YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

Table of Contents

Use the links below to learn more about what each day of PANS 2016 has in store!

Day 1: Friday May 13, 2016 @ Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto

Day 2: Saturday May 14, 2016 @ Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto

Day 3: Sunday May 15, 2016 @ Kortright Centre for Conservation, Vaughan

Please note when purchasing your registration that you can register for one or both parts of Friday at Black Creek, Saturday’s workshops and Sundays workshop separately OR you can purchase all 4 components as part of a special package entitled “3-day PANS 2016 ticket”.

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

Day 1: Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto

Designing Outdoor, Living History Programming For Early Childhood Education

12:30 - 4:30pm

Begin with a tour of Black Creek Pioneer Village led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic Village Educator, focusing on the Charlie Needs a New Cloak program. Upon completion of the Charlie Needs a New Cloak program, gather as a group of early years professionals to evaluate the program and work together to update and redesign the perfect early years heritage based program! Included in your discussions will be ways to bring history to life in your own classrooms with the children that you work with. Through a guided process facilitated by YRNC leadership, professionals will gain experience with program evaluation, design, curriculum development and have the opportunity to hear from heritage and museum professionals to help target the program appropriately.

Charlie Needs a New Cloak: Listen to the story of Charlie, the shepherd, and his quest to make a new cloak. Discover where wool comes from by taking a journey through the Village. Explore sheep shearing, washing, carding and spinning wool as well as weaving and sewing wool into cloth.

If you would like to attend this event, please register for: Friday Pre-Conference. This does not automatically register you for the evening dinner. This session is included in the 3-day PANS 2016 ticket.

Exclusive Dinner with Keynote Speaker David Elkind

6:30 – 8:30pm

Enjoy an intimate and delectable dinner with a smaller group of passionate early years educators and Play and Nature Summit’s 2016 Keynote Speaker, David Elkind! Hear from David as dinner begins and network with other professionals throughout the evening. Upon registration for this session you will have to supply your dietary restrictions.

If you would like to attend this event, please register for: Friday Exclusive Dinner with Keynote. This does not automatically register you for the afternoon program design and development experience. This session is included in the 3-day PANS 2016 ticket.

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

Day 2: Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto

If you would like to attend this event, please register for: Saturday Full Conference. Day 2 is included in the 3-day PANS 2016 ticket. Please remember that simply registering and paying does not sign you up for specific sessions, remember to check your email once you’ve paid for the conference for a URL to register for specific sessions. There are 3 time slots for sessions (A, B, and C).

8:30 – Arrival + registration at Black Creek Pioneer Village – Light Refreshments provided/market place open 9:00 9:00 – Welcome! Overview of day + site logistics + Chair’s Address and Keynote introduction 9:30 9:30 – Keynote address – Dr. David Elkind (45 minute address + 15 minutes of questions) 10:30 10:30 – Break and travel to Session 1 (market place open) 10:45 10:45 – 12:00 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 The Intentional Role of Educators Bringing Nature Learning to the Touch Screen Technology and the Exploring Nature through Sound Play as Environmental Education Session is to Support Outdoor Play Farm and the Farm to Nature Young Child 75 Inspired Learning with Rachel Stewart, Education with Brenda Simon, Director of Play minutes With Lisa Shorthall and Linda Saad, with David Elkind Coordinator, TRCA Programs, Earth Day Canada Program Consultants, Family Day With Sue-Anne Vincze, Kindergarten Teacher, PDSB Keynote speaker David Elkind will A hands-on session exploring ways to It is a paradox of education that we This session will take place demonstrate a variety of apps create music inspired by nature using cannot really learn what we do not outdoors where we will explore the The purpose of this workshop is to available to educators and students body percussion, hand-held percussion already know. The motivation to role of the Educator as a facilitator offer some insights into the and argue that, while these apps do and instruments made from recycled master facts into science, art or law during outdoor play. We will essential relationship that has not accelerate development, they materials. Come away with your own rests on deeply held feelings, discuss moments for Educators to existed between humans and the can enrich it, when the apps are recycled instrument! sensations and memories from step in and scaffold the learning animal world for almost 2 million targeted, and use is monitored to experience, not classrooms. At Earth and when not to step in and allow years, how nature learning in a avoid excess. Level: Introductory Day Canada, we believe that the the children's natural curiosity, farm setting fosters this Who might be interested in this foundation of care for nature begins exploration and self-discovery to relationship and then some hands- Level: All session?: ECE Specialists with play and the child's own natural continue. on activities to experience of Who might be interested in this Worth noting: Session will be both drive to discover, explore and adapt to power of Nature learning in a farm session?: ECE’s, parents etc. indoors and outdoors! dress for environment by changing it. This talk Level: Introductory setting using the Black Creek Farm Notables: Consider bringing your weather conditions, comfortable will showcase the importance of self- Who might be interested in this and its inhabitants. own mobile, data/wifi-enabled clothing, hat's sunscreen, proper foot directed intrinsically motivated play. session?: General interest device wear etc. Worth noting: Session will be Level: Introductory Level: Anyone with an interest in child outdoors! dress for weather Who might be interested in this development and natural outdoor play conditions, comfortable clothing, session?: early childhood Who might be interested in this hat's sunscreen, proper foot wear educators, parents, all session?: Environmental educators, etc. enthusiastic parties striving to teachers, caregivers, program reconnect with the natural world designers Notables: You’ll be indoors and outdoors for this session. Dress appropriately.

