On-Site ECD Professional Development

This full day session is for seasoned and new early childhood professional. This is an opportunity to engage in professional reflection and an opportunity to energize with professional tools related to leadership, questioning and influence. This session is built to "support a culture where everyone feels they are leaders regardless of what they do and appreciate that what each one of us does has an impact". (Kouzes & Posner, 2012).

Using the process of participatory engagement we will cover the topic areas using a variety of communication techniques.

• Personal Leadership Identity
• Current Potential for Influence and Responsibility
• Communication – Leadership is about Qualities and Values rather than Position
• Complex, Dynamic Opportunities for Leadership
• Leadership is about Purpose – Pedagogical Leadership
• Personal Leadership Growth Plan

Currently in Alberta less than 50% of young children are entering school developing appropriately in all areas of development. (social, emotional, language, physical & general knowledge). (ECMAP, 2014) This information is a clear opportunity for early childhood professionals to expand their leadership influence within work, home, community and policy. This session explores how to become a voice for our young children within any environment.

Cost of this session is $2100.00 plus GST (mileage may be applicable) if held at your facility or a facility of your booking.
All print materials and evaluations are included.

References:

• Alberta Education, Early Child Development Mapping Project (2014). How are our young children doing? Final report. www.ecmap.ca
• Berger, W. (2014). A More Beautiful Question, The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas, Bloomsbury, New York, New York.
• Child Care Human Resource Sector Council. (2013). You Bet We Still Care! A survey of centre based early childhood education and care in Canada: Highlight report
• Early Childhood Australia. (2014). What Does Leadership Look Like in Early Childhood Settings?, www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
• Kouzes, J., Posner, B. (2012). The Leadership Challenge, fifth edition, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, California.

Motivention has created a session around Loose Parts and the positive impact loose parts have on children. This workshop can either be a half day conference or a full-day conference depending on your requirements. This conference is applicable for childcare, preschool, school age care, early learning, parent link, parks & recreation as well as parents.

What are Loose Parts?

When working with young children loose parts means alluring, beautiful found objects and materials that children can move, manipulate, control and change while they play. Children can carry, combine, redesign, line up, take apart and put loose parts back together in almost endless ways. The materials come with no specific set of directions, and they can be used alone or combined with other materials. (Daly, Beloglovsky 2014 p.3) Loose Parts are Open-Ended - The unlimited opportunities that exist with the use of loose parts are both captivating and limitless when combined with the freedom of play and imagination. A rock can be a car, a fence or a special ingredient in a magical soup. It is the process of play with these types of materials that children develop their internal understanding of how the world works around them as well as their potential to influence that world.

Key Learning Opportunities with Loose Parts

• Loose Parts promote active learning (healthy development is supported when children can actively manipulate, experiment, and interact with materials)
• Loose Parts deepen critical thinking (critical thinking investigates, analyzes, questions and contests beliefs, facts actions and information of all kinds, loose parts support children's abilities to challenge assumptions and devise solutions)
• Loose Parts promote divergent and creative thinking (To meet the challenges and opportunities of the future, today's children must become critical and creative thinkers, intelligent problem solvers and good communicators. These skills develop when they tinker with loose parts.) (Daly, Beloglovsky 2014 p.8)
• Loose Parts are developmentally inclusive (children of all ages, abilities, skill levels, culture and gender can use loose parts successfully - because there is no right or wrong way to work with them)
• Loose Parts promote a wide range of play (loose parts support complex play it is self-motivated, imaginative and free of adult goals)
• Loose Parts are sustainable and economically feasible (materials gathered to be used as loose parts are collected by reuse, renew and recycle items e.g. lids, buttons, boxes etc.)
• Loose Parts can be used inside and outside (loose parts including branches, rocks, wood, dirt, water, sand and bark support play and provide unending creative exploration in an outdoor environment)

References:

• Daly, L., Beloglovsky, M. (2015). Loose Parts - Inspiring Play in Young Children, Redleaf Press
• Nicholson, S. (1971). How NOT to Cheat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts, Landscape Architecture

Each participant will receive their own Loose Parts kit.

Please contact Laurie MacDonald at 587.832.2512 or email for a quote.

Community Awareness Event – Sharing the Play Challenge

Motivention works to support awareness related to the importance of the early years. We have learned from talking with busy parents and community members that the best way to share information with parents is to "follow the strollers"!

