Heartwork PD Day #8

Join us for Chatham-Kent's 8th Annual Child Care PD Day!

Doors open at 8:00 am; event begins promptly at 8:40 am.

We are going to have a photo booth at the event. If you choose to use the photo booth throughout the day, you are granting us permission to use your pictures in our social media and promotions.

TICKETS - Please select ONE ticket for an AM (morning) workshop and ONE for a PM (afternoon) workshop.

We look forward to another great day of shared learning!

Click HERE for full AGENDA of the day.

NOTE: No outside food/drinks are allowed into the event.

Info: Inclusion in early learning and community care is not just a concept, it’s felt in relationships, environments, and everyday moments. In this session, through humour and real-world stories, Dr. Moore unpacks what has changed, what hasn’t, and what comes next. Participants will re-examine what inclusion means through updated lenses of diversity, identity, and belonging. Together, we’ll explore how lived experience, mindsets, and systems impact young people and their families, and identify why strengthening inclusive, neurodiverse affirming, and culturally responsive early learning and care practices are an essential part of learning and care.

Info: Note: This workshop is hosted in the AM and PM. Both sessions are delivered identically, ensuring each group of educators receives the complete workshop regardless of which time slot they attend. This hands-on workshop introduces The YES Environment, a framework built over twelve years of practice for designing early years spaces where children lead their own learning through art and inquiry. Educators will explore how environment, materials, and the role of the adult work together. They will then move directly into hands-on practice with the same materials and ideas, and leave with both the thinking and the tools to immediately put into practice at their centres.

Info: This interactive session will strengthen your understanding and application of early literacy within daily routines and interactions. Grounded in play-based and relationship-focused practices, the session emphasizes that literacy development does not occur in isolation but rather is woven naturally into everyday care experiences.
A central focus of this session is cultivating joy and connection through literacy. Educators will engage with a variety of expressive tools—including storytelling, puppetry, songs, and the use of props—to bring stories to life and make language meaningful and engaging for young children. These approaches support not only language development, but also imagination, emotional expression, and social connection. Centres will walk away with an exciting new tool kit to move their practice forward immediately.

Info: Do you ever wonder why you completely lose it over something small or why kids do? An Introduction to Self-Regulation is a lighthearted, eye-opening, interactive workshop for anyone who’s ever thought “Why did I (or they) just do that?”
We’ll take a peek inside the brain, unpack what stress actually looks like across all areas of life, and explore what self-regulation is really about. Hint: it’s not just about calming down. No prior knowledge is needed - just bring your curiosity.

Info: Inclusive practice is shifting away from medical and deficit-based models of defining children and youth, and towards the recognition of Disability as one of many valued and needed identities within our communities. What this means in practice, is that practitioners are increasingly focusing on understanding each child and young person’s needs and lived experiences within the context of their relationships and environments, instead of waiting for, and relying on, labels to guide planning and support.
In this session, we’ll explore how approaches such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and layered and responsive support models can be applied to early learning and care settings to proactively reduce barriers and create more inclusive environments from the start. Participants will consider how needs-based planning can support belonging, participation, and well-being in ways that lead to more flexible and responsive environments that benefit all.

Info: Every meal in an early learning setting is an opportunity to build community. Beyond meeting nutritional needs, food invites connection, sparks curiosity, reflects culture, and helps children experience what it means to be welcomed, respected, and valued. In this interactive session, participants will explore how everyday food experiences can be intentionally designed to foster inclusion, relationships, and meaningful participation for all children. We'll examine the beliefs and practices that shape our food culture: from trusting children in the feeding relationship and honouring diverse food traditions to navigating budget realities. Particular attention will be given to the vital role of the cook as a co-creator of community: balancing nutrition, inclusion, cultural responsiveness, operational constraints, and children's evolving preferences while preparing meals that invite joy and connection.

Info: Note: This workshop is hosted in the AM and PM. Both sessions are delivered identically, ensuring each group of educators receives the complete workshop regardless of which time slot they attend. This hands-on workshop introduces The YES Environment, a framework built over twelve years of practice for designing early years spaces where children lead their own learning through art and inquiry. Educators will explore how environment, materials, and the role of the adult work together. They will then move directly into hands-on practice with the same materials and ideas, and leave with both the thinking and the tools to immediately put into practice at their centres.

Info: Across the country, educators are being asked to do more than ever before. Many are feeling overwhelmed, underappreciated, understaffed, and stretched beyond capacity. While burnout is certainly part of the conversation, what I am hearing more and more is something deeper: a growing sense of disconnection from the work they once loved.
This presentation is designed to acknowledge that reality while helping educators reconnect with the heart of why they entered this field in the first place. Together, we'll explore practical Big Heart tools that help both educators and children navigate big feelings, build emotional safety, strengthen relationships, and create classrooms where everyone feels seen, supported, and ready to learn.
Because when children feel safe, they thrive. And when educators feel supported, they do too.

Info: Get ready to read aloud, sing, and bring circle time to life! In this session, we will explore responsive approaches to circle time, including interactive read-aloud facilitation, music and movement, and strategies for supporting children’s engagement and participation. Participants will explore how intentional shifts in educator language and interactions can create meaningful and inclusive group learning experiences.
Together, we will examine what makes group gatherings, how to respond to different needs, and how to adapt circle time to better support children’s sense of belonging. This session blends reflection, strategies and hands-on learning. Participants will actively take part in demonstrations, guided practice connected to early years examples, in order to support confidence and intentionality when facilitating circle time with children.

Event venue & nearby stays

John D. Bradley Convention Centre, 565 Richmond Street, Chatham, Canada

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