Latifa Benson (left), an English as a new language teacher at PS 65 on Staten Island, and a partner play along during a presentation at the UFT's Early Childhood Conference.
What do foam rollers, spiral binders, paint scrapers, cardboard drink holders and rolls of doggy waste bags have in common?
Early childhood educators played with them all during a workshop at the UFT’s 15th annual Early Childhood Conference on April 1.
Outside, the weather was dreary. But inside union headquarters, the conference buzzed with energy as nearly 400 educators learned ways to engage their youngest students with play. The event focused on the essential role of play in young children’s development, and educators learned new ways to incorporate play in their classrooms.
UFT members at The Power of Play workshop were asked to play with these unusual items and brainstorm ways that students could play with them. Adults, said workshop leader Bonnie Spencer, are “hard-wired to do things in a particular way,” like using objects only for their intended purposes. Children, she said, use this form of play to learn about the world.
UFT Vice President Karen Alford (right) with teachers (from left) Yajaira Eduardo, PS 28, the Bronx; Dafna Alma, PS 156, Brooklyn; and Jennette Zuniga, PS 9, Manhattan.
Keeping the workshop lesson in mind, Edaliza Becerril, a 3K teacher at PS 6 in Brooklyn, said she’s eager to see what her students will do with a doll she has with lots of tactile elements for children to fidget with such as buttons and shoelaces.
“I’m not going to tell them anything,” she said. “I’m just going to give it to them and see” what happens.
She praised the seminar for emphasizing ways to let children explore on their own terms and “actually have fun” in class.
The audience had fun when, led by keynote speaker David Bedard, everyone stomped, clapped, danced and sang along to songs designed to engage young learners. Bedard, the early childhood music program specialist for the nonprofit Daniel’s Music Foundation and a preschool teacher, talked about how songs can be used to calm students, prepare them for recess, lead them safely up and down stairs, teach them the days of the week and more.
“Hundreds of students walk through our doors every day,” said Karen Alford, the UFT vice president for elementary schools and the event’s chairperson. “We are just doing our jobs, and we don’t realize the impact we are having.”
Attendees chose two out of 10 CTLE workshops, many involving interactive activities they could bring back to their schools.
Roslyn Odinga, the United Community Schools senior director of professional learning, led educators in building structures with packing peanuts and sorting and classifying beans in a workshop about science as inquiry.
Members learned how to use mindfulness and yoga techniques to teach students to regulate their emotions in a workshop led by Margaret Desharnais. The certified children’s yoga instructor and UFT early childhood learning specialist said the skills are essential for early childhood development. Desharnais introduced a variety of budget-friendly and creative ways to promote mindful behaviors in children, ranging from creating calming mind jars with hot water and glitter glue inside to simply guiding children in breathing exercises.
Kimberly Ebanks, who teaches at PS 134 in the Bronx, said the skills Desharnais covered are “paramount” not only to redirect students’ attention to “the moment of teaching” but also to ensure their future success.
“When we don’t have that self-regulation, we end up with adults or middle schoolers or high schoolers who don’t know how to balance their emotions,” she said. “They don’t have any coping skills.”
Ruth Medici, a kindergarten teacher at PS 163 in the Bronx and a first-time attendee, said she felt burned out after the pandemic, but the conference was “rejuvenating.” “Being in these workshops with other teachers who also share the same frustrations,” Medici said, “it makes me feel less alone.”