1 3 TH ANN U AL SYMPOSI U M
Turning Obstacles
into Opportunities:
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Percy Julian Middle School
416 S. Ridgeland Avenue • Oak Park, IL 60302
PARKING IS LIMITED:
please allow extra time for on-street parking
Navigating the Tough Stuff
Gateways Registry Approved Event.
For Online Registration and Payment:
www.collab4kids.org, click on “Symposium”
$40 General Registration fee
Registrations postmarked, or paid online,
by February 12, 2016
$25 student Registration fee
Full-Time Student Registration Fee postmarked,
or paid online, by February 12, 2016
(valid/current ID must be presented at check-in)
$50 late Registration fee
Registration Fee for ALL individuals registering
after February 12, 2016, on-site or online
joan white scholarship available:
Please go to www.collab4kids.com (“Symposium” page)
to print out an application form.
Hope to see you in February!
Please note that space is limited and
pre-registration is encouraged.
REGISTER ONLINE!
District 200
Oak Park Village Hall
123 Madison Street, Room 209
Oak Park, Illinois 60302
Sponsors
Turning Obstacles into Opportunities:
Navigating the Tough Stuff
13th Annual Symposium
Saturday, February 27, 2016
collab4kids.org
13th ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM
District 97 PTOs
The Collaboration for Early Childhood is delighted
to present its 13th annual Symposium. This gathering
provides an opportunity for parents, educators,
caregivers and anyone who works with young children
to gain knowledge, perspective, practical skills and
tools for supporting all young children.
Turning Obstacles into Opportunities: Navigating the
Tough Stuff is this year’s theme. The only constants in
life are problems; obstacles that are dreaded. These
obstacles hamper our ability to move from point A to
B smoothly. If we look at obstacles as opportunities
we can look at these challenges in a different way.
Our day covers tough topics such as children’s
development, staff issues, special needs, stress,
communication, curriculum issues and more. Come
to change your mindset - instead of more problems,
more opportunities. We expect you will walk away
with many hands-on activities and ideas for you to use
immediately with those you play with most often.
Please join us at Percy Julian Middle School on
Saturday, February 27, 2016. Participants will have
the opportunity to network, collect resources, explore
books, visit the multicultural center, and use and
update Gateways Registry membership, in addition to
the wonderful workshops and keynote address.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Fees and Online Registration
Information Inside!
Event Schedule
7:00 - 7:30 Early Check-in
7:30 - 8:30 Early Bird Workshop
8:00 - 9:00Registration & Continental Breakfast
Morning Breakout Sessions
9:00 - 10:30
10:40 - 12:15Welcome: Ann Courter, Board Chair,
Collaboration for Early Childhood
Introduction of Keynote Speaker: Lisa Ginet, Co-Chair of the
Collaboration for Early Childhood Professional Development
Committee
Keynote: Play’s the Thing: Using Humor and Fun to Uplift Your
Workplace, Holly Elissa Bruno, educator, best-selling author,
international keynote speaker, ground-breaking radio host
and seasoned team builder.
Announcements: Carolyn Newberry Schwartz, Executive
Director, Collaboration for Early Childhood
12:15 - 1:25Lunch/Networking/Resources/Gateways
Registry/“Play Stations”
1:30 - 3:00
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Early Bird • The Basics of Special Education in ECE: Abilities
rather than Disabilities G
This presentation provides a general overview of the legal
requirements as determined by IDEA, the referral process
and a general understanding of specific disabilities. This
presentation is to foster a better understanding of children
with special needs and how we can support them in the
Traditional ECE environment.
Judi Gibbian-Mennenga
AM • Social Emotional Leaners P
This collaborative session reviews the types of social emotional
learners, avoiding vs seeking attention behaviors, effect of
attachment on learning, and activities to help improve social
emotional development in young children.
Jen Holland- Marks and Marge Holland
AM • The Traffic Control Tower in My Brain: Charting a Flight
Path to Behavior and Learning Success Q
The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) prevents collisions, organizes
traffic, and monitors flight patterns. Introduce children to the
ATC skills in the brain that make behavior, relationships and
learning SOAR.
Marie Masterson
PM • How Do we Promote Growth Mindset in Ourselves and Our
Children? AD
An interactive workshop for parents/teachers to learn what to
model and playfully train themselves and their children what to
do to offset a “fixed mindset” nature.
Sheryl Stoller
PM • Learning from the Bumps in the Road: Turning Potholes
into Grand Possibilities AE
Let’s practice strategies to help us regain our footing, reclaim
our confidence, rekindle our joy and humor, and turn potholes
into grand opportunities.
Holly Elissa Bruno
NEW!
Pre-Workshop selection when registering
online. (The numbers are limited for each
workshop so the general rule is first come,
first served)!
Choice #2
Choice #1:
PM
Choice #2:
(choose only 1)
Check primary role/reason for attending
Assistant Teacher
Teacher
Administrator
Early Interventionist
Education Student
Other:
PM•Brain Development: Building, Supporting and Advocating AC
We will explore practices that help and hinder brain
development from pregnancy through infancy, early childhood
and beyond. Suggestions and resources will be shared to
support optimal brain development.
