2022 Symposium Agenda

Our centers are brimming with opportunities for parental support. Parent (Re)engagement introduces strategies to bring parents back into early childhood centers, post Covid lockdown, with the intention of gaining the most effective and efficient support needed. Administrators and facilitators should view parents as a resource that can help relieve some of the challenging pressures that daily tasks present, especially considering the varying work schedules, gifts, and talents these parents possess. This invitational approach to parent engagement creates a working collaboration between schools and families that best serves students. 

Theme-based play is not just for preschoolers! You can help baby's development by creating a stimulating environment with different types of activities that offer baby the chance to explore through play.  Environments intentionally set up with theme-based play activities allow infants to build on previous knowledge to construct how they will make sense of their world. Infants can benefit from the excitement that their caregiver shows in introducing and implementing fun and interesting themes as young as 3 months old. Come hear how you can take infant play to a whole new level!

A young child’s ability to understand and express emotions can be associated with their early experiences with caregivers. Children may feel frustrated or overwhelmed when they are unable to verbally communicate or interpret their feelings,  often resulting in outward physical or emotional outbursts or aggression. This workshop provides educators with strategies and activities to teach emotion vocabulary, literacy, and regulatory skills with young children.  Participants will leave with tangible resources that can be implemented in their classrooms. 

Suspected child abuse and or neglect is required by law to be reported.  We will discuss signs of abuse and neglect as well as when and how to make a report to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.  As a professional working with children, the law has specific guidelines for you as it pertains to reporting.  We will discuss best practice responses that will protect you and keep children safe.