Event: CCAEYC 23rd Annual Early Childhood Conference
Sponsored by: Chautauqua County Association for the Education of Young Children (CCAEYC)
Co-Sponsored by: Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., SUNY Fredonia, Campus and Community Children’s Center, Chautauqua County Reading Council
Where: SUNY Fredonia
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2012
Time: 8:00 am – 1:30 pm

Vendor Information: You are invited to sign up to host an event table.
Vendor Cost: $10 for a promotion/information table and a donation of a raffle item.
Vendors will be contacted and given additional details for event.

Vendor Name: _________________________________________________________________
Contact Person: ________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
Phone: _________________________ Email Address: _________________________________

Signature: ____________________________________________ Date: ___________________
Return vendor participation form to: Chris Wigren, Chautauqua Child Care Council, Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., 402 Chandler Street, Jamestown, NY 14701 or cwigren@chautopp.org. Questions? Call 661-9430 x 290.

Vendor participation forms received by September 13, 2012 will have vendor names added to the conference program.

CCAEYCproposalform(3)

Growing Learners

Often as educators and caregivers, we have opportunities to teach children about things in the real world and how they affect us. This week, I have had the opportunity to teach my pre-Kindergarteners about plants and gardening. As we went over the needs of plants, they were quick to tell me that all plants need sun and water in order to grow. How true that is! Just as plants need water and sun and nutrients in order to grow properly, so do the children that we care for and teach. The children in our classroom are our plants, our investment for our future. In order to grow our plants, we as educators need to have the latest information and best tools.

Recently, I had the privilege to attend the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference in Buffalo, NY. It was during this conference that I was able be watered with new information and ideas so that the children that I work with are able to gain the nutrients necessary in order for there to be a fuller growth.

During the first session, I was inspired by Dr. Carmelita Lomeo-Smrtic and her love for reading. She shared many ways in which a read-aloud could be used to help children read chorally, read with expression, or learn sight words. She also stressed the importance of a print rich environment as well as having an appropriate number of books for students not just in the book area, but in every area where students work and play.

Sharon Boggs, founder of Rhythm and Moves in California, led the next terrific workshop that encouraged those that work with children to incorporate movement throughout their curriculum. Her philosophy that movement not only promotes health, but it activates the mind and the learning that takes place within it was clearly shared. She also proved her philosophy through a video where kids were given a boundary with cones, but used plastic spots, hula hoops, and bean bags to complete a number of activities. These activities not only kept the children physically active, but required them to use their imaginations and their academic and social skills. Boggs not only shared her philosophy and research through her words and through video, but those that came to the workshop were able to participate in the same activities that she had spoken about and had shown that day.

Ken and Mary-Ann Ferree used their used love of music as a way to teach those that work with children character development within their classrooms. In the first part of the workshop, we gathered in a drumming circle. It was in this circle that we were given an opportunity to use a variety of percussion instruments to play as a group. While playing these instruments, we had to follow directions, wait and take turns, but also learn to respect each other and our abilities. This part of the session could be easily replicated in an early childhood classroom. During the next part of the workshop, the Ferrees showed how teaching children how to read a musical staff with symbols or notes on it could be the first step in teaching children how to read. Several caregivers and teachers found this idea useful and beneficial.

For the final session, reading teacher, Amanda Darling and director of Kidsabilities of Buffalo, Mindy Ziots-Gerikh, showed how the data we retrieve from our students can help us in planning instruction for those that struggle learning in the classroom to reaching and challenging those children that are advanced. Those that attended this workshop were given “a classroom of children” at varied levels of learning and understanding. Based on the data from “the classroom”, participants were given a choice of materials and time along with guidance from Darling and Ziots-Gerikh to design lessons that would best reach their students as a whole group and then each student individually. Afterward, all workshop participants were able to collaborate and share their ideas from the work session.

As the day drew to close, I left knowing that everything that I was able to gain from this conference was not only beneficial to me as an educator, but it also gave me new information and tools to help cultivate and nurture my own garden of learners.

Submitted by Jessica Emmott, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher for the Cassadaga Valley Central School District.

This is my first year teaching Pre-Kindergarten as well as my first year to attend the NYSAEYC Annual Conference.

(Meetings for the year of 2012 will typically be the first Tuesday Bi-monthly from 6:30 pm – 8:00pm.  Committee meetings will be scheduled by the committee on the opposite months.)

Scheduled Dates:  March 6th, May 1st, September 11th (note date change for back to school), October 2nd, December 4th.

August Retreat Date Coming Soon!

Contact a board member  or committee chair at contactccaeyc@gmail.com for locations and information regarding board meetings and committee meetings.

Chautauqua County Association for the Education of Young Children

Invites You to an Ice Cream Social …

Please join us for our membership appreciation event. 

For: CCAEYC Members and Prospective Members

Where: McNiff Cookie Factory & Ice Cream Shop

(17 S. Main St.  Cassadaga, NY 14718)

When: Friday, September 23rd 2011

Time: 6:30 pm

RSVP: 716-969-0387 or play2learnandgrow@gmail.com by September 19th

Come enjoy a CCAEYC social gathering, connect with CCAEYC members, network with colleagues, and meet new members.  Enjoy a sundae on us!   You can also tour the new natural and recycled play store, Polliwog and Flutterbys.

CCAEYC supports the development of professionals to promote quality care and education for the well being of all young children and their families.

Prospective members are welcome!  Come and meet CCAEYC members and consider becoming a member for only $49 through our membership discount (regular membership price $60).