WONDERS OF NATURE
2017 CONFERENCE
Presented by
TIMMINS ANDAREA CHILD CARE PLANNING COMMITTEE
April 28, 29, 2017
NORTHERN COLLEGE APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, HIGHWAY 101, SOUTH PORCUPINE
(Register with the Timmins YMCA)
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 1, 2017
AGENDA
Friday, April 28, 2017
NORTHERN COLLEGE
12:30 – 1:00 pmRegistration and light snacks
1:00 – 4:00Concurrent Workshops: Pick one
- Pedagogical Leadership – Lorrie Baird
The role of leadership in early learning is changing rapidly. As leaders, how might we reconcile the responsibility between never ending administrative responsibilities,ensuring programquality, and supporting the growth and development of educators? Throughout this session we will explore four focuses of Pedagogical Leaders which are: working from a place of visionand values; focusing on building strong relationships; nurturing dispositions that are useful in our work; and embedding professional development in day-to-day practice.
Lorrie Bairdhas been actively working in the early learning field for 30 years. Her experience ranges from Classroom Educator, Director, College Faculty, Curriculum Consultant and now as a Pedagogical Leader and Associate Executive Director with Compass Early Learning and Care in Peterborough, Ontario.
Lorrie has immersed herself in the early learning field strengthening her understanding of the teaching and learning process. As a pedagogical leader and professional learningfacilitator she believes in engaging educators in reflective practice and ensuring that our work in adult learning parallels that which we want to foster with children. Deeply rooted in a social constructivist approach, her practice is to engage early learning professionals in opportunities to reflect and think together about their work.
- Promouvoir le bien-être au quotidien - Sandra Sparrow
La formation donne un apperçu du bien-être et comment la santé mentale est une composante intégrale au bien-être. Des stratégies vont être offerts qui promouvoir le bien-être qui sont simples et se rattachent à des activités que nous faison déjà.
Sandra Sparrow, lead en santé mentale au Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grande Rivières, vous présentera une formation pour faire la promotion du bien-être chez les enfants et les adultes. Sandra vous offrira des pratiques quotidiennes pour faire la promotion du bien-être.
- Sensory Disorders – Kim Bordignon, Stephanie Duke
We all vary in the way we process sensory information. It only becomes a problem when it interferes with daily life. Many children with sensory processing difficulties need assistance to help them regulate their systems to stay “Just Right”. They have difficulty maintaining self-regulation, to be able to successfully engage in an activity.
One way to describe sensory processing is by breaking it down into 4 categories.Your child can fit into one category or they can fit into all four categories, changing the way they respond to sensory information throughout the day. This changing pattern is what makes sensoryprocessing so challenging to understand. In this workshop, the different sensory patterns will be discussed and strategies will be presented.
Kim Bordignon has worked as an Occupational Therapist with the CochraneTemiskaming Children’s Treatment Centre since 1986, Stephanie Duke is a Therapy Assistant who has worked with the centre since 1997.
5:30Cocktails
6:00ECE APPRECIATION DINNER: Prizes and Awards
7:30GROWING COMMUNITIES THAT THRIVE – Lorrie Baird
What do we want for young children? Ourselves? Our families? What kind of a community to do want to build? How can we create a place where each of us feels a true sense of belonging, where learning is joyful, where we can express ourselves and have a strong sense of self?
These questions invite us to reflect on the powerful role we play in creating the kinds of communities where learning happens best. We will reflect on how each moment, each response, each experience can play a critical role in creating the kinds of communities where we can thrive.
Saturday, April 29:
NORTHERN COLLEGE
8:30 amRegistration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 12:00Concurrent Workshops: Pick one
- L’importance du jeu amorcé par l’enfant!
Pierre Harrison, M.SC, B.Ed. OCT/EAO, PLAYLearnThink
Jouer fait partie du comportement naturel d’un enfant – c’est en jouant qu’il explore son milieuet qu’il arrive à comprendre le monde qui l’entoure. Grâce au jeu, les enfants éprouvent une admiration envers le monde qui les entoure et la joie de la liberté du jeu.
