occur in a child? Can we nurture a “can do attitude” in order to prepare the resilience inside a child they will need for the rest of their lives? Yes, and it starts when a child is born and is a lifelong journey.

As infants begin to roll, sit, crawl and walk there will be many falls. How the people around the child treat him during these times will begin to shape the mind. Do I try to reach that toy on the top shelf again or cry and point? A growth mindset comes from the encouragement given or is hindered by the adults around them looking to establish a bond. How can you build a bond with a child, without hindering their ability to keep trying in the face of adversity.

Experiments and brain scans show interesting results when children are pushed beyond their comfort zones. Failure can lead to discouragement but pushing past that failure strengthens the connections in the brain so when something goes right the concept is solidly learned. We can have environments perfectly set up for this kind of trial and error as long as children are allowed to work uninterrupted. Let us help you discover the power of failure

This session highlights the critical role of family engagement in fostering young learners' growth and development. Participants will explore the benefits of building strong partnerships with families and discover practical strategies, resources, and activities to actively involve families in the classroom. The training will provide creative, culturally responsive approaches to strengthen communication, promote collaboration, and create a welcoming environment for families to support their child’s learning journey.

What makes a natural scientist? Wonder, curiosity, a sense of purpose, and PLAY! We know that children learn best through a hands-on playful environment, but isn't that too much work to set up? When there is so much on teachers' plates, how can we connect science, STEM, literacy, and executive function in a playful, seamless way? In this workshop, participants will learn how to take a playful approach to integrating experiences across the curriculum -- while maintaining their own joy and ease. Join us as we develop a toolbox of practical ideas for connecting storytime STEM curriculum experiences that organically harness play to create opportunities for reading, writing, math, science, and executive function throughout the day. The workshop experience is hands-on and encourages active and engaged participation throughout.

It is not uncommon to hear the phrase, “Teaching is not what it used to be” these days. What brought on that phrase? Is it really that teaching has changed or is it something else? We also hear the comments such as “Since the Covid……” as well as the increase in challenging behaviors and increased social-emotional needs. Addressing the needs of these students and their families cannot be done by the classroom teacher alone. We will need to work together with the other experts and professionals internally within the program and externally within the community.

In this session, we will examine the concept of partnership and how to transfer aspects of the ideal definition to the existing early childhood education field.