Alberta Resource Center for Quality Enhancement

The goal of this series is to inspire and present tools for early learning professionals to trust play as the most effective method of learning for preschool children.  This session is focused on teachers of preschool age children and is built based on a strong understanding for child development.

Part 1 – Why Play for Preschoolers? (3hrs) This session encourages participants to develop the mindset of a play coach, to reflect on how what they do fits within developmentally appropriate practice not the other way around. Participants will be involved in hands on experiences that can assist them in evidencing how play supports healthy child development.

Part 2 – Learning to Play Again – A Constructivist Workshop for Adults (full or half day) This workshop has participants walk the walk when it comes to value of play.  Inspired from an article in the Spotlight on Young Children and Play – NAEYC this workshop provides a completely hand-on approach in supporting teachers reconnecting with insights that only happen through play.  The session provides time for play, reflection and documentation related to areas of child development as well as inspiration for ideas classroom activities.  Wear comfortable clothes and come ready to play.

Part 3 – Learning Through Play and Individual Assessment (3hrs)  This session it built on the premise that “learning is a continuum, and assessment can help teachers identify where each child is on this continuum” (Young Children, May 2010).  This session helps teachers “assess” the learning as it happens in informal situations.  Participants will discuss strategies that capture the learning as it unfolds during play and conversation.  

Part 4 – Evidence of a Quality Early Learning Program (3hr) – As standards for early childhood continue to gain recognition so does the need to provide evidence related to the quality with a program.  ECERS, CIS, SpeciaLink, POEMS – all acronyms for assessment tools related to early learning and care programs.  This session gives an overview of these tools and strategies that can be combined to support evidence of quality within a program.  In the “You Bet I Care” study it was identified that the highest indicator of quality within a program is tied to the adult/child interaction and as such this session highlights how Alberta has been able to evidence growth in this area through ARCQE’s use of the Caregiver Interaction Scale.

Part 5 – Emergent Curriculum - Building on Children’s Interests- Intentional vs. Accidental. Emergent Curriculum is about - planning and then letting go - responding to the interests and preferences of everyone in the room, including the professionals and the families - celebrating the children - enjoying the role you play with the children, the program, the families and the community. Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3 and 7

Part 6 – Reflective Program Planning - Introduction of Plan, Do, Review programming and Child Portfolios. This workshop looks at a variety of documentation strategies that as a professional validate the immense learning that happens for young children by recording the individual growth of each child. (Note – this is intended to follow Emergent Curriculum PT.1) Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3 and 5

This interactive workshop focuses on a critical component of quality child care- the PLAY.  This introductory session looks at: why play is important for optimal child development outcomes; current research and trends; practical suggestions for enhancing play environments.

Beginner Level Workshop: Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

This workshop supports the theory and practice related to planning based on the observed needs of the children. Practical strategies and supporting documentations sheets help to support the new professional in our field.

Beginner Level Workshop : Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3, 4 and 5

This workshop is designed to support preschool teachers in gathering understanding and research related to the value of learning through play curriculum. This workshop is designed to address the criticism so often stated as “They are JUST PLAYING.” “Play promotes learning & development in a number of domains. Based on research evidence, a new equation is in order: PLAY = LEARNING”

This interactive workshop explores:

• Explores the Value & Elements of Play
• Play and Developmentally Appropriate Practice 
• Strategies for using Play Based Curriculum with Preschoolers 
• Strategies to Create a Play Based Environment 

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3, 4 and 5

Explore guidelines for arranging play space both indoors and out aimed at enhancing play and effective adult supervision. The workshop explores how tools like the ITERS/ECERS/FDCERS can be a support when developing play spaces for children.  This workshop includes many pictures to support development of location, boundaries, storage and mood when creating play spaces.

Beginner Level Workshop : Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1 and 3

Participants will review areas of development enhanced through sand and water play. They will become familiar with requirements of ITERS and ECERS as they relate to sand and water play.  Participants will explore creative materials and props to use with sand and water,   discover other mediums and substitutes for sand and water and be provided with criteria for evaluating sand and water experiences.

Beginner Level Workshop: Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

This interactive workshop will focus on creating fun yet challenging outdoor activity experiences and provide practical ideas that can be used to extend formal program planning in outdoor play experiences.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 3

Bringing physical activity back into children’s play.  This workshop was created in partnerships with Canadian Child Care Federation and focuses on the value of active play in the development of children.

