Game Power: Meeting the Illinois Early Learning Benchmarks through Active Games

by Jean Mendoza
February 27, 2010
Reg. 8:00 AM, Workshop 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Description/Bio: This workshop will give participants a framework for articulating to parents and administrators the many ways active games can address early learning and kindergarten benchmarks in all the learning areas, not just physical development and health. It will prepare participants to observe and record key aspects of children's behavior during active games. There will be hands-on opportunities for participants to learn new games and adapt familiar ones for optimal connection with learning benchmarks and there will be a make-it/take-it component as participants create props and other essentials for favorite active games. There will also be time for participants to share with each other the rules of the active games that they have found to be most useful in their classrooms.

Dr. Jean Mendoza is the associate editor of the journal Early Childhood Research & Practice and a writer for the Illinois Early Learning Project. She is also an adjunct professor of early childhood education at Millikin University. Prior to finishing her PH.D at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Jean worked and played in a variety of early childhood settings, including home child care, diverse preschool programs, and a mixed-age K-1 classroom. She also holds a master's degree in counseling psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology and has training and experience as a play therapist. She serves on the editorial board of Spectrum (the journal of the Illinois Science teachers Association).

This training will provide 5.0 hours for the following:

• CPDUs (Continuing Professional Development Units) for teacher certification
• CDA (Child Development Associate) credit in area(s) #2
• CE credit for SLP, SW, LCPC, PT, and OT professionals

Full attendance is required to receive a certificate of participation.

In collaboration with Illinois Resource Center.

Registration form for this workshop.