Former Syrian refugee helps create new Sesame Street for displaced children
Mohammad Aljamous, a Syrian refugee now living in Whistler, B.C., used his own experience of displacement when he worked as a consultant for a new version of Sesame Street aimed at helping children fleeing conflict in the Middle East.
CBC recently spoke with Aljamous about how he helped behind the scenes to create the special Arabic-language show that is intended to give kids skills to cope with trauma and is set to air in February 2020.
20 Ways to Keep a Peaceful Program
There may not be a magic recipe for a peaceful CNC program, but there are lots of things that we can do to keep our programs calm and welcoming each day. Here are
20 brilliant tips for keeping a peaceful program from the experts at HiMama. Which ones will you try next in your class?
Playful Tubs and Trays for Toddlers
It can be a challenge setting up activities for toddler play – so when planning for toddler play, it's often best to keep it simple. Here's a collection of
ideas for trays and baskets of all shapes and sizes that will simplify setup, interaction and clean up in your toddler program!
Surviving Cold & Flu Season
Cold & flu season generally occurs during the colder months of the year, between approximately October and May, making it less of a ‘season’ and something that needs to be top-of-mind for most of the year. While it is impossible to stop people from getting sick, it is possible to
mitigate the risk and prevent germs from spreading.
Myth vs. Fact: Bilingual Language Development
There are still plenty of misconceptions when it comes to language learning in bilingual children. Here's a
simple infographic that was created to help dispel myths and encourage practices that promote multilingualism - and it's free to download, print and post in your program!
Why is observation, documentation and reflection important in infant care?
Observation, documentation, and reflection are important skills for any quality infant and toddler care. Developing these skills can help educators
get to know children better, make informed decisions, share observations with parents, encourage children's development, competence and success, find ways to improve routines, and more...
NEW! Parenting School-Age and Adult Children Curriculum Guide
Parenting School-Age and Adult Children was created to support newcomer parenting programs and address some of the challenges that newcomer parents and caregivers may have with parenting in Canadian society. The goal of the program is to help newcomer parents and caregivers gain effective communication skills, better understand the Canadian school systems, and create a safe space for parents and caregivers to address their questions and concerns relating to children integrating into the wider Canadian society and culture. The program is designed to meet the needs of newcomer parents and caregivers with a CLB 3 or higher in English language classes.
New Online Tutorial: The Power of Play
Children learn best when they are playing. In fact, play is so important to children’s development, that the United Nations has included play as one of the basic rights of every child in the Convention on the Rights of the Child! Through play, children get to know the world around them while exploring and testing their own limits. They’re figuring out how to coordinate their body movements, talk with friends, apply rules, and so much more.
In the
Power of Play tutorial, you’ll have an opportunity to consider why is play so important, how play supports children’s development and learning, three common myths about play, and strategies that can be used to support children’s learning through play in CNC each day.
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.
How will you celebrate National Child Day?
National Child Day is celebrated on November 20th each year. Here, you can learn more about National Child Day and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as find
resources and ideas for promoting awareness and celebrating children's rights all year long!
Guelph children from Syria illustrate and co-author a picture book
Seven Suitcases is a new children's book written from the perspective of a 9-year-old Syrian girl who is new to Canada. It's based on the true story of Ahmed, Farah and Hala Marie, who came to Canada with their parents three years ago. In this interview,
the three siblings talk to CBC about what it was like to co-author and illustrate the book with the help of their teacher/librarian friend.
