Building Quality

New 3-part webinar series: Understanding and Guiding Children’s Behaviour

Behaviour is one of the many ways that children communicate with us, so it’s important for us to be able to recognize and strive to understand children’s behaviour in our programs. Participants in this webinar series will be encouraged to think about behaviour differently while gaining deeper understanding and strategies for their programs.

Module 1–Understanding & Guiding Children's Behaviour: Perspectives

Module 2–Understanding & Guiding Children's Behaviour: Cultural Considerations

Module 3–Understanding & Guiding Children's Behaviour: Environmental Considerations


CMAS Tutorial: Invitations to Play

An invitation to play can be a simple way to spark children’s curiosity and imagination! They offer children opportunities to explore and direct their own play, follow their interests, learn more about the world around them, express themselves creatively and use their imagination. In this tutorial, you’ll find 10 tips for creating your own Invitations to Play for the children in your CNC program. 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.


CMAS Tutorial: Capturing Children’s Learning Through Documentation and Meaningful Documentation

Could your team use some new ideas and inspiration when it comes to documentation?
When documentation is done well, it tells a story about what the child did, the process and learning that they engaged in. And it helps parents and caregivers to see what the children are learning and how they’re progressing! In this two-part tutorial series, participants will have the chance to reflect on:

  • what makes good documentation
  • different kinds of documentation
  • how good documentation leads to good programming

Part 1: Capturing Children’s Learning Through Documentation
Part 2: Meaningful Documentation

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.


CMAS Tutorial: Play Across Cultures

Children are masters of play. It’s how they learn about culture, social norms, and language - and it provides endless opportunities for children to try out different roles, express themselves, and explore the world around them. But you may have noticed that children from different cultures engage in play differently. This makes sense because there are differences in language, context, and social norms in different cultures - and these are all reflected in children’s play! In the this tutorial, participants will have the chance to reflect on how play is different across cultures, and how we can encourage and foster all kinds of play variations in our CNC programs. 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.


CMAS Tutorial: What is Executive Function?

For many of us, executive function sounds like a really abstract term that might not hold much meaning. But executive function is actually an incredibly practical, useful and important set of skills that children start to develop in the early years.

In this tutorial, we’ll help you to understand what executive function is, and why it’s important. We’ll also share some resources and ideas for how we can support the development of executive function for the children in our programs.

At the end of the tutorial, you’ll also find resources, references, a facilitator guide and added group discussion questions so that you can easily facilitate your own team training. 


CMAS Tutorial: Creativity and the Educator

When you think about the word “creativity” what comes to mind for you? For many of us, we automatically think about a painting, drama or storytelling, or maybe a song and dance. But creative expression isn’t about the product or end result… it’s all about the creative process and journey. Whenever we use and develop our imaginations, originality, and problem-solving skills during everyday life – that’s creativity!

In this tutorial, we’ll talk about why creativity is so important in the early years. We’ll also try to get everyone thinking outside the box a little bit, by talking about creativity… and how it isn’t just about art! Then we’ll share some ideas and inspiration for encouraging and fostering creativity in our programs! At the end of the tutorial, you’ll also find resources, references, a facilitator guide and added group discussion questions so that you can easily facilitate your own team training. 


WEBINAR SERIES! Modelling Flexible Ideas About Gender in an Early Childhood Setting

We come from different families. We come from different cultures. We grew up in different decades. We each have our own individual experiences. We probably all see and experience gender in a slightly different way. Gender “refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex” (American Psychological Association). CMAS is pleased to present an opportunity for CNC staff to learn more about Modelling Flexible Ideas About Gender in an Early Childhood Setting.

This two-part webinar series hosted by Kirsten Freed, an early childhood educator at Mosaic in Winnipeg, includes information about gender and child development, and centres around the ideal of creating the best possible environment for nurturing the social and emotional development of children of all genders. Watch Part 1 and  Part 2.


CMAS Tutorial: Activity Planning for Mixed-Age Groups

Some CNC programs choose to use mixed-age grouping to allow for flexibility or accommodate families when there is limited space and/or staffing. But it also means that staff need to plan with a wider age group in mind… so a child-centred approach can be especially important! In this tutorial, we’ll talk about the benefits, challenges, and important considerations to keep in mind when planning activities for children of different ages.  Participants will go back to their programs feeling more confident, with new strategies and promising practice. At the end of the tutorial, you’ll also find resources, references, a facilitator guide and added group discussion questions so that you can easily facilitate your own team training.


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.  


CMAS Webinar: Resolving Conflict at Work with Karen Minty

Do you know how different personality styles behave under stress? How does your team resolve conflict under stressful situations? Karen Minty explains the basic needs of each personality style, and appropriate strategies to deal with difficult behaviour to quickly diffuse situations and prevent further conflict in this Resolving Conflict at Work webinar.