CYC Teachers Attend Conferences for Continued Education

 October 21, 2019 – Three different continuing education conferences were attended by CYC teachers over the last week. A majority of Center for Young Children teachers were able to attended the Maryland State Family Child Care Association’s (MSFCCA) 27^th Annual Conference. The overall theme of the conference was “Beyond Technology: Early Childhood Education in the Digital Age.” The conference was held over a two-day period at the Carousel Hotel in Ocean City Maryland.

Workshops included general sessions and breakout sessions that gave attendees a choice to fit their interest. Some of the workshops included; Growing Readers in a World of Screens Using Music, Technology Can Spark Creativity, and How to Communicate with Challenging Children. Presenters came from a variety of backgrounds including different government agencies and colleges.  A couple of CYC teachers expressed that the quality of presenters was as high as any conference they had been to.

In addition to the workshops, teachers were able to enjoy the warm sun on the beach and collect a few seashells for their classroom. Asked if they would attend again next year, most said yes.

Earlier in the week, Curriculum/Enrollment Coordinator Leslie Openheimer, attended a conference titled, "Language, Behavior, and the Brain: Designing Effective Early Learning Environments and Experiences" at Harvard Graduate School. One of the presenters, Meredith Rowe, was a former UMD faculty member and her children attended the CYC. Some of the objectives for this conference were to explore the latest science, learn how early experiences shape the brain architecture, and discover effective ways to incorporate that information into educational practices.

The CYC music educator Eric Maring, was able to attend and conduct workshops with fellow musicians at Pourparler in Saint Paul Minneapolis over the weekend too. Pourparler is a yearly gathering of dance and music educators who are dedicated to teaching folk/ethnic/world/traditional dance in schools and/or community events. Teachers at the CYC take at least 24 continuing hours of education each year.