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With Victoria Armstrong, RECE, B.ECS, Owner Side By Side (SBS) Consulting Services
“Schemas are a fancy word for the urges that children have to do things like climb, throw things and hide in small places... They are the building blocks for the brain, repeated behaviour that in turn forge connections in the brain, patterns of unfolding, learning and growth... By knowing about schemas, we can recognize and support their urges and development,” (Caro, 2012).
In this 1.5-hour session, come and learn more about schema theory, the role of observation and documentation in schema play, the nine most common early childhood schemas including orientation, positioning, connection, trajectory, enclosure, transporting, enveloping, rotation and transformation, as well as material and space considerations to support each schema. We will also take time to explore the transformation schema together.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $40.00
With Melissa Gagnon, Speech-Language Pathologist, M.H.Sc. Reg., CASLPO, Owner, Empower Communication Services
In this workshop participants will gain current insights into language delays in young children. This session will cover the types of language delays, early signs to look for, and the importance of early intervention. Participants will receive hands-on tools to use with children to improve communication skills, interaction skills, and play skills. This session will also outline steps to take for children requiring further intervention through an outside agency.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $10.00
With Daniel Burton, CEO and Co-founder of Educated by Nature
Educated by Nature are intentional about creating space and actively supporting children to experience risky play. We model positive, empowering, and confidence-building language that supports children to take risks. This is coupled with the provision of time and space for children to experience their environment and make necessary decisions to navigate risk. When we trust in children’s abilities and provide opportunities for investigation and engagement with risk, they unlock their innate learning potential. This workshop explores the concept of risk in children’s play and parent perceptions of risk. Ellen Sandseters’ six types of risky play are outlined with discussion about the ways in which these can be used in various child-based settings to support deep engagement and authentic play opportunities. The hands-on section of the workshop allows for discussion on benefit-risk assessment preparation and challenges in implementation of risky play. Registrants who chose the livestream option will receive the link by October 7th.
Prices
Niagara Educators $45.00
Niagara Educator , via Livestream $45.00
Outside Niagara Educator $55.00
Outside Niagara Educator, via Livestream $55.00
Join us for an engaging and informative series designed to inspire curiosity and foster a love of learning in young children. “Igniting Curiosity” will explore the concept of inquiry-based learning, delve into various types of inquiry, and demonstrate practical strategies for implementing these approaches in your program. Learn how to set up provocations and invitations to play and understand the differences between these concepts. Don’t miss this opportunity to equip yourself with the tools and techniques to create an inquiry-friendly environment that nurtures young minds. Register today and take the first step towards making learning an exciting adventure for children!
In the first session of our three-part series on inquiry-based learning, we will explore the exciting and dynamic realm of open-ended inquiry. This approach empowers children to formulate their own questions and decide on the processes to find the answers, promoting a high level of autonomy and personalized learning. This session will provide you with the tools to facilitate open-ended inquiries that transform your program into a hub of exploration and discovery. Join us and take the first step in transforming your program with inquiry-based learning!
Prices
Niagara Educator (Free)
Outside Niagara Educator $25.00
avec Helene Pouliot-Cleare
Cet atelier présentera diverses façons (collecte de données) de recueillir des informations significatives sur les besoins et les intérêts des enfants pour les intégrer dans la planification d’un programme de la petite enfance ou de maternelle/jardin par le biais d’activités qui invitent la réflexion et la participation active afin de valider vos pratiques actuelles et les enrichir.
Prices
Participants au Niagara $15.00
Participants à l’extérieur de Niagara $25.00
With Lisa Pinhorn
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are important topics for us all to understand. We are all surrounded by bias, it is deeply entrenched into our culture, families, and workplaces. Often our unconscious bias is the deep-seated attitudes people hold subconsciously about those around them. The good news is that when we highlight these issues workplace culture can change, and we remove barriers to inclusion while increasing equity. Barriers to accessibility are very real and are experienced every day in neurodiverse family culture. Unfortunately, many of these barriers are baked into the systems families navigate each day. All of these stressors land directly in early learning settings, where parents often turn for assistance. Accessibility in childcare settings means that we firmly believe in the value of flexibility and are always ready to accommodate the needs and preferences of the children we care for each day. Openness and flexibility are our guiding lights to be truly accessible and inclusive. When you offer an accessible service, you are in barrier removal mode every day, seeking creative solutions that “empower the greatest number of people to participate in the activities in the most effective ways possible.” In this workshop we talk about issues connected to systemic bias, unconscious bias, racism, accessibility, equity, barriers to true inclusion, privilege, and ableism in our culture. We will highlight how ableism deeply impacts our neurodiverse community for children of all ages. We will review the international charters of the human rights of children and disabled people. The information covered will help to cultivate learning spaces where everyone feels a sense of belonging - no matter their disability or culture.
Prices
Niagara Educator $25.00
Outside Niagara Educator $45.00
This book study will explore the value of slow pedagogies and slow knowledge. Slow pedagogy focuses on the importance of making time for children’s learning and development in a fast-paced society. Session 1 of this book study will look at the reasons to be slow, how the pressures speed up and for children to be ready for the next stage of development, and the relationships children and educators have with time. Session 2 will explore forms of slow practices in the outdoors, in the indoor environment, in daily routines, and in our observation and documentation. The last session will look at how we move forward with this concept and what a ‘timefull’ approach can look like.
All sessions 6:30 - 8:00pm EST
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
With Debbi Sluys
An interactive, reflective workshop which invites educators to think about their practice of displaying on their walls. The workshop framework covers the following four areas: 1. Align the environment to values; 2. Walls that silence; 3. Intentional display; and 4. The Joy of Aesthetics. Educators and Supervisors will learn about how their view of the child is reflected to themselves, the families, and the children in the choices they make for the displays in the playroom. They will see the connection to their environment and How Does Learning Happen? They will feel inspired by the examples and challenged to re-examine their own playroom choices to offer respectful, educational, and fresh displays which reflect the children and the learning which is occurring. They will uncover the early years “four letter” word which should not be used to describe playroom displays. Participants will be offered such language as “prime-real estate” and “billboard” when considering their choice for displays. It will re-ignite their passion for early years and re-align their purpose for their extraordinary work!
Prices
Niagara Educators $35.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
“Curiosity Sparks” - Embracing Inquiry: Dive into the world of inquiry where curiosity ignites exploration. This network will focus on developing and implementing learning that allows infants and toddlers to take the lead and foster their natural curiosity. Join us to discover strategies and share experiences on creating engaging and responsive learning environments.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
“Curiosity Sparks” - Embracing Inquiry: Dive into the world of inquiry where curiosity ignites exploration. This network will focus on developing and implementing learning that allows infants and toddlers to take the lead and foster their natural curiosity. Join us to discover strategies and share experiences on creating engaging and responsive learning environments.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
Are you employed with one of Niagara’s home child care licensed agencies: Wee Watch or Niagara Region Home Child Care? If so, this Network is for you. Come to tour the ECCDC, borrow resources, problem solve with your peers and engage with others in similar positions.
Prices
Niagara Home Child Care Professionals Only (Free)
This session aims to build educators’ awareness and knowledge of Métis history, culture and way of life by going through the items in the MNO ELCC Education Kit.
The objectives of this presentation are:
The MNO ELCC Advisors hope to build educators’ capacity and confidence in implementing Métis culture and curriculum into their classrooms.
Sponsored by The Métis Nation of Ontario. All attendees will receive an Education Kit from MNO! Space is limited.
Prices
General Admission (Free)
New Fall 2024 Dates!
The environment is often referred to as the “third teacher” due to its importance in early learning. In this café we will discuss how a positive environment that is rich in a variety of experiences, materials and opportunities can support a children’s learning and the development of the whole child. Join the QCCN Team as we highlight tools and resources that can provide us with strategies for increasing quality in our environments.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With Victoria Armstrong
EarlyON programs are bubbling with endless possibilities for curiosity, creativity, innovation and connection. Through intentional research questions, we can deepen our understanding of who children are, the competencies they hold, and the ideas they have as we listen and observe carefully, think with one another, and respond thoughtfully.
