Teacher Paola Gutierrez Navarro and paraprofessional Mildred Eusebio of the Learning Through Play Pre-K Center in the Bronx enjoy the workshop “Math Party: Bringing Joyful Math Exploration to Early Learners,” where educators made geometric shapes with Play-Doh.

Vice President for Elementary Schools Karen Alford welcomes attendees and shouts out paraprofessionals, whom she calls critical to effective early childhood education.

Educators, including teachers Yajaira Eduardo (center) of PS 168 in the Bronx and Angel Desepeda (left) of PS 158 in Brooklyn, listen intently to keynote speaker and social and emotional learning expert Leslee Udwin.

Leslee Udwin, founder of Think Equal, a program for social and emotional learning, delivers a rousing and emotional call to arms, telling attendees, “You hold the future in your hands.”

Students from PS 66, PS/IS 155, PS 41, and Mott Hall IV of Brooklyn, all members of the “Science of Music” program, perform on the steel drums for conference attendees.

Attendees are engaged as Anne Marie Hogan of the UFT Teacher Center facilitates a workshop during the conference.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew greets early childhood educators to the conference, whose decor reflected its carnival theme.

Musician Polanco Jones Jr. entertains attendees with a song.

Early childhood educators stand and swing napkins in time to the beat of the student musicians who performed at the conference.

Early childhood educators stream toward the elevators at UFT headquarters on the way to the professional development workshops offered at the conference.

Participants engage in a literacy workshop.

Educators cheer for the winner of a raffle awarded during the conference.