Training and Conferences
The following outlines some of the training, conference keynotes and workshops Di has led to support the development of practice and thinking.
All training and cpd includes bespoke planning, support and follow up which is tailored to your professional needs. Please contact us to discuss what cpd you need, to register your interest, and find out further details.
Areas for training and conferences include the following aspects;
- ‘Recognising the potential of babies and toddlers’
- Listening to two year olds: observing to understand what children are doing and why?
- Supporting children’s learning and development – Observation and child development – documenting children’s progress
- Observing, assessing and mapping children’s progress through the EYFS
- The Characteristics of Learning – Play and Exploration, Active Learning and Creative and Critical Thinking
- Who leads the learning? Balancing child-initiated play with skilful adult-focused teaching
- The importance of Play – getting the balance right between child-initiated play and adult focused teaching
- Making the connections: What do children’s learning stories tell us about their creative and critical thinking?
- ‘Thinking aloud’ – Understanding young children’s creativity and critical thinking
- Learning environments for children – indoors and outdoors
- ‘Serve and Return’ : Quality interactions to support children’s sustained shared thinking
- Developing the underpinning skills for reading, writing and mathematics
- Talk for Maths Mastery - Maintaining the momentum of children’s development and learning
- International Perspectives on early childhood – New Zealand, Reggio Emilia, Ghana, Denmark and India
- Why do children need to chatter? The art of conversation and the development of children’s talking and thinking
- Exploring the school readiness agenda………..
- Effective Transitions - Supporting young children:‘The Transition of Pedagogy’
- Early Intervention – the leadership of good practice
- Good to Outstanding: Developing high quality early years practice
- ‘Inspirational child-centred practice in New Zealand’ Experiences of practice from New Zealand Early Years Centres
- Through the Eyes of a Child– following ideas, fascinations and interests
Case Studies
A one-day course focused on developing practitioners and teachers skills in observing children, understanding their development and planning for their next steps (EYFS 2.1)
Aspects covered:
- Observation skills and practice – introducing a range of observation techniques
- The Observation Tool Kit – looking at aspects of child development relevant to the age group such as language development and schema
- Using the Well Being and Involvement Scales (Laevers)
- Triangulating our professional judgements when mapping children’s progress
- Recording and documenting observations – ideas and practical tips
- Reviewing, evaluating and planning for next steps
- Embedding good observation skills into everyday practice
(Aspects of this one day can be covered in conference key-notes and workshops)
What people said?
Brilliant, insightful, enthusiastic and so heartingly positive Deputy Head Teacher
Very thought provoking! Di was extremely inspiring and knowledgeable; gave good examples and explained everything well. Made helpful reference to the current and revised EYFS, explaining the links and differences.Class Teacher – Nursery School
I now want to do more training on child development – thank you
This one day course will develop your professional skills in observing children, understanding their development and identifying their next steps (EYFS 2.1). Keeping the focus on the child and making respectful, professionally informed judgments about children’s learning and development.
We look in depth at the process of observation (describing), assessment (deciding) and planning (what next?) using the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and the EYFSP; and consider meaningful ways to observe children’s development and thinking, make links to the Characteristics of Learning and the Areas of Learning.
The day focuses on;
- Why observation is at the heart of good assessment practice – responsible pedagogy
- Making links to the EYFS Themes and Principles, the Statutory Duties (2.1, 2.2 ), EYFSP and Ofsted requirements and guidance
- Sharing examples of Learning Stories and narrative observations to look more deeply at children’s development, thinking and learning
- Using your Observation and Assessment Tool Kits (and explain what this is?)
- How to use our observations to map children’s progress across the Foundation Stage
- How you can make professionally informed judgments about children’s progress
- Looking at the Development Map to support good practice in the observation, assessment and mapping process; keeping the child at the centre and taking a holistic view of their development
- Sharing our thinking and reflecting on our pedagogy and practice
Who should come?
All Practitioners, leaders and managers in the Private Sector, Nursery School teams, Children’s Centre practitioners, Foundations Stage Co-ordinators, FS Teachers, Y1 Teachers, Support staff/practitioners and Assessment Leads in Schools/Academies and Childminders
What people have said about the day:
Fantastic course – could it be done over more days? I want to find out more and research
I enjoyed the day and have lots to take away to expand my practice and share with my team
Di Chilvers an absolute delight – fantastic delivery
Initially Di delivered this as a keynote for an Early Education meeting in Sheffield but since then it has been expanded into a whole day on Talk for Maths Mastery! The keynote looked at the fundamentals of mathematical development asking the questions;
- How do children learn about numbers?
- How does mathematical thinking develop?
- How do children make sense of all the complex, meaningless symbols and codes which surround then and on which they will be taught and assessed in the first 60+ months of life?
It explores the mathematical journey of the child including language and talk, play, creating and thinking critically and sustained shared thinking and how practitioners and teachers can tune into children’s understanding and develop maths mastery.
What people said?
Thank you for opening my eyes! It has really helped with our assessment
Several of my practitioners attended the recent Early Years Conference on Friday and were impressed by the seminar you led. Thank- you
You do really inspire people to change hearts and minds! Our FS1 has an air of buzz and excitement. I now need to put that place for FS2.
I attended the EYFS conference yesterday. It was good to hear someone speak with passion and very inspiring for my whole team! Having recently been an AHT for EYFS & KS1 you have inspired my vision, thank you
In this training (one day or conference keynote/workshop) Di looks at the following questions;
- Why is children’s thinking so creative?