It is this philosophy that supports our Community Awareness Events specific to the value of adult's interaction during children's play and well as key messages related to child development.

If you are having an event and would like to "Share the Play Challenge", Motivention will provide:

• Multiple open-ended play experiences that children and parents/adults can engage in, hosted by play coaches that share tidbits of research and child development related to what they see during play.
• Opportunity for parents to engage in conversation related to child development based on the Alberta Benchmarks Survey results, which identified that less than half of Alberta's parents were correctly able to recognize developmental milestones for children ages 0-5 years of age. Link: http://research4children.com/data/documents/What_Albertans _Know_About_Child_Development_-_The_2013_Provincial_Benchmark_Survey.pdf
• Participants will be given the opportunity to share their insights or knowledge about how play and developmental knowledge helps them as a parent and play partner with their child or children. This information will be available on the Motivention website two weeks after the event.
• Information handouts will be available for participants related to child development and the value of play.

If you book our team to participate in the event we will need to ensure the following support is in place:

• Approximately 250 cardboard boxes of varying sizes are available at the venue 2 hours prior to the start of the event.
• A large space to set up boxes as supporting activities (5 additional play opportunities)
• 2 volunteers to help with set up 1 hour prior to event set up and 1 hour to help clean up after the event.
• Lots of happy children and adults ready to play and explore!

Here are a few pictures from some of our events!

We would love to be part of your event, if you have questions or ideas, we would be happy to customize parts of the experience to enhance the vision of the event.

For more information or to book Motivention please contact:

Laurie MacDonald
Business Manager – Motivention
587-832-2512

A three part session over six weeks. The goal is to add play back into everyone's daily life. Play can build problem solving, collaboration and persistence. What does play promote? Below are a few benefits:

• Play promotes brain organization
• Play can reduce the symptoms of ADHD* (Brown, 2009 p.99)
• Play is the most important element in love

Platinum Package

Includes:

• Play Challenge Session 1-3
• Reflective Play Journal
• Play Conversation Cards
• Community of Practice Session (Session 2)
• Idea Template for Creating New Ideas
• 20 Hours of Idea Implementation Coaching specific to ideas developed in Session 3
• $3500

Gold Package

Includes:

• Play Challenge Session 1-3
• Reflective Play Journal
• Play Conversation Cards
• Idea Template for Creating New Ideas
• Community of Practice Session (Session 2)
• 10 Hours of Idea Implementation Coaching specific to ideas developed in Session 3
• $2500

Silver Package

Includes:

• Play Challenge Session 1 &2
• Reflective Play Journal
• Play Conversation Cards
• Community of Practice Session (Session 2)
• $1500

Bronze Package

Includes:

• Play Challenge Session 1 (Session 3 can be substituted)
• Reflective Play Journal
• Play Conversation Cards
• $1250

The following is a menu of options available for 1 ½ – 2 hour parent discussions on topics relevant to Early Childhood Development. Each session will have a brief introduction to the topic and reflective questions to generate conversation based on the participatory model of engagement. Each session will provide the parents with a handout related to the topic for further reference after the session.

These sessions can be customized to meet your needs, but are centered around social and emotional learning. Each session is a cost of $150.00 if sessions are completed at your facility or facility of your booking.

• The Core Brain Story – These sessions are based on the collaborative work of the Café Institute, Ready 4 Learning, Motiventon and First 2000 Days Early Childhood Network. This 4 part series engages parents and caregivers in discussion related to the facts and importance of early brain development. Many of the images and reference are tied to the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative related to the core brain story. (This can also be offered as staff training as a strategy to build capacity within a program. Print materials are open sources.)

  Handout – Healthy Parent Healthy Children – The Early Years by Alberta Health Services.

• Why do my kids play at daycare? – This is a common question that many early childhood professionals get asked by parents. In many discussions, it is found that the root of this question lies in the parents desire to have their child excel and have every advantage possible. This session takes a closer look at how play is the key to success in strong, confident, curious learners, as well as gives tips to parents on how to become better playmates.

