Early Childhood Conference

Speaker: Susan Newman

Only available for Workshop #1.

This workshop will give audience members practical strategies to engage families in literacy-related activities in everyday settings. The session will be highly interactive with opportunities to engage in discussion that address critical questions about children’s development. Such questions will include: Is screen time a bad thing, or can we use it to our advantage? Does media have a place in early childhood classrooms? How do we involve families in promoting early literacy development?

Speaker: Michelle Bennett

How do we encourage creative thinking with young children? Come explore a variety of simple hands-on visual art experiences that encourage divergent thinking. Experiment with different art techniques that are budget friendly and learn art vocabulary to encourage language development. You will be encouraged to think like an artist as you play with ideas and learn about the concepts of shape, color, line, texture, space, form, and value. We will examine how open-ended questions and feedback spur on the creative process and why nurturing creativity is critical in the early childhood classroom. This participatory workshop will equip participants with a variety of process art activities they can utilize in the classroom to encourage creative thinkers and problem solvers.

Speaker: Stephanie Bennett

This session guides early childhood educators in developing reflective and intentional teaching practices that support young children’s emotional regulation and overall development. Participants will explore when and how to use calming strategies effectively within the preschool classroom, focusing on approaches that are both evidence-based and research-informed.

Speaker: Danielle Thomas

This STEM training introduces Early Childhood science standards through hands-on, developmentally appropriate lessons designed for preschool-aged children. Participants will explore activities from Hands-On STEAM Explorations for Young Learners and engage in demonstrations that model inquiry-based, playful learning experiences aligned with early childhood best practices. The goal of the training is to equip early childhood educators with practical, age-appropriate STEM strategies that promote curiosity, exploration, and foundational scientific thinking in young learners. This is an in-person, interactive training session with teacher participation in demonstrations, small-group exploration, and hands-on practice using simple, everyday materials. Activities for Interaction and Application include hands-on STEM and STEAM activity modeling; small-group exploration of materials; opportunities to practice asking open-ended questions; demonstrations of engineering/design challenges appropriate for preschool; connections to science and STEM early learning standards; and reflection and discussion on integrating STEM into daily routines and play.

Speaker: Colleen Manion Kunk

In early childhood classrooms, communication is the foundation for behavior, learning, and belonging. This training explores how American Sign Language (ASL) can be used as a practical, inclusive tool in an early setting (infants, toddlers, preschool, and kindergarten) to support expressive and receptive language, reduce frustration-based behaviors, and create accessible learning environments for all children. Participants will learn why ASL benefits every learner and how simple, intentional signs can transform classroom routines, transitions, and emotional regulation. This presentation blends real-world classroom, examples, research, and immediate strategies for early educators, college students, administrators, and Head Start staff.

Speaker: Jennifer Arnold

Attendees will be given examples of how to create thematic lessons that also meet KY Early Childhood Standards. Lessons in our classrooms shouldn’t be done because they are cute, they should be done to meet standards and teach skills. This session will bring together the thematic lessons with the standards.

Speaker: Trudy Little

Social interaction is a critical component of social emotional development for young children. Playtime is the perfect opportunity to practice these interactions. This session focuses on using intentional engagement strategies to promote adult-child interactions and how to monitor child progress on their social interaction skills.

Speaker: Jessica Cooper

Take a dive into the nervous system and discover what mirror neurons, Macaque monkeys, and self-care have to do with co-regulation. In this interactive training, you will learn practical ways to determine children’s brain states and explore simple strategies you can use to respond to challenging behaviors in a consistent, helpful, and regulated manner.

Speaker: Yvette Martin

Learning through music and research, we will discover critical learning stages for utilizing music as a therapeutic outlet. This session will provide practical tips, techniques and lessons for early childhood development teachers to see in their classroom to help children use music as a tool to cope with and overcome stress while learning music concepts of beat, rhythm, melody, and form.

Speaker: Wanda Jean Jones

This interactive 75-minute session explores the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool as a structured method for examining the implementation of Pyramid Model practices in preschool classrooms. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the purpose, components, and scoring process of TPOT, including classroom observation and teacher interview elements. Through guided and interactive discussion, practical examples, and scoring scenarios, participants will learn how to distinguish objective observation from interpretation and how to analyze TPOT data to identify strengths and opportunities for growth. Emphasis will be placed on using observation results to inform reflective practice, strengthen social emotional teaching strategies, and support continuous quality improvement, according to the Pyramid Model Framework. Participants will leave with greater confidence in understanding how structured assessment tools can be used to improve classroom interactions, promote positive behavior support, and enhance overall program effectiveness.

Speaker: Christa Bell

Only available for Workshop #3.

The suspension or expulsion of a child from an early care and education setting can have long-lasting negative impacts for both the child and the family. Research shows key factors increase the likelihood of a child being suspended or expelled. When early care and education professionals understand these factors, as well as the resources available to address challenging behaviors, the likelihood of suspension/expulsion can be drastically reduced.