Part 1 of 2-session series 7 - 9 PM $80
Early Learning Environments That Improve Well-Being
This two-session workshop offers practical tools to examine your learning environment through the lens of well-being* with the goal of increasing “feel-good” factors and decreasing environmental stress. Participants will be encouraged to implement one or two goal strategies between sessions and share successes and challenges during the second session.
*Well-being -- a state of physical, social, or emotional comfort. This includes happiness and satisfaction, effective social functioning, and the dispositions of optimism, openness, curiosity, and resilience (from Capable, Confident & Curious).
Presenter - Olha Khaperska is a consultant who created Beautiful Classrooms, a classroom makeover service, to help teaching teams implement positive changes in their learning environments. She draws on her experience in advertising, publishing, lighting and knitwear design together with her knowledge of early learning that was tested in various classrooms.

Olha has a degree in Management, an ECE diploma from the Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Education, and an Early Childhood Administrator Certificate. She currently works as a Lead ECE in the Pre-Primary program.
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Many early learning professionals are struggling to answer how to position technology in their early learning programs. This workshop
explores the if, how and why questions of the role that technology can play in children’s play experiences.

**To register please contact Katrina George at [email protected] or by calling (902) 597 4406

9 - 4 PM Free Lunch included Feb 20 & Feb 21

Module 1: Pedagogical Leadership
‘Pedagogical Leaders demonstrate credible knowledge of the teaching and learning process and draw on those principles to guide individuals and groups.’ (Coughlin and Woodburn, 2016)
This module, designed for any type of leader in our field who is working in a regulated child care setting or Pre-primary Program, will focus on how pedagogical leadership supports educators in reflecting upon, and learning more about, their practices with children.
We will address - through experiences and dialogue – the questions: What is an effective pedagogical leader? How do we work through growth and change in positive ways? How do we encourage innovative practices?
Participants will:
• develop an understanding of the role of a pedagogical leader, how this role can be improved through reflection, and how this type of leadership can support the vision and goals of their setting.
• explore ideas around leading others through change and growth, while making connections to the framework, as they practice motivating, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• reflect upon what it means to be a leader in terms of curriculum decisions; how we develop programs that are play-based, intentional, and connected to the practices described in the framework.

Apply using application form

Module 2 9 - 4 PM Lunch Included
Module 2: The Image of the Child
‘A person’s Image of the Child….is influenced by that person’s experiences, culture, values and beliefs’ (N.S Early Learning Curriculum Framework, p11).
This statement about the Image of the Child from the curriculum framework is foundational for the practices described within the document. In this module, we will use reflection and dialogue to work through our own images of children and how these are made visible in our day to day interactions, routines, decision-making, and responses to children.
We will address – through experiences and dialogue - the questions: What is your ‘Image of the Child’? Why does this image matter? How do our images and practices align with the Framework? What difference does it make to our daily practice? How does the Image of the Child affect the role of an educator or leader?
Participants will:
• articulate their Image of the Child, considering their own centre’s philosophies and values.
• understand how their own childhood experiences, family background, spiritual and cultural values, as well as experiences as an adult and educator, influence their images of children.
• improve awareness of what they see and understand in their approaches with children and recognize how their images of children shape their ECE practices.
Use the application form

7 - 9 PM $40
This session is for educators and recreation programmers who are not familiar with loose parts theory and / or have not tried implementing it in their outdoor space.
It seems like everyone is talking about 'loose parts' these days! Do you have 'loose parts' at your centre? Do you 'do' loose parts? Inside, and/or outside? If inside has been easy, but outside has been a challenge, this session is for you. What kinds of loose parts are easy to manage, clean and store for outside? What risks do we need to consider? What are the benefits that make loose parts better outside than our regular equipment and toys? Come and see!
Presenter - Tanya Moxley is an ambassador for the importance of unstructured loose parts play for children’s successful growth & development. In 2015, while working with the Halifax Regional School Board’s Excel program for Before & After School Care, she was invited to introduce the ‘loose parts play’ concept to 18 Excel programs. The success of that venture has turned into a small business providing loos parts adventure play sessions for child care centres, day camps and after-school programs, as well as offering professional development for educators and recreation staff, and support to parents in letting their children take on more risk. Tanya has completed the Playworker Development Course, through Pop-up Adventure Play in the UK.
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