  Handout – Early Childhood Development – The power of play: 6 things you should know – ECMAP

• Technology and Young Children – This session presents the research related to the benefits and challenges with use of technology with young children. The conversation will take a closer look at the educational claims made by some manufacturers. The reflective questions support the engagement of a balanced approach to the use of technology with the exception that here be no screen time for children under the age of two, as recommended by the Canadian and American Pediatric societies.

  Handout – Early Childhood Development – Making smart choices about digital technology and young children – ECMAP

• Super Hero Play – From Ninja Turtles to the Avengers, young children are curious and motivated by the storyline and powers of super hero characters. However, many adults find this the most challenging type of play. This session will support a conversation of understanding the value of active and rough and tumble play that many times accompanies super hero play.

  Handout – When children imitate super heroes – National Association for Education of Young Children

• How will I know if my child is ready for school? – "Supporting self-regulation may be one of the most important things we can do to safeguard and promote children's development" (Dr. Clancy Blair). This discussion supports how to recognize when a child is ready to try things on their own and ways to support parents in setting up opportunities for children to exercise self-regulation. The reflective question will give parents the opportunity to self-reflect on times that they could support more independence and foster confidence in learning.

  Handout – Early Childhood Development – Self-regulation puts children, caregivers in the driver's seat – ECMAP

• Supporting Creativity with Young Children – The next generation will be faced with challenges that do not even exist yet and as such will need to have keen critical thinking and creativity to solve those problems. Based on the Torrance Test of Creativity and Critical Thinking, this session will highlight some of the skills that contribute to higher levels of creativity. This topic will highlight how we can support the development of these skills in your children... once we recognize our own ability to be creative.

  Handout – Thinking Routines – National Association for Education of Young Children.

• Kids Have Stress Too TM – This session, built by the Canadian Psychology Foundation takes a closer look at social and emotional development of young children, specifically stress. For the parent session only a few of the tips and ideas will be presented. This conversation will focus on the effects of long-term stress and support the difference between stress and anxiety. (The full session of this training can be presented in a 3-hour time slot.)

  Handout – How to Help Kids Handle Stress – Canadian Psychology Foundation

• Investing in Early Child Development: What is the payoff? – This session takes the current research that tells us how Alberta's children are doing, by community, in the areas of social, emotional, physical, language and general knowledge. This research is based on data collection by the Early Development Instrument and complied by the Early Childhood Mapping Project. We will talk about the results for your home community and ways to respond to the results.

  Handout – Investing in Early Childhood Development: What's the payoff? – ECMAP

**Recognized as a standardized measurement of the learning and talents of gifted and talented individuals**

The highly reliable Torrance ® Test of Creative Thinking is the most widely used test of its kind. The test measures five mental characteristics as well as creative strengths. This test can be applied to individuals from four years old to adulthood.

The cost of the Torrance test is $400.00 per child, however if more assessments are completed on the same day the cost is $320.00 per child (20% discount).

Motivention is one of the many partners supporting the work of Café Institute (www.cafeinstitute.org) in providing professionals and communities with a framework to engage in conversation related to the importance of the early years specifically related to early brain development. Currently we offer an orientation to the conversation Café and the Early Years Opportunity, which focuses on:

• Building a Strong Foundation
• Relationship and Serve and Return
• A Supportive Environment for Development
• Skills for Life and Learning

This service leaves participants ready to implement this method within existing programs, as a stand-alone program, as a conversation with family and friends. It is a capacity training that participants are prepared to implement the next day. The only thing we ask in return is that you tell us how you are using the conversations within your circle of influence.

    Service: 3 Hours
    Cost: $500
    Includes:

• Skilled Trainer
• Electronic Copy of Manual
• A Royalty to Café Institute

Printed copies of the resource are based on a cost recover of $100/manual and can be ordered at the time of booking.

• Community Conversation Make Change
• Early Brain Development
• Family Day Home – Family Feud
• Kids Have Stress Too
• Theory of Change
• Value of Super Hero Play

$500.00 per session

Motivention President, Launa Clark has presented to groups across Alberta and some international presentations that motivate adults to be the best version of themselves, as the key quality experiences for the young people in their life. References available upon request.

$1000.00 per Lecture

Motivention will meet with you and/or your group for a free hour to review what type of training you are looking for.

This service includes any consultative relationship that is customized to the needs of the group. This may include but is not limited to document review, meeting presentation, on-site observation or personal leadership mentoring.