Beginner Level Workshop: Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

Children have a natural curiosity about the world around them, we as caregivers have the opportunity to be children’s first introduction to many natural and scientific concepts. This workshop focuses on the early childhood professional’s role in supporting science through interactions, materials and interest based planning. Bring your protective eye wear! 

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

This workshop combines current research from the “Who’s Counting” (2009) Study and the theory on how a children understands the world around them according to groupings and patterns which provide the bases for more advanced math skills.  The participants will engaged in hands-on activities and brainstorming related to how to use everyday routine and materials to support developing math skills.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

Based on the book “Beautiful Stuff” (Topal & Gandini, 1999) this hands-on workshop supports strategies and ideas to implement open-ended art with young children.  Open-ended art supports exploration, choice, and problem solving opportunities. There are no right or wrong ways of creating artwork. Samples or models are not provided.  Children are provided with the materials and what they choose to create it up to them.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

Have you ever wondered what to do with Spiderman or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the dramatic play area? This workshop will focus on how to use these intrinsic interests and self assigned roles of the children to give concrete learning to moral development such as honor justice, mercy and other values of human interactions. This workshop will support advanced early childhood professionals in their progression toward providing optimum learning and care for young children.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1, 2 and 3

“Children have always built, testing their theories about the physical and social world. They stack units, knock them down, enclose spaces, bridge gaps, and repeat and refine ideas—often without the intervention of adults or the introduction of commercial materials.” (Hewitt, 2001)  Block play is a staple in all early childhood classrooms.  This interactive workshop takes a look at the stages of block play and materials that support whole child development using this type of play.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1,2 and 3

“Cooking activities are intrinsically appealing to children as well as being rich in opportunities for learning. With a well-planned cooking program, teachers don’t have to sacrifice developmentally appropriate practices to help children achieve important learning outcomes.”(Colker, 2005) This workshop supports hands-on strategies to include cooking in the early childhood classroom.

This workshop explores:

• Setting up a Developmentally Appropriate Cooking Environment
• Putting Health and Safety First 
• Cooking with Families 
• Using Recipes with Young Children

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1, 2 and 3

This workshop is designed to support professionals in gaining a deeper understanding of the way in which young children develop language and literacy skills. Learn about environmental influences that affect children’s language and literacy development. Reflect on how to enhance practice in support of children’s language and literacy skills. Consider ways to work in partnership with families to support this development Review types of evidence of best practice on this theme for the accreditation process.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2,3,4 and 5

Participants will explore the guiding principles that support cultural diversity in programs for young children, examine their own values, and become familiar with the Consciousness Continuum model – one that encourages participants to become “unconsciously competent.” Participants will have the opportunity to examine concrete ways to weave culture sensitivities into the child’s play environment so that each child and his/her family see themselves reflected in the program.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2,3,4 and 5

This workshop focuses on the caregiver’s role of guiding awareness and promoting critical thinking related to media consumption in children.  It is noted that the children of today, due to technology will grow up and do jobs that currently don’t exist, making it critical that they have skills to discern the value of the media in their lives.  Media literacy is the skill of experiencing, interpreting/analyzing and making media products.   This workshop shares strategies to integrate technology and well as some hands on activities to support use of media in programs. (older preschool/school age care)

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

Explore a variety of strategies to ensure that transitions become an unhurried, less stressful learning adventure.  In this three hour interactive workshop, participants will explore a variety of strategies to ensure that transitions become an unhurried, learning experience.

Beginner workshop. Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1, 2 and 3

This workshop is divided into three sessions and recommended to be offered intermittently to enable participants an opportunity to internalize information and apply it to practice between sessions.  In determining delivery of sessions it is important that the process of delivery for the three sessions be determined based on level of education and experience of participants.

Session One Learning Objectives will focus on exploring the whys and wherefores of children’s behavior, understanding what children may gain from challenging behavior and your role in assessing the function that challenging behavior plays, and examining the effects that challenging behavior may have on the other children in the program and on the practitioner.
Session Two Learning Objectives will identify strategies that prevent or minimize challenging behaviors, recognize anxiety and other early warning signs of challenging behaviors, examine and where necessary, change the practitioner’s approach to challenging behavior and use observation techniques to gain more information about challenging behavior.
Session Three Learning Objectives will identify appropriate behavior strategies, develop, implement and evaluate a plan of action for coping with challenging behaviors, including determining when outside intervention is necessary, working with parents as partners around challenging behaviors, help other children and their parents cope with challenging behavior, and reflect on your practice as it relates to challenging behavior.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 4