In Part 1, we’ll begin by diving into what teacher research is, how and what we observe, what makes a researchable question, and how we can go about forming a specific question for research with other colleagues and families. At the end of this session, participants will have a process that they can utilize with families to create a researchable question for their programs.
Prices
Niagara Educators $15.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
Bringing a Program Statement to Life - Reflection and Implementation: Engage in reflective practices to align your program statement with daily operations. This network will focus on strategies to bring this foundational element to life, ensuring it guides decision making and enhances the onboarding process for both families and educators. Join us to engage in collaborative discussion on how we can foster a cohesive organizational culture from the start.
Prices
Niagara Child Care Supervisors Only (Free)
Bringing a Program Statement to Life - Reflection and Implementation: Engage in reflective practices to align your program statement with daily operations. This network will focus on strategies to bring this foundational element to life, ensuring it guides decision making and enhances the onboarding process for both families and educators. Join us to engage in collaborative discussion on how we can foster a cohesive organizational culture from the start.
Prices
Niagara Child Care Supervisors Only (Free)
With Acclaimed Author and Facilitator Paula MacLean
Paula J. MacLean, a leading Canadian author, nonprofit educator, coach and consultant, has almost four decades guiding nonprofit boards and organizations to face their unique challenges and build successful teams. Facilitator Paula MacLean is the author of 6 books focused on leadership and human resource practices. She has worked with and for more than 400 agencies in Canada over the past several decades. This course is intended for individuals in a leadership position or those aspiring to formal leadership.
Session 1: Introduction to Effective Leadership in Early Childhood Settings
In our first session we will discuss tools and strategies that will help make you a skilled and confident leader. This will include: understanding the importance and differences between your “management” duties and your role as an early childhood leader; three different leadership styles and the situations in which each will work best, and your important role in influencing employee retention.
Wednesday October 30, 2024, 9:30 to 11:30 am
Session 2: Performance Management Part 1 – Two types of Coaching
In our second session you will learn how to support employees to be their best selves at work. We will explore and practice Instructional/Directive Coaching and Facilitative/Challenging Coaching and when to use each. We will also complete an in-class practice session approach using case studies and small group work.
Wednesday November 27, 2024; 9:30 to 11:30 am
Session 3: Giving Feedback and Having Difficult Conversations
In our third session we will discuss why we sometimes avoid giving feedback and how we can overcome our fears. You will learn how to give effective feedback (using T3 – Tact, Tone, and Timing). Together we will practice how to get started and exactly what to say when giving feedback. Then we will shift gears to an 8 Step Approach to having difficult or challenging conversations with peers, your manager, parents, or colleagues in other organizations. You’ll watch a funny but educational video with communication expert Shari Harley, author of How to Talk to Anyone about Anything.
Wednesday December 18, 2024; 9:30 to 11:30 am
Session 4: Performance Management Part 2 - Great Onboarding Practices, Getting off the Roller Coaster, and Employee Retention Strategies
In our last session you will learn how great onboarding prevents future performance issues and improves retention. You’ll also learn how to get off the feedback rollercoaster with employees who yo-yo between doing better and doing worse. We’ll look at three strategies that will help build strong supervisor-employee relationships that support long-term retention and prevent turnover.
Wednesday January 29, 2025; 9:30 to 11:30 am
*Book Bag of three of Paula’s books is available for $50 (The Supervisor’s Big Book of Answers, From Hiring to Firing, and 7 New Rules for the Sandbox). Please order book bag at the time of registration.
Prices
Niagara Educators $65.00
Outside Niagara Educators $85.00
Niagara Educators, with Book Bag $115.00
Outside Niagara Educators, with Book Bag $135.00
“Curiosity Sparks” - Embracing Inquiry: Dive into the world of inquiry based learning, where curiosity fuels exploration. This network emphasizes creating learning environments that empower preschoolers to take the lead in their learning journey. Join us to explore strategies for fostering curiosity, developing inquiry-based learning activities, and nurturing a love for exploration.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
“Curiosity Sparks” - Embracing Inquiry: Dive into the world of inquiry based learning, where curiosity fuels exploration. This network emphasizes creating learning environments that empower preschoolers to take the lead in their learning journey. Join us to explore strategies for fostering curiosity, developing inquiry-based learning activities, and nurturing a love for exploration.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
The Children’s Art/Play Studio offers programs for children ages 2.5 to 5 years old in their creative studio. Through these programs, children have the opportunity to move freely around and explore various art forms through open-ended play. During this tour, participants will have the opportunity to engage in the large array of art mediums used in the studio, discuss the possibilities for their own early learning environment, and consider next steps in the art and play experiences they provide for children. Please dress for mess!
Prices
Niagara Educators, includes light lunch $35.00
Outside Niagara Educators, includes light lunch $45.00
I’m not an RECE so what does How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years look like for me? How Does Learning Happen? Is a pedagogical resource developed for early learning professionals that promotes a shared understanding of what children need and what can be done to help them grow and flourish. The early learning field is moving away from prescribed checklists of tasks to complete or a template for a “one-size-fits-all” approach which recognizes the uniqueness of programs, children, families, and educators. How Does Learning Happen? is meant to promote deeper reflection on how to create places and experiences where children, families, and educators explore, question, and learn together in quality early years programs. This session has been designed to introduce non RECEs to the ideas and theories within How Does Learning Happen? and offers opportunities for reflection, discussion, and exploration of the document.
Prices
Niagara Home Child Care Providers $20.00
Outside Niagara Home Child Care Providers $25.00
With Victoria Armstrong, RECE, B.ECS, Owner Side By Side (SBS) Consulting Services
“Schemas are a fancy word for the urges that children have to do things like climb, throw things and hide in small places... They are the building blocks for the brain, repeated behaviour that in turn forge connections in the brain, patterns of unfolding, learning and growth... By knowing about schemas, we can recognize and support their urges and development,” (Caro, 2012).
In this 1.5-hour session, come and participate in a facilitated conversation that will invite you to reflect more deeply on your observations of schema play in your program since participating in Part 1. As part of our conversation, a story will be shared through documentation about how schema play evolved from infant age to toddler to preschooler as a way of supporting deeper and sustained observations around schema play in young children.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $40.00
With Alison Grbic
As Educators, we already practice and are aware of children’s safety and supervision in our day-to-day routines in child care settings or early learning environments. These are all very important; however, are we doing all we can to do ‘what it takes to protect’? In this Workshop, Educators will gain more information about how to identify potential abusive situations, what the signs are, prevent abusive situations, and help those needing further support or assistance. They will gain more understanding that abuse comes in all forms, in all situations, and in all different socio-economic backgrounds. They will also learn how to gather more information and crush any biases, attachments to outcomes, old belief systems, or assumptions that create tunnel vision or distractions when we are interacting with children in our care. They will also learn about listening intuitively to children, believing a child, get more information, pick up on verbal and non-verbal cues, using discernment, setting healthy boundaries, and how to teach children to do the same. Fortunately, we as Educators are in a position to help and educate children and families and be a part of a circle of support and guidance for them. This builds trust, empowerment, assertiveness and confidence in the hopes of preventing any or further abuse from occurring or the downward spiral of mental or emotional abuse that comes from not being seen, heard, or understood.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
With Lobna Ajaini MPED Candidate, HBECL, RECE
Lobna's Message: "Join me to forge a classroom where every voice thrives. Let's empower both children and educators for a more inclusive tomorrow." This session is specifically for early years professionals working directly with children.
Embark on a transformative journey in this workshop, as educators delve into comprehending and applying diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles within the early childhood education (ECE) setting. Through practical strategies and real-life scenarios, participants will cultivate an environment that fosters healthy relationships, counters personal biases, implements anti-racist approaches, and utilizes daily DEI action plans and resources.
Learning Outcomes: create an anti-bias environment - develop skills to cultivate an environment that celebrates diversity and counteracts biases; overcome personal biases - acquire strategies to navigate personal biases, fostering healthier relationships within the classroom; implement anti-racism approach - gain insights into incorporating anti-racist principles into educational practices; utilize daily DEI action plan and resources - learn to integrate a daily action plan and available resources to enhance DEI initiatives; and implement anti-racism approach - gain insights into incorporating anti-racist policies.
