Date and time

Friday 31 May 2024, 9.30 am to 3.30 pm

Delivery mode

In person at Independent Schools Victoria, 44 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne.

Audience 

Early Childhood Teacher, Early Childhood Leader, Intervention Teacher, Primary Teacher

Description

Looking to register more than one person? Contact us at isLearn to arrange a group discount for your school.

Bright Start mediator training unlocks the skill and tools to successfully implement Bright Start: an evidence-based cognitive curriculum and program for learners functioning at developmental age levels from 3 to 6 years.

Bright Start aims to help learners acquire effective tools of systematic, logical thinking, self-regulation, social interaction, intrinsic motivation and learning. The specific goals are to develop concepts and problem-solving strategies, enhance and accelerate the development of basic thinking strategies, develop self-motivation and representational thinking, enhance learning effectiveness and ensure learners have the skills they need to be successful.

A critical feature of the program is mediational teaching which guides the learner to understand the how and why of the learning and transfer it to other novel or unfamiliar circumstances through the eight cognitive units; self-regulation, number concepts, comparison, role-taking, classification, sequence and pattern, letter shape concepts and transformation. The cost-free downloadable Bright Start manual can be used to deliver Bright Start in multiple class groupings, settings, and environments.

In combination with the Bright Start training course, educators are equipped with the strategies and understanding of a cognitive curriculum and mediational teaching and bridging skills. As a result, students begin school learning how to learn and are explicitly equipped with the tools to be successful learners.                                       

Key takeaways               

• information about the background, rationale, goals and concepts of the Bright Start Program
• understanding of the structure and features of the program, including the family handbook, record-keeping booklet
• strategies to implement the Bright Start program in your setting, including lesson planning and delivery of the 8 cognitive units
• understanding of mediational teaching and bridging, as well as task intrinsic motivation
• knowledge of the cognitive functions for early years learners
• importance and role of metacognition in learning.

Presenter information

Nikki Maguire   

Nikki Maguire is an experienced educator and consultant in primary, secondary and tertiary education across Independent, government and Catholic sectors. She has a passion for learning innovation, inclusive authentic agency, and well-being-centred education practices. Nikki has a Masters in Inclusive Education and is a certified International Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment trainer and facilitator, Project Wayfinder trainer, certified Highly Accomplished and Lead Teaching assessor and innovationXdesign facilitator. She has direct experience in diverse learning, academic coaching, wellbeing, school strategic planning and program design and delivery.

Diane Bourke    

Diane Bourke is a Project Manager at Independent Schools Victoria after a long career as Head of Junior School. Diane facilitates a variety of projects including Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment, Junior Great Books, Project Wayfinder and Bright Start CCYC. She has a passion for learning and reading, especially poetry and is part of the ISV Poetry Competition team. Diane strongly believes that a great teacher is one who never stops the quest for collaboration and growth.