Date: Wednesday April 14, 2021 7pm-9pm AND Saturday April 17, 2021 Time: 9am - 12noon Cost: $65 Total PD hours: 5 hours Location: ONLINE Presenter: Liz Hicks

Description: In response to popular demand, we are offering a virtual bus tour/workshop visiting four (4) child care centres that have inspiring spaces and environments – inside and outside.
We will reflect, discuss, and look at ideas on ways in which learning environments could inspire ourselves, the children, and Families. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to maintain our values for children not just during the pandemic (I know this has been almost impossible!), but to also plan for the future.

There will be guest educators from Point Pleasant Child Care Centre, who will talk and show you their centres values and how they are practicing and maintaining these values during the pandemic. More information on PPCCC (non-profit child care centre serving 103 Families) can be found at http://www.ppccc.ca/ . A quote from their web site:
We educate, inspire and nurture children because we believe that through our work and care, we can all grow into people who contribute positively to the world around us. We bring everything we have to our work – our hearts and our minds – and provide your children with what they need to be-come their best selves.
Annette Comeau, the new executive director of the Mount St. Vincent Child Study Centre (non-profit centre serving 40 Families) will tell and show us about how they are revisiting the values and approaches to their learning environment. More information on MSVCSC can be found at https://www.msvu.ca/campus-life/campus-services/child-study-centre/. A quote from their web site: The focus of the program is to provide a nurturing home environment for the children with the goal of meeting the children’s need for emotional security.
And finally, we will go on virtual – in real time tour - of two inspiring centres – inside and out, these are:
ForestKids Early Learning Centre, in Hammonds Plains (a private center serving 82 children). http://www.forestkids.ca/node/7 A quote from their website: Our early childhood educators provide nurturing and stimulating environments based on developmentally and individually appropriate daily programs in a natural setting.
and Fox Hollow Child Care Centre, in Upper Tantallon (a private center serving 50 children). https://foxhollowfamily.ca/child-care-centre/ A quote from their web page: We strongly believe in the power of learning whilst playing, allowing children to learn, devel-op and grow in a safe environment at their own pace both inside in the centre and also outside in our spacious grounds.

There will be plenty of time to ask questions, and requests to revisit favourite areas of their programs!
Objectives:
• Increased understanding of what makes an environment inspiring
• Demonstrated how intentional design of environments are important to children’s development
• Provide strategies to take & apply these ideas to your own environment

Presenter Biography: Liz Hicks has over 31 years working within the early childhood field, as an elementary school teacher, administrator of & teacher in a part –day program for 23 years, 5.5 years as an inclusion facilitator for Partner-ships for Inclusion, part time faculty with NSCECE, & she is also a private consultant working with various Centres in H.R.M providing professional development in a variety of topics, environmental & inclusion rating scales, & program coordination. Her passion is to help educators (& administrators) find & develop their potential, so they can help chil-dren find & develop their potential.

Date: Monday April 19 AND Wednesday April 21, 2021 Time: 6:30 pm-9 pm both days Cost: $65 Total PD hours: 5 hours
Location: ONLINE Presenter: Trena Gallant

Music and Movement are essential tools in the classroom, as they create physical and mental engagement, and help to integrate key messages about daily, weekly and seasonal transitions. Music and storytelling also provide a wonderful way to represent the vast cultural diversity in our community, and can introduce children to a variety of languages, festivals, and cultural traditions. Join Trena for a fun and interactive day of learning and sharing and leave feeling inspired and ready to incorporate new songs, stories, and activities into the rhythm of the day. Participants will be given an opportunity to practice and rehearse material, and to explore ways to make it their own. This class is appropriate for those workiing with children from infants up to preschool, as activities can be adapted to all ages.
This workshop will be appropriate for those working with children aged infant to preschool in any setting
Objectives:
Participants will identify the importance of using songs, stories and rhymes to ease daily transitions for children
Participants will create a list of activities and a sample lesson plan that they can incorporate into their curriculum
Participants will identify ways in which they can adapt material for various ages and abilities


