University joins with Siskin Institute on child engagement
Carolina Evans
Issue date: 1/28/10 Section: News
UTC, in partnership with Siskin Children's Institute and other organizations, will host the 2010 Child Engagement Conference at the UC March 5 through 6.
"This conference is designed for people who work with very young children…to increase their skills in working with young children around a concept which is child engagement," Mary Tanner, dean of the college of health, education and professional studies, said. "This is about teaching teachers how to recognize whether or not they really are engaging children in the learning process."
Speakers, including those from UTC and Siskin Children's Institute, will be speaking on a wide variety of topics surrounding child engagement.
"Cindy Hornsby and I will be presenting a session titled 'Beyond Birthday Parties and Bake Sales: Family Engagement in Early Childhood Programs," Anne Gamble, director for Project Ready for School, said. "We will be sharing strategies to help programs get families involved in their children's early childhood education in meaningful ways - beyond the traditional helping with parties and fundraising."
Gamble said, "We hope that early childhood educators attending will recognize families as true partners in children's education and that doors will open for parents and teachers to support each other as they work together during these very critical years."
Robin McWilliam, director for Siskin Center for Child and Family Research at Siskin Children's Institute, said he expects to discuss the broad topic of children's participation in home, school and community routines.
"I will make the case that early childhood educators and families need to start attending to engagement because a child cannot learn if a child is not engaged," he said.
Tanner said she will be speaking about the concept of child engagement on a community level.
"Engagement is a concept that works not only for the learning of the individual, but also for the learning of the community," she said. "When a community figures out ways to connect institutions and projects and programs, everyone gets better as a result."
"This conference is designed for people who work with very young children…to increase their skills in working with young children around a concept which is child engagement," Mary Tanner, dean of the college of health, education and professional studies, said. "This is about teaching teachers how to recognize whether or not they really are engaging children in the learning process."
Speakers, including those from UTC and Siskin Children's Institute, will be speaking on a wide variety of topics surrounding child engagement.
"Cindy Hornsby and I will be presenting a session titled 'Beyond Birthday Parties and Bake Sales: Family Engagement in Early Childhood Programs," Anne Gamble, director for Project Ready for School, said. "We will be sharing strategies to help programs get families involved in their children's early childhood education in meaningful ways - beyond the traditional helping with parties and fundraising."
Gamble said, "We hope that early childhood educators attending will recognize families as true partners in children's education and that doors will open for parents and teachers to support each other as they work together during these very critical years."
Robin McWilliam, director for Siskin Center for Child and Family Research at Siskin Children's Institute, said he expects to discuss the broad topic of children's participation in home, school and community routines.
"I will make the case that early childhood educators and families need to start attending to engagement because a child cannot learn if a child is not engaged," he said.
Tanner said she will be speaking about the concept of child engagement on a community level.
"Engagement is a concept that works not only for the learning of the individual, but also for the learning of the community," she said. "When a community figures out ways to connect institutions and projects and programs, everyone gets better as a result."