Prices
Niagara Educators $45.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
With Acclaimed Author Barbara Kaiser
Every challenging behaviour can be thought of as a child’s solution to a problem and a form of communication. This workshop will help you learn to use functional assessment and positive behaviour support to understand where a behaviour is coming from, why it’s happening in a particular time and place, and the purpose it serves for the child. You will also learn how to replace it with acceptable behaviour.
Prices
Niagara Educators $35.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
With Achieve Centre for Leadership
Dealing with issues related to mental health in the workplace can be challenging and difficult to navigate. It is essential that organizations have the capabilities to manage mental health because early identification and support typically leads to continued productivity and retention of employees. This workshop provides a roadmap to help managers participate in conversations with employees who may require support when experiencing difficulties related to mental health. Participants will learn strategies for creating a more inclusive work environment that reduces stigma surrounding mental health.
Prices
Niagara Educators $45.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
Executive Directors are invited to attend this network to connect about issues and opportunities to share strategies, suggestions, and best practices with their colleagues The Executive Directors and Administrators Network meeting will take place following Managing Mental Health in the Workplace for Leaders with Achieve Centre for Leadership. Participants are invited to watch the webinar at the ECCDC and join the in person meeting which follows. Please register for that session separately if you wish to join.
Prices
Niagara EDs and Administrators (Free)
Cultivating Nature-Loving Hearts - Promoting Environmental Awareness and Connection
Foster a deep connection with nature by promoting environmental awareness among children. This network focuses on activities and practices that encourage children to appreciate and care for the natural world. Join us to explore strategies for integrating environmental education into your curriculum. From nature walks and sit spots to sustainable practices and eco-friendly projects.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
Cultivating Nature-Loving Hearts - Promoting Environmental Awareness and Connection
Foster a deep connection with nature by promoting environmental awareness among children. This network focuses on activities and practices that encourage children to appreciate and care for the natural world. Join us to explore strategies for integrating environmental education into your curriculum. From nature walks and sit spots to sustainable practices and eco-friendly projects.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With DSBN and Niagara Catholic DSB Early Literacy Partners
Are you interested in learning more about the importance of playful, joyful practices that foster early literacy learning? Join us as we bring to life our favourite picture books, explore the power of mark making, and enjoy the fresh air while tapping into literacy experiences outdoors! Educators will experience ways in which literacy learning happens all around us and in many different playful, intentional contexts using a variety of materials. You will leave with practical tips and inspiring ideas to enhance your early years program, both inside and outside the classroom. These sessions are for educators of preschool and kindergarten age children.
Sponsored by District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board
How can we infuse oral language development through a literacy, math, social-emotional learning, and science lens with intentional picture books? How can we sprinkle vocabulary building with our youngest learners to support language development and comprehension? We will share ideas on how to connect beautiful picture books to children’s experiences beyond the pages of the book. Join us as we share our top 10 read alouds and engage in interactive learning experiences that you can take right into your learning spaces tomorrow!
Prices
General Admission (Free)
Exploring Ontario’s Pedagogical Frameworks for Early and Middle Years: Delve into Ontario’s frameworks for early learning and middle years education, including How Does Learning Happen?, Think Feel Act for the Middle Years, along with On My Way and Gearing up. This network focuses on understanding these documents and their application in before and after school settings. Join us to explore these frameworks and gain insights into aligning programing with the frameworks to create enriching experiences that empower school age children to thrive.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
Exploring Ontario’s Pedagogical Frameworks for Early and Middle Years: Delve into Ontario’s frameworks for early learning and middle years education, including How Does Learning Happen?, Think Feel Act for the Middle Years, along with On My Way and Gearing up. This network focuses on understanding these documents and their application in before and after school settings. Join us to explore these frameworks and gain insights into aligning programing with the frameworks to create enriching experiences that empower school age children to thrive.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
New Fall 2024 Dates!
According to Webster's New World College Dictionary (4th ed.), to "engage" is "to draw into, involve, to attract and to hold”. In this café, we will have conversations on how completing the DISC Preschool Screen (DPS) presents an opportunity to establish ongoing and responsive relationships with families and engage them in our programs.
Interested in learning more about the DPS or want to learn how to best implement the tool? Join the QCCN Team as we reflect on how the tool can build on trust and communication with families, embark on having the conversation as well as impart practical tips for successful implementation.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With Lobna Ajaini MPED Candidate, HBECL, RECE
Lobna's Message: "Join me to forge a classroom where every voice thrives. Let's empower both children and educators for a more inclusive tomorrow." This session is specifically for early years professionals working directly with children.
Embark on a transformative journey in this workshop, as educators delve into comprehending and applying diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles within the early childhood education (ECE) setting. Through practical strategies and real-life scenarios, participants will cultivate an environment that fosters healthy relationships, counters personal biases, implements anti-racist approaches, and utilizes daily DEI action plans and resources.
Learning Outcomes: create an anti-bias environment - develop skills to cultivate an environment that celebrates diversity and counteracts biases; overcome personal biases - acquire strategies to navigate personal biases, fostering healthier relationships within the classroom; implement anti-racism approach - gain insights into incorporating anti-racist principles into educational practices; utilize daily DEI action plan and resources - learn to integrate a daily action plan and available resources to enhance DEI initiatives; and implement anti-racism approach - gain insights into incorporating anti-racist policies.
Prices
Niagara Educators $45.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
Ever wonder why some children react in ways we don’t understand? The screaming, biting, and hitting came from nowhere! When a seemingly small situation throws them right into a major meltdown. Feeling like you’re at a standstill of what to do next? Well, then this webinar is for you! Join us as we discuss the why’s behind children’s difficult and challenging behaviours and how we can support them during these difficult moments. Learn what happens in a child’s brain when they are dysregulated and take away some tools that can help you bring them to a responsive state of mind. It’s not easy sometimes...but you are the one who can make a difference. You can help them move from reacting to responding by making meaningful connections and adding some great activities and strategies that everyone can use!
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $45.00
avec Helene Pouliot-Cleare
Cet atelier fournira des suggestions concrètes pour organiser des centres d’apprentissage inspirants qui respectent les besoins et les intérêts des enfants en ajoutant du matériel familier, tiré du vécu de l’enfant à peu ou pas de frais dans les centres suivants : les blocs, le jeu dramatique, les arts, les activités sensorielles, la littératie, la numératie et les sciences.
Prices
Participants au Niagara $15.00
Participants à l’extérieur de Niagara $25.00
(formerly Licensed Child Care Cooks Network)
Cultural Diversity in Menus: Celebrating Global Flavours: Embrace the rich tapestry of global cuisines by incorporating culturally diverse menus. This network will explore how to plan and prepare meals that celebrate various cultures, ensuring that children experience a wide range of flavours and learn about different cultures through food. In this network, we will discuss strategies for involving families in menu planning and supporting them in seeing their diverse cultures through food.
Prices
General Admission (Free)
With ECCDC Staff Team
Building and maintaining responsive and collaborative relationships with families is an ongoing journey that presents opportunities to reflect on our own beliefs and values as educators, build reciprocal trust and communication with families, and embark on the process of having the conversation. In this session we will look at strategies to develop relationships, understand how we can engage families as co-learners about and with their children, consider strategies for difficult conversations, and gain information on how we support families in experiencing a sense of belonging in our program.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
With ECCDC Staff Team
Building and maintaining responsive and collaborative relationships with families is an ongoing journey that presents opportunities to reflect on our own beliefs and values as educators, build reciprocal trust and communication with families, and embark on the process of having the conversation. In this session we will look at strategies to develop relationships, understand how we can engage families as co-learners about and with their children, consider strategies for difficult conversations, and gain information on how we support families in experiencing a sense of belonging in our program.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
Leadership and Team Building: Strategies for Effective Supervision
Develop essential leadership and team building skills to effectively supervise your centre. This network covers strategies for cultivating a positive work environment, fostering collaboration among team members, and promoting professional growth. Together we will discuss our insights into effective communication, conflict resolution, and creating a supportive atmosphere where staff feel valued and empowered.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
Join us for an engaging and informative series designed to inspire curiosity and foster a love of learning in young children. “Igniting Curiosity” will explore the concept of inquiry-based learning, delve into various types of inquiry, and demonstrate practical strategies for implementing these approaches in your program. Learn how to set up provocations and invitations to play and understand the differences between these concepts. Don’t miss this opportunity to equip yourself with the tools and techniques to create an inquiry-friendly environment that nurtures young minds. Register today and take the first step towards making learning an exciting adventure for children!