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

12:00 – Lunch, Networking, Market Place Open 1:10 (Dietary restrictions? Please ensure you report restrictions when registering and see server for details day-of) 1:10 – B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 2:25 Weaving in the Great Outdoors: Eco-Games: Cycles, Nature Gallery, Newcomers in Nature Sculpting with Wool The Historical and Play Significance of Full Body Play Enviro-Steps and More! Buttons Session is With Shintu Cherian, Multicultural with Heidi Theis and Jocelyn Schmidt, 75 With Cindy Green, Early Learning With John Jorgenson, President, Program Coordinator, Toronto and RECE, YRDSB with Diane Kashin, Professor, Ryerson minutes Consultant, ECE Professor, Seneca International Camping Fellowship Region Conservation Authority University & Rosalba Bortolotti, Acorn College (retired) This hands- on workshop introduces you Collaborative/ Founder All of these programs and more Canada is a country of to fibre art and invites you to play with Join us in this outdoor experience involve creative play with immigrants. While every effort is wool. This session will illustrate how to do a that is inspired by the foundations language, arts, science and made to provide newcomers with button inquiry in the early years. inherent in “How Does Learning physical activity. Come prepared occupation specific language training, Participants will be introduced to the Happen?”. We will create a to be active and we will bridge training, mentoring Level: All historical significance and play value tapestry of belonging using fabrics, demonstrate the uses of some of partnership programs, free language Who might be interested in this of buttons. Throughout time children ribbons, yarn and who knows what these activities for every grade learning, settlement services and so session?: Educators, Students have been playing with buttons as well else, while engaging in a fun and level. The programs include on; there are limited services to as learning to button and unbutton. active experience that supports some classic eco-games lost to introduce newcomers to the Participants will have an opportunity well-being and the unleashing of wonderful natural landscape of to explore a multitude of buttons. The new comers and some novel our creative expression. Canada and Canadian environment. It can sort, classify and design with twists on nature education is largely the responsibility of buttons while consider their historical activities that have been Level: All environmental organizations and significance. Participants are Who might be interested in this developed recently. It is a great Conservation Authorities to make encouraged to bring along their own session?: Anyone! sharing opportunity as well so that connection and engage button box to participate in a button Notables: Session will be bring along your favourite props newcomers in nature or in exchange. outdoors! dress for weather and playthings, if you care to do environmental stewardship conditions, comfortable clothing, so. programs. This lecture style Level: All hat's sunscreen, proper foot wear presentation will share some lessons Who might be interested in this etc. Level: All learned and highlight the importance, session?: ECE’s and parents Who might be interested in this barriers, challenges and Notables: Bring buttons! session?: Educators of all ages opportunities to engage newcomers Notables: You will be outdoors in nature. and active – prepare accordingly! Level: All Who might be interested in this session?: Educators, environmentalists, general interest

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

2:25 – Break and travel to Session 3 2:45 2:45 – C1 C2 C3 C4 4:00 Stories and Skills that Touch Trees Making Nature and Food Health and Wellness Panel Anarchy Zone

Connections Session is With Zabe MacEachren, With Vanessa Karklins, Early With Leigh MacDonald-Rizzo, Education Director and Alex Cote, Playwork