Ces émotions leur permettent d’établir des liens solides avec le monde naturel, d’acquérir une vision positive d’eux-mêmes dans ce monde et du cultiver leur confiance en soi.
Dans cet atelier, nous allons explorer divers aspects du jeu libre et spontané de l’enfant en mettant l’emphase sur le jeu à l’extérieur. Les participants auront beaucoup de temps pour jouer avec une multitude de pièces détachées. Ceci leur permettra de plonger dans ce monde du jeu libre qui est à la base du développement sain de l’enfant
Pierregrandit dans le Nord de l’Ontario ou il jouit d’une vie en forêt pleine d’émerveillement et d’aventure. Il est un enseignant agréé en Ontario, spécialiste en apprentissage par le jeu et défenseur du droit au jeu de l’enfant. Depuis 1985, Pierre a travaillé dans le domaine de l’éducation non-formelle et a occupé des postes d’éducateur avec des centres d’éducation en Amérique du Nord et l’Europe. En 2003, il lança PLAYLearnThink, une entreprise sociale qui s’engage à promouvoir l’importance du jeu comme pierre de guée menant à une vie saine et enrichissante. Pierre à animé des formations pour enseignant(e)s, éducatrices, parents et pourvoyeur de service en santé et en loisir. Ses formations permettent une meilleure compréhension du jeu et son rôle dans le développement sain de l’enfant. Pierre a aussi présenté sur l’apprentissage et le jeu pour des auditoires divers au Canada, aux États-Unis et en Europe. En 2014, Pierre a fait une tournée de la province avec le Ministère de l’éducation de l’Ontario pour animer une formation sur l’importance du jeu pour les équipes pédagogiques PAJE de tous les conseils scolaires francophones. Depuis ce temps, il travaille avec des municipalités, des conseils scolaires, des écoles et des garderies en Ontario et à l’échelle du pays. Pierre est le président du volet Canadien de l’Association international pour le jeu. Il vit dans une maison construite de ballots de paille dans le Nord de l’Ontario avec sa conjointe Susanne et leurs fils Tom (7 ans) de qui il apprend beaucoup.
- Exploring Nature through Creative Experiences – Patricia Couroux
This outdoors, hands-on workshop will explore how educators can incorporate creative opportunities and nature based experiences into their early learning and child care environments, which utilize the readily available gift that Mather Nature has afforded us. This workshop will support educators to connect with the outdoor environment and minimize the impact that materials, children and educators have on the environment. Participants will have an opportunity to discover how the natural, outdoor environment acts as the Third Educator and develop a range of activities that will engage children and encourage them to respect the natural world all round them.
Patricia Couroux is the Early Childhood Community Development Centre's Coaching and Mentoring Services Coordinator. In this role, she supports early learning programs with pedagogy, indoor and outdoor space design, team building and operational support. Patricia also develops and facilitates a variety of related professional learning opportunities to early learning programs across Ontario. Patricia is a Registered Early Childhood Educator who has worked in the field of Early Childhood Education for over twenty years, including eleven years as Supervisor of Niagara Nursery School & Child Care Centre. Patricia has worked as a Quality Child Care Niagara (QCCN) Coordinator and Trainer since 2007 and is a member of the Quality Child Care Niagara Advisory Committee, Niagara Child Care Sector Executive Committee, Niagara Infant Mental Health Advisoryand the Niagara Emergent Literacy Consortium. She has both a comprehensive knowledge of Niagara's early learning and child care community and a true passion for designing exceptional learning experiences and high quality environments for Niagara's children.
- Play as Complex Learning – Lorrie Baird
We have long since known about the importance of play for young children, and as we learn more, we are deepening our understanding of our role in supporting complex play and learning both outdoors and in. In this session, we will explore children’s sensory motor development, schemas and social emotional development that support the growth of healthy, strong and capable children.
