UW-Platteville Virtual Early Childhood Seminar
The annual University of Wisconsin-Platteville Early Childhood Seminar connects early childhood educators, family child care providers, parents, and other child advocates for a day of inspiring professional development. Join us as expert speakers share the latest research and techniques for the quality care and education of young children.
Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021
Join us via Zoom and discover how to make early childhood more wonder-filled!
Meet the speakers
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Kristen RB Peterson host of The Play Based Learning Podcast Kristen is the founding director and teacher of a play and nature-based preschool and forest school in central Minnesota, host of The Play Based Learning Podcast, and a good troublemaker in the field of early childhood education. She shows up in life authentically and is real with her audience. Her presentation style can best be described as a conversation with a best friend. Funny and dramatic, she captivates adult learners with stories that can be applied to the life of any early childhood professional. She leaves ECE professionals motivated to take risks to better serve the children in their lives. |
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Jeanne Labana Lead Program Coach - WEESSN/WECA Jeanne has been a leader and visionary in Early Childhood Education for 30+ years in a variety of roles. Currently she is a WEESSN coach for WECA. Her passion in using WMELS and Outdoor Education for curriculum design guides her program coaching to expand learning space outside the four walls of their classroom. |
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Gerry Slater Owner of Design4Kids Gerry is an environmental designer focused on helping shape engaging, wonder-filled places for children. In addition to designing, Slater has manufactured, constructed, maintained, and inspected play environments during previous business incarnations. He now serves as Design4Kids where he helps children's programs plan and design, and through the Wisconsin Nature Action Collaborative for Children that works to help early childhood programs in their efforts to connect children with nature. |
8–9 a.m.
Screening of the film “The Voices of Children” with discussion following the film
“The Voices of Children” is a short documentary film created by an international team of educators and filmmakers, including John Nimmo. The 23 minute film is a call to action to create a more inclusive and complex conception of human rights through listening to and observing young children in diverse contexts around the globe.
9–10:30 a.m.
The Quarterback’s Coach and The Hummingbird
Presented by Kristen RB Peterson
What do these two have in common? Both are characteristics of a play facilitator in a play-based, child led program. Learn the role of the adults in a play-based, early childhood environment and how to navigate risk.
10:30 a.m.–noon
Lunch and Learn
Screening of the film “Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years”
Pack a lunch and join us as we watch the new film, Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years (48 minutes), produced by Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo, features vignettes of anti-bias strategies in early childhood classrooms interspersed with teachers reflecting on their practice.
Noon–2 p.m.
Outdoors is Where It's Happening!
Presented by Jeanne Labana and Gerry Slater
An opportunity to consider and explore how to reimagine your outdoor play-learning areas or to plan new settings and outdoor curriculum (understanding that curriculum is what happens). Co-create with all your staff, start from child development rather than catalogs, and emphasize learning with nature. Use Early Learning Standards to support your decisions and goals.
Participants will receive a 6-hour continuing education unit (.6 CEU) certificate.
Cost: $49
This seminar is OPEN to all those who work with children. Early childhood educators, childcare specialists, parents, guardians, grandparents; all are invited to join in. We hope to "see" you soon (even if it's virtually).
