Authors Diller and Gentner featured at 17th annual Early Childhood Conference at UVa-Wise April 18

Authors Debbie Diller and Norma Gentner are the keynote speakers for the Southwest Virginia 17th Annual Early Childhood Conference, hosted by The University of Virginia's College at Wise.

The event takes place on Saturday, April 18, from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the C. Bascom Slemp Student Center. The free conference is limited to the first 200 people who register. Slots are still available.

Diller, an educational consultant, is author of several teacher resource books on topics such as literacy stations, early literacy and small group instruction.

Gentner is the author of several science songbooks for young children featuring factual information on science topics.

Mini-workshops on topics such as literacy bags, reader’s theater, team teaching and the Virginia Standards of Learning, plants, penguins, new ways to use computers in the classroom, Native Americans, creating flannel boards, math manipulative and teacher-created materials will be presented by classroom teachers and UVa-Wise intern teachers.

Door prizes will be awarded each hour of the conference. Prizes must be picked up in person by 3 p.m. Silent auction themed baskets will be available for bidding.
Student- and teacher-made activities that address the SOLs will be on display. Commercial vendors also will be featured at the conference.

The conference is provided as a community service for pre-kindergarten through third-grade teachers. The conference is funded by UVa-Wise, the Center for Teaching Excellence, the Southwest Virginia Education Association and the Virginia Education Association.

For more information, contact Sandra Richardson at 276-328-0187 or scr5e@uvawise.edu.

                                                                                                     Posted April 13, 2009