Carlina Rinaldi
Bio: ECEC 2008 Conference – Keynote Speaker – Carlina Rinaldi
This year’s keynote speaker, Carlina Rinaldi, will be speaking to us from Reggio Emilia, Italy, via video conference! This is an exciting adventure for both parties – the Reggio Children society and the ECEC 2008 Conference Committee; to be bold and courageous and tackle the newest of technologies to forge new communities seeking the best for young children.
Carlina is a world renowned speaker, author, researcher and teacher. She started out in 1970 with a degree in Pedagogy from the University of Bologna. Starting in 1971, she worked as a pedagogista with the Municipal Infant-toddler Centers and Preschools of Reggio Emilia, subsequently as pedagogical director and as director of the Municipal Infant-toddler Centers and Preschools. She retired in 1999. She has been working as pedagogical consultant for Reggio Children since 1994, following the supervision of all Reggio Children initiatives; she is also responsible for research projects being carried out in conjunction with for example: Harvard University, the University of New Hampshire and the University of Milan. She is currently President of Reggio Children and a Professor at the Modena-Reggio University, Faculty of Education. She was vice-president of the Gruppo Nazionale Nidi-Infanzia (National Early Childhood Association). She has been a speaker at numerous seminars and conferences in Italy as well as in Europe, the United States and Asia.
Recently, she is particularly involved in ongoing professional development initiatives and research projects with the Northern European Countries.
She is co-author of various books on the Reggio Emilia municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools, such as “In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, researching and learning”, “The hundred languages of children” catalog, “The fountains”, “Children, spaces and relations” Metaproject for an environment for young children and many others. She has coordinated the publication of the book "Making Learning Visible", published by Reggio Children and Harvard University Project Zero. She has written a number of articles published both in Italy and abroad for books, education magazines.
Carlina will launch the conference theme “Making Learning Visible.” In her book “In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, researching and learning*” p. 100, she tells us that “…documentation… as a visible trace and a procedure that supports learning and teaching…”
“documentation… as visible listening, as the construction (by means of writing, slides, video, etc.) of traces that not only testify to the children’s learning paths and processes, but that can actually make them possible because they are visible.”
“It makes visible… the nature of learning processes and strategies used by each child… not a documentation of products, but of processes, of mental paths.”
Carlina is truly a pedagogista, an educational leader and consultant who thinks profoundly about how young children learn and how we as educators can enhance learning opportunities in our classrooms. Be prepared for thoughts and provocation that will stimulate your practice; be prepared for a global experience, complete with the sights and sounds of Italy!
*Rinaldi, C. (2006) In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, researching and learning; New York: Routledge
Ruth Ohi
Creating Visual Stories
Over the past seventeen years, through library and school visits, Ruth Ohi has gotten kids across the country excited about books and creating their own visual stories. Through slides showing the creative process and lots of interactive drawing demonstrations showing specific techniques, Ruth shares her work as illustrator and author/illustrator in this lively presentation. More information about Ruth may be found at RuthOhi.com.
bio: Ruth Ohi is the illustrator of over 40 children's picture books. She has had the great pleasure of illustrating for authors such as Joy Kogawa, Hazel Hutchins, Sharon Jennings and Sarah Ellis. Her books have been nominated for the Amelia Francis Howard-Gibbons Award, Mr. Christie Award, Shining Willow, Blue Spruce and the Governor General's Award.
Her latest books include "Chicken, Pig, Cow" (Fall 2008, Annick Press) and the 2007 Blue Spruce Nominee "Clara and the Bossy" (Annick Press) both illustrated and authored by Ruth. More about the illustrator may be found at RuthOhi.com.
Miriam P. Trehearne
Session 1: Assessing and Teaching Reading Comprehension: Practical and Proven Strategies and Engaging Mini-lessons and Student Activities that Work!
How can teachers help all students, Grades 1-3, to better comprehend? What about those students who can decode but struggle with comprehension? This practical workshop will clarify the most effective research-based strategies, engaging mini-lessons and small group student activities used for assessing, teaching and developing reading comprehension across the day. In addition, engaging methods to develop vocabulary, motivate readers and participate in focussed talk will be shared
Session 2: Preschool and Kindergarten: Strong Programs Make the Difference!
