Welcome to the EYPDC

The Early Years Professional Development Committee consists of representatives of provincially funded Training Institutions and Support Sites. Committee members share their insights, needs assessment observations and professional development plans in order to coordinate, communicate and deliver quality professional development for all early childhood educators and other early years professionals in Nova Scotia.

Upcoming Workshops

Information about professional development workshops is shared by participating Early Years Professional Development Committee members. All registrations are processed by the individual sites. Please contact hosting site directly to register for your session.
March 28, 2024
  • NSCC Kingstec - Capable, Confident & Curious - Module 5

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    March 28, 2024  5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

    Module 5: Exploring our Early Years Practices and Connecting them to Capable, Confident and Curious: Nova Scotia’s Early Learning Curriculum Framework.

    Early years practices vary widely across our province, and yet we all have something in common: A desire to provide the best programme possible for all our children. What does the Framework say about putting our good intentions into practice? What does this look like in our everyday work? In this module, educators will examine six aspects of the Framework: Responsiveness to Children, Intentional Teaching, Relationships with people, materials and the world, Connecting our Image of the Child to what we do, Play as a way of Learning, and the Role of Families, Community and Culture. These aspects can be tied in concrete ways to our everyday work with children, and we will use activities and dialogue – including the Reflective Planning Cycle - to assist with making these topics come to life. Leaders will also engage with these topics, but in addition will have the opportunity to consider how to support such practices in the workplace, how to bring families into decision-making processes, the development of communities of practice as a support system, and the role of pedagogical leadership as our classroom practices begin to shift and adjust.

    This module is being hosted by NSCC Kingstec Campus/ Early Childhood Development Support Centre and is a 2 evening Online Session 

    *this is a 2 evening online session, you must attend both in order to receive a certificate*

    March 25 6:30-8:30 & March 28 6:30-8:30

    Please contact  sara.graves@nscc.ca for more details.

    To register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/808001814177?aff=oddtdtcreator

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April 2, 2024
  • ECE Community of Practice

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    April 2, 2024  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

    Do you like to connect regularly with other passionate Educators?
    Would you enjoy coming together professionally to create materials, discuss successes, ideas, and strategies that work?

    This winter and spring the NSCC Marconi Early Childhood Development Support Centre will be offering ongoing Community of Practice building sessions in cooperation with recent ECE Advanced Practitioner graduate Mary MacAulay.  
    This is a six-part drop-in series.  PD hours awarded.
    These sessions will be happening on Tuesdays, from 6-8 p.m. at NSCC Marconi (A147).
    January 9, February 6, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4
    Please contact Kathy Milburn or Tessa Seward for more info – Kathy.milburn@nscc.ca, Tessa.seward@nscc.ca, 902 563-2166

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April 3, 2024
  • CAPENÉ L'aire de jeu: Où le choc devient créatif (En personne)

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    April 3, 2024  6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
    La P'Tite Academie, 450 Patrice Rd, Church Point, NS B0W 1M0, Canada

    Cet atelier est le deuxième d'une série de 4 ateliers spécifique à la garde scolaire!

    Ce deuxièeme atelier toucehra sur 4 grands enjeux:

    1. L'aménagement de l’espace intérieure;
    2. La sélection de matériel adapté aux besoins et intérêts des enfants;
    3. L'organisation et l'utilisation de l’espace intérieur et extérieur pour encourager l’exploration, le jeu et la connextion avec la nature;
    4. La collaboration avec les partenaires communautaires et les espaces partagés.

    Inscription sur Eventbrite:
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/laire-de-jeu-ou-le-chaos-devient-creatif-en-personne-tickets-861541924087

    Date: le mercredi 3 avril 2024

    Heure: 18 h 00 à 19 h 30

    En personne à La P'tite Académie

    Animatrice: Nathalie George

    Notez bien: Même que cet atelier fait partie d'une série, vous n'avez pas besoin de tout les suivre. Vous recevrez un certificat pour les ateliers suivis.

