UnConference 2016: Total Leadership

 

UnConference: Total Leadership

The demands in any career today are extensive. Visioning, storytelling, teamwork, financial competence, hiring, negotiations and more are all important skills. In addition, your time commitment is exponentially growing with not only the constant digital communication but also the need for face-to-face time with stakeholders. There never seems to be enough time in a day and early childhood education is no exception.

Yet, the role of an early childhood educator has never been more important as we prepare our children—our future. It’s important to take time to refresh yourself. Today’s world needs “total leadership” where we actively look for win-wins among your work, community, family and most importantly, self.

Overview

Join us for immersive, hands-on professional development training where we study the different facets of Total Leadership.

The founder of Dignity & Respect, Candi Castleberry Singleton, will give the keynote on inclusion and respect for diversity.

Then, choose two workshops from any of the following:

  • Engaging Families in Today’s Digital Landscape
  • The Pillars of Dignity & Respect
  • Keeping the Joy!
  • Making Your Voice Heard
  • Best Practices of Hiring and Retention

The day concludes with a round table discussion and self-reflection.

Cost

Regular registration: $85

PAEYC members: $75

Student PAEYC members: $70

Qualifying educators will receive 6 PQAS/DHS hours or Act 48 credit.

 

Schedule

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

8 am–8:30 am— Registration (coffee provided)
8:30 am–8:45 am — Welcome
8:45 am–9:30 am — Candi Castleberry Singleton, Keynote
9:30 am–10 am — 4-Way Win Plan, Part 1
10 am–10:15 am — Break
10:15 am–11:45 am — Workshop #1
11:45 am–12:45 pm — Lunch
12:45 pm–2:15 pm — Workshop #2
2:15 pm–2:30 pm — Break
2:30 pm–3 pm — 4-Way Win Plan, Part 2
3 pm–4 pm — Roundtable Discussion and Wrap-Up

When registering, please rank your interest in each workshop. We will do our best to schedule you in your desired workshops. Please note that there is limited space in each workshop so it is best to register as early as possible.

Lunch will be provided, as well as coffee (morning), bottled water and snacks.

Workshop Descriptions

Engaging Families in Today’s Digital Landscape

Led by Tanya Baronti of the Fred Rogers Center and Pam Zimmerman of PAEYC, this workshop focuses on how to communicate with and build relationships with families using technology tools and digital media. Participants will be asked to consider implications and benefits of using digital communication to bring families into early education environment. We also will discuss the current practices and policies regarding technology in the early education classroom.

The Pillars of Dignity and Respect

The purpose of the Dignity and Respect campaign is to bring about change so that people live in a world where they are treated with dignity and respect. Founder Candi Castleberry Singleton shares with us how this is possible through respectful interactions, building cultural awareness and finding common ground with individuals who are different from ourselves. In this dynamic workshop, Ms. Castleberry Singleton presents and engages in lively conversation about the seven pillars of Dignity & Respect: 1. Start with You, 2. Sweat the Small Stuff, 3. Build Cultural Awareness, 4. Find Common Ground, 5. Join the Team, 6. Lead the Way, and 7. Do the Right Thing. To learn more about Dignity & Respect Campaign, please visit www.dignityandrespect.org.

Keeping the Joy!

There is no question that play is critical to the development of a young child. As Fred Rogers would say, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

These are the words that inspired the Pittsburgh Play Collaborative. Join presenters from the collaborative in a hands-on session of play! Learn the importance and benefits of play for not just children but also adults. Find new ways to engage your staff in building a joyful and playful work environment.

To learn more about the Pittsburgh Playful Collaborative, please visit www.playfulpittsburgh.org.

Making Your Voice Heard

Each leader today has a different agenda of what needs to be accomplished. But a challenge common to every leader is effectively communicating that agenda.

Led by William Valenta, assistant dean of MBA and Executive Programs at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business, Larry Berger, executive director, SLB Radio Productions, and Sarah Siplak, director of programs, SLB Radio Productions, this innovative session delves into how to communicate in different scenarios. This could be making your voice heard as an advocate for early childhood education funding or implementation of new initiatives. Or, using the right tone of voice to communicate a clear message in a messy situation. Or, focusing on the content of the message so that it makes a memorable impact. Or, this could be about how you’re listening and responding to make the most of your interaction with a stakeholder. Participants will learn fundamental principles to apply to their future communications.

To learn more about SLB and how it uses radio to encourage, amplify, share and archive the ideas, stories and feelings of children, youth and families, please visit www.slbradio.org.

Best Practices in Hiring and Retention

Hiring is one of the most important jobs we can do as leaders and even more critical is maintaining a high retention rate.

In this session, join Deborah Good, clinical assistant professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business and an expert in the field of hiring and retention for today’s best practices. Through a series of interactive exercises, learn what questions you should be asking, how to provide a supportive work environment and how to provide non-monetary incentives to keep your team members engaged at your workplace.About

Candi Castleberry Singleton

Candi Castleberry Singleton is the founder and managing principal of the Dignity & Respect Campaign, a national organization dedicated to making the world a better place for ALL to live—with ALL of our differences. Based on the foundation of 30 Tips, the Campaign promotes dignity and respect for self, others, and communities.

Candi’s business acumen enhances her approach to partnering with senior executives, business process owners, and community leaders to build sustainable practices for the workplace and marketplace. She has implemented successful initiatives as Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at UPMC, at Motorola—where she was Vice President of Global Inclusion and Diversity—and at Sun Microsystems, where she led the Global Inclusion Center of Expertise. She has led teams in operations and talent development, and acquired extensive experience in sales management, product marketing and training at Xerox Corporation.

An experienced strategist, Candi created The Integrated Inclusion Model TM, a systems integration model that helps companies transition from compliance-driven processes led by human resources, to integrated activities that shift the responsibility for achieving an inclusive culture to every employee. The model is featured in her chapter of Crossing the Divide: Intergroup Leadership in a World of Difference (Harvard Business School Press, August 2009).

Candi is an international speaker, teacher, and mentor. She has delivered inspiring keynotes and lectures from Beijing to Budapest to Boston, and serves as an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University. She received an MBA from Pepperdine University, a bachelor’s degree in legal studies from UC Berkeley, and completed the Stanford University Executive Human Resources program.

Location

Mervis Hall
Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
University of Pittsburgh
Roberto Clemente Drive

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact Yu-Ling Behr at conference@paeyc.org.

This UnConference is co-hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business and sponsored by PNC Grow Up Great and Southwest Regional Key.