All students benefit from strong preschool and kindergarten programs. And research clearly demonstrates the effects of such programs. This practical session will demonstrate how preschool and kindergarten teachers can provide their students (including ELL students) with research-based, developmentally appropriate effective and engaging literacy programs. Clear literacy benchmarks, developmentally appropriate assessments and evidence-based exciting teaching will be shared. Good beginnings never end!
bio: Miriam Trehearne has been a classroom teacher, resource teacher, program specialist (exceptional needs students) coach, Reading Recovery Site Coordinator, Literacy Specialist and University Associate. As a Literacy Specialist, she led a very successful research-based literacy initiative in a large urban school district (156 elementary schools) which focused on 56 high-needs schools. The results have been documented by the University of Calgary and an independent program evaluator. She presently devotes much for her time to researching literacy best practices, presenting to teachers, literacy coaches and school administrators at conferences and writing books and journal articles.
Miriam has spoken at numerous IRA, Early Childhood, Title 1, Reading First and Reading Recovery Conferences across North and South America. In September 2007 she keynoted and did three days of literacy workshops in Buenos Aires Argentina. In July 2008 she spoke at the IRA World Congress in Costa Rica.
She has published in several professional journals and was senior author of The Language Arts Kindergarten Teacher’s Resource Book (Nelson Learning Ltd), the 2006 AEP award winning Language Arts Grades 1-2 Teacher’s Resource Book and The Comprehensive Literacy Resource for Preschool Teachers (2005). Her most recent publication, The Comprehensive Literacy Resource for Grade 3-6 Teachers was published in January 2006 and was a finalist for the AEP Award 2007. Miriam has been honoured as a Canada Post 2001 Literacy Educator Finalist.
Louise Raymond
Motivating Children through Music, Movement and West African Cultures
Using over 50 West-African drums, Louise Raymond provides a unique cognitive approach to multicultural knowledge and awareness, helping to stimulate the children’s own creativity and intellectual development. Participants focus on a foundation of rhythm patterns, techniques, movements, stories and songs in French and African languages. This workshop provides a dynamic, multi-sensory, kinaesthetic, creative West-African experience.
bio: Louise Raymond is Artistic Director of Malicounda Dance Company. She has studied at Archives Culturelles du Sénégal (Dakar, 1992) and at San Francisco State University (Dance Ethnology, 1993-1994). She owned and operated a children’s dance company in California from 1997 to 2002. She has traveled extensively to West Africa, France and California to learn and be immersed in African cultures. Since 2002, she has trained teachers across BC, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. She has been working with children for 25 years.
Anna Kirova
Learning to Listen to Children’s Visual Stories
The presentation provides examples of the processes involved in collaboratively developing the photographic narrative that combines the familiar framing devices, sequencing, and text balloons of the comic book with posed or candid photographs in place of pen-and-ink sketches. The following steps involved in the process will be illustrated with examples: documentary photographs , frame selection, color-coding, sequencing, dramatization: tableaux, and composition: thought/speech bubble. Possible ways of interpreting the comic-book-like stories and learning from them will also be demonstrated. Application of this method to curriculum areas will be suggested.
Bio: Anna Kirova is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, Department of Education, University of Alberta, Canada. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Sofia, Bulgaria, and a Ph. D. from the University of Alberta, Canada. She is currently the Domain Leader for Family Children and Youth Federal Priority area with the Prairie Metropolis Centre for Immigration, Integration and Diversity based at the University of Alberta. Her main research interests are in childhood phenomena including loneliness, boredom, and solitude as well as the phenomenon of moving childhoods as it is lived in the experiences of immigration. She has recently co-edited an international volume entitled, Global Migration: Children, Schools and Families. Her most recent publications are related to the exploration of Fotonovela as a research method in a collaborative school-based project, and as a classroom method that allows English Language Learner to tell visual stories of their experiences.
Emma Brinson
Play, The Heart of Children’s Learning
What about play in the lives of young children? Does play make learning more visible for children? How can it be structured to promote learning? This session will explore these fundamental questions about play, which must be at the heart of children’s learning and development.
