Virtual Early Childhood Conference 2023
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Dear Early Childhood Educators,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 45th Annual UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference! Our virtual conference will kick-off on April 7 this year—what a wonderful way to celebrate the final day of the Week of the Young Child!
The theme once again is Your Time. Your Way. Press Play. (Virtual Edition). We will be offering pre-recorded sessions that will be available to participants from April 7-May 7. Our goal is to provide access to high-quality professional development sessions that you can access at a time and place convenient for you AND offer this at an affordable rate of $79. We are also working with the Registry so that we can offer registry credit for sessions. We hope you will join us for the amazing professional development opportunities at this year’s conference.
As you check out the conference website in the upcoming weeks you will notice a remarkable line up of speakers and topics. We are thrilled to announce that in addition to a wide variety of pre-recorded sessions, we will also have several “live” synchronous sessions for the chance to engage with some incredible speakers and each other. We will continue to post the line up as it is updated and can’t wait for you to check it out!
That’s just a sneak peak of some of the awesome things happening this year. Please check back on this website for updates along with our Facebook page. So, grab some popcorn or a cup of tea and join us to watch sessions when it works for YOU!
Warm Regards,
Kristen Linzmeier
Conference Coordinator
Register Online
Registrations accepted online through May 3, 2023. Conference access available April 7 - May 7, 2023.
Participants will use UW-Whitewater's online classroom, Canvas, to work through the conference material (pre-recorded video presentations with handouts and live sessions) at their own pace and interact with each other in online discussion boards. This conference is designed to maximize the capabilities of videoconferencing and online professional development in an informal and self-paced environment. No previous college-level or online learning experience are needed for this conference, and it is open to anyone interested in early childhood education.
Group Registrations
For organizations that would like to register multiple participants at one time, you may register your teachers for the ECC conference by completing a Registration Sponsorship Request: https://www.uww.edu/ce/sponsor. We will send you a group invoice, payable by credit card or check, and request the names and email addresses of the participants you are registering.
Cost Information
All-Access Pass: $79
The registration fee provides an all-access to pass to both live and recorded sessions. Participants can view recorded sessions any time during April 7-May 7, 2023. All sessions are closed captioned. Participants can earn registry hours for both live and recorded sessions.
No refunds are available for this event. All cancellation requests must be submitted to cesevents@uww.edu.
We reserve the right to cancel any event due to low enrollment; in this case, all fees paid will be refunded.
No discounts for this event.
What People Are Saying
I was unsure of this format in the beginning, I thought it might be something I would procrastinate. But it was just the opposite. I found that when i had extra time or quiet time I looked forward to finding an interesting workshop no matter what day or time it was. I could be comfortable in my home and not have to spend the extra time driving to Whitewater.
A picture says a thousand words! What a cozy way to participate in the conference sessions. Thanks to ECC 2022 conference participant Heidi Duran for sharing this photo!
"I loved the conference being virtual this year! I got to veiw more sessions that i normally wouldnt pick and spaced them out all month! At the end of the month i had viewed 31 sessions! Awesome conference this year. I really hope you keep it virtual in the years to come! I didnt have to request off and got more then enough continuing ed hours!"
-ECC Virtual Participant
"I was really excited to see the conference being offered virtually this year at the discounted rate. I missed attending the conference for the last several years because it was difficult to make it work with my own small kids at home. The virtual option made it possible for me to attend, gain registry credit, and even prompted discussion about some parenting topics between my husband and I. Thank you for all of your efforts to make the conference happen!." - Angie, 2021
LIVE Presentations
A1: Babies and Brains: Some Assembly Required (Live) | Friday, April 14 | 9-10 am CST
Cheryl Hovey, Professor
Ez Ed 2 Go
www.EzEd2Go.com
Get ready for brain development to be fun! This workshop will introduce how the brain is developed and the importance of critical windows of opportunity for healthy development. This session will provide valuable information about how trauma can impact brain development and connections vital for learning. Practical examples of how adults can enrich the learning experience for children through every day experiences will be reviewed. Infants, Toddlers
A2: Reclaiming Our Silenced Voices to Speak Up and Speak Out: It's Time (Live) | Friday, April 14 | 10:30am - 12pm CST
Holly Elissa Bruno, Author | Keynote Speaker
Holly Elissa Bruno Keynotes & Team Building, LLC
http://www.hollyelissabruno.com/
Crystal Sanford Brown, Independent Educational Consultant
Avondale Board of Education Trustee
Raphael Warnock's mother, who picked cotton, voted to pick her son, Head Start alumnus, for Georgia Senator. So many silenced voices over centuries hold so much we need to hear. Children come to us with voices to be heard and honored. For our voices to flow, we need to break the often-invisible silencing forces that choke our spirits from speaking truth to power. It's time. Two no longer silenced survivors by speaking out invite you to discover and befriend any silenced part of you. It's our time now. Truth telling sets us free. Adults, Families
A3. The Cost of Caring: How to Reduce Teacher Burnout in ECE Field (Live) | Friday, April 14 | 12:30 - pm CST
Dorothy Bass, Program Coach
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
