03/28/11 - Conference on child engagement draws early childhood professionals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2011
Contact: Jan Hollingsworth
jan.hollingsworth@siskin.org
423.648.1730

Conference on child engagement draws preschool educators, early interventionists and childcare providers

Siskin Children’s Institute teams up with four local organizations to host
the 2011 Child Engagement Conference

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — This week more than 100 early childhood professionals and university students from across the country will arrive in Chattanooga to learn more about child engagement and ultimately provide a more effective, developmentally appropriate learning environment for the children they serve.

The second-annual Child Engagement Conference, at the Chattanooga Convention Center March 30 and April 1, focuses on how children connect with their environment, which Robin McWilliam, Ph.D., director of the Siskin Center for Child and Family Research, has been studying for almost 30 years. Engagement is important because the more time a child interacts with his or her surroundings, the more opportunities for learning are present. “Children of all abilities learn best when they are engaged,” McWilliam said. “Families, teachers, and researchers have come to understand that engagement is both necessary for learning and an indication that the child is having fun. Our research shows that good parenting and teaching practices produce better engagement.”

McWilliam is the author, along with his research partner Amy Casey, Ph.D., BCBA, of Engagement of Every Child in the Preschool Classroom, the authoritative manual for promoting engagement. McWilliam and Casey also have written extensively on the subject for professional journals. They will be two of the 20 experts who will present at the upcoming conference.

Conference organizer and Institute Outreach Specialist Julie Mickel said the Child Engagement Conference is unique in its scope and audience. “This conference is the only one in the country designed specifically for early childhood professionals that focuses solely on the importance of engagement in young children,” Mickel said. “Professionals will develop their knowledge about child engagement and learn new strategies and interventions for classroom, home and community settings. It will also be a great opportunity to network with peers who support the child engagement model.”

The conference will include general and concurrent breakout sessions and an exhibit hall featuring vendors focused on early childhood development products and services.

Attendees also will have the opportunity to tour the downtown Siskin Early Learning Center and see the teaching staff implementing engagement strategies in their classrooms. “There’s nothing like observing the practical application of a teaching model firsthand,” McWilliam said. “Having the opportunity to see the Engagement Classroom Model in action should solidify it in the minds of our conference attendees.”

The 2011 Child Engagement Conference is hosted by Siskin Children’s Institute, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, United Way of Greater Chattanooga, Chattanooga Area Association for the Education of Young Children and Signal Centers, Inc.

“The Institute is pleased to be working with these partner organizations,” Institute President and CEO Jerry Jensen said. “Our combined effort in hosting this informative conference is focusing the early-childhood community on this important aspect of child development, which will affect the independence and social relationships of countless children.”

To learn more about the Child Engagement Conference, visit www.childengagement.com.

About Siskin Children’s Institute
Siskin Children's Institute makes life better for children with special needs and their families. The non-profit organization achieves its mission locally and nationally through four areas of focus: education, outreach, health care and research. The Institute provides early childhood education where children with and without disabilities learn together; family support and professional development programs; developmental behavioral pediatric health care; and innovative research in early childhood development and special education. For more information about Siskin Children's Institute, visit www.siskin.org.