Rogers-Lowell Area News

NWACC Early Childhood Education Program Hosting Professional Development Conference

The Early Childhood Education program at NorthWest Arkansas Community College will host a one-day conference for early childhood professionals on July 21. The event is co-sponsored by the Scott Family Amazeum and Arkansas Early Childhood Association.

The conference, titled “The Power of Play,” will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 21 in Walmart Auditorium of the Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies. Sign-in begins at 8 a.m., and the conference program starts at 9. Denita Dinger will be the featured speaker. Dinger is a popular keynote speaker, trainer and consultant on the topic of transitioning from a teacher-led philosophy to a play-based, child-led one. She has co-authored three books — “Let Them Play: An Early Childhood UnCurriculum,” “Let's Play” and “Let's All Play.”

“We know that play is the vehicle through which young children learn best,” said Dr. Cathy McAuliffe, Early Childhood Coordinator at NWACC. “We have evidence that children are spending less time in play than ever before, and their development is being negatively impacted. Our vision is that families, educators, and the broader community will have a deeper understanding of the value of play as a foundation not only for academic success but for success throughout life.”

Registration is available through Eventbrite (search for The Power of Play). Cost is $15, which includes lunch. Those seeking additional information may contact McAuliffe at 479-466-6268 or cmcauliffe@nwacc.edu.