Nearly 20,000 Educators Meet in Washington for Largest Annual Early Childhood Education Conference

Nearly 20,000 Educators Meet in Washington for Largest Annual Early Childhood
Education Conference

Gathering of Early Education Professionals Provides Learning Opportunities

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 20,000 early childhood
educators, administrators, and policy makers will gather this month for the
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Annual
Conference and Expo. The Conference is the world's largest gathering of early
childhood educators and widely recognized as one of the nation's most valuable
professional development opportunities.

Special guest U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will help kick off the
general opening session 4:30 to 6 p.m. Nov. 18 with his speech titled "The
continuum of education begins at birth." The grand opening of the exhibit hall
will follow. NAEYC President Sue Russell will also join Jacqueline Jones of
the U.S. Department of Education and Joan Lombardi of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services at the President's Seminar 10 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 19.

"The NAEYC Annual Conference is an amazing opportunity for all early childhood
professionals," said Mark R. Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC.
"The conference provides a unique opportunity to network with other
professionals, learn about the latest developments in early childhood
research, and strengthen teaching and administrative skills."

The NAEYC Annual Conference is designed for teachers and other professionals
working with children birth through age 8. Participants will choose from
nearly 900 sessions designed to improve knowledge of best practices in early
education. All sessions are included in our final program, which is available
online. Some of these sessions include:

-- The economic value of early childhood in the United States: Are we
investing adequately and wisely?
-- Meet the authors and illustrators: Children's literature at NAEYC
-- Lost boys and their failure to launch: Why the number of boys who are
unmotivated and underachieving is growing
-- The achievement gap: What will make the difference?
-- Early childhood programs and family relationships: Bridging research,
practice, and policy

-- Caring for the caregiver: Taking care of yourself so you can better
care
for children

Also new this year is "YourSpace: A social networking site at NAEYC," which
will give attendees a chance to learn more about using social media for
professional development or in their classroom. NAEYC will also be tweeting
during the event, so follow www.twitter.com/naeycAC and search the hashtag
#naeycAC.

NAEYC would also like to thank all of our sponsors: Teaching Strategies,
Kaplan, Hatch, Target, HighScope, Lakeshore Learning Materials, Walden
University, Clorox, Community Playthings, Discount School Supply, Erikson,
Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Handwriting Without Tears, and Play Mart
Playgrounds.

Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children
has nearly 90,000 members worldwide. The association is the largest and most
influential advocate for early care and education in the United States.

What: NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo
Who: Teachers and other early childhood experts from around the world
When: Nov. 18 - 21, 2009 - See Final Program for details
Where: Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt Vernon Pl NW, Washington, DC

If you are a member of the media and plan on attending the Conference, please
email kgawrgy@naeyc.org.

SOURCE National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

Kristina Gawrgy of National Association for the Education of Young Children
(NAEYC), Office: +1-202-350-8857, Mobile: +1-202-427-4734, kgawrgy@naeyc.org