Early Life Foundations Inaugural Conference

This conference will offer unparalleled opportunities to view personalising learning from a whole child perspective and is unique as it is the only conference in Australia with international speakers that finally bridge the artificial divide between early childhood and primary years teachers to Year 7.

The focus of the conference is upon personalising learning in a real context in ordinary every day play rooms and classrooms from remote Northern Territory communities to middle class independent schools in suburbia across the country, including all demographics budgets and contexts. How do we reach and teach the whole child and families with the range of complexities that each family and child brings with them and with the current demands expected of us all?

For us, it is all about relationships, creativity, engagement and motivation, not only in the classroom but across the whole school and community. It is about having systematic evidence based teaching and learning in order to personalise learning. To have the opportunity to have Dr. George Otero travel from New Mexico as well as Kathy Walker and Shona Bass, the designers of the Walker Learning Approach, plus other wonderful presenters provides a great theoretical and practical platform for the conference.

Come along with teachers from across Australia to hear practical sessions and thought provoking presentations on how to personalise learning, how to set up learning environments, how to motivate and engage challenging children, how to promote creative experiences for children in their learning, how to foster relationships, how to use Emotional Intelligence in your work, how to document less and interact more with children, how to work with gifted children as well as those labeled special needs, and more.

Take advantage of the latest resources on offer in the concurrent trade display and enjoy networking opportunities.

We look forward to meeting you and working with in October.

Don't delay. Register today.

Keynote Speakers

Dr George Otero

George Otero is an educational consultant who has worked as a teacher, educator, international consultant, social entrepreneur, and author. He and his wife Susan, operate the Center for RelationaLearning based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  George has worked for many years in Australia and the United Kingdom as well as the United States. George’s work with schools and community leaders in transforming schools is an outgrowth of his twenty years creating and directing a multicultural community learning center in Taos, New Mexico, attended by over 50,000 people. His approach utilised dance, play, dreaming, games, storytelling and an open inquiry process that builds community and stimulates learning and leadership.

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Kathy Walker

Kathy Walker is the Founding Director of the Early Life Foundations and is a renowned Melbourne-based consultant who has a background in child psychology, and early childhood and primary education. She conducts a range of professional development sessions throughout Australia for staff working across all sectors of early childhood and primary education as well as a range of government organisations. Kathy is formally a university lecturer in education and works with a variety of professional and parent groups on an extensive range of topics related to children, families and parenting.

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Shona Bass

Shona Bass is a Director of Early Foundations is a renowned consultant who has worked in the education, medical and health sector for thirty years. She completed her PhD in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. Shona conducts a range of professional development sessions across Australia for staff working across all sectors of early childhood and primary education as well as a range of government organisations.  She works extensively across the Northern Territory with preschool and primary teachers, and assistant teachers working in indigenous communities. Shona has used the Walker Learning Approach to develop the engagement of indigenous children in education and to personalise their learning in a way that is culturally appropriate.  She also works with a variety of professions on an extensive range of topics related to leadership, team building and developing relationships.

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Presenters

Robert Brown

Robert Brown is an experienced arts education lecturer and researcher in the Melbourne School of Graduate Education, The University of Melbourne. Robert’s work with young children and the arts spans twenty years and includes undertaking the Research Manager role at The University of Melbourne’s Early Learning Centre. Currently Robert is the Senior Research Associate for an Australian Research Centre funded project entitled, Mapping Engagement at ArtPlay.

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Rachel Fox

Rachel is a Senior Associate with Early Life Foundations and a consultant who works with education communities nationally and internationally. She has extensive teaching and leadership experience in the early years of schooling in Australia. Rachel has worked closely with teachers, staff and parents in implementing the Walker Learning Approach in primary school classrooms, and has has lead teams to incorporate this distinctive and innovative curriculum which places the child at the centre of the curriculum and recognises and values the potential of young children to question, experiment, reflect and express their findings through their own inquiry and investigation. She has extensive experience and expertise in working with teachers to help create engaging and intentional learning environments that are developmentally and culturally appropriate.

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Penny Willoughby

Renowned in her field, Penny Willoughby is an Australian primary teacher, tutor and educational consultant who is passionate about gifted education, differentiation, numeracy, problem-solving, thinking and creativity. Following a successful career in the corporate sector, Penny has held a range of educational roles including classroom teacher, Founder and Principal of Thinking Outside The Box professional education services and Vice President of the Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children (VAGTC). Penny holds a Bachelor of Education (Honours, First Class) from the University of Technology, Sydney, where she was also awarded the University Medal for Outstanding Distinction.

Personalising Learning for the Whole Child

Conference Program Snap Shot

Online booking form for the Early Life Foundations 2013 Conference

Conference Venue:
Grand Hyatt
123 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone (03) 9657 1234
www.hyatt.com

Registration Fees include:
Entrance to the conference, proceedings plus refreshments, morning tea and lunch. Does not include airfares or hotel rooms.

Cancellation Policy & Substitutions:
No refund will be provided however registration is transferable to another individual in the same school or educational institution. In the unlikely event that the conference is cancelled paid registration fees will be fully refunded.

Accommodation & Travel:
Travel and accommodation fees are not included in the conference fee.  We do not refund airfares or hotel expenses if the event is cancelled. Special accommodation packages are available for delegates at the Grand Hyatt.

Payment Terms:
Payment must be made prior to the event or admittance will not be permitted.  A tax invoice and confirmation letter will be emailed to the registrant upon completing of registration.  Payment may be made by PayPal or EFT.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION $260 + gst (until 31 August 2013)

FULL REGISTRATION $295 + gst.