This is a training on how to identify the signs of compassion fatigues and the role emotional resilience plays on reducing stress, increased mental focus, and an overall greater sense of satisfaction at work. Participants will gain understanding and distinguish between compassionate fatigue and burnout and also explore the role emotional resistance plays in reducing stress, job satisfaction and overall wellbeing. Adults
A4. Puppets - Terrific Teaching Buddies in Early Childhood! (Live) | Friday, April 14 | 2:30 - 3:30 pm CST
Carole Stephens, Early Childhood Music Specialist
Macaroni Soup with Miss Carole
www.macaronisoup.com
Are your puppets sitting in a bin when they could be helping you focus attention, model behavior and increase skills? This workshop will share three basic puppet skills for teachers and how to create a quick puppet activity for young students to participate in. BRING a hand puppet with a mouth that opens/closes with which to practice. Let a puppet friend diversify your lesson delivery methodology! Toddlers, Preschool, 4K, Kindergarten, Families
A5: Guiding and De-Escalating Toddler Behaviors (Live) | Saturday, April 15 | 9 - 10am CST
Amy Scott, Program Manager / Professor
MAAEYC/MassBay College
This workshop will review the basics of social/emotional development and the meaning of challenging behaviors. Participants will engage in self-reflective activities around handling challenging behaviors, identifying personal “hot buttons,” and creating a plan for continued behavior. This workshop will allow for participants to discuss personal experiences with challenging behaviors including what worked and what didn’t. We will look at documentation and how to develop individualized strategies to best support positive outcomes. Toddlers
A6: Career Development: Beginnings and Beyond (Live) | Saturday, April 15 | 11am - 12pm CST
Susy Curry, Higher Education & Career Development Registry
Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA)
Mildred Starks
Angie Wells
Explore the various career pathways available to those just joining the early childhood field to those having decades of experience and education in the field. Learn how the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association’s free Career Development Counseling service can be utilized to identify the right path for your career journey. Adults
A7: How Mindfulness Affects Children's Healthy Development: Planting Seeds of Trust, Self-Confidence & Resilience (Live) | Saturday, April 15 | 12:30 - 2pm CST
Pia Doegl, Parent Coach, Educator & Hypnotherapist
Beginning Well LLC
www.beginningwell.com
As an entrepreneur, parent coach, & mom, Pia realized that supporting children's healthy development from the very beginning, depends on being aware of our mindset and needs as a parent and/or professional caregiver by treating children of all ages like a full human being. The feeling of being seen, heard and respected lays the foundation for children's inner stability, the ability to trustfully connect with themselves and the world around them and to thrive into their full unique potential.
Pia will share personal experiences and explore why our mindset and the relationship with ourselves are key. In the session we will talk about the power of our thoughts, our mindset, words and attitudes, and how they affect our own well-being and also that of the developing children in our care.
Infants, Toddlers, Adults, Families
A8: "Book" Some Time with Your Librarian (Live) | Saturday, April 15 | 2:30 - 3:30pm CST
Jennifer Pavlik, Library Media Technology Specialist
Marissa Gehrke, Community Engagement Librarian
Verona Public Library
We often allow our physical classrooms to limit our instructional ideas. We repeatedly use materials, books, and manipulatives to which we have immediate access. Why? It is easy. It saves teachers time and money. Unfortunately, our lessons feel stale over time. It is time for a change. Now is the time to think outside the classroom and “book” some time with your local librarian. Your local youth services librarian and school library media specialist can offer ideas, materials, and skills to freshen up your instruction. Participants will learn about library services and resources and how a partnership with a librarian can enhance and enrich classroom learning experiences and support literacy beyond the classroom walls. Toddlers, Preschool, 4K, Kindergarten
Frequently Asked Questions
A password is not automatically generated when registering. The participant must accept the course invitation emailed to them after registering to set up their account and password.
- Contact cesevents@uww.edu. We will verify your email is correct in Canvas and resend a course invitation.
- Check your spam/junk folder
- Complete the “Sponsor a registrant” registration: https://www.uww.edu/ce/sponsor
- CES staff will reach out to sponsor will send an invoice and asking for names and emails of ECC participants and manually enter registrants into Canvas course.
Registry credit is available for MOST sessions for both WI and IL Registries. Following the completion of each session, a completion code will be provided. In order to submit your request for registry credit for each session, you will need to submit a survey and include the completion code along with answering a few sessions about each session. Both WI and IL Registry want to ensure that participants both viewed the materials and engaged with the content in some way. Please note that not all sessions are 1 hour in length: sessions may range in time from 35 to 90 minute.
Participants can submit registry surveys until May 7, 2023 at 11:59 pm*. Upon verification that participants attended the session and completed surveys, the information will be sent to WI and IL Registries for processing. Due to the high number of registry surveys submitted, it may take up to 30 days for information to be processed. Participants will be able to view registry information by accessing their registry accounts.
*Please note that once the conference closes on May 7th, we will be unable to accept conference Registry surveys. Please complete surveys immediately upon completion of viewing presentations. We will compile the registry information as soon as the conference ends so that the WI and IL registries can process the information and update individual Registry Accounts.