The second session of our series focuses on guided inquiry, where the educator presents a question, but children are given the freedom to determine the process for discovering the answer. This approach balances structure with children’s autonomy, fostering deeper engagement and independent thinking. Through interactive activities and real-world examples, you’ll gain insights into creating meaningful, child-led explorations that stimulate curiosity and creativity. Join us to learn how to seamlessly integrate guided inquiry into your practice!
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
Supporting Smooth Transitions to School
Prepare preschoolers for a seamless transition to school with effective strategies and supportive practices. This network will focus on easing the transition process, addressing challenges, and fostering confidence in both educators, children and families. We will also discuss practical tips and collaborative solutions to ensure a positive start to a new journey.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
Building relationships and connections in school age programs matters. Relationships underpin the work of educators, and both Ontario’s early years and middle years frameworks emphasize the importance of relationships, with research highlighting the beneficial impact that positive relationships have on children through their childhood and into adulthood. This 3-part series will explore how educators working in school aged programs can develop supportive, trusting relationships with children and their families, and intentionally build strong, supportive relationships with the multiple partners they engage with.
Series Objectives:
This second session in this series will investigate a variety of approaches that school aged programs can adopt to plan intentional connections with school administrators and staff, both formally and informally, to build mutually respectful strong trusting relationships that support children and families to feel a sense of continuity between school, program and home. The session will then go onto consider how educators can build relationships with community organizations and individuals to connect their program and children with their local community.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
Step into the magical world of emergent planning – where children are the key! The way we plan play experiences for children is changing as we focus on the interests and abilities of the children as the core concept behind planning classroom experiences and co-learn, co-create, and co-imagine with the children. What is emergent planning? Is it effective? Will the children still enjoy the experiences and learn? How does it work with the Ontario Framework? Discover the answers to these questions and more as we look at key tips and strategies for implementing an emergent curriculum approach to children’s learning. This workshop is designed to reveal the mystery and magic of the well-known emergent curriculum concept and put it into practice in your early learning environment. Remember! Not all environments and planning are the same – just like not all children or educators are the same. So, let’s figure out how to do it so it works for everyone!
Prices
Niagara Home Child Care Providers $20.00
Outside Niagara Home Child Care Providers $25.00
With Carolyn Hadcock
Registered Early Childhood Educators are encouraged to engage in reading to children to assist in language and literacy development. However, there is so much more that can be done in all aspects of the child’s day. This webinar demonstrates ways to implement an environment rich with language and literacy activities. Join the session for an exciting discovery of stimulating language and literacy development in a play-based environment.
Prices
Niagara Educators $35.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
Finding and selecting the right people to join our teams – those who will perform well in the role and contribute meaningfully to our workplace culture – is a challenge for every organization. This workshop explores current research and best practices to help participants evaluate and improve their current recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes. As the first phase of the employee experience, these three elements set the stage for future performance and engagement. Through individual exercises and group discussion, participants will generate practical insights that can be immediately applied to improve their hiring strategy and practices in their organization’s context.
Prices
Niagara Administrators $35.00
Outside Niagara Administrators $55.00
Executive Directors are invited to attend this network to connect about issues and opportunities to share strategies, suggestions, and best practices with their colleagues The Executive Directors and Administrators Network meeting will take place following Recruitment, Retention and Performance Management Series Session One - Hiring Strategies – Recruitment, Selection and Onboarding with Achieve Centre for Leadership. Participants are invited to watch the webinar at the ECCDC and join the in-person meeting which follows. Please register for that session if you wish to join.
Prices
Niagara EDs & Administrators Only (Free)
Building Relationships through Care as a Curriculum
Explore the impact of nurturing relationships in early childhood settings. This network will emphasize the concept of care as a curriculum, highlighting how meaningful interactions contribute to a child’s learning and development. Come together to gain insights into creating warm, supportive relationships that promote emotional and social growth.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
Emotional Regulation is a hot topic! Come and learn relational skills that will set the stage for more emotional regulation in early learning settings. Leave with hands-on tools & strategies that you can use immediately. Emotional Regulation is a skill that is modelled and practiced by caregivers. This is a skill like all others, they take time and practice to develop. Early Childhood Educators play a vital role in supporting the foundations of mental health in young children. Each day early learning professionals have opportunities to model and help shape children’s emotional regulation skills. Early learning settings that offer emotionally safe spaces and foster emotional awareness teach our children necessary lifelong skills. Topics such as: emotional safety, co-regulation, neuro-affirming practices, developmental trauma, attachment styles, inclusive settings, equity, and staff resiliency are vital for the mental health of our entire ECE community, including children, teachers, and administration. Early learning settings have the potential to be the buffers necessary for the toxic stress levels we are seeing in modern families and harnessing that potential could be life-changing for families.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
With Victoria Armstrong
EarlyON programs are bubbling with endless possibilities for curiosity, creativity, innovation and connection. Through intentional research questions, we can deepen our understanding of who children are, the competencies they hold, and the ideas they have as we listen and observe carefully, think with one another, and respond thoughtfully.
Once we have a question ready to study, we are ready to listen and look closely. In Part 2, we’ll look at multiple ways to document children’s thinking and ideas in response to our research question. This includes creating a research board, a parent/caregiver documentation invitation, and sharing secondary research on our topic with families. We’ll then think about how to look for big ideas and overarching themes in the documentation that we are capturing as a way of pulling our research together. At the end of this session, participants will have tangible ideas for documenting answers to their research question with families.
Prices
Niagara Educators $15.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
Book written by Diane Kashin and Launched in Niagara with the Loving Care of Cindy Green and Support from Diane’s Family
Adult professional friendships are integral to early childhood education, giving educators daily support and collaboration, nurturing their professional and pedagogical growth, and-not to be discounted-making the job fun. During this workshop, participants will explore what it means to be a friend, how to make friends and keep friends, and what happens when friendships end. All are invited to attend. Workshop participants will be invited to join a series of professional conversations following this launching session. Dates and times to be explored as a group.
In addition to being a daughter, wife, mother, bubbie, sister, friend, professor and mentor, Diane Kashin, EdD, RECE was an early learning educator who shared her research, wisdom and passion with so many. She was an author of many books pertaining to early learning and care and her blog tecribresearch.blog was followed by thousands. In her final book, Cultivating Professional Friendships in Early Childhood Education (2024), Diane invites educators to delve into the theory that professional friendship is a practice that enhances professional learning and growth. In her work with educators, it was her aim to embed opportunities for play. Playful adults are more inclined to invite young children to follow their curiosities through play and inquiry. Diane’s enthusiasm and knowledge about social constructivism and pedagogical practices invited, sustained and deepened the thinking of so many. Diane, we are your legacy.
In loving memory of Diane Kashin, author, colleague, friend.
Prices
General Admission $65.00
This session is being offered by Dane Marco Di Cesare, PhD, Assistant Professor, Brock University, Faculty of Education. Dane will offer strategies to support early childhood educators in providing an environment free of gender identity and gender expression discrimination through creating gender-inclusive and gender-affirming spaces. The session will introduce gender vocabulary and discuss children’s developmental milestones related to gender, speak to strengthening self-awareness to check assumptions and interrupt biases about gender. Dane will offer practical and tangible ideas and strategies for co-creating gender justice curricula in early years’ classrooms.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $15.00
Please join the ECCDC Coaching and Mentoring team to explore a five-part book study on Illuminating Care – The Pedagogy and Practice of Care in Early Childhood Communities, by Carol Garboden Murray. We will dive deeply into the concept of defining care as an action, an attitude, and an ethic for the early learning and child care community. The book study is for all those who work within the early learning and child care field as we will be exploring how we look to elevate care for the children in our programs and acknowledge the essential role that early childhood educators have in building a strong profession. We will be looking to dispel the myth and discover the truth of care for young children, consider how we move beyond a basic standard of care, name care as a core value in the work that we do, and explore care ethics and a responsive care philosophy.
