Join early childhood educators, kindergarten teachers, support staff, and administrators from across Connecticut for a full day of collaboration, practical learning, and shared leadership.
This year's symposium builds on the foundation of developmentally appropriate, play-based teaching—and takes it further. Together, we’ll deepen our understanding of how to align practice, pedagogy, and partnerships to support every child’s smooth and joyful transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten.
By the end of the symposium, participants will be able to:
Whether you're just beginning to explore Pre-K to K alignment or deepening work already underway, this symposium offers inspiration, connection, and tools to take your next step.
Dr. Peg Oliveria, Director, Gesell Program in Early Childhood, Yale Child Study Center
In 1924, in the inaugural issue of Childhood Education, Dr. Arnold Gesell wrote, “The educational ladder of the American public school system is a tall one and a stout one, but it does not reach the ground.” A century later, preschool and kindergarten provide those missing rungs, yet they often fail to truly reach the ground, to meet children where they are. Preschool and Kindergarten are the on-ramps to a child’s experience of school as a place of wonder or a source of stress. They set the roots of a child’s self-perception as a curious learner or a struggling student. While pressure to be “ready for school” and concerns for the “covid cohort” are real, the race to “catch up” can do more harm than good. How can we stop hurrying and instead give children the time they need for a joyful school transition?
What does true alignment between Pre-K and Kindergarten look like—and how can we achieve it without resorting to pushing academic content down to younger children? This session will explore how the CT Early Learning and Development Standards (CT ELDS) and Kindergarten standards can work in harmony when guided by developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). Participants will analyze examples of learning goals, instructional strategies, and materials to uncover the key differences between alignment and standardization. Through the interactive activity “Deconstructing Worksheets—Rebuilding Learning Through Play,” educators will examine commonly used worksheets and redesign them into hands-on, play-based alternatives that meet the same learning goals while engaging the whole child. Outcomes: By the end of the session, participants will: Identify areas of natural alignment between CT ELDS and Kindergarten content standards. Compare and contrast Pre-K and K instructional approaches using developmentally appropriate principles. Evaluate examples of traditional academic tasks for developmental appropriateness. Redesign academic tasks (e.g., worksheets) into playful, standards-aligned activities.