Communities of Learning
This on-demand library includes videos, resources, reflections, and strategies to prompt conversations and thinking among early learning educators and teachers in training.
Each module in the Community of Learning library has been developed in response to Online Conversations at Early Learning Cafe – conversations with national and international leaders and thinkers in the field of early learning.
Communities of Learning support your learning goals anytime, anywhere.
What are Community of Learning Modules?
- Inspirational spaces for early learning educators to deepen their thinking about what, why, and how we teach young children.
- Flexible professional learning that is accessible in-person, online, or as a hybrid of both in-person and online.
- Engaging learning experiences that can be easily adapted to individual and group time constraints and geographical needs.
- Valuable resources for pedagogical leaders, workshop facilitators and teacher trainers, who seek to guide and prompt thinking and conversations among early learning educators.
What will you find in each module?
- Short video clips featuring leaders and thinkers in the field of early learning
- Reflective activities to deepen educators’ thinking about their teaching practice
- Practical ideas and resources to support teachers’ work with young children
- Certificate of participation
Communities of Learning are based on the belief that individual reflection combined with group dialogue deepens and changes our teaching practice.
Drawing as Thinking - featuring Debi Keyte-Hartland
CL4a-Drawing as Thinking: Module 1
In Drawing as Thinking Part 1, we begin to explore the experience and purpose of drawing to children. We also consider how our beliefs and assumptions about drawing impacts children and our teaching practice.
CL4b-Drawing as Thinking: Module 2
In this second Drawing as Thinking module, Debi invites us to think more deeply about drawing as a language that is spoken with hands.
CL4c-Drawing as Thinking: Module 3
In this third Drawing as Thinking module, we focus on the influence of developmental stage theorists on current teaching practice.
CL4d-Drawing as Thinking: Module 4
In this fourth module, Debi offers insights into how educators can deepen children’s wonderings and theory making through something she calls 'theory drawing'.
CL4e-Drawing as Thinking: Module 5
In this final module of Drawing as Thinking we focus on the pleasures of drawing, and how educators can tap into these pleasures and motivate children to draw.
Buy all 5 Drawing as Thinking Modules and save $20.
Democratice Spaces for Early Learning
CL3a-Democratic Spaces for Early Learning: Module 1
As educators we talk a lot about inclusion and belonging. Yet rarely do we talk about democracy in early learning programs and classrooms. In Democratic Spaces for Early Learning Module 1, Suzanne Axelsson prompts educators to think deeply about what democracy means in our work with young children, and how to analyze early learning spaces with a lens for democracy.
CL3b-Democratic Spaces for Early Learning: Module 2
In Democratic Spaces for Early Learning Module 2, Suzanne Axelsson draws our attention to the ways we communicate with children. Suzanne tells us that the very way we engage in conversations with children teaches them how power is shared or not shared. The ways in which we listen to and speak with children become their experiences of democracy.
CL3c-Democratic Spaces for Early Learning: Module 3
In Democratic Spaces for Early Learning Part 3, we listen closely for children’s voices, knowing that democratic spaces are listening spaces. We consider how to listen to children regardless of their language skills, and how we teach children to listen to one another.
CL3d-Democratic Spaces for Early Learning: Module 4
In Democratic Spaces for Early Learning Part 4, we analyze equality and equity. With this lens we explore how to empower children by:
• Focusing on what children CAN do
• Teaching children how to show empathy for others
• Creating opportunities for children to make choices that consider others
Environments that Support Risk Taking
CL2a-Environments that Support Risk Taking: Module 1
In this FREE Community of Learning module, we explore the idea of risk-taking as an educator in our contexts. This module is the first in a series of four modules based on an online conversation held with Susan Stacey at Early Learning Café.
CL2b-Environments that Support Risk Taking: Module 2
In this Community of Learning module, we explore the idea of risk-taking as an educator in our contexts. This module is the second in a series of four modules based on an Online Conversation held with Susan Stacey at Early Learning Café.
CL2c-Environments that Support Risk Taking: Module 3
In this Community of Learning module, we explore the idea of risk-taking as an educator in our contexts. This module is the third in a series of four modules based on an Online Conversation held with Susan Stacey at Early Learning Café.
CL2d-Environments that Support Risk Taking: Module 4
In this Community of Learning module, we explore the idea of risk-taking as an educator in our contexts. This module is the fourth in a series of four modules based on an Online Conversation held with Susan Stacey at Early Learning Café.