Wytheville
Infant-Toddler Track: Exploring the Wonders of Nature
We will look at the value of bringing the wonder of nature into your classrooms and using nature to enhance children’s development. We will also discuss strategies for you to use to create nature-rich classroom routines and environments. Lastly, we will look at cultivating nature investigations with infants and toddlers by offering them natural objects such as leaves, rocks, shells, etc. that they can explore and investigate.
Pre-School Track: Science in the Early Childhood Classroom
Science is a natural and critical part of children’s early learning. With the appropriate guidance, children’s natural curiosity and need to make sense of the world around them, becomes the foundation for skills such as inquiry, problem solving, and cooperative learning. Join us for ideas, activities, and strategies that facilitate discovery and learning through science in the early childhood classroom.
Meet the presenters:
Science in the Early Childhood Classroom: Sherry Barnard
Sherry is a Reading Specialist/Title I teacher in Carroll County Public Schools, a CDA Professional Development Specialist, and a Virginia Quality Curriculum Specialist. With 17 years of elementary and primary education experience she has served as a teacher, reading specialist, and curriculum alignment/developer, VSQI mentor, and Early Childcare Provider consultant. Education: BS from Radford University in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Mental Retardation, and Social Sciences, MS from Radford University- Reading Specialist, PhD from Capella University in Education with a specialization in Adult and Post Secondary Education.
Exploring the Wonders of Nature: Lisa Green
Lisa joined the United Way of Southwest Virginia team in April 2017. She brings over 20 years of early childcare experience, is a six year veteran from the VA Washington County School as a deaf interpreter, and offers ten years experience as program director and lead teacher to Emory and Henry’s Child Development Center. There she was a lead teacher to a classroom of 10 preschoolers, while mentoring college students from various career paths. Lisa earned her Master of Arts in Education from Emory & Henry College in 2012 and continues to be a lifelong learner. She is looking forward to sharing her enthusiasm and love of teaching with others with the emphasis being on research based best practices of infant and toddler care.
The training will be held in Galax Hall Room 202.