The education of young children will be in the spotlight Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, during the 39th annual Early Childhood Education Conference at UW-Stout.
The conference is sold out, with nearly 850 educators, daycare providers, preschool teachers, directors, administrators and others registered. Events will be held at the Memorial Student Center and Heritage Hall.
The theme of this year’s event is Inspiring Play and Supporting Well-being. Keynote speakers are:
Lisa Murphy, the Ooey Gooey Lady, speaking on “What if Today was Their Only Day.” Murphy is founder and CEO of Ooey Gooey Inc. of Rochester, N.Y., which creates hands-on, play-based environments for young children and provides workshops, training, technical support and curriculum resources.- UW-Stout Associate Professor Julie Bates-Maves, speaking on “Infant and Toddler Mental Health: The Impact of Life, Trauma and What to Look for in Early Childhood.” Bates-Maves teaches in the rehabilitation and counseling department.
Murphy will speak from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Friday and Bates-Maves at the same time Saturday, both in the Great Hall of the student center.
The conference will include more than 80 topics, with other speakers from UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, University of North Texas, Wisconsin Early Autism Project, Dunn County UW-Extension, Wisconsin Early Childhood Association and elsewhere.
UW-Stout faculty and staff scheduled to speak include Ann Brand, Melody Brennan, Allison Feller, Andy Felton, Judy Gifford, Angela Gilbertson, Jim Handley, Glenda Jones, Maggie Keenan, Jill Klefstad, Kristen Korkowski, Kevin Mason, Rachel Stuart, Renee Surdick, Sapna Thapa, Tami Weiss and Marcia Wolf.
The conference is coordinated by UW-Stout’s Professional Education Programs and Services.
UW-Stout has offered an undergraduate program in early childhood education since 1972. Kindergarten and primary teacher training was the first degree program offered at UW-Stout, starting in 1899 when the university was known as Stout Manual Training School.
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Photo
Top: Madison Sesker, an early childhood education major, works with children at UW-Stout’s Child and Family Study Center. The annual Early Childhood Education Conference is April 28-29.
Bottom: Julie Bates-Maves
