2019 – 2020

Curriculum Matters

Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer ‘Tomorrow’. His name is ‘Today’. – Gabriela Mistral

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is today acknowledged as a crucial component in Lifespan Development and as the Foundation for Lifelong Learning. Research has shown that the first six years of life are critical, and it is necessary to maximise development at this stage. In the last few years, there has been an unprecedented expansion of ECE (Early Childhood Education) programs but quality has not always kept pace with the quantitative expansion, and there is little agreement on the curriculum and methodology. Curriculum for the young child must be holistic and developmentally appropriate, and support equity, inclusion, and high quality for diverse environments.

AECED MUMBAI in collaboration with SNDT College, Ghatkopar and SIES Navi Mumbai is delighted to present the next series of WORKSHOPS for the academic year 2019-20, as a continuation to last two year’s theme “CURRICULUM MATTERS”.We’ve had a fantastic response to our thoughtfully curated workshops the last two years. In 2017-2018 we focused on Science, Emergent Literacy, Art and Documentation in the Early Years. Through 2018-2019 we explored Brain Development and Developmentally Appropriate Practice in classrooms, Pedagogy of Play, Socio-Emotional Learning and Mathematics in Early Years. In 2019-2020, we bring forth a concerted focus on three often forgotten pillars of effective Early Years Practice- Performing Arts (Theatre and Dance) , Action Research and ECD Leadership

PERFORMING ARTS IN THE FORM OF THEATRE AND DANCE

Performing Arts has been underpinned emphatically by many educational philosophers such as Dewey, Montessori and Gardner. The arts play a critical role in assisting young children to not only understand their world, but express this knowing, as they make sense of their experiences. The arts allow them to communicate their thinking and feelings in multiple ways (Wright, 2012). Art practices in early childhood encourage children to be active participants in taking their own direction (McArdle &Piscitelli, 2002). From the development of early coordination skills that lead to the precision required for writing, through to fostering empathy, relationships and social interactions, ‘doing music, and dance and drama and Visual Art’ supports wider educational achievement (Callcott, Miller, &Wilson-Gahan, 2012), besides being the most authentic and natural way children understand and respond to their ever expanding world. We offer our day -long Performing Arts workshops in two different locations in Mumbai to ensure more Early Childhood Professionals benefit.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative Research methods like action research can be used effectively by teachers to solve everyday issues in the classroom. Action research uses qualitative methods and is a reflective, democratic, and action-based approach to problem-solving or information-seeking in the classroom. Instead of waiting for a solution, action research empowers teachers to become critical, reflective thinkers and lifelong learners that are dedicated to helping improve student learning and teaching effectiveness. This workshop is day long with additional offsite mentoring to initiate and scaffold action research in respective settings. Well executed and documented action research projects will be selected and showcased in the 2020 AECED National Conference.

LEADERSHIP

Leadership in the early childhood settings has and always will be a priority as leadership is second only to teaching as an influence on learning, and competent leadership leads to better learning outcomes for young children. The landscape of early childhood is constantly changing and becoming more and more complex. Old solutions to issues and problems most of the time are not working anymore. These ‘change challenges’ suggest a dire need for our field to develop better strategies for more effective leadership that can support the ECD workforce better by being pedagogically more robust, more responsive, more learner centred and not simplistic in the “reactive, expect and inspect” mode prevalent right now in most settings. ECD Leadership focus will be brought forth as a seminar and will provide thought leadership, innovations, strategies, experiences to guide the evolution of ECD leadership better.

AECED Mumbai Events

Workshop 1 : Theatre For Early Years

Date : 13/07/2019
Venue : PN Doshi College, Ghatkopar
Time : 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Date : 20/07/2019
Venue : SIES, Navi Mumbai
Time : 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Facilitators

Workshop 2 : Qualitative research methods to support children better

Date : 21/09/2019
Venue : P N Doshi College, Ghatkopar
Time : 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Facilitators

Workshop 3 : Embodied Pedagogy – Creative Movement In The Classroom

Date : 15/11/2019
Venue : P N Doshi College, Ghatkopar
Time : 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Date : 16/11/2019
Venue : SIES, Nerul Navi Mumbai
Time : 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Facilitators