THINK Together And Caltech Join Forces To Expand Opportunities For Low-Income Students, Focused On Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math (STEM)

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THINK Together

Feb 06, 2016, 12:00 ET

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA (PRWEB) February 06, 2016 -- THINK Together, in collaboration with The Children's Center at Caltech, will host the 4th annual Early Childhood Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (ECSTEM) Conference on February 4-6, 2016 at the Pasadena Hilton. The conference will promote and increase awareness of the importance of introducing STEM education in early childhood, birth through eight years.

Russell Shilling, PhD, the Executive Director of STEM at the U.S. Department of Education, will offer the opening conference address. Dr. Shilling oversees the Department's policies to drive innovation in STEM education and enhance interagency coordination. Dr. Shilling will also participate in a panel discussion with Dr. Susan Hackwood, PhD, the Executive Director of the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST), Sacramento, CA; Dr. Chip Donohue, Ph.D., Dean of Distance Learning and Continuing Education and Director of the Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center at Erikson Institute in Chicago; Peggy Ashbrook, an early childhood science teacher, and author of Science is Simple (2003, Gryphon House); Kafi D. Blumenfield, first executive director of the Discovery Cube Los Angeles; Carrie Rothstein-Fisch, PhD, the co-coordinator of the MA in Early Childhood Education and Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling at California State University Northridge.

The objective of the conference is to focus on the challenges facing early childhood educators regarding STEM curriculum and instruction; to address the implication for early childhood pedagogy; and ultimately, to initiate a national movement focusing on STEM education for children, ages birth to eight.

The conference will gather early childhood practitioners, researchers, business leaders, policymakers, and trusted educators to collectively develop a plan to train early childhood educators to provide the highest quality STEM opportunities for our children, spreading awareness of the importance of STEM skills to families and involving them in the process.

For more information on the 4th Annual Early Childhood STEM Conference, visit http://www.ecstem.org

About THINK Together
THINK Together is a nonprofit organization collaborating with communities, parents, teachers, administrators and other stakeholders to help transform and galvanize the K-12 educational system, creating excellence and equity for all kids. THINK Together is California’s largest provider of Expanded Learning Time programs. Through its affiliate, Principal’s Exchange, THINK Together also provides research, professional development and consulting to underserved schools. Combined, THINK Together and Principal’s Exchange serve over 150,000 students at more than 400 locations across more than 45 school districts from Silicon Valley to San Diego. Partnering with school administrators and teachers, THINK Together’s dedicated team of more than 2,500 employees are helping students statewide reach their full potential. THINK is an acronym: Teaching, Helping, Inspiring & Nurturing Kids. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit http://www.THINKtogether.org.

Kelly Kannwischer, THINK Together, http://www.THINKTogether.org, +1 714-543-3807 Ext: 8111, [email protected]