Georgia
Preschool Association Annual Conference
March 2 & 3, 2012 Cobb Galleria Centre
“There’s a Song in My Heart” Workshop Descriptions
***All workshops presented at 10:00
and 1:00 on Friday and
8:00, 10:00, & 1:00 on Saturday unless otherwise noted.
Click
here to learn more about a Great Training Opportunity
Offered by Georgia Preschool Association
to Lottery Funded Pre-K Teachers
• Keynote Session “Better Bodies
And Brains” Dr. Jean Feldman
***Friday 8:00 am
ONLY
You learn on your feet, not on your seat! When
children move, dance, and wiggle, more senses are activated
and the message is more likely to get to the brain. Music
and movement also emit endorphins which make you happy.
In this session you’ll discover activities that
will help children be their best physically, socially,
and cognitively. Highlights include:
Songs to start your day and get your blood going
Routines for balancing, stretching, and relaxing
Activities where children will cross the midline
Dances to reinforce phonics and math skills
Ideas to make you jump, hop, pretend, and smile!
• Additional Workshop - “Oldies But Goodies” Dr.
Jean Feldman
***Friday ONLY
Whatever happened to “The Farmer in the Dell” and “London
Bridge?” In this workshop you’ll revisit many
of the songs and games you played as a child and you’ll
discover how to use them as a springboard for developing
skills. You’ll learn:
Songs to enhance oral language Games to strengthen self-regulation
Dances to develop motor skills And you’ll have FUN!
• “Movin” and Groovin’ to Learning
Everyday” Jack Hartmann
***Saturday ONLY
Combine the coolest kid’s music on the planet with
the language, math, fitness & social skills you want
your children to learn and you’ve got Learning Rocks.
Nationally recognized children’s singer/songwriter
Jack Hartmann, MA will sing “live” and demonstrate
super fun movements & activities to enhance & energize
your children’s learning every day.
Jack’s kid friendly rock, reggae, country, hip-hop, Latin & rap songs
will focus on: language and reading skills, basic math, fitness fun and social
skills. Don’t miss the great music, movement and learning fun!
• “Get on Board the Transition Train” Jack
Hartmann
***Saturday Afternoon
Session ONLY
Learn creative new songs, activities & movements
to strengthen your program at transitions throughout the
day. Jack has written & recorded 30 new songs on supporting
and helping children to focus and learn during transitions.
Some of the transition topics Jack will cover include:
Starting and ending the day in a positive way
Getting in line and learning language skills
Singing a song for learning walking in line behavior
Remembering washing hands rules with rap
Learning positive bathroom, lunch time and playground behavior
Making cleanup time “cool”
Getting the wiggles out as they practice fjyming
Rest time, quiet time and music for optimal concentration
Building self-esteem
Making exercise and fitness fun
Circle time learning songs
• “Sign and Sing” Persis Bristol
Parents and childcare providers as well, are learning
about the benefits of signing with the children in their
care. This workshop is designed to educate providers on
the benefits of using American Sign Language and teach
the basics for use in the child care center environment
with songs and activities. Learning Objectives are To highlight
the benefits of signing with children To give a brief introduction
of American Sign Language
To teach vocabulary for meal time, play time, sleep time, and family time
To teach songs that are motivating and useful for these times
To show available books/signing resources
• “Circle Time, Interactive Games, Non-Completive
Games and More to Engage All Learners”
Danny Darby
The focus of this session is Circle Time. The main goal
is to help teachers choose activities that match learning
styles (M.I.), develop social skills, follow rules and
reinforce skills being taught in a preschool classroom.
Developing attention span, following directions and turn
taking are skills that children need to be successful learners.
Circle time provides an opportunity for children to develop
important skills using non-threatening developmentally
appropriate techniques, Circle Time can and will determine
the tone of the day. Social skills are enhanced when children
learn to share ideals and listen to others. In this session
we will share age appropriate activities that allow for
participation, such as interactive stories, finger plays,
music, and movement and non-competitive games.
