2026 Early Learning Conference
Teaching Preschool Partners and Gladstone Center for Children and Families are proud to present:
Community
Rooted in Relationships, Cultivating Growth, Seeding the Future
Engaging Keynote Presentations
Topical Breakout Sessions
Materials Exploration & Resource Tables
Dr. Katie Statman-Weil is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and holds a doctorate in Education (EdD). Katie has experience in many areas of the early childhood education field, including working as a classroom teacher, early education nonprofit director, college professor, and inclusion specialist. Katie currently works as a family therapist and is the founder of With Connection PDX, which offers inclusive and affirming child and family therapy as well as professional development for educators. She is the author of the book Trauma Responsive Strategies for Early Childhood and is thrilled to get to travel the country training educators on trauma responsive teaching practices. Katie is a parent to six children through biology and foster care adoption. She brings her experience raising and advocating for the needs of children who have experienced trauma into all of her work.
Holding Steady: Using Trauma-Responsive Practices to Center Joy and Connection in Our Classrooms
In this keynote, Dr. Katie Statman-Weil, LCSW, author of Trauma Responsive Strategies for Early Childhood, explores how educators can intentionally shape classroom environments that nurture belonging, regulation, and emotional safety for children who may arrive carrying stress and worry.
Young children’s nervous systems are shaped by their relationships and environments. When stress is high, it often shows up as confusing behaviors. Rather than viewing these behaviors as problems to fix, Katie invites us to see them as signals that children’s nervous systems are working hard to find safety. This shift in perspective invites us to explore the question: What do our children need in order to feel safe within our classroom communities?
Grounded in trauma research and brain science, this keynote reframes the classroom as a powerful protective factor in children’s lives. Together we will center moments of joy and connection to support children’s growth and learning.
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