Natalie Tamez, a Pre-K teacher in her sixth year in education, has attended many professional development sessions and trainings, and heard a number of excellent ideas to keep her young learners engaged and active. But those ideas weren’t always practical for her classroom. 

Nevertheless, Tamez has continued her path as she attended the 39th Annual R.T. Garcia Early Childhood Winter Conference (ECWC), held Jan. 25 at the Kingdom Builder’s Center. She joined approximately 500 fellow educators across the Houston area in attending the conference, hosted by Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Center for Educator Success (CES).

The annual event is one of the largest early childhood conferences in the state and provides educators with a day of professional development focused on early literacy. This year incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) and featured a number of sessions examining how early childhood educators could integrate AI into their classrooms efficiently and purposefully. 

Sandwiched between opening remarks by CES Senior Director Andrea Segraves and conference namesake Raymond T. Garcia was Dr. CJ Rodgers, HCDE assistant superintendent of Education and Enrichment, taking the lead from last year’s keynote speaker (New York Times bestselling author Eric Litwin) in engaging with attendees through music and movement. Everyone moved around the room, dancing with music before meeting new partners and talking through icebreaker questions. 

New this year was an awards presentation before the morning keynote speaker. The Rookie Teacher of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Educational Leadership, Distinguished Educator and Lifetime Achievement awards recipients were honored on stage and recognized for their passion for teaching and commitment to students and their success. 

Once in full swing, the center buzzed with sessions and presentations. 

For Tamez, one of those featured award-winning author and storyteller Mary Jo Huff. 

“We use Mary Jo’s stuff in our classrooms and I have her books,” said Tamez, who teaches at Havard Elementary School in Galena Park ISD. “As soon as she broke out the iPod, I knew I was in the right place. We use a lot of her music in the classroom and she has a lot of good ideas.” 

What made it more even meaningful was the practicality and budget-friendly options available. Tamez said she’s attended other trainings, but the ideas don’t always translate to something she or her fellow teachers can actually execute in their respective classrooms. 

 “Some of these things are so simple and you can literally go to the Dollar Tree to get everything you need,” she said. “Those are the kinds of ideas we come for – you can take those back to your classroom.” 

The conference featured three keynote speakers. Vashti Harrison, the first Black woman to receive the prestigious Caldecott Medal, spoke through her celebrated career as a writer and illustrator in the morning. Dr. Laura Jana spoke during lunch, showcasing research and how she helped launch the nation’s first mobile platform to provide free access to maternal health information related to pregnancy. 

Dr. Vicki Gibson, the founding director for the Charlotte Sharp Children’s Center in College Station, spoke in the afternoon. The center is among numerous she’s helped open and offers a supportive social and emotional environment for young children. 

“We all can use a refresh, so it’s good to get new faces, new ideas and new training experiences, and be able to incorporate that into our programs,” said Ashlee Arceneaux, an education specialist coordinator at HCDE. “I train teachers so coming here gives me new ideas to put into our training.” 

Arceneaux reiterated the different styles presented throughout the entire conference. Whether it was using number strips to teach young students numbers and their values or using song and dance to develop dual-language learners, conference attendees were able to see how different teaching styles can help students achieve academic milestones. 

“Our children don’t all learn the same,” Arceneaux said. “You have to meet them where they’re at, not just with their age but where they are developmentally. So, with today, the trainings and hands-on activities were really beneficial and something to take with us.”