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What's New

WEBINAR: Making Sense of Trauma

Trauma is pervasive and impacts all of us. Becoming trauma-informed helps us when working with children to shift from saying "what is wrong with you" to "what has happened to you". The Making Sense of Trauma webinar helps participants better understand the patterns of children's behaviour and provides some practical tools to begin helping children to manage those behaviours.

National Indigenous History Month: Resources to Share with Children and Families

As we stand with the Indigenous peoples in Canada, reckon with the past, listen and find our path towards reconciliation during National Indigenous History Month, it can be difficult to talk about residential schools. But it's incredibly important to learn about Indigenous history and raise awareness in CNC. Here are two helpful lists of videos and books that might help you introduce Indigenous history to children in an age appropriate way.

11 Children’s Books to Celebrate Pride Month

All children should have books that reflect their background, interests, and dreams back to them. And this month, Redleaf Press has put together a list of children’s books that are perfect for celebrating Pride Month. And these 11 books aren’t just for families with a direct connection to LGBTQIA+ issues; everyone can use these books’ messages of unconditional love and acceptance!

National Indigenous History Month: Honouring Lives Lost

The CMAS team would like to acknowledge and honour the 215 children whose lives were lost and remains were recently discovered at the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.  We offer our sincere condolences to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in BC, as well as the families and communities across Canada who continue to suffer not only the intergenerational trauma inflicted by the residential school system, but ongoing racism and discrimination. 

As June marks National Indigenous History Month, it is especially important for the CNC community to stand with the Indigenous peoples in Canada and listen. 

It can be difficult to find our path towards reconciliation or the words to share with children and families, but it’s important to reflect on how we can talk to children and families about the events and the trauma that is resurfacing among Canada’s First Nations.

We urge all of our programs to review the teachings of Elder Brenda Mason and Lori Huston, RECE, who joined us in February to discuss the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. This 3-part webinar series and associated articles can help support a deepening of our understanding of what it means to honour the knowledge and skills of Indigenous children and families as we reckon with the past and find our way forward. 

NEW CMAS WEBINAR: Developing Engaging, Child-Centred Activities for Your CNC Program

How do you plan activities for your CNC program? We all do our best to make our CNC programs child-centred, but sometimes program planning can be a challenge! In our most recent webinar, Jackie Cunningham talks about why engaging, child-centred curriculum is so important, where to start with emergent program planning, how to use developmental domains to build on curriculum and learning, and inspiring project-based activity ideas.

CMAS Tutorial: What is the Difference Between Emergent Curriculum and Child-Centred Programming?

The terms “child-centred programming” and “emergent curriculum” are often used interchangeably. But have you ever found yourself wondering what emergent curriculum means? Or maybe you wonder how a child-centred program is different from an emergent curriculum? Our newest tutorial provides a quick overview of child-centred programming and emergent curriculum, help in understanding your role as a facilitator of children’s learning, and some tips for expanding on children’s interests. At the end of the tutorial, you’ll also find resources, references, a Facilitator Guide and Questions for Personal Reflection/Group Discussion so that you can easily facilitate your own team training.  

WEBINAR: Exploring Challenging Behaviours and Implicit Bias

In this edWebinar, Dr. Angela Searcy challenges educators to stop, reflect on their own implicit biases, and grow so they can better understand and serve children exhibiting challenging behaviors within their classroom. Participants will be provided with self-reflective tools and strategies for examining the origins of implicit bias, reflecting on everyday conversations and recognizing potentially biased statements.

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