Susan Gittings
Half-Day Early Childhood Program (am, pm or both)
Full-Day Early Childhood Program
Kindergarten
Family Child Care Home
Early Intervention
Other:
Early Bird • Difficult Conversations: A Practical Problem
Solving Session F
A Practical Problem Solving Session will allow participants
dedicated time to analyze conversations and interactions
with difficult family members and caregivers. Using a real
case scenario, participants will begin by engaging in a selfanalysis to uncover any biases that may influence parent to
provider interactions.
Lauren Olson
AM • Making “Tough Stuff” Typical: Using Children’s Literature to
Navigate the Realities of Modern Life O
Participants will explore a range of high-quality children’s
literature that can help initiate everyday conversations
about the realities of children’s lives, including family diversity,
economic challenges, and separation or loss.
Jane Fleming and Lisa Ginet
AM | PM • Using Nature to Guide Science Inquiry in Early
Childhood Classrooms Z AB
Through this interactive session, participants will use natural
objects to explore child-directed and inquiry-based activities in
the early childhood classroom.
Rebecca Pruin
(choose only 1)
Which best describes your place of employment
Early Bird • Supporting Brain Development E
What is happening in the brain? Discover how the brain and
mind develop in the first five years of life. Learn how you can
make a difference by supporting young children’s brain
development through everyday activities.
Mary Quest
AM • Moving From What’s Wrong With That Kid to What’s
Happening With This Child: Becoming a Trauma Informed
Organization N
Becoming trauma-informed (TI) is not guesswork. It requires
organizational self-assessment and incorporation of strategies
to implement TI protocols. Participants will receive the needed
tools to become TI.
Cherie Estrada
AM Choice #1:
Early Bird • The T & E of STEM: Technology & Engineering D
Positive, appropriate learning experiences in STEM areas can
promote key outcomes. Presentation will discuss and provide
examples of how to implement an inquiry-based approach
to STEM that is intellectually rigorous and developmentally
appropriate.
Diana Rosenbrock
AM | PM • Creating People-Safe Places (PSP):
A Public Health Approach X Y
This session will explore how to create trauma- , developmentally-,
and culturally-informed spaces to promote effective limit setting,
healthy relationships, family self-care, and community well-being.
Elise Groenewegan
Choice #2:
AM • Math with a Smile: Literature and Activities to Bring Math
to Life M
This workshop will introduce the 5 content strands of math
and demonstrate how teachers can use books, games
and manipulatives to support and extend young children’s
mathematical understanding in ECE classrooms.
Amy Cardin and Susan Gittings
Early Bird Choice #1:
Early Bird • Validating Play C
The benefits of play in an Early Childhood Education
classroom; learn how to implement play activities and
evaluate lesson plans so you can increase the use of play in
your classroom.
Amy Cardin
AM | PM • Set Up Your Teaching Team to Be a Learning Team:
Drive Continuous Quality Improvement Through a Culture of
Collaboration V W
This workshop offers practical experience with tools and
resources to support the foundations of continuous quality
improvement defined by ExceleRate Illinios.
Kristin Barendregt-Ludwig
Workshop Selections (please write the letter of your first and second choice for each time slot you plan to attend)
AM • Rock and a Hard Place: Resolving Ethical Quandaries in
Early Childhood L
If you are ready to challenge yourself by tackling everyday
ethical challenges, you will emerge from this session with deepened confidence and honed skills about doing what’s right.
Holly Elissa Bruno
Name of Center/School/Location:
Early Bird • Bibliotherapy vs The Tough Stuff: Using books for
Solace, Success and Solidarity B
Discussion on when and how a book can help with “the
tough stuff,” and the amazing power of a reading routine on
a child’s development of social communication skills.
Genevieve Grove
AM (Spanish)|PM (English) • STEM Bringing Nature Inside T U
One of the best practices in teaching and learning is to make
learning relevant, and there is nothing more relevant than
being outside and exploring the world we live in. Let’s not wait
another day to take children outside to start engaging them in
STEM education.
Milagros Andrews
Attendee Street AddressAttendee Home Telephone
Early Bird | AM • Hurdling Over Obstacles with
Engaging STEM J K
Educators will learn how to integrate learning, problem solving,
and discovery to engage learners. Participants will have fun
joining in discussions, trying new activities, and walking away
with fun activities to implement right away!
Jill Pacyna
Attendee E-mail
Early Bird • Playful Learning: Focus on STREAM A
STEM adds reading and art in this interactive and engaging
workshop. Participants will discover how an integrated
approach to learning can enhance their preschool and
childcare environments.
Alix Tonsgard and Christine Wells Barry
AM | PM • Stress is Not Your Enemy: Create a
Stress-is-Enhancing Mindset R S
Stress can be labeled as either “distress” (a negative) or
“eustress” (a positive). With a few tools for handling distress,
parents and teachers can make their tomorrows
eustress-filled days.
Janis Johnston
Attendee Name
go to: www.collab4kids.org,
click on “Symposium”
Early Bird | AM Grow your Brain with Brain Gym H I
Experiential introduction to Brain Gym, which develops the
brain’s neural pathways through gentle movements. It
improves skills of cognition, coordination, organization, vision,
listening, focusing, self-soothing and more.
Barbara Bednarz
For Mail-In Payment:
Mail registration form and payment to: Collaboration for Early Childhood, Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St., Room 209, Oak Park, IL 60302.
No faxed registrations accepted. No refunds provided for any circumstance. For further information, please call 708-613-6122.
REGISTER ONLINE!
Note:
Space in
Early Bird
workshops
is limited.