J. Michael Hall is the father of two sons (a high school teacher and a marketing director) and the husband to a beautiful high school reading teacher. Mr. Hall has been a special education teacher, a teacher of the gifted and talented, and an intermediate and middle school principal. As an educator, speaker, and founder of Strong Fathers-Strong Families, he has presented to more than 225,000 fathers and parents at local schools, Head Starts, and regional and national conferences.

 J. Michael has worked with over 300 schools in Texas and in over 45 states with public schools and Head Starts.

He is a fourth-generation Texas farmer and cattle raiser, an AirBnB superheat, a church and community leader, and a proud dog owner. 

“Mike” is also the current co-host of the Intentional Partnerships, a collaborative podcast in partnership with Lindsey Shah and the National Center for Parents as Teachers. He has written five different fatherhood curricula and is also a contributing author to the book on fathering entitled Why Fathers Count. He is considered one of the country’s foremost experts on working with fathers in schools and Head Starts. For his pioneering work in education, he was honored as a 2012 White House Champion of Change for his work in the fatherhood field around the nation.

Contact: www.CreativePlayLA.com

My passion, through my workshops and my website, is to equip all of us who love and care for children with play-based, child-centered activities that meet Preschool Foundations and Common Core Standards. My workshop activities build 21 st century skills, such as creativity, imagination, innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration.  Through playful teaching and learning, we also build close, supportive relationships within a dynamic teaching and learning environment. My favorite quote: “No significant learning happens without a significant relationship.” (A. Comer)
I am available to present workshops, either in-person or virtually, to early childhood educators, parents, afterschool groups, public or private schools, those interested in all things STEM, and anyone interested in teaching and learning through play. I am also more than willing to design a workshop to specifically meet the needs of your particular group. Any of the following workshops I’ve done can also be adapted to fit your needs.

All workshops include a PowerPoint presentation, and plenty of interaction that includes hands-on activities with manipulatives, sharing engaging stories and resources, group discussion, and many opportunities to ask questions and share ideas. We all have so many wonderful ideas and experiences to share! The PowerPoint slides, handouts, and task cards from my sessions are always made available to participants.

contact: www.playfulteachingandlearning.com

Anna Reyner, MA, ATR, LMFT, is the founder of CreativePlayLA, a training & consulting business that uses art-based approaches to positively impact children and families living in disadvantaged, low-income communities. She has successfully merged the principles of art therapy into early childhood education and specializes in helping teachers add trauma-informed art into their classrooms. Anna is the author of two awarding-winning books, Smart Art and Smart Art 2, and has presented over 800 training at state, national and international conferences in her 40 years as a teacher, art therapist, and mental health advocate.

CreativePlay workshops combat educator burnout and compassion fatigue with hands-on, engaged learning strategies and small group collaborations. Join with colleagues and learn new skills that will raise your spirits and renew your passion for work and life. Current “Hot Topics” for Early Childhood Educators include 6 Wellness and Stress Management workshop choices, and 8 Curriculum Competency choices. Contact Anna Reyner for a Fee Schedule or log onto www.CreativePlayLA for workshop video clips and Testimonials or to subscribe to the monthly CreativePlay newsletter.

Contact: www.CreativePlayLA.com