Inspired Minds ECC Consulting Inc.

A Place to Play!
2020-03-04 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Edmonton) | Global Aware Kids Care, 109, 1103 95 Street SW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6X 0P8, Canada
Creating Inspiring Play Spaces for Young Learners
Let me play!!! Children need room to run, climb, jump, get messy, read books, paint masterpieces and build worlds of wonder…how can we fit all of it into one place?! This workshop is designed to spur the imagination of how to effectively transform your everyday classroom into a magical play space for children to have fun and learn. Designing creative floor plans and getting some practical tips and strategies are just some of the activities you will be involved in at this workshop. This workshop will be sure to help you create an inspiring environment where you and your children will love to explore!

CANCELLED ~ Unlocking the Magic of Emergent Curriculum:3 Part Series (6 hours total)
2020-03-10 18:30 - 2020-03-24 20:30 | Riverbend Montessori Child Development Ctr, 536 Riverbend Square NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Observing, Planning, Documenting and Reflecting on
Children’s Play and Learning – 3 Part Series (6 hours total)
Let’s journey further into the magical world of emergent planning – where children are the key! This extended workshop series provides a more comprehensive version of our introduction session to emergent curriculum. One of the best ways to learn new skills is to learn by doing and this is how we dive deeper into understanding emergent curriculum. We will go through each component of emergent curriculum in more detail and with lots of practice trying these strategies out ourselves. What is emergent planning? Is it effective? Will the children still enjoy the activities and learn? How does it work with the Alberta Flight Curriculum Framework? Discover the answers to these questions and much more as we look at some key tips and tricks to implementing an emergent curriculum. These workshops are designed to reveal the mystery and magic of the popular emergent curriculum concept and put it into practice in your classroom. Remember! Not all planning is the same – just like not all children or teachers are the same, so let’s figure out how to do it so it works for everyone!
Part 1: Observing with Wonder and Intentionality (2 hours)
Let’s start with observations! The core component to emergent curriculum is framed around our abilities to observe, record and interpret children’s interests, abilities, needs and learning styles. This first session will allow participants to practice and improve their skills in observations and learn some key elements to recording children’s interests. Identify what to observe, how to observe, when to observe and why this is all an important step in emergent planning. Observing and including all the children in your care will help you get a better understanding of what to plan next in your program.
Part 2: Planning Activities Where Children are the Key (2 hours)
Now, what do we do with these observations? The next session in this series will help participants interpret these observations and use them in their planning. It may sound simple but it’s easy to get side tracked or miss out on some key elements, so let’s try this together! Participants will use their observations to formulate a planning format that works for them. And since every teacher is different, it’s important to find a format that works for you and the children in your care. Think ‘outside the box’ and learn how to plan activities that are reflective of all the amazing things children do and say in your program.
Part 3: Documenting Samples of Play and Learning (2 hours)
The final session, and last component of emergent curriculum, is making children’s learning visible. How can we show what the children playing and learning and why it’s important? Express your creative side as we look at all the different ways to document the process of play – with a focus on documentation boards and learning stories. This make ‘n’ take session will give participants hands-on opportunities to create their own documentation board or learning story. Take your teaching practices to the next level of excellence and enjoy all the pathways in our journey of exploring emergent curriculum.

DAP Trivia Time!
2020-03-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Spruce Grove Playschool, 447 King St, Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada
DAP Trivia Time:
Understanding Best Practices in Early Child Care
Are you DAP? What is DAP? This hands-on, full participation workshop is designed to get you involved in understanding Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Alberta Accreditation Standards and the Alberta Flight Curriculum Framework. What exactly is DAP? How does it affect my classroom and children’s learning? Come find out the answers to these questions and much more as we discuss the cornerstones of developmentally appropriate practices and learn how to implement these strategies in the classroom. Instead of just a discussion though, let’s follow the child’s lead and play! Get your teams ready as we transform this workshop into a game show extravaganza that makes learning fun

OSC FOCUSED ~ Let's Be Friends!
2020-03-12 18:30 - 20:30 | St. Albert Day Care Society, 6 Cunningham Rd, St. Albert, Alberta, Canada
OSC FOCUSED ~ Let’s Be Friends!
Building Positive Relationships through SEL and Bullying Prevention
In good times…in bad times…I’ll be on your side forever more! That’s exactly what children need – positive relationships and quality friendships. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. This workshop will help you understand children’s social development and how using social emotional learning (SEL) promotes positive friendships and strengthens an anti-bullying classroom. As we take at the 5 core components to SEL, we will learn how to implement these concepts through practical, fun hands on activities that will work for you and the children in your program. Learn a few tips and strategies that can work with the children in your program to build lasting relationships and get them on the right path to demonstrating positive social skills.

CANCELLED ~ Unlocking the Magic of Emergent Curriculum
2020-03-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Delton Early Learning & OSC, 12126 90 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Unlocking the Magic of Emergent Curriculum:
An Introduction to the Emergent Curriculum Approach
Step into the magical world of emergent planning – where children are the key! The way we plan activities for children is changing as we focus on the interests and abilities of the children as the core concept behind planning classroom activities and plan activities with the children. What is emergent planning? Is it effective? Will the children still enjoy the activities and learn? How does it work with the Alberta Flight Curriculum Framework? Discover the answers to these questions and much more as we look at some key tips and tricks to implementing an emergent curriculum. This workshop is designed to reveal the mystery and magic of the well-known emergent curriculum concept and put it into practice in your classroom. Remember! Not all planning is the same – just like not all children or teachers are the same, so let’s figure out how to do it so it works for everyone!

CANCELLED ~ No Waiting! Get Them Shaking!
2020-03-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Discovery Land Child Care, 2562 Guardian Rd NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5T 1K8, Canada
No Waiting! Get Them Shaking!
Learning Effective Transition Strategies
Oh, those lovely transition times…where chaos seems to reign, and things get a little crazy! But this doesn’t have to be the case if we learn how to provide effective transitions! Children are not able to sit and wait…or line up perfectly-every time…so why not make it fun for them and a smoother transition for you as well! Participants will identify the 3 core concepts behind effective transitions and practical ideas and activities to support each concept: Plan it – Provide Warnings – and Engage! We will touch on everything from visual daily routine schedules to fun transitional activities. This session is sure to increase your library of transitional strategies that will smooth that chaos and stress and turn it into an enjoyable part of your day. Get ready to shake, sing and be innovative as we brainstorm fun transitional activities that will inspire you and the children in your program.