75 Coordinator, Outdoor & With Carolynne Crawley, Schools Interventionist, York Region; Coordinator; Ithaca Children’s Garden minutes Experiential Education, Faculty of Senior Co-ordinator, Field to Carol Karner, Public Health Nurse, Education, Queens University Table, Food Share, Toronto Regional Municipality of York and At the Ithaca Children’s Garden, everything we do is done with one thing in mind, Marlene Power, Executive Director to cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards. To that end we This session will involve sharing An interactive and hands-on Child and Nature Alliance of Canada strongly believe one cannot care for and fight for something one does not have a stories and skills that support workshop focusing upon ways to meaningful relationship with. ICG’s 3-acres were designed for children, by childhood experiences of handling deepen our respect and gratitude Join our 3 experts in a panel children, as a place where those relationships are kindled and wood and touching trees. It will for nature and food. discussion as they share their fostered. With the addition of the Hands-On-Nature Anarchy Zone, a nature- weave together the importance of thoughts on physical activity, the based adventure playground, in 2012 we introduced playworkers and playwork hands-on learning involving both Level: All outdoors and child development. The principles into our programming. This has transformed ICG’s philosophy and wood and sharp edged tools. A Who might be interested in this panel will include discussion on the approach to environmental education. Learn about the origins and development

variety of ideas and sample items session?: amount and intensity of physical of the Hands-On-Nature Anarchy Zone and how we have transformed our to make will be shared in hopes activity recommended, the optimal programming using playwork principles. that many will be suited to type of supervision required and tips replicating in your own work on how to incorporate outdoor time environment. Educational and the connection with nature. concepts will be explored through a variety of methods including Level: All formal explanations, hands-on role Who might be interested in this modelling, stories designed for session?: Educators, parents, general small children and personal stories interest experienced when I worked with First Nation elders who never went to school so spent their early years

immersed in the forest.

Level: All Who might be interested in this session?:

4:00 Departure

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

Keynote, Speaker and Workshop Lead Biographies (Saturday May 14, 2016 at Black Creek Pioneer Village)

Keynote Address by Professor David Elkind – Professor Emeritus, Child Development, Tufts University

David Elkind is currently Professor emeritus of Child Development at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He was formerly Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Education at the University of Rochester. Professor Elkind obtained his doctorate at U.C.L.A. and then spent a year as David Rapaport's research assistant at the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. In 1964-65 he was a National Science Foundation Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at Piaget's Institut d' Épistémologie Genetique in Geneva. His research has been in the areas of perceptual, cognitive and social development where he has attempted to build upon the research and theory of Jean Piaget.

Professor Elkind's bibliography now numbers over five hundred items and includes research, theoretical articles, book chapters and twenty-two books. In addition he has published more popular pieces such as children's stories in Jack and Jill, biographies of famous psychologists in the New York Times Magazine, as well as presentations of his own work in journals such as Good Housekeeping, Parade and Psychology Today. Some of his recent articles include Computers and Young Children, The Authority of the Brain, The Cosmopolitan School, On Becoming a Grandfather, and Thanks for the Memory, Knowing is not Understanding. Perhaps Professor Elkind is best known for his popular books, The Hurried Child, All Grown Up and No Place to Go, Miseducation, Ties that Stress and most recently The Power of Play: Learning what comes naturally. His latest book, is Parenting on the Go: A to Z, Ages 0-6. His latest book, Giants in the Nursery: A Biographical History of Developmentally Appropriate Practice was published in February 2015.

Professor Elkind is a member of many professional organizations, is on the Editorial Board of numerous scientific journals, and has been a consultant to state education departments, as well as to government agencies and private foundations. He lectures extensively in the United States, Canada and abroad. He has appeared on The Today Show, The CBS Morning News, Twenty/Twenty, Nightline, Donahue, and the Oprah Winfrey Show. He has been profiled in People and Boston Magazine and was a Contributing Editor to Parents Magazine. Professor Elkind also co-hosted the Lifetime television series, Kids These Days. He is a past President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, (NAEYC). He is currently consultant and advisor to Marco Polo Learning.

A1 Lisa Shortall and Linda Saad, Program Consultants, Family Day; The Intentional Role of Educators to Support Outdoor Play Linda and Lisa are RECE who have been providing Curriculum support to other RECE and Assistant Teachers working in the licensed child care sector with children ages 1-12 for over 20 years.

A2 Sue-Anne Vincze , Kindergarten Teacher , PDSB; Bringing Nature Learning to the Farm and the Farm to Nature Inspired Learning Sue-Anne is a Full Day Kindergarten class teacher in Peel Region with more than 20 years teaching experience in English and French learning settings with learners from Kindergarten-grade 8. Most recently her passion has led her to pursue Forest School Practitioners certification as well as study at Loris Malaguzzi Centre in Reggio Emilia, Italy. In her current position, she strives to bring together the best pedagogies to further the learning experiences for her predominantly ESL population. Nature continues to provide the essential provocations to foster rich and meaningful learning.