Yes! There are discussion boards connected to each session and we also have interactive discussion boards for people to respond to different prompts/questions. Feel free to post and/or engage with other conference participants.
Yes! Each presentation page has a survey that we invite you to complete after you finish that session. As always, we share your feedback with presenters and review the feedback as we start planning for future ECC sessions. Following the conference, participants will also receive an email with an ECC conference survey.
Based on participant feedback, the live sessions will be recorded this year for the option to view as recorded session at a later time.
The code can be found at the end of each presentation. We recommend you read the "Registry Information" page in the Welcome Module for more details and instructions.
Contact cesevents@uww.edu. We will need to contact our IT department to separate your accounts. Please provide a separate email address for each registratant.
Contact cesevents@uww.edu. We will look into the Canvas course and make sure you registered. We will then pull the receipt from our payment vendor and email you.
You will not be able register using your canvas account for previous events. Under the Register Online section of this website, you will need to follow the registration link. This is the only way you can enroll in the course.
What You Will Need to Attend
- A computer, tablet, or smartphone
- A reliable internet connection (hard-wired connections work best)
- A microphone (optional)
- Webcam (optional)
Conference Information
Login to Online Session
A few days prior to the event you will receive an email indicating the steps you will need to take to join this event. Please contact cesevents@uww.edu if you do not recieve this email 24 hours before the event starts.
By registering for an event, you agree to our Registration Terms and Conditions. UW-Whitewater will hold all registrants responsible for their conduct. Serious misconduct or disruption will lead to immediate dismissal from event. Registrants dismissed from the event will not receive a refund. Please review the Terms and Conditions for more details.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is committed to equal opportunity in its educational programs, activities and employment policies, for all persons, regardless of race, color, gender, creed, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, Vietnam-era veteran status, parental status and pregnancy.
If you have any disabling condition that requires special accommodations or attention, please advise us well in advance. We will make every effort to accommodate your special needs.
By registering for this event you understand that the University may take photographs and or videos of event participants and activities. You will be required to agree at the time of registration that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater shall be the owner of and may use such photographs and or videos relating to the promotion of future events. You will relinquish all rights that you may claim in relation to the use of said photographs and/or videos. Any media shared with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on social media or use of its hashtags grants the University use of media for any purpose.
Attention Registry Members!
We are working with Wisconsin and Illinois Registries to offer registry hours for most of the live and virtual sessions. At the start of the conference, please check the Registry Information section in Canvas for details and a list of sessions that are available to view for registry hours
ECCE
Year Round
ECE4U
Year Round
Early Childhood Education
Program Changes
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater reserves the right to make changes in workshops and speakers, or to cancel workshops if enrollment criteria are not met or when conditions beyond our control prevail.
Endorsement of Presenters
We are proud of the diversity that will be exhibited by the presenters at this conference. However, we do not assume responsibility for the information, opinions, products or services shared by the presenters. Please share your comments or concerns on the evaluation form which will be sent electronically following the conference. We also encourage participants to offer presenters compliments when pleased with the content of a presentation.
Want to be a Sponsor?
Looking to sponsor a session or make a donation to the 2023 UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference? There are many sponsorship opportunities available. For additional information regarding sponsorship opportunities please contact Maryam Enterline, Major Gift Officer, Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, 262-472-6966, enterlim@uww.edu.
UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference Sponsorship Information
ECC Gold Level Sponsor $10,000 and above
- Use of logo on conference t-shirts
- Use of logo on printed save the date cards
- Individualized Thank You on social media
- Use of logo in email and promotional materials
- Logo on sign in registration area
- Logo on conference website
- Booth space in exhibit hall (Three 30”x6’ tables)
- Sponsorship acknowledgment and thank you on welcome slide in opening and closing events
- Sponsorship acknowledgement on social media
ECC Silver Level Sponsor $2,500 – $9,999
- Individualized Thank You on social media
- Use of logo in email and promotional materials
- Logo on sign in registration area
- Logo on conference website
- Booth space in exhibit hall (Two 30”x6’ tables)
- Sponsorship acknowledgment and thank you on welcome slide in opening and closing events
- Sponsorship acknowledgement on social media
ECC Bronze Level Sponsor $500 – $2,499
- Logo on sign in registration area
- Logo on conference website
- Booth space in exhibit hall (30”x6’ table)
- Sponsorship acknowledgement on social media
ECC Friend: In-Kind Donation or Other gift
- In-kind donations
- Sponsorship acknowledgement on social media
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Please make gifts and sponsorships payable to UW-Whitewater Foundation Inc., Fund #1254: Early Childhood Conference, Purpose: UW-Whitewater EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCE, UW-Whitewater Foundation’s EIN number is 39-6081189
Mail checks to UW-Whitewater Foundation Attention: ECC – Maryam Enterline; 800 W Main St, Whitewater, WI 53190
For additional conference-specific questions and information please contact Kristen Linzmeier, Ph.D, UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference Coordinator at ecc@uww.edu; phone 262-472-5814.
Thank you to the 2022-23 UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference Sponsors
