11th Annual Summer Institute on Early Childhood Development
Investing in the Early Childhood Workforce
The early childhood workforce has long been identified as central to the delivery of high quality early childhood education. Despite continuing workforce issues including access to professional development opportunities, gaps in skills and competencies, and ongoing challenges regarding wages, benefits, and retention, the changing landscape in Ontario’s early years sector presents the workforce with both new opportunities and challenges.
The 11th Annual Summer Institute on Early Child Development examines the early childhood workforce - locally and internationally. This year’s institute explores the new skills and knowledge early childhood educators need to bring to early learning and family support programs.
Keynote Speakers
What makes a High Quality Early Childhood Workforce?
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.
Leadership on the line: How to shine in challenging situations
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.
Presentations: Early Childhood Workforce Development in Canada
Moderator: Kerry McCuaig, Fellow Early Childhood Policy, Atkinson Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Trends in ECE Preparation and Supports across Canada
Presenter: Jane Bertrand, Program Director, The Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation
Strategies to Advocate for a Professionally Recognized Workforce
Presenter: Jamie Kass, National Childcare Coordinator, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Responding to the New Service Delivery Environment
Presenter: Elaine Baxter-Trahair, General Manager, Toronto Children’s Services
Workshops: Research to Inform Practice
Voices from the Field: Full Day Kindergarten Teaching Teams Share Their Wisdom
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.
Leadership, Professionalism and Public Recognition
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.
Schools at the Centre: An Evaluation of the Impact of Full Day Kindergarten on Education and Care Systems, Educators and Families
Presenters:
- Emis Akbari, Post Doctoral Fellow, Atkinson Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto,
- Romona Gananathan, PhD Candidate, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
- Zeenat Janmohamed, Visiting Scholar, Atkinson Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 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.
Assessing Child Care Centre Quality to Drive Quality Improvement and Accountability in ECEC Programs
Presenters: Anne Hepditch, Quality Assurance Consultant, Toronto Children’s Services, and Michal Perlman, Associate Professor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 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.
Science of Early Child Development
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.
Changing the Educational and Professional Development Requirements of Early Childhood Educators: How did Five OECD Jurisdictions Engage in this Policy-Changing Work?
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.
Roundtables: New Policy Directions in Ontario
Pre-Service Training
Presenters:
- Debra Harwood, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Brock University
- Patricia Chorney Rubin, Director, Community Services and Early Childhood, George Brown College
- Mary-Louise Vanderlee, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Brock University
Are post-secondary institutions keeping pace with the new demands placed on graduates? What is the right kind of training and how much training is enough?
Professional Pay for a Professional Workforce
Presenters:
- Jamie Kass, National Childcare Coordinator, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
- Rachel Langford, Director, School of Early Childhood Studies, Ryerson University
- Eduarda Sousa, Executive Director, Association for Early Childhood Educators Ontario
Public funding is allocated to early years services in a variety of ways, via the space, the child and/or the staff. What works best? Who should pay early childhood educators and how?
Professional Learning
Presenters:
- Melanie Dixon, Director of Professional Practice, College of Early Childhood Educators
- Phyllis Hession-White, Professional Relation Services, Executive Assistant, Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
Early childhood educators value lifelong learning. As professionals, they are expected to engage in continuous professional learning. Who should provide professional learning? How can the sector address issues of access to professional learning?
How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years
Presenters:
- Lynne Besner, Program Policy Analyst, Ministry of Education, Early Years Division
- Kimberly Bezaire, Professor, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College
- Nelson Hillier, Manager, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College
- Palmina Ioannone, School of Early Childhood, George Brown College and Atkinson Centre, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
How Does Learning Happen? is Ontario’s newly released pedagogy for the early years. It is a professional learning resource developed to support Ontario’s renewed vision for the early years. How does this resource help inform and transform practices in early years settings?
Award Presentations
The has represented Early Childhood Educators for over 60 years advocating for the professional recognition and working conditions that support healthy child development. Join us in recognizing the contribution of the AECEO to the professional status of early childhood educators.
Image Left to right: Particia Chorney Rubin (George Brown College), Eduarda Sousa (Association for Early Childhood Educators Ontario), Rachel Langford (Ryerson University)
The Annual Summer Institute on Early Childhood Development is presented by:
