Watch all of the sessions! |
JUNE 10th & 11th
This 2-day virtual institute for early childhood educators working with children birth to age 8 engaged each of us to Pause, Refresh, and focus on Play!
For any questions please contact Samantha McDavid
smcdavid@dekalbcounty.org |
Thursday
5:00 PM - Culturally Responsive Self-Care for Early Childhood Professionals
Presented by: Dr. Julie Nicholson and Dr. LaWanda Wesley
This training begins by discussing why self-care should be understood as a central component of quality and ethical work in serving young children and their families and the importance of culturally responsive self and community care practices. We introduce culturally diverse beliefs about the ‘self’ and explore how culture influences our individual and collective perceptions and experiences of stress, trauma, resilience and healing. With these ideas in mind, we guide participants to learn about different culturally informed restorative activities that reflect a diverse range of cultural beliefs and traditions. Participants are guided to identify the specific culturally responsive practices they can use regularly to reduce stress and to increase daily opportunities to experience joy, love and wellness both personally and professionally.
This training begins by discussing why self-care should be understood as a central component of quality and ethical work in serving young children and their families and the importance of culturally responsive self and community care practices. We introduce culturally diverse beliefs about the ‘self’ and explore how culture influences our individual and collective perceptions and experiences of stress, trauma, resilience and healing. With these ideas in mind, we guide participants to learn about different culturally informed restorative activities that reflect a diverse range of cultural beliefs and traditions. Participants are guided to identify the specific culturally responsive practices they can use regularly to reduce stress and to increase daily opportunities to experience joy, love and wellness both personally and professionally.
6:30 PM - The Critical Role of Play in an Equity-Centered Early Childhood Environment
Presented by: Dr. Julie Nicholson and Jonathan Iris-Willbanks
Participants in this training will learn why play is central to an equity approach in early learning given its critical role in children’s learning and their healthy emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development. Given the stressors and impacts of COVID this past year, a significant part of the presentation emphasizes how early childhood professionals can create trauma-responsive play-based environments that reduce stress for children, support their capacity to learn and to strengthen coping and resilience during this critical time for their brain development. Specific strategies and practices along with authentic examples and valuable resources are introduced throughout the training so all participants will leave accessible and actionable ideas to bring back to their classrooms and/or early learning programs
Participants in this training will learn why play is central to an equity approach in early learning given its critical role in children’s learning and their healthy emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development. Given the stressors and impacts of COVID this past year, a significant part of the presentation emphasizes how early childhood professionals can create trauma-responsive play-based environments that reduce stress for children, support their capacity to learn and to strengthen coping and resilience during this critical time for their brain development. Specific strategies and practices along with authentic examples and valuable resources are introduced throughout the training so all participants will leave accessible and actionable ideas to bring back to their classrooms and/or early learning programs
Friday
9:00 AM - Building Joyful, Rigorous Classroom Spaces Through Play
Presented by: Kristine Mraz
As we reflect and recover from a year like no other, it is easy to linger on the things we lost. This year also presents us with an opportunity to examine classroom practices and build better classrooms for our return in the Fall. This session will focus on the way that play (as a mindset and as an instructional practice) provides a space for children to question, problem-solve, analyze and collaborate, all while acquiring traditional academic skills. This session will cover research, structures, and ways to link play with academic standards and social-emotional growth. Come ready to rethink and reclaim what play can be in our school spaces.
As we reflect and recover from a year like no other, it is easy to linger on the things we lost. This year also presents us with an opportunity to examine classroom practices and build better classrooms for our return in the Fall. This session will focus on the way that play (as a mindset and as an instructional practice) provides a space for children to question, problem-solve, analyze and collaborate, all while acquiring traditional academic skills. This session will cover research, structures, and ways to link play with academic standards and social-emotional growth. Come ready to rethink and reclaim what play can be in our school spaces.
12:15 PM - Implementing Play Q&A Panel
Join our panelist for a Q&A session in how to implement play in our early childhood settings. Perspectives include Kindergarten teacher Michelle Lewis, Pre-K teacher Laurel Copeland, StarNet Assistant Project Director Emily Reilly, Elementary principal Laurel Mateyka, and Regional KIDS Coach Sandra Ehrat!
Meet the Presenters
Julie M. Nicholson, Ph.D.
Professor of Practice Mills College Dr. Julie Nicholson, Ph.D. is Professor of Practice in the School of Education at Mills College where she has been a faculty member since 2005 and directed several innovative programs including the Leadership Program in Early Childhood, a Joint MBA/MA Educational Leadership Program and the Center for Play Research. Nicholson is also Co-Founder of the Center for Equity in Early Childhood Education a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting transformative change to improve racial equity and intersectional justice for young children and families and the early childhood workforce dedicated to serving them. She is the author of 12 books and many peer reviewed articles addressing social justice and equity in early childhood. Dr. Nicholson has many years of experience participating in policy committees, serving on non-profit Boards and leading professional development across the US and internationally. She taught young children for ten years in preschool and kindergarten classrooms.
Jonathan Iris-Willbanks
Child Life Specialist, Director of Child Life Mills College Jonathan has worked with children and families since he was 16-years-old taking care of children in an after-school enrichment program. From summer camps to pediatric intensive care units and therapy rooms, his work with children has always followed the same basic principle: Children have rich inner lives and they deserve to be listened to, as well as treated with dignity and respect. He sees play as a child’s natural language in which they share with the world their feelings and needs. He utilizes play interventions to help children understand their body, illness, medical procedures, and even death. Along with working with hospitalized children as a Child Life Specialist he also is the Director of the Mills College Child Life Graduate Program. He earned Graduate degrees in Education and Counseling Psychology from Mills College and The Wright Institute.
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LaWanda Wesley
Director of Quality, Enhancement and Professional Development Oakland Unified School District Dr. LaWanda Wesley serves as Oakland Unified School District’s Director of Quality Enhancement and Professional Development of Early Education. She supports a cadre of 200-plus teachers and a dynamic early leadership team. Dr. Wesley co-directed a state leadership fellowship titled the California Consortium for Equity in Early Childhood Education Fellowship and is the Co-Founder and Co-Director for the Center for Equity in Early Childhood Education. Wesley is the co-author of the second book in the trauma series titled Culturally Responsive Self-Care for Early Childhood Educators and also trains on trauma responsive practices. She is a highly experienced professional with over 20 years of successful administration of state funded projects/programs for the California Department of Education, the California Department of Social Services, Child Action, Inc., the California Association for the Education of Young Children, and Child Development, Inc. She is dedicated to changing the lives of all children, especially those from communities of color, poverty, and furthest reach from opportunity.
Kristi Mraz
Instructional Coach Coauthor of Purposeful Play Kristine Mraz is a teacher, writer, pun nerd and consultant. Kristi currently works as an instructional coach in grades PK-2. She was previously an elementary school teacher, as well as a staff developer with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (and a co-author on the First Grade Writing Units of Study) In addition to writing and teaching, she consults in schools across the country and as far away as Taiwan. She primarily supports teachers in early literacy, play, and inquiry based learning. On the off chance she has free time, you’ll find Kristi reading on a couch in Brooklyn with her dog, her husband, and baby Harry. You can follow all of her adventures on twitter @MrazKristine
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Meet the Panel
Sandra Ehrat
KIDS Regional Coach ISBE |
Emily Reilly
EC Resource Specialist STARnet |
Laurel Mateyka
Elementary Principal Plano CUSD #88 |
Michelle Lewis
Kindergarten Teacher West Chicago ESD #33 |
Laurel Copeland
EC Teacher Sycamore CUSD #427 |