6:30 to 8:00 pm - all sessions except Session 1
Particpants may choose to purchase a copy of the book through ECCDC for $55. Orders must be placed by December 19th, 2024
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $45.00
With Carla Ward
Design an innovative early learning space that will allow children to discover who they are rather than telling them who they are. Environments that encourage educators to be able to say “yes” to children address children’s agency, risky play, knowing their limits, leadership and workplace culture, teaching children to respect boundaries, feeling control over their life, giving children the autonomy to know and feel who they are, and so much more.
Prices
Niagara Educators $35.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
With Spencer Terpstra and Jennifer Saltarelli, Pathstone Mental Health
Learn the ins and outs of self-regulation! What it is, how to recognize dysregulation, ways to promote independent self-regulation in the children you work with and more!
This session has been sponsored by Pathstone Mental Health.
Prices
General Admission (Free)
avec Helene Pouliot-Cleare
L’autorégulation aide l’enfant à s’ajuster et à gérer son attention, ses émotions, son comportement, ses pulsions, ses réactions face aux différentes situations ou changements dans son environnement. Les recherches récentes démontrent l’importance de développer cette habileté dès le jeune âge car c’est étroitement lié à la réussite scolaire et sociale pour la vie durant. Cet atelier offrira des stratégies pratiques pour favoriser ce développement.
Prices
Participants au Niagara $15.00
Participants à l’extérieur de Niagara $25.00
With Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute (CTRI)
In many organizations it is common to find employees suffering from the adverse effects of stress, which can lead to loss of focus, productivity, and well-being. In the helping field, there are additional factors related to the nature of supporting people that can contribute to compassion fatigue or secondary trauma symptoms. This webinar will help participants identify personal stress factors and introduce them to practical strategies for managing stress and increasing resilience.
Prices
Niagara Educators $45.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
Are you employed with one of Niagara’s home child care licensed agencies: Wee Watch or Niagara Region Home Child Care? If so, this Network is for you. Come to tour the ECCDC, borrow resources, problem solve with your peers and engage with others in similar positions.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With ECCDC Training Team
The Exploring Inclusion four-part series will offer opportunities for educators to explore tools and resources through case studies while considering their daily inclusive practices to support children within their early learning and child care programs. Educators are strongly encouraged to attend all four sessions as the series has been created to build upon each session.
Session 1: Educator Self-Reflection and Self-Awareness - Tuesday February 11, 2025
During the first session educators will have an opportunity to utilize the practice of self-reflection to understand how their actions within the early learning and child care program can impact both their own development and the development of the children in their care. Various interactive and hands-on experiences will be explored to support developing educators’ self-awareness of their expectations. Participants will have an opportunity to consider strategies and techniques that support their development and those of the children in their care to move forward in navigating next steps of their learning journey with resiliency and empathy.
Session 2: Reflecting on Inclusive Practices Utilizing the Program Inclusion Reflection Tool - Tuesday March 18, 2025
Following on from session one’s self-reflection, participants will consider how to use the Inclusive Program Reflection Tool of what do they see through the eyes of the child and how utilizing an inclusive approach supports children’s behaviour and development. An opportunity will be provided to breakdown the tool and reflect upon how they can use it within their own programs moving forward.
Session 3: Environments as the Third Educator - Tuesday April 29, 2025
If we look at the environment as the third educator through the lens of the Program Inclusion Reflection Tool, what do we need to consider regarding our inclusive practices? Take a step back and reflect on your environment. Does it reflect those living in the space? Can children lead their own play? Moving from structured play to unstructured play, empowering children to extend and plan their play, choice of materials, curriculum modifications, adult reminders and incorporating the element of fun.
Session 4: Breaking Down Our Daily Practices for Inclusivity - Tuesday May 20, 2025
As educators navigate a new pathway, the final session will take a deep dive into inclusive early learning strategies, challenging our daily practices and routines, use of language, equitability, power relationships and how it translates to best practices. Moving forward educators will have an opportunity to consider next steps for implementation into both their daily practice and early learning environments and early learning and child care programs.
All webinars take place from 6:30 to 8:30 pm EST.
Series Objectives
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $75.00
Designing Dynamic Spaces and Mobile Carts
Design exciting spaces and carts for before and after school programs that engage and inspire school-age children. This network will explore creative ideas for designing mobile carts and flexible spaces that cater to diverse interests. Join us to brainstorm solutions and share strategies for creating enriching environments that promote learning and fun.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With Danielle Medina, B.S. Food Science and Nutrition
Join us for an exciting webinar that explores innovative ways to incorporate plant-based culinary adventures into early learning environments. Discover creative and engaging activities that introduce young minds to the wonders of nutritious, plant-based foods. This presentation will share practical tips, delicious recipes, and interactive ideas to make healthy eating a fun and educational experience for both educators and young learners.
Learning Objectives:
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $45.00
With Victoria Armstrong
What is art? Why do we engage in artistic experiences with young children? What are children pursuing in their relationships with art materials? What values and beliefs do we hold about young children and the arts and do our practices align with these? What if there’s more to the arts with young children than process and product? Do common mantras like ‘process-based art’ speak to the complexity that is inherent in children’s pursuits with art materials? Together, in this 1.5-hour session, let’s deconstruct ‘process’ and ‘product’ in children’s art experiences and consider what other possibilities might exist for children if we shifted some of our language, thinking and practices.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
Join Debbi Sluys for this new workshop to empower your leadership path. Participants will have conversations on the following workshop topics in order to reinvigorate your perspective on leadership and recommit to building the capacity of others. Participants will regain confidence in themselves as a leader and become an empowered decision maker. The workshop will also encourage leaders to apply strategies to re-engage with their Team to help cultivate a positive culture within their organization. The workshop will help participants feel better prepared to respond to today’s challenges as a leader.
Upon conclusion, the participant will be better prepared to respond to today’s challenges as a leader.
Prices
Niagara Administrators $55.00
Outside Niagara Administrators $65.00
Garden Adventures and Planting Parties: Cultivating Green Thumbs
Discover the joys of gardening with children through hands-on planting activities and garden adventures. This network offers practical tips for starting and maintaining a garden in your childcare setting, regardless of space limitations. Join us for conversations on engaging children in the gardening process, from planting seeds to harvesting crops, and nurture their curiosity for nature.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With DSBN and Niagara Catholic DSB Early Literacy Partners
Are you interested in learning more about the importance of playful, joyful practices that foster early literacy learning? Join us as we bring to life our favourite picture books, explore the power of mark making, and enjoy the fresh air while tapping into literacy experiences outdoors! Educators will experience ways in which literacy learning happens all around us and in many different playful, intentional contexts using a variety of materials. You will leave with practical tips and inspiring ideas to enhance your early years program, both inside and outside the classroom. These sessions are for educators of preschool and kindergarten age children.
Sponsored by District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board
Join us for this interactive session as we explore the world of mark making in the early years! We will share inspiring ideas of materials that you can add to your environments to spark curiosity and wonder in learners of all ages. Together we will reflect on the stages of emergent writing and begin to notice the trails of learning that are sprinkled around our learning spaces. Through this hands-on exploration using a variety of materials, educators will reflect and gather ideas on how to weave mark making experiences within their indoor and outdoor spaces. Come join us for an evening filled with opportunities to explore, play and leave your mark!
