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Speaker: Jan Peeters, Coordinator of the Centre for Innovation in the Early Years of the Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University (Belgium)

Dr. Peeters is an international expert on workforce preparation and inclusion in the early childhood workforce.

The early childhood workforce is being called upon to adapt to new delivery systems as they support children and families with diverse needs navigate unprecedented socio-economic changes. These external developments require an innovative, more sophisticated workforce. Dr. Peeters discusses the preparation and character required for the new Early Childhood Educator and approaches that can assist the profession to rise to the challenges and opportunities.

• Professionalization of ECEC: What makes a high quality ECE workforce? (PDF Presentation)

Speaker: Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Early Learning Division, Ministry of Education

Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister of early years for the Ministry of Education, tackles the most contentious issues facing early years leaders. The session will offer practical strategies and solutions based on international research and Jim’s own leadership experience. The new provincial pedagogy How Does Learning Happen will also be highlighted. Through pre-surveying, Jim will identify and address specific leadership challenges of interest and concern to the audience during this highly interactive and informative session.

• Leadership on the line: How to shine in challenging situations (PDF Presentation)

Presenters: Kimberly Bezaire, Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College, and Monica McGlynn-Stewart, Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College

This study examines the perspectives of RECE/OCT teaching teams in Full-Day Kindergarten who are making this professional partnership work. Survey and interview results highlight the complexity of the new teaching model and identify conditions that support inter-professional team building and effective team teaching in school settings. Participants will be invited to explore the implications of the study including structural and interpersonal factors that support professional collaboration, professional learning and advocacy.

• Bringing Our Best to Full-Day Kindergarten: Creating equitable & effective teaching teams (PDF Presentation)

Presenters: Sue Corke, Registrar and CEO, College of Early Childhood Educators, and Elaine Winick, Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College

The process of professionalization can be viewed as a self-actualization journey of leadership. In order to be viewed as professionals we need to first see ourselves as having professional status. The role of the College of Early Childhood Educators is to promote public trust and accountability. Please join in a guided discussion on the relationship between professional identity, the regulatory body, and the catalytic nature of leadership in pursuit of quality outcomes.

• Leadership, Professionalism and Public Recognition (PDF Presentation)

Presenters: 

• Emis Akbari, Post Doctoral Fellow, Atkinson Centre, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ¸ßÊÖÂÛ̳, University of Toronto,
• Romona Gananathan, PhD Candidate, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ¸ßÊÖÂÛ̳, University of Toronto
• Zeenat Janmohamed, Visiting Scholar, Atkinson Centre, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ¸ßÊÖÂÛ̳, University of Toronto

The study analyzes data related to program access, affordability and workforce developments in Ontario between 2010 -2014. The study includes surveys of educators documenting the nature and status of working relationships, interviews with administrators, and parent surveys assessing potential changes to parent workforce behaviour and family stress. Findings to date have implications for policy makers, administrators and postsecondary educator training.

• Schools at the Centre: Case Studies of Seamless Early Learning Summer Institute on Early Child Development (PDF Presentation)

Presenters: Anne Hepditch, Quality Assurance Consultant, Toronto Children’s Services, and Michal Perlman, Associate Professor, аÄÃÅÁùºÏ¸ßÊÖÂÛ̳, University of Toronto

This study tests the validity of the Operating Criteria as a measure of quality as well as the City’s process for collecting quality ratings. Research, implementation and policy issues will be discussed.

• Supporting System Quality (PDF Presentation)
• Measuring child care centre quality for quality improvement purposes (PDF Presentation)

Presenters: Jamie Koshyk, Red River College, and Shelly Mehta, Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College

The Science of Early Child Development (SECD) initiative includes online, video-rich resources and courses that present current research on early development, health and well-being. Topics include: social determinants of health, self-regulation, population health, and early literacy and numeracy. In this session, we will demonstrate some of the ways SECD is used for ECE postsecondary education and professional development, in Canada and around the world. We will also show examples of filming done around the world and review the results of student surveys on SECD use.

• Science of Early Child Development (SECD) - An Introduction (PDF Presentation)

Presenters: Rachel Langford, Director, School of Early Childhood Studies, Ryerson University

There are many elements in policy-changing work: initiating the process, determining who is to be involved in policy development and in what capacity; gathering information; policy design, and moving from recommendations to action. This workshop, based on key informant interviews and emerging literature, will examine the presence or absence of these steps in five jurisdictions—Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Australia, New Zealand and England—that designed and introduced strategies to increase their ECEC workforce’s required levels of education and/or professional development. The workshop will then explore what can be learned as we engage in policy-changing work to address Ontario ECEC workforce issues.