x

The following keynote addresses are available for your conference or gathering.  Each keynote can be tailored in time or content to meet the needs of your audience.  Many other early childhood-related topics (please see “Workshops”) are available as keynotes upon request.

Community Sing-a-Longs (60 – 70 min.)

NEW!
Fun for the whole family

Invite all of the children, families and teachers in your community to join Richard for this special event.  Richard proudly demonstrates that you don’t have to have a professional singing voice to sing with young children! 🙂  

He includes family favorites, children’s classics and even teaches some fun, new silly songs to add to your repertoire. Richard keeps it lively and active by enlisting children’s creative ideas and adding props, puppets, costumes, musical instruments, hand and body movements, audience participation (hint: everyone loves a chorus line of dads acting silly), projected lyrics, and beloved musical movie clips to sing along with. He also serves as the DJ for the before and after family dance parties!

xThanks for any and all suggestions

Grown Ups Night Out (60 – 70 min.)

DON’T MISS THIS ONE!
A Rolicking Day or Evening Event

After a long day of workshop sessions, join in a fun-filled session of lighthearted singing, interactive games and, in a first for our field, Richard pokes good-natured fun at crying babies, snot-nosed kids, persnickety parents and hand-print holiday turkeys with his special brand of stand-up comedy (PG-rated, if appropriate) created especially for stressed-out, paint-covered, marker-stained early childhood professionals!  Let’s ‘fess up about all the things we moan about to each other after the parents and children have gone home. Featuring…

x

The Spirit Of Play (60 – 90 min.)

This fun, engaging keynote address explores why children need to play, how they are learning through play, the changing face of play in contemporary society and the role of the adult who facilitates children’s play.  The keynote looks at children’s play from neurological, developmental, anthropological and cultural perspectives.  As you may have already guessed, this interactive keynote includes audience games, songs and a healthy balance of intellectual and laughing matters.

x

Zen and the Art of Early Childhood Education (60 – 90 min.)

Many of us think of “early childhood” as more than a stage of development or a career choice.  Join Richard as he shares his story and elicits the stories of his audience members.  Laugh, cry and cheer as we reflect together on why we choose play, why we choose anti-bias work and why we choose to give young children meaningful learning experiences.  What does it mean to place ourselves in positions of service?  How do we balance our humanity and our professionalism in an ever-changing world?  How are we community builders?  Get ready for a keynote that will provoke your thinking, engage your emotions and nourish your spirit!

x

Early Childhood Professionals: The Heroes of Our Time (60 – 90 min.)

This powerful, fun, thought-provoking keynote address includes music, opportunities for reflection, interactive discussions with the audience about the stresses and triumphs of the early childhood teacher/caregiver, singing, poetry and (believe it or not) dancing in the aisles!  Audiences come away cheering, energized and filled with honor for the unique contribution they are to society. (Candle lighting ceremony available upon request)

Watch: The candle lighting ceremony from Richard’s keynote address, “The Heroes of Our Time”

 

Becoming Reflective, Intentional Practitioners (60 – 90 min.)

This keynote provides an opportunity for both teachers and directors to consider the values of reflection and intentionality in how they go about their work.  We will explore the ideas of mindfulness and metacognition as we consider why we react to and interact with children, families and colleagues the ways we do.  We will explore what it means to make intentional, professional choices each day.  Audience members will also be given opportunities to share their own strategies and learn from the wisdom of each other.

x

Inspiring The Creative In Children (60 – 90 min.)

Get ready for a very nontraditional, interactive keynote presentation filled with dancing, singing, playing, laughter and lots of thought-provoking ideas about creativity, imagination and wonder.  We’ll look at what’s happening in our brains and spirits as we create. We’ll explore how to encourage young children’s creative thinking and problem-solving. We’ll take a look at inspiring early childhood environments and activities and consider how to implement these ideas in our own spaces.

x

What’s Love Got To Do with It? (90 min.)

This keynote requests interactivity from participants as we explore Love, its various meanings and its place in early childhood curriculum and professionalism. I discuss love from a neurological perspective and relate it to early attachment theory.  I then facilitate exercises in which participants reflect, interact and discuss ideas with each other around their affective and behavioral experiences of love.  I close by providing a powerful guided imagery exercise in which participants explore how they balance who they are as loving persons and as professionals.

x

Room To Grow: Creating Environments That Inspire & Engage (90 min.)

This interactive keynote addresses the role of the room environment in shaping children’s behaviors and capacities to learn.  Participants are given seven key considerations to keep in mind when designing or reviewing their own classroom spaces.  The keynote closes with a special guided imagery exercise in which audiences members are invited to explore their own childhood environments and to see the possible connections to their adult personalities and behaviors.

 

x 

For Parents:

x

Parenting in the Twenty-First Century (60 min.)

This keynote, which focuses on inspirational insight and practical strategies, looks at five aspects of successful parenting: Loving, Learning, Guiding, Communicating and Playing.  Explore the challenges and strategies of parenting today.  Consider thought-provoking ideas on how to prepare children for a future world we cannot begin to imagine.

Email: richard@richardcohen.com