Presenter Biography: Trena Gallant is a DONA Approved Birth and Postpartum Doula Trainer, Lamaze Program Director, Infant Massage Instructor, and is trained in Parent-Child Mother Goose. Her passion for birth and babies began at a very young age, when she helped care for the many foster children who her parents welcomed into their home. Trena has worked in numerous childcare settings, and, after graduating with her B.A., moved to Hong Kong where she had the opportunity to train with a variety of international educators and worked in a Waldorf kindergarten. Since returning to Canada, Trena began pursuing her education in birth and postpartum, and has been offering support and education to families for the past 17 years. Her most influential teachers continue to be her partner and their four amazing children.

Friday April 23, 2021  7pm-9pm Cost: $25  PD hours: 2 hours 
Location: ONLINE Presenter: Kathy Black

Description:
This workshop will allow new early childhood educators the opportunity to implement their current knowledge and empow-er the long-term educators to showcase their years of experience and expertise.

*If you register for all sessions, 1-4, there is no cost to attend the final May 21 session.

As early childhood educators in Nova Scotia begin to implement the Nova Scotia Early Learning Curriculum Framework, it is important to reflect on our current practices. This workshop series will encourage participants to share their current practices and explore new tools and ideas to improve overall quality in their early learning environments.

Session 3  Setting up the Indoor Learning Environment

Setting up enriched activity areas in the early childhood classroom is essential when offering a quality program. This work-shop will discuss the important areas of the indoor classroom and how the organization of the areas can impact overall learn-ing. A variety of before and after photos will be showcased to demonstrate how small changes can increase program quali-ty.


Presenter Biography: Kathy Black has been in the field of Early Childhood Education for over 33 years. In the begin-ning of Kathy's career, she enjoyed implementing programs for children 4 months – 12 years of age. After 15 years Kathy left the early childhood classroom to take on the role as Early Childhood Development Consultant and Licensing Officer with the Nova Scotia Provincial Government. Kathy began creating and facilitating curriculum workshops to early childhood educators throughout the province in 2005. In 2019 Kathy began another journey as faculty in the Early Child-hood Education program at the Nova Scotia Community College. Kathy's purpose in life is to empower others to nurture and guide young children and families.

Date: Saturday April 24, 2021 9am—12 noon AND Tuesday April 27, 2021 6pm– 9pm
Cost: $75 Total PD hours: 6 hrs Location: ONLINE Presenters: Colin Morrison & Karen Carey

Description: The purpose of this workshop is to help early childhood educators further their awareness into children’s stress, & the impact high stress has on one’s emotional well-being. Or goal is to explore the difference between stress, trauma; normal stress & over-stressed. We also plan on teaching strategies & coping skills that assist children with day –to-day- struggles & high level of unrelieved stress.

Presenter Biographies: Colin Morrison has over 20 years’ experience working with children, youth & families in the mental health field. Colin has served primarily as youth care worker & case coordinator for families & children in the Child & Family Day Treatment Program at the IWK. He has extensive experience in developing & implementing skill groups with children, particularly in the area of emotional regulation, & providing supportive counselling to families. Colin is currently completing a Master of Social Worker degree at Dalhousie University, & is working on a thesis related to male childhood sexual abuse, & the impacts of "toxic masculinity" on mens' help seeking behaviours. He has a keen interest in trauma focused therapy, attachment theory, mens' health, & issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. 
Karen Carey has over 15 years’ experience working with children, youth & families as a social worker, youth care worker, case coordinator, in home support worker & direct care practitioner. Through evidence based & best practice methods, Karen is a strong advocate for the children, youth & families. Although Karen has strong roots in attachment theory, systems theory, positive parenting, trauma & resilience; her personal philosophy is to promote mental, physical & emotional health/wellbeing though a solution focused & social learning model.
Together Colin & Karen have seen positive & long lasting benefits for children AND families when they are provided education, strategies, guidance, empathy & support. They see effective communication & open collaboration as the key ingredients in supporting positive futures for the children & families under their care.