    Si vous avez des questions n'hésitez pas de me joindre:jacinthe@capene.ca ou 902-648-2127

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  • Quad County Director's Community of Practice

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    April 3, 2024  6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

    Are you a Day Care Director in the Quad Counties (Inverness, Richmond, Antigonish, and Guysborough) Do you like to connect regularly with other Directors?
    Would you enjoy coming together professionally to discuss successes, ideas, and strategies that work?  
    This spring the NSCC Marconi Early Childhood Development Support Centre will be offering ongoing Community of Practice building sessions for directors in cooperation with local directors May MacKenzie of Island Trails and Jighisha Patel of Bayview Child Development Centre.    
    PD hours awarded.
    Our first session will be happening at the NSCC Strait Campus
    Please contact Kathy Milburn or Tessa Seward for more info – Kathy.milburn@nscc.ca, Tessa.seward@nscc.ca, 902 563-2166

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April 4, 2024
  • NSCC Kingstec - Capture the Adventure: Incorporating photography into the program

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    April 4, 2024  6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
    236 Belcher St, Kentville, NS B4N 0A6, Canada

    “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  This is certainly true of images on documentation panels or those used to market your program online.

     In this three-session, online workshop, you will:

    1.      Learn the basics of composition and what goes into creating an interesting image (Week 1)

    2.      Develop ideas to incorporate photography and visual storytelling into your program (Week 2)

    3.      Learn the ethics and best practices of using photographs in documentation and marketing. (Week 3)

    Participants may also take part in an optional “photo walk” to get hands on help and practice with your camera. (April 6th, 10:00am, Kentville. Details TBC during the first session based on participant feedback.)

    Each session will be followed by homework—a practical activity with feedback from the facilitator and fellow participants. 

    Facilitator: Justine MacDonald

    Fee: $70

    Deadline to register: March 28th, 2024

    4 April 2024 – Intro to Photography – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

    6 April 2024 – Photo walk – Kentville, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm(Optional – participants receive an additional two hours of PD)

    18 April 2024 – Visual Storytelling – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

    2 May 2024 – Documentation – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

    When I am not working at the ECDSC Kingstec as Sara's Administrative Assistant, a position I've held since 2006, I am a mixed media artist and photographer with a focus on travel, landscape, and abstract art. In addition to being the official photographer for Wolfville’s Broken Leg Theatre, my work has appeared in group and solo exhibitions and several online and print publications, including my book "Remembrance Road", published in 2018."

    Please Note Our new payment process (September 2023)

    1. Credit card or VISA Debit payment
    2. Cheque
    3. Cash
    (Instructions below)

    - Registration form AND payment are to be received by us at least TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE (unless otherwise noted), not simply postmarked by the deadline.
    - Registrations cannot be processed, nor spaces held, until both registration form and payment are received.
    - Cancellations must be processed before the workshop occurs. Please contact us at least 1 week prior to a workshop if you are unable to attend.

    Please contact  sara.graves@nscc.ca or justine.macdonald@nscc.ca  for more details.

    *please keep our workshop guidelines in mind* https://www.nscc.ca/ecdsc/professional-development/kingstec-guidelines.asp

    To Register: https://bit.ly/ecdscws

    See more details

April 6, 2024
  • NSCC Kingstec - Capture the Adventure: Incorporating photography into the program

    View Details


    April 6, 2024  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
    236 Belcher St, Kentville, NS B4N 0A6, Canada

    “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  This is certainly true of images on documentation panels or those used to market your program online.

     In this three-session, online workshop, you will:

    1.      Learn the basics of composition and what goes into creating an interesting image (Week 1)

    2.      Develop ideas to incorporate photography and visual storytelling into your program (Week 2)

    3.      Learn the ethics and best practices of using photographs in documentation and marketing. (Week 3)

    Participants may also take part in an optional “photo walk” to get hands on help and practice with your camera. (April 6th, 10:00am, Kentville. Details TBC during the first session based on participant feedback.)

    Each session will be followed by homework—a practical activity with feedback from the facilitator and fellow participants. 

    Facilitator: Justine MacDonald

    Fee: $70

    Deadline to register: March 28th, 2024

    4 April 2024 – Intro to Photography – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

    6 April 2024 – Photo walk – Kentville, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm(Optional – participants receive an additional two hours of PD)

    18 April 2024 – Visual Storytelling – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

    2 May 2024 – Documentation – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

    When I am not working at the ECDSC Kingstec as Sara's Administrative Assistant, a position I've held since 2006, I am a mixed media artist and photographer with a focus on travel, landscape, and abstract art. In addition to being the official photographer for Wolfville’s Broken Leg Theatre, my work has appeared in group and solo exhibitions and several online and print publications, including my book "Remembrance Road", published in 2018."

