EARLY LEARNING CONFERENCE STARTS IN 2 DAYS!

2021 VIRTUAL

EARLY LEARNING CONFERENCE

Only 2 more days to register!

$115 per person

***All sessions will be recorded and participants can watch live or on-demand!***

Day #1 - June 17, 2021

8:30 - 12:30

Making Learning Visible Through Play

Dr. Cris Lozon and Dr. Jennifer Hardison

St. Margaret's Episcopal School, San Juan Capistrano, CA

St. Margaret’s Early Childhood School Director Cris Lozon and Outdoor Classroom teacher Jennifer Hardison will focus their presentation on the research around how young children learn best. Participants will learn the research and theory around the importance of play for early learners, as well as developmental continuums in learning and how to assess play in the classroom.

Cris Lozon, EdD, has taught early childhood and elementary-aged students in the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and Italy for over 20 years before returning to the United States. Dr. Lozon advocates for keeping play in the early childhood classroom through teacher training, parent education, and sharing her expertise as a speaker at schools and national conferences. Her research interests include constructivism, documentation of children’s construction of knowledge through play, and the work of Reggio Emilia schools.

Dr. Jennifer Hardison has taught early childhood students in Southern California for over 30 years. Dr. Hardison is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach to education, teaches using the constructivist approach, and believes in the competence and capabilities of young children. Her research encompasses the role of documentation in young children’s learning. Dr. Hardison has presented nationally at The Association for Constructivist Teaching (ACT), ECSTEM, and the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES).

Day #2 - June 18, 2021

8:30 - 12:30

All Are Welcome: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and

Justice in Early Childhood Education

Dr. Kenyetta Wynn, St. Francis Episcopal School, Houston

How can early childhood educators cultivate anti-bias communities where our youngest learners feel included? In this session, we will explore how personal experiences, literature, and rich conversations help educators provide nurturing and supportive environments where all children feel welcomed and valued.

Dr. Kenyetta Wynn serves as the Head of Primary School at St. Francis Episcopal School in Houston. She possesses more than two decades of experience in education, having served as an administrator and a lower school classroom teacher in both independent and public schools in Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Prior to joining St. Francis in 2020, Dr. Wynn spent seven years teaching first grade at Ensworth School in Nashville. During that time, she was also director of Time to Rise, a Nashville-based nonprofit that offers academic and enrichment programming for students with limited opportunities in grades four through six. She has served as director of admission at Franklin Road Academy, adjunct professor at Belmont University, and steering committee member of Tearing Down Walls. Dr. Wynn earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Vanderbilt University. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of Memphis.

Creative Classroom Centers: Setting up for Success

Lacy Holder and Brooke Newman, St. Alban's Episcopal Day School, Harlingen

While "skill and drill" centers do hold a place of importance in the classroom, children's learning and inquiry can be encouraged through a play-based approach. Running a dentist's office, building a castle, setting up a pet shelter, or making a snack are just some of the examples you will learn to incorporate creative learning centers into your classroom!

Lacy Holder served 31 years in public school education at a variety of levels prior to becoming the 1st-grade teacher at St. Alban’s. She has a Bachelor of Science from Southern Arkansas University and an Elementary Teaching certificate (PK - 6th).

Brooke Newman is in her 14th year at St. Alban's Episcopal Day School. Prior to that, she taught 3rd grade for five years in public school. She has a Bachelor of Elementary Education from Abilene Christian University and an Elementary Teaching Certificate (PK-6th).

Listening to Little Theologians:

Bringing Chapel into the Classroom

Charlotte Trafton, Good Shepherd Episcopal School, Austin

As children make meaning of their world, teachers guide them to see God's presence in the world. In this workshop, we'll share our experiences of answering spiritual questions from young children, and ways we can carry chapel teaching into day-to-day interactions.

Rev. Charlotte Trafton has taught at Good Shepherd Episcopal for 20 years and has served as its chaplain for more than 10 years. She earned two master's degrees simultaneously - a master's in divinity and a master's in curriculum and instruction after joining the school. She was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 2019 and currently serves a local church. She has worked as an assistant teacher in 3's classrooms, a lead teacher in the 4's, as assistant head of school, and most recently as the Bridging Kindergarten lead teacher.

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