Why is observation so important?
Most CNC staff understand the role of observation in early childhood education. But do they understand why it’s important? And more importantly, do they have the best systems and techniques in place to accurately assess toddler development? Early childhood education is not about teaching; it’s about exploration and learning, and observations play an important role in meeting the developmental needs of the newcomer children in your program.This important article and free ebook explain
why observation is important, what it impacts, and how you can make it easier.
International Mother Language Day: February 21
Languages are the most powerful instrument in preserving and developing heritage. Every February,
International Mother Language Day helps to increase awareness and mobilize partners and resources that support language diversity and multilingualism across the globe. How will you celebrate the linguistic diversity of your CNC program this year?
CNC in Action: A Step-by-step Journey to CNC
When the New Canadians Centre of Peterborough (NCC) wanted to create a short term CNC program in the bare bones children’s room in an old church, the project was not without its challenges. But with a helping hand from the experts, they were able to transform it into a safe and welcoming place for newcomer children.
Read more...
New Online CMAS Tutorial: Consistent Care and Relationship Building in CNC
The evidence is clear: successful attachments with primary caregivers in the early years have a profound impact on children in almost all areas of development! In fact, a child's growth and development depends on the capacity of their caregivers to understand, perceive and respond to the child needs. So developing relationships and trust with the newcomer children in your
care is key to supporting their settlement and early development. In CMAS' new
Consistent Care and Relationship Building in CNC tutorial, you'll have an opportunity to consider how relationships impact children's development and health, what is
consistent care and why it is so important, which children might need a little more attention and
care, and strategies for improving consistency and relationships for everyone. 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.
Family Life in Canada Video Series for Parents
Did you know that
Families Canada produces resources and programming to help newcomers settle in Canada? Explore their website to find resources to support your work with newcomer families, including parent resources like this
Family Life in Canada Video Series for Parents.
Dressing for the cold
The outdoors in winter is most enjoyed most when dressed properly. Remember: there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. In winter, the best idea is to stay warm and dry. Being too hot makes you sweat, creating moisture. When it is cold outside, being damp is uncomfortable and can be a danger as you will lose body heat more quickly. Here are a few things to think about and
share with parents to keep everyone safe in the cold weather.
Sign up for free weekly activity ideas!
Sign up to receive developmentally appropriate, weekly activities for infant-toddlers, preschool, or school age children. All activities include helpful tips on developmental milestones for observation and programming. Each week you will receive one activity for each age group in the areas of STEM, Literacy, Arts, Movement, Social-Emotional, and Transitions - right to your phone!
Health Canada: Information About Coronavirus
Visit the Health Canada website for the most
up-to-date information about Coronavirus. And remember... you can always find important health and safety updates in the
In the News section. (Bottom right corner of this page.)
New CMAS Promising Practices Webinar: Parent Orientations
A good parent orientation sets the stage for a smooth transition for newcomer families, but not every CNC team knows how to do it well. In this webinar, you have thee opportunity to hear directly from three experienced CNC administrators. They share their unique perspectives, promising practices and strategies that they find helpful when it comes to CNC parent orientations.
In response to participant requests, Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services has also shared their Sample Visual Parent Orientation Form. Watch the webinar...
Play and Exploration for Infants and Toddlers
When infants are thought to be helpless, then they are often treated as helpless - leading to limited learning opportunities and experiences in our programs. The
Play and Exploration for Infants and Toddlers booklet reminds us that we need to reframe our thinking and recognize that even our youngest learners are competent and capable. It also provides readers with strategies for encouraging independence and competence as infants and toddlers grow, mature and achieve new skills.
