ASU hosts 37th annual Early Childhood Education Conference

July 19, 2007 -- Arkansas State University Childhood Services is hosting its 37th annual Early Childhood Education Conference Monday through Wednesday, Aug. 6-8, in the Convocation Center and Fowler Center at ASU.

The conference will focus on implementing engaging learning opportunities within a high-quality curriculum framework; establishing and maintaining warm, supportive relationships among children, staff, and families; and developing visionary leadership, according to Jo Ann Nalley, director of ASU Childhood Services.

Dr. Patrick Cooper, Cate Heroman and Sharon MacDonald will be the featured conference speakers.

Cooper is a nationally recognized consultant and lecturer on systemic education reform and comprehensive school health and inclusion issues. He is in his 34th year of public education service, which has included service as a classroom teacher of emotionally disturbed students, a principal, a university faculty member, and an assistant state superintendent in the Louisiana Department of Education.

Heroman, director of preschool and kindergarten initiatives at Teaching Strategies Inc., has worked in the field of education for more than 30 years. She is co-author of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Assessment Toolkit for Ages 3-5; Connecting, Content, Teaching and Leaning; and Study Starters. Heroman currently serves as a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children Consulting Editor Panel.

MacDonald trains teachers throughout the United States on a variety of childhood topics which stem from her unique perspective as an early childhood teacher for 28 years. She has written several award winning books including Squish, Sort, Paint, and Build, Everyday Discoveries and Idea Bags.

This conference is recommended for anyone who wants to improve the quality of the services they offer children and families, such as, infant, toddler, preschool or school-age child care staff or administrators; Head Start staff; public school early childhood program staff; family child care providers; and special needs early childhood program staff.

The conference is sponsored by The Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. The registration fee for all three days of the conference is $125. Meals and lodging are available for additional charges.

For questions or to receive a registration form, contact Childhood Services at 870-972-3055 or 888-429-1585 or visit the web site, http://chs.astate.edu.

 # # #

Information compiled by Kendall Moss, Student Assistant, University Communications Office