Reading Poetry and Nonfiction With Young Children

Date: January 12th, 2009

Location: Hockessin Athletic Center Childcare Facility

100 Fitness Way
Hockessin, DE 19707

Speaker: John Micklos Jr.

Information:

OVERVIEW: When we think of reading with young children, most people think first of reading fictional picture books. More and more educators and parents, however, are coming to realize the value of sharing poetry and nonfiction as well. Poetry tingles our ears with rhythm. It tickles our tongue with rhyme. It helps teach young children the beauty and the sheer fun of words. Meanwhile, from dinosaurs to dump trucks, from sports to space travel, nonfiction helps young readers learn interesting ideas and fun facts about the world around them.

My workshop will introduce a wealth of poetry and nonfiction books on a wide variety of themes that early childhood professionals can use with young children. The workshop will include general ideas for working such books into the day’s schedule, as well as specific activities that might be used. There will also be an opportunity for workshop participants to browse through some poetry and nonfiction books and brainstorm ideas for using them in their own unique settings.


PRESENTER:
John Micklos, Jr. has written a wide range of books and articles, with most of the books aimed at children. Many of his books are nonfiction, including biographies of Alexander Graham Bell (Time for Kids/HarperCollins, 2006), Amelia Earhart (Enslow, 2007), Jerry Spinelli (Enslow, 2007), and Leonard Nimoy (Dillon Press, 1988). His six-book series on the Revolutionary War for Enslow will appear beginning in 2008.
In addition, John is coauthor of a series of reading workbooks published by Continental Press. His byline has appeared in national publications such as Highlights for Children, National Geographic Express, and Modern Bride.
John is also the poet/anthologist of Daddy Poems, Mommy Poems, Grandparent Poems, and No Boys Allowed: Poems About Brothers and Sisters, all published by Boyds Mills Press. Another poetry book, Family Ties: Poems About Families, is in press.
For more than 20 years, John has served as editor in chief of Reading Today, the award-winning membership newspaper of the International Reading Association. His professional affiliations include the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the National Writers Association, the Education Writers Association, and the Association of Educational Publishers. He is a past president of the latter group.
John has done featured presentations for the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, as well as for state groups such as the New York State Reading Association, the Keystone State Reading Association, and the New Jersey Reading Association. He has done author visits to schools in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Indiana.
Much of John’s writing revolves around family-oriented issues, and he sandwiches his writing and speaking around his family’s activities. He lives in Newark, Delaware, with his wife, Debbie, and his two children, Amy and John.

Art in the Early Childhood Classroom

Date: February 9th, 2009

Location: Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts

200 S. Madison Street
Wilmington, DE 19801

Speaker: Tori Eastburn-is Associate Curator of Education at the DCCA and manages the docent program, the school-based, art-integration program, Contemporary Connections, and school and teacher outreach initiatives. Before joining the DCCA in December 2007, Eastbu

Information:

OVERVIEW:
Children today grow up in a fast-paced, image-based world, and are inundated with images from mass media, television, and the Internet. Our culture revolves around these images, and the ability to appreciate and read visual messages, known as visual literacy, is integral to success in the contemporary world. In this talk DCCA Associate Curator of Education Victoria Eastburn will explore visual literacy and its relationship to early childhood education. What is early visual literacy? What are the similarities between reading literacy and visual literacy? Learn how early visual literacy can be fostered, both in the early childhood classroom and in the art museum setting. Resources, activities, and further reading will be provided. Presentation will include visits to the DCCA art galleries!

Preparing Young Children for Reading Success

Date: March 9th, 2009

Location: Concord Preschool and Childcare

1800 Fairfax Blvd.
Wilmington, DE

Speaker: Verna Thompson

Information:

PRESENTER:
Verna Thompson is an Education Specialist in the Office of Early Care and Education at the Delaware Department of Education. Before working at DOE, she worked for the Delaware Early Childhood Center (DECC) in numerous positions ranging from Child Development Specialist with the Delaware Early CHOICES Program and Educational Coordinator of the Early Childhood Assistance Program. Her career included working as a teacher and director of a child care center, and parent educator. Verna received a M.Ed. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Early Childhood from Widener University in Chester, PA. She has attended ongoing professional development for current issues in early childhood and adult education including early literacy development.


OVERVIEW:
Current research shows that children are entering kindergarten not ready to read. Early learning opportunities need to include enriched Read Aloud experiences. This training will give a brief overview of the current research and provide information on what teachers can do to help prepare young children for reading success. Participants will learn research-based practices to provide extended learning opportunities and improve language and literacy outcomes for young children.

Parent and Teacher Relationships

Date: April 7th, 2009

Location: Centreville School

6201 Kennett Pike
Centreville, DE 19807

Speaker: Beth Inter

Information:

PRESENTER:
Beth Inter has been in the field of education for over twenty years. She has taught in ECE settings as well as in the elementary grades. For the last fifteen years she has been working as an administrator in Head Start programs and is currently an associate director at the University of Delaware Early Learning Center. Beth is a board member of DAEYC and the Delaware Head Start Association and is a representative on the Delaware Early Childhood Council.

OVERVIEW:
This workshop will address the importance of relationship building between teachers and parents in the early care field. We will explore how to build partnerships with parents that work and how to prepare and conduct an effective meeting/conference. Also included in this presentation will be the importance of self reflection regarding your interactions with parents and your beliefs about their family structure. We will conclude with thoughts about how to value families and encourage them to participate in activities to support your programming.