Teaching Learning Institute

 

The young children in your classroom are growing up in a world that is constantly evolving, shaped by new challenges, advanced technology, and careers that have yet to be imagined. How can we best prepare them to adapt, explore opportunities, and develop innovative problem-solving skills? This keynote will explore how children learn in a constructivist environment and how you can enrich your classroom to inspire creativity, nurture unique ideas, and celebrate their discoveries. By integrating the 4C’s - communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking - into daily learning experiences, you will create an environment where both you and your students thrive.
 

Research-based Ramps and Pathways activities provide young children with hands-on opportunities to explore force, motion, and engineering through play. Using cove molding, rolling objects, and blocks, children naturally investigate the concept of slope, refining their ideas through experimentation. As they collaborate, they develop critical thinking, problem- solving, and spatial reasoning skills while building a strong foundation for scientific inquiry and engineering design. This hands-on session will provide strategies to extend and support these discoveries, ensuring that play remains a powerful tool for innovation and deeper learning.

 

About Sonia: Sonia Akiko Yoshizawa, PhD, is the Assistant Director and Pedagogista at a Reggio-inspired preschool in Southern California. With over 30 years of experience in early childhood education, she brings a wealth of expertise in constructivist learning and research-based practice. Dr. Yoshizawa earned her PhD in Early Childhood Education from East Tennessee State University, where her work was influenced by Dr. Rebecca Isbell, a leader in early childhood creativity and advocacy. She holds a MAE from University of Northern Iowa, where her foundation and philosophy were shaped by Piagetian scholar Dr. Rheta DeVries and her colleagues.

 

Dr. Yoshizawa has co-authored three books: Nurturing Creativity: An Essential Mindset for Young Children’s Learning (NAEYC), STEM Learning with Young Children: Inquiry Teaching with Ramps and Pathways (Teachers College Press), and Investigating STEM with Infants and Toddlers (Teachers College Press). In addition to her current leadership role, she has taught at state universities and presents nationally and internationally on inspiring topics related to creativity, learning environments, STEAM, and early childhood inquiry.