• “Laughter for Learning and Fun” Debbie
Ellison
***Saturday
ONLY
Do you need a good laugh? Who doesn't? Laughter Yoga,
a worldwide movement to spread joy and peace in the world
through laughter, is being facilitated in some schools
in India. Teachers say it has re-energized and re-motivated
them in their profession and caused a wonderful change
in the atmosphere of the school. Laughter reduces disciplinary
problems and stress; reduces bullying; brings more oxygen
into the bloodstream and brain (improving cognitive skills
and academic performance); increases energy, positive feelings,
and creativity; improves relationships between students
and students and teachers; improves memory, concentration,
and performance on exams; helps children develop emotional
intelligence and motor skills; enhances self-confidence
and self-esteem; and much more. Debbie Ellison, Certified
Laughter Yoga Leader and Director of Laughter for Wellness,
will present a fun, experiential laughter session. Come
laugh, have fun, and experience the many benefits of laughter
for parents, teachers, and children.
• “Investing in Behavior Strategies with Long
Term Returns” Donna House
An important aspect of educating children today is to
create productive citizens tomorrow. By investing in strategies
which enhance a child’s emotional and social development,
we can help achieve that goal. This workshop introduces
research-based strategies we can use today.
• Zoom! Whoosh! Pop! Learning Labs for Science” Meg
Keener
This workshop is filled with ideas for science “mini-labs.” Explore
different areas of science using literature, movement,
experiments, art and more! Participants will leave with
five complete lessons to use at their schools on: Bubbles,
Magnets, Ramps and Pathways, Color and Air.
• “Language Development & Strategies” Lydia
Kopel
Language development for birth through 7 years will be
discussed in detail. Various strategies for remediation
and expansion of language will be explained and demonstrated.
Participants will understand developmental norms for language.
Participants will be able to use various strategies for
remediation of language.
• “What Do I Do with This Kid? The ABC’s
of Helping Children with Autism Succeed” Jennifer
Ledford
This workshop will focus on (A) what to do if you think
a child in your class has autism and how to talk to families,
(B) How to avoid problem behavior, and (C) Easy changes
to your classroom setup and teaching to help children with
autism succeed.
• “Have you ever had a Hankerin’ for
Ugly Pie?” Sallie Mann
*Preschool teachers will understand the importance and
purpose of using the Georgia Early Learning Standards and
using it to write age appropriate and effective lesson
plans.
*Preschool teachers will be exposed to “new” read aloud books and
will participate in activities to extend the stories to incorporate the learning
standards.
*Preschool teachers will learn new songs which will provide a positive learning
environment as well as provide language enrichment activities that be aligned
with the learning standards.
*Preschool teachers will learn some effective transition activities and songs
to aid in cooperative movement from one activity to another.
• “Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It’s Circle Time…Let’s
Go!” Cathy Mercier
Are you experiencing the circle time blues? Join me in
this workshop and we will share songs, games, finger plays,
stories and skills to introduce to the children in your
class. We will also discuss effective strategies to transition
to circle time and keep the children excited and engaged
in the circle time experience.
• “Creating a Safe Environment That Allows
Change” Pat Minish
***Friday 10:00
ONLY
Does your supervision style encourage change? Learn how
to set the stage for change in your program.
• “The Director’s Role in Growing Teachers” Pat
Minish
***Friday 1:00
ONLY
We know that professional development is important, but
how do we help teachers learn how to think critically and
take personal responsibility for learning?
• “Responsibility & Expectations of Teachers
Pertaining to Safety & Security” Rodney Pires
***Friday ONLY
This workshop will address understanding the duties and
responsibilities under the law for teachers pertaining
to safety and security of children under their care. This
workshop will cover security safe practices and proper
emergency response standards pertaining to child care programs.
• “Reducing the Risk and Liability” Rodney
Pires
***Saturday ONLY
Directors
Directors will understand their responsibilities and duties
under OSHA 29 CFR 1900S & “Reasonable Care” under
the State of Georgia Civil TORT Law.
• “Where the Wild Things Are” Lisa
Polk
This class is designed to identify challenging behaviors
displayed by young children and the factors contributing
to them. Practical strategies and applicatons for handling
these behaviors will be shared.
• “Teaching Beginning Reading Skills” Betsy
Primm
Success in mastering basic reading skills in kindergarten
and first grade gives children a lasting advantage throughout
their school careers. This workshop will focus on what
research has revealed about what works in terms of developing
effective reading skills and will demonstrate specific
strategies that participants can use with the children
whom they teach or tutor.