Prices
General Admission (Free)
With Achieve Centre
Trauma is prevalent in our world and has an impact on many of the people we interact with, including our clients and colleagues. Compassionate and trauma-informed care is essential to providing effective support and building sustainable services. This workshop explores how to build a trauma-informed culture in a workplace setting that integrates knowledge throughout the organization. Participants will develop an understanding of the pervasive impact of trauma on individual health and relationships. Guiding principles will be explored for increasing emotional and physical safety, culturally sensitive empowerment, and creating greater resilience for all parts of an organization. Becoming trauma-informed creates a sustainable foundation in any work setting to promote strength, engagement, and recovery.
Prices
Niagara Educators $65.00
Outside Niagara Educators $75.00
With Jeannie Martin, Assistant Professor (MPEd, BEd, BA), Brock University Faculty of Education
During this webinar, participants will explore ways they can strengthen their understanding of Indigenous Culture and how to apply this knowledge within their early learning environments. Through this session, participants will receive helpful resources to continue their learning on Indigenous Culture and ways in which they can apply this knowledge to create culturally safe learning environments for Indigenous learners and educators. Participants will also explore the ways they can support land-based pedagogy for all early learners.
Sponsored by Brock University
Prices
General Admission (Free)
With Acclaimed Author Paula MacLean
Join your board colleagues, senior managers and bestselling author and Canadian board governance expert Paula J. MacLean, for this interactive virtual session on how to create a GREAT board!
We’ll explore how to fully understand and strengthen your board’s governance role. And we’ll also discover the six ways that boards can hold senior managers accountable, without the board getting involved in operations. Each participant will also receive a copy of a customizable template for creating a board governance policy manual.
Topics we will touch on include:
Prices
Niagara Administrators $45.00
Outside Niagara Administrators $55.00
During this workshop we teach caregivers and educators the science of stress on trauma in children and families. We highlight how the ACEs research can guide and support why we need to create connected, compassionate, and calm relationships with children. We will also look at Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) and why it is vital we see its value in this generation of children. See the magic that comes from attuned and empathic relationships, and how we can help children of all ages manage the day-to-day stresses of their lives – especially those with trauma, neurodiversity, and complex attachment styles. We walk participants through the theories of co-regulation of emotion, nervous system regulation, and attachment science. Feeling connection is our most powerful tool, especially if there is developmental trauma or toxic stress in the lives of children. Attunement is a magical place of deep connection that is cultivated when we slow down, get curious, and consciously attune to children. Attunement is a special micro-space that has a frequency - when you feel it, you know it. These connected and compassionate spaces are vital for all children to thrive and shine, but even more so if there has been developmental trauma, attachment issues and neurodiversity. This workshop session is based on the interpersonal neurobiology approach taught to us by Dr. Dan Siegal, which helps us use our personal calm neurology to support attachment, co-regulation and emotional safety. In these emotionally rich spaces children can thrive because they feel grounded, connected and seen.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
With Lisa Burman
Deeply engage all young learners with a sense of agency and belonging What gives some early childhood classrooms that special “buzz” of learning? How do those educators create the culture of learning for their students, where all children are deeply involved and drive their own learning with curiosity and care? Using her everyday research approach, in the tradition of the pedagogistas of Reggio Emilia, author Lisa Burman observed several special classrooms with children ages three to eight and identified some common engagement, agency, identity, and belonging, which together combine to create a culture of agency. The term agency is widely used, but often misunderstood as “giving children choice.” Agency is far more than this, and the most powerful learning happens when personal agency is connected to community we are only as strong as each other. These connections form the heart of a democratic one that values the rights of the child and empowers participation, shared power, respect for diversity, and self-efficacy. Her framework for supporting a culture of agency has five Relationships, Rituals for belonging and identity, Language of agency, Environment, and Learning Contexts. Using this framework along with the book's guiding questions and goal-setting tool will help you bring intentionality as you build your classroom culture to support children’s agency and learning.
Prices
In Niagara, Workshop only $45.00
In Niagara, Workshop and a copy of Lisa’s Book A Culture of Agency $75.00
Out of Niagara, Workshop only $55.00
Out of Niagara, Workshop and a copy of Lisa’s Book A Culture of Agency $85.00
Gardening and Farm-to-Table - Integrating Food Education into Curriculum
Connect children with the origins of their food through gardening and farm-to-table education. This network will explore ways to incorporate hands-on food education into your curriculum, from planting and harvesting to preparing and enjoying fresh produce. Join us to share ideas, discover resources, and plan activities that teach children about nutrition, sustainability, and the joys of growing their own food.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
Using the Niagara Inclusion Tool - Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in your Centre
Discover practical ways to integrate the Niagara Inclusion Tool into your center’s practices to promote diversity and inclusion. This network will explore how to assess and enhance inclusivity and support children and educators in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all. Join us in conversation around strategies implementing inclusive practices that celebrate differences and nurture a sense of belonging.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
With Victoria Armstrong
Come and discover the value and possibilities in creating an outdoor art studio. We will consider questions such as: What could an outdoor studio look like? Feel like? Would it be a permanent or transient space? Or have elements of both permanency and fluidity? Would there be a difference in the materials that are offered outdoors vs indoors? What possibilities does an outdoor studio hold that an indoor studio doesn’t? How could space be used? What elements could tie the indoor and outdoor studios together? Material, space and outdoor provocation ideas will be shared as part of the conversation, and we will also take time to explore 1-2 art and nature provocations together.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
In the absence of intentional coaching, employees often lack the support they need to develop and perform at their highest levels. Effective leaders are skilled at coaching the people they lead to inspire growth, change, and healthy work relationships. This workshop provides a leadership approach for coaching others effectively and provides tools that bring out the best in the people. Through the use of case studies, participants will learn a five-step coaching model for working with their employees to enable changes in behaviour, promote skill development, and resolve conflict.
Prices
Niagara Administrators $35.00
Outside Niagara Administrators $55.00
Executive Directors are invited to attend this network to connect about issues and opportunities to share strategies, suggestions, and best practices with their colleagues The Executive Directors and Administrators Network meeting will take place following Recruitment, Retention and Performance Management Series Session Two: Coaching Strategies for Learning - Conflict, Performance, Change with Achieve Centre for Leadership. Participants are invited to watch the webinar at the ECCDC and join the in person meeting which follows. Please register for that session if you wish to join.
Prices
Niagara EDs & Administrators Only (Free)
In this workshop we will show how and why educators need to create connected, compassionate, and calm relationships with children. Come learn why we must also focus on respectful and empathic relationships to help children manage the day-to-day stresses of their lives. We will discuss the best practices and trends that are changing the way we need to address emotional awareness in the lives of this generation of children. When spaces are truly emotionally safe – everything can change for the better. Lisa Pinhorn will walk your educational staff through the theory of Emotional Regulation and how it can expand our understanding of what it means to feel safe within learning settings. Emotional safety is vital to the mental health of our entire educational community, including children, teachers, and administration. Our schools have the potential to be the buffers necessary for the toxic stress levels we are seeing in modern families.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
With Shelley Brandon
Reimagining Heartbreak was edited by Ann Pelo and Margie Carter and is part of the Reimagining Our Work (ROW) book collection, a book series that inspires early childhood educators to reimage their work and thinking alongside children.
Stop. Look. Listen. Feel. Come fully alive in your encounters with young children. Reimagining Heartbreak is a call to return to fullhearted, embodied teaching. It is a journey through the woods and into the depths. Shelley Brandon’s stories reveal the extraordinary beauty that is possible in ordinary life. Can you dare to bring your whole self to your work with young children? Can you afford not to? J Join Author Shelley Brandon to explore some main highlights of her book, to learn about her inspiration in writing it and to consider key messages in our work with young Children. Books may be ordered in advance and Shelley will be happy to sign books during the day.
Prices
Niagara Educators $45.00
Outside Niagara Educators $65.00
Playful learning experiences promote a sense of curiosity, exploration, and confidence, which are what we all strive to achieve when we plan for our early childhood environment and our children’s experiences. The emergent curriculum approach is one of the most popular and best approaches to achieve this. This approach lets the child lead the playful experiences and follow their own learning path. As early childhood educators, our job is to observe their interests and plan to complement or extend them. Being intentional about preparing a responsive environment is a key element to emergent planning. How we plan activities, play experiences, provocations and invitations and make changes to our environment all depends on the dynamics of our group of children and our ability to really listen, observe, and learn about the children’s deeper interests and abilities. Let us walk alongside the children and join them in their journeys of wonder, play and curiosity.