This interactive workshop will explore the stages of Social Skill development in young children and offer strategies for encouraging and supporting goals with Social Skill development in Early Learning and Care settings.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1, 2 and 3

This interactive workshop is a follow up to the Caregiver Interaction Scale focusing on techniques and strategies for front line professionals enhancing quality child care – Adult/Child Interactions.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

The “Handle with Care” practitioner workshop is designed to help participants develop a mental health promotion mindset in their child care work and assist them in implementing appropriate strategies in the child care setting. The focus is on: 1) Creating a mental health promotion mindset 2) Understanding how social-emotional development, family and community connections and practitioner well-being are important contributors to promoting children’s mental health. 3) Linking new information with familiar information 4) recognizing positive practices as well as challenges and barriers 5) adapting mental health promotion practices to particular community and centre situations encountered by practitioners.

Relates to Accreditation Standards:1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

 Building on Children’s Interests- Intentional vs. Accidental. Emergent Curriculum is about - planning and then letting go - responding to the interests and preferences of everyone in the room, including the professionals and the families - celebrating the children - enjoying the role you play with the children, the program, the families and the community.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3 and 7

Introduction of Plan, Do, Review programming and Child Portfolios. This workshop looks at a variety of documentation strategies that as a professional validate the immense learning that happens for young children by recording the individual growth of each child.

(Note – this is intended to follow Emergent Curriculum  PT.1)

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2, 3 and 5

Building a case for effective observation, keeping anecdotal records and creating child development profiles. This session reflects on how to generate useful observations related to environment, process and behavior involving young children.  It reinforces the professionalism related to observing and recording as it is the evidence related to the work we do with young children.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2,3,4 and 5

This session is set up to support early learning teachers in identifying what motivates them to be an excellent teacher and how emergent curriculum supports quality practices.

This workshop explores:

• Characteristics of an Excellent/Intentional Teacher.
• Using Developmentally Appropriate Practices to Develop Quality Curriculum.
• Description of Emergent Curriculum using Plan • Do • Review. 
• Methods of Professional Documentation of Curriculum and Learning.

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 2 and 3

This workshop focuses on the affects of positive play experiences on the development of a child’s brain. This session answers the question… Is it JUST playing… it is just playing and gives evidence as we why “just playing” is so important. This interactive workshop gives concrete ideas to implement to support healthy brain development with young children. 

Relates to Accreditation Standards: 1,2 and 3

RIRO is designed to reach young children from birth to seven years, RIRO works by laying a strong foundation of thinking and coping skills that support resilience in the adults who care for and work with them. RIRO teaches "3Rs of Resilience"– skills to help Relax, Reflect and Respond effectively to life's challenges. The resiliency skills help adults and children develop several critical abilities associated with resilience:

• being in charge of our emotions
• controlling our impulses
• analyzing the cause of problems
• empathizing with others 
• believing in our competence 
• maintaining realistic optimism
• reaching out to others and opportunities. 
• RIRO training gives professionals skills and theory to support a relationship-based reflective practice and provides a framework for creating a "culture of resilience" in programs serving young children.

How the training is delivered:

Consisting of 12 hours of content in two or four parts, the program is flexible and can be successfully delivered through a series of modules designed to meet local needs.

Part 1 helps adults build their own foundation of the critical resiliency abilities described above. Participants learn resiliency skills they can model with children and families. Specifically, they learn to:

• Identify and strengthen critical abilities associated with resilience
• Use strategies to stay calm and focused in stressful times 
• Identify how their thoughts can affect their ability to cope with stress and challenges 
• Challenge thinking habits that hinder resilience 
• Generate alternative ways to handle conflict, problems and stress.

In Part 2 of the program, participants learn to apply the skills with children. They learn to:

• Model the skills and foster resilience in the children around them
• Use their own resiliency skills to increase their understanding of children's behavior 
• Incorporate resiliency skills into their work setting by using child-friendly approaches such as children's literature, puppets, and play-based activities.

Based on RIRO's formal testing of training delivery models, the 12 hours of program content can be successfully delivered in 2 full days, 4 half-days, 6 after-work sessions, and 10-12 brief sessions (suitable for lunch breaks, children's sleep periods, ect)

Relates to Accreditation Standards: Child Care 2 and 3