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Joyful Journeys: Transforming PreK Learning Through Play
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST
Presented by Nicole Downer, Educational Consultant, Teacher Created Materials; and Jen Jump, Senior Academic Officer, Teacher Created Materials
Moderated by Heather Brooke, Vice President of Professional Learning, Teacher Created Materials
Sponsored by Teacher Created Materials
Learn more about viewing the live presentation and the recording, earning your CE certificate, and using our new accessibility features.
Play is a powerful tool for early learning, fostering a sense of curiosity and creativity all while helping children develop key life skills! Join us for a fun and interactive session where we explore practical strategies for integrating intentional play into your early childhood classroom to cultivate a joyful and engaging learning environment.
In this edWebinar, viewers:
- Discover the developmental benefits of play, including language, math, executive functioning, and social skills
- Learn how to create opportunities for play in your PreK classroom with minimal resources
- Receive practical steps to observe and support play in classrooms
This recorded edWebinar provides early childhood teachers with practical, classroom-ready strategies to incorporate meaningful play, curriculum coordinators with research-backed approaches to integrate play into instructional frameworks, and administrators with actionable insights to support schoolwide play-based learning and child development.
About the Presenters
Nicole Downer is an Educational Consultant at Teacher Created Materials, where she provides professional development solutions to educators across the country. She is an experienced educator and instructional leader specializing in early childhood education, literacy, the Science of Reading, and social-emotional learning. With a background as a school principal, assistant principal, literacy intervention specialist/coach, and elementary teacher, she has led numerous professional development initiatives focused on evidence-based strategies for young learners. Nicole is passionate about empowering educators with effective instructional practices that foster foundational skills, engagement, and holistic development.
Jen Jump is a Senior Academic Officer at Teacher Created Materials, where she provides professional development and training on curriculum materials and professional resources. With over 20 years of experience, Jen is a passionate educator dedicated to improving student achievement. Before joining TCM, she supported curriculum and professional development for Washington, D.C.’s fast-growing urban school district. She led the creation of content-rich text set curricula for K-5 ELA and facilitated professional learning through group training and one-on-one coaching. Her work empowered educators to enhance literacy instruction and elevate student success.
About the Moderator
Heather Brooke is the VP of Professional Learning at Teacher Created Materials, where she oversees a team that delivers high-quality professional learning workshops for educators nationwide.
Join the Build Educator Capacity and Boost Student Achievement community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edLeader Panels, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Teacher Created Materials develops innovative and imaginative educational materials and services for students worldwide. Everything we do is created by teachers for teachers and students to make teaching more effective and learning more fun. Join us on our mission to create a world where children truly want to learn.