- What is empowering children as thinkers and learners?
- How can we support children’s creative thinking?
It is based on the Characteristics of Effective Learning (EYFS) and the creative philosophy of Reggio Emilia and explores how we can build on children’s ideas, interests and fascinations; listen to their thinking and encourage creativity. Di uses narrative case studies and Learning Stories from England, Reggio Emilia and New Zealand to illustrate good practice.
This is how Steve Chapman, a consultant in change and creativity, recorded his thoughts as he listened to Di at a conference called ‘Magic in Everyday Things – creating and thinking critically’. Steve was dressed as a pirate and had just delivered an inspiring key note on Creative Practices. They sum up in a very creative way the complexities of young children’s development – thinking and learning. Have a look at Steve’s website
What people said;
I am indebted to Di for sharing her view of young children’s creative thinking and wish her many more years of positive influence on the learning of young people. They and the teachers she is able to assist will be far richer for her ability to communicate her enlightened pedagogical approach with such joy and good will.Feedback by Liz Battersby, Consultant in Education and Management Strategy, Auckland, New Zealand – March 2014
Feedback by Liz Battersby, Consultant in Education and Management Strategy, Auckland, New Zealand – March 2014
I am indebted to Di for sharing her view of young children’s creative thinking and wish her many more years of positive influence on the learning of young people. They and the teachers she is able to assist will be far richer for her ability to communicate her enlightened pedagogical approach with such joy and good will.Feedback by Liz Battersby, Consultant in Education and Management Strategy, Auckland, New Zealand – March 2014
Young children talking started as a small book for Early Education and then developed into a keynote, seminar and one days training.
It explores the following;
- Why children need to chat – conversational talk is crucial to children’s development and learning
- The relationship between talking, thinking and learning
- How practitioners can support children’s talking, thinking and learning
- How this relates to child initiated learning and sustained shared thinking
- Building practitioners and teachers thinking, knowledge and practice through reflecting on how we support young children’s conversational interactions
- The way in which we can lead good practice
Young children are very capable and competent conversationalists using a range of ways to communicate not just through the spoken word. As Loris Malaguzzi says they have ‘One Hundred Languages’. Children’s conversations are a reflection of who they are, what interests them and their thinking. We need to spend more time listening to children’s conversations and encouraging the deep thinking, reasoning and problem solving that emerges from their chatter.
What people said?
In depth look at language and communication which was really useful. Di delivered this training well and I have left very enthusiastic
Fantastic ideas and information – inspirational, exciting and refreshing
Thank-you for showing us a more constructive way of recording children’s voices through observation
Very informative, structured but in a narrative, interesting and graphic way. Lots of room for interaction. I wish all my staff were here. Thank-you
Child-led play is a statutory duty in the EYFS Framework (1.8) and leads to deeper levels of thinking, learning and involvement. It is the key way in which children engage in Sustained Shared Thinking. This days cpd is an opportunity to look more closely into these crucial aspects of children’s early learning and inform how adults can support and teach more effectively.
The day focuses on;
- How we recognise that children are leading their learning through their child-led/child-initiated play and activities?
- Understanding how child-led play and activities contribute to children’s thinking, learning and development?
- Observing, supporting and extending child – led play and activities through skilful, sensitive and informed teaching?
- Explore the balance between child-initiated thinking and learning and adult-led teaching (1.8)
- Make the connection between following children’s interests and sustained shared thinking
- How using PLODs (Possible Lines of Development) supports the balance and planning next steps
- Reflecting on your practice and discussing your thinking with others
Who should come?
All Practitioners, leaders and managers in the Private Sector, Nursery School teams, Children’s Centre practitioners, Foundations Stage Co-ordinators, FS Teachers, Y1 Teachers, Support staff/practitioners and Assessment Leads in Schools/Academies and Childminders
What people have said about the day:
I found it all really interesting and useful and the tutor extremely knowledgeable
Excellent delivery of course content e.g. How important it is to support children’s interests And How Sustained Shared Thinking is at the heart of children’s development
We spend a day talking and thinking about how we can develop exemplary high quality practice for our children and families. Julien Grenier (2017,p.3/4) describes this very well…
What really matters is that we find ways to develop safe, effective and sustainable early years practice which meets the needs of the children and families we work with……..
We need to grow staff teams so that individuals work well together and develop their professionalism…..
Most importantly we need to work together, as professionals, to develop the values and principles which will guide our work AND
Use a range of techniques to constantly monitor the quality of the provision, children’s progress and well-being..making adjustments where necessary
We look at the following;
Good to Outstanding – HOW? What areyour starting points and key drivers in making the ‘leap’…..
Observation, Assessment and Accountability: Leading learning The ‘quality’ of teaching, learning and assessment; Mapping children’s progress – a case study and The Observers Tool Kit…..
Quality Teaching – Skilful Teaching: What does this mean? Referencing Ofsted’s interpretation of quality ‘teaching’… what does this mean for practice?; Key Statutory Requirements 1.8 and 1.9; Teaching and play in the early years – a balancing act? Ofsted Thematic Review
Where to now? Action plans, next steps, embedding quality and sustainability for the future
Who should come?
Leaders and Managers, Head Teachers, EYTs/EYPs, Foundations Stage Co-ordinators, FS Teachers, Y1 Teachers,
What people have said about the day:
Di was inspiring, easy to listen to and very interesting.
I will take away from the day the need to observe the quality of practice as a starting point..start from what is going well
