Mackay Half Day Workshop

Presenter: David Gilkes

Topic: Mark Making - A Voice for our thinking

Children have an innate curiosity and desire to know, to find out, to research, to construct theories, to make connections, and to express their thinking creatively. When children first pick up a pencil, a paint brush or a stick and make a mark, they are doing something very powerful. They are communicating. How can we be sensitive to these imaginative, creative, knowledge-building and meaning-making processes? How do we ensure that we are providing contexts to support these experiences? David will talk about mark-making as an act of citizenship and participation, as a process of building relationships and knowledge.

Biography

David Gilkes has been in early years education for 30 years, the majority of this time working as a teacher alongside 4 and 5 year old children and their families in both Hobart and Canberra. David’s leadership roles include Director of an Early Learning Centre and an Early Years Network Leader in the Tasmanian Department of Education.  The Reggio Emilia educational project and its provocation for the Australian context has inspired and challenged David for many years.

Presenter: Fiona Mann Bobongie

Topic: Building Cultural Capability

The Cyclic Konnec]onz workshop will prac]se the Ancient methodology of Se^ng Circles with protocols of prac]sing respec_ul interac]ons and the defini]on of deep listening. The workshop will demonstrate different perspec]ves. We don’t see the world as it really is we see it as we are. Ghandi. The Circle work will transfer deep knowledge and understanding to be impac_ul in your personal and professional life. The Cyclic Konnec]onz workshop will build Understanding of Cultural Iden]ty, Country, Language, Stories and Culture. How do I create a safe cultural learning space that reflects the children I teach and their community?

 Biography

Fiona Mann Bobongie is a Darumbal and Australian South Sea Islander Woman. She has four daughters and six grandchildren. Registered teacher and consultant, she has delivered Professional Development since 2010 –in contexts: city, rural, regional, remote and very remote communities. She’s completing a Higher Degree Research Education Doctorate at QUT.

Presenter: Jennifer Ribarovski

Topic: Understanding and enhancing executive function skills in early childhood education

Executive functioning skills are critical for young children to develop to support them to navigate the complexities of everyday life. Although children aren’t born with these skills, they have the potential to develop them, which is a key component of the work of early childhood educators. This session will leave participants with an understanding of executive functioning skills and how they can plan for the development of these skills in their program, using practical examples to demonstrate key concepts.

Biography

Jennifer Ribarovski is the Managing Director of JR Education Consulting and has over thirty years’ experience in the education and care sector, including playing a key role in the implementation of the NQF for both the NSW Regulatory Authority and ACECQA. Jennifer has trained authorised officers across Australia to assess against the National Quality Standard, and has developed curriculum and support documents to assist educators in their pedagogical journey. She has taught in preschools, early childhood centres, public schools, at universities and has a wealth of experience in translating educational theory into practice. Along with her consulting practice, Jennifer currently teaches at and provides consultancy services to Sydney University in both the undergraduate and postgraduate early childhood degree. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and a Master of Educational Leadership and Management.