Professional Development: Workshops & Seminars
Parent educators, teachers, daycare workers, guidance counsellors and many others, work in fields that demand a lot of them and on some days give back very little. The following programs support these workers by providing relevant, original content along with simple ideas to maintain personal balance, reduce stress, and gain confidence in their supportive role. Most of these sessions can be adapted and offered from a one hour overview seminar, to a full day, hands-on workshop.
Secrets to Encourage, Empower & Engage Parents
Providing support to parents is not always easy … but it should always be rewarding! When parents come to us they are looking for support and encouragement. Building rapport often means walking that fine line between maintaining a professional image and sharing our own parenting challenges. The ability to assess group dynamics and find ways to engage participants without losing the focus of the session is an acquired skill. This one hour seminar is designed for the front line worker looking for ideas to build rapport and open the door wide for connecting with parents.
Supporting Parents When it’s Not Your Job
This workshop is set up for people who work with parents but do not necessarily have the training to do it with confidence. It provides ideas for creating positive connections and effective communication along with F.R.E.E. tools and techniques for working with children. It has a strong focus on self-care and provides simple ideas for maintaining personal balance.
Parenting in a World of Experts
Often an accompaniment to the keynote with the same title, this workshop offers a deeper look at how we can enlighten, encourage, educate and empower others so parents can feel more supported and better able to do the task they have set out to do. It is typically a three hour workshop providing ample opportunity to work through some of our societal issues and develop a plan of action for moving forwards.
Defusing the Parent Bomb
Working with parents is not always an easy thing, especially if their child is not exactly “loving” school or daycare. Understanding how to communicate in a way that reduces defensiveness and increases connection can make the difference between working together or an actual “parental explosion”. This workshop provides lots of great ideas and strategies to help with this challenge.
Because We’re Worth it; A Day of Wellness and Understanding
This workshop provides an opportunity for participants to gain plenty of insight into what makes them tick as well as gain some extra ideas to expand their current skill-set. It includes wellness ideas geared at helping them relax and recharge their batteries. It is a nice cross between spoil me a little and make it worth my while. This workshop can be delivered in a full day or ½ day format.
Understanding Your Toolbox
Originally designed for a full school PD day, this workshop can be used with teachers, educational assistants, daycare workers, university students or parents. It focuses on understanding the skill-set we all carry with us, along with the many factors that influence our response on any given day. It provides plenty of opportunity for self-reflection while offering ideas and suggestions for further growth. It can be delivered in a ½ day format although often participants prefer a longer session (4 hours).
When Caring Starts to Hurt
Working with people who have experienced trauma in their lives takes its toll on the most practiced worker. This workshop is a day of rebalancing yourself and learning strategies to help you avoid future potential problems (like compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout). Just because crisis is not on your mandate, doesn’t mean you won’t have to deal with these kinds of situations.
Understanding Self-regulation in the Early Years
Self-regulation is closely connected to school readiness and future academic achievement. This hands-on session provides teachers, day-care workers and others with a nice blend of background information and tools the keen participant can take and use with children immediately
Working with Diverse Learners
Students are individuals with diverse needs and personalities. This workshop is all about understanding how relationship factors into all learning and what staff can do to help each student move in a positive direction. It is an excellent session for teachers, educational assistants, guidance counselors, daycare workers and resource teachers.
Embracing Life Changing Moments; Bringing Out the Hero
Helping people recognize when a life changing moment is holding them back is challenging and delicate work. Having plenty of ideas to help our clients shift perspective, release emotional ties and find a way out of this hole is critical. This ½ day workshop is inspiring, insightful and interactive.
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