Welcome to Illuminate,
AECPCN’s Early Childhood Conference!
Welcome to the Illuminate Early Childhood conference! This year, we’re excited to present a more intimate gathering, giving us the chance to focus deeply on our dedicated early childhood educators and refine our approach before we expand next year.
Our keynote sessions are designed to inspire and energize you, fostering a stronger connection to your passion, to one another, and to the field. Get ready to engage in thought-provoking discussions, share some laughs, and experience moments of reflection through interactive sessions that are sure to resonate with you.
We’re excited to share this journey of learning, laughter, and meaningful connections with you. Join us in making this conference a memorable stepping stone before we expand even further next year!
Keynote Sessions
Exploring your Purpose:
Begin with My Why
with Sherry Duncan
People typically recognize “What” early childhood professionals do. We care for children and provide a valuable service to families. The service we offer is providing quality care for infants to school aged children in any number of different settings. From day homes, day care, preschools, playschools, to child care centers and school age care. We often recognize “How” this is done. The things that must happen such as the care, observations, reflections, interactions, health and wellness for example. How a child care center cares for the children (their philosophy) sometimes sets them apart for each other. This is understood and commonly laid out in the program plan and parent handbooks. Very few educators evaluate the “Why”. Exploring your purpose, your beliefs and values will help you reignite your passion for the important work you do. Inspired early childhood educators who understand their why are more likely to lead boldly and creatively. This workshop will help early childhood educators explore their purpose by beginning with Why.
- Connect with your own play and creativity
- Connect with other early childhood educators to articulate beliefs and values
- Develop a personal statement that explores your purpose as an early childhood educator
The “Success-Energy” Equation
Beat Burnout. Harness your Energy. Streamline Success.
with Michelle Cederberg
In this high-energy keynote, Health and Productivity Expert Michelle Cederberg shares research from her latest book The Success-Energy Equation. After years of studying top-in-class professionals she’s uncovered obvious, though rarely recognized, or exercised ways to streamline success, reduce stress and eliminate exhaustion.
From fail-proofing your routines, to clarifying your goals, and finally breaking free from the traps of distraction, Michelle uncovers a powerful combination of scientific facts, health truths, and laughable human behaviors that when implemented, will set you apart from the average ambitious individual and help you solve your own personal formula for success in profound ways.
- Develop a clearer understanding (and newfound sense of humor) about where your energy is being ‘poured, invested or drained’.
- Learn how to overcome common barriers like distractions and bad habits, to become more consistent with your goals and outcomes.
- Discover four science-backed variables that can significantly impact your goals, confidence, productivity, and success.
- Streamline, optimize and eliminate unnecessary stressors to boost productivity and drive you, and your company, to new levels of true success.
Early Childhood Professionals:
The Heroes of Our Time
with Richard Cohen
This powerful, fun, thought-provoking keynote address includes music, opportunities for reflection, interactive discussions with the audience about the stresses and triumphs of the early childhood teacher/caregiver, singing, poetry and (believe it or not) dancing in the aisles! Audiences come away cheering, energized and filled with honor for the unique contribution they are to society.
- Participants will reflect on a hero of their childhood, choosing descriptors of what made them heroic.
- Participant will apply those descriptors to the roles of early childhood professionals, reflecting on other participants’ diverse examples.
- Using those descriptors as a starting point, participants will acknowledge and describe their fellow “heroes” in the room
- Participants will consider the possibility that they each meet the criteria for being a “hero” as a professional early childhood educator.