Discovery Professional Learning is driven by the passion to deliver professional development experiences for early learning professionals that enhance the inspiring work they do.
We have six core values that anchor the work we do; curiosity, reflection, collaboration, emergent practice, sustainability, joy.
Not only do we deliver these values through our in-person and virtual training programs, Discovery Professional Learning also holds curated events where we provide inspiring, Nature-Based, comprehensive professional development opportunities for all levels of educators, executives and program administrators.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This 12 month, fully online course is designed to provide participants with the theory, skills, and practicum opportunities to be equipped with the necessary skills to safely operate a Nature-Based program in many early learning settings.
The components of this course include:
Keynote: Cultivating pedagogical and passionate cultures. How pedagogy can (re)ignite our spark.
An interactive and engaging keynote presented by two facilitators: Karen Eilersen (RECE, Forest School Practitioner, Director Discovery Child Care, Co-founder Discovery professional learning) and Jessica Holder (RECE, BSc, Forest School Practitioner, Pedagogical Leader Discovery Child Care, Co-founder Discovery Professional learning.)
This keynote will include a powerpoint presentation and an interactive storytelling approach that will provide educators inspiration and an understanding as to how our pedagogical values and our personal why is the roadmap to reigniting our professional and personal spark. We will provide an interplay of theory and practice that is relevant to those working in all early learning contexts within your specific context and landscape. These ideas will be relevant and meaningful to act as a springboard for cultivating individuals to feel a sense of value and well-being.
Breakout #1 (Facilitated by Jessica Holder)
The lessons we learn from pedagogy. How can we lead with pedagogy in all that we do?
Breakout #2 (Facilitated by Karen Eilersen)
How transforming our cultures can impact how we ALL experience workplace well-being and support recruitment and retention.
Breakout #3 (Facilitated by Karen Eilersen):
Connecting with outdoor play and its relationship to resilience for adults and children.
Breakout #4 (Facilitated by: Jessica Holder)
We are all leaders…now what? How to foster well-being in a world of overload
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
This 12 month, fully online course is designed to provide participants with the theory, skills, and practicum opportunities to be equipped with the necessary skills to safely operate a Nature-Based program in many early learning settings.
The components of this course include:
In person and virtual professional development series for all educators and leaders at Simcoe Childcare Services with a specific focus on growing pedagogical skills and understanding how our values impact our work.
This series is intended to grow a shared and deepened understanding of:
Participants will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of virtual learning encounters. We will examine the paradigms and discourses that contribute to our beliefs around leadership in the early learning sector. Through this cyclical model participants will have the opportunity to reflect, discuss, challenge and practice new skills.
Topics will include:
This series is intended to grow a shared and deepened understanding of:
An in person full day conference for educators to think about the skills and dispositions of mentorship.
This full day will consist of key-notes about the power of mentorship, small group facilitated breakout sessions, and small group hands-on experiences for educators to think about mentorship in new ways.
This day will connect educators together and connect themselves to the ideas and values of Nature Based education.
This work will be sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
A community of new educators engaging in thinking with play based and emergent pedagogies. Creating a space to understand the short and long term possibilities for their work in the field. Creating allyship with other new educators and creating a space for educators to learn and cultivate an understanding of their identity as an educator. This entry level offering will support people new to the field or those transitioning from other careers and will support leaders in their orientation practices.
This work will be sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
Creating spaces for educators working in a leadership capacity or aspiring leaders looking to enhance their pedagogical sensibilities. Using critical reflection to reignite the spark in ourselves so we can lend that to others. Creating conditions for participants to generate new ways of working with meaningful pedagogies that respond to our context and derive new meaning in their work.
This work will be sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
An in person full day conference for educators to think about the skills and dispositions of mentorship.
This full day consisted of key-notes about the power of mentorship, small group facilitated breakout sessions, and small group hands-on experiences for educators to think about mentorship in new ways.
This work was sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
Educators across Dufferin County have registered and completed learn at your own pace modules that provide opportunities for critical thinking, reflection, and generating new practices that align with the goals and desires outlined in How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the early years.
This work was sponsored by Dufferin County as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
A virtual series that had 2 online learn at your own pace modules and two virtual Zoom sessions.
A co-constructed space for leaders to reconsider the systems and structures we use to cultivate engagement and belonging in early learning programs. What could new structures and systems look like that cultivate a sense of community and belonging through our program’s guiding documents?
Supported leaders to navigate ways to co-construct their center’s Program Statement with their team.
Supported leaders to navigate ways to breathe life into their foundational documents in new and innovative ways.
Supported leaders in understanding the values and bigger mission that anchors their work and the ways to anchor their systems in a values driven approach.
This work was sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
Discovery Professional Learning is facilitating virtual communities of practice for ECE students, New grads, multi-gen educators, growing leaders, and pedagogical leaders within Simcoe County.
Discovery professional learning is using a virtual platform to cultivate mentorship relationships amongst the community so that we have stable and sustainable conditions for all.
These spaces are accessible 24/7 for educators to login and connect with others, build relationships, and a sense of community within this context.
This work will be sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
A virtual series provided for educators in Simcoe County to reflect upon emergent curriculum, their image of the child, image of the educator, critically examining space, and ethical pedagogy.
This series had five online learn at your own pace modules and ten virtual Zoom sessions that allowed educators to think critically together about their pedagogical practices and set intentions to mobilize new desires into their work.
This work was sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
A virtual series to support educators and leaders to grow values driven leadership and mentorship skills and dispositions.
This series covered the topics of: Leading from a place of vision and values, our collective roles in cultivating culture, thinking critically about accountability and compliance, and understanding the personal journey of pedagogical leadership.
This virtual series consisted of four online learn at your own pace modules and eight virtual gatherings. These spaces allowed for educators to take theory and reflect with their practice, generate new protocols and practices to support a thriving pedagogical culture, and grow their mentorship skills and dispositions.
This work was sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
A virtual series provided for new educators across Simcoe County to reflect deeply about Ontario’s Pedagogy for the early years: How Does Learning Happen?
This series had 5 readings and 5 virtual gatherings where educators could gain comfortability, passion, and excitement with this guiding pedagogical framework. This series gestured us towards seeing the ways in which this values driven document can guide us in living well together.
This work was sponsored by the County of Simcoe as part of the Workforce Mentorship Strategic Funding.
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