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World Forum Projects
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Directory of Members/Leadership Team
Ingrid Crowther, Canada Ned Doherty, Northern Ireland Tina Fraser, Canada Tere Gilbert, New Zealand Margo Greenwood, Canada Laurie Hand, United States Jacqui Hunt-Smith, Australia Ruci Kididromo, Fiji Barb McLean, Canada Martine Pitt, Western Australia Barbara Purcell, Northern Ireland Larry Railton, Canada TJ Skalski, Canada Sue Sterling, Canada
Ingrid CrowtherIngrid Crowther has earned her Doctor of Education in Early Childhood and the Middle years. Her background includes teaching in early childhood, elementary school, college, and university programs. She has presented at numerous childcare conferences both nationally and internationally. She has published articles in a variety of journals and has completed six textbooks - the first Canadian edition of Infants and Toddlers, Creating Effective Learning Environments (released in the US and translated and released in Germany; third edition to be released in 2010), Intro To Early Childhood Education a Canadian Perspective, and Healthy and Safe Children's Environments, child development primer, and Inclusion in Early Childhood Settings (second edition, 2009).Dr. Crowther is currently working in various jurisdictions in Canada to help to develop developmentally appropriate curriculum for adult early childhood learners, including opportunities for recognition of prior learning (RPL). Much of this work has been with marginalized adult learners including Aboriginal learners in isolated northern communities in Canada. Ned DohertyI am an Irish Traveller. There is not a lot to tell about me; I am just a Traveller that tries to speak out from time to time. I am just one of the voices of Travellers.I am on the board of the Travellers support group. I am also on the education task force here in the north. What the task force is doing is to see what the problems is in the education system for the Traveller and basically try to fix the problems. Tina FraserTina is a Maori scholar working at the University of Northern British Columbia. She is the Aboriginal ActNow BC Research Manager, Cultural Advisor to the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, Centre of Excellence for Adolescence and Children with Special Needs, and the Network Environment for Aboriginal Research BC. Tina is an Adjunct Professor in First Nations Studies, Education, Indigenous Women's Studies, and Nursing Program. Tina has a Bachelor's of Science; Master's of Education and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia. She, along with colleagues, has published articles in Early Childhood Education, First Nations and Indigenous Knowledge(s).Tere GilbertKo Tokomaru, ko Takitimu nga waka Ko Te Ati Awa, ko Ngati Kahungunu nga iwiKo Ruahine te pae maunga Ko Rangitikei te awa Ko Rata te marae o oku tupuna No Ingarangi toku Papa Ko Tere Gilbert ahau. My name is Tere Gilbert and my Maori tribal affilliations, and heartlands are listed above. My father was from England. I have 7 children and 4 mokopuna (grandchildren) who are a huge wonderful part of our everyday lives. I have been involved in the Kohanga Reo movement in Aotearoa/NZ for the last 25 years. Initially as a mum attending with her children to learn our language to establishing two kohanga and then being employed to work with parents/whanau and children. Along this journey I decided to undertake Early Childhood training and have continued my learning and working in Kohanga Reo since then. I am passionately interested in language revitalisation and the continuation of that learning in terms of transition to school, the subject I wish to explore to complete a Master of Education qualification. I am also a strong advocate of kohanga and parent/whanau partnerships which are a key component of the philosophy of Kohanga Reo.
Atawhaitia nga kohunghungai, ko ratou nga iwi o apopo Margo GreenwoodBio coming soon!Laurie HandLaurie Hand is the Director of Cherokee Nation's Child Care and Development Department in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Laurie has worked for the tribe for more than 30 years in early childhood and social service programs. In her current position Laurie administers the Tribe's child care programs which includes: financial assistance for low-income families, tribally operated child care centers, a tribally operated liceinsing and monitoring unit, and services to improve the quality of child care in tribally contracted faciilities and homes ithroughout the 7,000 sq. mile tribal jurisdictional area. Laurie is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Indian Child Care Association and past chairperon of the Oklahoma Tribal Child Care Association.Jacqui Hunt-SmithOver the past 16 years I have studied and worked mostly in Indigenous contexts, in the broad areas of childcare and child and family support. The 6 years I spent in a remote part of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, living with and working for, an Independent Aboriginal Community, caused me to begin to question old ways of doing things and to move towards a community development approach in all my work. I now work for an Indigenous organisation which supports a diverse group of Indigenous children's services across Western Australia - an area roughly 5 times the size of Texas.Ruci KididromoMy name is Ruci Kididromo, currently coordinating Early Childhood Education in Fiji with the Ministry of Education. My work involved both professional and administration of ECE in Fiji, training and re-training of ECE teachers including practical training attachment for new teachers.I do a lot of advisory visits to pre-school centres including the ones of the hills and also traveling on small outboards to the small islands. Working very closely with Senior Education officers in various Education Districts in promoting the development of ECE Services throughout the nation. I am also the representative of Ministry of Education to the Fiji Early Childhood Association Executive Board. Martha LlanosBio coming soon!Barb McLeanBarb has been an Early Childhood Educator for 20 years and has worked within the field in a variety of different capacities. Her heart and soul was captured by the philosophy of the BCFN Head Start program, which focuses not only on the child but encompasses the family and community that surround each child. She currently works as a Program Advisor for BC FN Head Start Program on Reserve. Barb and her husband John have two adult children and have recently relocated to Kamloops after a lifetime in the Caribou Chilcotin region.Martine PittHaving worked in Family and Children's services for almost 40 years I believe that we have a sacred duty to care and protect all children of the world. So many children in so many lands are subject to a life less than what we would wish for our own and it is our work in families where we must take responsibility to ensure that children's voices are heard and listened to. The agency I work for in Perth in Western Australia, Communicare Inc is continually challenging itself in quality and practice and I believe that that is a task we must all undertake to ensure that we achieve the very best service for the most vulnerable. My professional training is in Social work, Counselling, Law and Business and I am learning every day from clients, professionals and colleagues. This is my fourth World Forum and look forward to renewing old friendships and seeking new ones.Barbara PurcellBio coming soon!Larry RailtonLarry is a Board member and Commissioner for the Metis Commission for Children and Families in British Columbia and also is a member of the Aboriginal Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee for UNICEF Canada.He has developed Aboriginal Early Childhood Education program and parenting programs in his community. He has designed Metis specific early years curriculum for the Metis National Council in Canada. Larry is a past board member of the Canadian Association for Young children and advisory member to the Aboriginal children's circle of early learning, and past National representative of Western Canada for the World Forum. Currently Larry is the Manager of Services for Aboriginal Students at Langara College in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. TJ SkalskiBorn and raised on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta, TJ Skalski (Soaring Eagle Spirit Woman) passionately invests her time and energy into the hearts and spirits of the children who attend Mother Earth's Children's Charter School, Canada's only Indigenous Charter School, where she's serving her 2nd year as principal. She has enthusiastically taught children ages 4 to15 and has served the field of Early Childhood Education for over a decade at the local, provincial and national level. Committed to life long learning TJ recently completed a Masters in Educational Studies. A loving wife, a caring mother of three, and a proud First Nation woman, TJ is guided by our traditional sacred teachings and believes that we learn best by leading by example.Sue SterlingBio coming soon! |