Bio: From a very young child I wanted to teach. That dream has been realized. I have had the privilege to teach both children and adults at different times in my teaching career. Very early in my teacher training I realized the importance of play in the lives of both children and adults. Throughout my teaching career I have become passionate about the importance of play in children’s learning. If children learn to be good players in their childhood they will likely be good players in adulthood!
Cheryl Shinkaruk
Session 1: Building Literacy Through Movement
This presentation is aimed towards teachers of Kindergarten – Grade 2. You will have the opportunity to participate in games and activities that actively engage the students in gross motor activities to increase literacy skills. The activities will teach and reinforce alphabet skills, sight words, decoding, and other vocabulary through game-like activities that encourage movement and fun!
Session 2: Yoga Pretzels
Energize! Relax! Renew! Come out and explore how yoga can be integrated into your Physical Education program or classroom. You can develop core strength and flexibility, but you can also inspire a sense of confidence and self-esteem. We will you some key resources that you can take back to the classroom that will engage your students!
Bio: Cheryl Shinkaruk is a Physical Education and Health Consultant with Edmonton Catholic Schools. She has contributed to various resources to support physical activity in the schools of Alberta. She was a contributing author for the Daily Physical Activity for Alberta, the Safety Guidelines for Physical Activity in Alberta Schools, and a Folk Dance resource – Dancing With Your Folks. She promotes health and wellness throughout the schools in Edmonton Catholic by coordinating an AISI Project called “Wellness Works.” Cheryl believes that the use of movement, play, and fun motivate students as they learn outcomes from the Programs of Study.
Dr. Clive Hickson
Session 1: The Need for Education in P.E.
This presentation will focus on the understanding of why physical education should be an important part of a young child’s learning experiences and how teachers can achieve programs that promote learning and help to develop physically educated children.
Session 2: Cooperative Activities for Young Children: A Developmentally Appropriate Approach
This activity session will lead participants through a variety of developmentally appropriate cooperative activities that can enhance physical education programs and promote student learning. Participants will be introduced to activities appropriate for use with elementary school students and be provided with a resource handout to assist in their own personal teaching.
Bio: Dr. Clive Hickson has been a teacher and school principal in both elementary and high school environments, has served on numerous education committees, and has worked on provincial curriculum resource development. He is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta where he helps to prepare elementary school pre-service teachers to teach physical education.
Danny Maas
Videoconferencing Learning Opportunities for Young Students
Videoconferencing technologies, which are becoming more commonplace in Alberta schools, are opening a world of new learning opportunities for children and teachers to communicate instantly in real time with educational content providers and other students from across Alberta and around the world. In this session, you’ll see examples of some of the excellent educational programming available, how to find training and PD support for using this equipment and connecting with other teachers, and how to access funds for collaborative projects or for accessing this educational programming.
Bio: Danny Maas is the new VC Regional Leads Network Provincial Coordinator.Danny is a former classroom teacher, 2Learn.ca Lead Teacher, district technology teacher, and most recently worked with Alberta Education as Project Coordinator for Videoconferencing.
Kendra Oxamitny, Alaina Campbell, Frances Barnes
Digital Portfolios
Presenters will show how ePearl software can be used to store digital collections of student work and learning. Examples will be shown from Junior Kindergarten to grade three. A variety of samples will be highlighted which show language development, progress in reading, artistic skills, and student projects.
Bios: Presenters are all employed at Isabel F. Cox School in Redcliff, Alberta. Kendra Oxamitny teaches grade three. Alaina Campbell is a technical assistant, hired using AISI funds. Frances Barnes taught Junior kindergarten last year and is now working as teacher Librarian.
Jane Hewes, Cindy Reimer and Tricia Lirette
Reggio: The Road Home…
In March 2007, three MacEwan Demonstration Child Care Centre staff and five faculty traveled to Reggio Emilia Italy on a study tour of the preschools and infant toddler centres. It was a remarkable experience, enhancing dialogue between staff and faculty about professional practice and inspiring new directions in our preservice diploma program for early childhood professionals. In this session you will hear about our ongoing attempts to make meaning of the Reggio philosophy in our day to day practice with children and families, and in educating early childhood professionals. A primary focus of the presentation will be on the use of pedagogic documentation in early learning.