A3 David Elkind, Professor Emeritus, Child Development, Tufts University; Touch Screen Technology and the Young Child See keynote address section above for more information on Professor David Elkind.

A4 Rachel Stewart, Education Coordinator, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority; Exploring Nature Through Sound Rachel is a qualified music teacher and experienced outdoor educator. Whilst teaching at the Kortright Centre she developed materials for teaching music in a natural setting and has recently been delivering music workshops for early educators through YRNC.

A5 Brenda Simon, Director of Play Programs, Earth Day Canada,; Play as Environmental Education Brenda Simon is the Director of Play Programs at Earth Day Canada and Canada's first certified trainer in the OPAL method for improving outdoor play in schools. Like many playworkers in the U.K., Brenda is a rogue teacher who believes in the "unteachable curriculum" of play.

B1 Cindy Green, Early Learning Consultant; Weaving in the Great Outdoors: Full Body Play This nature enthusiast has been an active member of the early learning community for decades. She taugh at Seneca College in the School of ECE and recently retired, allowing her to devote her time, passion and expertise to working with early learning educators working directly with children and families.

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

B2 John Jorgenson, President, International Camping Fellowship; Eco-Games: Cycles, Nature Gallery, Enviro-Steps and More! John Jorgenson (Jorgi) is a Director at Tawingo in Ontario, Canada. His work at Tawingo includes summer camp, outdoor centre, private school, camping publications and consulting in the camping and youth development community world-wide. John has been giving leadership nationally and internationally for over 30 years, to volunteer associations, educational conferences and training workshops. His Board involvement includes the Ontario and Canadian Camping Associations, the Association of Independent Camps, Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario and the Society of Camp Directors. He is President of the International Camping Fellowship. John has made presentations for a wide variety of camping and education organizations across Canada and the United States. He has also delivered sessions on a variety of topics related to leadership, environmental education and youth development in many countries overseas.

B3 Shintu Cherian, Multicutural Program Coordinator, Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA); Newcomers in Nature Shintu has been with the TRCA since 2005. She currently coordinates the Mulicultural Program and engages newcomers in community, faith and cultural groups and through adult Engligh Langauge centers and settlement agencies. She delievers enviromental-theme based presentations in-class at different English as a Second Language(ESL) or Langauge Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LNC) centres in the GTA. She trains teachers to incorperate interactive enviromental learning to enhance ESL vocabulary and curriculas. She also encourages multicultural groups and new Canadians in outdoor enviroment experiential programs such as the learn to Camp, Learn to Fish, Learn to Canoe and Learn to Golf.

B4 Heidi & Jocelyn Schmidt- RECE & Teacher, YRDSB; Sculpting with Wool - Heidi Theis has a talent to instil art appreciation, creativity and open mindfulness while working with children and educators in a variety of settings during the last ten years. Her art background exposed her to a wide array of artistic mediums that she is able to share at conferences and workshops with other educators.

- Jocelyn Schmidt has a passion for the early years and has been teaching the Full Day Kindergarten Program for 5 years in the York Region District School Board. She was introduced to the power of artistic experiences for children and educators alike after working with Heidi Theis for three years as a teaching team and continues to explore these experiences at conferences and workshops.

B5 Diane Kashin & Rosalba Bortolotti, Professor, Ryerson University & Acorn Collaborative/Founder; The Historical and Play Significance of Buttons Diane is the Chair of the York Region Nature Collaborative and Rosalba Bortolotti is a volunteer member. Both Diane and Rosalba have been collaborating for years focused on their mutual interest in the Reggio Emilia Approach. Rosalba is the founder of the Acorn School and the Acorn Collaborative, Diane is retired from Seneca College, School of ECE and working part time at Ryerson University in Early Childhood Studies.

C1 Zabe MacEachren, Coordinater, Outdoor & Experiential Education , Faculty of Education, Queens University; Stories and Skills that Touch Trees Zabe MacEachren has been coordinating the Outdoor & Experiential Education program in the Faculty of Education at Queens University since 2001. Her PhD research is entitled Craftmaking: A Pedagogy for Environmental Awareness. Most of her research work focuses on outdoor, environmental and experiential education as it involves hands-on experiences. Her current work explores the traditional ways Native people have introduced their children to the outdoors through stories and handwork. She is recently a graduate of an Applied Arts Program certifying her as a Waldorf Handwork Instructor. Free time involves her camping with her handmade canoe or toboggan.

