Approved for 2 Ongoing PD Hours
For the purposes of this workshop, attendees will experience a wide variety of loose parts. We will begin with large items for the classroom and then progress into items for outdoor play spaces. Children are innately curious and innovative and by allowing them ample time to explore and a wide array of materials you are giving them a strong foundation for creativity and ingenuity, two characteristics that are essential in the world we live in. Loose parts are items with no prescribed purpose, they allow children to have autonomy and control over their play and the direction it takes. By thinking outside the box and supplying children with these materials you are able to give them the tools they need to become free and creative thinkers.
We will present findings for our own classroom as well as learning stories we have created based on the experiences of the Children in our care, highlighting their growth and learning with respect to loose parts. In addition to this, we will reference books which are important to our own pedagogy's and draw connections between these works of literature and the experiences we see unfolding in our classrooms.
Megan McPhee has been in the child care field for ten years, working primarily with preschool children. In 2012, while working full-time, she graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island with a Bachelor of Arts degree focusing on Political Science and English. While finishing her degree, the opportunity to take the blended ECE program through Holland College arose, and she jumped at the opportunity. In 2016, she graduated with her Early Childhood Education Diploma. In 2017, she was nominated for and later received the Educating with Excellence Award. Megan's passion for loose parts, respecting childhood, and lifelong learning has fueled her journey, allowing her to expand her horizons, better herself as an educator, and find her place as an advocate for the field she loves and the children we care for.
Ashley Bernard graduated from the Early Childhood Care and Education program in 2017. Ashley was inspired to head into this field by another educator who showed her how rewarding it is to work with children and families. She currently works at Little Wonders Early Learning Centre, with the younger preschool children. Ashley's passion lies in supporting children as they grow into competent, capable, compassionate humans through play, respect, and love.