5th Annual Early Learning Conference 2024
White Oaks Resort and Spa, 253 Taylor Road, Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON
February 24-25, 2024
The Métis Nation of Ontario’s Early Learning and Child Care Team is excited to announce that we will host our 5th Annual Early Learning and Child Care Conference. This year’s conference will be held at the White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara-On-The-Lake.
This year’s conference provides an opportunity for educators from across Ontario to enhance their knowledge of Métis children and how to support Métis children in the classrooms and community. The conference will strengthen participant knowledge of Métis culture and way of life and how to incorporate the knowledge they acquire into their learning environments respectfully and non-appropriating. This year’s conference will center on literacy, storytelling, and connection; participants will engage in professional development opportunities and obtain helpful resources within their learning environments.
We are excited to include a keynote for this year’s conference that will give participants a deeper understanding of the importance of emotional literacy within early years environments.
The application for this year’s conference will open on November 14, 2023, and remain open until December 11th or until the conference reaches capacity.
Please see below for a list of keynote speakers:
Keynote Speaker
Mary Gordon is a Canadian award-winning educator, best-selling author, and child advocate. Mary has presented to the UN, UNICEF, the WHO, The Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation, and many governments. Mary has received multiple prestigious awards, including the Order of Ontario, the Order of Canada, and the Governor General’s Award for Innovation. Mary and the Roots of Empathy program are well known with educators working within the Early Years sector.
Roots of Empathy’s mission is “To build caring, peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults.” they believe, “The leaders of tomorrow are sitting in the classrooms of today, and they need imagination and empathy to be able to identify and solve society’s problems. Empathy is foundational to helping children navigate relationships, form connections, and be inclusive of others.”