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Register Now!
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Registration is now open for the 2026 Early Learning Institute! Spaces are limited, so be sure you register soon!
Conference Themes for 2026
Conference Themes for 2026
Beauty in the Mess invites early childhood practitioners to explore the messy, joyful work of teaching and learning. Through hands-on sessions, candid reflections, and honest conversations, we’ll uncover how curiosity, collaboration, and creativity shape everyday practice, honoring both the challenges and the magic of our work. Join us to connect, learn, and be inspired by colleagues from across the field.
While our conference program is still in development, we want to offer a glimpse into what ELC educators are working on that will likely appear at the ELI this summer!
100 Languages of Children
As we approach the Early Learning Center’s 100th year in practice, we are launching a center-wide exploration of Loris Malaguzzi’s poem, The Hundred Languages of Children. While the poem has long inspired us, this renewed focus is intended to spark fresh thinking and deepen our understanding of the many ways children engage with the world.
Return to Analog
In a digital world, we’re examining the impact of analog practices on young children. Our aim is to discover how these choices affect the engagement of children and teachers in the classroom and are looking forward to sharing our discoveries with you all!
Children's Rights
Several of our teachers are exploring how their commitment to honoring children's rights manifests in the classroom. From supporting children’s right to work through a full emotional cycle to ensuring their right to have a voice in their school experience, teachers are documenting, reflecting, and collaborating on how children's rights shape our practice.
Community Building at Sign-In
By following children's interests in puzzles and tricky challenges, the kindergarten morning sign-in routine has become an opportunity for community building among the children, families, and classroom teachers. By embracing a creative, child-led approach to the morning sign-in routine, mornings begin with play, joy, and collaboration for the entire kindergarten community.
We will have more information about precise sessions later this spring!
Save the Date!
Save the Date!
We're in the early stages of planning for the 2026 Early Learning Institute! We hope you'll enjoy our festive video and then save the date for next summer's conference!
June 4th & 5th, 2026!
About the Early Learning Institute
About the Early Learning Institute
The Early Learning Institute is hosted annually by the University of Tennessee Early Learning Center for Research and Practice. Each year, ELC program staff share the work they engage in with teachers, children, and families through a variety of formats designed to create an intimate, meaningful professional-development experience. Hands-on workshops, self-guided activities, classroom observations, and presentations provide rich opportunities for dialogue, reflection, and deeper understanding of teaching and learning in the early years. We look forward to welcoming educators who are eager to learn, connect, and grow alongside us!
Important dates
Important dates
Check out the graphic to the right for important ELI 2026 dates and add them to your calendar! We will be working on more specific content, but the structure participants have enjoyed for the past two summers will remain the same!
UPDATE: Registration will now open February 16th!
If you would like to get a glimpse of what a final ELI program looks like, visit last year's program page for a peek at what you can expect!
Program Fees
Program Fees
$125 per person
Program fees include conference programing and light refreshments featuring regional produce and flavors. Training certificates will be provided to attendees after the conference.
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