The 6th Annual Heart-Centered Teaching Institute: Loose Parts for Designing Inclusive Ecosystems

Grow your creativity and your capacity to freely explore, design, reflect, and innovate with a full day of hands-on professional development with keynote speaker, Miriam Beloglovsky.

“Play is vitally important for children and adults. Play is a state of mind and attitude that leads to wonder and discovery. When we play, we enter into a state of flow, a highly focused state of consciousness that promotes creativity and innovation.”

Read more about Miriam.

Agenda

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM – Registration and light breakfast

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Morning Session: Loose Parts Inspiring Culturally Sustainable Ecosystems

This session will focus on loose parts as unscripted invitations for children’s play. What is the educator’s role in loose parts play? How do we include recycled and sustainable materials in our classrooms and why are they important? We will explore loose parts together and reflect on how to create invitations that spark children’s interests and curiosity.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – Lunch provided

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Afternoon Session: Designing Inclusive Ecosystems, Loose Parts for Children with Diverse Abilities

Loose parts will inspire creativity and stimulate learning in every child, and are accessible to all regardless of ability. As we strive toward creating classroom communities that are inclusive, how do we consider materials that meet the needs of all children and bring them together in play? We must be intentional in designing our classrooms to be reflective of the children we serve, celebrating diversity and inclusion.

Cost: $15

Early Bird Registration Only (before March 1): Receive a free Heart Centered Teaching t-shirt!

Location: Kentucky Center for African American Heritage 1701 W Muhammad Ali Blvd Louisville, KY 40203 (map)

Parking lot is available as well as on street parking. Carpooling is suggested.

6 hours of ECE-TRIS credit available

CDA: 2, 3  CC: 4

Thank you to our sponsors!