For more information, contact:
Kristina Gawrgy
202-350-8857
For Immediate Release:
June 15, 2009
More than 2,000 early childhood educators attend NAEYC’s 18th National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development
Conference brings together educators and researchers to discuss early childhood education under this year’s theme of “Play: Where Learning Begins.”
(Charlotte, NC) – More than 2,000 early childhood education leaders, researchers, and students are meeting in Charlotte, NC, this week to discuss strategies for the preparation and continuing education of teachers and administrators of programs for young children. The 18th National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development, held at the Charlotte Convention Center, is organized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the world's largest organization of early childhood educators.
“The Institute is a unique opportunity for researchers and educators to share best practices for preparing and mentoring adults who care for and teach our nation’s youngest children,” said Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D., Executive Director of NAEYC. “This year’s Institute focuses on the importance of play in learning and how to best use play as part of developmentally appropriate practice.”
Institute participants include college faculty, trainers, consultants, and others who educate teachers and administrators of child care centers, Head Start programs, preschools, and elementary schools. The overall theme of the Institute – “Play: Where Learning Begins” - will be a thread throughout the four-day event, in which participants will choose from more than 250 sessions, such as
- Putting play back into practice
- Connecting home cultural knowledge in young children’s play
- Guiding teachers in curriculum development that is intentional, reflective, and play based: Developing schedules, projects, and activities that meet the needs of all children
- Playing with math—Research on the relationships between play and the learning and teaching of mathematics
The opening plenary session will feature John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and research consultant and author of Brain Rules, whose presentation explores the importance of children learning through play – consistent with the way our brains are wired.
Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has nearly 90,000 members worldwide. The association is the largest and most influential voice for early childhood education professionals and the field of early childhood education in the United States.
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Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest and most influential advocate for high-quality early care and education in the United States.