- Have a Ball Together – Louise Choquette
This active two and a half hour workshop will provide early years staff the skills and confidence necessary to have a positive influence on the physical activity level and physical literacy of children. Workshop topics include: the benefits of physical activity, developing physical literacy, strategies for increasing physical activity, participation in hands-on activities, and additional tools to support physical activity promotion.
Louise Choquette has been with the Best Start Resource Centre since 2005, where she has lead initiatives in reaching Francophones, reproductive and child health of newcomers, physical activity, prenatal education and tobacco control. Her formal education is in Communications and Educational Technology. Louise has two adult children.
12:00 – 1:00Lunch: Madison Mitzeau – Healthy Kids Coalition
As the Local Project Manager for the Healthy Kids Coalition, Madison has brought together community partners from different sources, such as public health, education, recreation and local business to collaborate on programs that promote healthy behaviours in children and their families.
The HKCC is an initiative to help children be more active and healthy so they can reach their full potential. Madison will explain her role and encourage each one of us to engage in physical activity, healthy eating and healthy living with our children and families.
1:10 – 4:00Concurrent Workshops: Pick one
- Professionalism and Leadership in a Regulated Profession: Ashley Bergwerff
This presentation takesa closer look at the concepts of professionalism in early childhood education in Ontario. Topics include ethical and professional standards, protected titles and designations, public register, continuous professional learning, and accountability for professional practice and conduct. A “must” for ECEs at all levels and their employees.
Ashley Bergwerff is the Manager of External Relations at the College of Early Childhood Educators. She has a strong background in educational programming and outreach. Prior to joining the College, Ashley worked for 10 years at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in Parliamentary Protocol and Public Relations and focused heavily on curriculum-based program development and delivery. Her presentation style is relaxed and approachable and she enjoys speaking to a wide variety of audiences.
- ECCDC’s Top 20: Strategies for Naturalizing Your Early Learning Environments – Patricia Couroux
This workshop is specially designed to support educator teams in designing innovative indoor and outdoor environments. Participants will receive 20 of our best strategies in bringing natural, open ended materials into early learning environments. Additionally, the workshop will provide opportunities for educators to consider how to plan and set up environments that foster child centred learning both indoors and outdoors while incorporating the values of the children, families and staff.
Patricia Couroux, Early Childhood Community Development Centre
- À vous de jouer ensemble! – Louise Choquette
Cet atelier actif de deux heures et demie vise à donner aux intervenants en petite enfance les habiletés et la confiance nécessaires pour avoir une influence positive sur le niveau d’activité physique et du savoir-faire physique des enfants. L’atelier couvrira les sujets suivants: bienfaits de l’activité physique, développement du savoir-faire physique, stratégies d’augmentation de l’activité physique, participation à des activités pratiques et autres outils de promotion de l’activité physique.
Louise travaille depuis plus de 10 ans pour le Centre de ressources Meilleur départ. Elle a mené pour cet organisme des initiatives dans use variété de domaines, incluant les interventions auprès des francophones, l’activité physique, l’éducation prénatale, la santé maternelle et infantile des nouveaux arrivants ainsi que le contrôle du tabagisme. Sa formation a été complétée dans les domaines de la communication et de la technologie éducative. Louis a deux enfants d’âge adulte.
- Outdoor Play in Natural Settings
Pierre Harrison, M.SC, B.Ed. OCT/EAO, PLAYLearnThink
Play is a part of a child’s natural behaviour – it is how they explore and build knowledge about their environment. Through plan children experience awe for the world around them and joy in the freedom of their play. This leads to strong connections to the natural world and the development of a positive sense of self within this world. This workshop will explore different aspects of free, spontaneous play with a focus on the importance of outdoor plan in a natural setting. Participants will plan with a multitude of loose parts and thus plunge into the wonderful world of self-directed play which is the foundation for the healthy development of children.
