Workshops

 

Embrace the Process: Creative Experiences for Curious Minds

Join us for an engaging and transformative workshop, Embrace the Process: Creative Experiences for Curious Minds, designed for educators, caregivers, and anyone passionate about fostering creativity and curiosity in children. This workshop delves into the power of process-based learning, a dynamic approach that encourages children to take the lead in their own educational journeys.

Workshop Overview

In today’s fast-paced world, traditional teacher-led instruction often limits children's natural curiosity and creativity. Research shows that learning is most effective when children are actively engaged in hands-on exploration and self-directed inquiry. This workshop will equip participants with innovative strategies to implement process-based experiences across all curriculum areas, ensuring that children not only learn but thrive.

Key Learning Objectives

• Understand the Importance of Process-Based Learning: Discover why allowing children to guide their own learning is essential for deeper understanding.
• Explore Effective Strategies: Investigate practical methods for integrating process-based experiences into your teaching practice, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Promote Holistic Development: Learn how process-oriented approaches can address social and emotional challenges while supporting the overall development of children of all ages.
• Reduce Burnout and Behavior Challenges: Understand how engaging learning environments can lead to more fulfilled educators and reduce behavioral issues in the classroom.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is ideal for teachers, early childhood educators, childcare providers, and anyone interested in enhancing their understanding of child-led learning. Whether you work with toddlers or older students, you will leave with actionable insights to create a more engaging and supportive learning environment.

Warning:

Engaging with these strategies may lead to increased enthusiasm among educators and children alike, resulting in reduced burnout and fewer behavior challenges!

Join Us!

Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your approach to teaching and learning. Together, let’s embrace the process and inspire curious minds!

 

 

Communication & Collaboration in Your Early Learning Program

Unlock the power of effective teamwork and create a harmonious work environment in your early learning program! This engaging workshop focuses on enhancing communication skills and fostering collaboration among colleagues, essential elements for a thriving and respectful workplace.

What You'll Learn:

• Professional communication techniques tailored for early learning settings
• Proven conflict resolution strategies to maintain a positive atmosphere
• How to address and prevent workplace gossip
• Techniques for having courageous conversations with colleagues and supervisors
• Best practices for maintaining professionalism in challenging situations

Workshop Highlights:

• Explore the impact of generational differences and implicit biases on team dynamics
• Develop emotional literacy and self-awareness to improve interpersonal relationships
• Participate in hands-on team-building activities that promote unity and laughter
• Gain practical tools to implement immediately in your early learning program

This interactive workshop combines expert insights with fun, practical exercises designed to strengthen your team's bonds and communication skills. Participants will leave with a renewed sense of purpose and concrete strategies to enhance collaboration in their early learning environments.

Join us for an enlightening and entertaining session that will transform the way you and your colleagues work together!

 

The Road to Self-Regulation

Children in the 2020’s have experienced the world with limited social and emotional skills due to the pandemic and other societal stressors. This sets the stage for increased mental wellness challenges, including anxiety and depression. As educators, it’s our role to create a safe environment for children to re-learn these skills, and the foundation for this is self-regulation.

Workshop Objectives

Participants will:

• Understand the impact of the pandemic on children's social-emotional development
• Explore the foundations of self-regulation and its importance in mental wellness
• Learn practical techniques to create safe, supportive environments for skill-building
• Develop strategies to teach and reinforce self-regulation skills in the classroom
• Practice self-regulation tools for personal growth and effective co-regulation

Key Topics

• Identify common mental wellness challenges, including anxiety and depression
• Define self-regulation and its role in emotional management
• Explore the link between self-regulation and future success
• Strategies for establishing a safe, nurturing environment
• Implementing daily routines and structures to promote emotional stability
• Introduction to evidence-based self-regulation techniques
• Adapting strategies for different age groups and individual needs
• Understanding the educator's role as a co-regulator
• Practicing personal self-regulation to model effective strategies

Takeaways

Participants will leave the workshop with:

A comprehensive understanding of self-regulation and its importance

A toolkit of practical strategies to implement in their classrooms

Personal self-regulation techniques for professional and personal use

Resources for ongoing support and further learning

 

By attending The Road to Self-Regulation, educators will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to support children's emotional growth, fostering resilience and well-being in the face of ongoing societal challenges. Join us in this crucial journey towards creating a generation of emotionally intelligent, self-regulated learners.

 

Navigating Challenging Behavior

Overview
Join us for our highly sought-after workshop, Navigating Challenging Behavior, designed to equip participants with essential skills and strategies for effectively managing challenging behaviors in various settings. Whether you are new to the field or looking to refresh your guiding skills, this workshop offers valuable insights and practical tools to enhance your confidence and competence.

Target Audience
This workshop is ideal for educators, caregivers, support staff, and anyone involved in working with individuals exhibiting challenging behaviors. No prior experience is necessary; all are welcome!

Workshop Objectives
Participants will:

• Gain a foundational understanding of challenging behaviors and their underlying causes.
• Explore a variety of evidence-based strategies for prevention and intervention.
• Learn how to create a supportive environment that fosters positive behavior.
• Develop personalized action plans to implement in their own contexts.
• Engage in interactive discussions and role-playing scenarios to practice new skills.

What You Will Learn

• Identify and understand the different types of challenging behaviors and their potential triggers.
• Discover how to communicate effectively with individuals displaying challenging behaviors.
• Explore a range of strategies, including positive reinforcement, de-escalation techniques, and proactive approaches.
• Learn how to design environments that minimize triggers and promote positive interactions.

