In this workshop, participants will be introduced to four aspects of our educational environment that can result in nurturing or hindering emotional and academic development.
- Socio-Moral Environment (classroom community)
- Physical Environment (how the classroom is organized)
- Intellectual Environment (how children are challenged with engaging experiences that make them think)
- Promotional Environment (what is honored on the walls of the classroom)
None of these aspects act alone, but work in concert with one another in order for children to develop healthy learning dispositions. This workshop uses photos and video exemplars from early childhood classrooms to lead discussion about the research on how young children learn. Discussion threads will include the development of executive function skills, the harmful effects of punishment, and the role of play in development. Participants will leave with resources to support them in providing a classroom community in which all children have the opportunity to participate in decision-making such as voting, rule-making, and conflict resolution.
Workshop format: face-to-face
Length of workshop: 3 hours
Number of participants: limited to 24
Part One: This workshop will describe healthy learning dispositions and the development of the classroom community so that all children have the opportunity to participate in making decisions about how they want their class to be. Tools for teachers that support a caring classroom community will be shared and aspects of the physical environment that can impact learning and relationships will be explored. Conflict and its role in the development of knowledge as well as adult - child relationships and principles of teaching in conflict situations will also be discussed.
Workshop format: virtual
Length of workshop: 1.5 hours
Number of participants: limited to 50
Part Two: This workshop will focus on how young children learn, the development of executive function skills, and how teachers can grow the intellectual environment in the classroom. The role of play on development and what recent research tells us about what young children need in order to develop 21st Century Skills will be discussed.
Workshop format: virtual
Length of workshop: 1.5 hours
Number of participants: limited to 50