Pierregrew up in the vast forest wonderland of Northern Ontario where he enjoyed a playful childhood filled with wonder and adventure. He is a certified teacher in the province of Ontario and a play advocate. Since 1985, Pierre has been involved in non-formal learning and has worked at various education centers in promoting the importance of play as an essential stepping-stone towards a healthy and fulfilling life. He has trained teachers, educators, recreation leaders, health care service providers, parents/caregivers and the public on the importance of unstructured plan in the healthy development of children. He has also spoken on the topic of play and learning for various audiences in Canada, the USA and Europe. In 2014 Pierre toured the province with the Ministry of Educationof Ontario training kindergarten teachers/educators on the importance of play. Since then he has worked with municipalities, school boards, schools and daycares throughout Ontario and Canada. Pierre is the current president of the Canadian branch of the International Play Association. He lives in an off-grid, straw bale house in Northern Ontario with his partner Susanne and their 7-year-old son Tom, from whom he learns much.
- Sacred Medicines and Medicine Wheel Concepts – Jennifer Wabano
This presentation will inform participants of traditional concepts on why we use the sacred medicines, and why they are important to our culture. Participants will also learn of Medicine Wheel Concepts and how we utilize the sacred circle.
Jennifer Wabano – Cultural Resource Coordinator
Jen is a recent Social Service Worker Honours Graduate and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts – Community Development Program. She is also a Traditional Knowledge keeper and has experience working in Northern communities through Weeneebayko’s Traditional Healing Program. Jen has also done Medicine Wheel workshops and Treaty presentations at the local high schools and college.
General Information
Awards – Please submit your conference attendance card prior to April 1 – if you have completed 10 plus workshops, you will receive a certificate at the Appreciation Dinner.
Display tables will be set up on Saturday. (College of ECE’s, Thirty One, Healthy Kids Coalition, Porcupine Health Unit, etc.)
Places to stay in South Porcupine are limited. Several hotels are situated on Highway 101/Algonquin Blvd./Riverside Drive making Northern College easy to locate. The hotels include Super 8, Holiday Inn and Suites, Days Inn, Comfort Inn.
We also may have access to the College dorms – will keep you posted.
WONDERS OF NATURE
Friday April 28Saturday April 29, 2017
Name: ______
Agency/Centre: ______
Phone Number: ______
Allergies/Special Menu: ______
Registration Fees (circle applicable fee)
FRIDAY NIGHT FEE: $25.00
FRIDAY AFTERNOON FEE: $15.00
SATURDAY FEE: $20.00
FULL CONFERENCE: $60.00 (Register by April 1 - $50.00 for full conference – discount only applies to full conference)
Mail cheque and registration form to: Timmins YMCA
376 Poplar Avenue
Timmins, ON P4N 4S4
Or Email registration form to:
Or Fax Registration form to: 705-360-4382
Payment must be made in advance – if you wish to use Visa or Mastercard, call Lesley at: 705-360-4381. To receive early bird discount, enroll before April 1. 2017.
Workshop Selection: (circle each event you will be attending)
Friday PM - Circle (X) one choice-
Sensory Disorders: Kim Bordignon, Stephanie Duke / Pedagogical LeadershipLorrie Baird / Santé mentale – bien être
Sandra Sparrow
Friday Evening Appreciation Dinner- Attending Yes _____ No _____
Saturday AM – Circle (X) one choice
L’importance de jeu amorcé par l’enfantPierre Harrison / Exploring Nature Through Creative Experiences
Patricia Couroux / Play as Complex Learning
Lorrie Baird / Have a Ball
Together
Louise Choquette
Lunch: Guest Speakers – Madison Mitzeau, Healthy Kids Coalition – Lunch provided
Saturday PM – Circle (X) one choice
Professionalism and Leadership in a Regulated Profession – Ashley Bergwerff / Top 20: Strategies for Naturalizing Your Early Learning EnvironmentsPatricia Couroux / À vous de jouer ensemble
Louise Choquette / Outdoor Plan in Natural
Settings
Pierre Harrison / Cultural
Awareness
Jennifer Wabano