    Please Note Our new payment process (September 2023)

    1. Credit card or VISA Debit payment
    2. Cheque
    3. Cash
    (Instructions below)

    - Registration form AND payment are to be received by us at least TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE (unless otherwise noted), not simply postmarked by the deadline.
    - Registrations cannot be processed, nor spaces held, until both registration form and payment are received.
    - Cancellations must be processed before the workshop occurs. Please contact us at least 1 week prior to a workshop if you are unable to attend.

    Please contact  sara.graves@nscc.ca or justine.macdonald@nscc.ca  for more details.

    *please keep our workshop guidelines in mind* https://www.nscc.ca/ecdsc/professional-development/kingstec-guidelines.asp

    To Register: https://bit.ly/ecdscws

    See more details

  • MSVU Visual supports in Early Childhood Settings

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    April 6, 2024  9:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Mount Saint Vincent University, 166 Bedford Hwy, Halifax, NS B3M 2J6, Canada

    Date: Saturday April 6, 2024 (9am –4 pm), Cost: $75 Total PD hours: 6 hours
     Location: IN PERSON Presenters: Heather Bartholomew & Debbie Thompson

    Description This workshop explores the value of using visuals within early childhood settings. We will consider who benefits from use of visual supports & the numerous opportunities for a wide variety of visual formats. The facilitators will focus on the many ways these tools can support learning play skills, create smoother transition times, promote posi-tive behaviour, support peer interaction & honour cultural & linguistic diversity within our classrooms & our commu-nities in general. We will discuss finding the most efficient & effective supports & other considerations such as teach-ing their meaning, age appropriateness & fading them out over time.
    Three learning outcomes
    Understand how visual supports can be used to support individuals & classroom-wide learning & to increase cultural representation within the classroom
    Learn variety of formats for visual supports, including many alternatives to printed, laminated visuals
    Learn support options for various routines throughout the day

    Presenter Biographies: Heather Bartholomew graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Arts (Child & Youth Study) & in the twenty plus years since then, has been working with preschoolers. Additionally, she has recently begun working part-time with adults with developmental delays, giving her a broader, across the lifespan perspective on supporting di-verse individuals at any age. She has worked as an Early Childhood Educator, one-to-one support staff & as a resource teacher. For five years, she served as Resource Teacher at the Mount’s Child Study Centre, supporting children with identified special needs &, in particular, delivering programming to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Heather has worked as a Program Implementer in Halifax’s Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention program for the past sev-enteen years. She has developed & facilitated workshops on a variety of topics, most frequently relating to Inclusion. Heather is passionate about facilitating positive inclusion experiences & finding effective & efficient strategies to sup-port individual & classroom-wide learning.
    Debbie Thompson is a graduate from Mount Saint Vincent University with the Degree in Child & Youth. Debbie started her journey in ECE at Wee Care Developmental centre working as a Developmental teacher in an integrated setting. It was there that she knew she wanted to focus her attention on working with children with special needs. Deb-bie also developed the Resource position at Wee Care & was responsible for developing & implementing plans for chil-dren with special needs. Debbie now works at the IWK as a Program Implementer for the Early Intensive Behaviour Intervention program (EIBI) working with children with Autism. Through her job at the IWK she continues to work closely with preschool teachers consulting & providing feedback in various programs. Debbie also teaches regularly at Nova Scotia College of Early Childhood Education & Mount Saint Vincent University on various topics including chal-lenging behaviour & Inclusion.

    Location:  IN PERSON MSVU

    6 PD hours

    $75

     Registration for our MSVU workshops, along our PD brochure with full workshops details, descriptions and presenter bios is found online    www.msvu.ca/earlychildhoodworkshops    


     



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About Us

The Early Years Professional Development Committee consists of representatives of provincially funded Training Institutions and Support Sites  
Meet the Committee

Contact Us

To contact one of the individual centres directly, please use the form on the Contact Us page  
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