Prices
Niagara Home Child Care Providers $20.00
Outside Niagara Home Child Care Providers $25.00
With Angela Hayes, Coordinator and Professor and Cathy Teixeira, Professor, Niagara College
This workshop, presented by Niagara College Professor Angela Hayes, will look at the importance of supporting mental health in early learning environments. Participants will explore the ways they can create secure relationships and spaces for young children to learn and grow, and the importance of these relationships on young children’s mental health. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss the ways they currently support children’s well-being and mental health in their learning environment and next steps in their journey.
Sponsored by Niagara College
Prices
General Admission (Free)
With ECCDC Training Team
Are you ready to breathe new life into your onboarding processes and program statement to create a more cohesive team and early learning and child care program? Join us for a dynamic and collaborative series designed to deepen your understanding and enhance the impact of both your onboarding processes and program statement. We will be exploring the connection between the foundation of your mission, vision, values and program statement. Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with your core values and inspire your team and families!
Session 1: Onboarding Educators, Friday April 4, 2025
In this session, participants will dive into the heart of their program by exploring its vision, mission, and core values. Educators will gain clarity on their roles and responsibilities, ensuring alignment with your program’s foundational principles. Participants will be equipped with practical strategies to effectively integrate the program’s philosophy into their teaching practice and foster a cohesive learning environment. Through detailed explanations, real-life examples, and reflective conversations, educators will leave empowered to uphold the program’s goals while nurturing a supportive educational journey. This session is designed not only to onboard educators effectively but also to enhance retention by fostering a strong connection to your program’s mission and values.
Session 2: Onboarding Families, Friday May 2, 2025
In this session, we will dive into the onboarding process for families as it is a critical first step to ensure families feel welcomed and informed as they enrol their child in your program. The process is crucial to build a strong foundation and relationship with the family as highlighted within How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years. Within the session we will highlight how providing a thorough onboarding experience will provide an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the family’s goals for their child and consider how your program’s mission, vision, and values align with their expectations of your program.
Session 3: Moving Forward with Your Program Statement, Friday June 6, 2025
In this session, participants will identify key elements in program statements that inform decision-making, such as values, goals, and pedagogical approaches. You’ll discover techniques to engage staff and families in ongoing conversations about the program statement and its implementation, fostering a sense of community and shared vision. Additionally, you’ll learn how to align your program statement with goal setting and staff performance evaluations to ensure consistency and clarity. We’ll also explore opportunities for supervisors to support and share program statements with their teams, encouraging input and development.
Series objectives:
All Sessions take place from 1:30 to 3:30pm EST
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $65.00
With Carolyn Hadcock
We have had knowledge of the concepts of Emotional Intelligence for some time, but many haven’t readily addressed them. In this seminar you will define Emotional Intelligence (EI) and learn the essential components. After completing a brief quiz, you can gain a sense of your personal Emotional Intelligence (EI) which will assist you in ascertaining the importance of possessing a healthy one. Finally, a discussion will ensure where strategies on how to achieve an elevated Emotional Intelligence and become a master of your EI will transpire. Join Carolyn for a journey that promises to be life changing, knowing that it will benefit our professional and personal life.
Prices
Niagara Educators $35.00
Outside Niagara Administrators $55.00
avec Helene Pouliot-Cleare
Nous préparons les enfants à vivre et à réussir dans un monde diversifié et en constante évolution. Nous avons un rôle à jouer pour rendre les enfants plus ouverts aux gens différents de lui. Par le biais d’activités interactives les participants vont réfléchir sur leur responsabilité collective et individuelle en tant qu' éducateurs et éducatrices de la petite enfance pour créer un milieu où la diversité et l’inclusion sont acceptées, normalisées et valorisées. De nombreuses idées seront données pour enrichir et valider les activités, les interactions, les matériaux et les ressources dans leurs milieux respectifs.
Prices
Participants au Niagara $15.00
Participants à l’extérieur de Niagara $25.00
With Alison Grbic
Leaders will learn practical steps to support their own mental and emotional health through focusing on 3 areas: Self Care, Emotional Balance, and Intuitive Knowledge. They will learn to:
Part 1: Intuitive Knowledge Skill Development and Tuning and Tapping In
Tuning in and finding inner power to lead/interact intuitively building confidence, self-trust, and healthy ways to oversee/work in sync with organizations and teams. This enables professionals to make better decisions and see situations from a higher, more objective perspective, seeing the whole picture in any given situation to come out of stagnant situations and lead agencies/staff through change and adversity.
Thursday April 10, 2025
10:00 to 11:30 am EST
Part 2: Emotional Balance, Self Care, and Seeking Joy
Facing fears and healing past triggers/wounds to increase inner emotional stability and create emotionally intelligent/balanced teams and work environments. Through also practicing self-care and seeing it as a necessity, not a luxury, and learning to put ourselves first to operate at our optimum to better be able to support, serve, and uplift others. Participants will gain effective emotionally intelligent skills to best fulfill their own emotional balance as well as remain calm, balanced, and grounded in stressful, toxic, challenging, or adverse situations in communities and workplaces.
Thursday May 8, 2025
10:00 am to 11:30 am EST
Part 3: Resilience Reset and Making Effective Choices
Gaining self-awareness and removing personal biases/ assumptions to create neutrality towards people/situations, removing of old belief systems, and seeing what areas we are going to keep, remove, or adjust. Participants will look at practical ways of becoming resilient which they can implement in their programs/organizations through using systematic methods to break down each area of their responsibilities or goals, looking at the past and present ways of doing things, and how we want to rebuild or rethink the future.
Thursday June 12, 2025
10:00 am to 11:30 am EST
Prices
Niagara Educators $55.00
Outside Niagara Educators $75.00
Are you employed with one of Niagara’s home child care licensed agencies: Wee Watch or Niagara Region Home Child Care? If so, this Network is for you. Come to tour the ECCDC, borrow resources, problem solve with your peers and engage with others in similar positions.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
Join us for an engaging and informative series designed to inspire curiosity and foster a love of learning in young children. “Igniting Curiosity” will explore the concept of inquiry-based learning, delve into various types of inquiry, and demonstrate practical strategies for implementing these approaches in your program. Learn how to set up provocations and invitations to play and understand the differences between these concepts. Don’t miss this opportunity to equip yourself with the tools and techniques to create an inquiry-friendly environment that nurtures young minds. Register today and take the first step towards making learning an exciting adventure for children!
In the final session of our series, we dive into the world of structured inquiry. This session will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how to design and facilitate structured inquiry activities, where the educator provides both the question and the process for finding the answer. Don’t miss this foundational session to complete your journey into inquiry-based learning!
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
Inclusive Environments - Using the Niagara Inclusion Tool
Learn how to create inclusive preschool environments that celebrate diversity and support all children’s unique needs. This network will look at the Niagara Inclusion Tool through collaborative discussions for implementing the tool through supportive practices. Join us to promote a welcoming atmosphere where every child can thrive.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
With Dr. Dane Marco Di Cesare
Families with children with special needs face unique challenges navigating the early years, and even further challenges once they enter the school system. Having supportive, caring and knowledgeable educators supporting them in the early years can make all the difference to these families. This webinar will explore ways we can support families with children with special needs during the early years and how we can prepare them once their child is ready to enter school. Participants will explore common obstacles these families may endure and how to support them in the process.