C2 Carolynne Crawley, Schools Senior Co-ordinator, Field to Table, Food Share, Toronto; Making Nature and Food Connections Carolynne is the FTTS Senior Coordinator at FoodShare Toronto. She develops and facilitates curriculum-linked food literacy workshops for students and teachers and builds school gardens. She has 25 years’ experience supporting children and youth. She has worked as a CYW and she is a Holistic Nutritionist. Carolynne is a naturalist who is passionate about reconnecting with the land and sharing traditional skills through gratitude, story-telling, sit spot, and sensory activities. She has trained with international leaders and mentors of nature connection and awareness. Her dream is for people to reconnect with the earth one being at a time.

C3 Vanessa Karklins, Carol Karner and Marlene Power, Early Interventionist, York Region; Public Health Nurse, Regional Municipality of York and, Executive Director, Child and Nature Alliance of Canada; Health and Wellness Panel - Vanessa Karklins, is an Early Interventionist with York Region. She has worked with children, with a variety of exceptionalities, for over 10 years. Vanessa has a B.A in Humanities, from York University and completed the Developmental Service Worker Program from Humber College. She thrives on building partnerships with community agencies and working together to service children of all abilities - Carol Karner is a public health nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from McMaster University. She has over 20 years of public health experience. . Her main area of work has included a focus on workplace health, school health and most recently; active healthy communities with an emphasis on creating awareness about the importance of getting people physically active and appreciating the benefits of being outdoors in nature. - Marlene Power, please see Sunday Post conference for more information on Marlene Power.

C4 Anarchy Zone Leigh MacDonald-Rizzo, Education Director and Alex Cote, Playwork Coordinator Ithaca Children’s Garden; Anarchy Zone! - Leigh MacDonald-Rizzo has been with Ithaca Children's Garden since 1999. Her collection of wide-ranging interests have, at their core, the magic of childhood and wonder of the natural world. After studying horticulture at Cornell, Leigh focused her master’s work on environmental education in public garden settings. Her work at ICG allows a unique blend of fostering outdoor, child-led free play and hands-on, multidisciplinary exploration of the natural world. - Alex Cote has been part of the Hands-On-Nature Anarchy Zone team from before it was created in 2012 to the present. She is currently Ithaca Children’s Garden’s Playwork Coordinator and maintains the Hands-on-Nature Anarchy Zone through its many changes; she also makes a lot of bubbles.

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village

Day 3: Kortright Centre for Conservation, Vaughan

Risky Play Workshop Description

This is a one-day introductory workshop on the importance of risky play to children’s learning and development, with a focus on both theory as well as the practice of supporting children to intrinsically navigate risk in lives. In this workshop we will define “risky play”, explore the benefits of children having freedom in their play, ending with tangible resources on how to support children in this, while fulfilling our duty of care as educators, parents, and/or care providers.

The goal of this workshop is to (re)introduce the concept of risky play into the lives of people who work alongside and live with children, and to explore ways that we can support more children to have these opportunities in their lives. This workshop is ideal for nature-based educators, early childhood educators, professionals in the recreation and camping fields, community developers, parents, playworkers, grandparents…essentially anyone who views children as competent and capable, and who are looking to bring this value into how they support children’s play.

If you would like to attend this event, please register for: Sunday Post-Conference with Marlene Power. This session is included in the 3-day PANS 2016 ticket.

The Risky Play workshop will be facilitated by Marlene Power:

Marlene Power founded the Carp Ridge Forest Preschool, Canada’s first outdoor, nature-based Forest Preschool, and created Forest School Canada, a national initiative to promote nature-based education through Forest School training, policy and research. Marlene first developed Forest School Canada as an initiative under the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC). In December 2014 she was appointed Executive Director of the CNAC and she continues to lead Forest School Canada as a key program of CNAC. She also runs the Ottawa Forest and Nature School, the headquarters for CNAC, delivering Forest School programs to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board as well as the community. Marlene studied at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Dalhousie University, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Education at University of British Columbia, with a focus on risky play and student engagement. She has worked in a variety of settings, including community development, environmental education, and early childhood education. Marlene formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, as well as TD Friends of the Environment Fund. Marlene is an avid outdoors-person, social activist, environmentalist, and an advocate of children’s right to play in the natural world. She attributes her resilience, creativity, love of nature, and environmental values to the freedom she was given to roam during her childhood. She learned so much by growing up connected to the beauty and nature around her in outport Newfoundland. She currently lives in Chelsea, QC, and spends many days roaming the woods with her dog, and her two children, Hazel and Emry.

YRNC Play and Nature Summit May 13-15, 2016 | Black Creek Pioneer Village