By Nancy Verdtzabella, Teacher
The largest annual gathering of early childhood educators in California took place in Sacramento this March, bringing together nearly 3,000 attendees for more than 100 workshops. The theme for this year’s meeting—the California Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference and Expo, held March 2-7—was “Early Care & Education at the Crossroads—Awareness, Advocacy & Action!” As always, the event offered presentations on a wide variety of topics, including child development, curriculum, administration, and environments. For me, the high points were workshops that offered perspectives on the work I do at Bing.
On my first of two days at the conference, I attended the featured presentation “Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children.” This was given by Lisa Daly and Miriam Beloglovsky, two lively professors of early childhood education from two community colleges in the Sacramento Valley. They shared with the audience their definition of loose parts: “Natural or synthetic found, bought, or upcycled materials that children move, manipulate and change within play.” The speakers showed photos of loose parts, ranging from nuts and bolts to cardboard boxes and pine cones. They discussed the benefits of loose parts in a play-based program and spoke of several pioneers who continue to lead this movement in California, one being Bev Bos, who happened to be my teacher-mentor over two decades ago!
Another highlight for me was attending the workshop entitled: “Connecting with Families Through Learning Stories.” This was presented by Claire Boss, toddler teacher, and Heather Morado, director of GeoKids, in Menlo Park, California. They shared with the audience the benefits of what’s known in the field of early childhood education as a learning story—a narrative told by the teacher in first person that focuses on the growth of the child observed during a “small moment.” To accomplish this, teachers closely observe a child engaged in an activity and write what they observed. The detailed observation is written in first person form and can be addressed to the child personally (e.g., Simone, today I noticed…). And though the stories can be written to the child, their intended audience is actually the parents: The stories show parents their child’s strengths through the teacher’s lens. The teacher often gives a parent the observation on paper so the parent can read it to the child (if the parent chooses), write down feedback in the space provided, and give it back to the teacher.
The teachers in the presenters’ class used this method of communication throughout the year, they learned that it helped them develop a deeper bond with the child and the family. The personalized learning story reaffirmed the parents’ belief in the rich relationship teachers strive to establish with the child while in their care.
On my second day, I attended a festival of short films on the inclusion of children with special needs in early childhood classrooms. Between the viewings of the films, the host, early childhood consultant Fran Chasen, led discussions about elements that support inclusion. These include playground equipment that supports children’s physical needs, teachers with an educational background in special needs, and community awareness of children with disabilities. The films presented children who, although born with physical or cognitive challenges, experienced educational equity and dignity and the opportunity to enjoy a program that addressed their specific needs.
Overall, the conference was a fine way to explore topics related to the education and care of young children.