• “Playing It Safe” Dennis
Puett
Overall Safety of Play structures
Routine Safety Checks
Maintaining Safety Surfacing
• “Read It Once Again” Rae Schaper
Literature and storybooks are used as supports for theme
units in most preschool classrooms. Stories are changed
often and young children are not always given the repetitive
opportunity and time necessary that it takes to become
familiar with key words and cognitive concepts found within
the stories. Repetition helps to support language development
and cognitive learning in the manner that is most productive
to children.
Repetitious storybook curriculums use the story itself as the theme of the
unit. They furnish the teacher with objectives, activities, and assessments
necessary to provide the child with an educational program that meets their
basic needs in each of the five domains commonly addressed in the preschool
classroom. This seminar is designed to help preschool professionals select
material and activities that coordinate with student objectives to provide
a unit that will stimulate growth in language skills, cognitive goals, social
interaction, adaptive behaviors and motor skills.
• “Planning Schedules, Routines, and Transitions” Kim
Sewell
This is an interactive workshop that explores the importance
of structured schedules with clear-cut routines and transitions
focusing on age and stage appropriateness.
• “Confess to Stress” Kyle Taft
This workshop is designed to be a different approach to
understanding and combating teacher stress and burn-out.
• “The Art of Storytelling” Vicki
Warren
This workshop is designed to develop effective storytellers.
Participants attending this workshop will learn ways to
incorporate dance, crafts, songs, games and props into
storytelling. Participants will explore the rich tradition
of storytelling while learning ways to bring “story-time” to
life.
FOR
A PRINTABLE PDF COPY OF ALL THESE WORKSHOPS - CLICK HERE
FOR
A PRINTABLE PDF OF THE CONFERENCE WORKSHEET - CLICK HERE
2012 EXHIBITOR INFORMATION
We would like to thank all of the exhibitors who will have a
booth in the exhibit hall. We appreciate their
support of the
GA Preschool Association. The companies that are represented
include:
All Star Fund Raising Programs
Chattachoochee Nature Center
Discount School Supply
Dr. Jean Feldman
Early Childhood Training on Demand
Felt Lady & Make-A-Plate
Follett Library Resources, Inc
GAYC
GPA
Handwriting Without Tears
Jack Hartman
M.A.T. Industries, Inc.
Microsteps, Inc.
Play to Learn Consulting
Playground Solutions
Read It Once Again
Reptile Wrangler
Sassy Tassy
Scentsy
Sophia Academy
Tellus Science Museum
The EDMAT Company
The School Box
The SoyNut Butter Co.
Thirty One
U.S. Playstructures
Walden University
Watch D.O.G.S.
Zoo-phonics
FOR
A COMPLETE DETAILED PDF LIST OF ALL 2012 EXHIBITORS (includes
website information) PLEASE CLICK HERE
RECAP OF 2011 CONFERENCE
What a magical time we had at this year's annual conference entitled "Magical Moments." There
were so many excited folks and so many complimentary workshop
consultants that the magic continued into both days of the
conference. Thank you to all who helped to make this conference
another memorable one! Looking at the conference evaluation
forms gave us a pretty good picture of how folks viewed each
of our important workshops and it was overwhelmingly positive.
We are excited that the teachers who attended this year's conference
went home with some magical moments of their own to share in
their classrooms.
This year, we changed our Exhibit Hall space a bit to give
more access from both entrances and it turned out to be a great
move. The exhibitors were happy and the crowd was able to move
more freely throughout the Exhibit Hall. We had some new exhibitors
this year and they were well-received. We gave more time for
shoppers to visit the Exhibit Hall and most folks enjoyed being
able to visit two or three exhibitors between classes. Keep
the ideas for exhibitors coming as we continue to expand our
exhibit hall.
The workshops this year offered a wide variety of topics from
which to choose. Our consultants did a great job of helping
us to have magical moments to share. They were amazed at how
well each of you responded to the workshops they presented.
Thanks to all who attended for being such great students in
each of the workshops. You made a great impression on those
who were presenting and that speaks well of our members and
guests. Thank you for helping our speakers to feel the magic,
as well!
Our Georgia Preschool Board members did an outstanding job
of helping this conference to go smoothly. Thank you to all
our Board members, both seasoned and new, for all your hard
work to make this conference such a success. Without you, it
could never happen and I appreciate all of you and how willingly
you work to get everything done.
2011 EXHIBITOR INFORMATION
FOR
A COMPLETE DETAILED PDF LIST OF ALL 2011 EXHIBITORS (includes,
emails, telephone numbers and website information) PLEASE CLICK
HERE
