For more information, contact
Alan Simpson at 202-328-2605
or asimpson@naeyc.org

25,000 Educators Meet in Anaheim to Discuss Improving Opportunities for Young Children

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 8, 2004—Nearly 25,000 early childhood educators are in Anaheim this week to discuss ways to improve early learning experiences for all children from birth through third grade. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual Conference and Expo – the world’s largest gathering of early childhood educators – is at the Anaheim Convention Center from November 10-13, 2004.

“Each year, thousands of dedicated educators, researchers, and advocates attend the NAEYC Annual Conference to explore new ways to help young children gain a foundation for success – in school and beyond,” said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., Executive Director of the NAEYC. “The conference provides them with a chance to network and share ideas, strengthen their teaching and administrative skills, and raise the quality of their schools and programs.”

The NAEYC Annual Conference is designed for teachers and other professionals working in settings from child care, preschool and Head Start to kindergarten and elementary school. Participants will choose from hundreds of sessions that will help improve their knowledge of the best approaches to early education and care. Examples of the sessions include:

• Toward a Broader Vision: Assessing Children, Teachers, Programs and Ourselves
• Exploration of Early Childhood Education in the Digital Age
• The Challenge and Epidemic of Childhood Obesity: Preventing a Public Health Crisis
• Guidance and Discipline for Infants and Toddlers
• The Power of Good Book Selection: The Best New Preschool Books for Your Classroom
• Songs, Games and Rhymes for the Bilingual Classroom
• “A” is for Algebra: How to Incorporate Exciting, Hands-On, Developmentally Appropriate, Algebraic Thinking into Early Childhood Mathematics Education

On Tuesday, November 9, there will be two day-long preconference sessions: A session co-sponsored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) will help principals build high-quality and developmentally appropriate experiences in their preK-3 classrooms; and a workshop on standards and program reviews will assist college and university faculty who are documenting their programs’ compliance with NAEYC standards for the preparation of early childhood professionals.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children is the largest organization of early childhood educators and others committed to improving the quality of early education programs for children birth through age eight. Founded in 1926, NAEYC now has 100,000 members and a national network of nearly 450 local, state, and regional affiliates. NAEYC and its affiliates work to improve professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education, and to build support for high-quality programs for all young children.