New Event for OMEP-USA Members

With leadership from the Activities Committee, OMEP-USA is launching four new series of on-line events for members:

Expanding our Horizons:  Conversations with International Early Childhood Leaders: These informal, small-group sessions will feature brief presentations or interviews on global issues with internationally-known early scholars, practitioners, advocates, and policy makers. There will be time for questions and discussion.  Participation will be limited to 20 members and guests. (See report on the April 24 launch of this series elsewhere in this newsletter.)

Café Chats:  These occasional, informal, small-group conversations will focus on important and timely topics.  Participation will be limited to 15 members and their guests.  Topics suggested so far include (1) Early Childhood in the time of Covid:  Promoting positive attitudes about  mask wearing, social distancing, and handwashing as preschools and schools return to in-person learning; (2) Addressing gender and racial stereotypes in early childhood settings, (3) But, Teacher, she is a girl: Addressing young children’s questions about transgender and non-binary people in preschool and primary settings, (4) Early educator self care and (5) Changing the outlook for America’s Black children.  This series will launch by fall 2021 if not before.

Virtual Workshops:  These on-line workshops will provide members with information on participating in World OMEP and OMEP-USA projects and activities.  Among the topics members have suggested so far are (1) how to use OMEP Environmental Rating Scale, (2) participating in World OMEP’s annual Education for Sustainable Development Award project, and (3) brainstorming on a strategic plan to get the Convention on the Rights of the Child ratified in the United States.

Conversations with the Authors: OMEP members and their colleagues will lead book and article talks.

All of these events will be held via zoom and will last from 45 – 60 minutes.  All will require pre-registration and will be free of charge to members and their guests.   The days and times will vary to accommodate members’ busy schedules.  Events will be announced via email, on the OMEP-USA website, on our Face Book page and via other social media.  We hope that members will invite colleagues to participate as guests and will then encourage them to join OMEP-USA.

To volunteer to present, host, or facilitate a session and to suggest topics, please email Judith Wagner, Chair of the Activities Committee. Other members of the committee are Ellie Emerich, Judi Estes, Patsy Slater, and Loren Weybright.