Format

This engaging workshop will combine presentations and group discussions. Participants will leave with a toolkit of resources and strategies they can immediately apply in their work.

Join Us!
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills in navigating challenging behaviors. Together, we can create more supportive environments that empower individuals to thrive!

 

Mash, Bash, and Crash: Incorporating Vestibular and Proprioception Needs of Children

Target Audience:

Educators, therapists, childcare providers, and parents of children aged 3-12 years.

Workshop Description:

This interactive workshop focuses on the significance of big body and messy play in supporting the vestibular and proprioceptive needs of children. Participants will explore how these types of play experiences enhance children's body awareness, gross motor skills, and imaginative abilities. Through engaging activities and collaborative discussions, attendees will learn to create a safe, supportive environment that encourages adventurous play while considering developmental appropriateness.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will leave the workshop with the ability to:

1. Understand Developmental Needs: Recognize the role of vestibular and proprioceptive input in child development.
2. Design Engaging Activities: Create big body play experiences that promote sensory integration and motor skill development.
3. Implement Messy Play: Facilitate messy play activities that enhance sensory exploration and creativity.
4. Conduct Risk/Benefit Analysis: Assess potential risks associated with adventurous play while identifying their developmental benefits.
5. Support Adventurous Play: Develop strategies to encourage children’s participation in adventurous activities safely and effectively.

Key Components:

• Hands-On Learning: Participants will engage in various activity stations that demonstrate big body play and messy play techniques.
• Collaborative Discussions: Group discussions will allow participants to share insights, experiences, and strategies for implementing these practices.
• Practical Application: Attendees will conduct a risk/benefit analysis for different play scenarios, equipping them with tools to assess safety in their own environments.

By fostering an understanding of the importance of sensory-rich experiences, this workshop aims to empower educators and caregivers to create environments where children can thrive through adventurous play. Participants will walk away with practical tools, creative ideas, and renewed enthusiasm for incorporating big body and messy play into their daily routines. Join us for a fun-filled session that celebrates the joy of movement, exploration, and imaginative play!

 

In the Grand 'Schema' Things

This engaging workshop provides early childhood educators with essential insights into schemas - the repeated patterns of behavior that infants and toddlers use to express their developing interests and explore the world around them. By recognizing and understanding these schemas, educators can better interpret children's actions, guide their behavior effectively, and create enriching learning experiences.

Workshop Highlights

• Explore the concept of schemas in early childhood development
• Identify common schemas such as throwing, dumping, and hiding
• Learn to recognize schema-driven behaviors in infants and toddlers
• Gain insights into the underlying motivations behind seemingly disruptive actions
• Discover strategies to positively guide schema-based behaviors
• Develop techniques to enhance learning experiences that align with children's natural urges
• Participate in hands-on activities to reinforce schema recognition
• Collaborate with peers to create schema-supportive environments

This workshop serves as a valuable 'cheat sheet' for early childhood educators, providing them with the tools to better understand and support infant and toddler behavior. Participants will leave with practical strategies to create more meaningful and developmentally appropriate learning experiences for young children.

 

Loose Parts: The What, Why, and How

Discover the power of loose parts play in early childhood education! This hands-on workshop will explore the fascinating world of open-ended materials and their role in fostering creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills in children from infancy through school age.

Workshop Overview

Participants will:

• Explore the concept of loose parts play, its origins, and its importance in child development.
• Learn about different types of loose parts suitable for various age groups.
• Discover strategies for introducing and managing loose parts in educational settings.
• Engage in hands-on exploration of diverse loose parts and play props.
• Investigate schemas and the stages of loose parts play.

Key Topics

• Definition and theory behind loose parts play
• Benefits for children's cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development
• Types of Loose Parts
• Age-appropriate loose parts for infants to school-age children
• Strategies for introducing loose parts in educational settings
• Managing and storing loose parts effectively
• Creating inviting loose parts environments
• Understanding children's play patterns and behaviors
• Recognizing and supporting different stages of loose parts engagement

Hands-on Exploration

• Interactive session with various loose parts and props
• Collaborative problem-solving and creative exercises

Join us to unlock the potential of loose parts play and enhance your educational program with these versatile, cost-effective, and engaging materials!

 

Invitations—In and Out

Join us for the continuation of our popular workshop series, Invitations—In and Out, designed specifically for educators, parents and caregivers of young children. This engaging workshop will explore a wide array of innovative invitation designs that not only capture children's attention but also promote their development across various domains.

Workshop Highlights

• Eye-Catching Designs: Learn how to create visually stimulating invitations that intrigue young minds and encourage participation in activities.
• Developmental Benefits: Discover how thoughtfully crafted invitations can enhance sensory investigation, creativity, and overall cognitive development in children.
• Indoor and Outdoor Activities: Explore a variety of projects that can be executed both indoors and outdoors, fostering a sense of wonder and exploration in natural settings.

What You Will Learn

Participants will gain insights into:

• Design Techniques: Effective strategies for creating invitations that are not only attractive but also age-appropriate and engaging for young children.
• Sensory Exploration: Ideas for incorporating sensory elements into invitations to stimulate curiosity and hands-on learning.
• Practical Applications: How to implement these invitation strategies in everyday settings, whether in classrooms, homes, or community spaces.

Who Should Attend

This workshop is ideal for:

• Educators looking to enhance their curriculum with creative invitation strategies.
• Parents seeking innovative ways to engage their children in learning experiences.
• Caregivers interested in promoting sensory play through inviting environments.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to enrich your approach to engaging young learners. Join us for a day of creativity, learning, and fun as we dive into the world of invitations that inspire wonder in young children!