Sponsored by Brock University – Faculty of Education
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $15.00
With Victoria Armstrong
Bottle caps are buttons on a space shuttle, an empty wrapping paper tube is a telescope, leftover laminate is the windshield on a cardboard car. Recycled materials hold infinite possibilities. Children naturally see these possibilities and breathe new life into materials that we as adults might otherwise discard. In this 1.5-hour session, we’ll think together about the important role recycled materials hold in children’s play and how we can nurture and deepen this natural relationship between children and recycled materials. We will also take some time ourselves to explore the possibilities of a few recycled materials.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
Connecting with Nature: Outdoor Learning and Play for Infants and Toddlers
Connect with the great outdoors and uncover the benefits of nature-based learning. During this network, we will discuss outdoor play and exploration, providing practical ideas for integrating outdoor play into your practice. Come and be a part of this network to share how we create stimulating outdoor experiences that foster physical development, sensory exploration, and a lifelong love for nature.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
With Dana Sproule
This workshop helps Early Childhood Educators put emotional regulation front and center in their classrooms. Participants will learn a child-centered, trauma-informed framework for understanding and interpreting emotional outbursts. Using that framework, they will learn classroom strategies to use when children are in the green, yellow, and red zones of emotional regulation. Teachers particularly appreciate tools to “trick” the brain back online during an outburst, and strategies to include emotional regulation tools in the daily curriculum so children grow in their capacity to manage emotions. This workshop is best suited for educators but could easily be adapted for parents.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $45.00
With Pierre Harrison, B.Sc., M.Sc. and B.Ed.
PLAYLearnThink has been promoting play based and inquiry-based learning for over 20 years.
Research around children’s development tells us that play is essential to a child’s physical health and emotional well-being. Play stimulates all aspects of a child’s development, i.e. the physical, social, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Through play children, armed with curiosity and a spirit of inquiry, explore their environment and build knowledge about the world around them. In doing so they prepare the foundation on which they will build a life of resilience, creativity, self-confidence and life-long learning. Play is also essential for the continued growth of adults. That’s why PLAYLearnThink workshops incorporate playful ways of engaging participants. Whether working as a group on a challenging task or experimenting with various materials, the focus is always the use of play to nurture imagination and foster creativity which leads to great feats of problem solving and a heightened self-esteem.
Prices
Niagara Educators, includes a light lunch $65.00
Outside Niagara Educators, includes a light lunch $85.00
With Joel Seaman
An early learning community provides equal voice to all involved – teachers, students, families. Each member’s unique perspective is honoured, valued, celebrated, and reflected in the space. As a learning community, the focus is not on arbitrary rules and discipline, but on co-created expectations, self regulation, teamwork, mutual respect, and accountability. During this webinar, you will explore why building a community in your early learning environment is so important, how to go about building a community, and the different roles of the educators and children.
Prices
Niagara Educators $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators $45.00
Supporting Smooth Transitions with Children in Before and After School Programs
This network will focus on supporting children during their initial first few months in before and after school programs. Discover practical strategies to ease children’s transitions, build rapport, and create a sense of belonging. Explore with us transition techniques and activities that promote positive relationships among children, families, and educators.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
Supporting Smooth Transitions with Children in Before and After School Programs
This network will focus on supporting children during their initial first few months in before and after school programs. Discover practical strategies to ease children’s transitions, build rapport, and create a sense of belonging. Explore with us transition techniques and activities that promote positive relationships among children, families, and educators.
Prices
Niagara Educators Only (Free)
Building relationships and connections in school age programs matters. Relationships underpin the work of educators, and both Ontario’s early years and middle years frameworks emphasize the importance of relationships, with research highlighting the beneficial impact that positive relationships have on children through their childhood and into adulthood. This 3-part series will explore how educators working in school aged programs can develop supportive, trusting relationships with children and their families, and intentionally build strong, supportive relationships with the multiple partners they engage with.
Series Objectives:
During the third and final session in this series, educators will have an opportunity to consider the importance of developing supportive, reciprocal relationships with the families of children attending school age programs that are built on trust. The session will then dive into ways that school age educators can connect with the families by adopting authentic family engagement strategies and family-centred practices. Thought will be given to how educators can meet families where they are at in a culturally responsive way. Lastly, educators will contemplate ways in which they can facilitate the three-way sharing of information between families, school, and their afterschool program.
Prices
Niagara Educators (Free)
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
With Victoria Armstrong
EarlyON programs are bubbling with endless possibilities for curiosity, creativity, innovation and connection. Through intentional research questions, we can deepen our understanding of who children are, the competencies they hold, and the ideas they have as we listen and observe carefully, think with one another, and respond thoughtfully.
Once we’ve spent time listening, observing, gathering artefacts of children’s thinking and ideas, studying and thinking together, we have the opportunity to celebrate all that we’ve learned and share this learning with others outside of our programs. In Part 3, we’ll look at how we can create captivating and meaningful displays and other artefacts of our research findings that include photos, children’s work, our written observations and interpretations, and more.
Prices
Niagara Educators $15.00
Outside Niagara Educators $35.00
Outdoor Cooking and Nature Recipes
Exploring Culinary Delights in the Wild: Blend the excitement of outdoor activities with the joys of cooking in nature. This network will explore creative ways to incorporate cooking into outdoor activities. Join us to share recipes, plan outdoor cooking events, and discover how to turn nature’s offerings into delicious adventures.
Prices
Niagara Only (Free)
With Acclaimed Author Barbara Kaiser
We’ve all been there: a child is beginning to melt down or heat up! What do you do next? In the heat of the moment, has your response ever escalated a child’s challenging behaviour? Children’s behaviour can escalate quickly. Your feelings about that escalation can erupt just as quickly. De-escalation – helping children calm down – takes time and only happens intentionally. This webinar explores the stages of escalation and ways you can respond that will support and help children to be able to return safely to the group.
Prices
Niagara Educators $35.00
Outside Niagara Educators $55.00
With DSBN and Niagara Catholic DSB Early Literacy Partners
Are you interested in learning more about the importance of playful, joyful practices that foster early literacy learning? Join us as we bring to life our favourite picture books, explore the power of mark making, and enjoy the fresh air while tapping into literacy experiences outdoors! Educators will experience ways in which literacy learning happens all around us and in many different playful, intentional contexts using a variety of materials. You will leave with practical tips and inspiring ideas to enhance your early years program, both inside and outside the classroom. These sessions are for educators of preschool and kindergarten age children.
Sponsored by District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic District School Board
The outdoors is a wonderful way to inspire children to use their imagination and engage in learning using the elements of nature that are right at our fingertips! Grab your rain boots and hats to join us for this outdoor session as we experience group games, storytelling, and invitations using natural materials and loose parts to develop early literacy skills. We will share practical tips and interactive experiences that will give you ideas for starting up an outdoor routine in any season and weather, from green spaces to concrete jungles.
We will begin indoors at the ECCDC, then move as a group to the Glenridge Quarry site.
Prices
General Admission (Free)
When employees are not actively engaged at work, not only do they suffer – the organization does as well. Workplaces with high levels of engagement have employees that are committed and feel a connection to the organization. Engaged employees are willing to use discretionary time, brainpower, and effort beyond what is expected of them. This workshop explores how employee engagement occurs more readily when employees are respected and cared for, when they do tasks that bring them satisfaction, and when they work in an organization that makes a difference. Participants will learn unique insights for increasing engagement and be challenged to think critically about their approach to employee engagement.
Prices
Niagara Administrators $35.00
Outside Niagara Administrators $55.00
With ECCDC Training Team
This workshop will provide a hands-on opportunity to engage in a Makerspace in an outdoor environment, also known as a Natural Makerspace. Participants will explore what a Makerspace is and the common materials involved, the difference between an indoor and outdoor Makerspace, the benefits of a Natural Makerspace, and materials to consider in the outdoor environment. Educators will also have the opportunity to discuss barriers they may face in a Natural Makerspace and ways to overcome these barriers.
Prices
Niagara Educators $10.00
Outside Niagara Educators $25.00
With Jacob Rodenburg
How do we activate, empower, and inspire children to adopt a sustainable future? We show them. Jacob Rodenburg has spent the past 30 years fostering environmental stewardship in children. During this time, Jacob has created over 90 curriculum linked outdoor and environmental programs. Join this session to explore how to enhance environmental awareness and learn ways you can provide students with practical, hands-on environmental activities from schoolyard naturalization to environmental science projects
Prices
Niagara Educators, includes a light lunch $25.00
Outside Niagara Educators, includes a light lunch $45.00